A stack of sandwiches waited on the bench along with a jug of apple juice. Lucas had his head in the fridge replacing the butter and other bits and pieces. They’d barely made themselves comfortable when the phone rang. Glancing at the clock, Harriet murmured a disbelieving protest. “It can’t be.”
“Hi…. Yes, Lucas is here…. just swimming…. we’ve been chatting about old times……sure I’ll ask him.” She put her hand over the mouthpiece “Mum wants to know if you’d like to join us for my birthday dinner, Sunday evening. Don’t feel obliged. You know how she is.”
Lucas nodded. “Tell her I’d like to come.”
“Really? Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.”
“Yes Mum, he said he would…. wine…. I’ll check”
Lucas nodded again. “He says okay…. all right, thanks. See you then.”
“And they ring you every night without fail?” Lucas enquired, picking up another sandwich.
“Not usually on Thursday nights because I’m never home before nine. If they know I’m going to be out somewhere they might not ring but it’s generally prearranged. That doesn’t happen often.”
Lucas rubbed his bare toes against her foot. “And this has been going on since you left home nearly two years ago? What happens if you get a steady boyfriend or…something permanent?”
“In that unlikely event, I think they’ll assume he’s looking after me. I’ve been trying to convince them I can look after myself for years with no success. I don’t expect things to change in a hurry.”
“You really aren’t looking for another permanent relationship?”
“No. So you don’t have to feel threatened.”
“Threatened is definitely not how I’m feeling now. I’m just surprised. You wanted a family.”
“That probably won’t happen.”
“You said there was nothing wrong with you.”
“There isn’t.’
Brow knotted, he sent a shafting glance her way. “A vicious circle, isn’t it? You don’t think anyone would stick with you for the long haul and you don’t believe in having kids without a stable family life.”
He’d been right about wanting a stable family life. But that had been then. This was now. “How are you feeling about the whole family and children thing? You weren’t all that keen, I recall.”
“Seven years ago, I had other plans. Kids were something vague in the future.”
“And now?”
“I agree with you about a stable family life. So, nothing much has changed. I’ve got plenty of time.”
“Once I’m out of your life.”
His mouth curled. “As I said. Plenty of time.”
What did that mean? Plenty of time for them to be together before he went elsewhere? Harriet curled her toes as Lucas continued to rub her foot with his. “Would you like to stay once we’ve eaten?”
His foot stilled, and his face tightened. “Thank you, but I should go.”
Harriet bit her lip remembering how odd and silent he had been when they had made love. It obviously hadn’t been what he expected. Fixing her brightest smile to her mouth she grabbed the last sandwich and bit into it. Chewing with a mouth suddenly dry, she forced herself to swallow. “I was getting greedy. Don’t worry, I don’t expect you to feel any obligation to hang around afterwards. It’s supposed to be about having fun.” Her voice wobbled a little at the end, but she hoped it was a creditable effort.
Lucas cursed himself for his lack of tact. “Don’t take it that way, Harry. I just have a lot to think about and I’m used to being on my own.”
With a hiccough, Harriet tried to pull away. “It’s fine, really. I know it probably isn’t much fun when you have to treat me like breakable china. You’re probably used to woman who can be more inventive and tie themselves in knots.”
“Why would I want to be with a woman who can tie herself into knots? It sounds uncomfortable. At this moment, I want to be with you.”
“At this moment?”
Her soft mouth hardened as she queried his words and Lucas cursed his stumble. “I want to be with you. Full stop. No conditions.” He kissed her firmly on the lips. “Are you busy this weekend?”
“I have a rehearsal tomorrow afternoon for a demonstration a group of us are doing for a disability event in December. It should finish around five. Then Sunday I have dancing classes I help at from one o’clock until four.”
He took the opportunity to kiss her again. “That leaves a perfect window of opportunity from five tomorrow to lunchtime Sunday. And then we have dinner with your parents.” He kissed her one last time and gathered up his backpack. “I’ll see you tomorrow after five.”
