by Jessica Hart
Kate was ensnared in lassoes of desire, shimmering over her head, shivering down her skin and tightening, tightening, until all she could think about was Luke's mouth, Luke's hands the feel of his hard body.
Eventually they found themselves back at the hotel. They took the lift to the third floor without touching, without speaking, and walked down the thickly carpeted corridor that muffled ever their footsteps. Kate was sure that Luke must hear her heart pounding in the enveloping quiet.
Her hand shook slightly as she unlocked her door and turned to say goodnight.
Luke didn't reply. He just looked at her and then reached out to draw her slowly towards him
`I don't think this is a very good idea,' Kate managed to whisper, even though she didn't seem to be able to drag her eyes away from his.
`Why not?'
'We… we agreed to keep things strictly business.'
A half-smile lifted the corner of his mouth. `To hell with business!' he said, and jerked her into his arms.
His kiss was hard and passionate, and Kate was powerless to resist. It was what she had been thinking about all evening, his lips demanding, irresistible, evoking a deep, trembling fire that, once lit, burned quickly out of control.
Kate's arms crept up his arms, around his neck, as her lips sought his in reply. There was a breathless hunger between them, their kisses almost angry as they were swept along on a tide of desire that had been suppressed too long and now threatened to engulf them.
Luke was breathing heavily as he lifted his head and half pushed, half pulled Kate into the room. She collapsed weakly back against the door as he closed it and leant his hands on either side of her.
`I've wanted to kiss you for weeks,' he said, and the husky note in his voice seemed to vibrate through her. `Every time you came into my office and sat down primly with your notebook and looked at me with that cool look you have I'd think about kissing you.' His lips nibbled tantalisingly at the corner of her mouth until Kate turned her head to meet them with her own. `I'd think about kissing you like this,' he murmured against her parted lips, and pressed her back against the door.
His hands cupped her face, his fingers tangling in her hair as their kisses deepened hungrily.
For Kate-sensible, practical, capable Kate, the past was forgotten and the future abandoned. Nothing mattered but the here and now. She couldn't have stopped even if she had wanted to. Her blood was pounding in wild surges of excitement, her body tingling with the instinctive thrill of response.
Her arms slid beneath his jacket, and she spread her hands over the smooth cotton of his shirt. His back was broad and solid and she could feel his muscles ripple at her touch.
`Did you ever think about kissing me too?' Luke was demanding, mumbling provocative kisses along her jaw.
Kate quivered as he reached her ear, the very spot she had fantasised about as she had stood in front of the fromagerie. `No,' she gasped, tipping her head back with luxuriant pleasure.
`You're lying.' She could feel him smile against her throat. `Tell me you're lying. Tell me you wanted me to kiss you.' His hands tightened as he raised his head to look down into her eyes.
`I'm lying. Of course I'm lying,' Kate said with a slow smile as he bent to kiss her again. Her hands were busy pulling out his shirt so that she could slide her hands up and down his skin, warm and smooth and unyielding beneath her fingers.
`Kate!' Luke's breath was ragged as he pulled away slightly. His gaze dropped to the brooch, and he unfastened it with unsteady hands, laying it carefully to one side before turning back and pressing his lips to the shadowy cleft revealed between her breasts.
Arching her head back, Kate felt as if he were plucking at taut strings inside her that stretched and twanged with desire at his very touch. As his lips travelled slowly along her neckline, lingering on the sensitive hollows of her clavicle and the wild pulse in her throat, she pushed the jacket impatiently off his shoulders and fumbled with his tie and the buttons of his shirt.
Her hands were at his belt before he turned her round and undid her zip with agonising slowness, burning kisses down her spine as he went until her skin quivered uncontrollably. There was a rustle as the dress slipped off her shoulders and slithered to the floor.
Kate stepped out of it as if in a dream. The curtains had not yet been drawn and, though the room was in darkness, the moonlight through the window caught her eyes, gleaming with desire.
