Читать книгу The Bad Boy's Redemption - Joss Wood - Страница 13

FIVE

Lu swallowed as the door clicked shut and Will resumed his place on the corner of the desk, his knee just inches from hers. He folded his arms across his chest and looked down at her.

He’d thought about her far too much since he’d had supper at her house and had been forcing himself not to call. He’d been surprised by her call and even more startled by the relief he’d felt at hearing from her again.

Lu lifted her face and in doing so exposed that fine strip of skin just below her jaw that he wanted to nibble on... He’d spent many nights thinking about her, imagining what he’d do to her if he had her naked and willing. Will gave himself a mental punch to the head.

Lu glanced down at the contract in her hand and he watched as pleasure bloomed in her cheeks. ‘I’ve got a job, Will.’

‘I know...’ He bit his tongue to keep the word honey from slipping out. ‘Congratulations.’

‘I’ve got to tell the boys.’

Lu shot him an enormous smile before picking up her bag. Dumping it on the desk next to him, she stood up to scrabble in it and eventually yanked out her mobile. Will heard the rumble of a male voice as he stretched out his legs and crossed his feet.

Will listened patiently as she spoke to one brother and then the other and then, sending him an apologetic look, quickly ran through the news again with Mak. Every time she said the words ‘official photographer’ she did a hip wiggle that had the blood rushing from his head.

Attraction aside, he was enjoying watching Lu bounce out of her shoes with excitement. When had she last had momentous news of her own to report? He suspected that it had been a long, long time. This was all hers; it had nothing to do with her brothers, Mak or anyone else.

He knew what success felt like—the satisfaction a person felt when the validation of hard work or talent came their way. He’d experienced it most of his life, was probably addicted to it, and had possibly become a bit blasé about his successes. Apart from his ‘Stupid Years’, failure was rarely—OK, never—an acceptable option.

Lu finished her conversation with Mak and looked up at him, her mermaid eyes excited. ‘I’m even deeper in debt to you now. You rescue me and you hook me up with a job.’

No, he wasn’t going to allow her to shift the credit to him or anyone else. This was her moment. ‘All I did was hand Kelby the media card. I didn’t say or do anything more. You got this job because you obviously have some wicked skills with a camera.’

Lu rocked on her heels. ‘So you didn’t hint or suggest that he should—?’

‘You’re assuming that I have a lot more power than I actually do. I wouldn’t tolerate anyone telling me how to coach, so I extend the same respect to the publicity division. I wouldn’t dare tell them how to promote or publicise. No, Lu, you did this,’ Will told her, his voice low and serious. She needed to understand that this was her achievement and hers alone.

Lu looked at him for a long minute and then her hips shimmied again in excitement. He really wished she wouldn’t. How was he expected not to think about what those hips were made for when she did that?

‘Yee-hah!’ Lu laughed and did a little pirouette. ‘So, what time do you think I should be at work on Monday? What should I wear? And, more importantly, how many lenses should I bring? Maybe I should bring all of them—’

Will’s lips quirked. ‘How many do you have?’

‘Eight? Nine?’

He swallowed his laugh. ‘I’m sure you won’t need them all. And Kelby will e-mail you what you need to know. Or tell you on Sunday. I’m finally going to see if I can find a temporary flat to move into. I can’t stand that hotel a minute longer.’

Will moved to stand in front of her, resting his hand on the desk next to her hip. He saw the heat sliding into her cheeks, caught her motion to lift her hand to touch him and felt disappointed when it fell back to her side.

Will moved closer so that his clothes brushed hers. ‘Congratulations on your job, Lu.’

‘Thanks.’

‘Every new job should be celebrated.’

What was he doing? It’s just a kiss, he told his inner critic. No big deal. He’d kissed lots of woman before and walked away unscathed.

Besides, kissing her wasn’t a big deal...he could stop at any time.

Yeah, but you’ve never kissed a mermaid before.

Will placed his hands on her hips, pulled her towards him...and his mouth had barely brushed hers when the office door opened and Kelby bounced inside.

‘Whoops!’ Kelby exclaimed.

Will looked over his shoulder to see Kelby back-tracking and cursed, silently and slow, until the door slammed shut again.

Lu pushed one eyebrow up. ‘Well, that was awkward.’

Will bunched his fists to keep from reaching for her again. ‘Sorry. That wasn’t supposed to happen.’

‘You didn’t even kiss me properly,’ Lu pointed out.

She straightened up and lifted those tanned shoulders. She must have seen something in his face because she stormed into the conversation.

