'The gist of them was that Andrew felt it was his duty to inform me that Matthew was becoming increasingly senile and was no longer capable of running the airline.'
'I don't believe it!' Mike's eyes darkened incredulously. 'Did you tell Matthew?'
'I didn't have much alternative.'
'He must have felt so betrayed and hurt,' she said slowly, hardly able to bear the thought.
'Yes, I'm sure he did,' Luke agreed. 'But he was just like you.' He touched the side of her face with his hand. 'He had a strong, if in my view misguided sense of loyalty, and he refused to take any action against Andrew as long as he remained competent at his job. Andrew has been mentally unbalanced for a long time now. In no circumstances would Matthew have given him any shares in the company.'
'Is that why you wanted to fire Andrew that first day?'
'I thought it would save us both a lot of trouble in the long run, but you refused quite adamantly to dismiss him.' He shrugged. 'That's partly why I decided to come down to the airport for a while, so that I could keep an eye on him.'
'And partly because you thought I was incapable of running the airline myself?' Mike queried, stiffening.
'I shouldn't have phrased it quite like that, but, yes, if you want the truth, I didn't think you had sufficient experience. And I still don't,' he added candidly. 'Not yet.'
'I see.' Mike eased herself from his arms and started to turn away, but Luke caught hold of her hands and swung her around in front of him.
'Don't be so touchy,' he mocked gently. 'I can just imagine your reaction if I announced that I was going to do a quick wheel-change on November Echo.'
'I'd warn the air crew!' She grinned reluctantly, acknowledging the point he was making, but his teasing comment did little to fill that cold void deep inside her. She felt emotionally drained, and utterly defeated. Did all the staff secretly resent her as much as did Andrew, consider her as incompetent as did Luke?
'I could never understand why Matthew sold half his shares to you,' she said quietly. 'But now I do.'
Even her beloved grandfather hadn't had complete faith in her ability to run Kingston Air on her own. Taking on Luke as his partner had been his insurance policy for the future.
She crossed the office floor and stood with her back to Luke, gazing out of the window. 'If you still want to buy me out, you can,' she said dully. 'I really don't care any more.' Slowly, she turned around to face him, and the anger in the dark grey eyes made her flinch.
'1 thought you were a fighter! And now, at the first sign of trouble, you want to throw the towel in, and wallow in self-pity!'
The scorn and contempt in his voice cut right through her. Frozen-faced, she headed for the door, desperately needing to be alone, to be as far away from both Luke and the airport as possible.
*
Jeans-clad legs stretched out in front of her, Mike sat on the grass by the dew pond, her turbulent thoughts out of harmony with the tranquil, peaceful setting.
Dispiritedly, she picked up a pebble and tossed it into the still, translucent green water, watching the ripples spread outwards to the edge of the pond. She felt such an idiot. This was the second time in just over a week that she'd fled from the airport like an over-sensitive, slightly neurotic adolescent. How Luke must be despising her right now, she thought, squirming inwardly.
She was fully aware that she didn't as yet have the necessary expertise to run Kingston Air, had admitted that long ago, so why had she felt so hurt simply because Luke had endorsed that view? Her reaction had been illogical and completely irrational. Worst of all, what had possessed her to offer him her shares? It had been a futile, fatuous gesture, because she had no real intention of parting with them.
Or had she? If she severed all connections with Kingston Air, she would also be cutting off her link with Luke. He would be out of her life for good. But was that what she really wanted, never to see Luke again?
What was the matter with her? she wondered desperately. In the past she'd always been so rational and level-headed, had always been so sure of how she felt and what she wanted, but ever since she'd encountered Luke she seemed to be in an uncharacteristic state of perpetual confusion and uncertainty.
Did she love him? Last night she had wanted him to make love to her but that was hardly the same thing. Wasn't it simply that some puritanic part of her had been secretly appalled by the strength of her response to him last night, had refused to acknowledge that it had been purely a physical one, preferring to couch it in more acceptable terms?
