Someone to Love Me.

Chapter Three

Chapter Three








Clive had used his last week to finalise things with Luke and now it was going to be up to Catherine to keep the ball rolling.  Everything had gone reasonably well while he was acting as a buffer between the two of them but Clive was worried that there was going to be problems once he’d left.  He could sense an atmosphere when the two of them were together and at times he was sure that he could see sparks bouncing off the pair of them.  Oh well, there was not much he could do about it.  It was up to them now, but he knew how much Catherine’s work meant to her and so he hoped optimistically, that things would go well for her.
         Three weeks on and Catherine was hoping the same thing as she worked away at her computer.  She didn’t know why, but Luke had a way of unsettling her and putting her nerves on edge.  She couldn’t put her finger on any one thing in particular, she just had a feeling that he was waiting for her to do something stupid or fall flat on her face. 
         Maybe Clive had praised her too highly and Luke thought that she was too good to be true. Well, she was going to do her best to prove her worth and show him that Clive’s faith in her was not misplaced.  Work was everything to her and it would distress her immensely if Luke thought that she was incompetent.
         Busy working on some spreadsheets, she hadn’t realised that he had come through from his office and was standing at her shoulder until he said her name.  Startled by the sound of his rich voice Catherine wondered what the hell was happening to her.
              Every time he came near she either turned crimson or jumped six feet in the air.  They couldn’t go on like this if they were going to work together.  They needed to be on better terms, not circling one another like a couple of prize-fighters waiting to see who would get the first jab in. 
         “Darlin’ can you order us up some lunch and then we can work through on the O’Donnell File.  I’d like to get on top of it before we move on to anything else”
          If he calls me darlin' one more time I'm going to scream Catherine thought, but at the same time it did give her a warm sort of a glow when he did.  She made a mental note not to let her guard down before answering in the affirmative.  Ringing the staff restaurant, she asked for a variety of sandwiches to be sent up.  There was sure to be something amongst them that he liked!  She made two coffees and took them through to his office, being careful not to spill them - that first time was one time too many!
         He was still wearing those damn cowboy boots to work.  Not that it mattered what he wore. Even with her indifference to men in general she found that she could still appreciate sex on legs when she saw it.
          Anyway, her body seemed to have a mind of its own when it came to Luke Bennett and it was all she could do to concentrate on the work and not on the man as they made their way through the intricacies of the O’Donnell file. She persevered as they worked steadily through the lunch break and for a good part of the afternoon with Luke sorting through the files and Catherine entering the information onto the computer. 
         It would probably have been a lot easier if the phone hadn’t kept on interrupting the flow of work.  The last call she’d put through to Luke was from Head Office in Dallas.  He’d been talking to who ever it was for a good while now.
         Catherine looked at her watch and realised that unless she left soon she’d miss her bus home but she didn’t want to just walk out without a word.  If he took much longer it would mean getting a cab - that was of course, assuming she could find one. 
         She didn’t have any special plans for tonight, only a hot bath and a bit of pampering but she didn’t want to waste time waiting around for a later bus. Although she was able to drive it was much easier to use public transport than spend time trying to find a parking space in the city. She’d have to take a chance and hope she could find a taxi. 
         Of course by the time Luke finally finished his conversation her bus had well and truly gone and on top of that he seemed surprised that she was still there.  Obviously his last PA hadn’t waited around for him and Catherine made a mental note not to either in future as she began to gather her things together. 
         Luke stepped towards her and took her coat to help her on with it.  She slipped her arms into the sleeves and as he lifted it onto her shoulders his fingers brushed the nape of her neck.  A prickle of sensation sent a shiver of awareness through her body and pooled in the pit of her stomach making her tremble.  It was the same kind of awareness as the one that permeated her body when she played or listened to a particularly moving piece of music.  She’d never felt like this with regard to a person before, especially not a man.
         “What’s wrong for goodness sake?” Luke said brusquely, “I’m helping you put your coat on not stripping you off.  Much as it might be an enjoyable way to spend my time I’ve got other business to occupy me at present.” 
