Bea nodded, wiping below her eyes with her fingers where her eyeliner had smudged slightly in the heat of the marquee. “I’d better actually go to the loo, I suppose.” He had a girlfriend she reasoned silently for the umpteenth time as she washed her hands. She needed to get a grip.
She sat back in her seat and watched Paul, who was looking happier than she had seen him in years. Someone coughed quietly next to her ear. Bea turned and came face to face with Luke, crouching down next to her in between her and Tom’s chair.
“Hi, I was wondering if you’d dance with me,” he said, his arm resting on the back of Bea’s chair. He looked across at Tom. “You wouldn’t mind your beautiful partner having just one dance with an old friend, would you?” he asked.
“Of course he wouldn’t,” Bea said without waiting for Tom’s reply. Luke grabbed hold of Bea’s hand and led her onto the dance floor.
She could sense Tom’s eyes boring into the back of her and at the same time noticed Luke’s gaze on her. “Thank you,” he said. “You’re looking incredibly beautiful tonight, although I have to admit I miss seeing those bunny slippers.”
“Stop it,” she said, trying not to laugh. “What are you playing at?” Bea asked, aware he was holding her so firmly in the arch of her back against him that the entire length of his body was pressing alarmingly next to her own, sending disobedient delicious feelings coursing through her.
“Can’t a friend ask his pal to dance?” he whispered in her ear, holding her tighter to him.
Bea swallowed. She could feel the hardness of his chest against her breasts. Her mouth was almost completely dry. “Of course you can,” she replied breathlessly.
“I didn’t think you were seeing each other anymore,” he said, the heat of his hand firm against her back.
“We work together and neither of us had a partner for the evening.”
“I could have been your partner if I’d known you were free.”
Bea pushed away the idea. “But you’re here with Leilani, aren’t you?” she said, feeling him tense slightly at her answer.
“We’re friends, that’s all, Bea.”
“So you say.”
He watched her silently for a few moments, his expression dark, and Bea had to concentrate on not looking away from the intensity of his gaze.
“If I can believe you when you tell me that there was nothing between you in New York, why don’t you listen when I tell you that whatever happened between Leilani and me is all in the past?”
Bea breathed in his citrusy aftershave and glanced up at his perfect lips so near to her own. It was wonderful to see them properly for once. Damn Tom for telling her about the investigation. An icy breeze seemed to grip her insides.
“Bea?”
She couldn’t allow herself to be with him. She couldn’t lose her house, but at least she had her appointment with Mr Peters in the next few days. She took a deep breath. “There’s too much going on in my life right now for me to get involved with someone, Luke.”
“I could help you sort whatever it is you’re dealing with, you only have to ask.”
She wished it was that easy. She pulled him closer and relished being in his arms. This was the most she could allow herself for now. It would have to be enough. “Thank you.”
“I wish you’d tell me what’s holding you back,” he said, lowering his head to whisper in her ear. I wish I could, too, she thought, her entire body tingling when he kissed her lightly on the neck just below her jawline. The music ended and Bea went to move away, but he held on to her tightly. “One more dance?”
She let him take her back in his arms. “Luke, we talked about this.”
“No. We didn’t. You decided for both of us that I wasn’t right for you, but I’ve got no idea why, and I don’t believe it’s because of Leilani.” His breath was hot against her neck. She wanted to kiss him, feeling almost light-headed. “I can’t begin to imagine why you believe Tom to be more suited to you than me.”
“I told you, we really are just friends.” Bea took a deep breath in an effort to control her emotions. She daren’t give him false hope. She gazed up at the desolate expression in his deep blue eyes and wanted him more than she had ever wanted anyone in her entire life. She swallowed, aware that she had to come up with some excuse for her behaviour. “Anyway, Luke, you’re not ready for the kind of relationship that I want.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I do. And about that night…”
“What happened that night was wonderful.” He stopped dancing for a moment and stared at her.
