But when her mouth moved beneath his, logic escaped him. It’d been so long since he felt this alive—this invigorated.
He went to pull her closer, but the seat restraint kept them separated except for his lips moving hungrily over hers. His hand reached out, cupping her face. His thumb stroked her cheek, enjoying her silky, smooth skin. All he could think was that he wanted more—more of her kiss...more of this connection.
A bright flash broke the spell. Lucas pulled back, struggling to catch his breath. His gaze moved to the window. Immediately he spotted a photographer smirking at him. Lucas surmised from past experience that the guy would take the picture and fabricate an eyebrow-raising headline to fit it.
“Wait here. I’ll be back.” Lucas jumped out of the car and started after the photographer. “Hey, you! Stop!”
The reporter had too much of a head start and slipped into a waiting vehicle. Lucas kicked at a pebble on the side of the road and swore.
What had he gotten himself into this time? Of all the foolish things to do. He’d been so touched by her insistence in believing in him that he’d momentarily let down his guard. He hadn’t thought about where they were or what he was about to do. He’d just reached out to her, needing to feel her warmth and kindness.
How was he supposed to know there was a photographer at the hospital? And how could he anticipate that they’d be noticed? Normally it wouldn’t have been a big deal, but with Kate involved it was different. She already had so much on her plate. She didn’t deserve to have to put up with the press. Those news stories, as they loosely called them, were nine times out of ten malicious pieces of gossip—such as the story his ex-wife had read about him being involved with one of the Carrington models. But it had been only one crack in an already crumbling marriage.
Kate hadn’t signed on for any of this media mayhem. She didn’t deserve to have her name associated with some trumped-up story. He just wished he could shield her from the public eye. With a frustrated sigh, he climbed back in the car.
“What’s going on?” Kate’s eyes filled with concern. “Why were you chasing that man?”
“The man was a reporter and he took a picture of us—”
“What?” Her face lost most of its color. “But why? None of this makes any sense. Why would he be interested in me? In us?”
Lucas raked his fingers through his hair. “Normally it wouldn’t matter. And any other time the paparazzi wouldn’t have given us a second look, but last month there was this magazine article—”
“The one announcing you as Bachelor of the Year.”
“You saw it?” His muscles tensed, hating the thought of being played by her. “You knew who I was from the moment we met, didn’t you?”
“That’s not true.” She held up both palms, feigning an innocent expression. “At first, I didn’t recognize you in your boxers. I guess I was a bit distracted.” Color rushed back into her cheeks. “The more important question is what will this reporter do with the photo?”
He shrugged. “My guess is he’ll sell it to the highest bidder—”
“But he can’t. If it gets out people will think that you and I are...uh—”
“Involved.” He wasn’t used to women being repulsed by the idea of being romantically linked with him. “Is the idea of people thinking we’re a couple so bad?”
“Yes.”
Her snap answer stung. He didn’t know what to say, so he leaned back in the driver’s seat. Maybe he should be relieved by her lack of interest, but he wasn’t. And that knowledge only aggravated him more.
“I’m sorry.” She fidgeted with her purse strap. “I didn’t mean for that to sound so harsh. I’m just not used to the paparazzi. And I really don’t want my picture in the news.”
Now that he could understand. His family had been making headlines longer than he’d been alive and he still wasn’t comfortable with it.
“Most likely something more newsworthy will come along and they’ll forget about us.”
“Oh, good.” The stress lines eased on her pretty face.
He didn’t really believe it, but there was always a sliver of hope. And right now, Kate looked as if she could use some positive thoughts.
* * *
Later that evening, Kate made sure to double-check the dead bolt on the door. She glanced out the window, relieved to find that no one had followed her.
“Anything wrong?”
She jumped at the unexpected sound of Lucas’s voice. “Umm...no.”
Had she imagined someone had been watching her at the hospital? Definitely not. She might be a lot of things but paranoid wasn’t one of them.
“Listen, if you’re stressed about what happened between us earlier, don’t be.” He shuffled his feet and wouldn’t look her in the eyes. “It was all my fault and it won’t happen again.”
Kate didn’t know whether to be insulted or relieved. She hadn’t been able to forget that kiss either—that mind-numbing, toe-curling kiss. And he was right—there shouldn’t be a repeat.
“If you don’t make a big deal of it, neither will I.”
He looked as if he wanted to say more, but then he turned away and headed for the kitchen. “I ordered pizza, if you’re hungry.”
She followed him. The aroma of tomato sauce and sausage wafted across the kitchen. “Smells good. Did you by chance order a salad to go with it?”
“Yes, I did.” He looked very proud of himself as he pulled a bowl from the fridge.
“Thank you.”
She sat down at the counter, still unsettled. She kept going over the memory of that man lurking in the hallway at the hospital. She hadn’t thought anything of him at first. But as the evening wore on, she’d noticed him again.
