Luke had to admit she made a good point. ‘Oh, no, it’s about all of those things as well,’ he admitted candidly. ‘When I saw you across the avenue before, it was absolutely about getting you into bed in the fastest possible way. To be honest, it was a relief to feel such a strong physical connection because then I didn’t have to think about anything deeper. And then Raoul showed...’
‘And you decided you’d come over all territorial and stake your claim?’
Luke wasn’t going to apologise for going after what he wanted. A decade in advertising had taught him to hold firm. ‘No. I realised what I feel for you goes way beyond the physical.’
Claudia snorted. She refused to let his pretty words sway her. ‘Really? Well, too bad. You can’t just waltz in here, throw the L word around and use me for three days before you waltz out again. I’m not going to be your little Aussie bonk-buddy.’
‘I’m not interested in something casual. I love you, Claudia Davis.’
Claudia shook her head, quashing the excited flutter in her chest. No. She wasn’t falling for that. ‘You told me two weeks ago that you couldn’t go there again after your divorce. You expect me to believe that’s all changed in just two weeks? That you’re suddenly over the most emotionally devastating experience of your life and that you’ve fallen in love with me? In two weeks?’
Luke shook his head. ‘Tonight, actually. I fell in love with you tonight.’
‘Oh, great. That’s so much better,’ Claudia said, folding her arms across her chest.
‘What happened with Philippa...the divorce...you’re right, it was devastating and I’ve been clinging to that as an excuse to focus on my career. But I looked across at you tonight and suddenly, all the hurt and humiliation, none of it mattered any more. Yes, I loved Philippa but the truth is, I didn’t fall in love with her. Not like just now.’
He took a step closer to Claudia because he needed her to hear him. ‘We fell into a relationship, we were a convenient couple. We were always at work together, we had a lot in common but I didn’t know her. Not like I know you. You’ve been part of the fabric of my life for ever. You’re in my DNA, Claude.’
Claudia glared at him, not sure she liked the biological comparison. ‘How romantic. I sound like a disease.’
Luke ignored her sarcasm. ‘I guess you are,’ he admitted. ‘You infected me a long time ago and you’ve been lying dormant inside me until today and now you’ve totally overrun me. I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to see what was right in front of me.’
Claudia wanted nothing more than to throw herself into his arms. To take his words at face value and make a grab for her happiness while it was standing right in front of her. But it all just seemed too good to be true. Could love between old friends ever be that simple?
He lived on the other side of the world, for crying out loud!
‘Oh, yeah, and how do you see it working between us?’ she demanded. ‘With you in London and me here?’
Luke shrugged, unfazed. It had taken him a long time to trust enough to love another woman—he wasn’t going to do it by halves. ‘I don’t want to be anywhere you’re not and if that means here then so be it.’
Claudia couldn’t believe the words coming from his mouth. In just about every way possible it was exactly what she’d wanted to hear. Except if that means here was hardly a ringing endorsement. She’d loved Luke most of her life—he’d definitely been in her DNA. She knew how much he’d wanted London. How much he’d wanted to be at the forefront of the global advertising industry.
How long before he resented his choice? Before he resented her?
‘Come on, Claude,’ he murmured. ‘I think you might love me too. Give me a chance.’
Claudia looked at him and shook her head, her heart breaking just a little bit more. Of course she loved him. She loved everything about him. Including his pride and his self-respect and how much his career was wrapped up in that.
‘So what are you going to do?’ she asked. ‘Play hotel manager with me? Something you’ve already rejected?’
‘No.’ Luke shook his head. He loved the Tropicana but he needed something else. ‘Start my own business here, I guess.’
Claudia snorted—it didn’t sound as if he’d put a whole lot of thought into it. ‘You guess?’
