Someone to Love Me.

Chapter Four

Chapter Four








The hotel where Luke had chosen to stay was located on the banks of the river Shannon and was set in almost five acres of rolling lawns and beautiful gardens that swept gracefully down to the riverbank. 
         After checking in at reception they were shown to a suite of rooms on the top floor of the building.  As Luke thanked the porter and tipped him Catherine’s eyes skimmed the room quickly before turning to look questioningly at him. 
          “Separate bedrooms” he said, trying hard not to smile at the bemused look on her face.  Catherine’s heart skipped a beat as the implications crossed her mind. 
         “I should hope so too” she replied frostily. 
         Luke laughed as he picked up her luggage and carried it through to the first of the two bedrooms. 
         “It’s sure not as frilly yours back home,” he dared with a broad grin on his handsome face as he stood back and allowed her to pass.  Well he was right about that she supposed as she walked by him and into the room.  In truth it was just the opposite.  It contained good solid furniture with clean lines and there were definitely no thrills. 
         Thrills - where on earth did that come from - of course she meant frills!
         “Do you want to eat up here tonight or would you rather go down to the restaurant for dinner?” Luke asked. 
         Catherine would certainly have preferred to order room service but she wasn’t too sure that she wanted to eat up here with just Luke for company.  Each time they were alone together her body seemed to react to him in a very uncharacteristic manner.  At least there would be other people around if they ate in the restaurant.
         Catherine didn’t know what on earth made her say ‘room service’ but she did.  Well she was probably going to live to regret that!
          “Do you want anything in particular darlin’ or should I order for both of us?” Luke asked as he left her room. 
         “Whatever” Catherine replied and she shrugged her shoulders as she began to hang her clothes in the wardrobe.  When she’d finished she decided that there was enough time to take a quick shower in order to freshen up before dinner and hearing the sound of running water coming from Luke’s room she supposed that he was doing the same. 
         Catherine didn’t know where she dredged it up from, but a vision of Luke, his well-built and very naked body streaming with water droplets from the shower spray, exploded into her mind.  It made her senses tingle and at the same time sent her vivid imagination rocketing into orbit. 
         Shaking her head to clear the pleasurable thoughts she quickly closed her door, stripped off and stepped into the cubicle.  It didn’t take her long to shower and within twenty minutes she was dressed, refreshed and ready to eat. 
         She was just running her brush through her hair when there was a knock at the door of the suite and a voice called out “room service”.  With every intention of answering the door Catherine walked out of her bedroom at almost the same time as Luke left his. 
         The sight that met her had her feet rooted to the spot.  Her breath jammed in her chest and her heart began to pound so loudly she was sure that he couldn’t fail to hear it.
         Luke was also coming to answer the door and all he was wearing was a similar pair of thigh hugging blue denim jeans to the ones he wore earlier.  They were moulded to his hips like a second skin. 
         My God, if she thought he looked tasty when he was fully clothed he looked absolutely delectable wearing just a pair of wranglers. 
         He might have a desk job Catherine mused, but he must spend some time working out because it was obvious to anyone with a pair of eyes that his well defined muscles were stacked together flawlessly and in all the right places. Not that she was a connoisseur of course, far from it but she certainly wasn’t dead just yet. She might not want a man of her own but Catherine was still able to recognise one when she saw one and oh boy she was definitely looking at one hell of a one right now!
         A healthy tan showed his broad, muscled shoulders off to perfection along with well formed biceps and strong forearms and hands.  A sprinkling of dark hair brushed his strapping chest and circled his male nipples before arrowing a path down from perfect pectorals, past a well defined six-pack to where it disappeared just below his navel and just above the bulge in his denims. 
         The top two snaps of his jeans were undone leaving her imagination with plenty to work at!  And boy was it working!  It was doing overtime.
         Catherine felt her body clench at the sight of him and she had to clamp down on a wild yearning to brush her lips over his broad chest and feel it pressed against hers, skin on skin.  Her breasts tingled as her nipples turned to hard nubs at the thought and she flushed as she quickly turned back into her room and closed the door. 
         Leaning back against the wall she did her best to bring her mind and body back in check.  It wasn’t easy; the heat brought on by the sight of his powerfully built male body sizzled through her blood and collected moistly between her legs. 
         For as long as she could remember Catherine had never met a man who could elicit even the slightest degree of attention from her so how the hell was she going to survive sharing a suite with Luke for the next few days when just looking at him had her raging hormone’s spiralling wildly out of control?  Breathing deeply she practiced relaxation techniques until she felt calmer.
         Luke meanwhile, opened the door to the waiter who came in and set their meal out on a small dining table situated next to a large window that overlooked the beautifully lit views of the gardens and the river. 
         Tipping the man as he left, Luke went back to his room and put on his shirt.
         He was finding it harder and harder to figure Catherine out.  From the look on her face when he’d come to answer the door you’d think he’d appeared naked as the day he was born.  She’d blushed redder than a Texan sunset. Had she never seen a man minus his shirt before?  She must be what, about twenty-eight years old, but when she blushed she looked like a teenager with a schoolgirl crush.  He smiled to himself; it was a long time since either of them had been teenagers. 
