Instead he had relished watching on in amusement. By the end of the evening many silent exchanges had gone on between the two men, as though they had been conspiring together.
Luke had wanted to go over and ask her to dance but, after earlier in the day when she had slapped him. He had been unsure of the reception. He had glanced over at the dance floor and then back at Cassie. It had not gone unnoticed by Adam.
He had raised an eyebrow and had nodded in the direction of the dance floor. Luke had dipped his head in acknowled-gement and then Adam was getting out of his seat and pulling Cassie along getting ever closer to him. A gleeful look on his face as they had approached him.
Luke stepped further into the room and came to stand by Cassie as he crouched down beside her.
“The police are on their way and the locksmith will be here within the hour to fix the front door and check the windows.” He told her.
She looked at him, her hazel eyes shiny with fresh unspilled tears. Luke reached a hand around the back of her head as he pulled her closer to him. He put a cheek against her own trying to soothe her. Trying to let her know that everything was going to be okay.
“I should…” She stopped. Luke noted the sadness in her voice. She sounded childlike and his heart broke. He lifted his head and looked into her eyes.
“No, there is nothing to do right now.” The need to comfort her became too much for Luke and he bent his head.
His lips touched hers in a feather light touch. He felt her lips soften and yield under his and he kissed her.
Soft languid kisses that he hoped would soothe and comfort her. He traced her lips with his tongue and she moaned, a pleasing sound that had Luke tentatively dipping his tongue into her open receptive mouth. She felt so good. She tasted so good.
Luke felt his arousal pushing against the material of his trousers. He wanted her so damn much. If it wasn’t for the situation at hand he would have carried her upstairs and would have made love to her until the morning. Who was he kidding, he would have kept her there all week. For starters, at least.
He hungered for her in a way he had never hungered for another woman in all his life. He wanted her, he needed her, he loved her. “Cassie.” He groaned against her mouth and he heard her sigh.
He moved closer to her, deepening his kiss. Stroking her with his tongue. Coaxing her to kiss him back, and she did.
He ran his fingers through her hair. He loved the way that felt. Her hair was so soft. He gently massaged her scalp with the tips of his fingers and she sighed again. “I want you so much. Do you have any idea?” he asked her huskily.
“I…” Cassie clung to him.
“You don’t do you?” he asked her. How could one woman be so oblivious to the response she elicited from him.
He took a hold of her hand and moved it to him so that he could place it over his hard arousal and he heard her gasp in shock.
That pleased him. The feel of her hand on him pleased him to. He held her hand there as he pushed himself against her and moved his hips. “You see what you do to me.” He asked. “You see how much I want you”
“Luke.” Her fingers curled to hold him as she tried to wrap around him. If only he wasn’t encumbered with these clothes. Then Cassie would be able to wrap her fingers around him. He was desperate for that. She whimpered against him and gave a shudder.
“It’s okay Cassie. You don’t have to be afraid of it. I won’t hurt you.” He kissed her soft mouth sucking on her bottom lip until she trembled against him.
He had to put a stop to this. The police would be here soon and he really did not want Cassie to be in the embarrassing position of being caught in the middle of… something.
He gently took her hand away from him and kissed her one last time before he withdrew his mouth from hers.
She looked up at him, her lips moist and swollen from his kisses. Her eyes sparkling and dazed as sexual hunger and awareness burned in their depths.
Damn he wished he could carry her off right this second. That look alone was enough to make him explode. He groaned out loud and got up from his position just as a rap on the door sounded out.
Just as well really, another second and they would have been naked and rolling around the living room floor. Not that he would have minded but, he wanted it to be better than that for Cassie. She deserved more than a roll around on the floor.
Chapter 27.
Cassie was overwhelmed with all the activity that seemed to go off around her all at once.
Two policemen had sat with her taking her statement. They had noted her injuries and asked her to look around to see if she could see anything missing.
Cassie hadn’t been able to see anything obvious. She did not keep cash lying around in the house, not large amounts of it anyway.
And the only jewellery in the house would be Faye’s and that she had taken it all with her. Walking round the house Cassie discovered that the burglar had not managed to get upstairs. All the rooms had remained untouched. That was something at least.
She did not know what she would have done had she found all her clothes strewn about. Most especially her underwear. She wouldn’t have been able to wear them again.
It was a couple of hours later that Cassie was finally more clear headed. The police had gone. The locksmith had changed all the locks and secured the premises.
Luke had set to work with some warm soapy water and flannels and cleaned up her wound, washing as much dried up blood from her face and her hair as he could.
Cassie had sat still and let him. She could do it herself, she had told him, but he was having none of it and so she had fallen silent and let him get on with things.
Somehow a small bag had been packed for her and she listened as Luke told her he would take it to the car and come back for her.
She nodded dutifully and sat still until Luke returned and then she let him pull her gently to her feet. He had found a fleece blanket that he wrapped around her so that she would not be cold.
