'Mike, I didn't bring you here tonight to seduce you.' His voice was hoarse and strained. Gently, he stroked back a tendril of copper hair from her forehead. 'If I made love to you now—and God knows I want to—you'd never forgive me or yourself.' His eyes were dark and intent as they rested on her flushed face.
Comprehension flooded her and with it the knowledge that it would be all too easy to grow to care too much for this strong, forceful and yet unbelievably sensitive man. He could have made love to her tonight, taken advantage of her temporary insanity, and she would have been powerless to resist— wouldn't have wanted to resist, she admitted honestly. But he had taken control of the situation before it had reached its inevitable conclusion. A conclusion she most certainly would have regretted in the cold, stark light of day.
'Would you like some more coffee?'
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak, recognising that Luke had made the offer in order to give them both a few moments' breathing-space.
'I won't be long,' he murmured gruffly, picking up the empty coffee-pot and walking from the room.
Mike sat down on the sofa, curling her long legs up beside her. She concentrated all her attention on a fixed point on the white wall, trying to make her mind a complete blank, and gradually the gnawing ache inside her eased, and her pulse-rate slowed.
Her head fell back against the arm of the sofa and she stifled a yawn. She hadn't realised quite how tired she was until now, the last two sleepless nights—spent worrying about the reservation errors—taking their toll. Her eyelids began to droop downwards.
Luke was a long time fetching the coffee, Mike thought hazily. So long, in fact, that she must have dozed off waiting for him. Her eyes flickered open and she was instantly alert, aware that not only was she stretched out comfortably on the sofa but that sunlight was streaming through the windows. She hadn't simply dozed off for a few minutes—she'd spent the entire night here on Luke's sofa!
She swung her legs on to the carpet and pulled her rumpled dress over her knees, looking up as the door opened. Luke entered, with a tray, whistling loudly.
'Cup of tea?'
'I was expecting coffee,' Mike murmured drily. She glanced at her wristwatch. 'About eight hours ago.' How could anyone look and sound so impossibly cheerful at this hour of the day?
'You were fast asleep when I brought it in,' he informed her, handing her a cup and saucer. 'Come to think of it,' he added thoughtfully, 'falling asleep on me is fast becoming a habit with you.'
'I suppose it never occurred to you to wake me?' He had obviously been up for some time. He was clean shaven, his hair damp from the shower, and he had dressed in a dark suit. In contrast, she felt a wreck. Self-consciously, she ran a hand through her tousled curls. There was probably mascara smudged all around her eyes, she thought ruefully.
'I did intend to,' he murmured, moving across to an armchair with his own cup, 'once I'd had my coffee.'
'Pity to waste it once you'd made it,' Mike agreed, straight-faced. It made her feel oddly vulnerable to know that he had sat there, watching her while she slept. 'So what happened?' she prompted.
'Apparently it's catching.'
'You fell asleep, too?' she said incredulously. The way his eyes changed colour according to his moods fascinated her. When he was relaxed or amused, as now, they appeared to be blue. She drank her tea swiftly and placed the cup down on the low table. 'May I use the bathroom, please?' If she could just wash her face, she might begin to feel more human.
'Upstairs. Last door on the left,' Luke informed her laconically.
She mounted the narrow wooden staircase and made her way along the tiny landing. One of the bedroom doors was open and she couldn't resist the temptation to glance in, the male paraphernalia strewn about indicating that it was the room Luke was currently occupying. Her eyes were drawn to the large double bed by the window. What would it have felt like to have woken up this morning in that bed, with Luke lying beside her, his arms around her? The mental images that thought conjured up made her face burn, and she hurried towards the bathroom.
It was much as she'd expected: old-fashioned, but spotlessly clean. She ran piping hot water into the white porcelain basin and studied herself briefly in the mirror hanging above it. She didn't look quite as dishevelled as she'd feared. In fact, considering she'd spent the night fully dressed on a sofa, she looked amazingly fresh and wide awake.
Returning downstairs, she discovered Luke in the kitchen, tending a frying-pan on the stove.
