The Hotel Magnate's Demand

by Jennifer Rae

Quickly she pulled her hand away. ‘You wish,’ she said lightly, trying to clear the fog in her brain and the memory of his green eyes on her as she moved her hand up his leg.

  Luke didn’t answer. She couldn’t tell if he was angry or embarrassed.

  But then his hand moved and settled on her thigh. ‘Good move, Lollipop,’ he said quietly as the taxi finally came to a stop.

  The heat of his hand on her thigh seared through her clothing. Why had she chosen that night to become responsible and sensible? She didn’t want to be sensible. She wanted to be eighteen and reckless and to throw herself on Luke right here in the back seat of the taxi.

  But she knew she couldn’t. Because there was no way it would be a one-night thing with Luke and she couldn’t offer him any more than that. She wasn’t ready for another relationship. She didn’t want to get involved in anyone’s life. She still hadn’t dealt with the fallout of her last failed relationship—she sure as hell wasn’t about to throw herself into another mess.

  She also knew that if Luke only wanted a one-night thing she’d be heartbroken. And, as she felt her body heat from her toes to her forehead at the mere touch of his hand on her leg, she knew in an instant that anything with Luke would get messy.

  ‘Thanks for bringing me home, Luke. You didn’t have to—but thanks anyway.’

  ‘Any time, Lolli. I’m here for a few months now. I’ll be around if you ever need me...for anything.’

  Anything? Like hot sex?

  ‘I should be all right. I’ve survived eight years without you so far.’ Amy laughed, trying to keep it light. Trying to prevent him from seeing what she really wanted—for him to grab her, kiss her and insist on coming in.

  But he didn’t do that. He took his hand off her knee and opened the door to get out.

  ‘No! No. Don’t get out. I can walk to the front door.’

  ‘I’m walking you to your front door, Amy.’

  ‘No. You’re not.’

  She would punch him square in the face if she had to. She didn’t want him walking her to the door, because she wasn’t sure she wouldn’t throw herself on him for a kiss goodnight, then force him to come upstairs and have his wicked way with her. No. A nice, chaste goodbye in the cab was the right thing to do.

  But the kiss he landed on her cheek felt anything but chaste. It was soft at first, then he moved a little, closer to her lips and kissed her again, using his lips to soothe and caress her cheek. A kiss on the cheek—that was all it was—but Amy felt like melting right into him.

  ‘Luke...’ She wasn’t sure what she wanted to say. Don’t. Stop. But those words wouldn’t come out and the way she said his name sounded like a sigh.

  ‘Amy.’ He kissed her again, this time using his big hand to pull her cheek closer to him.

  One touch. That was all she needed. To feel his skin one time. That would be enough.

  Amy rested her hand back on his thigh and turned to face him. She kept her eyes on his—that way she’d know when he got too close and be able to pull away. But he didn’t kiss her again. His mouth turned up a little at one side, but he kept his eyes on hers.

  Amy’s hand moved slowly but surely to his torso, and up further. She could feel the hardness of his stomach underneath her touch. She wanted skin. She needed to feel his warmth. So she tugged at his shirt till it was released from his waistband and enjoyed the relief coursing through her body as she hit his skin and continued moving upwards till she rested her hand on his chest. Hard and hot.

  ‘That’ll be twenty-four-fifty.’

  The voice of the taxi driver broke the spell. Luke moved quickly, extracting the money from his wallet, practically throwing it at him, then flying out through the car door before Amy could protest. He was at her side and opening the door before she had time to breathe.

  Stepping out into the night air should have felt better, should have cleared her head, but as the taxi sped away Luke stepped closer and she breathed in his scent again. Her head fogged. She turned into that silly besotted teenager all over again.

  ‘Now how are you going to get home?’ Her voice whispered it in the night.

  ‘Maybe I won’t go home.’ His words were clear and gruff in her ear.

  Amy moved closer as his arms encircled her waist. Maybe if she just felt his skin again she’d be done. She’d be able to move on.

  ‘I like the feel of your skin.’