She made a step to force him to dance again, not wishing to draw any more attention to them than was necessary. “Please keep dancing,” she pleaded. Luke moved once again. “Whatever you may say, you can’t ignore the fact you have a girlfriend. So it’s not as if you’re even free to be making a play for me in the first place. Tom’s a good man, and he is just a friend; he’s also my manager at work and we do have to get along.”
“And he makes you feel safe, is that it? Is that what you truly want, to feel safe?”
SIXTEEN
Fenced Off
“Right now, yes, it is actually.” She turned her head away from him but not quick enough to avoid his lips grazing hers so lightly she wasn’t certain whether or not she had imagined it. She had never wanted to kiss anyone so desperately, but she had no choice. She owed it to herself to be sensible.
He sighed and let her go. “I’m sorry you don’t trust me, Bea. I wish you did.”
“It’s time you went back to your friends.”
He fell silent. “If that’s your final word on the matter, then I’d better escort you back to your table.”
“You don’t have to.” Bea forced a smile on to her face since she didn’t want anyone else to see how upset she was. “Really, there’s no need,” she added turning her back on him and returning to her table. She sat back down and noticed Tom watching in silence as Luke held out her chair for her. He gazed down at her briefly before returning to his own group of friends.
Tom’s phone bleeped. “I’d better deal with this,” he said, making towards the direction of the Gents.
“Bloody hell, Bea, what are you playing at?” Mel whispered, watching Luke return to his seat.
“That’s the second time tonight someone’s asked me that question,” she answered.
“Quick, shush, Tom’s on his way back,” Paul whispered through clenched teeth, no doubt loving every second of the unexpected drama. “Look, everybody, the auction’s about to start.”
“This is a relief.” Guy shook his head. “You English, I thought it was the French who were the passionate ones. Where are your stiff upper lips and coldness? This is not at all what I expected. It is, though, far more interesting.”
The moustachoid auctioneer stepped up to the podium and banged his gavel. Bea breathed a sigh of relief. Now everyone would stop focusing on her and concentrate on the main event. Tom immediately put in a bid for the first Lot for a crate of six bottles of Cristal. Bea watched the short bidding war Tom was having with a couple of other like-minded men. She clapped when Tom won, even though he ended up paying far more than she thought was necessary. Tom cheered and gave a little bow as everyone clapped.
“Well done,” Paige congratulated him, clapping. “That’s my favourite champagne. Not that I’ve been lucky enough to try it more than once.”
“Then you must take a bottle home with you.”
“Lot number two,” announced the auctioneer. “Is a gourmet meal for two at The Grenadier’s Boot, which I’m sure most of you know is a top-class local restaurant set neatly on St Aubin’s Bay overlooking the small harbour.”
Bea had only been there once before with Simon for their first anniversary. She remembered back to when they had sat outside on the patio, overlooking the water and with the waves gently lapping against the harbour walls, making long forgotten promises to each other and felt sad for the innocent woman she had once
been. She hoped she’d never be foolish enough to fall in to that trap again.
Jeremy was bidding against a puce-faced man, who looked about to explode out of his dress shirt as it pulled dangerously at the jet buttons down its front. “I know him and he’s a right sod,” he confided rather too loudly across the table. “His ex-wife used to work with me, horrible man.”
“Yuck, he’s revolting.” Mel pulled a face. “What on earth does the red head hanging off him see in him?”
“His excessive bank balance, Lamborghini and a penthouse flat in St Jean Cap Ferrat, maybe?” Tom suggested with a smile on his face. “It seems amazing how some women find these things so attractive.”
“Eugh.” Mel winced. “So that’s what a gold digger looks like.” She shuddered. “I couldn’t sleep with him no matter how many flashy baubles he may have stashed away.”
“I don’t think it’s his baubles she has to sleep with.” Grant laughed loudly at his own joke. Mel glared at him, as Paul and Shani tried to stifle their laughter. “Keep going, mate,” he said to Jeremy as he concentrated on the auctioneer.
“Yay,” Mel cheered. “Our table has outbid the competition again.”
