She doubted she would ever trust another man again and this confused her even more as she remembered the way Joe’s strong, safe hands had felt about her waist.
She could trust him.
It came through loud and clear and she sighed as thought of the way his sensuous lips had moved as he had eaten the pie, followed by a delicious cream dessert.
She frowned slightly as she wondered how Carter was going to react to the sight of the three war torn men. He was a handsome man and he knew it. He wore designer clothes on all occasions and had his hair trimmed into the latest style at least once a fortnight.
Lucy considered the haircuts Patrick, David and Joe wore. Over their ears and down to their collars, almost shaggy where the army style had long grown out, though she suspected that this was partly to cover some of the scarring that each man bore. Patrick and David were obviously limbless too, but their facial injuries paled into insignificance when compared to Joe.
She winced as she thought of the bruising on Joe’s face. The pain he had suffered must have been excruciating. The agony he must have suffered on an emotional level since being injured, she couldn’t even begin to imagine. But his demeanor was carefree and just as filled with fun as either of the other two men.
Patrick and David were obviously besotted with their wives and David’s son was a little charmer, apparently born just ten months after he and Geraldine had fallen in love. The pride and joy in David’s tone when he told her that Geraldine was expecting again, as they ate their dessert had left her almost choking with emotion.
Patrick had sounded just as proud when he told her that Ellen was expecting their first child after nearly five years of marriage. She had only a few weeks to go and they could barely wait to have their baby in their arms.
The love the two couples had for each other was self-evident. And the love they all had for Joe was more than apparent too.
She rolled over on the bed and was about to go to the fabulous wet room to brush her teeth and to apply a light moisturizer to her face, when she heard the buzzing of her mobile phone in her handbag.
She rummaged around inside and was a little disconcerted to discover that she had five missed calls, all from Carter Freeman. She sighed and sat up on the side of the bed, pushing back the heavy drapes that caught at her hair as she put the phone to her ear and returned his calls.
She sat in shock a few moments later as the phone line went dead while she was in the middle of protesting at his hair-brained idea. She looked over at the beautiful French ormolu clock that sat ticking gently on the mantelpiece above the fireplace. Nine-thirty in the evening. Way too late for her to be asking favours of this magnitude, but she didn’t see what other choice she had.
She rolled her eyes and slipped from the bed. She dragged her linen trousers back on, pulled her shirt over her still damp hair and shoved her feet into her comfy pumps, then she opened the door into the wide hallway and made her way beneath sparkling chandeliers, downstairs towards Ellen and Patrick’s office.
She could hear soft voices coming from within the office and she knocked briefly, waiting for a response before entering.
Patrick looked up from the big leather chair as she opened the door. Someone who she assumed was Joe sat on the desk, one long leg swinging, his face completely hidden by a surgical mask that only left small holes for his eyes, nostrils and mouth. He turned away from Lucy sharply, but she came forwards quickly and laid a hand on his arm.
“You don’t need to hide this from me.” She looked him right in the eye as she spoke quietly and Joe swiveled back towards her. “I needed to speak to Patrick or Ellen urgently. I didn’t mean to interrupt your conversation.”
Joe looked down at her hand on his arm, then gave a huge sigh and looked into her eyes.
“Sorry, force of habit. A lot of people don’t like it.” His voice was gritty and strained.
Lucy narrowed her eyes slightly and spoke determinedly as she looked right back at him.
“I’m not a lot of people. You do what you need to do and don’t worry about what the hell anyone else thinks.” She looked up at him as he stood. He was a lot taller and wider than her and for a moment she felt overpowered by his massive frame, but he smiled inside the mask, the outer edge of his hooded eyes crinkling slightly as he spoke.
“Thanks Lucy, I know it looks awful. I’m meant to wear it until we’re sure the skin graft has taken but I can’t stand the thing. It itches like crazy most of the time and I only put it on when nobody unused to it is about...” He turned back to Patrick. “Well, if that’s all sorted, I’ll be going home so that you can talk to Lucy privately.” He made his way towards the door but Lucy stopped him again.