It was close to six when the buzzer went. When she opened the door, Lucas was wearing jeans and a t-shirt again along with a rather grim expression. His face softened when he saw the concerned expression on hers. “Hey, Harry, sorry I’m late.” Spinning away from the door, Harriet shrugged. “No problem. I've been checking my emails. What's the plan?”
Lucas perched on a stool in the kitchen as Harriet poured them each a glass of water. “I was thinking we could go and eat at Southbank and afterwards we could go back to my place. I can show you my etchings…I mean, view.” His grin disarmed her, and she relaxed a fraction as he continued. “I have chocolate mud cake in the fridge. There is one catch.”
Harriet eyed him warily. “What’s the catch?”
“You need to let me carry you into the house. It has to be one of the most inaccessible houses in Brisbane. Down a slope and then up the steps.”
Harriet sipped her water thoughtfully. “If I humiliate myself, I get mud cake? That’s a hard decision Lucas Hall.”
Lucas smiled a little wryly, “You could have me as well. If you still want me, that is?”
Harriet put her water down on the bench. “That could just push me over the edge. That is if I understand you correctly. Sex and mud cake are on the menu?”
Lucas watched her fingers as they ran around the rim of the glass with an odd expression on his face. “If that’s how you want to look at the offer, I guess so. Not necessarily in that order.”
Harriet frowned at his choice of words, but he smiled at her. Reassured, she smiled back. “It sounds good to me. Your car or mine?”
“Mine would be convenient for me. I think your chair will fit in the boot comfortably.”
Harriet nodded, “I need a shower. Do you mind waiting?”
“Not at all. May I come and talk to you while you get ready?”
If Harriet thought Lucas had anything else in mind but talking, she was wrong. He did assist her with removing the braces. He seemed to find them fascinating. The rest of the time he leaned against the basin asking her about her rehearsal and talking about a project he was doing with one of the larger universities. When she finished her shower, he handed her a towel absently in the middle of telling her a humorous story about a new recruit who put down software tester as his previous job but turned out to have been a keen gamer.
“He’s got potential, but we’ve put him on as a trainee, so he can do some background study.” Harriet found herself intensely interested in what he was saying but wondered why he was telling her. He’d always talked to her about his University studies and assignments and listened gravely to her opinions. But she hardly thought he would care for her opinions now he was running his own company.
Lucas watched her dress in the bedroom using the aids she kept on the chest at the end of the bed. Once again, he had the thoughtful expression that said he was absorbing the information and processing it. When she reached for her knee braces, he stepped forward and helped her strap them on. “How many sets do you have?”
“Three, two padded sets for day to day use and the moulded ones for swimming. I sponge the padding down each night when I change them over.” Picking up her towel Lucas hung it in the bathroom before re-joining her. Conscious of him watching she pulled on a pair of soft caramel trousers and a pale lavender top.
He nodded, perhaps in approval. “Nice. Are we ready to go?”
Downstairs, Lucas held the car door as she transferred to the BMW before folding the chair and putting it in the boot. When he climbed into the car, he sat quietly for a moment looking at her. The darkness in his eyes sent a ripple of something to her gut. He leaned over, avoiding the console between the seats, and she held her breath.
His fingers on her jaw created tiny frissons of sensation on her neck and throat. His lips caressed her cheek and the corner of her mouth before settling nicely on her bottom lip. “Hello,” his breath mingled with hers as he whispered the greeting against her lips. His mouth lingered a moment before firming and pulling away, shifting back in the driver’s seat. Harriet was torn between wishing he had kissed her like that back in the apartment and the heated awareness they never would have made it this far if they had.
8
Southbank was busy as always on a Saturday. They meandered along the boardwalk enjoying the sights and sounds of the park and river. Lucas watched Harriet manoeuvre along the cement paths, her arms working to keep up with him. The last time they’d been here together they’d held hands. It was the little things like that that tightened his throat. He’d not appreciated the simple joy of entwined fingers, palm to palm. Until there had been no-one to hold his hand. No-one to care.
