Chapter Five
Aurelia
I stay in the office for the rest of the day. Luke hasn’t admitted it, but I’m pretty sure they’re tracking my phone. They’ve stepped up their game, and I’m not going to be able to give him the slip.
To be fair, I don’t see him much when I’m in the office.
I think he goes down to the main security room, apparently convinced the rest of our team will keep an eye on me while I’m in the building.
Marcus has had cameras set up all over the place.
I’m not sure why he’s suddenly concerned about our welfare.
But we’re an exceptionally wealthy family, and money can corrupt some people and lead them to do desperate things, so I guess he’s just playing it safe.
It does occur to me maybe something’s happened and they’re not telling me.
What was it he said about the Rutherford acquisition?
About making sure we remain safe from any maniacs who want to capitalize on it?
Maybe Dad’s received some threats and doesn’t want to tell me.
The thought chills me, but they’re obviously going to keep me in the dark out of some annoying attempt to protect the weak and feeble woman.
It’s pointless to dwell on it, so I push it out of my mind and get stuck into work. I have a super busy afternoon, with a number of meetings, a couple of interviews, and lots of articles to write.
It’s nearly six o’clock before I finish the last one, and I pack up my things, collect my purse, and head down in the elevator to the basement. When the doors open, Luke is standing there, my car keys in his hand.
“Dammit,” I say.
He frowns at me. “Do I need to ask you to give me your other set of keys?”
I bristle. “What is this, medieval England? Want to fit me with a chastity belt as well?”
“I’m sure that can be arranged, ma’am.”
I scowl, march over to the Range Rover, and get in the passenger side without being asked. He gets in the driver’s side, we buckle ourselves in, and he reverses out of the space. Soon, he’s heading down Shortland Street toward Parnell.
“Well?” he says.
“Well, what? Or are you talking to your team? It’s impossible to tell.”
“Well… do I need to ask you for your car keys?”
I sigh listlessly and look out of the window. “No. I promise not to give you the slip.”
“Oh. I was expecting more resistance.”
I don’t reply. I can’t be bothered to argue with him.
After a while, he says, “Are you okay?”
“Just tired.”
“I’m not surprised. You work very hard.”
I look across at him. He doesn’t meet my gaze, concentrating instead on the road. Marcus has given him access to my online calendar, so he’ll have seen all the meetings and tasks on today’s list.
“High praise from someone who calls me princess,” I say, a little huffily.
“I’m not saying the description wasn’t accurate,” he teases, “just that I hadn’t realized how you have to keep your tiara polished at all times.” I think he means I’m constantly in the public eye, what with interviews and social media.
“We are not amused,” I point out, and his lips curve up.
“So you’re having a quiet night in tonight?” he asks, presumably having seen the absence of any social engagements on my calendar.
“Yeah. It’s a busy day tomorrow. Several meetings in the morning, and then I’m seeing Dom for lunch.”
He sighs.
“What was that for?” I demand.
“What was what for?”
“You sighed.”
“No, I didn’t. I exhaled.”
“It was a sigh! You don’t approve of my meeting Dom?”
He just glances at me before returning his gaze to the road.
“No, come on,” I say, frustrated. “Out with it.”
“It’s not my place to say.”
“Oh, bullshit. You can’t sigh like that, then refuse to elaborate.”
He slows and stops at a set of traffic lights, but still doesn’t say anything.
“Did Marcus tell you about our relationship?” I ask suspiciously.
“A little.”
“Jesus, can’t I have any secrets? Why does my whole life have to be torn apart and dissected?”
He glances at me. “Marcus thought it was best that I was informed, that’s all.”
“What did he say?”
“Just that he thought the guy was controlling.” I roll my eyes, and he adds, “The irony doesn’t escape me.”
Annoyed that they both think they can have a say in my private life as well as my professional one, I reaffirm to myself that I’m going to continue to make Luke’s life a misery. I don’t care that it’s his job. He and Marcus are in cahoots, and I’m furious at them both.
I remember when I got emotional at the café, and he asked if I was faking it. I replied that I never faked anything, and he all but blushed.
If I can’t ditch him, maybe there’s another way I can force him to quit.
“Are you jealous?” I ask.
He stares at me then. “What? No.”
“Are you sure? It’s okay to admit it.”
“I’m not jealous.”
“I mean, relationships often develop when two people work together as closely as this…”
“I’ve been working for you one day,” he points out.