“No, don’t go Joe. You need to hear this too.” She took a deep breath and ploughed on. “Carter Freeman has changed the schedule to suit himself as usual. He and the rest of the group are going to be here tomorrow evening. They are all taking the early ferry to Calais tomorrow and then driving straight here. Carter says that as you have been able to accommodate me than he can’t see why the weekend can’t start now.” She turned towards Patrick and shook her head in despair. “I told him that you all needed the break but he didn’t even acknowledge that I’d spoken. He put his phone down immediately and now he’s turned it off.”
Patrick frowned deeply and placed his hands firmly on the desk.
“What on earth type of boss is this bloody Carter Freeman? My wife is having a baby in a month and needs a few days break. Joe needs to rest too. He’s not fully healed and mustn’t overdo it. And he isn’t fully set up after our previous guest’s event. We need those three days.” He glared up at Lucy who tried not to flinch from his angry glance.
Joe suddenly leaned forwards and placed a calming hand on Patrick’s shoulder.
“Hey, come on Patrick, we can’t take this out on Freeman’s personal assistant. It’s not her fault that the guy is an arrogant prick. Look, I’m well enough to take this guy on any day and what with the new equipment and Michael on board at the restaurant, I don’t have to use the mud slide or the tunneling gear so I can stay out of the dirt. Freeman sounds a right berk and won’t know what we do with other groups so why don’t you play it to gain the best advantage. The inconvenience alone should be worth double the original quote and if they are all more or less on their way then I don’t see how he can refuse. We can tell him that it’s our mid-week pricing package. We could have the next weekend off then and the extra money would mean some of our more deserving cases could have a break.”
Patrick stared hard at Joe and then looked back to Lucy.
“I’ll have to clear it with Ellen first, but I have to say that the chance of having more of our own guys getting a luxury break is very tempting. Do you think he’d go for it?” He quickly moved the mouse on the computer and punched in some numbers. “What do reckon? Forty grand instead of twenty. If he doesn’t like it, he can just go back home again. He’s already paid us a substantial deposit so we won’t lose out financially even if he does tell you all to leave immediately. The only thing I would worry about would be his recommendations or lack of them.”
Lucy sucked in her cheeks and considered for a few seconds.
“I think he’ll go for it. I don’t think his ego would bear the humiliation if you told him to get lost. His marketing budget was well over a million last year so I don’t see how an extra twenty thousand is going to affect him, especially if he gets better production out of the company.”
Joe let out a laugh
“Over a million? Jees, if only we had anything like that kind of money to burn. We wouldn’t have to do these weekends nearly as often. Maybe you should tell him that it’s going to cost sixty grand. We could throw in an extra day, maybe an extra hog roast and we can open the tree walk and set up the climbing tower. Why not make it really worth the extra money so that Freeman doesn’t feel he’s being hard done by.”
Lucy felt as though she was going to faint. She grabbed hold of the edge of the table to
steady herself and her voice shook as she spoke.
“What on earth are a tree walk and a climbing tower? I’m not sure the group is going to be up for that kind of thing. I was worried was when you were talking about the zip wire.”
Patrick began to explain about how the team had to construct a thirty foot tower from wooden boxes and help the others get to the top before abseiling back down again, but Joe suddenly leapt forwards and grabbed Lucy’s shoulders as her eyes flickered shut and she began to sway.
“Patrick stop! Don’t talk about it anymore. I think she suffers from vertigo, look she’s terrified!” Joe gathered an almost senseless Lucy into his arms and turned her towards him, enfolding her within his embrace.
Her breathing was coming in shallow gasps and she buried her face in Joe’s chest. His by now familiar scent surrounded her, calling her quickly back to safety and she lifted her chin as she realized that she was making a fool of herself in front of these two brave men. She hadn’t heard Joe’s words but she gave herself a small shake and spoke again.
