Читать книгу The Bad Boy's Redemption - Joss Wood - Страница 14

SIX

As they followed the signs past the main house to The Pottery Shed Lu flicked her finger against Will’s shoulder. ‘I thought I said that you should wear old clothes—not a nifty Zoo York T-shirt and cargo shorts.’

She was wearing an ancient shirt, cut-off jeans and flip-flops. Will looked down at his chest and sent her the evil eye. ‘When I was packing my clothes in Auckland I didn’t think I’d be going to pottery lessons! This is the oldest shirt I have here.’

‘I could have lent you one of the twins’ old T-shirts.’ Lu said as they approached a barn at the back of the property. ‘And stop moaning. I’ve agreed to go dirt bike riding next week.’

‘I want to take you skydiving.’

‘Not on your life.’ Lu shuddered. ‘And what do you mean...take me?’

‘I’m certified to do tandem jumps...we could do one together.’

‘Uh, let me think about that.’ Lu pretended to peer up at the sky. Two seconds later she spoke again. ‘Thought about it...no. Nope. No way. Never.’

‘Wuss,’ Will said as a long, tall, elderly woman dressed in tie-dyed pants and a glowing caftan drifted from the barn.

Lu stepped forward and held out her hand. ‘Hi, I’m Lu. Are you...?’

The woman’s eyes drifted across their faces and she sent them a vague look. ‘Kate. And I’m stoned.’

Lu looked at Will and lifted her eyebrows. ‘You’re stoned?’

‘New supplier. His stuff is wicked good.’

‘But our lesson...’ Lu wailed, ignoring Will’s smile of satisfaction.

Kate’s hand wafted somewhere behind her head. ‘Go on in—clay’s in the bucket next to the wheel. Slap some on the wheel, hit the pedal, move your hands up and down. Make something. Lock up when you leave.’

‘But... But...’ Lu stuttered.

‘Namaste,’ Kate murmured, and weaved away in the general direction of the house.

Will folded his arms and watched her leave. ‘Did you pay her?’

Lu pouted. ‘No. I was going to pay her when we were finished.’

‘Good. Then let’s get out of here,’ Will said, his expression a combination of smirky and relieved.

Lu narrowed her eyes at him. ‘Uh-uh. You’re not getting off that easily. Everything is set up...how hard can it be?’

Will groaned. ‘Aw, Lu, come on! Let’s go for a walk on the beach, have a beer, watch the sun go down.’

‘Nope.’ Lu said stubbornly. ‘If I have to do dirt bikes then you have to try this.’

* * *

Will stepped through the open door to the studio, put his hands on his hips and looked around. Shelves packed with vases, bowls and vessels of every shape and form lined the room, and long tables covered with tools and boxes covered the back half of the shed. In the centre were three triangular-shaped desks with a potter’s wheel on each and a bucket with what he presumed was clay next to each wheel.

Will pulled out a stool and sat down in front of one wheel, then looked from the desk to Lu. ‘Um...what now?’

Lu’s mouth twitched. ‘I don’t know. I haven’t done this either...wait!’ She reached across the table and picked up a plastic envelope. ‘Instructions!’

Will leaned across and looked at the plastic enclosed paper. He shook his head and pointed to the heading. ‘It’s printed off the internet, Lu!’

‘So?’ Lu grinned. ‘Let’s try it.’

It seemed that he was about to try this thing. He knew that everything that could go wrong would. He didn’t have an artistic bone in his body and he suspected that they were about to get dirty.

Really dirty. He looked around. ‘Can you see any aprons?’

‘Now who’s being a wuss? We won’t need any,’ Lu told him. ‘We’ll be fine. So, first step... “Gather a small amount of clay—the size of two fists put together is plenty for someone just starting—and form it into a rough ball shape.”’

Will dunked his hand in the bucket in front of him and lifted his eyebrows. Kind of the same texture as the mud he’d used to throw at his sisters.

‘We need to knead it—get rid of the bubbles.’

‘When do we get to play with the wheel thingy?’ Will asked, trying to copy Lu’s rather expert kneading technique. Which made him think of bread, which made him think of cake, and that reminded him...