‘Will, I don’t want this to get weird—especially since I asked you out. I don’t want you to think that I’m chasing you, or looking for...’ Lu bit her lip as her words trailed off. She waved an agitated hand in the air. ‘I’m not looking for anything more than a couple of laughs...some fun. I’m not a complete idiot. I know that you’re only going to be around for three months and that was just a little bit of getting carried away by the moment. Frankly, I’ve just come out of a decade-long relationship with two boys and I gave them every last bit of energy I had. I just want to have some fun—some company. I thought maybe you could do with the same.’

Company? What was she offering? Company company or sex company? ‘Does the company involve getting naked?’ he asked in his most prosaic voice.

Judging by the shock that jumped into her eyes, she hadn’t reached the bedroom. Damn. Then her eyes smoked over and he knew that she wasn’t far behind him. Unfortunately, along with I-want-get-you-naked there was a healthy dose of I-don’t-know-what–I’m-doing as well.

And anyway, what was he thinking? Hadn’t he decided to try something different while he was here in Durban? Yet here he was, sliding right back into old patterns and habit reactions.

‘Ah...um...well...’ Lu stuttered. Good God. ‘Actually, I had thought about it.’ Lu eventually got the words out.

Her expression was calm and composed, slightly challenging. and if her eyes had been sending him the same message he would have had her up against the wall and been kissing the hell out of her by now. Unfortunately she had the most expressive eyes in the world and, thanks to living with two sisters, he easily read the trepidation behind the big girl/brave girl look she was giving him.

OK, I’m scared but I’m prepared to try this anyway.

He wasn’t sure why but he instinctively knew that he didn’t want to be Lu’s experiment.

‘Will?’

Knock.

‘Will?’

Knock.

‘Will!’

Kelby knocked again and Will grinned. Saved by his best friend. Again. He definitely owed Kelby for getting him out of a conversational ass-whipping. Because there was no good way of telling a woman Thanks, but I’ll think about it.

Will yanked open the door to let Kelby inside and sent Lu what he hoped was a reassuring smile. ‘I’ll leave you to talk with Kelby and I’ll see you on Monday night. OK?’

‘Sure.’

Hmm, there was more starch in that one-syllable word than there was in a shed-load of potatoes. Maybe Kelby hadn’t saved his ass. He’d just delayed it getting flogged.

* * *

Whatcha doing?

That was the third, fourth—fifth?—time one of the twins had texted her today and asked the same question. Lu wished they’d stop worrying so much about her! It was like having two over-protective fathers and, while they were happy about her getting a job, they still weren’t relinquishing the idea of her social life.

While Will went to the bar to buy them a drink before the show started Lu quickly snapped a photograph of the billboard advertising the trio of pastry chefs and chocolatiers. Attaching the picture to a message, she sent it to her brothers.

As you can see, I’m out and about.

With a man who very obviously doesn’t want to sleep with me, Lu thought, but she didn’t add that. Daniel replied.

Good for you!

Uh...no...and not for the cobwebs either. Nate’s response flashed onto her screen.

Apparently not alone. Was Mak serious when he said you’re with Will Scott? THE Will Scott? And what is he doing saying yes to a baking demo?

Who knew? Confusion reigned. And Mak had a whale-sized big mouth! Lu texted back.

Yep. And hey! There are tons of celebs here. These chefs are BIG news!

Nate: Bet there aren’t any sportsmen there.

Dan: Do you think he could organise for us to meet the squad when we come home?

And when will that be?

When you’ve taken dance classes, pottery lessons and done a skydive. One date does not a life make.

Yeah! Agreed!

OMG, I’d forgotten how annoying you two can be! :p

Lu shoved her mobile into her bag and looked over to the bar, where Will was easily recognisable in the crush by his broad shoulders in a white shirt worn over a nice pair of jeans. He’d rolled the cuffs back at his wrists and he looked well dressed but casual—relaxed, but as if he’d made a bit of an effort.

And volcano-hot!

She hoped that she’d hit the right note between casual and sexy herself, with a pair of white jeans and a pale green gypsy top falling off one shoulder and belted in at the hips. Strappy heels took her height to Will’s shoulder, yet she still felt—like most people, she supposed—dwarfed by him.

Will walked back towards her and Lu saw various sets of eyes following his progress, noticed the nudging elbows, the behind-the-hand comments. The crowd knew exactly who he was.

‘Here you go,’ Will said, handing her a glass of wine and hanging on to his tall glass.