'Egg and bacon? Or just toast and coffee?' He glanced at her over his shoulder.
'I'd prefer to go straight home.' She longed for a bath and a change of clothes.
'After you've spent the night with me, the least I can do is cook you breakfast,' he drawled, his mouth quirking at the corners.
'Standard practice?' she enquired sweetly. The aroma of sizzling bacon was beginning to make her mouth water. 'All right.' She changed her mind. 'I'll stay.' The bath could wait for another twenty minutes.
At her request, Luke dropped her off at the end of the long drive leading up to Rakers' Moon.
'Thanks.' She smiled, her hand on the door-handle, and was taken completely by surprise as he leant over and kissed her firmly on the mouth.
'See you at the airport,' he murmured softly.
She watched him drive away and began to meander up the drive. A rabbit darted across in front of her and disappeared through the hedge into the field beyond. She paused and took a deep breath, gazing up at the cloudless azure sky. A perfect spring morning, she thought with a rush of quite ridiculous happiness. She began to walk more briskly towards the house and then couldn't resist breaking into a jog, exhilaration and energy sweeping through her.
The mood of near euphoria was still with her when she arrived at the airport. She walked through the passenger terminal, trying to look brisk and purposeful, but her mouth kept curving into an idiotic smile.
The connecting door was open as she entered her office and for a moment she stood motionless, gazing unobserved at Luke as he sat with his dark head bowed over the paperwork strewn across his desk.
'Luke?' she addressed him softly, her eyes glowing as they moved over the rugged, male features.
Abruptly, he lifted his head, and she felt as if she'd been doused with icy water as she met the chilling grey gaze.
CHAPTER SIX
Mike stared numbly back at Luke, unable to believe that this cold, forbidding stranger was the same man with whom she'd shared a light-hearted, companionable breakfast little more than an hour ago. How could anyone change quite so dramatically in such a short space of time?
'I suppose there's been another reservation error.' She finally found her voice.
'You've really excelled yourself this time, Michaelia,' he grated.
He pushed back his chair noisily, and strode towards her, thrusting a piece of paper into her hand which she quickly identified as a reservations computer printout. She gave it a quick, cursory glance and blanched as she saw the name of the passengers at the top of the amended itinerary.
'Mr and Mrs N. Harrison. Nicholas Harrison?' she said weakly.
'None other,' he told her grimly. 'It's Nick's wife birthday today and he'd arranged a surprise day-trip to Paris. Needless to say he wasn't exactly amused to discover that his reservation had been cancelled.' Luke's face looked as if it had been carved out of hard, unyielding rock. 'It hardly augurs well for our meeting with him next week, does it?'
Mike faced him squarely. Was he expecting her to humbly apologise—for something she knew full well she hadn't been guilty of?
'Luke,' she began steadily, 'I don't know what's been happening exactly, but I didn't --'
'For Pete's sake, don't start denying it again,' he cut in tersely.
'But --'
'Just drop it, will you?' He turned on his heel and strode back into his office, slamming the connecting door shut behind him.
Mike walked over to her chair and sat down,
drumming her fingers on the desk top. She felt so frustrated she could scream! This must be exactly how someone accused of a crime they hadn't committed must feel. Luke wouldn't even listen to her, let alone believe her assertion that she was not responsible for the continuing reservation errors.
Her mouth curved wryly. What an idiot she was! She'd been misguided enough to think that Luke was beginning to like and respect her. His restraint last night had seemed to indicate that he cared enough about her not to want to hurt her. Her lips compressed together in a tight line. And now he was practically accusing her of being a liar—or at least doubting her word, which virtually amounted to the same thing.
Sighing, she began to examine the copy of Nicholas Harrison's booking again, and then stiffened, elation and hope sweeping over her. Here it was, in black and white, the proof she so desperately needed. Not even Luke could argue with this concrete evidence of her innocence.
She leapt to her feet and marched across to the connecting door, flinging it open.
'Don't say a word!' she said shortly as Luke lifted his head impatiently. She tossed the piece of paper down on his desk. 'Read through that again.'
