Grace laughed as they ran down the hallway.
"Lucas! Wait!", she called out "We can't just leave that mess in there! Gustave will have a stroke!"
Lucas snorted.
"He has it every single day over a different thing, trust me", he grinned, sending Grace into hysterics from laughing.
Oh, how he loved her laughter!
"Besides, I'm not running because I don't want to face that idiot cousin of mine", he softly said as he stopped in front of the library, causing Grace to lightly bump into him as she was still on the run.
"Ow!", Grace rubbed her forehead.
Lucas cringed.
"I'm so sorry! Are you okay?", he asked, watching her with concern in his eyes…only to see that she was holding back a laugh. Lucas grinned "Or do I have to kiss it better?"
Grace closed one eye.
"First tell me why are we hiding if not to escape Gustave's wrath", she joined her palms behind her back to stop herself from reaching out to him.
Two can play this game.
Lucas' eyes turned almost black as he stepped in her personal space.
"So, I could have more time to do this", he whispered before leaning down and, pulling her closer to him, he placed a gentle, sensual kiss on her lips.
Grace's eyes closed as a sigh escaped her enabling Lucas to deepen the kiss, sending her head spinning.
And once more, he won the game - and she didn't mind one bit.
Her hands wrapped around his neck as she whimpered from the fire he stoked inside her.
How did I ever live without this man?!
Gently pulling away from his loving lips, she whispered:
"Come on, my love. We can't leave the kitchen like that".
Lucas let out a sigh.
"I know", as she smiled at him they started to walk back to the kitchen, hand in hand. Lucas looked down at their joined hands then at Grace's smiling face.
And felt his heart warm up at the love she showed him without hesitation. Sincere and pure.
They entered the kitchen and, luckily, there was no more smoke. Grace took the burned cookies from the sink and threw them in the garbage. Meanwhile, Lucas cleaned the mess they made on the counters and they did the dishes together.
Just as they finished and were looking in the fridge for something sweet to eat, the doors of the mansion slammed opened!
"LUCAS BOUCHARD!", they heard Gustave's loud voice booming from the hallway. Lucas' eyes widened and collided with Grace's laughing ones "Quickly! Hide!", he hissed.
"Where?!", she hissed back as Lucas looked around himself.
"I don't know!", Lucas whispered "In the fridge?"
Grace almost bursted to laugh.
As they heard footsteps coming closer, Grace's eyes widened and all of a sudden she jumped, grabbing Lucas' hand.
"Quickly! Under the table!", she rushed to the big table in the middle of the kitchen and crawled under it, Lucas hot on her heels.
As they sat Lucas accidentally bumped his head against the table.
"Ow!", he hissed.
"Ssssshhhh!", Grace giggled, putting a palm over his mouth, her smile wide as she listened for any sign of Gustave.
Lucas gently pried her fingers away from his mouth.
"You know, there is a much better way to keep me silent", he quipped, causing Grace to smile lovingly.
"Silly me", she silently chuckled.
The frantic footsteps reached the kitchen and both of them held their breath at Gustave's gasping.
"Oh, mon dieu! Oh, Lucas Bouchard, je vais vous tuer!!", growled Gustave.
Both Grace and Lucas fought laughter back, their hands joined as they carefully watched Gustave's legs rushing from one side of the kitchen to another.
"How can a man who is so smart to be a Governor be such an idiot and not listen to one simple rule?! One! That's all I ever asked! One thing! Don't enter my kitchen!"
Grace glanced at Lucas questioningly.
"Who is he talking to?", she whispered.
Lucas rolled his eyes.
"To his most trusted person", at Grace's blank look, Lucas whispered "Himself".
Grace quickly put a palm on her mouth to muffle the giggles.
Lucas' eyes shone dangerously at the sight.
"But, no, no, no, no, nooo, Monsieur Lucas doesn't listen to me! One day, he will blow this entire mansion in the air just by looking at MY kitchen!!", shrieked Gustave, throwing his hands in the air.
Grace was in hell as she tried her best not to burst to laughter.
Gustave's legs moved toward the oven and he clammored around before saying:
"Well, he did clean this nicely… No, that must have been Mademoiselle Grace. He is way too stupid to know how to do that", grumbled Gustave.
That was it. Grace could feel that she was losing the battle.
As her eyes closed, she moved her palm from her mouth to the floor, ready to surrender to the giggles.
And that was when she felt his lips on hers, robbing her both out of breath and laughter.
