She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 661

Zelie pointed a finger at her own nose. "I'm a grown-up now."

Then she turned and mocked Morris. "And you're still calling me Ms. Zelie! Silly Morris."

Morris didn't take offense. He just offered a warm smile and played along. "You're absolutely right. Let's go play the piano."

Gordon Lonsdale watched the exchange, utterly bewildered. "Would someone mind explaining these riddles you're speaking in front of me?"

Hank Lonsdale patted his shoulder. "Let the older generation sit this one out."

Upstairs, Loyce carried her laptop into the bedroom. She had just sat on the edge of the mattress and opened the screen to call Buck back when she saw it: two shopping tabs she hadn't managed to close in time. The items displayed on the screen were intensely, undeniably explicit.

Just as her finger darted toward the 'close tab' button, the bedroom door clicked open and shut behind her.

Lucian stepped inside, reaching back to lock the door with a sharp *click*.

Startled, Loyce snapped the laptop shut. She didn't mean anything by it; it was just a natural, slightly embarrassed reflex to being caught looking at that kind of merchandise.

But to Lucian, the panicked gesture looked incredibly guilty.

Loyce turned to him, trying to play it cool. "Is something wrong? I just need to make a quick call, and then you and I can..."

Her words caught in her throat.

Lucian didn't answer. Instead, he stalked right up to her.

His face was an unreadable mask, but his dark, fathomless eyes were swirling with an intense emotion she couldn't quite decipher.

Holding her gaze, he reached up and began unbuttoning his dress shirt.

His movements were deliberate and unhurried. Starting from the collar, his long, elegant fingers slipped the buttons free one by one, exposing the sharp lines of his collarbones, followed by the hard, sculpted planes of his chest.

Loyce froze, blinking. Her brain short-circuited trying to process what he was doing.

"Lucian?"

Why was he suddenly stripping in the middle of a conversation?

Second button. Third button. His bronzed, flawless skin was gradually laid bare to the cool air of the room, the deep ridges of his abs shifting with every breath.

Even in a tailored suit, the sheer power of his physique was obvious, but half-undressed, the explosive strength coiled within his body was staggering.

"What..." Loyce swallowed hard, watching him wordlessly continue his task. A ridiculous thought flashed through her mind. "What are you doing?"

Loyce tried to yank her hand away as if she'd been burned, but he held it firmly in place.

Then, as her eyes went wide, he dragged her hand slowly down his chest, tracing the hard ridges of his abs, going lower and lower...

"Lucian..." Her voice cracked, a fiery blush exploding across her cheeks.

He ignored her plea, stubbornly guiding her hand to map every inch of his tense, scorching body—from his chest to his stomach, and finally coming to rest over the very place she couldn't bear to look at, yet couldn't ignore.

It was a searing, rock-hard heat against her palm.

This devastatingly sensual display stood in wild contrast to the usual cold, untouchable austerity of his handsome face.

Loyce was completely flushed, her ears burning scarlet for the first time in her life.

Staring at this practically naked, absurdly gorgeous man who wore an expression of icy restraint while doing something so shamelessly provocative, her brain completely flatlined.

"Can you feel it?" he murmured, his voice ragged as he held her hand against his most vulnerable, desperate point.

Loyce's fingers twitched instinctively, and the man in front of her let out a low, rough gasp.

Her hand froze.