The Wells Brothers: Luke

by Angela Verdenius

  He eyed her narrowly. “You owe me.”

  Taking a bite of chip, she closed her eyes and moaned in approval.

  After a second’s silence, her eyes popped open when Luke huskily drawled, “And I know just how you can pay me back.”

  Going by the hot look in his eyes as he watched her lips, she could guess. The flush that spread through her cheeks was as hot as the basket of food sending curls of steam into the air.

  His gaze lifted to lock onto hers. Oh yeah, no doubting that carnal look in his eyes.

  “Geez.” Swallowing, she dropped her gaze to the food.

  “You’re giving me dirty ideas. Do you swallow, Red?”

  Oh boy, there was no need to guess what he was insinuating. Now she was really getting all hot and bothered. “Shut up and eat, Luke.”

  His chuckle was low, full of carnality. “Guess we’ll find out tonight.”

  She’d have been hard put to finish her food after the image he’d just unceremoniously shoved into her mind if the arrival of Bernard Yorick at their table with Elspeth in tow didn’t divert her attention.

  But as the meal finished and they left the café, Yorick heading for his antique shop while Elspeth fussed with her purse while walking to where Mikki had parked the car, Luke caught Mikki’s hand and pulled her to a stop, coming up behind her to kiss the nape of her neck. Shivers coursed through her as delicious sparks fired down her spine.

  “Tonight, Red,” he murmured.

  And then he was gone, moving back, coolness invading the warmth where his body had been pressed against her back, the sensation of his firm, moist lips still on her skin. It took all she had to walk steadily to her car, beeping the locks open.

  “All right, sweetie?” Elspeth buckled on her seatbelt.

  “Perfectly.” Mikki watched Luke’s ute drive away.

  “I’m so glad you and Luke are getting on so well.”

  Mikki started the engine. “He’s okay when he’s not being an idiot.”

  “Men, dear. Men.” Settling in the seat, Elspeth smiled contentedly. “Can’t live with them, can’t have sex without them.”

  Mikki almost choked. Oh cripes, did her aunt suspect…?

  “Well, unless you’re a lesbian, then you can.”

  ~*~

  The journal mentioned the married woman several times. It appeared that Wilford had enjoyed quite an adventurous relationship if one read between his stilted style of writing.

  It had Mikki really curious as to the identity of the woman. But it was more than likely she’d never know, because he never hinted at a name or family. In fact, Wilford had been very careful to never point a finger at his lover.

  He was either very chivalrous, or mindful of his own position in life and not wanting a scandal.

  Sneakered feet propped up on the veranda post, knees bent to support the journal, bum comfortably in a camping chair, Mikki looked over to where Luke was standing beside his ute talking on the mobile. On the bonnet was his laptop. While talking, he was busy tapping keys, entering information of some kind. From the brief snatches she’d overheard, he was getting prices of paving stones, plants, wood, glass, all kinds of things on which he needed to do quotes.

  The man was serious about his work, she could see it in the determined set of his jaw, his no-nonsense attitude, though his humour and friendliness seeped through. He laughed, joked, but quickly got back to the business at hand.

  It was certainly interesting to see this other side of him.

  Dog sat devotedly at his feet, casting her several longing looks but definitely not about to leave his beloved master. Now and again Luke would absentmindedly fondle his ears, tug his tail if he walked past, and rub his belly with a sneakered foot when Dog rolled over in front of him.

  It wasn’t only Dog who liked Luke, the kitten had developed an attachment to him as well. During afternoon tea she’d crawled up his legs. Luckily he had on jeans so he didn’t jump, but it was cute to see him fondle her tiny ears while he took time out to read a car magazine he’d laid on the table. Duchess batted his finger, chewed the button on the flannel shirt he’d thrown over his t-shirt, and stuck her head over the table several times to peer around. Once she’d managed to jump up, purring and looking up at Luke. With a smile, he’d tickled under her chin, and she’d tucked up to him, getting ready to settle on his magazine. Luke had picked her up and cuddled her against his chest with one hand while turning the pages with the other. She’d fallen asleep and he’d simply carried on reading.

