‘I’m tougher than you think, Boss.’

Luke smiled. ‘You haven’t called me that in a long time. I think I like it.’

The wrestling stopped. The air in the taxi turned a little thick. Amy stopped moving and stilled her hand where it rested, on his thigh. High on his thigh. His hands stilled too.

‘You like it when I call you Boss?’ Amy’s eyes skirted to Luke’s lips. They were slightly parted. She wanted to kiss him. She wanted to touch him. She wanted to do bad, bad things to him.

‘I like you having your hand there.’ Luke’s voice was deep and he shifted his leg a little, underneath where her hand sat.

There was no mistaking what he wanted and how he felt. And it sent a thrilling ripple through her to think that she could finally have what she’d wanted all those years ago. Time alone with Luke. Luke wanting her. It was everything she’d wanted as an eighteen-year-old and she could finally take it—if she wanted.

JENNIFER RAE was raised on a farm in Australia by salt-of-the-earth farming parents. All she ever wanted to do was write, but she didn’t have the confidence to share her stories with the world until, working as a journalist, she interviewed a couple of romance-writers. Finally the characters who had been milling around Jennifer’s head since her long years on the farm made sense, and she realised romance was the genre for her and sat down to release her characters.

The Hotel Magnate’s Demand
Jennifer Rae

www.millsandboon.co.uk

This book is for the boys in my life.

For the boys who loved me when I wasn’t very lovable, the boys who cheered me up when I was feeling down, and the boys who took care of me when I needed it.

I’m grateful for you all.

But mostly this book is dedicated to the two boys who mean more to me than any other boy ever has or ever will.

To Archie and Max

The two boys I love the most.

Table of Contents

Cover

Excerpt

About the Author

Title Page

Dedication

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

THREE MILLION DOLLARS. The sweet, stupid lunatics at Amy McCarthy’s work were seriously trusting her with three million dollars? No matter how many times it happened Amy was still amazed that she’d managed to convince people she knew what she was on about. Didn’t they know that she was a five-year-old dressed in a twenty-six-year-old’s clothing? If they had, perhaps they wouldn’t have opened that bottle of champagne tonight and toasted her success.

Perhaps they wouldn’t have told her how proud they were of her for landing the biggest account in the company’s history. Perhaps they would have done what they should have and handed the account to Maree, or Thomas, or another of one of the senior PR consultants. The grown-ups. The sensible, reliable, practical grown-ups who knew what the hell they were doing. Not her. Who considered it a win when she managed to find matching socks to wear to the gym.

The grin on Amy’s face was almost manic as she pushed open the heavy door to Saints, the hip bar and restaurant in Surry Hills where she was meeting the others. Seriously. She totally had no idea what she was supposed to do with these new clients. They were the biggest luxury hotel chain in the entire Asia Pacific region.

She knew nothing about hotels! She was all talk. She knew that. She’d been able to sweet-talk people into anything since she was little. She’d even considered using her sales ability as her talent when she’d entered the Miss Northern Suburbs competition in high school. But she’d gone with magic instead. Which was probably why she’d lost. Either that or the fact that she’d been the dumpiest, plumpest, most unfashionable girl in the competition.

Amy remembered the long flowing bohemian dress she’d chosen for the ‘formal wear’ part of the competition. She’d loved it. It had made her feel pretty and feminine and free. But the judges had called her a hippy, and apparently hippies didn’t win beauty contests. So she’d lost. But her mother had hugged her and told her she was cleverer than those silly judges and her father had insisted she was the most beautiful girl there.

Her parents were two more sweet, silly people in her life. Thinking she was so much brighter and cleverer and better than she actually was.

Perhaps that was why, Amy thought, she had a tendency to make bad decisions. Too many people telling her she could do anything. Maybe she needed to surround herself with some more realistic people. Grounded, sensible people, who didn’t hope for the impossible but had their feet firmly set on the ground.

People like Willa. Amy spotted her best friend as soon as she alighted from the small flight of stairs that led to the dark bar that had become her local in recent months. Willa’s bright smile caught on the light and Amy smiled. Funny, clever, crazy Willa.

Amy couldn’t wait to tell her friend about her latest mad scheme. Of course Amy would exaggerate and make it seem even more outrageous than it actually was. She knew that would make Willa laugh and she loved to make Willa laugh. Because that made Amy laugh and there was nothing Amy liked to do more than laugh. And go out. And work. And stay as busy as possible. Staying busy meant staying high. And staying high meant not thinking about things that made her sad.

A familiar fleeting pull swept through Amy’s stomach. It shot up her body like a firecracker, passed her brain and went straight for her eyes. Amy stilled. Gulped. Then shook her head. Shook the feeling away. Where had that come from? There was no time for sadness. No time for thinking about anything that made her unhappy. No time for thinking about all the people she’d hurt or those people who had hurt her. She wanted to have fun. She wanted to laugh. She needed to talk to Willa. Now.

With a somewhat forced skip in her step she headed for the banquette that held Willa and her boyfriend, Rob, as well as their other friends, Scott, Kate, Chantal, Brodie and Jess. Amy counted them all off in her head, knowing she was the last one to arrive. She was often the last one to arrive these days. Work was becoming more manic as she took on more clients but that was the way she liked it. Busy.

Amy stilled. She counted her friends’ heads again. There should be seven. But there were eight. Another head. An unfamiliar head. A male head with its back turned towards her. Amy wondered for a moment who the newcomer was. Their group was pretty tight. Newcomers weren’t usually a thing, and if anyone was to introduce anyone it was usually her.