Jeremy kissed Paige hard on the cheek. “There you go, my sweet, I’ll take you there for a treat on your birthday.”
Bea couldn’t help smiling at Paige’s proud expression. It made a pleasant change to see her friend look so excited. She’d often wondered why someone as meek as Paige had ended up with Jeremy, but couldn’t help thinking that despite his occasional bossiness when he reduced Paige to tears, he probably needed an adoring, compliant wife to make him feel important. It made her even more relieved to think she didn’t have to put up with Simon’s arrogance on a daily basis.
Bea tried not to fidget as the following twenty Lots were fought for. “And now the main Lot of the evening,” said the auctioneer. They stopped talking and Bea noticed how everyone paid attention; everyone, of course, except Luke, who humiliatingly caught her peaking over at him, when she thought he wouldn’t notice. She quickly looked away, pretending to be as entranced as the rest of the partygoers in what was happening at the podium end of the marquee.
“Can you imagine how romantic it must be to take a long weekend ballooning in the South of France?” Mel asked no one in particular.
Bea spotted Tom lifting his hand to start the bidding. “Tom, you’re spending a fortune tonight,” she said quietly not wishing to make a scene, but worried that he seemed to be spending so much when he’d confided in her recently about the difficulty he had paying for Vanessa’s home as well as his own on his salary.
“It’s for a children’s hospice, you can’t get much more worthwhile than that,” he snapped.
Bea looked at Tom’s main opponent as the bids quickly rose. She could see that the immaculate older woman with her impressive helmet-like hair-do was more than capable of paying whatever the Lot went for. She wasn’t so certain Tom could compete. When even she pulled out of the running, Bea gave a sigh of relief.
The auctioneer held up his gavel. “Any more bids? Do I hear two thousand, six hundred anywhere?”
The guests peered silently around the filled marquee, expectant faces looking at each other, waiting with to see if anyone would have the nerve to bid against Tom. “Going once, going twice.”
“Three thousand.” Luke winked at Tom, his dark eyes twinkling mischievously.
Bea’s held back a groan. The last thing she needed was for Luke to show Tom up. He probably wouldn’t intentionally do it, she mused, but Tom would definitely take it that way.
Tom squared his shoulders and glared at Luke. “Three thousand and fifty.”
Luke stood up and nodded at Tom. “Three thousand, one hundred.”
Bea cringed. What the hell was wrong with them both? Neither had money to throw around and here they both were trying to outbid each other. “Three thousand, two.”
“Three thousand and three.”
Bea glanced around to see who was cheering. Someone started clapping and soon most of the audience were joining in. “This is ridiculous.”
“Chill,” Paul laughed. “It’s for charity. So what if they’re showing off in front of you.”
“And five hundred.”
“Don’t talk rubbish,” Bea said, trying to think of a way to stop them. “Neither of them can afford this.” What the hell were they both doing?
Mel squealed in excitement, clapping her hands together rapidly. “This is so exciting.”
“Four thousand,” bid Tom, unwilling to back down, his face set like stone.
“Four and a half.” Luke’s smile slipped for a second, but Bea doubted many people noticed.
“Five,” Tom shouted slamming his palm on their table and sending several glasses crashing over. Bea and Shani leapt up to grab hold of the glasses and stand them upright again. Paige covered the spilt liquid with their napkins.
The auctioneer held his mallet in Luke’s direction. “Do I have any increase on the bid?”
Luke shook his head. “No, I’ve reached my limit.”
“All done then. Going for five thousand pounds. Going once, going twice,” the auctioneer pointed his mallet in Tom’s direction, “sold to the gentleman on table twelve, for the generous amount of five thousand pounds, thank you, sir.” He turned to Luke. “A grand effort on your behalf too, sir.”
Bea stared at Tom. Where would he get five thousand pounds? He did look a little stunned. She took hold of the cuff of his jacket and gently pulled him down to his seat. “Don’t you think you got a little carried away?”
Tom ran his finger around the neck of his dress shirt and cleared his throat. “Of course not,” he smiled. “It’s for a children’s charity, after all.”