Luke raked a frustrated hand through his hair. ‘I know it sounds like I’m making this up as I go along but I didn’t realise how...over London I was until I came back here. I’d put my dissatisfaction down to work...to the divorce. It wasn’t until I came here I realised... This place kind of got to me again. I took it for granted growing up—that was stupid. I really enjoyed working on Jonah’s budget campaign. It felt...grass roots. I think I could make that into something.’
Luke surprised even himself with his words but it suddenly felt right. Like being here with Claudia did.
‘I thought you needed the bright lights?’
‘Yeah,’ he admitted. ‘I did. But I was eighteen, Claude. I’ve been there and done that. People are allowed to change their minds.’
‘I didn’t.’
Luke smiled. That was just one of the things he loved about her—ever since his mother had given her that clipboard for Christmas, she’d been so sure.
‘People are allowed to stay the same as well.’
Claudia looked at his beautiful face, nicely delineated by the slither of moonlight emanating from the quarter moon. Thanks to his close shave she could see every line and dip of his jaw and cheeks; she could even make out the remnant of his Crescent Cove tan not yet faded after two weeks in rainy London.
She loved it. Loved every plane and angle. She even loved the ruthless smoothness of his face. But it was a blaring reminder of who he really was. She took a couple of paces towards him, lifted her hand and ran her fingers over his face. He watched her as she caressed his cheek, his jaw, his chin. The top of his lip.
All perfectly smooth. Perfectly London.
Not Crescent Cove.
‘You shaved on the plane?’
Luke nodded. ‘Of course.’
Claudia dropped her hand. He thought he wanted to be here with her? She didn’t think so. Initially maybe when there was lots of sex and sunshine, and then what, when his business didn’t match up to his expectations and the bright lights called again? She couldn’t risk it. Having him for a while only to lose him again?
Maybe he did love her—her breath caught at the thought, her heart tap-danced in her chest, but she quashed them instantly. She just didn’t think he’d thought it through properly. He was acting on lust and desire and a screwed-up sense of possession and she needed more than his jealous bullshit.
‘I have to get back,’ she said.
Luke took a pace towards her, worried at the sadness, the finality in her tone. ‘Claude.’
‘Don’t,’ she said. ‘Don’t come here with half-arsed, on-the-fly plans.’ She picked her hem up again. ‘I have to get back,’ she said, turning away.
Luke watched her go, frustrated by her stubbornness but encouraged. ‘You never told me if you loved me,’ he called after her.
She turned to face him, walking slowly backwards. ‘I’ve always loved you. Doesn’t mean it’s enough,’ she said before turning her back on him again.
Luke knew that was true. But it was a start.
* * *
Claudia was in her office working on the housekeeping roster, or pretending to anyway, the next morning when her mother knocked on the door. ‘Thought you might like a cuppa,’ she said.
Claudia smiled. ‘Thanks.’ She often thought rosters should be done with a bottle of vodka but a cup of tea would suffice.
‘Last night was a huge success,’ her mother said as she sat in the chair on the other side of the desk. ‘The phone’s been running hot down at the retreat all morning.’
<
br /> ‘Yes. And we raised fifty grand too. Not bad at all.’
They chatted for a while about the party and the Tropicana before her mother gave her that look.
‘I saw you and Luke disappear down to the beach last night.’
Claudia almost told her to stop but she’d noticed things were a little tense between her and Gloria and she didn’t want that. Maybe if they knew the truth they’d see there was never going to be anything between her and Luke.
‘It’s never going to happen, Mum. We want different things.’
Her mother put down her cup of tea. ‘Claude...we didn’t give you this place to tie you down, to act like some kind of anchor to keep you here. If you want to be with Luke and he’s on the other side of the world then go and be with him. Do whatever you need to do. We can get managers in. I know you love the Tropicana but it’s not worth losing someone you love over.’
Claudia blinked, mentally rejecting the suggestion outright. Leave the Tropicana? It had never occurred to her. She stared at her mother, who looked deadly serious.
‘It is okay, you know.’
Claudia opened her mouth to tell her mother no, but her quiet words of acceptance hit like a truck. Was it okay?
