by Jennifer Rae
* * *
When Luke finally came to Amy was sitting on the desk in front of him, naked, with her hands still cupped around his chin. Her eyes glowed…gold rings around the brown. Her cheeks and chest were flushed and her once perfect hair was wild and forming a halo around her face. She was beautiful—and that was the problem.
Little Lollipop was no longer his sister’s naughty friend—she was his naughty friend. A gorgeous, sexy woman who managed to make him forget himself whenever he was with her. Something he shouldn’t do. He’d tried so hard in the last few years to be strong—for everyone. To take his business to the highest level, to keep the people he loved safe. But no matter how hard he tried bad things happened.
As he watched her lips form a satisfied smile he wondered what bad things would happen with this relationship...
‘Feeling better?’
The words purred off her lips. Her face was so familiar to him now. He loved the way her lips smiled on just one side first, before forming a full smile. He smiled back—he couldn’t help it—before kissing the tiny freckle that sat on her collarbone. He’d explored every inch of her body—dozens of times—but she’d surprised him tonight.
He knew he’d been neglecting her. He knew that he should have left the office earlier. But he’d wanted to make sure everything was taken care of. And in the back of his mind he knew she was right. He was avoiding her. Not because he didn’t want to be with her but because he’d realised this afternoon how it would feel if he didn’t have her.
Her silence and distance had been torture. When she’d finally spoken to him he hadn’t been able to help rushing at her and making love to her. He’d been so relieved. And now, afterwards, when they were sitting together watching the lights he felt so comfortable. Too comfortable.
This whole thing had been a mistake. A delicious, exciting, magnificent mistake, but a mistake nonetheless.
‘I’m feeling much better.’
His teeth connected with her shoulder. He wondered if she was cold. Picking up his shirt from the chair behind him, he wrapped it round her shoulders. She took it, letting her arms slip into the too big sleeves.
‘Well, then, now we need to tick off the other part of our deal.’
Help. She wanted to help. But she couldn’t help. There was too much to do and not enough time to do it. There was no way she’d be able to help.
‘There’s no need for that. How about this?’ Luke wrapped his arms around her and held her close, hoping his warmth would soothe her. ‘How about I get this taken care of and you go back to the hotel and order us some food? I’m starving after that, and if I know you I bet you are too.’
She pushed at his chest. Hard. Surprisingly hard.
‘We had a deal.’
He knew that look in her eye. She was getting mad. He needed to calm her.
‘I know that, but I need to take care of this...’
‘No.’ She crossed her arms. ‘That wasn’t the deal.’
‘Amy—’
‘Sit.’
She used a foot to push him and the back of his legs hit the chair. He landed on his ass with a thump.
‘It’s time you listened to me. We had a deal.’
Amy uncrossed her arms and stood over him, one arm either side of the chair. Her hair fell forward and her eyes narrowed. She was angry. And dead sexy. He resisted the urge to pull her onto his lap and kiss her. Just.
‘And the deal was that we relax you, then fix whatever problem you have. Together. You and me. Not you on your own, taking on the responsibilities of the world. Not you on your own, thinking no one else can do this. I’ve come a long way since Weeping Reef, Luke. I’ve had to grow up. To manage people and figure things out. And I’ve figured you out.’
She turned her chair so the window was at her back. The lights of Singapore sparkled behind her and his shirt billowed out in front. It wasn’t the lights he was looking at. It was her. Angry and determined and making him listen like no other woman ever had.
‘You think the only way to stop bad things happening is by taking on all the responsibility. But life happens either way. You can’t take on the responsibility for everyone. People make their own choices and they deal with the consequences. Your job is not to save them but to be there for them when they fall. Because they will. Everyone does at some point. I know. I fell once and you caught me.’
But he hadn’t caught her, had he? He’d let that bad thing happen to her. And he’d let his sister marry the wrong man. And he hadn’t been there for Koko. He knew Amy was just trying to help, to make him feel better. And he liked her for that. Other women would have walked away when he neglected them, but not Amy. She’d tracked him down, sat him down and made him accountable. That was what he needed. Someone who saw his darkness and liked him anyway.
With a gentle kiss he let her know that he appreciated her and her lecture and that slow little smile of hers crept over her face.
‘Good. Let’s get started. What’s the name of that witch making your life hell?’
‘Kel Huynh.’
‘I’ll start with her.’
* * *
Amy had changed from her Weeping Reef days. There was still a lot of fun and cheeky jokes, but there was no wandering off and getting distracted, no trying to get out of what she was supposed to be doing. She was all business.
She pulled out all the paperwork he needed. She read through his to-do list and suggested ways to delegate. He didn’t agree with all her suggestions—after all, she couldn’t know the ins and outs of this project and who would be able to handle it and who wouldn’t—but she had a way of convincing him to try it her way.