“I’m s…sorry.” Her voice trembled as she began to pull away from her haven. “I don’t know what came over me. I think I must be tired from the travelling.” She covered her moment’s weakness, far too embarrassed to tell them she was petrified of heights to the point of near paralysis. She didn’t know why she had such a violent reaction to even talking about the subject, she just knew that if she was anywhere high, she had the almost overpowering desire to throw herself into the air, wanting, needing the feeling of sudden release. If she didn’t lock herself down she would have killed herself years ago.
Joe’s arms were still holding her, his muscles bunching beneath his shirt, heat pulsing through the material, enfolding her in warmth. She fought the urge to nuzzle against him and pulled back more firmly.
Joe eyed her carefully as his hands slipped from her waist.
“You sure you’re okay? Seems like you are more than tired.” He quizzed her gently.
Lucy shook her head and took another step back. She couldn’t possibly tell these men of her irrational fear after what they had obviously suffered. It paled into insignificance in comparison and she was more embarrassed than she cared to admit.
“Just came over a little light headed. I shouldn’t have had the wine. I don’t have much of a head for it.” She pressed her fingertips to her brow, desperate to regain some calm. It took her a few moments to realize that the pounding in her chest was nothing to do with the thought of a thirty foot tower of boxes, but everything to do with being in Joe’s arms. She risked a glance towards him wondering if he was feeling as confused as her, but her stomach dropped when she saw only curiosity in his eyes.
Patrick was staring between the two of them, the faintest of smiles evident at the corner of his mouth.
“Yes, the wine can be a little potent. Heady even. Maybe Joe should escort you back to your room?”
Lucy glanced up at Joe who was staring at Patrick, his eyes narrowed.
“Yes, of course.” His voice sounded stiff and slightly forced.
Lucy stepped back from the desk almost too embarrassed to speak.
“No, don’t worry, I will be fine by myself. I’m perfectly capable of finding my own way back.” She turned back to the door, willing her feet to move quickly. There was no way that she could be in Joe’s presence any longer. Her heart fluttered madly again and she stumbled as she crossed the threshold into the hall.
Joe was beside her in a second. Before she could even right herself he had picked her up, his arms beneath her knees and around her back, holding her close to his chest as he carried her towards the wide staircase. She automatically flung her arms around his neck and stared up at him.
“Put me down Joe. Honestly I was fine on my feet. I just tripped.” But she didn’t struggle to free herself.
Joe grunted and tightened his arms around her.
“And have you fall down these stairs and hurt yourself. No way.” He marched quickly up the stairs, carrying her as if she weighed no more than a feather, and took her along the corridor to her room. He stopped at door way and let her down.
For a moment Lucy thought she might collapse again. Her head was spinning in confusion, her heart thumping wildly in her chest. She didn’t know what was happening to her. Everything about Joe was calling to her. His scent, his strength, his voice. Something rose up inside her and she could barely contain the feeling that filled her with need. She didn’t want anything else. She just wanted him.
She quickly turned the handle on the door and stepped into her room, feeling the loss of his warmth immediately.
“Thanks.” Her voice was soft and she cleared her throat as she looked back at Joe.
He stared at her, his hands half fisted at his sides, his shoulders tense.
“What time does your boss arrive exactly? I’ll need to schedule something if he’s going to arrive very early.”
Lucy shook her head.
“Not until the evening.” And then she frowned. “Well, he said not until the evening, but I took the early ferry and was here at about four, so maybe they will need something organized. You can never tell with Carter. He changes his mind at a moment’s notice.” She gave an odd little shiver and looked down at the floor.
Joe leaned against the door frame and stared down at her. Something was off about this whole scenario and he wanted to know what it was.
“Why do you work for him Lucy? Does he have some hold over you?” His voice was only just above a whisper.
She looked up sharply as she considered not answering. She couldn’t possibly tell him how much debt she was in or what hold Carter Freeman held over her. She gave an involuntary shiver and then shrugged it away.
