Claiming Lauren (eXclave) Read Online Free PDF Page A

order like so many steel filings. He stood at the center
of the starburst and Lauren was startled to realize Master was nothing but a
nebulous presence at the very farthest fringe. Guilt nipped at her heels as
they left the house and Jacob helped her into his car, a sleek, sporty model
with dark paint, its exact hue unidentifiable in the quickly-descending dark.
Despite his height, Jacob slid confidently behind the wheel and soon they were
on their way.
    He broke the silence. "My New York office is undergoing structural
changes and I've decided to personally oversee the new direction. I'll be
staying in the city for the next several months."
    "I see." Lauren frowned at the passing scenery, shook her head
slightly, and said, "Actually, I don't see. What prompted this
decision?"
    "A combination of factors."
    When he didn't elaborate, she turned her frown on him. May as well
address the elephant before it stepped on one of them. "Was my phone call
one of the factors?"
    "Not the way you're probably thinking." He reached between them
and programmed the stereo to a classical station. Lauren knew she should
question him further, but the soothing piano music left her relaxing into the
seat.
    Jacob drove in silence and her eyelids grew heavy. She didn't precisely
sleep but she did drift into a disconnected space, where the reality of sitting
within arm's reach of her husband bled into the reality of her night with
Master. Jacob's face kept slipping over Master's shadow-shrouded visage, Jacob's
voice filled in Master's low whispers, and for a brief, fleeting moment,
Master's scent teased her senses. Her eyes flew open, but nothing had changed.
Jacob navigated traffic with expert confidence, the soft piano melody teased
her ears, and the light fragrance of his aftershave was the only thing she
smelled.
    "You're tired," he said, glancing away from the road long
enough to make eye contact. "I should have realized."
    Instead of mentioning her flight and opening the door of discussion, she
merely nodded.
    Jacob apparently didn't need the open door. "You should have taken a
day to rest before coming home."
    Heat crept up her neck. She did not want to talk about this with him.
"If I had, you wouldn't have a dinner companion now. It's fine. I'm fine.
As long as you have no objection, I'll just nap during the drive home."
    "There's no need for you to sleep in a cramped car. We're having
dinner with a personal friend of mine and she has no shortage of guest rooms.
We'll stay the night and you can enjoy a bed."
    She frowned. "I'm not prepared for an overnight stay."
    "Elizabeth will arrange for anything you need." Jacob merged
off the freeway and onto local roads while Lauren chewed over her misgivings.
    Requesting separate accommodations at a private residence would not only
be rude but also awkward. She glanced at Jacob, whose unconcerned expression
roused her annoyance. Of course he was unconcerned. He would return to London
and she would be the one left with whispered rumors. And if the way her body
reacted to him was any gauge, rumors wouldn't be her only problem.
    But his return to London wouldn't be imminent, would it? Prolonged
contact with Jacob would disrupt her tentatively forming plans. Suddenly her
skin felt too tight, too thin, and the air in the car wasn't sufficient. She
surreptitiously felt on the door for the window release. Before she could
locate it, fresh, cool air bathed her face.
    "Do you need more or is that enough?" Jacob asked.
    "This is fine. Thank you." Lauren closed her eyes and rested
her forehead against the window. Almost immediately, she straightened again.
This scenario was too familiar, and this ride would not result in the
release she'd come to crave. The thought of buttoning herself up again, denying
the self she'd only just discovered, made her chest ache.
    "If you're unwell, tell me."
    "I'm not unwell. I'm..." She started to dismiss her needs as
unimportant but stopped short. She deserved to be happy. Visible