She sighed. This self-analysis was utterly pointless. She was running away from the truth, exactly as she had run away from the airport. Against her better judgement, despite her steadfast belief that it wasn't possible to fall in love with a man she had known for barely a month, she had done exactly that.
She started as she felt a hand touch her shoulder and turned her head rapidly.
'Luke!' She scrambled to her feet, totally disconcerted by his unexpected appearance. It was as if she had miraculously managed to conjure him up out of her thoughts. He was also the very last person she wanted to see now, just when she was trying to come to terms with her new, quite horrific discovery. 'How did you know I was here?'
'I've been up to the house and John told me that you'd gone for a walk and suggested that I might find you here.'
'I used to come here a lot when I was a child. John must have remembered.' It was appropriate that she had chosen one of her childhood haunts today, she thought wryly, considering her juvenile behaviour. 'I used to bring my bucket and spade with me and dig round the edge of the pond, convinced I was going to find some long-forgotten contraband.' Seeing his look of incomprehension, she started to tell him about the smuggling connection. She was conscious that she was talking too much but she couldn't seem to stop. Perhaps she was one of those people who chattered unceasingly when they were nervous. She had no experience to draw on for that supposition, because she'd never before felt so edgy in someone else's presence. Was this what love did to you, reduced you to a gibbering wreck? If that was the case, she wanted no part of it, would fight it every inch of the way. She loathed this sensation of no longer being in total command of herself. If only Luke would say something, she might feel less agitated, but he just stood there in silence, watching her, his eyes narrowed against the bright glare of the sun.
'Would you like a coffee?' she asked weakly, indicating the Thermos flask at her feet, determined to evoke some response from him.
'No, thanks.' He took a step towards her and placed his hands on her shoulders, so that she had to tilt her head to look up at him.
'Mike, I'm sorry,' he said abruptly. 'I shouldn't have been so tough on you earlier, not after what you'd just gone through with Andrew.'
Andrew. Did love make you self-centred, as well? She hadn't even thought about Andrew and that appalling scene since she'd left the airport. Her mind had been dominated by the man who was now standing far too close for comfort. Already her body was instinctively responding to his proximity, her heartbeat quickening, her stomach dipping as if she were on a roller-coaster.
'I thought you'd come back at me, guns blazing,' Luke continued with a wry smile. 'I never anticipated that you'd just walk out on me like that.' Gently he touched the side of her face. 'Truce?'
Mike schooled her features into what she fervently hoped would pass for a casual smile of agreement.
'Good,' he murmured quietly and then, giving her no warning, bent his head and kissed her with a fierce hunger that left her trembling and breathless.
'I've wanted to do that since the moment you walked into the office this morning,' he muttered thickly.
'And instead you --' Her words were drowned as his mouth came down on hers again, his hand moving to her hip, drawing her body against him. Fighting against that swirling pleasure before it engulfed her completely, Mike pressed her hands against his chest, pushing him away from her.
'What's the matter, Mike?' He frowned, his breathing as unstea
dy as her own.
'We have to work together, see each other every day at the airport,' she said shakily. '1 just don't think it's a good idea to become... involved in any way.'
For one awful moment, she dreaded that he was going to laugh at her, tell her that a few kisses didn't constitute his idea of a relationship, but he didn't. His eyes were dark and unreadable, but definitely not amused.
'Normally, I'd agree with you,' he said quietly, 'but, as I'm only going to be at the airport for such a short time, I think we could make an exception for once, don't you?'
'So I'm just going to be a temporary diversion before you fly back to New York or wherever else your business takes you,' Mike muttered, her voice brittle, stabbing pain tearing through her.
'That is an insult—to both of us,' Luke rasped.
Her eyes, locked into his, saw the anger in the dark grey depths. Already she was bitterly regretting her remark, no longer sure of its veracity.
'I'm sorry,' she mumbled. Luke would never deliberately set out to use or hurt anyone, she thought with sudden conviction.