Her head dropped back as Luke pressed his face into the fragrance of her neck, and her hair brushed softly against him. He turned her back to face him and slid off her underwear to the accompaniment of long, hot kisses.
By the time Luke had discarded his own clothes and pulled her down on to the bed, Kate was on fire. It was heaven to be able to touch him like this, to forget everything in intoxicating abandon, knowing that there could be no stopping now Their bodies tangled together with increasing urgency and she gasped his name as he ran his hands in insistent exploration over her skin murmuring endearments against her warmth. His mouth followed the path scorched by his fingers, discovering anew the secret places that reduced Kate to arching, shuddering delight.
Rolling on top of him, she held his face between her hands and smiled down at him before lowering her head very slowly to explore his lips with her own. She lay over him, exulting at the feel of his hardness, of the sensuous thrill of skin against skin.
Luke's arms came up to tighten around hi but she slid downwards, teasing soft, tantalising kisses as she went, until with a groan he rolled her beneath him once more and thrust deep inside her, deeper and deeper until they both cried out in an explosion of release, a shattering of exquisite torment that left them trembling in each other's arms.
Afterwards he held her close. There was no sign of the brusque, arrogant Luke in the man whose warm hands gentled lovingly over her skin.
`Do you still think it wasn't a good idea?' he murmured, kissing the lobe of her ear.
Kate's eyes were closed, but a smile curved her mouth. `Perhaps it wasn't very sensible.'
`Who wants to be sensible?’
'You did.'
`I've changed my mind. I changed my mind as soon as Xavier took one look at you and saw the same warm, exciting woman as I did under that cool, sensible mask of yours. I could cheerfully have throttled him that night at the restaurant when you were flirting with him. And then, when he took you out and you seemed so different afterwards, I was nearly insane with jealousy.' Luke smoothed the hair away from Kate's flushed face. `I always thought of you as mine, even when I was pretending you were just another secretary.'
`But I am just a secretary,' she teased, but let her hand drift over his stomach in a gesture that was far from secretarial.
Luke shook his head. `You're different, Kate. You're the only completely honest woman I've ever met. How could I resist those clear eyes?' He kissed her closed lids and, although Kate smiled, her eyes when she opened them were troubled.
She hadn't been completely honest with him. Her hands slid around his back to hold him close while she hesitated. She knew that she ought to remind him about their brief encounter in the past, but he was so warm, so close. She didn't want anything to spoil this moment.
No, she really should tell him… `Luke,' she said hesitatingly.
`What is it?' Luke asked, nuzzling kisses against her throat. His eyes when he lifted his head to look down into her face were alight with a warmth that she had never seen there before, and, despite herself, Kate felt her resolution crumble. She didn't think she could bear to see that expression fade, not here, not now. She would tell him later.
`Oh… nothing.'
Luke's smile almost took her breath away. Who would have thought that the cold, hard man who had kissed her all those years ago would have been capable of such tenderness? `In that case, kiss me again!'
`Please?' she reminded him with mock severity.
`Darling Kate, would you mind terribly kissing me again, please?'
K
ate sighed as she pulled him closer. `If you insist,' she murmured against his mouth, and pushed aside her doubts as she surrendered herself to all-eclipsing joy of the night.
CHAPTER TEN
LUKE woke Kate with kisses early the next morning, but, though his eyes kindled at her stretch of sleepy, luxurious contentment, he wouldn't allow her to linger.
`Wake up!' he said, pulling back the duvet and grinning at her protests. `We've got a contract to sign, and we're going to be late if we don't hurry!’
He showed Kate his watch and she sat up in horror, all traces of sleep gone as she realised the time. There was no time for breakfast as they dressed quickly and raced across to Philippe Robard's office, but Kate glowed with an inner happiness that no amount of cosmetics and careful dressing could achieve.
Xavier took one look at her and smiled ruefully. `Luke is a very lucky man,' he said quietly, lifting her hand to his lips in an old-fashioned gesture.
