The sound of an approaching car broke into his dark brooding and Luc backed into the shadows of the rocks, watching the silver sedan pull into the lot.

A grim smile touched his lips as he caught sight of the dark-haired beauty seated behind the steering wheel of the rental car.

Madison.

Angling to avoid being seen in her rearview mirror, Luc jogged across the lot, swiftly reaching the car. Then, with a yank on the handle, he had the door open and was sliding into the passenger seat.

“Morning, Maddy.”

There was a feminine screech as Madison jerked her head to the side to watch him slam the door shut, her hand pressed to the center of her chest.

“Good god, you nearly gave me a heart attack,” she rasped, her eyes narrowing as suspicion replaced her initial fear. “What the hell are you doing here?”

He slid an appreciative glance over her slender body before returning to her furious face. Even in jeans and no makeup she was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, but there was no mistaking the shadows beneath her glorious eyes and the pallor of her skin.

A part of him was instantly concerned by the signs of a sleepless night, while a much larger part of him felt a stab of hope.

Surely a woman who’d accomplished her mission would have slept soundly?

“Weird,” he drawled, holding her wary gaze. “That’s the precise question I was about to ask you.”

Her scowl deepened. “Did you follow me?”

“Actually I’ve been waiting for you.”

“How could you possibly have known I was coming—” Annoyance abruptly flared through her hazel eyes. “Kristen,” she muttered.

“She sent me a text,” Luc admitted. “She said that you were coming here to complete some unfinished business. She also said that I needed to stop you.”

Madison’s breath hissed between her clenched teeth. “Meddlesome pain in the ass.”

He leaned toward her, resting his forearm on the center console as he carefully monitored her expressive face.

“Why are you here, Maddy?”

She gave a shake of her head, her braid brushing her shoulder. “It’s none of your business.”

“What would it take to make it my business?” he asked, reaching to grasp the braid and tug the band off the end.

“I…” She licked her dry lips, looking incredibly young and vulnerable as the morning sunlight streamed through the windshield. “Don’t understand.”

His heart twisted, the familiar affection he’d always felt for this woman deepening into a richer, more lasting emotion.

Avoiding her wary gaze, Luc concentrated on unraveling her hair from the braid. “When I caught sight of you last night it all became clear.”

“What did?”

“Why I could never commit to another woman.” He unraveled the last of the braid and combed his fingers through the satin softness. His breath caught as a fierce arousal slammed into him. Oh…man. Just being near this woman was enough to make him hard with need. The sooner he had her in his arms, the better. “And why I kept such a close watch on your career,” he continued, leaning even closer. “And why I felt as if I’d been living my life in black and white until you walked onto that balcony and filled the night with beauty.”

He was near enough to see her eyes darken at his soft words. Of course, her expression remained stubbornly defensive.

Nothing about Madison Philips would ever be easy.

And he didn’t give a shit.

He would give whatever necessary to make her happy.

“Did you practice that?” she tried to mock, grimacing as her words came out as a husky whisper.

“You want it in simple terms?” he asked, his expression somber. “I never stopped regretting walking away from you. And now that you’re back I’m never letting you go again.”

Her lips parted at his blunt warning, the pulse at the base of her neck fluttering at a rapid beat.

“Luc.”

Luc sucked in a deep breath. It was now or never.

Unless he overcame his aversion to making himself vulnerable, then she was going to walk away.

“I love you, Maddy.”

The hazel eyes widened, her shock tangible in the close confines of the car. “You can’t,” she breathed.

He lifted his brows. “I can’t?”

She gave a restless shrug. “You barely know me.”

Luc gave a laugh at her ridiculous words.

“I’ve known you all my life,” he reminded her, able to recall the precise minute he’d glanced down the hall of their school to see those big, beautiful hazel eyes focused on him. At the time he hadn’t understood why he’d felt as if he’d been struck by lightning. Or why he’d always checked the stands before he jogged onto the football field to make sure she was seated in her familiar spot. He’d always been aware that she was a constant backdrop in his life. “I know you have a generous heart despite the hardships you were forced to endure, you have endless courage, and an independent spirit that I deeply admire.” His fingers slid out of her hair to lightly trace the line of her stubborn jaw. “Everything else we’ll discover during our future together.”

She shivered beneath his light caress, but she made no protest to pull away. “Future?”

He leaned forward, pressing a soft, lingering kiss on her lips. “A very long future.”

Her hands lifted to lie against his chest, her breath coming in tiny pants between her parted lips.

“Are you asking me to…” She had to stop to clear her throat. “To marry you?”

He pulled back with a wry smile.

He didn’t blame her for the disbelief in her expression.

Hell, his own mother would be shocked when he confessed he was ready to give up his bachelor days and take a wife.

And his father…

No. He gave a shake of his head.

He wasn’t anything like his father.

He only needed one woman to make him happy.

“Eventually,” he hedged, not wanting to terrify her into bolting. “First I just want the opportunity to prove I’m no longer that stupid kid who hurt you.” He cupped her chin, forcing her to meet his pleading gaze. “Will you give me a chance?”

“I…” His heart halted as she hesitated, panicked by the thought she might say no. Dammit. He was going to lock her in his bedroom until she accepted he’d never meant to hurt her.

Then, without warning, her hazel eyes warmed with an emotion that sent hope sizzling through his body. “Yes.”

A dizzying relief exploded through Luc. “Thank god.” Framing her face in his hands, he covered her lips in a desperate kiss, nipping her full bottom lip in punishment for terrifying him. He moaned as she readily melted against him, his erection thickening as he wrapped his arms around her. His tongue dipped into the warm wetness of her mouth, tasting her passion as she grabbed his T-shirt and tried to drag him closer. He growled in frustration as the console kept them separated, the heat of the sun already making the air uncomfortably hot. “Damn…” he muttered, reluctantly lifting his head to study her face that was now flushed with desire. “This car wasn’t made for making love to my woman.”

A tiny smile curved her lips. “Your woman?”

“Mine,” he growled with full male possession.

She kissed the tip of his chin. “I like that.”

So did he.

A lot.

“Are you going to tell me what you’re doing here?” he demanded, nuzzling a path of kisses down her throat.

She tilted back her head, offering him better access. “When I was seventeen, Kristen stole a bottle of tequila and brought it to the trailer,” she murmured, clearly distracted as his tongue teased the pulse that pounded at the base of her neck.

Luc felt a stab of surprise. Madison had never attended the private parties where there was alcohol. No doubt the example of her mother had taught her the emptiness of trying to find pleasure in a bottle. And in truth, he’d admired her for resisting the peer pressure.

Her respect for her body was far sexier than any amount of trying to impress him.

“You never used to drink in high school,” he said, breathing deep of her vanilla scent.

“Which only made it worse,” she admitted, shivering as he traced the neckline of her top. “After a couple of shots I decided I had to have some tangible proof of my love for you.”

He abruptly straightened, smiling with wicked amusement. “Hmm. I like the sound of that.”

She rolled her eyes. “You would.”

“What was this tangible proof?”

“A tattoo of your name in a heart.”

A tattoo? He was momentarily stunned, then he suddenly recalled the strange smear of makeup he’d noticed last night.

“On your lower back,” he said.

“Yes.”

His hand skimmed down to the spot just above her firm ass. The knowledge that she had his name forever imprinted on her skin was hot as hell.

Of course, as far as he was concerned, there was nothing about this woman that wasn’t hot as hell.