by F. C. Clark
‘Wow, so romantic – how can I say no?’
‘Let me break it down for you.’
I fold my arms; this is going to be good.
‘In business I go for what I want.’
‘What am I, an acquisition?’
‘As of last night you are.’
I tap his arm, gently. Secretly, I’m thrilled. But I have to fight back.
‘I want you and I get what I want – usually.’ He sighs as he looks for the right words, without offending me. ‘We found each other – it doesn’t matter about the hows and whys of the matter. I would love you to agree and not fight me on this.’
What am I supposed to say? God, I want him, possibly forever. I take a deep breath.
‘Give me some time – OK? This is huge.’
‘That’s not a no.’
‘And it’s not a yes.’
He takes my hand and skims his lips across my knuckles.
‘I know waking up every morning to my sex god is very appealing… But I don’t want to ruin what we’ve just started.’
‘I want you in my bed… You seem to have a calming effect on me, and there is nothing damaging about that. I’m following in your footsteps by wearing my heart on my sleeve.’
Oh, for the love of God, stop talking. Yes… Yes… Yes… I want him, his bed, his house and to be part of his life.
‘Time – OK, give me some time. So, are you staying at my house tonight?’ Let me push his Sutton control button.
‘Wherever you need me, but I would rather have you in my bed. Please think about my request.’ His mouth covers mine, allowing his tongue to invade my senses, sealing the deal. I need this man more than life. My heart and head are already at war.
We make our way to meet Max, who is already collecting our luggage. The bubble has burst and reality has kicked me up the arse.
Luke’s usual firm hold of my hand does not faze Max, and the passionate kiss Luke plants on my lips doesn’t go unnoticed.
We sit side by side in the Bentley. Luke gazes out of the window. Is he waiting for my answer? I hope he’s not quiet for that reason. He lifts my hand to his lips, a green light for me to slide close to him. He has no choice but to put his arm around me, giving me the space I need to lean my head on his chest.
The feeling of confusion overwhelms me. I struggle to rationalise his request. How can I possibly think of moving in with him? And yet how can I not be with him twenty-four seven?
We reach my road. A police car with flashing lights is parked towards the bottom of the street, near my house. I sit upright as Luke follows my gaze. There is a policeman standing in my front garden.
‘Shit – Luke… Harry!’
16
‘Kate, wait.’
Luke shouts my name, but it’s too late. I scramble out of the car.
‘I live here,’ I mumble to the policemen as I run past him.
The devastation is evident. My house is in total disarray, ransacked and destroyed. I can feel Luke at my side.
‘Jesus Christ,’ Luke says.
Harry catches sight of me from the kitchen and comes tearing towards me.
‘Thank God you’re OK.’ I pull her into my arms, relieved that she’s in one piece. ‘I saw the police car and my heart sank.’
‘I only got home an hour ago.’ Harry looks to the devastation beneath our feet. Raymond arrives at her side.
‘Hi, Raymond.’ He kisses me. ‘Luke, this is Raymond.’
‘Pleased to meet you, Raymond,’ Luke shakes his hand.
‘You too, Luke.’
I scan the mess. ‘What have they taken?’
‘I don’t know. Let’s be honest, we don’t have anything worth taking. My laptop was with me and…’ Harry stops speaking, her words caught at the back of her throat.
My emotions are running wild. ‘God, I feel sick – how can someone do this?’ Tears roll down my face. The thought of a stranger invading our privacy knocks my senses.
Luke pulls me into his arms. ‘Shh – I’ve got you.’ I lean against his chest. He wipes away my tears with his thumbs. ‘I will sort it, I promise… I’m here for you, OK?’
I nod, blown away by the unholy mess of my home and the sincerity of his words.
Barney bellows from the stairs, with Mum following close behind.
‘Kate, you’re home.’ Mum makes her way towards me as Luke releases me from his hold. ‘Oh, darling.’
‘I’m shell-shocked,’ I say in a whisper.