Catherine blushed and pulled her things together.  Embarrassed, she mumbled a strained goodnight and headed for the lift.  Luke watched her go with a frown on his face.  Obviously he was having a disquieting effect on her.  Mind you, that was a two way street.  She was undeniably good to look at with curves in all the right places.  She smelled good too and she sure affected certain parts of him whenever he came near her.  All work and no play did make Jack a dull boy but then again, there was no lack of eager female company if he needed it.
         Why spoil things by getting too up close and personal with his secretary.  She may be jumpy around him but Clive was right, Catherine was a damn good PA and someone as good as her would be hard to come by. 
         Besides she was probably just like all the rest, only looking for a first class meal ticket. Well it sure as hell wasn’t going to be him who provided it. 
         Grabbing his briefcase he headed for the lift.  Calling goodnight to Joe the security guard Luke made his way through reception and walked out to where his car was parked in his private parking space. He lowered his long, lean length into the cream leather upholstery of the sleek, black Jaguar, belted up and switched on the engine then headed out onto the road. 
         He spotted Catherine standing at the bus stop as he swung the car round to the right.  ‘Damn’, he swore to himself.  He was going to have to offer her a lift; after all it was probably his fault she was late out.  Although he hadn’t expected her to, she’d waited to leave until he’d finished his transatlantic call. 
         Pulling over to the curb he pressed the button that lowered the window. “Hop in darlin” he called to her.
         Hop in darlin!
         What did he think she was - a bloody frog!  She looked at him with disdain, as if he was the last person she would hop anywhere with. 
         “No thanks, there’ll be a bus by shortly” she replied crossing her fingers. Please God!
         “C’mon darlin, there’s no need to hang around.  I kept you working late. The least I can do is take you home”.   
         In the end the thought of the hot relaxing bath she’d promised herself won out and she grudgingly opened the car door and sank into the passenger seat without she hoped, exhibiting too much leg.
         She’d started to wear her skirts slightly longer since the sofa incident.  Let him find someone else’s legs to eye up and leave hers alone!
         She gave him the directions to her apartment and he set off.  As Luke drove the silence between them intensified until he felt compelled to bring it to an end.  “Look Catherine,” he said, “Unless you hate your job and you want to leave we need to work together.  Okay, I know things got off to a bit of a rocky start but surely we can put it all behind us and work together.  If you have an issue let me know and we’ll see if we can’t resolve it between us but darlin’ please don’t behave as if I’m going to attack you every time I come near you.” 
         “I do not,” Catherine argued because although something about him did affect her every time he came close, she wasn’t about to admit it, not to herself and certainly not to him.
         The nerve of the man; she was offended but not only that, she was resentful of the fact that he had the effrontery to keep calling her ‘darlin’. 
         Lacking the sophistication needed to deal with a man like Luke, she decided that attack was the best kind of defence. 
         “Mr Bennett” she said shakily “my name is not and never has been ‘darlin’.  I would prefer that you didn’t keep calling me that, my given name is Catherine.”
         Luke could see that she was doing her best to not to be affected by their close proximity.  Her prim manner was her way of putting up a barrier between them. Far from being put off, Luke was thinking of ways to tear that barrier down.          
         “Miss Ford,” he countered with a sexy grin. “My given name is Mr Bennett but I would be mightily pleased if you would call me Luke.”  Mightily pleased indeed! 
         If his wide smile made her stomach flutter then she thought it best to ignore it.  He was too conceited for words and Catherine decided that the least said the soonest mended. 
         Eventually they pulled up outside her apartment block. Luke had
noticed from the directions she had given him that she didn’t live far from where he was staying. 
         He was in a house owned by friends of his family who were away travelling. They had offered him the use of their home until he found something of a more permanent nature.  He found himself wondering how she could afford to live in this neighbourhood. 
         She was on a good salary he knew but apartments in this area didn’t come cheap so how could she afford a home here?  Maybe she shared but he had never heard her mention a flatmate.  Come to think of it she wasn’t very forthcoming at all when it came to personal information.  Maybe she was in a relationship that included living accommodation.  But there was no sign of a ring and hadn’t she said there were no ties when he mentioned that the work could include some travelling? 