Luke treated her with scrupulous professionalism during the signing, and if Kate had not caught his eye once and seen the light there she might have wondered if this was the same man who had made love to her with such passion last night. But when the contract was signed and they had left the offices he pulled her into his arms in the middle of the street and kissed her as if he had been away for a month.
She had never seen him so elated. Paris was trembling on the edge of spring, and the sun was shining. Kate felt happiness bubbling along her veins like champagne. Everything seemed to have acquired a sharp new focus overnight.
They sat in a cafe and had a late breakfast, warm buttery croissants and great cups of coffee with steam curling languidly into the sunshine pouring through the windows. Kate rested her elbows, cupping her hands around her cup, and smiled at Luke.
It was wonderful to be able to watch him without restraint, to let her eyes rest on the strong, decisive lines of his face and remember how his skin had felt to her touch last night.
`Don't look like that, Kate,' he grinned, reading her expression easily. `Or, at least, not when we're in public! I might forget that we have work to do today!'
`You're right.' Kate assumed a demure look. `We wouldn't want to forget that friendly business relationship we agreed to have, would we?'
Luke reached out and touched her hair gently. `Not during the day, no, but nights are a different matter! We can forget business then.'
There had been no mention of love, but, as they sat in the sun on that spring morning in Paris, it was enough for Kate. _
It was surprisingly easy to slip back into the businesslike role and they worked comfortably together on the plane back to London.
`I'd better go and have a word with Miles,' Luke said when they got back to the office. `As finance director, he'll need to know the final details we agreed today.'
Kate nodded. She was looking quickly through the day's post, and it was only when the silence lengthened that she looked up in some surprise to see Luke watching her with amusement.
`You look so absorbed,' he said. `I don't know that I like the way you seem to be able to concentrate on work after what happened last night! Don't say you've forgotten already?'
Kate dropped the letters on to the desk and her clear gaze met his. `I'll never forget,' she said quietly. `You know I won't.'
Luke took her hands and pulled her towards him. `We shouldn't do this,' he muttered.
`I'm not doing anything,' Kate pointed out, but she didn't resist as he kissed her.
`You're standing there, looking the way you do. That's enough.'
`This is very unprofessional.' Kate tried to sound severe, but spoiled the effect by sliding her arms round his neck and kissing him back.
`It is. It is.' Luke disentangled himself reluctantly. `From tomorrow, it's strictly business in the office!'
'Strictly,' Kate agreed with a smile.
`Now I really am going to see Miles.' Luke laid his hand against her cheek for a brief moment. `Then we'll get down to some work, and then we'll go home-together!'
Kate was still standing by her desk, holding a hand to her cheek where he had touched her, when the door opened suddenly.
She had forgotten Helen.
At the sight of her eclipsing beauty, a cold finger of fear touched Kate's heart and clouded her happiness. What chance did she stand next to Helen? No matter how good she looked, she would always look dim and drab next to the glamorous blonde.
Kate pulled herself together. `I'm afraid Luke's not here,' she said courteously. `He's just gone down to have a word with the finance director.' She prayed that Helen wouldn't stay. She didn't think she could bear to see them together.
`Really?' Helen's green eyes were icy. `Judging by the touching farewell I just witnessed, I expected he'd gone away for at least a week!'
'I'm sorry?'
'Don't give me that innocent look! I saw you through that glass panel in the door. I saw Luke kissing you and that silly besotted look on your face,' Helen sneered. Seeing the flush stain Kate cheeks, she pursued her advantage. `And I thought you were supposed to be the ultimate professional secretary! I could have told Luke that you'd turn out like all the others!'
Kate went still. `What others?’
'What others?' Helen mimicked spitefully `Did you really think you were special? Why do you think he's had so many secretaries?’
'He's a difficult man.' Kate had herself well under control now. `They couldn't cope with him.'
`Is that what he told you? And you believe it?' Helen strolled insolently over to the window and lit a cigarette with sinuous grace. `You little fool!' she jeered, blowing out a cloud of smoke. `All his secretaries start off being efficient little madams like you, and they all fall for him in the end. It's just a question of time before they start throwing themselves at him; you must have lasted longer than most.'