She felt tears on her lashes at that. No one had ever cared enough to make sure that she was alright, that she wasn’t cold. It was always her that took care of others. It felt strange to have the role reverse, it felt nice.
Luke pulled her closer to him and she opened her mouth to say something but his lips were already covering hers and she did not fight it. Instead she enjoyed the feel of his lips on hers.
She kissed him back without any hesitation, matching every move, every stroke. His kisses changed from light, gently soothing, nips to deeper hotter kisses.
His tongue danced with hers. He cupped her head to cradle it before angling her head so that he could get closer. So that he could deepen the kiss further.
She felt his other hand at her ribcage, her heart raced in her chest. She moaned against him. His hand came up to cover one breast and she threw back her head and let out a cry.
Luke’s urgent hot lips kissed along her jawline, to her ear lobe. Down the column of her throat. To her collarbone. And then to the upper swell of her breast that was pushing against the confines of her dress.
She felt the zip at the back give and then Luke was pushing the material away from her breast. His fingers pulling the material down exposing her skin to his gaze. She drew in a sharp breath as he bent his head and sucked the rosy nipple into his mouth.
She moaned again as her fingers curled, biting into his flesh as he suckled on her. She felt the spirals of pleasure coarse through her as his tongue scraped across the sensitive nipple until her body trembled against him.
He pressed his hard arousal into the soft flesh between her legs.
“Cassie.” He whispered hoarsely. His voice thick with passion. “Let me show you how special you are.”
“Luke.” She groaned.
“Give me permission Cassie.” His lips trailed back up her throat.
“I…”
“Say yes, say you’ll let me. Give me permission to show you how special you are. How beautiful you are.�
�� He kissed her mouth again. A hand stroked up the back of her leg, pushing her dress up as he went. And then she moaned as he cupped her bottom and kneaded the flesh that he found there.
“Luke.” She was breathing hard now. Her body aching, throbbing with a need she had never experienced in her life, ever. “Yes.” Whispered.
He groaned then, taking her mouth in a kiss that left her breathless and clinging onto him as though if she let go she would drown.
And then he covered her breast with her dress and did the zip back up at the back.
“Come.” He whispered close to her ear and she opened her eyes as he drew his face away enough to look into her eyes. “Let’s go home.” He told her and he gathered her up, lifting her off her feet as she carried her out.
Her front door was closed up behind them and then she was being bundled up in Luke’s car. He reached in and put her seat belt on her before kissing her lips gently and closing her door before coming round to get into the driver’s side. “Are you warm enough.” He asked her as he pulled the blanket around her.
“Yes, thank you.” She said. Luke started the car and then they were pulling away from the curb.
“How are you feeling now.” He asked her sometime later as they drove along. It was the early hours of the morning now. Luke must be tired, she thought, feeling guilty.
“Oh, yes I am fine really. I should phone Adam and let him know.”
“Already done.” She turned to look at his profile as he drove along. “Your phone book was in the hall.” He explained.
“Oh.” She said.
“Adam will pop by later to see you. I reassured him that you were alright.”
“He doesn’t know where you live.” She said.
“I gave him the address. Don’t worry he will find it. It’s not like he could miss it.”
“Oh?” she enquired and then Luke motioned his head and she looked out the front windscreen. And then she said. “Oh.” this time, though it was in awe.
As they drove up a long gravel drive Cassie was treated to the sight of Luke’s home, it looked like a castle. Well, a stately home anyway.
The thing was massive, really massive. She had never seen such a big house up close before. Well not unless she had been on a visit to a tourist attraction.
And there were turrets, one on each side of the massive house. Actual turrets for heaven sake. And a flag was blowing in the breeze from one of them. How cool was that?
Cassie felt light headed and giddy but then realised that she was holding her breath and so she took in a large dose of much needed air.
There were lights on, burning bright lighting it up. Giving it a gothic look in the semi darkness of early morning. She glanced at the clock on the dash board. It read two in the morning. “Oh, wow. Luke it’s… it’s…”
“Welcome to Covington Hall.” Luke told her.
“It’s…”
“It is quite foreboding isn’t it.” Luke offered.
“Massive.” She breathed.
“Thirteen bedrooms, five reception rooms, one library, seven bathrooms, dining rooms, drawing rooms and a sewing room, plus a large over the top ballroom.”
“Wow.” She repeated. What else could she say? “It is very beautiful.”
“Mm.” He said and she chanced a glance at him.
“You don’t like it?” she frowned, how could someone not like this?
“It’s okay.” Okay? Cassie found that sad. That he could look at this and see it as okay and nothing more. But then he had probably grown up here and had stopped really seeing it a long time ago.
“It’s more than okay.” She told him.
“Then, of course there are the grounds. Which are extensive.” He continued. “The Tennis courts. Swimming pools. Separate cottages. It has its own wood too.” Luke sounded embarrassed as he reeled off its attributes. She even detected the note of cynicism.
“Wow.” That was an understatement. “You don’t like it?” She asked. How could he not like living here?
“It has been in the family a long time.” He shrugged a shoulder.