‘Me too. If I could get my hands on them – well, who knows what I would do.’ She strokes my face, desperately trying to protect me.
‘Sorry – Mum, this is Luke. Luke, this is my mum, Susan.’
Mum reaches up and gives Luke a kiss on his cheek.
‘Pleased to meet you, Luke.’
‘You too, Susan.’
‘I’m sorry that you’ve come home to this mess. How was Venice?’ Mum pushes her hands through her hair.
‘It was lovely… But now…’ I shake my head, feeling nauseous. I move to Barney. ‘Hiya, handsome.’
‘Kate, you poor love, coming home to this shit. I was out all last night. Fucking bastards.’ Barney pulls me into his hold for a hug.
‘Ow, not too tight.’
‘Ribs still being a bitch?’ He smiles and touches my face. ‘Girls, stay with me tonight, we can have a PJ party and you can lose yourselves in me for the night.’
My eyes lock with Luke’s. A stern gaze makes me decline Barney’s invite.
‘Thanks, Barney, but I’ll stay with Luke.’
‘Please yourself, babe. Have you seen the hot policeman outside? He wants to question me.’ Barney winks. ‘Now where do you think men in uniform keep their torches?’ Barney laughs and disappears out of the front door. Lust has taken over his body and soul.
‘Mum, where’s Dad?’ He’s the only person I haven’t seen yet.
She raises her arms in the air. ‘You know what he’s like with you girls. He’s been up and down the street asking the neighbours questions… I always said he would’ve made a good policeman.’
I look at Luke and raise my brows. Welcome to the family.
Dad walks in with Max discussing the crime, stepping over the mess as he moves towards us.
‘Kate, are you all right? I’ve asked around and no one saw anything.’
‘To be honest, Dad, I feel sick.’ I shake my head, struggling to understand why. ‘Dad, this is Luke. Luke, this is my dad, Malcolm.’
Dad shakes Luke’s hand. ‘Pleased to meet you, Luke.’
‘You too, Malcolm, so have the police come up with anything?’ Mr Serious Sutton is on the case.
‘No, just the usual – no witnesses, and the thieves were obviously wearing gloves. We think they gained entry through the back door.’
Dad shakes his head.
‘Kate, do you have an alarm? I take it the doors and windows have locks,’ Luke says.
‘Yes to locks, no to alarm.’ Too many questions.
Luke retrieves his phone and dials a number. He walks away, deep in conversation, and promptly returns.
‘My security team will be here tomorrow morning to fit an alarm and replace any locks that aren’t satisfactory.’ He lowers his gaze to me. ‘If you insist on living here, then I need to know that you and Harry are safe.’ He touches my face and gives me a gentle kiss on the lips. Once again this show of affection is for everyone else’s benefit, answering any questions regarding our relationship.
‘Malcolm, can you show me where you think the perpetrator gained entry?’ Without doubt Luke is indulging my dad: first impressions count when you want to shack up with a man’s daughter after one night of hot sex!
Everyone disappears to discuss points of entry. Harry is at my side with some probing questions.
‘No, it wasn’t.’ I smile and blush.
‘Holy fuck, are you together? I take it you had sex… Please tell me you did.’ I’m rubbish at deflecting answers from my sister.
‘Yes, to both questions. It started out a bit rocky – the usual, Luke pissing me off and then… It was… I really like him, too much.’ I look down.
‘Why is that a problem?’ She touches my arm.
‘He’s asked me to move in with him. I told him it’s ridiculous, we’ve spent one night together. Shit… Harry, something feels right. I’m so messed up right now, and then to come home to this fucking disaster.’ I shake my head.
‘You like him, and it’s obvious he’s nuts about you. Don’t say no because you’re scared, and certainly not because of me. So what – you’ve had one night. If it feels good, go for it. What’s the worst that can happen? You can always come back here.’ She pulls me close to her for a hug. I need my sister, my pillar of strength and the person who performs the best kick up the arse when I need it the most.