Her whole body tingled, then bursted in flames, as he gently pulled her head closer to him, stealing every breath she tried to take and kissed her so lovingly that she never wish to crawl out from under the table.
"Where the hell is that imbécile?!", Gustave grumbled.
Grace pulled away for a millisecond to catch her breath, and then Gustave asked himself that question!
Grace's eyes sparkled in sheer panic as her lips curled up in smile and she quickly leaned forward to kiss Lucas again.
She could feel her giggles disappearing and it was only a matter of seconds before they turned into silent moans if he goes on and keeps kissing her like that!
Her entire body was aflame from his love. His lips were like a spring of life water she never wanted to stop drinking from.
She wasn't sure she would be able to live without that.
They heard Gustave's footsteps leaving the kitchen, but the fire they jumped in held Grace too tightly in its grasp to let go of the man she loved.
"He's gone", Lucas mumbled silently against her lips.
Grace shook her head, cupping his face.
"I don't care", she kissed him desperately, her fingers caressing his beard and neck, causing him to sigh and deepen their kiss.
They both shivered deliciously against each other and Lucas knew that he has to stop NOW or he never will.
And he loved her too much for that.
He slightly pulled away, his eyes dark as the midnight sky. She watched him, breathless.
He caressed her cheek then took her arm away from his face and kissed the inner side of her palm.
Looking at her, he whispered:
"I love you, Grace".
Her heart will explode, she was sure of that.
She let out a sigh, smiling widely.
"Oh, I love you too, my Lucas", she whispered.
He smiled, loving how she kept on showing how much she loved him even by one single word.
My.
My Lucas.
Oh, I am hers forever and a day!
His heart thumped wildly as he held her hand.
"Come on, lets get out of here", he whispered.
He peeked under the table and made sure that the coast was clear. He signaled for her to follow him and they quickly crawled out from their hiding place.
Lucas reached the kitchen doors and peeked outside.
"Coast is clear", he whispered as he pulled Grace's hand and rushed toward the doors.
He held her coat for her and just for a moment, he wrapped his arm around her waist from behind and buried his nose in her soft hair.
"I miss you already", he whispered, inhaling deeply, wanting to keep her scent memorized in his senses.
Grace shivered deliciously from his words and touch and leaned into his chest just for a moment, reveling in the fact that this gorgeous man was hers to love…and that he loved her back.
She turned her head a bit and sighed as he kissed her, her hand going to his hair, her fingers roaming through it.
The man was intoxicating.
And she felt like flying.
When he broke the kiss, they both breathed heavily and Grace wasn't sure how will she be able to walk home.
"I better go", she whispered, pulling away. Tying her coat, she glanced back at him "Call me later?"
He smiled warmly, giving her one short, gentle and breathtaking kiss that left her head spinning.
Pulling back slightly, he whispered:
"Absolutely".
Grace smiled, opening the doors.
"Bye", she whispered, stepping out into the brisk air.
"Bye", Lucas whispered back and after she left the backyard and his sight, he quietly closed the doors.
Turning around, he let out a breath that turned into a startled yelp at the sight of Gustave standing a few steps away, hands crossed and face unreadable.
"For God's sake, Gustave! You almost gave me a heart attack!", Lucas scolded, his palm on the left side of his chest.
Gustave snorted.
"Oh, don't blame me for Mademoiselle Grace's doings", quipped Gustave.
Lucas chuckled in shock.
"Knock it off, you idiot", he grinned at his cousin. Creasing his eyebrows, he watched Gustave carefully.
Something was off.
"How come you're so calm?", asked Lucas, confused.
Gustave shrugged.
"I saw the room where you were eating. How can I be mad at you when your heart is healed and you are happy again? What's the kitchen comparing to that?", asked Gustave, small smile on his face.
Lucas felt his throat tighten at Gustave's care.
He truly was blessed to have his cousin by his side.
"But, Lucas…French toast and scrambled eggs and avocado? Really?", Gustave scolded him, his face disgusted "Whatever happened to strawberries dipped in chocolate…"
"It's winter, you moron", grumbled Lucas "There are no strawberries", he tried to defend himself, but Gustave continued like he didn't hear him:
"...bruschettes, tartines, confiture, beurre…", he looked at Lucas, completely exasperated "Haven't you learn nothing from me?!", he huffed.
Blessed to have his cousin by his side?
Lucas shook his head in annoyance.
I may have thought that too soon.