Amy’s eyes skirted to Jess, who was looking at the newcomer with a strange, faraway look in her eye. Aha! That was it. Jess had invited a man. But that didn’t make any sense, because Amy had spoken to her this morning before dashing out through the door and Jess hadn’t said anything about a man.

Not that she had time to worry about Jess and her man or anything else. She’d won a massive contract. There were tales to tell and cocktails to be ordered.

Amy swung the Louis Vuitton bag she’d splurged on with her last bonus cheque onto the low seat the strange man happened to be sitting on and used her best PR voice.

‘Ladies and gentlemen, hold your applause, but I must inform you that you are about to share copious amounts of alcohol with Bird Marketing’s newest superstar.’

Everyone looked up and smiled at her encouragingly. Amy focussed on Willa, barely containing her need to say something outrageous and make her laugh. Willa had a strange smile on her face. A smile that wasn’t quite a smile. And her eyes kept looking downward, then scooting back up. What was she doing?

‘And, furthermore, I’ve managed to convince the idiots in charge that allowing me full control of their newest and most important client as well as their three million dollars was the best bloody idea they’ve ever had.’ Amy laughed.

Scott stood and gave her a hug. Jess squealed in delight and called out congrats, and Brodie said loudly that her bosses must be nut-jobs.

Strangely, though, Willa didn’t move. She smiled a tight smile. Frankly, Amy had expected more. A laugh, a joke, a call for drinks all round. But Willa sat still, that silly strange smile still planted on her face and her eyes now frantically moving up and down.

‘Amy…’ she started, finally getting up from her seat.

Her eyes were still scooting down and Amy finally realised where she was looking. At the stranger. Who Amy could now feel was looking at her. So Amy looked back. Then she looked at Willa. Who had stopped still. As had Amy. Her brain seized. Every cell in her body froze. No air was being released from her lungs and she was pretty sure her heart had actually stopped beating.

‘Ames…’

Willa again. Amy willed herself to breathe. She felt the warmth of her best friend’s hand on her arm and she was grateful for it. Because right at the moment she wasn’t sure that she wouldn’t faint. Her knees gave a little as her eyes met Willa’s, holding them steady.

A conversation went on between the two friends without one word being spoken. A telepathic conversation that they had a knack for.

Is it?

Calm down.

No. Tell me it can’t be.

Hold steady. It’ll be okay.

I’m not prepared. What did I say? Did I make a fool of myself?

Just look at him.

So Amy did. She looked down at him. But right at that moment he stood. All six feet of him. Tall. Solid. Strong and dark. Amy forced herself to swallow and made her eyes trail up his chest, past his broad shoulders and to his face. A face she thought she’d forgotten. A face she’d never forget. It was him. He was here. In the flesh.

Luke.

Amy tried to speak but nothing came out. She tried again. She knew what she wanted to say. She’d practised what she wanted to say. Ever since she’d got back in contact with her old friend Willa months ago she’d been going over and over what she might say should she meet Luke, Willa’s brother, her former boss and the man she’d had the fiercest crush of her life on. Who also happened to be one of only two people who knew her deepest, darkest secret. But all those words were gone. Somewhere. In the ether.

‘Hello, Amy. It’s been a long time.’

Yes, it has. Hello, Luke. Nice to see you. How are you? There were any number of things Amy could have said right at that moment. She dug her nails into Willa’s flesh and jerked her friend towards her.

‘I’m…gonna go get a drink.’ Then she turned and fled, pulling her poor friend with her.

‘Now, Amy, before you lose it…’

‘Before I lose it? Before I lose it? Willa—I’ve already lost it! Why didn’t you tell me Luke was coming? You should have warned me!’

‘He literally just landed today and texted me. I told him to come along but honestly I didn’t think he would.’

‘Oh, God, what did I say? I can’t even remember.’

As was the norm whenever Luke was around, Amy became a little ditzy. That logical, clever part of her brain evaporated when she saw him. Which was crazy. It had been—what? Seven years? No. Eight. Eight years since she’d seen him. Eight years since that night. The swooping roared through her stomach again.

Amy pulled her face into a smile.

‘Okay—that’s okay. It’s fine. I’m fine. I was just shocked, you know…? I want to see him. I’m happy to see him. Let’s get a drink—what are you drinking? Actually. drinks all round! We’re celebrating. remember?’

Willa’s eyes were soft, her expression so readable.

‘Don’t look at me like that, Willa. I’m fine.’ Amy said it firmly. With one of her signature smiles. Before turning to the bearded, tattooed bartender.

‘Dave, darling. You look hot tonight! Sweet haircut. Sharp.’ She smiled with all her teeth and winked. It was the smile she used when she wanted people to smile back.

She wanted everyone smiling tonight. She wanted everyone talking and happy. She needed her heartbeat to return to normal so she could turn around and face Luke. She wasn’t even sure what she was getting so wound up for. Luke was an old friend—that was all. Sure, she’d had some silly little crush on him once. But that had been years ago. She’d only been eighteen then. A teenager.

She was a woman now. With a lot more confidence and plenty more experience. She’d changed. She’d moved on. And she was sure he had too. He probably barely remembered her. Or what had happened. That feeling again. Swooping through her. Every time she thought that feeling had finally disappeared a night like this would come. A night when it would return and lurk and keep tapping at her like an insistent salesman at a door.

‘Go away!’ she whispered to herself.

‘Not exactly a warm welcome. I’ve only just got here.’

Amy felt him before she saw him. His warm, dark presence behind her. That slightly gruff and very deep voice in her ear. When she was eighteen it had made her melt and giggle. But today she wasn’t melting. She wasn’t giggling. She’d just landed a highly coveted three-million-dollar PR account, for God’s sake. She was strong and powerful and in control. Strong, powerful women didn’t melt.

