‘As it does to me,’ Luke said quietly, his stare dropping to her lips.
‘Okay,’ she said, coming to a decision. ‘I’ll make a deal with you. When I’ve proved myself, maybe—just maybe, mark you—I’ll kiss you back.’
Luke laughed, and the tension between them started to ease, but they both knew that any thought of them being like brother and sister in future was out of the window. Lucia only wished she could tell Luke that she would never be able to make good on all the sexual tension between them, but how could she admit that she was damaged and tainted and frightened? Or that she could handle a business relationship, but anything else between them was impossible?
‘At least life won’t be dull from now on,’ he remarked, eyeing her with humour. ‘Though whether it will match up to your experience in London …’
She flinched. Damn it, she actually flinched—and Luke saw it. She hadn’t seen that one coming. She should have known Luke would never let it go until she told him the truth about the day that sleazy concierge had decided a pampered Argentinian princess would be easy pickings. Just thinking about it now made her feel sick.
‘Lucia?’
She must have paled. ‘What?’ she said, swallowing back bile.
‘Why won’t you tell me what happened in London?’
‘You still don’t get it, do you, Luke? I can handle it.’
He held his hands up palms flat in apparent surrender, and in fairness to Luke she had relied on him and her brothers for so long it was no wonder he felt the need to ride in and save her like the White Knight. But she had changed, and things would be different from now on. She needed no one to save her.
‘When you speak to Nacho, just tell him you’ve seen me and I’m safe. You can also tell him that I’ve got a roof over my head.’
‘A leaking tin roof.’
‘And that I won’t do anything stupid,’ she added firmly.
Unfortunately these were famous last words. As she moved towards the door she somehow managed to spill the contents of the birthday gift bag from her friends, and as Luke stared down in dumb amazement, he saw laid out in front of him, like some offering to a yoni god, an industrial-sized packet of condoms, a pair of red crotchless knickers and a very adult toy.
‘Nothing stupid?’ he murmured.
‘Goodbye, Luke.’ She had no intention of explaining her gifts to him. Where the job was concerned Luke could call her to account, but the gifts from her friends were none of his damn business.
‘Let me know if you’re going to take the job, Lucia.’
‘I think you know I will.’
‘Then as soon as I have an agreement from Margaret I’ll have a contract drawn up for you,’ he said, giving her a keen glance before opening the door.
She closed her eyes as Luke left the van, but she could still feel him in every fibre of her being. Being with Luke was like brushing the edge of a storm she longed to be swept up in. But if she allowed that to happen everything would be out of her control and under Luke’s dominion. She could work for him. She would just have to keep her feelings in check. She must. She couldn’t bear for Luke to know the humiliating truth.
CHAPTER NINE
I’m not doing so well when it comes to ticking goals off my list—but that’s only because I’m impatient and try to take things too fast. And I have my heart set on one man.
So, what have I learned?
I’m frightened of sex.
I’m frightened of Luke finding out I’m frightened of sex and why …
Were I not frightened of sex there would still be a problem, because sex with Luke Forster is never going to happen. I’m obviously not his type—maybe I’m not good enough for him. Luke has sampled several kisses and shows minimal enthusiasm at the prospect of sampling more. Fair enough. If he tried more than kisses I’d probably run a mile.
So it’s back to the start of my list with an open mind. If I remain focused I should reach number ten in no time. And if number ten doesn’t involve sex with Luke, that’s no big deal. The way I feel about sex right now, I’d sooner have an ice cream.
The new plan:
Concentrate on practical matters and forget about my heart. Unlike the path of Cupid’s arrow, practical can be planned out in bullet points.
• I have a job at the guest house.