Mr. Unforgettable (9 page)

Luke said nothing as she stood, but as she walked past, Liz found herself hauled onto his lap.

She tensed under the hot reality of contact, planting her hands on his broad chest to steady herself. Under her one palm, his heartbeat was slow and regular. He lifted her hand and kissed the racing pulse point on her wrist. “Are we going to do anything about this?”

“No.” She forced herself to relax, deeply conscious of the heat of his body scorching through her thin dress.

“Do you expect to be celibate for the rest of your life? If so, I think you're being unrealistic. We've been striking sparks off each other for weeks.”

Her spine poker stiff, Liz sat on Luke's lap and tried to match his objectivity. “I expect I'll have an affair…eventually. When I work how to tell a guy he's only temporary. I don't want to hurt anyone.”

“I can do casual,” he invited. “And you can't hurt me.”

She focused on his chin. “You don't understand. I can never replace what I had with Harry.”

“It's because I understand that that I'm making this offer. You're not looking for love because your marriage was perfect, I'm not looking for love because my marriage was a disaster.”

“Even if I was tempted…” She found the courage to look at him and realized she'd been wrong in thinking Jordan King was the wild one. “I can't do anything to jeopardize my chances of reelection. Having a fling with you would be—”

“Crazy. You're right.” Lightly he trailed a finger down her arm. “But tonight I'm here with Fred, not the mayor of Beacon Bay. And Fred could stay the night—if she chose to.” He looked at the goose bumps he'd raised and smiled. “Think about it.”

S
HE DID
.

Disgusted with herself, Liz did think about it.

Through the rest of the evening, through the bouquet toss, through the cutting of the cake, the last speeches and departure of the bride and groom in the helicopter, she tallied and retallied all the sensible reasons to say no.

And when she'd exhausted those, she invoked the illogical and very feminine ones. He hadn't even kissed her, they hadn't properly dated…the offer was totally irregular and strangely detached.

Which also made it exciting, freeing and outrageously tempting.

Late in the evening, she watched Luke slow dance with Bernice May. He moved with an athlete's grace, but with his waistcoat undone, his sleeves rolled up and his dark hair slightly disheveled he looked like a gambler. And tonight she was the prize.

All credit to him, he'd done nothing—verbally or physically—to persuade her since making his offer, giving her space to make a sensible and objective decision.

Liz sighed.

Over Bernice May's birdlike shoulder, Luke smiled at her, his teeth wolf white, and she escaped to the deck to think. Leaning over the balustrade, she stared blindly into the night.

She wanted Luke but her feelings were knotted and complicated. Harry might be inviolate in her heart, but that didn't mean she wouldn't feel guilty sleeping with someone else. And while Luke might be sexy, smart and honest, he was also cynical, bitter and disillusioned.

He'd said she couldn't hurt him, yet there was a dark loneliness underneath his easy confidence. She recognized it because she shared it. Liz sighed again.

“Penny for them.”

Kezia's warm voice came from the shadows and she spun around. The other woman was leaning on the balustrade farther down the deck, half hidden by a grapevine. Deep in thought, Liz hadn't registered the faint rose perfume. Now she realized Kezia had been there all the time.

“I was admiring the view.” To back up her claim, Liz looked skyward. The stars were so bright they looked like miniature suns scorching holes in the night. The bleached moon, just waning, cast silver beams on the undulating farmland. “You live in a magical place.”

“It's a great place to think, too.” As Kezia joined Liz, the band struck up the tango and a burst of hilarity drew their attention. Through the window they watched Bernice May—a rose between her teeth—tighten her grip on a protesting Luke.

Both women started to laugh.

“You might want to rescue your man,” Kezia suggested.

Liz hesitated. Over the afternoon and evening the two of them had struck up a rapport—maybe because they were the only sane ones in this crazy menagerie. “He's not mine,” she confessed as they turned back to the view. “We're faking it.”

“I thought so at first,” Kezia said gently, “now I'm not so sure.”

“Oh, the friends part is real.”

“Really?” Kezia gestured to two chairs and they sat down. “That makes you a lot more interesting than a girlfriend. Luke is very selective about his friends.”

Her husband's roar of laughter emanated from inside and, eyes twinkling, she added, “
These
days, anyway. So why the sigh?”