‘When am I getting my Austrian cake, by the way?’

‘When I have time.’ Lu peered down at the instructions. ‘Maybe. So... “If you think all the air bubbles are out, shape it back into a rough ball.”’

Will slapped the clay between his fingers.

‘“Put the clay on the centre of the wheel head. The easiest way to do this is by throwing the clay with some force on the centre. Drip some water over it and spin the wheel fairly fast,”’ she read.

‘OK.’ Will threw the clay down and hit the pedal of the wheel with some force. He watched his clay ball shoot across the wheel, skim the rim and fall on the floor. ‘Whoops.’

Lu snorted with laughter.

‘Think you can do better, Mermaid?’

What Lu didn’t realise was that her pedal was next to his left foot. She was so busy trying to get it right that she didn’t notice his foot sliding over hers until he pushed down hard. Her wheel spun furiously and her ball skidded across it. Lu yelped, turned in her seat and slipped her clay-covered hand onto his chest, leaving a perfect imprint of her fingers.

Blue-green eyes glinting with mirth met his as she fought to find an innocent expression. ‘It could have been worse,’ she said on a shrug.

‘It could?’

Lu grinned. ‘I could’ve slapped your face.’

Will leaned forward and placed his wet, clay-covered hand on her cheek. ‘What? Like this?’

Will kept his hand on her cheek as her mouth opened and closed like a guppy looking for air.

‘You...you...’

He didn’t think—couldn’t think. He just placed his lips and swiped his mouth across hers in a kiss that was as shocking as it was stunning. Lu sighed into his mouth and planted her hands on his chest—intending, he was sure, to push him away. But her fingers curled into his T-shirt and gripped the fabric instead.

She tasted of sunshine and excitement, of cherry lip balm and surprise. Her perfume swirled up from her heated skin and he adored the scent. He yanked her off her stool and whirled her away from the wheel, up against a tall cupboard. He moved into her, needing to get closer, needing to feel her feminine form. Will lifted his hands to hold her face, tipping her head so that he could taste all of her mouth. Lu made a sound of approval that sent all his blood rushing south. She was heat and light, softness and courage, too much and not nearly enough. But he couldn’t stop—didn’t want to stop.

He knew he had to, because if he didn’t he never would.

It took everything in him to lift his mouth from hers, to pull her head to his chest and rest his chin in her hair. ‘God, Lu...’

Lu muttered something unintelligible and he thought he felt her lips flutter against his shirt.

‘I wasn’t going to do this,’ he muttered, but the words were barely out of his mouth before he dropped it back to hers.

Her mouth parted to his insistent tongue and his hand drifted over her shirt, palmed her breast. Will felt another wicked flash of lust scuttle through him as she angled her head to allow him deeper access. Moving her hands, she ran her fingers across his taut stomach, let them drift lower before settling them low on his narrow hips.

‘Lu, you’re not helping!’ Will pulled back, gripped her arms and kept her an arm’s length away. He tried to inject some assertiveness into his voice. ‘We aren’t going to do this!’

Lu cocked her head at him. ‘Do you always walk away?’

He knew what she meant. ‘Yeah. Always.’

‘Why?’

Will dragged his hand through his hair, pushing streaks of clay through it. ‘Have you ever seen a fire when it’s been put out?’ he demanded. ‘It’s a wet, soggy, dirty, disgusting mess.’

‘Ah, so you walk before it even gets the chance to become messy?’

Essentially. Some sparks, especially this one between him and Lu, had the potential to become a raging bush fire. But even bush fires couldn’t rage for ever. And the bigger the fire, the bigger the mess. No, it was smarter just to keep this simple, platonic.

Because they had to work together, because he really did have fun with her...but mostly because he hadn’t been so tempted to walk into the blaze in a long, long time.

‘OK, back up.’ Lu wiggled her way out of his grip and leaned back against the cupboard. He looked at his hands. They were now only smeared with clay. She had clay in her hair. It was streaked over her shirt, her hips, down her neck.

‘You’re filthy,’ she said, echoing his thoughts.