         Meanwhile back in her bedroom Catherine was still leaning against the wall.  Struggling to control her emotions she took a deep breath before opening the door and returning to the sitting room. 
         Luke was standing looking out of the window and thank goodness, he’d put his shirt on or she would never have been able to swallow a bite of food.  He looked so good that he made her eyes ache.
              Still, better her eyes than her heart!  She just wished she’d opted for the restaurant instead of room service but it was too late.  She would just have to grin and bear it.
         Luke had ordered them soup to start with followed by Irish beef
surrounded by baby new potatoes and an assortment of spring vegetables.
         No doubt he was comparing Irish beef to good old Texas beef she thought, with more than a hint of derision. 
         To finish Luke had ordered gateau followed by cheese and crackers but Catherine knew it was going to be a struggle to swallow any of it.
         He held the chair for her as she sat and then poured them both a glass of claret. 
         They settled into to the meal and Catherine began to feel herself unwind gradually.  It was probably due in no small way to the effect of the wine.  She wasn’t a drinker and except for the occasional glass of wine she never really touched alcohol. 
         Luke smiled disarmingly across the table at her as he began to gently probe into her background and ask her questions about her parents.
         It was unusual for her but Catherine found herself telling him about them and their lifestyles.  As she opened up to him Luke began to realise that she did not enjoy the same kind of relationship with her parents as the one he had with his own folks.  In fact she seemed to have spent more time with the housekeeper and nannies or at boarding school. 
         He sensed an air of isolation about her as they talked.  It was as though she had spent a great deal of her time alone and it made Luke wonder what kind of people her parents were.
         “Do you have a boyfriend?” he asked her.  “Someone as attractive as you must have men queuing at your door.” 
         He thought she was attractive?
         Her eyes fixed on her plate for want of somewhere else to look.  Pushing her food around rather than eating it Catherine looked anywhere but at him.  His eyes seemed to see right into her soul while all the time he was creating feelings inside her that startled her by their depth and their strength. 
         “Oh come on darlin’ don’t tell me there’s no one special in your life” he pushed. 
         She looked up at him, her green eyes blinking as if she was trying her best to hold back tears.  “I was engaged to be married once,” she offered with a long-suffering sigh, “but it didn’t work out.”   
         Those brown eyes regarded her more intently, making her even more aware of him and her body heat began rise under their scrutiny.
         “It didn’t, why not?” he asked. 
         Talk about straightforward, Catherine thought!  If he wanted to know something he certainly took the proverbial bull by the horns.  She smiled pensively at that - it was so appropriate!
         “My fiancée decided that he preferred his secretary to me,” she told him in a hushed voice. 
         She didn’t elaborate upon that; she didn’t think that it was necessary to.  It was her business and hers alone.  She didn’t want or need anyone’s sympathy, especially not Luke’s. 
         She’d managed to cope with the things that life had thrown at her in her own way for long enough now and that was how she intended to carry on but boy oh boy was he getting to her!
         Catherine had had enough; she wasn’t about to discuss her past life with him, it was time to change the subject and before he had a chance to say anything else she turned the  conversation round to him. 
         “Tell me all about your family” she asked in a low voice and so he did. 
         Luke told her that he’d grown up in Texas and about the ranch where he still lived outside Dallas- although he did have a manager who ran it for him while he took care of company business.  It seemed that Luke spread his time between Bennett’s and the ranch. 
         He told her about his father and how he always found the time to take him camping and fishing even while he was in the process of developing his business empire.  How they had barbecues and parties and how his mom made the best biscuits and cookies you could ever taste.  How they’d always gone to church on a Sunday and to rodeos and picnics and barn dances.
         Of course, he told her, that was when he was much younger but Catherine was sure that it must have provided a good solid foundation for Luke to build upon. 
         His father – unlike hers Catherine realised, had developed the business but not at the cost of his family life.  She could tell from the way Luke spoke of his parents that he had been brought up in a loving family atmosphere.  It was no wonder she was surprised that, rather than wanting the same for himself he seemed to prefer spreading his obvious charms far and wide. 
         He must be what, thirty-six, she guessed and yet according to the gossip columns he showed no signs of wanting to settle down. 
         Catherine wasn’t to know that he hadn’t had the same good fortune in finding someone to share the future with as his father had.  But then, his father hadn’t been a millionaire when he first met his mother so money hadn’t been as big an issue for them as it seemed to be for Luke. 
         To Catherine it all sounded wonderful and so different from the way she had grown up.  She could see the love that he had for his parents in his eyes and in the loving way he spoke about them.  It flew in her face, making a mockery of her lonely, loveless childhood. 
         A single forlorn tear escaped the prison of her lashes and rolled down her smooth cheek.  Luke looked at her and noticed it.
         “Oh hell darlin’ don’t cry” he said striding round the table. Lifting her from her chair he wrapped his arms around her and held her close.
         That was the final straw for Catherine.  All the hurt she’d felt over the years at the indifference shown by her parents and the long-standing humiliation of James’ duplicity finally overwhelmed her.  She thought she’d buried the wounds deep enough that they would never see the light of day again but it looked as though she was wrong. 