         Just for a moment the idea of her being ‘kept’ by another man crossed his mind and stirred up his insides but he thrust the feeling away.  He wasn’t going down that old road again; instead he got out of the car and sauntered around to open her door for her.  Taking her hand he helped her out.
         Again he felt that shock of awareness when they touched and he could tell from Catherine’s sharp intake of breath that she felt it too.  He recognised that here was an itch he was going to have to scratch and quickly, before it took him over. 
         He needed his grey matter to concentrate on work and while it was focused way below his belt he was going nowhere.
         Scratch the itch and hopefully it would go away.
         Maybe he could break his own rules just this once.  Judging by her reaction to him she was up for it. 
          “Are you goin’ to invite me in for coffee darling?” He exercised that sexy drawl as he walked with her up to the front door. 
         “Sorry,” she replied turning to face him as they reached the door.  “I have plans for tonight.”  Liar liar pants on fire!
         Catherine had to get rid of him quickly before his charm changed her mind.  She’d never in her whole life felt the way she did at this moment.  Even though she wasn’t sure what it was that was unsettling her, she knew in her own mind that it would be dangerous to let him through her door.  The effect he had on her was ripping her way of thinking to shreds. 
         Standing one step higher than him she turned and found herself gazing into his gorgeous chocolate brown eyes.  The look he sent her had the heat pulsing through her veins even as it held her spellbound.
         With a hand on either doorjamb he slowly leaned in towards her. 
         He’s going to kiss me, she thought stupidly as her legs turned to liquid.  There was nowhere for her to go.  The door - still locked - was behind her
and Luke was in front of her with an impudent look in his sexy eyes. 
         He inclined his body nearer to her, urging her back against the solid door.  Taking his hands off the jambs he rested them either at either side of her head as he moved closer. Pushing his lean length up against her, his lips covered hers and gently teased.  His tongue slid over the seam of her mouth easing it open before dipping in to savour her. 
         Oh my God, was all she could think as a throbbing sensation winged its heated way through her body and settled deep between her legs.  Catherine felt herself begin to melt and was certain that she was going to end up as a pool of liquid on the doorstep.
         Help me please!  Luke deepened the kiss as he slowly ground his hips against her.  All the while his wicked tongue swirled temptingly against hers. Catherine moaned with a throaty desire that tore through Luke’s brain, producing an inferno that threatened to scorch him.  She could feel the solid length of his erection pressing against her femininity making her inner core pulse relentlessly.  And she wanted.  Oh how she wanted! 
         The sound of voices forced their way into Catherine’s mind making her conscious of where she was. She thrust against Luke’s solid chest in an effort to escape his searching mouth just as the door opened and the couple from the second floor apartment came out of the building. 
         Breathless, Catherine took her chance and scooted inside before Luke was able to stop her.  Slamming the door behind her she headed for her apartment and safety.  What on earth was happening to her?  This man was turning her into a pathetic mound of flesh and a clutch of tangled emotions all at the same time.  Her body was reacting in ways she didn’t understand.
         The books and magazines that Catherine had read hadn’t prepared her for the rush of feeling that was threatening to overwhelm her.  Not sure how to deal with Luke’s blatant, sexual advances she’d chosen flight. 
              Luke in the meantime, made his way back to his car and sat there wondering what the hell had hit him. 
              He’d set out to scratch an itch and had ended up with a full-blown rash.

                                                              * * *

         Catherine was in work early the following day.  When she’d finally dropped off in the early hours of the morning, she’d slept badly.  Her plans for pampering herself had gone by the way and instead she’d spent the night with images of Luke and that kiss flowing through her mind like gushing water, giving her a deep ache at the base of her belly.  I must be stupid she kept on telling herself.  It was only a kiss.
         He was a man, he meant nothing by it.  Why should he?  Why would he be interested in me?  Why would he be any different from the other men in my life?  Her self-worth was just about trawling rock bottom.