Will’s finger drifted down her cheek. ‘So are you. And, oh, crap...if we hadn’t been going straight home we are now.’

Lu frowned. ‘Why?’

Will motioned to her chest, where his palm print covered her left breast. ‘Kind of a big clue about what we were up to.’

Lu looked down and closed her eyes. ‘Pottery lesson a no-no, then?’

Will nodded, his expression rueful. ‘It should definitely go on the things not to do list.’

‘Along with skydiving,’ Lu added quickly.

‘Oh, I will get you up there.’ Will promised.

* * *

After work on Friday Lu slipped into Old Joe’s, a popular bistro in the middle of Florida Road. Pushing her sunglasses up onto her head, she smiled at Mak before placing her cheek on his and breathing in his scent. His pale pink shirt looked stunning against his skin, his tie was raspberry and his tailored pants were undoubtedly designer.

‘I can’t stay long. I’m meeting Will to go ten-pin bowling with him and some of the squad,’ she told him, hanging her tote bag off a globe chair and sitting on the brightly coloured cushion.

‘I don’t have that much time either. I just wanted to tell you that Deon got into St Clares!’

Lu let out a delighted whoop before throwing her arms around Mak’s neck and kissing his cheek.

‘That’s such fabulous news, Mak!’

‘It is, but now that school is a reality the fear that he’s going to be bullied again is back. In him and in me,’ Mak admitted, sucking on what looked like a double-thick berry milkshake.

Lu fought temptation, lost, and ordered the chocolate equivalent. She was going for a run along the promenade later. She’d work it off then.

‘He’ll be fine, Mak. I promise. St Clare’s doesn’t tolerate any type of bullying.’

‘I hope so,’ Mak said eventually, leaning back in his chair. ‘Anyway, back to you. Does this mean that you and Will are dating?’

Lu shook her head. ‘No. Well...no.’

‘That sounded convincing...not at all.’ Mak pushed his empty glass away. ‘So, what is going on between you?’

‘I don’t know... I think we’re friends, but we have this sexual buzz.’

‘So he’s shoved his tongue down your throat?’

Lu gasped, blushed, and immediately thought back to that inferno-hot kiss they’d shared in the pottery studio. After holding her for a while he’d pulled back slightly, looked at her, and dived in again. His firm lips, the play of muscles under her hands, the feel of his big hand covering her not-so-big breast... His erection hard against her lower stomach, tenting his shorts...

He touched her and melted her brain. If he hadn’t gathered up his car keys and mobile and yanked her to the car she would have let him take her there on that dusty floor.

Since then they’d both pretended it hadn’t happened...and they were very, very careful to avoid touching each other.

‘Can I get you anything else?’

Mak’s eyes didn’t leave Lu’s face to look at the hovering waiter. ‘A fire extinguisher would be helpful. I need to cool her down,’ he said in a bone-dry voice.

‘Makhosi!’ Lu hissed. She blushed as she looked up at the confused waiter. ‘Ignore him. Thanks, but we’re fine.’

‘So, do you want to answer my question now?’

‘We kissed. So what? It’s not a big deal...’ It was such a big deal; she’d never had such an extreme reaction to being touched in her life. From nought to take-me-now in ten seconds flat. She heaved in some much needed air. ‘I still can’t and won’t get involved with him, Mak.’

‘And why not?’

‘Because he is leaving in two months’ time. Because he’s not interested in anything but a casual friendship, having someone to hang out with.’

‘So have a casual hook-up with him,’ Mak suggested. ‘It’s not against the law, Lu.’

Lu closed her eyes. ‘I can’t, Mak.’

‘Why? He’s smart, good-looking and successful. Seems like a decent guy. I’m not seeing the problem.’

Lu shoved her fingers into her hair. ‘He is strictly a one-night stand kind of guy and I’m not a just-have-sex type of girl. And I work with him. And I have so much fun with him.’

Lu sipped and shrugged. ‘After work I work on my photos, or I read, or I exercise. I think, plan. Try not to miss the twins. I need to—am trying to—get used to this new life without them, to being on my own. Then, when I feel the walls closing in on me, I call Will and we go out and have an absolute blast. We laugh, Mak—hard. Often. We talk or don’t talk...there’s no pressure and I like that.’ Lu stared at the huge African mask dominating the opposite wall. ‘Sure, I’d like sex, but not if it means sacrificing the fun we’re having.’