'Come on,' he said gruffly. 'I'll drive you home. My car's in the lane.'
'It'll only take me fifteen minutes to walk back through the fields,' she started to protest and then changed her mind. She ought to go back to work at the airport, she supposed. Tempting though it was, she could hardly spend the rest of the day sitting here in the sun, aimlessly tossing pebbles into the pond.
Retrieving the flask and the blue and white sweatshirt which she'd earlier discarded, she followed Luke through the small copse of trees to the waiting car.
She slipped in beside him, clicked on her seatbelt, and then frowned as the car moved off smoothly. 'This is the wrong way. Rakers' is in the other direction.'
'I know.'
'You said you'd give me a lift home.' She was suddenly intensely suspicious of the expression on his face. He looked far too nonchalant.
'I intend to.' He paused. 'Eventually.'
'You may not tell lies, Luke Duncan, but you certainly stretch the truth,' Mike informed him with mock severity. 'So what little surprise do you have in store for me now?' she asked lightly.
'I decided that it was about time I saw something of Dorset,' he announced calmly. 'And I've nominated you as my guide.' He gave a quick sideways grin. 'I'm completely in your hands, Mike. Yours to command. All I ask is that you be gentle with me.'
Mike's heart flipped over as she met his teasing gaze in the driving-mirror. Oh, God, she loved him so much it hurt. 'What about that heavy workload?'
'It'll keep. Right, where to first?'
A burst of pure, undiluted happiness swept through her. She didn't care about the future, not even tomorrow. All that mattered was here and now. And being with Luke.
The day had passed far too quickly, Mike thought sadly, her eyes resting on Luke, the breeze ruffling his dark hair as he sat by her side, gazing out across Swanage Bay. Far below them waves crashed against the rocky coastline.
'What are they called?' he asked, indicating the curiously shaped weathered rocks jutting out from the headland.
'Old Harry Rocks.' She shivered and untied the sweatshirt draped around her shoulders and tugged it over her head. The sun's rays were weakening, reminding her that the warmth of the day had been deceptive, that it was still only April.
'You're getting cold.' The concern in Luke's voice made her feel cherished and cared for. 'We'd better be getting back, I suppose.' She was inordinately pleased to hear the note of regret in his voice and wondered if he was as reluctant as she for this stolen day to end.
He helped her to her feet and then instead of releasing her hand kept it firmly enclosed in his. Blissfully conscious of the warm, strong fingers against her palm, Mike walked in contented silence by Luke's side as they retraced their steps along the cliff path to the car.
They stopped at Corfe Castle on their homeward journey, the picturesque village dominated by the castle ruins situated at the top of a conical hill.
'Race you to the top,' Luke challenged.
'You're on,' Mike responded laughingly, and broke into a sprint, but, to her chagrin, he quickly passed her.
'Warmer now?' he greeted her teasingly as she arrived at the top, several minutes after him. Before she had time to catch her breath, he drew her into his arms and kissed her lingeringly on the mouth.
'Did you know the sun's brought out even more tiny little freckles on your nose?' he murmured huskily, lifting his head and gently tracing the contour of her face with his finger.
'Has it?' Mike said weakly, looking at him with dazed eyes, hoping that he would attribute her rapid breathing to her recent exertion.
Keeping an arm around her shoulders, Luke surveyed the panoramic view below them.
'I spend so little time in England these days that I tend to forget just how beautiful the countryside is.'
Mike's stomach lurched and she averted her eyes from Luke's face. If he had deliberately set out to destroy her happiness he couldn't have done so more effectively.
Today had been an illusion, like the fake summer weather. Nothing more. For a few hours she'd been living in a fool's paradise, but Luke's casual remark had forced her back to harsh reality with a jolt, reminding her of just how transitory was his presence both in England and in her life. Whatever happened, she must not allow him to become too important to her, she told herself fiercely, and then, with a feeling of sick inevitability, knew .that it was already too late.