         James had chosen his secretary over her and he’d made it obvious that it was her father’s money and standing that he really wanted.  As far as her parents were concerned, it was a case of ‘three’s a crowd’ and now Mr America comes along thinking he’s Gods gift to women and that she’s going to fall prey to his charms!  Well he could damn well think again!  Men, she’d had them up to her eyeballs!  Having spent most of the night feeling sorry for herself and wiping away a few forlorn tears, she was determined that this morning there was no way she was going to hide herself away.  She was made of sterner stuff! 
         She was ready for Luke if he wanted to make something of it!  He probably thought that she would be afraid to show her face this morning.  Well if he did, then he was in for a surprise - wasn’t he? 
         
                You could have cut the atmosphere with a Bowie knife as Luke entered the outer office.  But if looks were anything to go by well hell, no way was he about to take all the flak.  If she hadn’t looked so damned kissable nothing would have happened.  Hell nothing did happen.  She’d disappeared into the foyer and slammed the door in his face before he had the chance to take things any further. 
         He’d spent the night going over and over what had happened and he was no nearer to understanding it. Oh, he wanted her all right and if that kiss was anything to go by then he was convinced that she felt the same about him.  He’d wanted other women before and he’d had them.  No problem!  So what was happening here?
         Luke wasn’t used to having doors shut in his face.  Usually women pursued him until he let them catch him!  He needed time to think about this!
         Catherine was sitting at her desk working and it was obvious from the look on her face that she was going to pretend last night hadn’t happened.  Well, okey-dokey two can play at that game. 
         “Mornin’ darlin” he said as he sauntered on through to his office. 
         The first thought to enter Catherine’s head was- ‘there mustn’t be the letter G in the American alphabet’- quickly followed by- ‘what’s he up to?’
                Well it was damned obvious wasn’t it?  He was going to leave her to stew while he considered his next move! 
         And stew she did.  By eleven thirty she was a quivering wreck as she
wondered if he was even going to mention last night.  He’d stuck like glue to his office all morning and only spoken to thank her whenever she put a call through to him.  The longer she waited for him to broach the subject the more her resolve wavered.  And then it suddenly dawned on her.  He wasn’t going to say anything!
         How dumb can you get?  Of course he wasn’t - why would he?  It was only a kiss for goodness sake. It would mean less than nothing to him so why was she making such a big thing out of it?  He was a man; hadn’t she learned her lesson by now! 
         A lump formed in her throat as she tried to swallow back the tears that were pushing their way up from her chest and drowning her heart in the process.
         Damn the man - he was no different to all the others.  Catherine held the thought there.  What an idiot she was.  Had she actually thought he might be?  Well she ought to have known better. 
         The outer office door opened and Michelle from accounts breezed in.  “Good morning Catherine” she said with a pleasant smile on her face.  “Mr Bennett rang down for this file. Can you let him have it please?” 
         Oh I’d love to, Catherine thought but said nothing. 
         When she got no reply, Michelle, a lovely girl with a bubbly personality took a closer look at Catherine.
         “Oh dear” she said.  “Are you OK?  You look a bit peaky to me.”           Understatement, Catherine thought but she forced a smile and laid the blame on a late night. 
         “Would you like to take the file through to him?” she asked Michele before turning back to her work. 
         Michelle tapped on Luke’s office door and went in.  Although she was unable to hear what was said Catherine could hear the deep timbre of Luke’s voice as he spoke to Michelle and the laughter bubbling from Michelle as she replied.  But even worse, as she exited the room Michelle smiled at Catherine and shaking her fingers in front of her mouth, blew on them as if to say ‘hot, hot, hot.’ before heading out of the door.
         Catherine’s heart plummeted and before she found herself doing something stupid she fled to the ladies room.  Taking deep breaths to calm herself she sluiced her face with cold water. 
         What on earth was wrong with her?  She wasn’t supposed to feel like this.  If she didn’t know better she would say that she was jealous.  Not possible, she told herself. You’ve known him less than a month and you’ve only ever seen him at work except for last night. You’d have to feel something for him to be jealous so how can you possibly be jealous?