But Amy grabbed the bar anyway—just in case.

‘I wasn’t talking to you.’ Her voice came out all breathy and high. Dammit. Amy schooled it into something deeper. Her best PR voice. ‘How have you been, Luke? It’s been for ever!’

‘Eight years.’

Luke didn’t move. Amy had used to love that about him. How he was so still and solid. Big. Brave. Everything she wasn’t.

At best she remembered herself as being flaky during the months she’d spent working at Weeping Reef as a receptionist for the tropical resort. At worst selfish, self-centred and a right little brat. No wonder Luke wasn’t smiling. She’d always been his little sister’s troublemaking friend. He’d never seen her as anything but that. And she’d always seen him as Willa’s annoyingly controlling big brother. Hot big brother. As in smoking hot.

And right now, up close, Amy realised that hadn’t changed. Actually, if anything, he was even hotter. He’d always been tall, but now he’d filled out more. His jaw was wider, his shoulders broader. His voice was even deeper. His hair was still thick and dark, but it was clipped a lot shorter than in the old days, when unruly curls had fallen carelessly over his forehead.

And gone were the board shorts and the resort polo shirts he’d used to wear. Luke stood tall in an expensive-looking suit. Complete with tie. Somehow, even though he looked a little restrained by all the neatness and correctness, it suited him. It definitely suited the grim look on his face.

Amy lifted her eyes to his. His eyes were still the same. Green. They were like those old mood rings they’d used to peddle in the gift shop. When he was happy they’d turn bright, like the Whitsunday ocean, and when he was angry or upset they’d come over a shade of stormy dark green. She remembered the stormy green. Luke had always seemed to be upset with her over one thing or another. But she’d only ever seen them violently green once. That one time…

Amy clung to her stomach, willing it not to swoop again. She didn’t want that unwelcome feeling to reach her eyes as it threatened to do each time. She wouldn’t cry. She’d never cry over that. Not again.

‘Eight years. Wow. And still looking over our shoulders, ruining all our fun.’ Amy smiled, hoping he’d take her words as she’d meant them—teasingly.

‘And by the looks of it you two haven’t changed much either. Still giggling over boys and drinking too many cocktails.’

Something resembling a smile lifted the corner of his mouth and he flicked his suit jacket back to push his hands into his pockets. He got it. He got her. He always did.

‘You just wish we were giggling over you.’ Amy smiled again. She couldn’t help it.

She’d always liked to tease Luke. She’d always pushed and pushed till the grim look on his face cracked into a smile. It was a game she’d enjoyed playing when she was eighteen and had had her whole life in front of her. Now, at twenty-six, she should be more cautious. She should have learned a few lessons. But it seemed with Luke she was still clueless. Because flirting with him felt good. Still.

‘I’m sure you are.’

He leaned in and Amy caught his scent. The same fresh, oceany goodness that she remembered. His lips brushed her cheek just lightly. As if he was afraid to go near her.

Amy was grateful. It was important to keep her distance. Especially with Luke. There was no doubt she’d been looking forward to seeing him again. She’d thought about it often since rekindling her friendship with Willa. She’d asked Willa about him a few times. Subtly. Without letting on to her friend how she felt.

Not that she was sure how she felt. Luke was someone from her past. Her very long ago past. And even then he hadn’t been anything to her…just a crush. And she hadn’t been anything to him. Just his sister’s silly little friend. An idiot who’d needed rescuing.

Amy clutched at her stomach and turned back to the bar, where Dave was now racking up the drinks. She smiled, she flirted, she paid all her attention to Dave. So much so that she could see him blushing underneath his beard. Her stomach settled. Her heart returned to normal. She wouldn’t think of that night. She wasn’t sure why she kept thinking of it—she’d learned to block it out years ago.

Maybe it was because Luke was here. And he smelled the same. She still remembered breathing him in as he carried her out to the Jeep and took her to the hospital. She remembered clinging to him shamelessly as he laid her in the back seat.

‘Don’t leave me.’

‘I’m not. I’m right here. But I have to drive.’

‘No!’ The tears from her eyes had met her still wet cheeks. ‘Please. Just hold me.’

She’d been irrational. She’d known that at the time. But she hadn’t been able to help it. For those three minutes the fact that his arms were around her had been the only thing stopping her from collapsing, and she’d been convinced she’d stop breathing if he let her go.

He’d reached for her hair, stroked it back off her forehead. Then with one finger he’d traced the cut in her lip. She hadn’t winced. His touch had soothed the pain. She’d clung to his hand.

‘No one is going to hurt you again, Amy. I promise you.’

‘But…’

‘Amy—look at me.’

That was when she’d seen his eyes so violently green.

‘I promise you.’

She’d believed him. She’d looked into his eyes and into his soul and seen her protector. She’d let him go then and sat silently until they’d reached the resort hospital.

CHAPTER TWO

‘I THINK YOU may have sufficiently embarrassed the barman, Lollipop.’

Amy’s face broke out into an uncontrollable grin and she turned back to where the voice behind her was coming from.

‘Don’t call me that.’

‘What’s wrong, Lollipop?’ He smiled. The slow, lazy smile that he specialised in. ‘Lost your sense of humour?’

‘No…’ Amy grinned. ‘But I have lost my tolerance for your teasing. And if you haven’t noticed…’ Amy put one hand on a hip and pushed it out ‘…I’m not as skinny as I used to be.’

Yeah, he’d noticed. Luke beat down the heat pumping through his veins. Amy wasn’t the skinny teenager of eight years ago. She’d changed. Filled out. His eyes slipped to her chest. Really filled out. And although he’d always considered her a pretty girl, she’d always been just that—a girl. But she wasn’t a girl any more. She was a woman. And, by the looks of the body she was showing off in a tight white skirt and tan silky blouse, she was all woman.