“Well done, Tom,” Mel cheered, holding up her glass to toast him. The others picked up their glasses and Shani and Bea took hold of their empty ones and smiled at each other. “To Tom.”
Tom bowed. “Thank you. Mind you, that man’s a bloody lunatic,” he muttered as he sat down.
Bea glanced over at Luke. She didn’t like to point out that the man shaking hands across the room with the other members of his party had been the one with the sense to pull out of the bidding. They slapped his back and seemed to be commiserating with him for his loss. Bea noticed he didn’t appear to be at all upset about it. Leilani put a lean, tanned hand on his shoulder and nodded over to Bea. Bea smiled and looked away.
“She resembles a rather elongated Great Dane, don’t you think?” Paul whispered in her ear.
Bea giggled. “That’s a little mean, Paul. I wouldn’t mind having legs as long as hers.”
“Nah, you’re little and cute, like me,” he said, winking at her. “Who wants to be a beanpole like her?”
“Thank you.” Shani glared at him. “There’s nothing wrong with being tall and skinny.”
“Yeah, whatever.” Paul pulled a face and Bea laughed.
Luke stood up and marched directly to their table. A broad smile on his face, he held his hand out to Tom. “No hard feelings, Tom?” Bea wondered if he was aware just how furious Tom probably was with him.
Tom rose, shook Luke’s hand. “Hell, that’s what these evenings are all about,” he said, pumping Luke’s hand up and down enthusiastically. “Spending far over the odds for something we don’t even need, for charity.”
Luke took Bea’s hand and bent his head to kiss it. “I hope the lady enjoys her trip.”
“I haven’t been invited to go yet,” she replied, irritated by his presumption.
“I’ll see you guys later then.” Luke nodded to the rest of the party before returning to his group and Leilani who, Bea noticed, managed to pout without managing to look ridiculous.
“How could Tom manage to pay all that money for something?” Shani leant over to Bea, whispering. “I thought his ex-wife and kids were costing him a fortune.”
“I would have thought that with his financial problems the last thing Luke Thornton shou
ld be doing is bidding for anything at all,” Mel said. “Don’t you agree, Grant?”
“There’s more to his finances than you would think,” Tom said.
Bea grimaced. “Tom? Should you really be saying things like that?”
“No, of course not, sorry,” he said guiltily. “That was uncalled for.”
Paul nudged Bea gently. “I think you did very well, Tom,” he said. “I’m glad someone on our table will be leaving with a few Lots. It makes the evening more fun, especially when the rest of us couldn’t afford to bid for anything after paying for the tickets and these clothes.”
Cheered by this observation, Tom visibly relaxed. “Don’t be silly, Paul, they rely on selling the tickets. The auction is just the icing on the cake, and if someone is mad enough to go completely overboard at least the charity benefits in the end.”
Bea was grateful for Paul lightening the atmosphere of their group. She heard the band strike up the first notes of a tune and went with Tom on to the dance floor when he took her hand. “I wonder what we would have been like if we’d married?” he said.
Startled by his observation, Bea hesitated. “I hate to think,” she said, making a joke of it.
“We never argued much and we got along pretty well.”
Bea agreed, hoping he wasn’t going to try and ask her out on a date again. “True.”
“I don’t suppose you’ll want to come with me on my holiday?”
She shook her head, but smiled at him. “No, Tom. Maybe you could take the children away with you? I’m sure they’d enjoy a trip away.”
She glancing at her watch, pleased to note it was nearly the end of the evening.
****
“You and Tom were getting a little cosy tonight?” Shani said, as she pulled up the duvet in Bea’s spare room. “Is there something you want to tell me?”
Bea looked out of the window through the darkness to the coast of France and the lights of the distant houses. “Er, no. So don’t expect any gossip from me. He’s off to Manchester to meet with a client tomorrow, so won’t be at the office for a few days, either. Sorry to disappoint you.”
A Jersey Kiss (Jersey Romance Series) Page 18