         Putting her overworked emotions down to past insecurities and the stress of learning to work for someone new, Catherine took another deep breath and headed back to her desk. 
         Luke was lounging in his office doorway when she came back, his shirtsleeves turned back showing off strong forearms with just a sprinkling of dark hair.  His ankles were crossed and his hands were pushed into the pockets of his trousers pulling the material tight across his muscular thighs.  He was pure male and so good to look at that just seeing him made Catherine’s heart hammer.  She also knew from the look on his face that last night was a dim and distant memory to him and that he had other things on his mind. 
         “Darlin’ how long will it take you to pack a suitcase?” he asked. 
         She threw him a puzzled look.
         “Come on Catherine answer the question.  I told you working with me would mean you might have to travel.  You said you had no ties.  Well we have to travel so how long will it take?”             
         “It shouldn’t take me long” she replied. “Give me an idea where we’re going and for how long so I know what to pack.”
         “We’re flying over to Ireland” he told her.  “Something's come up regarding the O’Donnell file and I think a personal appearance is in order.  We should only be gone about three days, or four tops.  It’ll be business mostly but pack something slinky just in case we have time for a bit of R and R.  I’ve managed to book two seats on the four p.m. flight and arranged for a hire car to be waiting at Shannon.  I’ll drop you at home and then pick you up again when I’ve packed some things for myself.” 
         And all in one breath!  The man was a veritable Texan tornado.  It was obvious he’d been busy arranging all of this and it made her wonder if he really needed a PA.  Was she superfluous to requirements? 
         Within forty-five minutes she was home and packing.  She almost didn’t put in ‘something slinky’ but at the last minute feminine logic kicked in. If they dined with the client she’d need something suitable to wear and she wasn’t going to be caught out without an evening gown. 
         Luke hadn’t said where they were staying but she assumed it would be somewhere upmarket and with a dress code to boot! 
         She had just the dress.  It had been an impulse buy but the minute she saw it she hadn’t been able to resist purchasing it. 
         Aquamarine in colour, it was a perfect foil for her auburn hair and green eyes.  Strapless, it clung lovingly to the contours of her body from breast to ankle, showing her figure off to perfection.  But the finishing touch especially when paired with a pair of strappy gold evening slippers was the split seam which went almost all the way from her ankle to her waist or was it her waist to her ankle? Who cared?  It was a knock ‘em dead dress! 
         Catherine didn’t stop to question her reasons for taking that particular one.  She had plenty in her wardrobe to choose from but before she could have second thoughts she packed it, still in its tissue and locked the case. 
         She had just finished watering her plants and making sure that everything was secure when her doorbell chimed.  She opened the door to find Luke standing on the step and the sight of him had her heart beating in double time as once again it headed for meltdown.
         This was a very different Luke from the one she was used to seeing!  Gone was the Armani suit with silk shirt and tie and in its place was blue denim and cambric!  The only things that remained the same were the boots.  But now they fitted in completely with the rest of his attire.  He looked like a- cowboy- and a gorgeous, sexy cowboy at that.
         She half expected to see a horse waiting in the drive but from where she was standing she could see he was still driving the Jag. 
         If she thought that the businessman looked good, hell, the cowboy looked incredible. 
         “Are we moving off sometime today?” he demanded.           Catherine gulped and gathered herself together as she nodded and went to get her purse and suitcase.  She hadn’t realised that Luke was following her until she reached the bedroom.  “I can manage,” she declared but he just gave her a heart-stopping smile. 
         “Mom brought me up better than that darlin” he told her as he stepped into the room to get her case.  Letting out a low whistle, he gazed around.  “Jeez this sure is a frilly room,” he said with a mischievous grin. 
         That did it!  How dare he? The man was impossible!  The only one to get through her bedroom door ever and he was making fun of it.  No way Jose!  How could he laugh at her decor?  She’d kill him.  This was her home and she loved it!

         Hot dog!
         If looks could kill, he was dead and buried.  One look at her face and Luke knew he should have kept his mouth shut. Before she had a chance to lay into him he grabbed her case and made a quick exit. 