“Yes, but you have to admit there’s chemistry between us.”
He opens his mouth to say something, but no words come out. His eyes meet mine, and to my surprise there’s a little heat in them.
“Oh…” I say softly. “You do think there’s chemistry. Interesting…”
He blinks, and then his expression hardens. “I know what you’re doing.”
“I’m not doing anything. You admitted it.”
“Jesus,” he mumbles. He puts the car into Drive as the lights change and heads off down the road. “Marcus warned me, but I didn’t believe him.”
“Doesn’t seem as if you’ve had ample training in this area.”
He throws me a wry glance before he signals and turns at a junction.
My heart is still racing a little from the heat that flared in his eyes.
He likes me. I didn’t expect that when I teased him.
Not that it means anything; he’d never get involved with his principal, as he calls me.
But it might prove useful, even if Marcus has warned him that flirting is a technique I might employ.
He turns onto my road and heads down into the underground car park. Once he’s parked, we get out and walk to the elevator. I go into the carriage, and I’m surprised when he follows.
“You’re going up with me?” I ask.
He nods. “From now on I’ll go into your apartment first and you can wait until I give the all clear.” He presses the button for my floor, and the doors close.
I lean back against the wall and survey him. He looks straight ahead, but his gaze flicks over to me a couple of times. He’s clearly uncomfortable with me observing him.
“What?” he asks eventually.
“Nothing.”
“It’s not going to work,” he points out.
“We’ll see.” I let my gaze slide down him, taking in every detail of his broad shoulders, muscular arms, and long legs, then slowly return to his face.
He looks up at the ceiling and blows out a breath.
My lips curve up. This is going to be easier than I thought!
The doors open, and we go out into the corridor. The top floor is divided into two penthouses, and I own the one overlooking Hobson Bay.
“Stay here, please,” Luke says as we reach the door. He takes a key card out of his top pocket. Wait, he has a card to my door? Surprised, I watch him touch it to the pad, open it, and go inside.
I move forward and stand in the doorway, holding the door open and leaning against the door jamb as he enters.
Is he expecting a modern chrome-and-glass apartment?
If so, he’s going to be disappointed. The open-plan living and dining room has a light, sunshine-yellow decor, with orange, blue, and pink cushions on the cream suite.
The place is scattered with vases of flowers, books, and photos of my family, and other items I’ve bought on my travels.
A glorious, multi-colored rug from Morocco covers the carpet by the suite.
Handwoven cashmere blankets from Kathmandu are folded over the sofa and my favorite reading chair by the window.
Luke walks through, passing the kitchen, then disappears down the hallway. I hunch my shoulders, a little uncomfortable at the thought of him going into my bedroom.
The other security officers never came up here. What is Luke expecting to find? An intruder? A shiver runs down my spine, followed by a flare of annoyance. I’m not a movie star. There won’t be a raving fan hiding under the bed waiting to declare his devotion when I’m alone.
Luke’s only gone a minute or two, and then he reappears. “All good, ma’am,” he says, coming over to the door.
“Thank goodness,” I make myself say sarcastically. “So I wasn’t invaded by the barbarian hordes?”
“Not this time.”
I stand in the doorway, then gesture for him to pass through the narrow gap.
He hesitates, then obviously realizes what I’m doing, and his expression turns exasperated.
I look pointedly at the space between me and the door frame. “There’s plenty of room.”
“This won’t work,” he scolds.
“We’ll see.” I give him an impish look. “When you quit, make sure to tell Marcus why.”
He makes an impatient sound in the back of his throat, then walks toward me.
Oh… he’s taking on the challenge. My pulse speeds up as he pauses, then turns to the side and moves through the gap.
Ooh, he’s bigger than I realized. Our bodies touch, my breasts brushing his jacket.
Tingling, I look up, into his eyes. Wow, they’re so dark and intense.
“Look at that,” I say breathlessly as he exits the other side. “Completely unscathed.”
He runs his tongue across his top teeth. “All clear,” he says.
“What?” I’m puzzled until I realize he must be pressing the button in his trouser pocket.
Giving me an amused look, he backs away, then turns around and heads off down the corridor. “Goodnight, ma’am,” he calls over his shoulder.
I watch him go, then retreat hurriedly before he reaches the elevator and realizes I was watching him.
I lean back against the door, my heart still racing. Completely unscathed.
Yeah, right.
*
The next day, I spend more time than I should choosing what to wear for my lunch date with Dom.