“If you don’t like it. Why don’t you sell it and find something smaller?” She frowned.
“It’s my home. It was my father’s home and his father before him. And so on.”
“You really don’t like the fact you were born into money do you?” she said knowingly. “That you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth.” She recalled his earlier words.
“Not really.” He agreed.
“Why not?”
“Silver tarnishes.” He told her sadly.
“But you are more than that Luke.” She said quietly as they pulled up in front of the house, well palace, castle. Call it what you will.
Luke switched off the engine and turned to look at her. A strange little smile playing on his mouth as he looked at her for what seemed like forever. He reached out and brushed her hair back from her face gently.
“I am now.” He said and he got out of the car and came round to open her door and helped her from the car. She wanted to ask him what he had meant by that but decided against it for now.
The large front door opened as Luke grabbed her case from the boot of the car and he steered her toward it as a plump older woman came out to greet them. Cassie had seen her before, in the courtroom, she had been there.
“Didn’t I tell you to go to bed and get some sleep.” Luke asked her.
“Higgle piggle and pish posh tosh with you.” She admonished sternly and Cassie bit down on her lip to stop a smile from developing.
“We could have handled things just fine.” Luke told her as he sighed.
“You couldn’t handle an ant farm.” She told him.
“Cassie this is Vera my housekeeper. Ignore most of what she says because she does not know what she is talking about most of the time.”
“Hello.” Cassie greeted with a smile and Vera smiled warmly back at her.
“Come on in child. There’s a chill in the air and you ain’t dressed for it.” Vera told her and then turned to Luke. “I mean really? And you being a doctor an all. She’ll get pneumonia.”
“No, she really won’t.” Luke told her, then turned to Cassie. “See, I told you. She doesn’t know what she is talking about.”
Vera was right about one thing. She wasn’t dressed for it. She may have been wrapped up in a fleece blanket but underneath she still had on her dress that she had worn to dinner. Cassie could definitely feel the chill wafting around her bare legs.
“Thank you.” She said self-consciously as she walked up the three steps that led to a kind of platform that continued on until it met the house and the front door.
Vera turned to look at Luke and then shook her head and tutted at him.
“What?” Luke asked his housekeeper.
“Me? Nothing. What would make you think I had something to say.”
“You shook your head and tutted at me.”
“Did I?”
“You know you did.” Vera turned to Cassie and made a face at her.
“I’d leave him outside if I thought I could get away with it.” And then she moved away from the threshold so that Cassie and Luke could enter.
“I pay your wages.” Luke pointed out.
“That you do.” Vera agreed. “That’s why you don’t get left out here.”
“And there I thought it was because you cared.”
“Me? Cared? Hogwash and twizzle sticks.” Vera dismissed.
Cassie laughed and Luke scowled at Vera, but Cassie could see only affection in his eyes. It was also reflected in the housekeepers. They obviously went back a long way.
Chapter 28.
“Come on in Cassie.” Vera welcomed her inside. “How are you?” she asked as she ran her eyes over Cassie’s face
“I… u…. I’m fine.” She gave the other woman a tentative smile.
“How’s the head feeling?”
“Fine, thank you.”
“I’ve got some
paracetamol if you need it. Just ask.”
“Thank you.”
“Is there anything you need?” Vera asked her once she was completely inside and the front door was closed. “Anything at all. You just ask me and I’ll get it for you.”
“Why don’t we get in and get things settled before you start your claustrophobic motherly fussing.” Luke suggested dryly.
“I ain’t fussing.” Vera told him.
“No? what would you call it.”
“I’d call it, you’re in danger of a clip round the ear if I have any more of your cheek young man.” Cassie couldn’t help it. She burst out laughing.
“I could fire you.” Luke pointed out, raising his eyebrows at her.
“Hogwash and twizzle sticks.” She told him as she steered Cassie further into the grand hall. “If you fired me, you’d miss me.”
“No I wouldn’t.” Luke assured her.
“Yes you would.”
“Maybe for a minute but then I would hire someone else.”
“Ain’t no one that could fill these shoes.”
“You are right.” Luke placed an arm about Vera’s shoulders and kissed her cheek.
“Oh go on with you.” She said and then she turned to Cassie. “This is the grand hallway.”
And grand it was, with its large sweeping stair case with an intricately carved bannister and hand rail that continued to the top.
Cassie swept her eyes upward towards the high vaulted arched ceilings with paintings and carvings everywhere.
“Wow.” She breathed as she turned around in a circle taking in the gold leaf edges around pictures of clouds and cherubs.
Then on to the flocked Brocade wall paper in creams and an old fashioned muted green.
There were carvings and embellishments and paintings everywhere. It reminded Cassie of when she had visited Hampton Court many years before.
She saw the many large wooden heavy looking doors that lead from the grand hallway. Cassie felt like she had just walked into a museum or an old palace. She felt a bit like a princess.
“What do you think?” She heard Luke ask her and she caught the note of nervous anticipation there.
The things we do for love. Page 19