‘I can’t, it’s madness. Move in with the man who drives me crazy – in more ways than one.’ What am I thinking? The jab in my gut when I think of not being with him is far worse.
‘Life isn’t easy and men seem to be the bane of our problems. OK, so he wants to run with you – I say run with him, follow your heart.’ Harry reaches over and touches my arm. Maybe she’s right. What’s the worst that can happen?
‘Christ… I don’t bloody know.’
‘You do, babe; open your eyes. The answer’s there.’
Luke returns to my side. I slide my hand into his, gripping it tightly.
‘How bad is the mess upstairs? Have they gone through all our drawers?’ The thought makes me shudder.
‘It’s not good. Let’s just leave it and meet here in the morning. I’ll call my boss and tell her what’s happened. You don’t need to call yours; he’s here.’ Harry looks at me with a smile.
‘OK.’ I can’t stand here any longer. ‘Luke, can we go home?’ The word ‘home’ just slipped out.
His face lights up at my statement; perhaps he thinks that’s my answer.
‘Yes, I’ll take you home.’ He touches my face and gently kisses me.
Barney, who did not witness the first kiss, is elated, so much so he whistles.
‘Are you together, I mean, boyfriend, girlfriend – full throttle?’ He is the only person, other than Harry, with the balls to ask about the elephant in the room.
‘Yes, we are,’ Luke says.
‘Holy mother of Mary, about bloody time. She’s been a real pain in the arse. Old misery guts, especially when we saw you at Vista. I told her, Luke, I said that you two were a good fit… Kate, didn’t I say that?’
I stare in disbelief. Shut up, Barney, for fuck’s sake.
‘Yes, we’re a perfect fit and I’m a very lucky man.’ Luke smiles. My best friend has a mouth like a bloody tap dripping top-secret information to Mr Memory Box Sutton.
‘No wonder you don’t want to stay with me. Hell, I’d stay with Sutton.’ He laughs. Nobody else does.
‘Let’s go.’ I’m losing the will to live, and may be up for murder if my best friend speaks again.
Seated in the back of the Bentley, my mood nosedives.
‘You can take that look off your face, Luke Sutton, and before you ask about what Barney said to you, he wanted me to talk to you at Vista.’ I fold my arms and take a large breath. ‘Besides, you weren’t alone. I thought Zhan’s wife was your girlfriend, or maybe a friend with benefits.’
He watches me closely, rubbing his jaw. ‘Interesting. Would you have spoken to me if I was alone?’
I look out of the window. ‘No.’ I return his gaze. ‘And you know my reasons – so can we drop it?’ My tone is direct.
Luke reaches for my hand.
‘What would you like to eat?’
Is he learning to change the subject in the same way that I do?
‘I’m not hungry. I feel sick. Oh my God, I want to scream. How can someone do that? It’s just my shitty good fortune to get the crap kicked out of me and then my home ransacked. ’ I shake my head, trying to restrain my emotions. ‘I must have been a bitch in my past life.’
‘Hey. We’ll deal with this together.’
‘Do you think one has to do with the other – the attack and now my home?’
Luke runs a hand through his hair; my gut tells me the thought has crossed his mind. ‘Logically, no, your attacker didn’t take any of your personal belongings. Unlike your home, which was carefully broken into. He bites his lower lip. I know him. What’s he thinking, and why is he not sharing?
‘As you know, logic doesn’t run through my veins – unlike you, so either I’m bloody lucky or someone doesn’t like me.’
Luke tugs my body towards him and swings my legs over one of his.
‘There are some bastards out there. I don’t want you to worry, I’ll look into it.’ He kisses the top of my head as I lean against his body. ‘I intend to feed you, bathe you and then fuck you.’ I raise my head and meet his fiery gaze. I know he means it. ‘So what would you like to eat? Anything you want. I have various restaurants at my fingertips – your pleasure is my command.’
‘Soup – vegetable.’
‘Is that it? You need to eat, it will make you feel better.’
‘Yes, that’s it, and no, I won’t change my mind.’ My body remains still as I listen to the calming sound of Luke’s heart.