But she was still his little sister’s friend. Her silly, irresponsible friend. The girl who was too pretty for her own good. The girl who made an art form out of flirting. And that hadn’t changed. The barman was still flushing and throwing furtive glances Amy’s way.

‘Some things have changed, but not everything.’

He nodded towards the barman and Amy turned to see the direction of his gaze. The barman smiled shyly before fumbling with a glass and allowing it to drop with a loud smash to the ground.

He leaned in close to Amy’s ear so no one else could hear. ‘Still making men do stupid things.’

As soon as the words had left his mouth he regretted them. He watched her stiffen. He felt her shrink away from him and her cheeks burned an instant red. He hadn’t meant that. Not what she thought.

‘Amy, I…’

She smiled. Wide. Fake. ‘It’s okay.’ She gathered drinks. She hoisted her purse under her arm, flicked her hair and left. Making him feel like the most insensitive man in the country.

He knew what had happened all those years ago wasn’t her fault. She’d been a kid. Sure, she’d been silly, naïve—reckless, even. But who wasn’t at that age? She hadn’t deserve what had happened to her and he’d made sure that the loser who’d attacked her understood how wrong he’d been.

Luke watched her walk back to the table filled with people he hadn’t seen in years. People who had once been closer to him than his family. People who’d made him feel normal. People who’d made him feel as if he belonged somewhere for the first time in his life. For the only time in his life. He’d never felt like that since.

The memory of that summer on Weeping Reef had got him through some tough times in his life. Had it only been a few months they’d all lived together on the island? It had seemed like longer. It had seemed that summer had lasted for years. It was the place where he’d remembered being young. Having fun. Being himself. But that was over. His reality now was work and responsibility and money and more work.

And he liked his life. He didn’t want to go back. He’d grown up so much since then, learned so much. He was different now. Stronger.

But as he watched Amy walk away, clearly angry and upset, he didn’t feel strong. He felt twenty-four again. Inept. Out of his depth and totally unable to decide what to do next. At twenty-four he would have ignored it. Ignored her. Ignored the way she felt and the fact that he’d put his foot into it. He would have sat with the others and said nothing. Carried on as if nothing had happened.

But he wasn’t twenty-four any more. He was turning thirty-two in a month. And over the years he’d learned that the only way to solve a problem was to throw himself into it. Avoiding problems always made them bigger, more bad and harder to solve. Walking away was for sheep, and he wasn’t a sheep. Not any more.

His feet flew across the floor and he had his arm on hers before she even sat down. ‘Amy, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that the way it came out.’

Her eyes shot up to his. The same pretty brown eyes he remembered from all those years ago, but now a little more lined around the edges. From laughing. Or perhaps from crying. Probably both. If her life had been anything like his it would have been filled with both over the last eight years.

There were no tears in her eyes now, but there was something else. A fierce, angry determination he’d never seen before.

‘It doesn’t matter, Luke, that was a long time ago.’

She turned away, but he wasn’t letting her go. She didn’t fool him. There was no way she didn’t still think about what had happened. He did. A lot.

During the last year in particular he had thought about it constantly. Since Koko. Since he had almost been the father of a daughter himself. He’d thought about all the things that could go wrong. All the trouble a girl could get into. He’d braced himself. He’d been as prepared as he could. He’d actually been looking forward to it after the initial shock had worn off.

‘Amy.’ He took the drinks from her hands and placed them on the table before moving a little closer to her. ‘I’m sorry.’ He held her eyes. ‘I meant you’re still an impossible flirt.’

‘Is that what you think of me?’ Her eyes hardened. ‘I’m just a silly flirt who deserves everything she gets?’

She hissed the words and as he held her arm he could feel her shake just a little. Clearly it wasn’t okay. Clearly she still thought about what had happened all those years ago. And clearly he’d put his foot in it big-time.

Her eyes darted from one of his to the other. Challenging. Hard. No fear, just distrust. That made his gut clamp hard. He didn’t want her to feel that way about him. For some reason that was important. He didn’t want her to feel she couldn’t rely on him.

‘No, Amy. That’s not what I think. I like how you flirt with everyone you meet. You’re friendly and sweet…if a little naïve. But I like that about you. I always did.’

He didn’t move his hand from her arm or his eyes from hers. He couldn’t let her go. Not until she realised that he had her. He wasn’t going to hurt her. Something inside him burned to let her know that.

‘I was just teasing you.’

She stayed silent but didn’t move. The noise of the bar whooped around them but right then Luke couldn’t concentrate on anything but her and his need to make her understand what he meant.

‘What happened to your freckles, Lollipop?’

Her brow furrowed and her eyes lost that angry gaze. ‘What?’

‘Your freckles…across your nose.’ He softly grazed the top of her nose with the tip of his finger. ‘They’ve disappeared.’

A smile involuntarily moved his mouth. That summer they’d spent most of their time in the sun. Amy had worked on Reception but she had often gone out ‘delivering a message’ or ‘taking a parcel’. He’d known what she was up to. She’d skipped out as much as possible to enjoy the sun and find his sister to get into mischief.

As the resort manager he should have hauled her into his office, gave her a warning—told her off, at least. But Amy had had a way about her. Cute, cheeky, sweet with just a whiff of sexy. He’d never been able to do anything more than give her slap on the wrist. And she known it. And she’d taken advantage of it. Batting her eyelashes and flashing her magnetic smile whenever she wanted something.