Back then, it had been new to both of them. Exciting. It was hard to keep things cool making out, not wanting to stretch the limits. Needing to keep things within the boundaries set by Harriet’s youth and convictions. The chemistry had been off the charts. Even lacking a comparison he’d known it was something special. Being with Harriet, he was comfortable.
She didn’t laugh at him like the other girls who made fun of his awkward attempts to chat them up. When he babbled on like an idiot about some new computer development or an on-line game he played with his mates, she listened and asked questions. She made him feel a million dollars. Like he could conquer the world.
Which was why the shock of her attack hit him so hard. Why it took weeks to figure out maybe there was more to it. The only thing she hadn’t belittled was his manhood. And walking in to hear her doing just that to that skeezy school friend had been the last straw.
Harriet had her taped. He’d sold Sondra the ticket in the first flush of anger and paid for it by having to fend her off all the way to L.A. There was only one person with whom he wanted to join the mile-high club. If she wasn’t available, he’d stick to his computers. At least they were logical.
With a laugh, Harriet brought him back to the present.
“What’s so funny?” He sat on a nearby bench and she joined him with a flourishing turn.
She stifled another laugh. “I just realised that even though this time I’m the one with the wheels, you’re still getting the looks from all the girls.”
“Are you looking, Harry?”
“I’m just thinking about dessert.” Harriet grinned back. Her eyes sparkled, and his heart flip-flopped. When she was natural, like this, it brought everything back. He touched her hand lightly before standing up and starting to walk again. “We should think about eating. What do you fancy for your pre-dessert course?”
They chose seafood from one of the takeaways and Lucas carried the bag back to the boardwalk. They ate in a comfortable silence with occasional comments about the food and the view. A City Cat went past, and Harriet mentioned she hadn’t been on one for years.
Lucas looked at her curiously because he knew they were accessible for people in wheelchairs. It had been a favourite cheap excursion on a weekend for the two of them to go along the river to Hamilton and back. She must have been conscious of his scrutiny because she smiled grimly. “Too romantic. I don’t do romance anymore.”
“That’s a dampener for someone who has chocolate mud cake in the fridge at home.”
Harriet winked at him. “Chocolate mud cake isn’t about romance, it’s about feeding the senses.”
“Duly noted. No romantic gestures.” Lucas licked his fingers. Harriet’s eyes widened. He slowed down the process, sucking lightly on the end of his thumb, watching the way her pupils dilated. She wanted this thing between them as much as he did. Grabbing the serviettes to clean his hands he pushed the small sachets towards her. “You can have the cleaning wipes as you need to put your driving gloves back on.”
Traffic was light as they drove back across the river to Auchenflower and Harriet was amazed when they pulled up in the driveway of a spectacular old Queenslander with wide verandas. “It’s enormous, Lucas. Look at the Jacarandas. They must be a hundred years old.”
Built on a large, steeply sloping block, in this obscure backstreet of the inner-city suburb, it extended over two levels. The timber top floor of the house was almost at street height while the lower level of stone was partly dug into the hillside.
Lucas pulled her chair out of the boot and carried it down the slope and up the high external staircase and placed it ready for her on the veranda. When he came back, he stood beside the car door as Harriet pulled herself up. “So, Harriet, do you trust me?”
She looked at the old cement path and the timber stairs and put her arms around his neck. “I suppose if I want mud cake, I have to.”
Lucas picked her up, closing the car door with his elbow and strode along the path and up the stairs with an ease that said volumes for his fitness levels. Once on the veranda he set her down but held her against his body, supporting her weight as he nuzzled her neck. “You smell of flowers and fish and chips. The perfect woman.” Harriet wriggled and gasped as he nipped her on the shoulder while lowering her into the chair. “Time for the tour, Harry. You have to earn your dessert.”
