Alex’s grin widened. “I thought they might be making you uncomfortable.”
She huffed, folding her hands over her abdomen on top of the covers. “Ridiculous.”
Alex nodded, clearly still amused. “My mistake.”
“Obviously.” She focused her gaze on the wall beside her, determined to ignore the paintings. If they didn’t bother Alex, they didn’t bother her. Very much. Studiously avoiding the pictures, Lucia stared at the wallpaper instead. Unfortunately, she couldn’t stop a gasp from escaping. The paper was not a print, as she’d thought, but couples portrayed in various sexual positions. She quickly turned her head away.
And met Alex’s amused eyes. Infuriating man.
But before she could chastise him, there was a knock on the door. Alex went to open it, and a polished footman entered carrying a bowl, towels, and a pitcher of water. Behind him skipped in a girl holding a tray of food and wearing only a sheer, thin robe.
Lucia choked on a cough as the nearly naked girl thrust the tray onto a table and jumped into Alex’s arms. “Christophe!”
Lucia shot up, ignoring the dizziness that accompanied the swift movement.
“I am so happy to see you again!” the girl gushed, rubbing her body against him. “It has been far too long. You will have to come and entertain the girls with your stories at breakfast.”
Alex laughed. “I don’t have any stories,” he said, finally releasing her, but—Lucia noted—still holding the girl. “I’m a tedious old man.”
“You, old, Christophe?” The girl gave him a lewd look. “We’ll see about that!”
Lucia made a strangled sound, and the girl glanced at her for the first time. Lucia read triumph in her eyes.
The girl turned back to Alex. “Madame thought you might be hungry.” Then, watching Lucia the entire time, she leaned forward and kissed Alex.
How dare she! Lucia fisted her hands.
The girl giggled. “I have to go now. Madame is waiting.” As she scooted out the door, she gave Lucia a satisfied grin.
Indignation rose in Lucia like hot air. But she’d never show it. She straightened her spine and gave the trollop a look of haughty disdain worthy of the queen.
Alex chuckled, and Lucia barely bit back a scream. He shook his head, unbuttoning his waistcoat, back still to Lucia. “You’ll feel better after you eat something,” he said without looking at her. She gripped the covers harder, fighting the urge to grab one of his discarded boots and fling it at him.
He peered at the tray. “Typical French,” he said easily. “Bread, wine, and cheese.” The silenced lengthened, and he finally turned to look at her. “Oh hell, Lucia. Now what?”
Lucia gave him a fierce look. “Nothing.”
“You’re not jealous of Brigitte, are you?” he drawled, stripping off his waistcoat. He dropped it and started on his shirt.
“Jealous?” she said on a false laugh. “Jealous! You are severely deluded, sir. Jealousy is an emotion quite unfamiliar to me.” She tossed her head.
“Right.” He pulled off his shirt, and despite her anger and exhaustion, her gaze traveled the length of his chest, from his broad shoulders all the way to his narrow waist.
She crossed her arms. “Right.”
He regarded her for a moment, shrugged again, then bent down to retrieve his waistcoat.
“You do seem to know her rather well, though.” Lucia bit her lip, wishing she’d kept silent.
He glanced at her. “I come here when I need to disappear for a few days. When things get dangerous. Madame Loinger is no friend of Bonaparte, and she helps when she can.” Alex picked up the tray of food—the tray Brigitte had brought—sat down on the floor with it, then looked at her expectantly. “I’m hungry. Let’s eat.”
With a sigh, Lucia tugged the covers from the bed, wrapping them around her, and with a huff she plopped on the floor across from him. She didn’t care about the food. Absently she picked up a piece of bread and nibbled it, then she tried the cheese. A moment later she was stuffing hunks of bread and cheese in her mouth, incredibly ravenous.
“Leave some for me.” Alex laughed and reached for a slice of cheese.
Lucia was mortified. She’d eaten half the tray already. She tried to swallow the mass of food wedged in her mouth and was grateful when Alex handed her a glass of wine.
“Slow down.” He chuckled again. “We can ask for more.”