         By the time Catherine had locked everything up Luke had stowed her luggage and was waiting with the car door open for her to get in.
         Forgetting her newly found resolve of this morning she almost told him where to stick his job and his trip to Ireland but she absolutely was not going to be put down by a sex on legs boss wearing cowboy boots!  This was what she was telling herself but she did wonder if there was more to it than that! 
         Well, it was too late now; they were on their way and as journeys went it was uneventful.  All through the flight Catherine sat with her nose buried in a novel and Luke’s was buried in work.  She was still annoyed by his unsolicited comments about the way her room was decorated, even more so because he hadn’t been invited in there in the first place. 
         Perhaps that was the problem.  Maybe subconsciously she had been hoping for something more than comic remarks. Perhaps she’d hoped for a continuation of what he’d begun the previous night.  If so she was unlucky and anyway she ought to have known better.  He was a man wasn’t he?           Her nose went back into the book and stayed there until they landed at Shannon airport.
         Luke retrieved their luggage, collected the keys to the hire car and in no time at all they were heading down the N18 to Limerick. 
         It was Catherine’s first visit to Ireland and she wondered if Luke had been here before because he seemed to know his way about. Perhaps he’d been studying maps; she wasn’t about to ask him!
         Conversation between them was still politely cool and at a minimum and she certainly wasn’t going to step it up a gear.  Let him be the first to break the silence; except she wasn’t finding it easy to ignore him as he sat beside her at the wheel of the car. 
         Her eyes strayed unwittingly to his strong profile, watching him as he concentrated on his driving.  She had to force herself to look instead at the surrounding views as they drove along.  It was early evening and the sun was setting behind them in the west casting long shadows onto the rolling landscape. There was so much green.  Catherine found it easy to understand why Ireland was called the Emerald Isle.
         She was quietly drinking in the panorama when she spotted the road sign pointing the way to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park and she was pleasantly surprised as they drove by.  Set back from the highway and standing sentinel in the evening light. The castle looked formidable with its high, grey stone walls and square turrets.  Catherine half turned in her seat as they passed, trying to get a better look. 
         “Bunratty” Luke said.  She turned to him with one eyebrow raised questioningly.
                “Bunratty” he repeated.  “It was built in the fifteenth century and restored in the nineteen fifties.  The folk park recreates Ireland’s rural life at the turn of the century.”
         “You’ve obviously been to Ireland before” 
         “Yep” he replied “I first came with my parents when they were doing a trace your ancestry thing.  I was in my late teens. Must say I enjoyed it.  Everyone’s so welcoming over here and the pace of life seems slower, more relaxed.  It’s a different world.  I’ve been back a few times since then.  I really love the Irish pubs, they truly are something else!” 
         He laughed to himself as if some amusing event had come to mind before changing the subject. 
         “Have you done much travelling Catherine?” 
         “No I haven’t,” she replied, “although I did go to school in Switzerland for a while.”  Her voice quietened as she spoke.  “My parents preferred to travel on their own so I was sent to boarding school and then I left home when I turned eighteen and started college so I didn’t have the time.  When I began working for Clive the time just flew by but I intend to travel one day, although I’ve no firm plans at the moment.” 
         Catherine sounded wistful, so much so that Luke took his eyes from the road to glance at her.  Her green eyes glistened with moisture and it seemed almost as though she was in danger of shedding a few tears. 
         He got the feeling that he was missing something here but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what.  Sure, she might live in a good apartment, but she didn’t seem to have much of a relationship with her parents.  He assumed she lived alone because she never mentioned a boyfriend, or friends for that matter. Maybe it was as he had thought earlier, that she was a rich man’s mistress.  It would explain how she could afford her fancy apartment.  She was good at her job. Luke knew that now but after a month of working with her she was still an enigma to him.  Well they had at least three days together.  He was going to get to know Ms. Ford more than a little better!
         “Another twenty minutes should see us in Limerick,” he said and silence once more settled between them as they continued their journey but now it seemed to be an easier and more comfortable silence, as though their differences had been put aside, at least for the time being.