"That your boyfriend?"
Thea paused for a moment before looking at Lucian with shock. She honestly hadn't expected that question. Not from the man who didn't seem to be interested in anything other than Biology and probably his company.
Looking back at him, she was even more surprised when she found his dark green gaze on her unwavering and unnerving as if it was trying to penetrate into the depth of her soul and nestle the flame burning within it inside her.
For a moment, Lucian looked like a barely restrained beast as he looked at her.
"What makes you say that?" she breathed out wondering why she was feeling suffocated.
Seeming to get out of his trans, Lucian's look softened and the intensity in his eyes disappeared as if it was never there.
"Hmm… well, for starters, He was trying very hard not to glare at me," He answered with a glint in his eyes as if he enjoyed that particular detail.
"And secondly, the way he barged into your office with an entitled expression is telling me that he thinks that he has some kind of privilege over this place." He added then looked at her, "Is he the reason why you won't have lunch with me? If I may say, You have a very bad taste in men," He told her and she snorted not helping the laugh that came out at the end of his unexpected speach.
Thea laughed so hard that Lucian seemed to be almost pouting as he looked at her. The man had an unexpectedly cute side to him. But still, she wasn't ready for a relationship so soon after her last break up.
Or maybe she was…
"He's just a child throwing a tantrum over something that wasn't his in the first place. He will learn to settle for less eventually…" She answered with a small smile.
Lucian's returning smile at those news left her her heart beating so fast that she thought that it was going to poke through her blouse.
"I see…" He answered with a wide grin, "Is the student behind him the "less" he has to settle for?" he asked again.
"I wouldn't say that…" She answered not wanting to go in depth over the detail of her break up with Robert, "So, how about we talk more in depth about the project since you seem to be already here,"
"Is he the reason why you won't have Lunch with me?" He asked again and she frowned looking at him.
Was he being serious right now?
For some reason, Thea felt like she was a prey caught in a mischievous cat's trap. And he looked like he was going to enjoy toying with her…
"Were you seriously asking me out?" Thea asked with and Lucian gave her a smirk.
"If you feel the need to clarify, then I'm doing this all wrong," He answered making her heart skip a beat as he gazed at her with that strangely intense look he kept making.
"Well, maybe you lost your edge…" She answered making him chuckle.
"Well… ouch. That hurt! Is that a no?" He asked as he leaned against the desk and peered at her with wide puppy eyes which made her laugh.
"Stop trying to indirectly convince me. And yes, that would be a no…" She answered leaning back and giving him a half hearted glare.
"Well, that's too bad," He answered, "What can I do to change your mind?"
"Nothing, because I won't change my mind," She answered with a smile, "Unless it's Lunch between colleagues where we discuss the upcoming project and I pay for my share…"
Lucian remained silent for a few beats before opening his mouth.
"I can't talk about anything other than the project?" He asked with innocent eyes.
"Nope…" She answered.
"Not even a few questions? Just five personal questions…" He said standing up straight and looming toward her with big doe eyes.
"Three questions…" She answered with a sigh, "And I can choose whether to answer them or not,"
Lucian sighed and leaned back.
"That's not exactly what I was hoping for. But I know better than not to take this chance," Lucian added with a grin making her wonder if she was going to regret her decision.
Not that it would stop her by now. She too had a lot to talk about with him and she still wanted to check out if their chemistry was really as good as her memory was insinuating.
As they made their way out of the office and toward the parking lot. The continued bickering along the way as Lucian seemed to be having the time of his life.
Was bickering with her really that much fun?
"Here you go…" Lucian said as he opened the door to his car for her and she stood there looking at him for a few moments before opening her mouth but he beat her before she could say anything.
"We didn't say anything about not driving together. Besides, taking two cars in rush hour is kind of a waste of time don't you think?" He said as he reached for her hand slowly pulling her toward the car like a gentle wave washing something ashore.
"You can't have it your way all the time, you know…" She said with a sigh while still getting into the car.
"I already know that. I'm just trying to take whatever I can get away with for now. It's going to be a long battle," he told her with a grin before closing the car and making his way to the other side.
She was pretty sure that he was more likely being playful with her than actually flirting. Some people are like that. But she still couldn't help the way her heart beat slightly faster every time she was in close proximity to her or whenever she felt his eyes on her.
"So… Where to?" He asked looking at her.
"So now you're asking for my opinion?" She asked with a mocking smile which he returned with his infuriating signature grin.
"You're the one who knows these surroundings best. I thought you may have a better opinion on where to have lunch than any guesses I may make," he said as he drove out of the parking lot.
"You're right… for a change…" She said before she leaned forward tapping on the GPS screen of his leather covered dashboard and inserted the coordinates of their destination.
"That's unexpected…" He said as he maneuvered the car to follow the directions she made.
"What is?" She asked.
"You looked like a natural using the GPS. I had the impression that you were more likely to be bad with technology…" He said.
"Is that a university professor stereotype?" She asked.
"You could say that… Most of the people I've met are like that…" He answered.
"I've had a lot of practice, I guess…" She said and seeming to sense that she didn't want to talk about it, he left it at that.
"Now that I think about it, you must be having it hard too. University politics are kind of a pain in the neck," He said.
"Where did that come from?" She asked.
"I was just thinking about how I was happily directed toward your lecture even before you were probably informed that it was going to be yours…" He said with a smile and Thea looked at him.
"I guess it must be hard… I mean, for people who are incompetent enough to fall for such tricks," She said.
"That's pretty bold of you to say…" He answered.
"I wouldn't volunteer to teach a lecture in which I can't even stand to have a new audience." She answered.
"Unlike the people who sent me to audit your lecture." He said and she looked at him wondering what in the world he meant.
"I know you're mad at me because I didn't introduce myself the day we met…" He said and Thea looked at him to find his gaze fixed on the road with a serious expression on his face.
So, he was turning this into a serious discussion.
"Hmm… I'm surprised you realized this…" She said.
"Actually, I knew you from way before. I knew who Thea Keaton was before I met you for the first time that day…" He confessed leaving Thea feeling exposed.
What did he know? And why would he know who she was before her grandfather introduced her?
What did this man want after all?!
All those questions went unanswered when Lucian cursed, suddenly swerving in an attempt to stop the car.
Thea didn't know what was going and the last thing she remembered was Lucian's hand as it reached out to protect her only for it to be too late, as she slammed her head against the window and everything went black.