“It’s just a job Joe. I need to keep the wolf from the door as much as anyone else.” She stepped further away from him trying to put some distance between them, not trusting herself to keep her mouth shut.
But Joe wasn’t quite as easily put off as she had hoped.
“And you can’t find another? He sounds as though he’s a nightmare to work for.” His tone was slightly strained.
She took hold of the door and began to close it as she looked deep into his eyes.
“It’s not so bad and the pay is good. I’ve worked for him for nearly six months now so I’m used to it. I don’t want to leave and then find myself in a worse position.” She stood half hidden behind the door and Joe stepped away from the frame at last.
He took a deep breath and then stepped back into the thickly carpeted hall.
“Right, I suppose there is that. I’ll say goodnight then. If you want anything in the night you had probably best just go and find it. We don’t have any night staff on tonight as we weren’t expecting guests. Most stuff is in the kitchen or scullery next door to it so just help yourself. David and Geraldine have a suite on the top floor, but neither myself or Ellen and Patrick live in the Chateau. They will be in their cottage and I’ll be down at my cabin by the river. If there’s anything urgent and you can’t raise David, call me on the phone. Just dial three and I’ll pick up, okay?” He waited until Lucy nodded and then added as swift. “Night then, See you tomorrow.”
Lucy lifted her chin.
“Night Joe. See you tomorrow.” She closed the door as he turned and walked swiftly along the hall then she leaned against the heavy dark wood. Her heart was racing, her mind jumping from one thought to another. There was no doubt that she found the big man attractive. She had no clue as to why, with his ravaged face it wasn’t as if he was devastatingly handsome, but her heart didn’t seem to care what the reason. It flipped over again as she touched her own body, the imprint of his hugely muscled arms still warm on her skin.
And then she shook some sense into herself. He had carried her because she had almost asked him to. Appearing to be faint and then stumbling about like a fool, he must think her a complete flake. She moved through the sitting room to the bedroom and slipped out of her clothes, folding them care
fully and placing them in the huge wardrobe that stood facing the end of the bed. Then she quickly walked into the bathroom, rinsed her face and brushed her teeth before climbing naked into the cool cotton sheets on the vast four poster bed.
She lay, staring up at the canopy above her, trying not to think of Joe and where he might be sleeping down near the river and she came over all hot again. The perspiration broke out on her forehead and her skin became clammy and warm. She swished back the drape and stood up, moving over to one of the high arched windows in her room. The room overlooked the beautiful formal gardens that covered the grounds in front of the chateau. She fiddled with the catch on the window and then managed to push the heavy glass open a few inches.
Cool, flower scented air wafted up at her and the sound of voices broke the peace of the surrounding forest.
Joe jogged down the main staircase and moved across the hallway quickly. He didn’t want to meet Patrick again that night. The man was positively nauseating the way he kept giving Joe meaningful glances. Just because he was deliriously happy himself, he had to try and make everyone else go round grinning like a fool and generally behave in a ridiculous manner. Ellen was hardly any better either and David and Geraldine had been positively gleeful during dinner.
Lucy was beautiful that was for sure and she didn’t appear to find his face, or lack of one, off putting, but he knew that she would never look at him in the same way as she would a man without the dreadful injuries. He bit back the feelings of bitterness. There was nothing he could do about it. She would be gone in a few days and he would be able to forget her over time.
His heart lurched in his chest as he thought of how her blonde hair had cascaded over his arm, how her now familiar perfume had wafted up at him, branding him with her scent. He took a long slow breath as he moved quietly across the huge hallway. He had to get himself under control. He couldn’t let her into his heart like this only to have it broken at the end of the week. He should never have carried her up the stairs. It was only going to lead to him thinking about her even more. Joe shook his head and tried to get the feeling of her body heat and her luscious curves to leave him.
Forever Scarred (Scarred Series Book 3) Page 5