Maybe she’d been waiting for permission all these years. For someone to say it was okay to leave.
The thought was foreign; she’d never wanted to do anything else, but hadn’t Luke said last night that people were allowed to change their minds?
What would she do, who could she be if she stepped outside the security of the Tropicana?
The thought was terrifying but if she had Luke?
She put her cup of tea down, her heart racing a little as she stood. ‘Thanks, Mum.’
She smiled back. ‘He’s down at the beach.’
* * *
Luke stood on the near-deserted beach, his ankles in the water, looking at the Tropicana glowing white and proud in the morning sun like the glorious old relic she was. He could see the new spa building through the foliage and a couple of the luxury tents. In a year’s time the foliage regrowth would obscure most of it, hopefully.
A surge of satisfaction rose in his chest. He was looking forward to that.
Now he understood what Claudia had been rabbiting on about every time she mentioned their legacy. This place—the place of his childhood, the legacy of his heart—was in his DNA as surely as she was.
Sure, he’d thrived in London. Hell, he’d needed London. He’d had to go away to appreciate what he’d really had. What had been right under his nose.
Including Claudia.
But he got it now.
A movement in his peripheral vision caught his eye and he glanced over to find Claudia coming his way looking resplendent in polyester and a ponytail. Avery had shown him the new sample uniform last night and it was a vast improvement but in some ways he’d be sorry to see the old, ugly one go—it had some very hot memories.
She didn’t bother greeting him, just stood in front of him with folded arms and said, ‘You love me?’
Luke’s heart pounded. Could this be...? ‘Uh-huh.’
She looked at him a bit longer. ‘I’ll come to London with you,’ she said and turned to go.
Luke frowned. Wait. What? ‘No.’
Claudia whipped around. ‘What do you mean, no? You love me, I love you. Let’s just go to London already.’
Luke chuckled at her crankiness. ‘No,’ he said again.
‘I swear to God, Luke, I’m trying to compromise here.’
‘No, you’re not. You’re trying to sacrifice what you want for what you think I want.’
‘London is where your career is. I’m not going to hold you back.’
‘I don’t care about London. Not any more. But you...you care about that...’ he pointed to the Tropicana ‘...and here’s a newsflash—I do too. I can do my job anywhere. I don’t need a fancy office or a city skyline. But there’s only one Tropicana.’
Claudia glared at him looking all cool and clean-shaven. Even in his boardies and T-shirt the man screamed London. ‘You’re being impossible.’
He chuckled again. ‘I don’t think I’m the only one.’
She shook her head and turned on her heel and marched away.
* * *
The following morning, after another long, restless night with her on the other side of the connecting door, Luke looked at himself in the bathroom mirror.
He knew women found him attractive. He knew Claudia found him very attractive. Hell—she loved him. She’d always loved him. That was what she’d told him. So why couldn’t he get her to take the leap with him?
He rubbed his hands through his hair in frustration and then across his jaw. The slight rasp of his whiskers had him reaching automatically for his shaving cream and he opened his palm and squirted a dollop in, watching it foam up.
He slapped it on, remembering how Claudia had touched his face the other night and the conversation they’d had in bed when she’d suggested he grew some stubble. Shaving was London, he’d told her, stubble was Crescent Cove.
His hand stopped then as an idea slowly dawned and he smiled at his reflection before turning on the tap and ducking over the sink to wash it all away.
* * *
Claudia looked up from the reception desk a couple of hours later as Luke approached. He was in boardies and a T-shirt and no shoes and there was an overnight shadow on his jaw that did funny things to her equilibrium.
‘Morning,’ he said, acknowledging both her and Isis. ‘Jonah and I are heading north to catch some waves,’ he said. ‘Be back in a couple of hours.’
Claudia couldn’t tear her eyes off his jawline. ‘Uh-huh,’ she said.