She turned round and inspected Kate with contempt. `Luke, as you have no doubt discovered, is not a man to resist a woman offered to him on a plate, but after a while he gets bored and it all gets rather embarrassing. When it comes down to it he only loves this wretched firm, and the last thing he wants is some secretary getting involved and emotional. They always leave in tears, and he comes back to me. We understand each other.'
`Good for you,' Kate said evenly, but her eyes flashed with dislike as she turned deliberately away. Helen's words had hit her like sharp little stones, but she would have died rather than admit how much they hurt.
As she turned her back Helen drew a sudden breath. `Catherine Haddington-Finch,' she said slowly. `That's who you are! I knew I'd seen you somewhere before!'
Kate froze. `I don't know what you're talking about.'
`Oh, yes, you do!' Helen stubbed out her cigarette and came back from the window. `I thought you looked familiar, but as soon as I saw that look of disgust I knew where I'd seen you. You were Anne's ugly little friend at Chittingdene. I always thought it was a joke that you-you!- dared to disapprove of me. You were always so quiet, but you had a special little contemptuous look you kept for me.'
She walked round to face Kate. `Yes, it's obvious now. You've filled out, of course, but get rid of that rather smart hairstyle and put those terrible bottle-bottom glasses back on and you'd look just the same!' Her smile was cold, malicious, as she circled Kate speculatively. `Well, well. Catherine Haddington-Finch! Who would have thought it? Does Luke know?’
'No,' said Kate quietly. It was useless to deny it all now.
`I always thought you had rather a crush on him,' Helen went on. `Anne told me you actually went down to tell him I wasn't coming that day. Rather touching.'
Her mockery caught Kate on the raw. `You didn't really want him then, did you?' she said angrily. `You were just playing with him. Anne told me what you used to say about Luke behind his back. Why do you want him so much now?'
Helen shrugged, unperturbed. `He was a little rough in those days, and I had a better offer in mind. But now, well, he's a very attractive man.'
`And a v
ery rich one?’
'You always did have a sharp tongue for someone so plain, Catherine,' Helen said with dislike.
`At least it was an honest one,' Kate retorted. `I never pretended to be in love with Luke and then sneered at him when he wasn't there.'
Helen gave a harsh laugh. `Love? Luke isn't interested in love! He doesn't give a damn what people think about him.'
`Not now he doesn't, but that's because thoughtless, cruel girls like you taught him that love was worthless. No wonder he's cynical!' Kate's eyes were blazing. `Didn't it ever occur to you that he might be hurt by the way you treated him? But no, you had a better offer, and you couldn't even be bothered to say goodbye!'
`Luke didn't care,' Helen said lightly. `If he did, why would he keep coming back to me?’
'At least he knows what he's dealing with,' Kate said with a contempt that made Helen's green eyes flash.
`Which is more than he does with you, Little Miss Virtue! It's all very well for you to preach about honesty, but how honest is it to keep your identity a secret?’
'It's not a secret. Luke didn't recognise me, and I didn't see any point in reminding him. I'm sure he wouldn't remember me anyway.'
`No, probably not,' Helen said dismissively. `You weren't exactly the memorable type.'
`You remembered me,' Kate pointed out. `And I've changed. I'm not the plain, awkward little girl I was. I'd like Luke to remember me as I am now, not as I was. I think he will-especially after last night,' she added deliberately.
Helen's eyes narrowed. `If you think one night gives you any hold over Luke, you've got another think coming! I give you a week before Luke as you to leave.'
`I wouldn't give you that long if Luke comes back now,' Kate said with a coolness that surprised her. `He won't want a scene in the office and, in view of last night, I think he's likely to take my side in any argument.' She picked up the pile of letters from her desk and began to slit them open. `I suggest you leave now-and don’t come back until there's another secretary sitting here!’