  No. She wouldn’t be done. His skin was hot and smooth, except for a sprinkling of hair on his stomach. She fingered it before moving her hands up and gripping his chest. She felt him tense and flex. This was more than flirting. This was dangerous territory. But with Luke it didn’t feel dangerous. Exciting. Wrong. But not dangerous.

  * * *

  Luke breathed her in as he moved his hand over the silky blouse on Amy’s back and gripped the back of her head gently. He needed her nearer. He moved her head closer to him. Dangerously close.

  He needed to stop. But he wasn’t going to. The alcohol, coupled with the relief of being home in Sydney and the surprise of seeing her again, had got under his skin. Everything was moving slowly. He could smell the prospect of sex in the air and he realised how much he wanted it. He needed it.

  He curled his fingers through her hair. It was shorter now. Cut blunt to her shoulders. Nothing like the long, almost uncontrollable blonde hair she’d had back on the island. Back then her skin had been browner, her smile ready and willing. Here, she was different. Refined. Controlled. So unlike her.

  He wanted to untie her, let her loose again. He wanted to see the carefree girl that he could still see in the flecks of gold that circled her brown eyes. But right now she wasn’t carefree—she was serious. She was at her flirting best and he felt what those other men must have felt. The attention was intoxicating. The way she looked at him...as if he was the only man she’d ever looked at. The only man she’d ever felt this way about. Innocence and experience in one look.

  ‘I like your lips,’ he murmured to her.

  They were still hot pink and full and slightly wet. He wanted to taste them. He wanted to taste her. Her hands massaged his chest. She wanted him too—he could feel that. And he wanted her.

  He moved his other hand to her chest and touched lightly, circling her cleavage. Her eyes fluttered and she breathed more heavily. He watched every movement. He wanted to know how to turn her on. He let his hand cup her breast. He wanted to feel her underneath the silky shirt she had on. He wanted more of the soft warm skin he’d just been playing with. He wanted to touch all of her skin and kiss it, to bring out that wild girl he knew she had trapped inside. He wanted her to moan and squirm and scream and then he wanted to do it some more.

  Amy’s eyes met his. There was a heat in them he couldn’t mistake. He knew what she wanted and there was no doubt she knew what he wanted. All he had to do was lean down, press his lips to her and drink her in.

  This was Amy. Willa’s little friend. The girl who got herself into more trouble than anyone he’d ever met. She never thought, so he should be doing the thinking for both of him. But his body wasn’t listening. His body wanted her to move her hands down.

  And as if she was telepathic, she did. Gently cupping him, then firmly wrapping her fingers around him through his pants.

  He lost it. His mind stopped functioning. Logic and reasoning and everything he should possess left his body and all that was left was pure hot lust.

  Swiftly, he took her lips. He pressed himself against her; let his hand fall to her chin so he could hold it steady. He wanted to keep her there till he’d finished what he was doing. His tongue moved against the seam of her lips and she let him in, shifting closer till those breasts were pushed right up against his arm. He shifted, letting her closer, and their mouths moved together. Slowly at first, but building up to such a frantic pace Luke was sure sweat was begin
ning to form on his forehead.

  She was eager, pressing closer, and her hands were now on his back. It was just what he needed. Comfort and a warm body.

  ‘Luke, you have no idea how long I’ve waited to do that,’ she murmured, pausing only for a second and talking in a sleepy voice, her head tilted back so she could look at him before pushing herself closer and kissing him again—this time with force.

  He wanted her. She smelled so good and tasted so sweet and her skin was soft beneath his fingers. But as soon as he heard those words he stopped. He couldn’t do this. He shouldn’t do this. She wasn’t just a warm body. This was Amy. Little Amy. He couldn’t let anything bad happen to her.

  He’d let down enough women in his life. He wasn’t going to do it again.

  With a gentle push that spoke of finality he moved his head until she let go. Panting, she stared up at him, her eyes dark with lust, her lipstick almost kissed off and her perfect hair wild and falling softly over her left eye. Everything in his body went hard. She looked perfect. But he couldn’t have her. That would be trouble, and the last thing he needed right now was more trouble.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ she asked, moving her hands across his chest again.