She and Isis watched him walk away. ‘Mmm. Captain Sexy-Stubble,’ Isis murmured.
The next morning was the same. More surfing, more unshaven jaw. By the third morning he had a very definite three-day growth and it was all Claudia could do not to reach out and touch it.
‘Not shaving these days?’ Claudia said, trying to sound nonchalant.
‘Nah, shaving’s for city boys.’ He grinned and winked at Isis before heading out of the door again.
‘Oh, he’s playing dirty now,’ Isis said as they watched him walk away.
Claudia pursed her lips, refusing to say anything.
But damn, she’d known he’d look hot with stubble.
* * *
She was waiting for him when he returned in the afternoon, the connecting door wide open.
‘I know what you’re doing,’ she said, entering his room as soon as she heard his door open. His boardies were damp and his hair was wet and the shaggy jawline was the cherry on top of his very delicious beach-bum look.
Luke suppressed a smile. ‘Oh? What’s that?’
She crossed her arms. ‘The stubble.’
He stroked the back of his hand up his throat. ‘You want to touch it, don’t you?’ He grinned.
Claudia glared. ‘Luke.’
Luke sighed at the reprimand in her voice. ‘Claude,’ he said, moving towards her until he was just a hand’s reach away. ‘I’ve thrown my shaving foam in the bin. I’m not going back to London. I’m done with London.’
He reached for her then, tentatively at first, sliding a hand onto her waist. When she didn’t push him away, he tugged her closer. He looked into her eyes, a kaleidoscope of conflict.
‘I love you. I’m setting up business right here and I’m never shaving regularly again. Now how about you stop being all sacrificial and stoic and just kiss me already?’
Claudia wanted to. She wanted to very badly. She wanted to throw caution to the wind and let him ravage her with his stubbly kisses. ‘The Tropicana has never been your dream. I can’t...’ She paused, searching for the right
words. ‘I wouldn’t survive if you decided it wasn’t enough for you some time down the track.’
Luke smiled at her gently. ‘The Tropicana is big enough for both our dreams. And besides...the Tropicana is you and you’re my dream. I love you. Nothing else matters. Nothing.’
He leaned into her neck and nuzzled it where her pulse beat frantically and was satisfied by her low, throaty moan.
‘Tell me you love me,’ he said, pulling away.
Claudia ran a finger along his jawline from ear to chin, loving the spikiness against her skin. ‘You know I do.’
Luke went for her throat again, moving higher this time. ‘Tell me.’
Claudia angled her neck and shut her eyes as a wave of goose bumps sounded a warning call to the rest of her body. ‘I love you.’
And, damn, didn’t it feel good to get it off her chest?
Luke nipped her triumphantly and she gasped, grabbing two handfuls of his shirt and pulling him closer. ‘Don’t stop,’ she moaned. She’d been lying awake for nights thinking about him in the next room, grinding her heels into the bed to stop herself from going to him.
Luke smiled as he stroked his tongue where his teeth had just been. ‘I’m never going to stop,’ he said.
‘I’m going to hold you to that,’ she murmured.
Luke grinned against her neck, then, in one swift movement, picked her up and carried her over to the bed, dumping her in the middle.
His gaze roved over her looking all tousled and sexy despite the uniform. ‘Unless you want me to rip that—’ he pointed to the hideous polyester ‘—off you again, I suggest you take it off right now.’
Claudia grinned, grabbed the two edges of her shirt and ripped, buttons flying everywhere.
The new uniforms were arriving tomorrow.
‘We are going to be so good together.’ He grinned.
Claudia smiled up at him, her heart almost too big for her chest. ‘Yes, we are.’
EPILOGUE
Six months later
The stage was set for a far north Queensland double wedding in the way only Avery could orchestrate. The powdery sand was blindingly white, the ocean was as clear and flat as cut glass, the sky was a stunning blue dome that not one cloud was game enough to besmirch.
Harlequin KISS August 2014 Bundle Page 18