How exactly was she supposed to act when she’d hinted that she wouldn’t say no to a bedroom invitation and he hadn’t say anything? Was that a yes? A no? Hang on, I’ll think about it?

What she wouldn’t do was let him think that she gave a damn—not even for half a second. She’d learnt to hide her emotions, and pride insisted that she do it now.

‘What are you drinking?’ Lu asked politely. Look—she could do polite

‘Coke. I’m driving. I don’t drink that much.’

That hadn’t been true in his past, Lu thought. She’d internet-searched him to death and it seemed that at one time Will had had a very unhealthy relationship with alcohol. And dope. And his ex-wife. There had been public fights, public displays of over-the-top affection, busted-up hotel rooms. She couldn’t reconcile this controlled, calm man with the younger version of himself she’d read about.

She was pretty sure that younger Will would have slept with her!

‘So, did you find a place to rent?’ Lu asked as people started moving towards the intimate theatre.

‘A flat near you, actually. Practically around the corner. It has a hot tub.’

Oh, good grief. Will in a hot tub...bubbles, champagne... She was not going to think about him skin on skin. He wasn’t on the same page as her in terms of skin and sex and... Dear Lord, it was hot in this theatre.

Lu handed their tickets over and pulled in a breath when Will placed his hand on her lower back to guide her down the theatre steps.

‘It has a great view,’ Will continued as they eventually stopped at the bottom row, dead centre.

Typical Mak to have organised the best seats in the house, Lu thought.

‘And it’s fully furnished, so I just need to move my clothes across. I’ll sign the lease tomorrow. I can also raid your fridge for frozen lasagne when I forget to buy food.’

‘I’ll make you a tray as a house warming present,’ Lu promised him as she sat down. Maybe.

‘You do love to cook, don’t you?’ Will shook his head, bemused. ‘My skills in the kitchen are limited to making coffee. When you make that tray of lasagne feel free to throw in a couple of those beetroot cupcakes you made for Kelby.’

Lu looked puzzled. ‘When did you taste those?’

‘You sent some home with Kels and Angie? I ate with them last night.’

‘Oh. You liked them, huh?’

‘I have a chronic sweet tooth. I’m really hoping that they’ll have samples here of what they make tonight.’

Will smiled at her and Lu’s stomach flipped over. His smile should be declared a weapon of mass destruction, she thought. How could she remain irritated when he was so charming? So appealing?

‘I love the art of baking...decorating. It’s so creative.’ Lu sighed. ‘I wish I could shoot them as they worked...it would be such fun.’

‘Talking of photography—Kelby and Angie were over the moon when they received those first couple of photos of Micki you e-mailed them.’

‘Good.’ Lu crossed her legs and tapped her finger against the wine glass. ‘They are a sweet family. Tell me about yours.’

Affection passed across his face. ‘I have two sisters—one in London, one in Wellington—and my folks live in Auckland.’

‘Do you miss them?’

‘Sure. Although I’ve lived away from them for so long that it’s become normal.’

Lu stared at the stage with its three tables and heaps of cooking equipment and felt her throat constrict. ‘The boys are having a fantastic time at uni...I already feel like they’re slipping away.

‘You are one of my brothers’ sporting heroes by the way,’ Lu told him as the lights flickered.

‘Do they play rugby?’

‘And cricket and hockey and soccer. And squash. And they surf... If it’s called a sport, they’ll try it. The one thing I don’t miss is ferrying them from activity to activity. Kids here only get their freedom at eighteen, and they’ve only just got their licences.’ Lu stared off into space for a moment. ‘That’s about the only thing I don’t miss about them being gone.’

Will heard the tremor in her voice. ‘It’s been tough, huh?’

Lu managed a quick laugh and waved his concern away. ‘Nah, I’m fine.’

‘Tell me the truth, Lu,’ Will insisted quietly.

Her irritation with him flooded back with his request. He wanted to get into her head but not into her bed? She knew that she was out of practice dating-wise, but she was pretty sure that her complaint was ass-about-face.

She wanted to tell him that she felt as if she’d had her head amputated, that the house was too quiet and that the dogs were pining. How excited she was to be working again. Instead she just turned her head away and stared at the stage.

‘It’s starting,’ she said as a spotlight highlighted the middle table.

‘Who is this dude anyway?’ Will demanded in a low whisper.