  It felt so good. Her hands were small but firm as they explored his muscles, making him feel bigger, stronger and better than he was. But he held her wrists and pulled them away.

  ‘I’m not sure this is our smartest idea, Amy.’

  She blinked as if coming out of a daze, then let out a breath. ‘No. You’re right. This is wrong.’

  He didn’t want to let her go but he had to. There were hundreds of thousands of eligible women in Sydney. He just needed to find one of them. Not Amy. Not her.

  ‘This is a bad idea.’

  ‘Very bad.’

  She stepped back and wrapped her arms around herself. Right then she looked eighteen again. Innocent, unsure and wondering what she’d got herself into.

  A memory of her sitting in that room flashed through his mind. Willa had called him. ‘Amy’s been attacked,’ was all she’d said, and he’d flown to their villa.

  Willa’s eyes had been manic when he’d seen her and he remembered the way his stomach had sunk. He hadn’t known what to expect, but when he’d opened the door to his bedroom he’d known he hadn’t expected what he saw.

  Amy had been sitting on her bed. Her wet hair plastered to her face with tears. Blood still fresh on her lip, her shirt torn and her bra exposed. She hadn’t said anything. She’d just looked at him, then at Willa—clearly unhappy with him being there.

  She’d been his responsibility. All the staff had. And for this to happen had burned his blood. But for some reason for it to have happened to sweet, carefree Amy had boiled him even more.

  He’d kneeled before her. Asked her what had happened. She hadn’t spoken. She’d just looked at him with tears rolling down her face. He’d held her eyes steady as Willa relayed the story.

  It had been that slimy guest, Justin. He’d noticed them together. The jerk had been smooth. He’d been flirting with Amy all night, touching her. Luke had wanted to step in then, but he hadn’t. He’d kept his opinions to himself. He’d known Amy was a bit reckless, but he hadn’t thought she’d actually fall for the guy’s lines.

  He’d lost sight of them a little while later, when there’d been an emergency in the electricity room. They’d been gone when he’d come back. He should have checked on her. He should have made sure. But he hadn’t. He’d gone back to his office to catch up on paperwork...

  ‘I should go inside,’ she said now.

  ‘Yes, you should. And lock your door.’

  ‘I will. Bye, Luke.’

  ‘Bye, Amy.’

  Amy gave him a strange look before walking up the path. He watched her punch in her security code. He waited till she’d climbed the stairs inside the glass door. He stood on the street till he saw a light go on at the second floor, where he assumed her apartment was. He waited for another twenty minutes on the street, watching another light go on, which he assumed was the bathroom—then all the lights went off.

  And then, and only then, did he walk to the main road and flag down another taxi to take him home.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  THE FOOD AT the waterfront hotel was good. The wine was chilled and the sun was beating down on their backs, but Amy’s mood was still black.

  ‘So what do you think it means?’

  Willa was talking to her. She was saying something interesting and important, she was sure, but Amy couldn’t remember a damn thing she’d said.

  ‘I don’t know, Will.’

  ‘You’re not even listening to me.’

  ‘I am—I am.’ Amy sat up straighter and looked her friend in the eye—or where her eye would have been behind the mirrored glasses she was wearing. ‘You were saying about Rob and the flowers...’

  ‘That was twenty minutes ago.’

  Amy sucked in a deep breath. It was hot, and a headache was forming at the back of her head, and she knew exactly why.

  She resisted the urge to check her phone. Again. Luke hadn’t contacted her. It had a been a week. He knew where she lived—his sister was her best friend, for God’s sake—he knew where to find her number but he hadn’t. He hadn’t called to check if she was okay after what had happened at her door and he hadn’t called to catch up. Which he should have done.

  ‘Right, Amy. Spill. I know you better than that. Something’s up.’

  Amy had told Willa that Luke had taken her home in a cab and left. She’d said he hadn’t even got out. She didn’t want to tell Willa the truth and that was churning her stomach as well. She told Willa everything. But the truth was she didn’t even know how she felt yet, so she couldn’t discuss it with Willa.