Luke one-handedly retrieves his mobile and places the food order, but I’ve already switched off into another world.
We pull up at the palace, and the view of the large black door, ironically, makes me feel at home. Max opens my door and Luke immediately arrives at my side. Without thinking I input my code.
I turn to Luke. ‘Sorry, force of habit.’
‘A habit I don’t want you to break.’
I walk into the kitchen, where the island has already been set for dinner. I can hear Luke talking to Max in the hall. I remove my jacket and shoes, and retrieve the bottle of red wine we opened two nights ago. How life has changed in that forty-eight hours. I drink my wine, perched on the kitchen worktop.
Luke walks towards me.
‘I hope you don’t mind. I helped myself.’ I hold my glass up. After all, this is not my home – yet. I pass him his glass and spread my legs, allowing him the room to be close.
‘Take whatever you need. Cheers – here’s to making the right choices and not excuses.’ He cheekily smiles.
‘Yes, and here’s to time and learning to adjust.’ No hidden meaning from me, only the truth.
Luke takes my glass and places it next to his. His mouth is on me within a heartbeat. His tongue brushes against mine, searching for pleasure, my hands tug at his hair, needing more pressure, more of him. Wow – the only button I have for this man is play.
Luke’s phone vibrates against the granite worktop, and reluctantly he releases me from his hold.
‘Dinner’s arrived.’
Luke joins Max in the hall. I hear the black door close, followed by the sound of Luke and the brown paper bags. Silently I dish up the meals. We sit together, our first meal in his home in a new relationship. I think I may need to adjust more than Luke does.
‘You were right – this is just what I need.’ I devour the soup, its warmth heating me.
‘Are you admitting that I know what’s best for you?’ He smiles and leans back in his chair, stretching his arms above his head.
‘Maybe. I think you still have a lot to learn – although you’re good at pushing my buttons, and not the sexual ones… Well, them too.’ I laugh at my cheeky man and his assumptions.
‘Tell me
, what do I have to learn? I’m always willing, you know that.’
‘Luke Sutton, you and I are on different pages. I’m thinking understanding and tolerance.’
He responds with a kiss. ‘I want to see you relaxed. You’ve had another shock this evening.’ Luke bows his head. ‘Jesus, Kate, if you had been there… I…’ His fists clench tightly.
‘Hey… Look at me. I wasn’t there. They probably wouldn’t have broken in if we were there – and the attack was no one’s fault, except the arsehole that did it.’ Silence wraps itself around us.
I stand and clear the plates, stacking them in the dishwasher. I need to change the subject; I can’t think about what ifs and maybes.
‘Can I ask you a question?’
‘Of course.’ Luke joins me at the sink.
‘What if I want to run around the house naked? I mean, you’re not the only person who lives here. I’m sure Max and Jerry don’t want an eyeful of my arse.’
He laughs.
‘There are rules and guidelines. They’re not permitted to enter the house until seven thirty in the morning and not after seven o’clock in the evening unless I have instructed otherwise. I’m sure you’re aware they have a private entrance located at the side of the house. Max has a panic button direct to his apartment – and I’ll show you where it is.’
I swallow hard. ‘Panic button?’ Now I’m panicked!
‘I’m a security-conscious man. But, in answer to your question, you can strip, right here, right now, and no one but me will see your body, which is the way it’s to remain for eternity. Do you understand me?’ He leans towards me and gives me a lingering kiss.
Let me push a Sutton button…
‘So, I’m not allowed to be naked for anyone except you.’ I reach up to kiss him, but decide to take a small bite of his lower lip. I hit a nerve, as I watch his eyes change. Darkness clouds his vision, and I know why.
‘Never. Only me, otherwise there will be repercussions for the person with their eyes on you.’ He raises his brows, but he is deadly serious.
‘Well, you have nothing to fear. I wouldn’t do such a thing, and that goes for you too, my sex god – remember I will put your bollocks on a chopping board.’