'Michaelia, I have a heavy workload ahead of me today, and am in no mood to play games,' he said testily.
'Look at the last line,' she ordered, eyes glinting.
His eyes flickered down the page. 'Your reference and the date on which you cancelled the booking.' He frowned, and as he looked up Mike saw the growing comprehension in his eyes. 'Last Sunday's date.'
'When I wasn't anywhere near the airport, let alone in the res office,' she finished triumphantly.
'You realise what this means, don't you?' Luke said slowly. 'Someone has quite deliberately been using your personal sign in code to falsify reservation entries in the computer.'
She nodded, goose-pimples crawling over her flesh. The knowledge that a member of the Kingston Air staff had intentionally set out to discredit her made her feel slightly sick. Who would want to be that vindictive, and why?
'You suspected this right from the start, didn't you?' Luke asked abruptly and saw the confirmation on her face. 'Why the hell didn't you tell me sooner, instead of letting it drag on this long?'
Mike gazed at him incredulously. He was beyond belief! Not only had he so far failed to apologise for misjudging her, but he was now blaming her for not reporting her suspicions to him sooner. What did he think she'd been trying to do ever since the first error came to light?
'Other than you and I, who has a list of the staff computer codes?' he demanded, his mind leaping ahead.
'The res supervisor of course.' She paused. 'And...Andrew Simpson,' she admitted reluctantly. Her eyes met the grey ones. 'It can't be Andrew,' she protested weakly. 'I know he was angry and upset on Friday after the staff meeting, but surely he wouldn't...? I mean, he'd be hurting the airline, not just me. Besides,' she continued more firmly, 'I had lunch with him in the canteen on Saturday when you were in London, and he seemed perfectly happy and relaxed.' He'd spent most of the time talking about the past, Mike recalled with a twinge of unease.
'Andrew had the opportunity,' Luke said quietly. 'He was on late shift on Friday and Sunday and-was probably the last to leave the office on both occasions.'
'This is all pure speculation. We've no real proof.' And they were never likely to have, Mike thought, unless they caught the culprit red-handed—and that was a very remote possibility. 'Surely the most sensible thing to do would be to simply change my code?' She should have confided in the reservation supervisor and done that immediately, she realised belatedly.
'I think we should talk to Andrew.'
'And accuse him outright?' Mike said, horrified.
'Credit me with a little more subtlety than that,' Luke answered drily and glanced towards the door. 'Come in.'
Tina entered carrying coffee and biscuits and set them down on the desk. With mild amusement, Mike noticed that, while she had been given the standard staff mug, Luke had a china cup and saucer.
'Chocolate wafers,' Luke murmured appreciatively and smiled up at the receptionist, who immediately turned scarlet with gratification. 'Would you ask Andrew to come to my office when it's convenient? Thank you, Tina.'
'I only ever get digestives,' Mike observed drily as Tina departed.
'I think I should talk to Andrew alone.' Luke sat back in his chair, and surveyed her with dark, inscrutable eyes.
'No,' she protested. 'This concerns me more than anyone.'
'As you wish. But for heaven's sake, sit down. Relax. Have a biscuit.'
Reluctantly, Mike positioned herself on a hard-backed chair. She started to reach for a chocolate biscuit and then changed her mind. It would probably choke her right now, and she watched in silent amazement as Luke, rather absently, cleared the plate. She would never have suspected him of having a sweet tooth. Perhaps he was just addicted to chocolate, she mused, her eyes softening as she recalled the failed soufflé.
She tensed as she heard the sound of approaching footsteps and looked up to see Andrew standing in the open doorway.
'You wanted to see me?'
'Come in and sit down,' Luke said courteously, indicating the chair drawn up in front of his desk. He waited until Andrew was seated before continuing, 'As you know, there's been a spate of reservation errors this week.'
'I should know,' Andrew broke in calmly, 'seeing that I was responsible for them.' There was a glint of triumph in his eyes as they swept over Mike's shocked, stunned face, and then abruptly he threw back his head and started to laugh.