  Luke was nothing. The kiss was nothing. So why did it feel like everything?

  ‘I don’t like it when you act strange, Ames. You’re the only person who can make me get over myself and tell me the truth. And I need a hit of you. Where are you? Because you’re not sitting here with me.’

  Amy peered out past Willa’s head to the water beyond. This wasn’t like her. Amy didn’t dwell. She got on with things—she moved on. Why the hell was she stuck on this? And on him. If he’d just call she was sure her brain would refocus and keep moving. She just needed to hear his voice.

  ‘I’m sorry, Wills, it’s this account at work. There’s so much involved and so much to learn. I think my brain is a little frazzled by it all.’

  ‘What you need is a night out.’

  A night out. That was exactly what she needed. Cocktails. Cute boys and a killer dress. That would take her mind off Luke and her annoyingly persistent attraction to him and her ridiculous need to talk to him. She didn’t need to talk to him—she’d not talked to him for eight years. A night out always fixed everything.

  ‘You’re right, Wills. A night out is exactly what I need—and I know exactly where to go. Our firm is representing Pete Middleton, who’s just opened a hot new nightclub in the city. Envy, I think it’s called. I’ll get our names on the door for the VIP room. Call the girls.’

  ‘Yay! Amy’s back—I love it!’ Willa clapped a little. ‘But can our girls’ night include a boy?’

  ‘No. It’s a girls’ night. No boys allowed.’

  ‘But I’m worried about Luke.’

  Hearing his name froze something inside Amy. Willa wanted to invite the exact man she was avoiding? No. That wasn’t the plan.

  ‘Luke’s a big boy, Willa—I’m sure he’s fine.’

  ‘He’s been acting strange since he got back. Calling me a dozen times a day and asking me about Rob and if we’re okay. He’s never been that concerned before.’

  ‘He was always over-protective.’

  ‘Yeah, but he let me do my
own thing. He always accepted my decisions. But he seems to be questioning everything at the moment. He wants to know Rob’s background, and where he’s from, and if he’s making me happy. It’s driving me crazy!’

  That was a little strange. Luke had always been one to watch and keep an eye out for Willa, but he only ever stepped in if he needed to. And what made it even stranger was that he bloody wasn’t calling her! Clearly he wasn’t concerned about her welfare.

  Heat crept all over Amy’s body.

  ‘Well, if he’s so interfering, why do you want to invite him along? Wouldn’t it be best to stay as far away from him as possible?’

  Good advice. She should take it herself.

  ‘I think he may be feeling a little lost and bored. I think he needs some distraction. Maybe if he does a few things he’ll not be so concerned with me.’

  ‘Maybe he needs a girlfriend.’

  She was bitter. She knew that. But she couldn’t help it. He hadn’t called!

  Willa’s eyes softened and Amy knew what was coming. For some reason the two girls seemed to have a way of reading each other’s thoughts, and right now Willa knew exactly what was going on.

  ‘He didn’t just leave in that cab the other night, did he, Amy?’

  Amy remained silent. Anything she said could and would be used against her.

  ‘Amy? What happened? Is there something going on between you two?’

  Willa smiled, and Amy knew what she was thinking. Willa wanted something to happen between them. First, Willa knew the extent of Amy’s crush on her brother all those years ago, and second, the idea of her best friend also being her sister-in-law would float Willa’s boat.

  Amy took a long sip of water. She was going to disappoint her friend. Not only was there nothing going on between her and Luke, she also knew there never could be.

  It would be a nightmare if things went pear-shaped—which they would. It would risk her newly rekindled and much needed friendship with Willa, and Amy wasn’t going to sacrifice that.

  Amy knew that a random kiss with a stranger was all she could handle right now. Relationships were not on her to-do list. Not only was she still feeling guilty about the whole dumping Laurie and everyone hating her situation, she also wasn’t sure if she’d be able to have a normal functioning relationship with anyone. Laurie had been Laurie. Kind, patient and accepting of her craziness—but would anyone else be so generous?