Mak leaned forward and touched her hand. ‘Just be careful, Lu. I don’t want to mop up your tears, hon.’

‘You won’t have to, Mak.’

* * *

Casual linen three-quarter pants, a funky brown and gold T-shirt, beaded sandals and new jewellery. Will took in Lu’s outfit as she moved across the staff dining room towards the table where he sat with the older members of the team. OK, different...he thought.

His gaze travelled up her throat. He remembered that the spot between her ear and her jaw was very tender, and that she’d vibrated in his arms when he’d nibbled her just there. Kissing her had been a mistake, he thought, not for the first time. His pants grew substantially smaller. Mostly because all he thought about was doing it again.

Her mouth had been hot and demanding—and, talking about her mouth...good God. What on earth had she stained her lips with? Mulberries? Will leaned back and looked at her properly: too much blusher, smoky eyes, a bottle of mascara. She looked glossy, but she also looked like every other girl he’d ever dated.

Slick, superficial, sophisticated...hard.

He heard the low wolf whistles and the compliments of his two lunch companions: Jabu, the Rays’ captain, and Matt Johnson, whom he knew had the hots for Lu. Would he have to have a chat with Matt about keeping his distance from Lu? Maybe.

Matt needed to know that Lu was way off-limits.

Will looked at Lu and wished he could pull her off to the showers and wash that make-up off her. He wanted his Lu back: clean skin—her freckles were all but hidden now—clear eyes...normal. He wanted her make-up-free, naturally...normal.

Crap.

When a guy started thinking that natural was gorgeously normal he was neck deep in the brown stuff...or about to fall into the brown stuff. Neither scenario was vaguely attractive.

Lu slid down into the empty chair opposite him and reached for the salt to shake over her chicken salad.

‘New look, Lu?’ Matt asked.

‘Experimenting.’

Lu batted her eyelashes at him and Will felt his stomach contract.

‘What do you think?’

‘Hot,’ Matt answered.

He ran his finger over the tattoo of a naughty angel on her shoulder. Will considered breaking his fingers.

‘Cool tat.’

What the hell...? She’d got a tattoo? Not that it had anything to do with him...except he didn’t like the idea of ink on that amazing, smooth, clear expanse of skin. Skin he’d all too briefly explored, discovered, wanted to taste again.

Matt tipped his head back to look at her shoulder again. ‘Ah, it’s just a henna tat—it’ll be gone in six weeks.’

‘Thank the Lord,’ Will muttered under his breath. He ignored Lu’s quizzical look, took a healthy sip from his glass of water and pushed his empty plate away. He stretched out his leg and the inside of his calf brushed her bare foot. He felt the bolt of lust shoot up to his groin.

He raised reluctant eyes and saw his desire reflected in hers—along with a solid dose of irritation. She wanted him but didn’t want to want him. She wanted him to compliment her on her new look but didn’t want him to know that she cared. Will ran his hand along his jaw. This was getting a bit too complicated, a little more intense than he’d bargained for.

And he still wanted to take the make-up off her face. Take her back to natural Lu.

‘Would you mind signing these for me? I’d be so grateful.’ Lu was handing out letter-size photos and dishing out black felt-tipped markers.

‘What’s going on?’ he asked as he took his own photograph and a pen.

Lu rested her forearms on the table. ‘You remember that I mentioned Mak has a highly functioning, Down Syndrome son? He’s rugby-obsessed and thinks that I am the luckiest girl in the world to know you guys. You’re his favourite player, Jabu.’

Jabu’s face split into a huge smile. ‘Cool.’

Lu wiped her mouth with a paper serviette and Will was grateful to see a lot of the mulberry stain disappear. Three more layers and that gorgeous mouth would be back. ‘I’ve looked after Deon a lot over the years. He’s a nice kid. But he’s physically small for his age and he’s terrified about starting a new school. He was badly bullied at his last school. He’s about to start at St Clare’s—’

‘But that’s a mainstream school, not a special needs school,’ Matt interrupted. ‘I went there; they don’t have special needs kids.’