  Not long after he’d received a phone call on the mobile and had disappeared outside to get his laptop from the ute where he’d left it earlier. She’d wandered outside with the journal while Elspeth settled the sleepy kitten in the cage and baked a cake.

  Luke turned, caught her eye and grinned. Still talking on the mobile, he pulled the sunglasses down his nose so he could peer at her over the tops. He looked roguish, so damned bad-boy handsome, then he waggled his eyebrows and looked up at the tower.

  The man had a one track mind. She frowned at him. Geez, it was only three o’clock, no way was she going up to the tower while Elspeth was puttering around.

  “Tonight,” she mouthed.

  He jerked his thumb at the back of the ute.

  Holding back the laughter, she shook her head.

  With an exaggerated slump of his shoulders, he turned back to the laptop.

  Drongo. Grinning, she tuned back to the journal. Man, one minute he could have her all hot and bothered, the next flustered, then he could ease her with a joke, a laugh, a look, or like now, sexily suggestive but humorous with it. Life with him would never be dull.

  Not that she was planning on life with Luke. Was she? She gazed unseeingly at the journal. No, it was way too early in the relationship to be thinking thoughts like that, way too early.

  Toes curling in her sneakers, Mikki shook her head. Focus on the here and now, and near future. See what it brings, Mik, see what it brings. Don’t jump the gun. This is new, just enjoy it and go with the flow, see where it leads.

  Time passed pleasantly, Bernard Yorick arriving to collect the last of the trinkets they’d gathered up and carefully packed into several large boxes, awaiting collection to catalogue, clean, repair and return. She’d never seen a man so ecstatic by old paintings, furniture and trinkets. He ran his fingertip lovingly over everything, marvelling, spewing out information on almost every piece. The man obviously lived his love of antiques. She wondered if his home resembled a museum.

  The journal didn’t reveal any clues to the woman’s identity, but it did show Wilford’s slow decline and disinterest in the estate. One minute he was writing about his lover in-between the usual business of day-to-day life on a regular basis, then there was a miss of several months, and from there it was only business. That petered out pretty quickly until finally there were only blank pages left.

  Closing the journal, she stared thoughtfully at the mouldy cover. It would seem that his decline started not long after his affair ended. Maybe he really had loved the woman but she didn’t return it. Maybe she’d moved onto greener pastures. It happened regardless of the era.

  Slipping the journal into the plastic bag, she went in search of her aunt to see what she wanted done with it.

  Pulling a roast out of the stove, the heavenly aroma filling the big old kitchen, Elspeth shrugged. “I’m not really interested in it, dear, but Yorick thinks it would be worth restoring and placing in a glass case so people could see it in the hallway. A reminder of days-gone-by.”

  “I think it’s a good idea.” Mikki balanced the plastic bag on the edge of the table. “You could place the glass case beneath the photos of Wilford in his Army uniform from both World Wars.”

  Elspeth thought for a moment. “Bernard found a small wooden box with medals in it; we can place those with the journal.”

  “I saw a nice photo of his sister in her Army Nurse uniform at the library. Maybe we can see if we can get the original and have it bl
own up, place it beside Wilford’s photo.”

  Turning the roast, Elspeth slid the baking tray back into the big oven. “Didn’t I tell you? While packing, Bernard came across some photo albums.”

  Damn, she wished she’d known, she’d have loved to look at the photos.

  Elspeth must have read her expression. “Sorry, Mik, I didn’t think to call you. Never mind, the photos were quite damaged from mildew and stuff, but he’s going to see what he can get restored and then you can see them properly.”

  “I wonder if the woman he was having an affair with was among the photos?”

  “If she was, it would be hard to know, wouldn’t it? We don’t know who she was or even what she looked like.” Elspeth crossed to the bench where she kept the crockery under a linen cloth. “We’ll be eating shortly. I hate to sound like a nagging old aunt, but wash your hands. You’ve been handling that dreadfully smelly journal and dear, I hate to say this, but you’re smelling a little icky from it.”

  Mikki grinned. “Just a little?”

  “I get whiffs of journal fragrance.”

