16 The divorce papers sat on my desk, a stark white stack of legal documents that would officially end my marriage to Lucas Bailey the following morning. I'd spent the evening reviewing them with almost clinical detachment, making sure everything was in order. I was staying at my father's guest house-a cozy but elegant bungalow on the grounds of his estate that afforded me privacy while keeping me close to family support. My father was in London on business, which suited me fine. I needed the solitude to prepare myself for tomorrow. It was nearly midnight when the security system chimed, alerting me to someone at the gate. I checked the monitor, my heart skipping when I saw Lucas's Audi idling at the entrance. "Ms. Shepherd," the security guard's voice came through the intercom. "Mr. Bailey is requesting entry. Should let him through?" I hesitated, my finger hovering over the intercom button. What could Lucas possibly want at this hour, the night before our divorce? Curiosity won out. "Let him in, Frank. It's fine." I wrapped my silk robe more tightly around myself and waited by the window, watching as Lucas's car wound its way up the long driveway. When he parked and stepped out, even from a distance I could tell something was off. His normally graceful movements seemed slightly unsteady, his posture less controlled than usual. The doorbell rang, and I took a deep breath before answering. Lucas stood on my doorstep, his tie loosened, hair disheveled, eyes slightly unfocused. The scent of expensive scotch wafted from him. "You're drunk," I observed, neither inviting him in nor sending him away. "Not drunk enough," he replied, his words clear despite the slight slur. "May I come in?" I stepped aside reluctantly. "It's late, Lucas. Whatever this is about, couldn't it wait until morning? We're meeting at the lawyers' office at ten." He moved past me into the living room, his presence immediately filling the space in a way that made the bungalow feel smaller. "That's why I'm here. I don't want to go through with it." I closed the door, crossing my arms over my chest. "We've been through this already. The decision is made." Lucas turned to face me, and in the warm lamplight, I could see the weariness etched into his features. He looked like he hadn't slept properly in days. 'Do you remember what I said to you that first night?" he asked, moving to the sofa and sinking down onto it. 'When we got our marriage license?" 'You said a lot of things," I replied cautiously. I 'I said that in two years, I wouldn't be the man I was then. Someone to beted at will." He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "I was right about that much, at lea I remained standing, maintaining distance between us. "You got what you wanted, Lucas. Control of Bailey Enterprises. Freedom from your family's manipulation. What more do you Want?" 'You," he said simply. The word hung in the air between us, heavy with implication. laughed softly, the sound lacking any real humor. "You don't want me, Lucas. You never have." 'How can you be so sure of what I want?" he challenged, his gaze intense despite his apparent inebriation. 'When I'm not even sure myself anymore?" 'Because I've spent two years watching you love someone else," I said, the words sharper than I intended. "I'm not blind, and I'm not stupid." Lucas ran a hand through his hair, a gesture of frustration I recognized well. "I did love her. Or I thought I did. But it's been... changing. For a long time now." Convenient timing," I remarked, unable to keep the skepticism from my voice. He stood abruptly, moving toward me with surprising steadiness. "Do you think I planned this? To realize how feel about you right when you're determined to leave me?" My heart raced as he approached, but I held my ground. "And how exactly do you feel, Lucas?" He stopped directly in front of me, close enough that I could feel the warmth radiating from his body, smell he intoxicating mixture of scotch and his cologne. I miss you," he said, his voice dropping to a low, intimate register that sent shivers down my spine. "I miss your laugh. I miss the way you hum while you're sketching. I miss finding your coffee cups in strange places around the penthouse because you get distracted and set them down wherever you happen to be." His hand rose, hovering near my face but not quite touching. "I miss waking up with you beside me, even when you've somehow managed to steal all the blankets in your sleep." Despite myself, a smile tugged at my lips at the familiar complaint. I had always been a restless sleeper, and Lucas had teased me mercilessly about my blanket-hogging tendencies. 'One night," he continued, his voice rough with emotion. "That's all I'm asking. Stay with me tonight, and if you still want to sign those papers in the morning, I won't try to stop you again." studied his face, trying to decipher whether this was genuine feeling or simply the scotch talking. "What would be the point, Lucas?" 'The point would be honesty. No more pretending. No more holding back." His eyes met mine, surprisingly clear despite his supposedly inebriated state. "Just us, as we really are, for one night." Something shifted inside me-a recognition that this might be our last chance to find closure, to end things. Chapter 16 The Last Night with honesty rather than with the careful distance we'd maintained for so long. Or perhaps it was something more selfish. A desire to have, just once, what I'd wanted for so many years- Lucas Bailey looking at me as if I were the only woman in the world. I knew it was a dangerous game. That giving in to this impulse might only make tomorrow's parting more painful. But standing there, with Lucas looking at me with such raw need, I found my resistance crumbling. "One night," I agreed softly. "But this doesn't change anything about tomorrow." Relief washed over his features. "Thank you." I moved toward the bar cart in the corner of the room. "Would you like another drink?" "No." He shook his head. "I want to remember every moment of tonight." The statement sent a flutter of anticipation through me. I poured myself a small measure of bourbon instead, needing something to steady my nerves. As I sipped, Lucas moved around the living room, examining the space I'd made my temporary home. His fingers trailed over the design books stacked on the coffee table, the sketches pinned to my inspiration board the throw pillows I'd arranged on the sofa. "You've made it beautiful," he observed. "Even knowing it's temporary." "That's what I do," I replied. "Make spaces beautiful, no matter how briefly they're inhabited." He turned to look at me, understanding the double meaning in my words. "Our marriage wasn't just a space you were passing through, Autumn." "Wasn't it?" I set my glass down, the bourbon burning pleasantly in my throat. "From the beginning, we both knew it had an expiration date." Lucas moved closer again, his eyes never leaving mine. "What if I told you I don't want it to expire anymore?" My heart skipped a beat, but I forced myself to remain pragmatic. "I'd say it's too late. We can't undo the past two years, Lucas. We can't pretend you didn't love Phoebe all this time." 'I'm not asking to erase the past," he said, stopping just inches from me. "I'm asking for a future." Before I could respond, he closed the remaining distance between us, his hand coming up to cup my cheek with surprising gentleness. "Just for tonight, can we set aside what was and what will be? Can we just... be?" should have said no. Should have maintained the boundaries I'd so carefully constructed. But when Lucas Bailey looked at me like that-like I was precious and desired-my resolve crumbled completely. leaned into his touch, my eyes closing briefly. "Yes." The word had barely left my lips before his mouth was on mine, the kiss deep and hungry and nothing like the controlled, public kisses we'd shared during our marriage. This was raw, desperate, his hands tangling in my hair as he pulled me closer. responded with equal fervor, two years of restrained desire finally breaking free. My robe parted as I pressed against him, the thin silk of my nightgown doing little to disguise the heat of my body. Lucas drew back slightly, his breathing uneven. "Autumn," he breathed, his eyes searching mine. "I need you tc