‘They introduced a new programme about five years back to integrate kids with special needs into the mainstream school. It’s a huge success. I also know the school well. My brothers attended it. Mak is a bundle of nerves for Deon. He’s trying to be brave but is scared witless...anyway, I said I’d go with them on his first day.’

‘Which is...?’ Will asked.

‘Tomorrow.’ Lu forked up some chicken and waved her fork at the pack of photos. ‘I thought that if Deon ran into any bullying he could offer up some signed photos from his Rays heroes to talk his way out of it.’

Will dashed his signature across a photograph and smiled. ‘No problem.’

* * *

Lu pulled to a stop outside St Clare’s and turned in her seat to look backwards. Deon was looking a little grey, his hands were trembling, and his knee bounced up and down. Mak was looking equally nauseous. He might be tough and forthright, but he was a marshmallow when it came to his son.

Lu touched his shoulder before leaning back to pat Deon on the thigh. ‘I told you that my brothers went here and that it’s a really nice school? Remember that Mr Klimt, the principal, doesn’t tolerate bullying.’

‘Mr Klimt doesn’t go into the boys’ bathrooms,’ Deon said in his slow, measured voice.

Lu sighed. The child might be challenged but he was not a fool. How was she going to get either of them out of the car and up the steps that led into the school? They were both anxiously watching the streams of laughing, smiling chatty kids mingling on the grass, within the school quad, leaning against walls and doors.

They looked confident and happy...no wonder Deon and Mak were terrified. Even she was feeling a bit intimidated.

‘I want to go home,’ Deon said, and dropped his chin to his neck.

She couldn’t cry. That wouldn’t help anyone! Terrified or not, someone had to take charge. ‘Right, let’s get your stuff together, dude.’

Lu sighed as her mobile rang. She picked it up and sighed at the display. ‘It’s really not a good time, Will.’

‘It’s a very good time,.’ Will replied, laughter in his voice. ‘Tell the kid that his posse has arrived.’

‘What?’

‘Look in your review mirror, Mermaid.’

Lu slid a glance to her mirror and laughter bubbled up in her throat. Walking down the pavement, dressed in their Rays training uniforms, looking as intimidating as all hell, were Jabu, Matt and three other prominent Rays players. Will and Kelby walked behind them. Will had his mobile in his hand.

Lu swallowed down her emotion and turned to Deon, her face alight with excitement. ‘OK, Deon, this is a mega big day for you.’ She winked at Mak, who’d just caught sight of the players now coming to a stop outside her car. His jaw fell to his lap. Lu reached over and lifted Deon’s chin. ‘I know this is scary, but some special people thought that you might need someone to see you into school. Say hello to my friend Jabu.’

Jabu ducked his head inside the car and as long as she lived Lu knew she would never forget the look on the little boy’s face when he saw his biggest sporting hero. The back door flew open and Deon tumbled into Jabu’s enormous arms. Jabu held him with ease and calmly ignored his shaking as he introduced him to the rest of his team mates.

Lu looked at Mak, whose Adam’s apple was bobbing with restrained emotion. ‘Did you know about this?’ he demanded.

Lu shook her head and sniffed. ‘Not a damn thing. Will must have organised it.’

Mak pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes. ‘I’m really liking this guy, Lu.’

Will looked at the commotion they were causing and grinned. He’d forgotten the enthusiasm kids could display—that wide eyed excitement. He’d felt exactly the same when he’d met his sporting heroes as a kid.

Then Will looked at Lu’s face as she climbed out of her car and grinned at the emotions crossing it. Wonder, amazement, joy. Yeah, this was so worth organising.

Kelby jammed him in the ribs. ‘Take that goofy look off your face, Scott. You look like a sap.’

‘I don’t do goofy,’ Will said through gritted teeth.

‘Well, you sure as hell are doing something!’ Kelby grinned as they stood a little way off from the rest of the team. ‘So what prompted this, mate? I mean, I’m not complaining...’ he gestured to a couple of sports photographers who were walking across the road towards them ‘...it’s great publicity. But it’s way out of your scope as caretaker coach.’