  “I think that might be pee.”

  “I agree.” With a shudder, Elspeth pointed at the kitchen door. “In which case I won’t have a piddly-smelling girl sitting at my table. Go shower and change.”

  Snapping her a sharp salute, Mikki left the kitchen.

  She’d expected dinner to be maybe a little awkward, especially knowing that she and Luke were planning a rendezvous later that night in the tower, but the conversation was easy, ranging from the mansion and plans, to Luke’s family, to Mikki’s various siblings and their kids, and lightly touching on Elspeth’s past. Elspeth didn’t like to divulge much about her life or past, a little quirk of hers, but Luke was very open. Mikki knew his mother had died young from an illness, but she now had a picture of him and his brothers being brought up by his father in a strict, but loving, household. Mr Wells had never remarried and still continued to live in the big old house, his sister Lora living with him and taking care of the house, with his sons and nephew regularly dropping by to visit and Blue staying with him when on leave.

  Duchess and Dog playing together provided entertainment, and by the time dinner was finished, everything cleaned up and Luke heading for the shower, she felt at peace.

  Right up until Luke slapped her on the bum as he passed, growling in her ear as he did so, “Later, Red.”

  That had her belly dipping.

  Geez, the man was potent. One flash of that bad-boy grin and she was cooking internally.

  Dog followed him, giving her big eyes, so she patted his head. His tongue fell out of his mouth, he got a dreamy look and wandered happily out behind Luke.

  Elspeth decided to head for bed early with a book, taking the kitten with her. “Be careful when you come to bed,” she said. “I’m letting Duchess out of her bedroom cage to sleep with us.”

  Mobile jangling on the kitchen bench, Mikki nodded as she reached for it.

  “How’s it going up there?” Izzy’s voice sounded in her ear.

  “Fine. Really interesting, actually.”

  “You and Luke haven’t killed each other yet?”

  “Nope.”

  “I find that a little hard to believe. It must be interesting, you two striking sparks off each other.”

  “It’s been different, all right.” Mikki hesitated.

  Izzy picked up on it immediately. “What’s happened? Cripes, you’re not planning on doing away with him and burying him in that old graveyard, are you? Because let me give you the tip, Aaron will find him and then you’ll be in deep doo-doo.”

  “I’m not planning on doing away with him.” Mikki did a mental eye roll. “In fact…”

  When the silence dragged on, Izzy prompted, “In fact…?”

  “Um…” Geez, this was a little awkward to explain. “He… I mean we-”

  “Mik!” Izzy almost screeched it. “Are you and Luke doing it?”

  That was one way to get it out in the open. “Yeah.”

  “Tell me. Tell me all. When did it happen?”

  “Hells bells, Iz, I’m not going to give you every detail!”

  “No, because that would be ewww, my ears would bleed. I meant, when did it happen as in when did you realise?”

  “After we came here.”

  “Well, of course. Before that you just wanted to boot his arse.” A deep voice sounded in the background followed by laughter. “Jason said you and every other person on the planet.”

  “Don’t worry, that urge still comes over me.” Filling a glass with water, Mikki gazed out the kitchen window into the darkness beyond. “It kind of just happened. I can’t explain it. I certainly never expected it.”

  “Really?”

  “No.”

  “Never?” There was something odd in Izzy’s tone.

  Mikki frowned. “You did?”

  She could almost see her best friend shrug. “You two struck sparks off each other, usually that kind of thing ends in attraction or…but the ‘or’ doesn’t count with you two.”

  “I’m not getting it. What’s the ‘or’?”

  “Or you grow to dislike each other. Oh, there’s another ‘or’ - you just remain friends.”

  “So you realise you haven’t given me an answer as to why you expected me and him to happen.”

  “Because you two are perfect together.”

  Mikki blinked.

  “And the spark between you two was more than just needling each other. Any fool could see it.” Another comment from Jason, followed by Izzy retorting, “That’s because you’re a bloke, and blokes don’t see anything in front of their faces.” Another comment. “Aw, you’re so sweet. Mikki, he just said he saw me.”

  “I’d certainly hope so, he married you.”