‘Rupert Walker is reputed to be the best baker in the world. And Heinz Martine is an amazing chocolatier and another incredible baker,’ Lu whispered as Ruper Walker bounced onto the stage and greeted the audience amongst a flurry of clapping and whistling. ‘I don’t know the third chef.’

When the audience settled down, the chef, dressed in tartan chef’s pants and an enormous maroon chef’s hat, put his hands on his hips and looked into the audience.

‘Thank you for being here! I always ask for audience help and I usually ask for volunteers, but tonight I understand that Will Scott is in the audience. I’m the biggest, gayest fan!’ Rupert shuddered delicately and the audience howled with laughter.

Lu heard Will’s groan.

‘So maybe Will could come up and give me a hand to make sugar baskets? Will, are you...game?’

Will muttered a swear word and looked at Lu with panicked eyes. ‘Crap, Lu—I burn bloody water!’ he whispered.

As Will stood up Lu slapped her hand against her mouth to keep the laughter from tumbling out.

He bent down so that he spoke directly into her ear. ‘You might think this is funny, Mermaid, but I will get my revenge.’

Lu’s laughter, hot and hard, followed Will up onto the stage.

Will bombed at making sugar baskets. He tried so hard, and was such a good sport about it, but he burnt his sugar twice and accidentally knocked Rupert’s elaborate half-finished sugar cage to the floor, where it shattered into a million sugar pieces. Rupert eventually, and very good-naturedly, threw in the towel and sent Will back to his seat, where he proceeded to sit so still that Lu was convinced he’d slept through the rest of the show.

As they cleared the theatre Lu looked up at him and lifted her eyebrows. ‘Did you enjoy your sleep?’

‘It was great. What did I miss?’ Will replied cheerfully.

Lu laughed. ‘Nothing you want to know. I, however, learned how to make the ganache for a Sacher Torte.’

Will’s eyes lit up. ‘That Austrian chocolate cake? Cool—thanks in advance.’

‘I’m not making you that. It takes hours!’

Will placed his big hand at the base of her neck. ‘I’ll have one because you laughed at me! When I was called up on stage...when I burnt the sugar—’

Lu gurgled. ‘Twice.’

‘You were rolling in your seat laughing! Sacher Torte—and if you agree I’ll buy you an Irish coffee now.’

Lu grinned as he steered her into the theatre bar. ‘Oh, all right, then.’

She followed the waiter to a table that looked out onto the bustling city centre street. Will placed their order and shook his head.

‘I get to choose what we do next,’ he told her, mock-sternly. ‘You can’t be trusted.’

Lu lifted one eyebrow, remembered that he wasn’t that keen on her, and used the don’t-mess-with me-expression that normally had her brothers wilting. ‘You are presuming a lot, aren’t you?’

Will sent her a lazy smile. ‘You’re irritated with me.’

‘Are you asking me or telling me?’

‘Telling you. You can keep your face blank, Mermaid, but your eyes are far too expressive. You’re annoyed because I didn’t give you an answer as to whether I wanted to sleep with you or not.’

Bingo! Give the man a gold star!

Will rested his arms on the table and leaned forward. ‘Before I respond to that, I need to ask you if you meant what you said in Kelby’s office?’ Will asked.

Lu frowned. ‘Which part?’ she asked, wary.

‘About not wanting to get involved with anyone?’

‘Yes.’ She needed to stand on her own feet before she tried to walk beside someone else. Find out what made her tick, what made her happy.

‘OK, so here’s what I’m thinking: I can take you to bed—and, yes, I’m alive and breathing, and you’re hot, so God knows I want to—and we’ll sleep together and have a lot of fun. But I wouldn’t see you again. It’s not what I do... And that could be weird seeing that we have to work together for the next couple of months.’

‘OK...’ What was she supposed to say to that? And where was he going with this?

‘Or I can not take you to bed and see you again.’

Huh?

‘Look, Lu, at the risk of sounding like a conceited ass, I can walk into any club in the city and have someone new in my bed every night.’

‘You’re right—you do sound like a conceited ass,’ Lu murmured.

‘But I don’t have someone to hang with—someone to pass the time with. I enjoy your company...even when you’re trying hard to hide your irritation.’

He’d been thinking about it since he’d last seen her—thinking about what Kelby had said. Despite his issues around relationships he genuinely liked people and enjoyed being around them. He couldn’t foist his after-hours company on his team mates—he was their boss, and who wanted to socialise with their boss? And Kelby had his family and didn’t want or need him around. Being single in a foreign city could be lonely, and having someone to hang with would make time go faster, would kill the hours away from the stadium.