‘Uh...’ Will tugged at the collar of his shirt.

‘Could it have anything to do with the fact that you are doing my press photographer, who obviously has a very special relationship with this kid?’

Will shuffled on his feet. ‘I’m not sleeping with her; we’re just friends, Kelby.’

Kelby roared with laughter and slapped Will on the back. ‘Yeah, right! You’ve never done anything like this before.’

Will gritted his teeth. ‘Kelby, we’re friends...like you suggested. That’s it.’

Kelby’s laughter faded, surprise dominated and he shook his head. ‘Oh, my poor, confused young friend!’ He grinned again and slapped Will between his shoulderblades. Again. ‘You, dude, are ass-deep in woman trouble. I love it!’

Will was thinking about punching him when he felt Lu’s approach. He looked around when a small hand rested on his bicep.

‘You arranged this, didn’t you?’ Lu asked, tears in her eyes.

God, he did one nice thing and everyone got soppy!

‘Jabu and I had a chat about it. He was bullied at school so he knows what it’s like. The Rays also promote anti-bullying on their website,’ Will replied.

‘Thank you. I’m overwhelmed.’

‘No worries. It was easy enough to do,’ Will said. He caught Mak’s eye and shook his hand, brushed off his gratitude.

It seemed as if a good portion of the school’s pupils were gathered around them when Jabu raised his hand and the crowd quietened. ‘OK—any rugby boys here?’

Hands shot up into the air. ‘Who is your favourite team?’

‘Rays! Rays! Rays!’

The Rays players smiled and after a minute Jabu lifted his hand again. ‘This is Deon. He’s a new boy here today and he’s our number one fan. We need our fans’ support, and sometimes our fans need our support. Deon needs our support today because it’s not easy walking into a new school. So, while we might not be here every minute of every day, we’re going to be looking out for him. And for when we’re not here we’re appointing our own boys to make sure he finds his way around OK.’

Jabu bent down and had a quick discussion with Deon.

‘Eleven-year-old rugby players, step forward!’ he bellowed, and a number of boys belted out of the crowd to stand eagerly in front of Jabu and the rest of the huge players. ‘You show Deon the ropes and we’ll arrange that your team gets to train with us, at our field, once a month for the next three months. Deal?’

‘Deal!’ The piping voices bounced back.

Lu lifted her hand to her heart and looked up at Will with shining eyes. ‘You’d do that?’

‘Apparently Kelby’s been asking Carter to do it as part of a community service programme but he wasn’t prepared to consider it. Old school. The other clubs do it with different schools all the time.’ Will shrugged. ‘It’s for an hour. It’s nothing.’

‘It’s everything to the kids,’ Lu said as the bell rang.

But the children didn’t move. They were too busy jostling for the players’ attention and demanding autographs.

Will grinned when he saw two boys, obviously St Clare rugby players, standing on either side of Deon to protect him from the crowd. ‘I think our work here is done.’

A shrill whistle broke their eye contact and kids and adults all froze as a short, round man bustled down the steps, his face red with what Lu knew was fake annoyance.

‘What is going on here? Why aren’t you in class?’ Mr Klimt roared, but Will saw his face soften as her eyes swept over Deon and his new bodyguards. He placed his hands on his hips. ‘What are these big men doing here? Who are they?’ he demanded, faking displeasure.

A collective groan rose from the crowd. One brave soul eventually dared to answer him. ‘Mr Klimt, they are Rays players! Jabu and Matt.’

‘Really? I thought they were ballerinas! Mr Johnson? Is that you?’ The crowd fell silent as short Mr Klimt looked up—and up—into Matt’s face.

‘Yes, sir.’ Matt over-exaggerated his grimace and some of the kids snorted with suppressed laughter.

‘And what are you doing on Friday afternoon, Mr Johnson?’ The principal demanded.

‘I don’t believe I’m doing anything, Mr Klimt...sir.’

‘Good. If I am not mistaken, I believe you still owe me two hours of detention.’