Married to one of Luke's best friends, maybe Kezia could offer an insight that would help Liz's decision. “I am considering a temporary…upgrade in our friendship,” she admitted a little awkwardly.

“And you're worried about jeopardizing your friendship?”

Liz knew this sensible woman would understand.

“Partly.” An image of Luke standing apart from his friends this afternoon flashed into her mind. “Can I hurt him?”

Kezia stared at her intently. “You obviously think so, or you wouldn't be asking.”

“He says I can't.”

“Luke always says what he means and means what he says.”

Kezia wasn't going to give Liz a straight answer, how could she? Luke was her friend.

“Well, thanks for your help.”

Kezia obviously sensed her disappointment. “I'm not trying to be obtuse, but in a lot of ways Luke is an enigma. If you really want my advice—” she smiled “—trust Fred's instincts.”

 

L
IZ TOOK A DEEP BREATH
. “I've made a decision.”

“Let's hear it.”

The band struck up a schmaltzy love song and she had to raise her voice. “I've decided to go home.”

“Okay.” She waited for more. “Sorry, I didn't realize you meant now,” he added.

Luke stood up from their table and, stunned, Liz followed his lead. All that agonizing, she thought, and he doesn't care either way?

Bernice May was the one who protested. “Change your mind and drive home in the morning.”

“It's a ninety-minute drive and she's got an early appointment,” Luke said.

She did; still, Liz resisted an impulse to hit him.

The old lady made an impatient gesture. “So get up early. You young people have no stamina.” To Liz's intense embarrassment, she pulled her aside and whispered loudly, “If it's noise you're worried about, he's got the guest cottage to himself.”

Luke overheard. “Let it go, Bernie. She's made up her mind.”

It would serve him right if she changed it. Finding it increasingly difficult to hold her smile, Liz said her farewells. Kezia hugged her; Christian kissed her on the cheek.

“It's been a pleasure, Fred.”

She barely knew these people and they treated her like one of them. Even the bride and groom, swamped by friends and family, had made a point of seeking her out to say a personal goodbye.

Outside, the music faded into the vastness of the country night as they followed the ghostly blue glow of solar lights along the track to the paddock where only a dozen cars remained. She should thank Luke for inviting her, but Liz was suddenly too angry for pleasantries.

How dare he get her all steamed up before sorting out his feelings?

The open farm gate, whimsically entwined with red, green and gold fairy lights, twinkled a direction across the tussock grass. There was no sea breeze to cool the humidity, and the chiffon dress wilted against her body. Liz felt like a deflated party balloon.

He'd obviously regretted the offer as soon as he'd made it.

She tried to read his face, stepped into a rutted tire track and stumbled. Luke caught her by the elbow in an iron grip. “Careful.”

No, this wasn't a man who vacillated.

He took her car keys and opened her car door. The interior light flicked on, illuminated the navy leather…and Luke's jaw. He was smiling.

“Of course,” she blurted. “You're using reverse psychology to try to change my mind.”

“What?”

Oh, God, she was wrong. “Listen, I had a wonderful time. See you at the lesson on Monday.” She grabbed his hand and pumped it. The key he was still holding jabbed into her palm.

“Wait a minute. This just got interesting.” His hand tightened on the car key as she tried to take it. All the remote politeness had disappeared from his tone. “Did you
want
me to try to change your mind?”

“No!” Honesty compelled her to add, “But a little more disappointment would have been nice.”

“That tempted, huh?”

Her temper flared again. “Can I have my keys, please?”

He leaned against her car. “I'm worried you might interpret that as giving in too easily.”

Liz gritted her teeth. “Trust me, I won't.”

“You're really pissed about this, aren't you? The thing is, Fred, ambivalent women tend to have regrets. Regrets are complications. Neither of us wants complications.” He sounded as if he was reciting by rote. “You'll thank me in the morning.”

“Don't patronize me. I'm older than you are.” All the logical arguments in the world and she had to choose the illogical one. Suddenly Liz was tired. “Give me the keys, Luke.”

He opened his palm. “I want you to stay. But you have to be sure, Liz.”