The setting sun painted the sky crimson as the car turned into the drive leading up to Rakers' Moon. If Mike had been unnaturally subdued on the journey back, Luke hadn't appeared to notice, had himself lapsed into silence, seemingly totally preoccupied with his own thoughts.
'Hungry?' He turned to her with a smile as he drew up in front of the house. 'I'll book a table at the Smuggler's Rest for eight-thirty.' He glanced at his wristwatch. 'That should give us both time to shower and change.' He paused, seeing the expression on her face. 'I'm taking rather a lot for granted, aren't I?' he said quietly. 'Would you do me the honour of dining with me tonight, Miss Harrington?' he asked with mock formality, his eyes teasing her.
Mike hesitated. She ought to tell him right now that she didn't want their relationship to progress any further, wanted it to return to a safe, businesslike footing. But was it possible to turn the clock back, wipe out last night and today as if they had never happened?
'Luke, I don't—she began uncertainly and then her words were drowned as he bent his head and kissed her gently but expertly on the mouth. How was she supposed to make a rational decision when she couldn't even think straight? Mike thought despairingly, every nerve-ending in her body tingling.
'I'll pick you up in forty minutes.'
'All right,' she agreed weakly.
She watched him drive away and, closing the front door, leaned against it and took a deep, controlling breath. Why shouldn't she grab what happiness she could while Luke was still at the airport? Whatever she chose to do now, the end result was going to be the same anyway, so why didn't she simply live each day as it came, and postpone the inevitable hurt and pain for as long as possible? Eyes cloudy with irresolution, she mounted the stairs.
Clad in a peach satin dressing-gown, her skin delicately scented with expensive soap, Mike emerged from the bathroom. Rubbing her damp hair with a white towel, she opened the door of her wardrobe and inspected the contents, wishing that she'd brought a wider selection of clothes with her from London. She'd wear the green silk, she decided, having been initially attracted to the dress because of its rich, vibrant colour. Turning round, she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror and grinned back mockingly. With those wide, apprehensive hazel eyes, she looked as nervous as a teenager on her first date, she thought wryly.
The telephone on her bedside table summoned her attention and she walked swiftly across the carpet and picked up the receiver.
'Luke Duncan, Miss Harrington.'
'Th
ank you, John. Would you put him through, please?'
She heard the sound of the downstairs telephone being replaced and sat down comfortably on the edge of the bed.
'Mike?'
Just hearing the sound of the familiar, deep voice was enough to send a tremor through her body.
'I'm afraid I'm going to have to cancel dinner tonight... Mike, are you still there?'
'Yes, of course,' she responded lightly, forcing the acute disappointment from her voice.
'My Geneva office has been trying to get hold of me all day,' he continued briskly. 'I'm going straight out there tonight.'
'Geneva? Tonight?' she echoed in disbelief. Surely whatever it was that needed his attention could wait until the morning? 'Isn't it too late to catch the last flight from Heathrow?'
'I've arranged for the company jet to pick me up down here. In fact it should be airborne and on its way any minute.' There was a pause at the other end of the line. 'Mike, I really am sorry. I wouldn't be going if it weren't absolutely necessary.'
How many times had she heard those exact words being uttered insincerely by her father during her childhood? He'd used them on the countless occasions he'd failed to honour his promise to attend her birthday parties, or open day at school, or when he'd postponed some eagerly awaited outing.
'I'll be quite glad to have an early night, actually,' she heard a voice, presumably her own, murmur casually. 'Have a good trip.'
'I should be back tomorrow evening, all being well. Goodnight, Mike.'
She replaced the receiver and then flung herself back across her bed and stared bleakly at the ceiling. Luke was just like her father, she thought drearily. In the final analysis, his business commitments would always take priority over everything else.
CHAPTER SEVEN
'Thank you, Mr Evans. We'll be in touch in a few days to let you know our decision.
The tall, pleasant-faced man rose from his chair, murmured a courteous farewell, and departed from the office.
Luke pushed back his chair, stretched his arms above his head and looked wearily at Mike. 'Well?'
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