Lucas waved a hand in front of her face. “Kate?”
What had he said? She hadn’t been paying attention. “Umm...sure. Whatever.”
He placed a slice of the thin-crust pizza on a plate and pushed it in front of her. She didn’t make a move as she kept replaying the events from the day.
“I wasn’t going to ask,” Lucas said, “but you obviously aren’t going to eat until you resolve whatever has you so distracted.”
“There was a man lurking in the pediatrics unit this evening. At first, I thought he was there to visit someone, but he stayed in the shadows and sort of watched everyone. I wasn’t sure about leaving, but when I mentioned him to a nurse, he just sort of vanished.”
“I hired him,” Lucas said in a low, even tone.
That news had her sitting up straighter. “You hired someone to spy on me?”
“He was there to protect you.”
“Protect me?” Her voice rose. “From what?”
“Remember the photographer outside the hospital?” Her hands pressed the countertop as she nodded and he continued. “I didn’t want him or any other reporters to bother you with questions, so I sent an off-duty security guard from Carrington to make sure that didn’t happen.”
“I thought you said the press wouldn’t make a big deal of it.”
“I just wanted to be sure they left you alone.”
“So you do think they’ll go ahead with the photo?”
He wanted to assure her that she had nothing to worry about, but he couldn’t lie to her. “Probably.”
Her eyes lit up. “You can stop them.”
“Me? How am I supposed to do that?”
“Pay the guy off. Bid on the photo. I don’t know. There has to be a way.”
“Even if I wanted to stop him, I don’t have the man’s name.”
“How am I supposed to throw myself on people’s mercy and ask for money after my name and face have been tangled up in some tabloid scandal?”
“So you’ve come up with a plan to raise the money?”
&nb
sp; She sat back with a huff. “We’re thinking of making it a costume party. Something unique. Your aunt offered to help.”
“You’ve been talking to my aunt?”
“Since I don’t know anyone else in this city except you, I approached her to help me organize the fund-raiser. Your aunt seems to know everyone, and if she doesn’t know them personally, she knows someone who does. Your aunt loves to talk. We even talked about this house.”
His eyes widened. “What exactly did you tell my aunt about the house?”
“Not much. Just that I found this place fascinating. The house is rich in architecture and history. I find it almost as intriguing as its owner.”
“You do?” He searched her eyes as she smiled at him. Was she flirting with him? He gave himself a mental jerk. He didn’t need to hook up with her. He just needed her professional expertise. “I have a proposition for you.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
LUCAS HAD BEEN considering his plan all day. Kate obviously needed some immediate monetary assistance plus a roof over her head. And he needed someone to oversee the mansion’s repairs—someone who appreciated its old-world charms. Kate fit that bill perfectly—if only he could forget how tempting her lush lips were.
She eyed him up tentatively. “What sort of proposition do you have in mind?”
“Since you like this place so much, what would you say if I offered you a job working here?”
Confusion reflected in her brown eyes. “You want me to work for you? Even after the run-in with the photographer?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll bet the article will be a small, obscure piece. Hardly anyone will notice it.” He crossed his arms and rocked back on his heels. “As for the arrangement I’m proposing, it can benefit both of us.”
She paused, glancing around the house. He could practically see the wheels in her mind spinning. He’d hired enough people to know when they were eager for a position.
“I...I can’t. My daughter is in the hospital and I need to get this fund-raiser off the ground.”
She did have a very valid point. But there had to be a compromise. He could see how tempted she was to work on the house, and he knew from his experience with stressful situations that a diversion would do her some good.
He cleared his throat. “The thing is, I have a couple of projects with Carrington Gems that are going to take all of my time.” He stopped, realizing his responsibilities paled in comparison to hers. “The real truth is I can run a business, but I don’t know how to turn this mess into a home again.”
A smile touched her lips and her shoulders straightened. “What makes you think I can turn this place around?”
He didn’t want her taking this the wrong way, especially after she thought he’d hired someone to spy on her. He’d have to phrase this carefully. “You got me to really think about this mansion and what my neglect is doing to it. And you mentioned that you have interior design experience. So I checked out some of your prior work. It’s good.”
Surprise lit up her eyes. “Thank you.”
“And I really like your website.”
She smiled broadly. “I built it myself.”
“You’re a woman of many talents. Maybe I should have you consult on Carrington’s upcoming web campaign.”
Interest sparked in her eyes. “Are you launching a new line of jewelry?”
He nodded, not surprised that she was familiar with his company. His father’s lifelong dream had been to make Carrington Gems into a household name. In fact, they still used his father’s slogan—Carrington Gems for the queen of your heart.
“I’d love to see the new jewelry.” Kate’s face lit up with excitement. “Your magazine ads already have a distinctive look. I like that they are never overdone and always tasteful.”
He stood a little taller. Though he had a team that put together the ad campaigns, he was an active member, adding his input here and there. He was after all a Carrington and he had a vested interest in any images that represented his company.