She grabbed the keys, sank into the driver's seat and slammed the door, then rolled down the window. “Would it have been so hard to just kiss me?”

Starting the car, Liz switched the headlights to high beam. A cow lifted its head from the trough in the next paddock. Water dripping from its mouth, it stared back with big, reflective eyes.

Distracted, she graunched the gears. “Listen, forget that, it was a stupid thing to say.” Liz struggled to be her reasonable self again. “See you Monday.”

“Make the first move, Fred, and I promise I'll make all the rest.”

The huskiness in his voice made her skin hot, her pulse jump and stretched her nerves to breaking point. Her dress rustled as she lifted her arms and twisted her hair into a bun. Wisps escaped the knot, but her hands were trembling so Liz left them. Releasing the handbrake, she stared straight ahead and whispered, “I can't.”

“That's okay, too.” He stepped back, swallowed by the dark.

Halfway to the gate, Liz braked and backed up. “I'm not staying,” she said through the open window, “but Fred wants to kiss you. Once.”

If he'd shown any amusement she would have accelerated, but he simply nodded.

Before she could change her mind, Liz got out of the car, grasped Luke's arms in a straitjacket hold, closed her eyes and plunged. Her lips collided with his jaw.

Hopeless. She was hopeless at this. Embarrassed, she released him. His fingers closed around her arms.

“Try again.”

“Okay.” She took a deep breath, then to Luke's surprise, stepped closer and wound her arms around his neck. Her breasts—soft and full—pressed against his chest, her slender legs bumped his thighs.

Distracted by the feel of her, this time Luke didn't see Liz coming. Her mouth connected unerringly with his. Automatically, his arms came up around her waist. He waited.

The moon appeared from behind a cloud, flooding them with light. Her eyelids fluttered open. This close he could see every emotion. Confusion, desire, indecision.

His conscience pricked him. Maybe he shouldn't have encouraged this but dammit, he was only human. Then her lips, blood-warm, moved tentatively against his mouth, and her tongue, moist and sweet, teased for entry. Heat scorched south along male neural pathways and unleashed the self-restraint he'd practiced for too many weeks.

Catching her face in his hands, he opened his mouth and let her in, hungry for the taste of her, hungry for the feel of her, just damn hungry. His arms closed around her and he backed her up against the car, imprinting her body with his.

Deliberately, he sparked a long, languorous, slow-burning fuse of a kiss that fired closer and closer to the point of no return. He could feel her body grow heavier, melding to every muscle and sinew of his until he knew he had her.

Luke lifted his head. “Well?”

“I'll stay,” she gasped.

“Are you sure?”

The resolve in her eyes wavered. “Yes, but…” There was always a but. “I don't want to use you, Luke.”

It was a crazy thing to say given his erection was pressing against her stomach and she was clutching his open waistcoat in a death grip, but despite his amusement, he felt a warmth that had nothing to do with anything physical. All his life people had used him—his athletic ability, his fame and his wealth.

Luke leaned forward. “I'm giving you permission,” he whispered in her ear, and on a shiver she turned her head and captured his mouth. He put no brakes on this kiss—hot, deep and carnal—it was designed to bypass her last scruples. Instead, her surrender shattered his self-control.

Legs like jelly, Liz clutched Luke's shoulders, lost in the incredible sensations aroused by his tongue. He slid a hand up to cup one of her breasts, his thumb beside her nipple, and she ached for his touch but remorseless, he let his hand lie, burning her through the chiffon bodice.

Gasping, Liz shoved him away. “No teasing. I can't stand it.”

“If I touch you,” Luke said hoarsely, “I'll take you right here.”

She dug her nails into his shoulder. “If you keep looking at me like that I'll let you.”

“That does it.” He grabbed her hand and hauled her back toward the house, swerving left down a garden path leading to the dark shape of the guest cottage.

Stumbling to keep up with him, Liz stepped out of her heels and left them behind. The gravel path was sharp under her tender feet; but she didn't care.

“One time only,” she reminded him.

“One night only,” he corrected. “It's going be more than once.”

Liz felt dizzy. “And this won't affect our friendship.”

“No, back to normal tomorrow.”

She knew at this point they'd promise each other anything. Still, there was a reassurance in talking about tomorrow. Because right now was getting scary again.