His eyes moved from her nose to her eyes. They weren’t batting their lashes at him now. They were still. And hot. He saw something. Something that hadn’t been there eight years ago. A sudden curious hunger that he knew he was transmitting right back to her.

No, no, no. This wasn’t right. He stepped back a little, letting go of her arm. He couldn’t feel that. Not with Amy. Not with little, scrawny, troublemaking Amy. His sister’s best friend. His little sister’s best friend.

But she wasn’t that little any more. She didn’t seem young at all. She looked…His eyes landed on her lips. Full and soft, they were covered in hot pink lipstick. She looked…delicious. His tongue darted out to wet his own bottom lip. Everything in his body stirred. She was right—she was no lollipop any more. The pretty little nymph had blossomed into a gorgeous woman, and she was looking at him now as if she was thinking exactly what he was. Sin.

‘There are a lot of things about me that have changed, Luke.’ Her voice had changed. It was deeper, with a hint of husk. ‘And one of them is that now I know when to flirt harmlessly…’ She moved closer, her breasts brushing his arm. He looked down and watched them—tanned and bouncing slightly as she moved. ‘And when to flirt with intent.’

‘And what are you doing right now?’

‘Oh, I think you know exactly what I’m doing.’

His eyes moved up quickly and checked hers. ‘Well, I hope you know what you’re doing. You don’t want to find yourself in more trouble than you can handle.’

She moved even closer and the stirring in his body started to roar. Quietly, slowly, but persistently. This wasn’t little lollipop Amy any more. This was a woman well aware of her power.

‘You think I can’t handle you, Luke?’

Luke’s mouth dried up. The idea of her handling him was doing violent things to his body. Things were springing to life. He had to calm this down.

‘I think you might have enough to handle with all the booze being passed around this table.’ He nodded towards the table full of glasses. Some shots of tequila had arrived and were being scattered amongst the others.

She looked away quickly, then back at him. Hard. Hot. He held steady.

‘Not scared, are you, Luke?’

‘Scared? Of what?’

She smiled. A magnetic bright white that glowed in the dark bar. She shrugged a little. ‘You tell me.’

Luke’s heart beat steady but hard. She’d pegged him. He was scared. Scared that he actually wanted to take little lollipop Amy home, get her naked and kiss her entire body. And that he’d enjoy it. And he’d want to do it again and again.

But he wasn’t going to do that. Not with her. She was too close. She wasn’t someone he wanted to hurt. And hurt her he would, if he let himself go there.

‘The only thing I’m scared of is that this lot are going to get kicked out if they get any drunker.’

He looked behind him at the group of old friends. Laughing so hard they were falling off their stools. Passing shots of tequila around, talking louder. and getting more animated with every drink. Fun. That was what they were. Fun, easy and carefree. And Luke wanted a little bit of that. He’d just gone through the toughest year of his life and he was back here in Sydney for this. Fun. Not Amy. Not relationships. Tequila. Laughs. Old friends.

He swiped two shots off the table and handed one to Amy.

‘We may as well join them, Lollipop.’ He swept the liquid into his mouth and enjoyed the burn as it travelled down his throat. Get drunk. That was what he was going to do tonight. Then he’d be able to forget and relax and maybe live a little.

What he wasn’t going to do was his little sister’s best friend. He planned on staying right away from that little wasps’ nest, because he sure wasn’t ready to get stung again.

CHAPTER THREE

THE HOT TEQUILA warmed Amy’s already hot blood. She watched Luke as he necked another shot. What the hell was she doing? Flirting was something she did. With everyone she met. She’d always done it. She’d realised from a young age that she often got what she wanted with a little bit of sugar rather than salt.

From a young age she’d also realised that her flirting could sometimes land her in trouble, so she’d taken great care to tone it down in the past eight years. She only flirted outrageously with people she knew well—like Dave the barman, who happened to be one of her little brother’s mates. But she shouldn’t have flirted so outrageously with Luke. Could she make it any more obvious how she felt about him?

Amy sidled in next to Willa on the red velvet banquette. More partygoers had arrived and the room was filling with hot bodies. Inside her chest the usual thrill of excitement thumped. But tonight there was something else in there. Caution. An unmissable beat.

Calm the hell down. But it was hard to tell her heart to do that with Luke sitting right opposite her, with his big hard body and his come-to-bed eyes that had just locked with hers so hard she’d thought she’d never prise them loose.

‘What the hell happened? That was a pretty heated conversation.’

Amy glanced at Luke as Willa spoke. A couple of vodka sodas and her friend’s whispering hiss echoed like a train in the desert.

‘Shh.’ Amy moved a little closer so she could hiss herself into Willa’s ear. ‘Your brother hasn’t changed at all. He still thinks you and I are two little girls who can’t take care of ourselves.’

‘What did he say?’

He’d said she was still making men do stupid things. As soon as he’d said it she been able to tell he regretted it. She knew he hadn’t meant it as it had come out. She couldn’t remember how many times he’d told her over and over that night that it wasn’t her fault. That just because she’d been friendly it hadn’t given that loser the right to expect anything from her or to do…what he did.

Amy pushed down the swooping, then glanced at Luke. His eyes met hers and her stomach settled. He hadn’t meant that. He’d rushed straight over to her to tell her he hadn’t meant that. But what if he was right? Maybe she was flirting a little too fiercely. Amy hitched at her shirt. Maybe she was exposing too much skin.

No. No! Stop! she scolded herself. What had happened hadn’t been her fault. The way she dressed and the way she spoke to people had nothing to do with what had happened. It had been his fault. This shouldn’t ever have been her problem, her hang-up.