On closer inspection, Harriet could see the house needed work, the paint peeling in places and scuffed timber skirting boards. The spacious rooms, high moulded ceilings and ornate trims on the doors and windows told of an era of gracious living. Lucas leading her through the house, watched her face intently as she exclaimed over each new discovery. “I’ve never seen a house with so many original features. How did you find it?”
“It was owned by the same family right through the last hundred years until the last member of the family died a year ago. She was a spinster with very little money, so the building escaped the usual renovations. The bathrooms were partially done in the fifties and are adequate but basic. I won’t have any qualms about ripping them out and doing them up. The same with the kitchen.”
“Do you have staff? There’s a lot of it.”
“I employ outside staff for gardening and cleaning. I’m still looking for a housekeeper to oversee everything. Graeme might know someone suitable. It has to be the right person.”
“Will they live in?”
“Yes. A self-contained apartment downstairs eventually.”
“You like your privacy.”
“Of course.”
They entered the kitchen as he spoke, and Harriet looked around curiously. A good size room with plenty of space even with the large, pine kitchen table in the middle, it was definitely in need of some help. The stove was a wood burner and Harriet wasn’t surprised to see a microwave on the old, red Formica topped cupboard and a brand new stainless-steel fridge. “Don’t tell me you cooked the mud cake in the microwave?”
Lucas laughed, and she hugged herself. It was a wonderful sound she’d never expected to hear again. “Wouldn’t you like to know? I bought it from the Cheesecake Shop down the road. You see I reveal my secrets under your expert interrogation.”
“All your secrets?” Harriet sidled up to Lucas where he was leaning on the table.
“Well, most of them anyway. Are you ready for mud cake and whipped cream?”
They sat on the back veranda to eat and Harriet had to admit the view was comparable to her own. Lucas put his arm around her shoulder to point out her apartment and left it there while they shared the dessert stroking the soft flesh just inside her collar.
“Are you enjoying
this, Harry?”
Harriet swallowed another delectable mouthful with a muffled moan. “Oh yes. My taste buds are in heaven.” She looked sidelong at Lucas. “There are a few other senses just asking to be tantalised as well.”
“You, my lady, are a wanton woman. Are you planning to wear me out?”
Harriet licked the last of the cake and cream from her spoon “Absolutely.” Lucas stood and led the way to a part of the house Harriet hadn’t seen. “This is the bedroom section. There are six but only two are habitable so far.”
Harriet looked into one as they went past and recognised an old double bed with a green and gold cover. “You still have that old bed?”
“I left my stuff at Mum’s place. It should do up really well for one of the bedrooms here. The right era. But I go for size and comfort these days.”
Lucas paused at the end of the corridor and opened the door of the room letting Harriet enter first. The room hadn’t been decorated but the king-size black and gold brass bed was obviously new. It was just as high as Harriet’s bed and had a dark green quilt with stacks of pillows of all shapes and sizes in various shades of purple.
“The woman at the shop just kept adding to the pile and I didn’t know how to say no.” The smile that accompanied the confession was slightly embarrassed.
“I bet you didn’t. I’m surprised she didn’t come home with them”
He looked around sharply. “You think she was flirting?”
“Sometimes you are such a geek.”
Lucas put his hands on his hips and laughed out loud at that. “Just as well I didn’t notice because even with a bed this size it could have been a bit crowded. I keep chucking them in the corner but the cleaner sticks them back on the bed.”
Harriet Emerson was so beautiful Lucas couldn’t believe she’d ever picked him. Even though she’d discarded him just as easily. Pushing that thought away, he picked her up and carried her to the bed. He was starting to understand her reasoning but there were still questions. He watched her as she wiggled into the middle of the bed using only her arms, the movement of her arched body almost erotic. He pulled off his boots and socks and attended to hers and lay on the bed beside her. “Do you like my house?”
Tell Me No Lies Page 11