Pushing his attraction to her aside—he could do that: he wasn’t a hound dog—he genuinely enjoyed her company; she was restful, easy to be with. Lu was real in a way that he hadn’t encountered in a woman in long time. When last had he felt so at ease, so relaxed with a woman?

With her, he felt as if he was himself. He curled his lip. Not Will Scott the legendary rugby player. Not the caretaker coach everyone was watching to see what he did with their beloved team. Not Jo Keith’s unreliable bad-boy ex-husband.

Just Will. He really liked being just Will.

And he enjoyed the fact that Lu didn’t simper or smirk and hang on his every word. That she could call him a conceited ass. Apart from his sisters, who called him far worse, every other woman he’d met only ever complimented him.

It got old very quickly.

He made it sound so easy, so simple, Lu thought. And it could be that simple if she didn’t overthink this. Sex and walk away, or no sex and a couple of months of hanging together, having fun.

She wanted sex but she needed fun. She wanted to laugh like she had earlier, to try new things, to stagger to work bleary-eyed because she’d been out having a blast. She wanted to drink cocktails and wear pretty dresses and try new foods. She wanted to recapture a little of the youth she’d lost, to live life—taste it, feel it, experience it.

And she just knew that she would have more fun with Will than without him.

She’d be mad to pass up this opportunity for one or two nights of hot sex and also—Ding! Ding! Ding! the jackpot bell rang—her brothers would stop messaging her a hundred times a day to see if she was OK.

‘OK—and you’d be helping me out at the same time.’

‘That’s an added incentive...but how?’

Lu waved her hand in the air—a gesture he now realised she used when she didn’t want to pursue a subject. Or when she was trying to be brave.

‘Would you consider doing things like pottery lessons? Dance classes?’

‘I was thinking about dinner and a movie. But I’d consider anything...if you gave me a reason.’

Lu shook her head. ‘It’s not important and....it’s silly.’

‘Tell me, Lu.’

She heaved in a huge sigh and stared at the table. ‘Before they left for uni my brothers told me that they were worried about me being on my own so much and that they wanted me to start getting out more, start doing stuff. They want me to have some fun, to get out and do things.’

Seeing the flash of misery in her eyes, he reached out to comfort her and allowed himself the rare privilege of stroking his hand down her arm from elbow to wrist. Her bare skin was soft and cool under the pads of his fingers.

‘What things?’

‘Clubbing was one of them...skydiving, surfing, dance lessons. Pottery classes. A job—but that’s sorted.’ Lu smiled her thanks at the waiter, who placed their drinks on the table. Irish coffee for her, plain coffee for Will. ‘I promised I would. And I have been doing some stuff. But it would be so much more fun if I had someone to do it with.’

Judging by the confusion Will saw in her eyes, he suspected that Lu was dealing with a lot more than she was saying. But her expression begged him not to pursue it.

You have been alone and dealing with far too much for far too long, Mermaid, he told her silently. He knew what that felt like.

Pull it back to the surface, Scott. To less dangerous waters.

He groaned theatrically. ‘Dance lessons? Pottery? Good Lord.’ Will tapped his finger against the table, his expression thoughtful. ‘We could listen to live bands and definitely go skydiving—’

‘Uh, no!’

‘I could teach you to surf.’

‘I’d consider that. Ice skating?’

‘Blergh. Wet and cold. I’d consider pottery lessons if you’d consider dirt bike riding, getting out into the country. I know it’s not a girl thing, but you might find it fun.’

Under the table Will’s knee brushed Lu’s and a bolt of awareness barrelled straight to his groin. Could he do this? Could he ignore this buzz of sexual attraction and be her friend?

Could he stop thinking about the kiss that never was? Stop replaying the way her eyes had half lowered and glinted green, the way her hands had held his hips, the brief taste of that perfect mouth?

He had to...there was no other choice. He was leaving soon and she was too dangerous to be around long-term because he suspected that she could—maybe—make him think about whether sparks could last and keep burning...

‘Will? What do you think? Should we do this? Can we do this?’

He knew what she was asking... Could they do this without it getting complicated, messy? It was hard to meet her eyes, to see but ignore the corresponding flash of heat he recognised in them. He had to dismiss it, he realized. Just as she did. Because she wasn’t ready to get involved he wouldn’t get involved, so companionship was the only prize that was up for grabs.

‘It’ll be fine, Lu.’

If we can keep our hands off each other. Because if we can’t then all bets are off.

Will sighed. He could really do with a stiff drink.