  “Yep.” Izzy sounded smug. “So anyway, you and Luke, huh? What does Elspeth think?”

  “She’s happy we’re getting on,” Mikki answered carefully.

  “Oh ho. You think she doesn’t realise you and Luke are fooling around?”

  “It would be a little awkward, don’t you think?”

  “I think you’re fooling yourself if you think she doesn’t suspect. Woman’s sharp as a tack.”

  “Possibly. But I’m not going to bring it up with her.”

  “No need. She knows.”

  “Now that’s just a little icky.” Raising the glass to her lips, Mikki took a couple of sips, only to slowly lower the glass. Was that a light in the bushes over the other side of the gravel road that circled the mansion?

  “Did you tell any of your sisters?”

  “I’m not about to send out a signal. No.” She squinted, trying to see through the grime covering the window.

  “Huh. Well, what’s on the menu tonight? Missionary, doggy or oral?” Izzy gave a shriek as Jason’s deep voice sounded closer. “Stop! Jason, no! Oh God!” Izzy laughed. “Gotta go!” The phone hung up.

  Mikki had a good idea that Jason was challenging Izzy to one of the three options Izzy had teasingly listed. Grinning, she flicked the mobile off and placed it on the kitchen counter. Her best friend had been the happiest she’d ever been since Jason had walked into her life, and Mikki couldn’t be happier for her.

  A flicker in the bushes, a small, dull glow, had Mikki walking to the back door, opening it to step out into the dilapidated courtyard to look towards the dark bushes. The dull glow went out.

  Was it a car light from the road flickering through the bushes? But no, wrong direction. The nearest house was too far away, so maybe it was someone out walking. But at night? Seemed odd. Or maybe it was a ghost. She waited several more minutes, but when nothing further happened she shrugged and went back inside, locking the door behind her.

  Now that she thought about it… She walked down to the bedroom she shared with her aunt and carefully slipped inside to find Duchess curled up on the pillow beside Elspeth. She was already sound asleep, the magazine she’d been reading lying flat on her chest. Duch
ess merely watched as Mikki carefully put the magazine away, the kitten giving a yawn, one little paw stretching out before she tucked it back under her chest and closed her eyes, her happy little purr filling the room.

  Crossing to the box in the corner that held various paraphernalia they used when hunting ghosts, Mikki took out the EDI Meter and a torch and left the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

  Passing Luke’s door, she could hear him moving around inside the room talking to Dog. Moving further down the hallway, she walked into the second hallway and out into the huge main room. It was bare now, stripped of all furniture and paintings as was the rest of the house. It really did look barren and bleak.

  Crossing to the staircase, she held up the EDI Meter, trying to find the spot where her breath had appeared to frost, possibly indicating a supernatural presence. Nothing showed, so she moved from side to side, pausing now and again, keeping her gaze on the Meter. Step-by-step, side-to-side, she went up the steps, but nothing changed, which was really disappointing. At the top she checked the EDI Meter. Nothing.

  Walking across the landing, she spotted the flashing red light of the Full Spectrum POV Camcorder with the added bonus of night vision that Elspeth had set up as soon as the last of the packing had been done and the workers gone. Turning, she checked to ensure the other camcorder on the opposite side of the landing was flashing.

  The quiet of the house was almost eerie. It creaked now and again, and she could almost imagine it was with ghostly steps of former owners angry at their belongings being taken away, but commonsense told her it was the old house settling.

  Moving across to the window at the end of the landing, she peered out towards the area where the chapel and graveyards stood, but she had to crane her neck and even then the view wasn’t good. Nothing moved. She’d get a much better view from the tower.

  That reminded her… Anticipation leaping inside her, she went down the staircase, remembering at the last second not to bounce down them and make noise, but to go quietly. The last thing she wanted was to wake up Elspeth.

  Okay, Elspeth wouldn’t care, as far as she was concerned Mikki was an adult and could do as she wished, but she still felt awkward. Cripes, Elspeth had known her since she was a baby, had changed her nappies and burped her, it’d be like having sex with a man in her parent’s house - eewww, do not go there, Mikki. She shuddered.