Amy shook herself physically. When she’d come home from Weeping Reef her mother and father and even her little brother had wrapped her up in their little cocoon of a family and helped her recover. That was when she’d met Laurie. Sweet, nice Laurie. Who’d loved her. Who’d made her feel whole again.

She’d hadn’t thought about what had happened in years. It had only been in the last six months, since her old friends from Weeping Reef had come back into her life and their stories had been rehashed, that she’d thought about it again. But she was strong. She was tough. She wasn’t going to let the memories of one bad night make her into a victim.

‘Ames? Was he awful?’

‘No, not at all.’ Amy shook her head and turned back to her friend. ‘Sometimes I’m just too sensitive. And besides, I think I’m still in a little bit of shock that he’s even here. You should have warned me!’

‘I’m sorry about that, Ames. It happened so suddenly. And anyway, there’s no need to be embarrassed. You had a crush on him years ago. He probably doesn’t even remember anything about it…or…anything else. And he wouldn’t even care. You know Luke—keep the peace, stay cool, never let anyone know what you think.’

‘Yeah…’

That had been Luke eight years ago. She’d fallen over herself back then to get him to notice her. That night with that horrible guest had been all about trying to make Luke jealous. She’d been trying for months to get him to notice her but he hadn’t. All Luke had wanted to do was work and haul her into his office to tell her off every time she bent a staple.

The old Luke would never have apologised. The old Luke would have said nothing. He’d have let her walk away. She knew his theory—not my monkeys, not my circus.

But tonight he hadn’t let her walk away. He was different. He looked different. Older. Harder. Stronger. Sexier. Amy bit her bottom lip as she sneaked another glance at him. That same strong jaw—only now wider. That same thick dark hair—shorter, but still with a hint of wave. His skin wasn’t as tanned, and he’d put on weight, but she could tell that underneath that suit he was all muscle.

He had taken off his jacket now and was laughing at something Brodie said as he rolled up his sleeves. His large forearms strained against the fabric and heat settled in Amy’s core. Her skin tingled. Even after eight years she still found him attractive. She still wanted him more than any other man she’d ever wanted. Even Laurie.

A flush of heat passed across Amy’s forehead and am ache rushed to the back of her neck. She’d never forgotten Laurie’s tears at the airport when she’d left Melbourne. But she’d had to go. She hadn’t been in love with him any more. She’d known she was breaking his heart by leaving, but she hadn’t been able to keep on lying and saying everything was fine. She hadn’t wanted to be with him any more. She’d been healed. She’d needed to move on.

But now, as she looked at Luke, she wondered if she really had.

The night wore on, as many of their nights together did. Full of laughter and stories that started with, ‘Do you remember that one time…?’

Normally Amy would be at the centre. Her stories the loudest and most animated, with just a hint of exaggeration to make everyone laugh. But tonight Luke’s presence made her retreat a little. She worried about what he thought. She couldn’t help it. Even after all this time and eight birthdays she still wanted him to like her.

‘So what else have you been up to, Amy? Besides work? Cause that’s all you seem to do, according to these guys.’

Luke was looking much more relaxed after an hour of so of drinking and swapping insults with Scott and Brodie. He’d edged closer to her, so now his knee was just inches from hers.

Amy was feeling the effects of the tequila and the vodka. She’d relaxed and was enjoying taking a back seat for once. Instead of being the one who was always up and down getting drinks, or moving between conversations, she was sitting back and enjoying watching her friends have fun.

‘Having fun. Keeping this lot entertained. You know what it’s like—there’s always a party to go to or someone wanting a piece of you.’

Amy smiled. She loved her life. She loved being busy, and having a big circle of friends was important to her. At first coming to Sydney had been hard. She’d been used to being part of a big group of family and friends in Melbourne and she’d found herself all alone. That was until she’d moved in with Jess and started to go out—and then, when she’d run into Willa by chance one night in a restaurant restroom, her social life had become manic.

Catching up with the guys from Weeping Reef was almost a full-time job—they’d all aged, and their relationships had definitely changed, but one thing hadn’t. This group loved to party.

‘I know what that’s like. It isn’t easy, being pulled in a dozen different directions. Do you miss home? How are your parents? And your brother—Antony? Does he still have all his animals?’

Amy’s brow furrowed and she leaned back a little. ‘You remember my brother?’

Luke had never met Antony. She hadn’t remembered ever telling Luke about him, and even if she had it was impressive that he could remember after all that time.

‘Sure. You told me about his obsession with saving animals. I remember you saying that every time he came home from school he had another injured animal in his backpack.’

Amy laughed. That was her little brother. When they were young their family home had always housed at least a dozen animals Antony had rescued and nursed back to health.

‘He’s a vet now—which was no surprise to anyone. At least that means the animals stay at the clinic and don’t come home. Although I was talking to Mum the other night and she said Antony had lobbed up with a wallaby for her to feed while he went away for the weekend.’

Luke smiled and his eyes crinkled. Amy watched it. She watched the way his mouth broke out into that smile.

‘So you still talk to your parents a lot?’

‘Not as much as I’d like.’ Amy stared into her half-full drink. ‘I miss them. They’re crazy and loud, and Mum is always trying to force me to try some new recipe that contains the latest “superfood”, or get me to drink things like chlorophyll and whatever else she’s read on the internet. But they’re…you know…home.’

‘Home.’

Amy met Luke’s eyes and they were locked on her. She’d felt him watching her for most of the night. As if he wanted to keep her in his sights. He was probably afraid she was going to do something stupid again, as she’d had a habit of doing when she was eighteen.

‘Where’s home for you these days, Luke? Willa tells me you’re some millionaire, swanning around on yachts with a different gorgeous woman on your arm every night. A hotel magnate, or something.’