Her salesmanship was magnificent. She complimented, joked, dropped little-known facts, used distraction—all the tricks in the book. But mostly she flirted, and that was when he couldn’t resist. Amy in full flirt was like nothing he’d ever seen. She knew just how to tilt her head and play with her hair and smile and bat her eyelashes. She knew just what to say—innocent with a slightly shocking twist—as if she knew exactly what she was talking about. Which she did.
Amy was an expert. She knew how to get what she wanted—she always had. But he didn’t mind her using her charms on him. He liked her charms. Especially when her charms were dressed in just his shirt. Watching her breasts peep out from where she’d loosely buttoned the shirt made all thoughts fly from his head. He’d do whatever she wanted and she knew it. He had to fight to stay in control. He had to fight to stop himself from grabbing her and kissing her every five seconds.
‘All done, I think.’
She smiled as she punched the last of his data into the spreadsheet. He watched her from where he stood, next to where she was sitting. He watched her fingers fly over the keyboard. She didn’t look at them—just kept her eyes on the screen.
Amy had always been a quick learner. When they’d changed the computer system on Weeping Reef a month after she’d started she’d been the first in the office to master it. He remembered the time she’d spent at the others’ desks, showing them what to do. At the time he’d been frustrated. She’d been neglecting her own work. She hadn’t got things done. But now he realised how lucky he’d been to have her. He hadn’t had the time to show the staff the new system. She’d been doing him a favour by taking their questions and explaining things to them.
He hadn’t appreciated her back then. In his head she’d always just been his sister’s silly friend who talked too much and didn’t get her work done on time. He wished he’d seen her then as he did now. He wished he’d noticed how generous and caring she was instead of focussing on himself and what needed to be done. Maybe she would never have had to go through with what she had if he’d taken more notice of her. Taken the time to get to know her. Listened to her.
Luke moved closer and slipped his hand across her shoul
der. She stopped to put a hand over his and smile at him. But he didn’t smile back. He couldn’t when all he could think about was that she deserved more. So much more than he could give.
‘You’re amazing—you know that?’
She smiled and dimples embedded themselves in her cheeks. ‘About time you realised that.’
It was. About time.
* * *
When they’d finally packed up and gone back to the hotel she decided he needed to watch her slowly undress before she climbed on top of him and made each and every one of his thoughts disappear from his head. And he found himself wondering again why the hell he hadn’t realised how amazing she was eight years ago.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
WHEN AMY SAID she had a surprise for him the next morning he was hoping it involved more nakedness, but she was dressed and standing in his office—he’d managed to convince her to let him go there for a few hours.
‘Time to go,’ she said firmly, her eyes connecting with his.
He knew there was no use arguing. And with her help yesterday some of the pressure had actually been relieved. He’d delegated some of the less pressing tasks and managed to get everything together and now it would be on the desk of the demanding Ms Huynh.
There was nothing left to do but wait. And enjoy the delights of Singapore. With Amy.
‘Back to the hotel?’ he asked hopefully, getting up to put his arms around her waist and kissing her hard on the lips.
She twisted her arms around his neck and pressed herself closer. Her breasts pushed against his chest and he hardened instantly. No one had ever turned him on more that Amy, although a niggling fear had bored itself into his brain like a spider and taken up residence there. Pressing on his nerves whenever he started to think things he shouldn’t. Like this might last. Like this was something important. Like he never wanted to let her go.
‘No...’ she murmured between kisses.
He liked it that she couldn’t get enough of him either. He enjoyed the way she became breathless and a little vague every time they kissed. As if kissing him made her forget everything the way kissing her did him.
‘No. Not back to the hotel. Somewhere better.’
She smiled that slow smile of hers and his heart clamped. She was an amazing flirt. He had to remember that and not take all this too seriously. It had only been a few weeks that she’d been back in his life—it was moving quickly. Too quickly. He needed to slow this down. Stay in control. Keep his eye and his damn heart steady so everything stayed where it should be.
‘Nowhere could be better than the hotel with you.’
Luke let his hands slide up her back under the white shirt she was wearing. Her skin was soft and smooth and he wanted to kiss it. Kiss her everywhere. Sex would help him forget what he was worrying about and it would mean she couldn’t ask any more questions he didn’t want to answer.
‘Trust me—you’re going to love it.’
‘Surprises weren’t part of our deal.’
‘No, they weren’t, but this is not negotiable. You’ve flown me all the way here and I want to see some of Singapore.’
‘We’re not going on one of those awful double-decker buses, are we?’
‘Don’t worry—you’ll enjoy it.’
‘As long as you’re there I will.’
Her eyes met his for too long. He had to remember not to say things like that. That type of thing sounded a little too ‘relationshippy’, and he didn’t want her to think that that was what this was. Not that Amy wasn’t someone he could see himself having a relationship with—if there was anyone he’d want to spend every day with it would be her—but he was better at taking care of people from a distance.
‘That sounded as if you’re starting to like having me around, Luke Moore.’ She smiled breezily. ‘Tell me the truth: is it my devastatingly awesome PR and management skills that turn you on so much?’