The high-pitched, brittle, unearthly sound seemed to vibrate right through Mike's body. For a moment she couldn't move, her legs paralysed, couldn't think, her mind numb, and then, as if she were in a trance, she rose to her feet and approached Andrew.
'I don't understand,' she muttered hoarsely. 'Why, Andrew? What was the point...?' Her words stuck in her throat as she saw the almost manic glow in his eyes. My God, this man hated her!
'I've worked for KA for twenty years,' he turned on her savagely. 'I've helped to build it up into the success it is today.' His voice rose with his mounting fury. 'Kingston Air should be mine now by rights.' His lips curled contemptuously. 'And instead Matthew left it to a pampered, spoilt little bitch like you. Did you seriously imagine for one moment that I'd be prepared to go on working for you, for a...?' A torrent of vile obscenities poured from his mouth.
Mike tried to block them out but they crawled into her flesh like maggots: She saw Luke half rise to his feet, his hands clenched into fists, and for one awful moment thought that he was going to strike Andrew, and then instinctively she knew that he would never resort to physical violence, and most certainly not against a man so much older than himself.
She slumped back on to her chair before her legs gave way and, as if from a great distance, she heard a cold, authoritative voice snapping out words. They seemed to have the desired effect because Andrew fell silent. Then, with increasing horror, she saw that he had started to cry, tears coursing down his lined, weather-beaten cheeks.
He suddenly looked so old and pathetic that Mike's heart twisted. It was unbearable to watch him. She desperately wanted to go over and comfort him but she was probably the last person in the world he would want anywhere near him. His outburst had sickened her, shaken her to the core, but somehow sitting here now, witnessing his distress and being powerless to help, was infinitely more shocking and upsetting. !
'What's going to happen to me now?' Andrew finally spoke, his voice wavering.
Mike looked across at Luke, silently imploring him to deal gently with this pitiful, clearly unbalanced elderly man. Then, as she saw that deep compassion had replaced the blazing anger in the grey eyes, she knew that her fears had been unwarranted. How could she have ever supposed Luke to be utterly ruthless and insensitive? she thought wonderingly. Her gaze swept over his familiar face. I love him. Of all the times for her subconscious mind to drop that little bombshell, she thought with moun
ting hysteria. How could she possibly love a man she had known for such a short space of time? She was overwrought, her emotions confused and unreliable. It couldn't be true. She refused to accept it.
'Early retirement,' Luke said quietly. 'On a full pension.'
Andrew nodded, looking utterly defeated. 'Do you want me to leave the airport straight away, now?'
'I think it would be best.'
The grey-haired man rose silently to his feet.
'Andrew!' Mike blurted out his name, moving towards him. She had to say something to him, couldn't simply let him walk out like this after twenty years with the airline.
He gazed back at her, his eyes curiously vacant, and then, with great deliberation, wordlessly turned his back on her and walked out of the office.
'Here, have this.'
Mike hadn't even been aware that she was crying, until Luke pressed a white handkerchief into her icy hand. Rather ineffectually, she dabbed at her eyes, trying to stem the hot, salty tears.
'I had no idea that Andrew resented me so much.' She tried to keep her voice steady, but it came out in a strangled sob.
'It's all right, Mike.' Luke drew her into the circle of his arms, and began to stroke her hair, soothing her as if she were a child.
'I've known him since I was a baby,' she mumbled into his shoulder. 'And all the time... he hated me.' She swallowed. 'Matthew should have given him at least some shares. He had far more right to them than I,' she said fiercely. 'Oh, Luke, he looked so old and vulnerable.' Her voice broke again.
'There's something I ought to tell you,' he said quietly, his chin resting on top of her head. 'I should probably have told you before now,' he admitted. 'Shortly after I became involved with Kingston Air, I started to receive a succession of letters from Andrew.' His mouth tightened. 'They could loosely be termed poison-pen letters, except that they weren't anonymous, and the venom wasn't directed at me but at Matthew.'
Mike lifted her head from his shoulder, wondering how many more shocks she could deal with today. 'What did they say?' she asked miserably.
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