Luke let out a whisper of a laugh. ‘Willa makes it sound much more fun than it is. Home for me is wherever work is. It’s been Singapore for the last two years. I started a new development there and I’ve been trying to get it off the ground. The Singaporean government are usually easy to deal with when it comes to western investment, but for some reason they dragged their tails with this one…’ Luke smiled and looked away. ‘But you don’t want hear about that.’

He straightened his spine and rested his hand on his knee. Amy watched as his fingers spread. Long, thick fingers. The alcohol was clearly taking hold, because all she wanted to do was reach out and lace her fingers through his. Feel the warmth of his skin.

Really bad idea, Amy scolded herself. Not Luke.

Amy had met a few hot men in Sydney to relieve the pressure, but she’d found it difficult to meet someone she was interested in dating. She’d found it difficult ever since Laurie, really. The men she met seemed interested in her looks and where she lived, but she hadn’t actually met anyone interested in her.

‘Sure I do. My new account is with a hotel chain, so I’d love to hear about your work, actually. I have absolutely no idea about the industry, so I’ll be hanging off your every word hoping you let some juicy PR secret out.’

Truth was, she liked to listen to him talk. He was one of those rare men who actually had something to say.

‘Feel free to drop in to my office here in Sydney any time and talk to my PR. Tonight I don’t want to talk shop, though. I just want to get drunk and relax.’

The booze had relaxed him, but for the first time Amy noticed the dark circles under his eyes. He ran a hand absently thought his hair. He looked tired and worn. Something he’d never looked eight years ago. Weeping Reef had been his first proper management job and back then he’d taken it very seriously. You didn’t step out of line when Luke was in charge or you were out.

‘Hard day at the office, dear?’ Amy teased, and Luke glanced her way with a smile.

‘Hard few years, more like it.’

‘So does that mean your home is here now…for a while?’

Amy didn’t want to sound anxious, but she was. Although she knew she could never be with Luke the way she wanted, the idea of him being close was strangely comforting.

‘For a while.’

He smiled directly at her. That killer smile he’d used on the island when things had been going well.

‘Good.’

‘Why’s that good?’ His green eyes darkened.

Amy couldn’t help it. She shifted forward till their knees touched. She just wanted him to know. She wasn’t sure if it was the tequila or loneliness or nostalgia, but she wanted Luke to know that she was glad he was staying and that her foolish girlish heart still found him hotter than a car bonnet on a summer’s day.

‘It’s good because it might be nice having you around. I’ve kind of missed having you tell me what to do, and criticising my work, and the way you used to say, “Not again, Lollipop.”’

He laughed out loud when she lowered her voice to mimic the way he spoke.

‘I did used to say that a lot, didn’t I?’

‘At least once a day. You were a horrible boss.’

‘I was a very tolerant boss, if I remember, and you were a terrible receptionist.’

‘I was the resort’s greatest asset.’

‘You certainly knew how to keep the guests entertained.’

Amy stilled.

‘Don’t go getting all offended again, Lolli. You know I didn’t mean it like that. What I meant was that our rebooking rate was one hundred per cent because of you and the way you kept in touch with every guest—emailing them about special deals and sending them postcards saying we all missed them on the island. Those ideas were marketing genius. If you’d put that much effort into filing your paperwork maybe you wouldn’t have had to spend so much time in my office.’

Amy laughed. ‘Maybe I stuffed up the filing because I wanted to spend more time in your office.’

She winked and Luke’s brow furrowed.

‘What…?’

‘You know…’

‘Know what?’

‘About my mad crush on you.’

‘Yeah, right. I think you may have had a mad crush on just about everyone back then.’

‘Maybe. But you were my maddest. And don’t say you didn’t know. I practically threw myself at you. How about the way I used to wear my shirts unbuttoned almost to my belly button?’

‘Yeah, you did. I was forever telling you to dress yourself properly.’

‘And all those after-hours bar dances. They never happened when you weren’t there.’

‘Sure they did.’

‘No. They didn’t. I could tell you about a hundred times when I embarrassed myself, trying to get you to notice me—but you never did, did you?’

‘Sure I did. I noticed. I noticed an extremely pretty girl who had a lot of growing up to do.’

‘Well, I’m all grown-up now.’

‘Yes, you are.’

They sat like that for minutes—too many minutes.

Then Chantal and Brodie called from the other end of the table. They were leaving. Amy pulled her eyes from Luke’s and checked her phone. Midnight. She had to go into work tomorrow—she really should think about going home too. But something about Luke made her want to stay. She wanted to be close to him, to be near him. He made her feel…something she hadn’t felt in a long time. Something comfortable and warm and exciting all at the same time.

‘We’re moving on, Ames—you coming?’

Willa stood to leave. She and Rob and the others would probably end up at Milly’s—the nightclub around the corner where they often partied until daylight.

‘Not tonight, Wills. I have to get up and work tomorrow. I think I might have to call it a night.’

‘What?’ Jess was very drunk. Her hair had come loose and she’d spent the last ten minutes hugging everyone in the bar goodbye. ‘No! Come on, McCarthy—we’re going out!’

‘No—no, I’m not.’

Those words were hard to say, and they tasted strange coming out of her mouth. But she had to say them. Despite wanting to kick the party on with Jess, and despite the irresistible pull towards Luke. She was a grown-up now. Her bosses really were expecting her to nail this account, and she really couldn’t let them down. She had to leave.

‘You can’t go home alone, Ames…’

‘I’m a big girl, Willa.’

‘I know, but you really shouldn’t travel by yourself.’

Amy rolled her eyes. She’d managed to get herself around Sydney every day and night for the last nine months, but Willa still worried about her. It was sweet, but unnecessary.

