The Deal

Her hair scrolled over one shoulder in a loose plait that ended on the curve of her breast. The fitted skirt and jacket she wore clung to her womanly outline. She was wide-eyed, her beautiful lips parted as if in surprise. Never had he seen her looking quite so ethereal. It mesmerized him. Lucas couldn't look away.

It was Naomi who broke the contact.

She disappeared quickly from his view.

I have to go after her. They were due to meet that evening, but now he'd seen her he couldn’t wait to touch her. It'd been a week since they'd parted, and it seemed much, much longer. No Skype interaction would ever match up to holding her, tasting her – no matter how X-rated those Skype sessions had been – and they'd communicated that way every night.

Lucas quickly apologized to the assembled group, a cost meeting for a client's advertising campaign. "Forgive me, there's something I need to deal with. I'm going to have to leave you to look over the figures without me."

It wasn't his usual modus operandi, but circumstances demanded he act. He needed someone to step in and looked at the gathered personnel for a likely candidate. Jack Hudson looked sharp and focused, and Lucas trusted him to be able to cope with the unexpected request. He'd called on Jack before at short notice, and he'd delivered the goods fast and without question. "Jack, can you run through the various advertising budgets on the next screen and explain to our client what the options represent?"

Jack was on his feet in a flash

As Lucas left, he asked reception to call catering in early so they had refreshments while they worked through the financial aspects of the campaign. That would keep them busy for a while.

There was no sign of Naomi anywhere in the Eaglestone suite.

A quick glance at his watch informed him she'd completed her meeting with Georgio. Waiting impatiently for the elevator he considered how far she might have got, then the doors opened. Moments later he emerged on ground level reception and saw Naomi standing nearby, deep in conversation with Clara.

Clara. Lucas frowned.

Passers by were staring, not surprisingly. The two women were feet apart, facing off like cats with their backs up, voices raised.

As he closed on them, he caught part of the conversation.

"You don't know the first thing about me," Naomi said, "you're in no position to speculate."

Naomi had her back to him, but his view of Clara was clear. She was livid. "I don’t need to speculate. You're clearly looking for a sugar daddy."

Lucas's blood hit boiling point in a flash.

"Don’t judge me on your standards, please. I'm here on business." Naomi gesticulated with her portfolio bag.

Lucas stepped between them. "Clara, Toby's late for school."

Clara glared at him, daggers in her eyes. She cursed loudly and headed back to the elevators.

Lucas turned his attention to Naomi, only to discover she'd taken off.

Her heels clacked against the marble floor as she darted across reception toward the exit, her portfolio bag clutched against her side.

Astonished she was leaving, Lucas gave chase. As soon as he closed on her, he reached out and grasped her wrist, shackling her to him.

Naomi half turned, jerking to a halt.

Her flaming hair tossed, strands of it loosening from her plait. She looked back over her shoulder. Eyes rounded as if startled, the look she gave him was imploring. "Let me go, Lucas. I need to get out of here."

I love her. I don’t want to see her leave. Subconsciously he'd known how deeply he cared for a while, but the thought of her walking away with hurt in her eyes turned him over inside. His grasp on her tightened.

She shook her head. "Safeword," she whispered.

Lucas froze, doubt clouding his mind. Safeword? The safeword they'd never established, because they hadn't needed it. Until now.

Instantly, he freed her.

She quickly turned away, but not before he saw the regret in her eyes. She walked away, determinedly, toward the exit.

Railing, he lurched after her. "Naomi!" he shouted. "Please don't do this." He didn't care who heard, who saw. Willing her to stop, he watched.