No. It was the way she teased him and never let him take himself too seriously. And the way she worried about him when he worked too hard. And the way she knew exactly what he needed. And the way her body seemed to fit so perfectly with his. There were a million reasons he liked having her around and only one reason why he couldn’t. He’d already let her down once. He’d let something bad happen to her and that had changed her. He couldn’t be responsible for someone like Amy.
‘That must be it.’
‘Or maybe you’re starting to realise what a catch I am?’
‘You are a catch, Amy. You’re gorgeous and smart and funny and I’ve never seen anyone work a spreadsheet quite like you. You’ll make some lucky man very happy one day.’
Her expression froze for just a second. But then she smiled and the hesitation in her eyes was gone. Perhaps he’d just imagined it.
‘We should go,’ she said brightly.
For a moment he thought about the man who would eventually marry Amy and a wave of hot jealousy rolled over his body. Amy needed someone reliable. Someone she could depend on. Someone who didn’t make her angry like he did. Someone who wouldn’t let her down as he once had.
She chatted breezily as they went downstairs to get a taxi. She mentioned that Willa had called earlier that day and had wanted to tell her some news but had been called away. His sister had a habit of making spontaneous decisions—like the one she’d made when she got married. That had ended in disaster. He wondered what scheme she was coming up with now. Of course she’d call Amy about her crazy plans. The two were thick as thieves. Even thicker now than they had been at the resort all those years ago. Which was another reason a relationship with Amy wasn’t a good idea. It would become awkward...it was all too close.
Luke glanced at Amy in the cab. It was a typically hot Singaporean day. Amy’s hair wasn’t as blow-dried and straight over here as it was back home in Australia. The humidity gave it a kink and it looked a little like the way she’d used to wear it back on the reef. Only then her hair had been longer, and usually dripping in jewellery and leather straps and gemstones. And back then she’d usually worn a lot less.
She’d become rather conservative over the eight years when he hadn’t seen her. In Sydney she mostly wore suits, but over the last couple of days the old Amy had begun to emerge. Today she had on a top that exposed her belly and some very short shorts. And instead of a bra he could see a bikini top tied around her neck. He liked it. He liked the bohemian she hid beneath her corporate slick. He knew who she really was. Troublemaker Amy, with a definite thirst for adventure and fun.
So opposite to him. He had responsibilities, and he needed to be the reliable, dependable man he’d been working hard to be—and yet he couldn’t help admiring the way Amy didn’t let her own responsibilities stop her from living life. Not that he’d ever be able to live like that.
He slipped his fingers through hers and held on tight. She smiled and shifted a little closer and he liked her there. Close and warm and completely his...at least until life and work inevitably got in the way. But he didn’t want to think about that. Not today. The sun was out and there was a beautiful woman wanting to make him happy. Today the only thing he wanted to think about was Amy.
Amy had slipped the cab driver a piece of paper with the address of where they were going on it, so he still had no idea where they were headed, but when they passed the huge sign signalling the entrance to Sentosa Beach he started to wonder.
‘The beach? You want to go to the beach? There are possibly five hundred better beaches in Australia than this, you know.’
‘Not the beach.’ She smiled and squeezed his hand.
‘Then where...?’
The taxi sped past the manmade beach and the amusement park that was so popular with families and tourists and continued on.
‘The wharf?’
‘Yep. The wharf. I’ve chartered a boat.
And I’ve wiped your schedule. Today I have you all to myself, with no mobile connection. We have champagne and food and paddleboards and that’s it.’
It sounded like the perfect day to Luke—but no mobile connection...? ‘What if Kel Huynh needs me?’
‘She’ll have to wait.’
Amy sidled even closer and rested her head on his shoulder. They couldn’t go on for much longer like this. It was impossible. But a day out on a yacht with Amy for company sounded so good that for now he just wanted to enjoy it.
* * *
Amy smiled at Rocky, the captain of the yacht she’d chartered with a little help from the concierge at the hotel. He’d given them the safety speech and was now firing up the engine. Luke had volunteered to uncork the champagne, so Amy had come to the front of the boat to enjoy the views that were whizzing past her as they headed for one of the small islands that lay around Singapore.
The sun was warm, but not too hot. Unlike in Australia, there were no flies here—the humidity was horrendous for her hair, but somehow that just made it feel more like a holiday.
Amy stood with her back to the window of the cabin. She breathed in deeply and the salt air filled her lungs. She was happy, and it was a strange kind of happiness. Something she’d never felt before. A kind of dozy, lazy happiness in which she was completely conscious of all the problems in her life but it was as if there was some strange drug running through her veins, making those problems seem so much more insignificant than they had just a few short weeks ago.
‘Here we go.’
Luke passed her a champagne glass. He’d opted for a beer, and Amy loved that about him. He was honest and real. He clearly didn’t like champagne, but rather than drink it and say nothing, as Laurie would have done, he’d got himself a beer and done what he wanted.