‘She won’t be travelling by herself. I’ll take her home.’

Amy’s head whipped round at the sound of Luke’s deep voice.

‘No, Luke. You don’t have to do that…’

‘Yes. I do. If you think I’m letting you find your own way home at midnight in the city then you’re drunker than I thought.’

Amy wasn’t drunk at all. Not by her usual standards, anyway. She was sober enough to realise that having Luke take her home was safer than going alone. But she was also sober enough to realise that she was drunk enough to maybe throw herself at him, given half the chance. And she didn’t want to do that.

And then he stood and rose up before her like a Viking, all tall and strong and broad…

Where had that association come from? Maybe she was drunker than she’d thought. She let her eyes drop and they rested right on him. On the part of his body she was most curious about. Slowly she licked her lips. She’d fantasised so many times about sex with Luke. Would he be gentle and accommodating? Or would he throw her against the wall, make her shut up and have his dirty way with her? She couldn’t decide which one she wanted first, but she suspected that she wanted to try them all.

Slowly Amy’s gaze rose to meet his eyes. ‘I don’t need a chaperon any more, Luke, I’ve managed to take care of myself quite well over the past eight years.’

‘Well, maybe I do.’

Amy stilled. What did that mean? Luke hadn’t left her side all night, and she’d noticed him looking at her. She wasn’t an idiot. She knew there was something there. An attraction. The old Luke would have ignored it, but the new Luke seemed a little different. A little more aware of his feelings and more prepared to deal with them. She wondered what he’d do with his feelings for her…

Ten seconds later she had her answer. ‘Get your coat, Amy—we’re going home. Together.’

It didn’t take long to find a taxi. The night was hot, and people were careening noisily down the laneways of the inner city suburb, but the taxis were out in full force, picking up the Friday night revellers as they moved from bar to club.

Amy slipped into the seat and Luke followed, sitting a little too close, pressing his big leg up against hers.

The ride to Amy’s flat in Bondi was silent, but the air was filled with tension. Every movement, every sigh, every look put Amy on alert. The buildings sped past on the main roads, but as they got closer to the beachside suburb the taxi slowed down to navigate the twisty turns of the narrow streets and the plethora of speed bumps that littered the way.

Luke wasn’t looking at her, but his leg was still pressed up against hers. She felt it, hard and definite. The rocking of the taxi was lulling her and letting the alcohol settle in her blood. She felt content. Safe. Safer than she had in months. Ever since she’d left Melbourne and Laurie.

But sitting in the taxi with Luke was nothing like sitting with Laurie. Not even in the beginning. She and Laurie had met through their parents, and he had been just what she’d needed at the time. He’d adored her. He’d thought she was the most beautiful, wonderful person ever to grace the earth and had expressed to her constantly how lucky he was.

He’d soothed her soul. He’d brought back her happiness. And she was grateful to him. But one day she’d realised she just wasn’t in love with him any more. And she’d wanted out.

Laurie had bent over backwards, trying to get her to change her mind. And she’d tried to stay with him—she really had. She’d tried to convince herself that it was just a rough patch.

But one night she’d gone out with some workmates and kissed someone else and it had been then that she’d realised staying wasn’t fair on either of them.

So she’d left—decided on a fresh start in Sydney.

Her parents had been upset. His parents had been angry. Laurie had called every day for the first three months. Amy had wanted to relent. She’d spent three months crying and talking and trying to explain why she’d needed to do what she had but they hadn’t listened.

It had made being in Sydney even harder. She’d felt deserted. Judged. And all she’d been trying to do was be happy. But the people in her life who claimed to care about her the most had seemed to want the opposite of that. They’d wanted her to settle. Be happy with what she had because it made them happy.

The only thing that had got her through was Jess and Willa and her work. Her parents had come round eventually too, but she still had to stay busy and high—otherwise she’d be reminded of how she’d let everyone down, and then all she’d want to do was go back home and make it up to them. Go back and make everyone happy.

‘You’re quiet, Amy. You’re never quiet. What’s wrong?’

Luke’s voice broke gently into the silence.

‘Nothing. Just tired, I guess.’ She was tired. Tired of always trying not to think about the things that made her unhappy.

‘I’m tired too. So much for me being a massive party animal tonight.’

He smiled and shoved his shoulder gently into hers. She shoved him back and he shoved her again. Their gentle shoves soon turned into pushing, and finally a little wrestling.

Luke grabbed at the back of her head. ‘You always did think you were tough, Lollipop, but I know you’re not.’

Amy pushed Luke’s hand away. ‘I’m tougher than you think, Boss.’

Luke smiled, ‘You haven’t called me that in a long time. I think I like it.’

The wrestling stopped. The air in the taxi turned a little thick. Amy stopped moving and stilled her hand where in rested, on his thigh. High on his thigh. His hand stilled on her head.

‘You like it when I call you Boss?’

Amy’s eyes skated to Luke’s lips. They were slightly parted. She wanted to kiss him. She wanted to touch him. She wanted to do bad, bad things to him.

‘I like having your hand there.’ Luke’s voice was deep, and he shifted his leg a little where her hand sat.

There was no mistaking what he wanted and how he felt. It sent a thrilling ripple through her to think that she could finally have what she’d wanted all those years ago. Time alone with Luke. Luke wanting her. It was everything she’d wanted as an eighteen-year-old and she could finally take it—if she wanted.

Carefully she shifted a little closer, her eyes still on his lips, her hand inching further up his thigh.

‘Like this?’

A deep, low growl escaped from Luke’s lips and Amy felt herself heat from the sound of it. This was it.

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.

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