“I’m also in the middle of an expansion project, which needs more attention than I’d anticipated. So you can understand that I won’t be available to oversee things here. However, I’m more than willing to compensate you for your time.”
“My daughter has to be my priority—”
“Of course. We can work around that. Your ex-husband, is he still planning to be at the hospital part of the day?”
Kate nodded. “Actually, I do have a few ideas for the house.”
“What would they be?”
Kate began listing off everything she’d like to do to the house, most of which hadn’t crossed his mind when he’d offered her the job. Yet she had so much passion in her voice that he didn’t want to stop her. The things he’d read about her and her work online didn’t live up to the impressive woman standing before him.
As she continued explaining her vision, he couldn’t believe someone could be so passionate about working on a house. His ex-wife, Elaina, had only ever been this excited about new clothes or jewels. Kate was definitely a different breed.
She paused and looked at him expectantly. “What do you think?”
“If I do what you suggest, will you take the job?”
“A good contractor can take care of everything.”
Lucas shook his head. “I’m not going to let a bunch of people I’ve never met come in here and take over. You’ve already displayed your ability to take charge by getting me to see the condition of the house. You’ll keep those workers in line and make sure that no changes are done without my authorization.”
“I appreciate your faith in my abilities, but I can’t be here every minute of the day while my daughter’s in the hospital.”
He knew he was asking a lot, but he needed to know that his most treasured memories were handled with the utmost care and respect. “You said so yourself—you can’t be there when your ex is with your daughter during the day. I’m offering you a chance to do what you obviously love while earning some money—”
“But what if my ex suddenly decides to skip town, as he’s been known to do in the past?”
“We’ll deal with that if or when we have to. But this will give you something to do besides sitting around, worrying. There’s nothing worse than a day filled with worrisome thoughts and nothing but time on your hands.”
“Sounds like you’re speaking from experience.” When he shrugged but failed to add any details, Kate continued. “And what do I do about the fund-raiser?”
He’d thought about this, too. “I think between my administrative assistant, who is practically a party-planning pro by now, and my aunt, who knows everyone who is anyone, you’ll have time to spare. But if you decide to pass on the job, I totally understand. I’m sure I’ll find someone to oversee things...eventually.”
“This isn’t a wait-and-see problem. One more big rain and you’ll have untold damage. You need a new roof, and who knows what else, today.”
“Does that mean you accept the position?”
* * *
Kate was impressed by the speed and ease with which Lucas solved problems. A snap of his fingers and all was right in the world—except for this time.
As tempting as it was to take on this exclusive job and add it as a crowning jewel in her portfolio, she still had a much bigger problem. She needed money for the operation. And though she didn’t doubt that Lucas’s assistant and aunt could throw together a lavish party, it was still her responsibility. And its success was paramount.
“As much as I’d like to, I can’t accept your offer. I have to concentrate on the fund-raiser.”
Frown lines creased his forehead. “How is that going?”
She shrugged. “The location is going to be a problem as there are a lot of spring weddings taking up the prime locations, not tha
t I have enough for a deposit on the plush venues anyway. I have some phone messages in to other places—I’m just waiting for them to get back to me.”
“I’m sure it’ll all work out.”
She couldn’t help but wonder if he really thought that or if he was just telling her what she wanted to hear. “Connie helped me come up with a theme. It’s going to be a vintage costume party. Hopefully people will have a lot of fun dressing up.”
“My aunt is a great lady to have around to help plan a party. She’s had a lifetime of experience. Between my great-gran, my grandmother and my mother, there was always some sort of social function going on here.”
“Really? I’ve never been to a formal party other than a friend’s wedding.”
“Not even a work function?”
“By the point where I was in a position to be invited to client parties, I had Molly to consider. I didn’t get to spend enough time with her as it was, so I stayed home. We put on an animated movie and ate popcorn.”
“You’re a very dedicated mother.”
Heat flared in her cheeks. “I...uh... Thank you.”
“Don’t worry, you didn’t miss much at those parties.”
Her mouth gaped. “Of course I did. It’s a girl’s dream to get all gussied up and go to the ball. You can say that because you’ve gone to countless parties. Just once I’d like to check it out for myself.”
He chuckled. “Beneath the jeans and T-shirts, I guess you really are a girl.”
She frowned. “You actually had doubts about me being a girl?”
“Not at all. You just struck me as being different from the other women I’ve known.”
“I’m not sure if that’s good or bad.”
“It’s neither.” He cleared his throat, looking exceedingly uncomfortable. “What if I throw in free room and board if you work for me?”
The man certainly didn’t give up easily. “From what I’ve seen in the kitchen, I’d probably starve to death.”
“You’ve got me there. But I have all of the local takeouts on speed dial. And...maybe I’ll entertain some of your design ideas.”
Safe in the Tycoon's Arms (Harlequin Romance) Page 7