         The single, lonely tear turned into a deluge that threatened to drown her.  This man was unravelling her nice tidy world piece by tiny piece and she didn’t have a clue about how to deal with him.
         His arms enfolding her in a tight embrace made her feel so protected, so safe, so wanted, so different from anything she’d ever felt before.  She found it hard to describe the neediness that swept through her.  Catherine only knew that she could have stayed held close in Luke’s arms forever. 
         Forever?  Hell!  What was she thinking about?
         Was she stupid or what?  This man didn’t do forever!
         Luke was her boss for goodness sake and her work was important to her.  Better get a grip on her emotions before she cried herself out of a job.  She pulled away from him leaving a wet teary patch on his shirt. 
         “It’s a good job I don’t wear mascara” she hiccupped as she looked up at Luke’s face through tear spiked lashes. 
         Big mistake!
         He was looking down at her with those rich brown eyes and the minute they met hers she knew that he was going to kiss her. 
         He lowered his head and she was lost, drowning in the sensuous flood of feeling that he evoked in her.
         She knew she shouldn’t be doing this but Catherine couldn’t help herself.  She’d already had a delicious taste of what he had to offer on the night he’d given her a lift home from work.  Now, ever since she’d had that sample of what she’d been missing Catherine knew in her heart of hearts that she wanted more, much more. 
         As her mind struggled to justify what she was doing, their mouths met; touching fleetingly at first, just brushing one another butterfly soft.  His tongue slowly stroked across her lips and then smoothly insinuated itself between them, teasing and tasting the softness he found there.  He deepened the kiss creating an irresistible heat that swept through Catherine as she opened herself up to him. 
         Luke’s tongue mated with hers in a time honoured fashion that even she was able to recognise.  As he pulled her up against his firm length she could feel that he wanted her.  He deepened the kiss and Catherine was lost as her body drowned in a whirlpool of sensual energy.  Her fingers slid slowly over his chest, teasing his hard male nipples through his shirt before gliding up and around his neck. 
         Luke took a shuddering breath as his hands slid down her back to grip her bottom and pull her tight against his burgeoning erection.  The hard pressure created a feeling in her that took her beyond anything she had ever experienced. 
         Catherine had never been touched like this before; never been held like this before and had never ever needed like this.  It was madness, but she knew that she wanted Luke to liberate her sensuality by burying himself deep inside her.
         He was moving now, holding her close against his chest as he made his way toward the bedroom.  Pushing the door open with his elbow he drew her into the room.  Catherine was powerless to stop him even if she’d wanted to and to tell the truth at that moment she didn’t want to. 
         When they reached the bed Luke swung her up into his arms and with his knee resting firmly on the mattress placed her in the centre and followed her down.  His mouth covered hers hungrily and when she opened up for him his tongue once again dipped deeply while the fingers of his right hand trailed a sensuous journey along her curves from knee to breast. 
         Catherine felt her nipples tighten and pebble under his touch and she arched her back, pushing her firm breast against his marauding hand, silently begging for more.  Luke bent towards her and replaced his fingers with his searing mouth as he slowly suckled her through the silky material of her blouse.  Nipping and laving, cool mingled with hot as an exhilarating and arousing awareness pulsed its way through her body to shamelessly tug at her secret place until she felt herself dampen.
         Luke’s hand inched slowly down again until it reached the hem of her skirt.  Pushing it up, he trailed his fingers along her sensitive inner thigh.  More heat pooled between her legs and they opened of their own volition.  Luke felt for the lacy edge of her panties and pushed it to one side as he slid his fingers in to touch her swollen flesh. 
         She was hot and wet and ready.  Lifting his hungry mouth from her breast his brown eyes looked down into her dreamy green ones.  “If you don’t want this to go any further darlin’ you’d better say so now before it’s too late.”
         The husky timbre of his voice jarred Catherine back to reality and abruptly she came to her senses.  She felt as though someone had thrown a bucket full of cold water over her.  She had been so deeply entrenched in the sensations he was engendering in her that she had almost forgotten all of her longstanding resolutions.  She couldn’t believe that she had let her self-control take time off. 
         Fool!  Hadn’t the lessons that she’d learned from James taught her anything?  Stupidly, she’d let herself be captivated by an overwhelming attraction and at her age she ought to know better.  She was no longer an immature eighteen year old, easy to manipulate.  It was time she woke up to the facts of life.  Luke didn’t have anything to offer her except more heartache and she knew that she’d had enough of that to last a lifetime.
         If the articles that appeared in the press were anything to go by Luke Bennett could and she was sure, would have any woman he wanted.  She’d seen the magazine and newspaper photo’s of him out with models and other glamorous females.  He never seemed to be short of a woman’s company so why the interest in her; except perhaps to while away the time. 
         How did that old adage go?  A bird in the hand..............
         Catherine knew instinctively that she desired him, it was obvious by the reaction of her body to his, but that same instinct told her that she shouldn’t do this.  It had to be more than just sex for her and she was sure that for Luke Bennett that’s all it was.  Just sex, pure and simple! 
         Hell, sex it seemed to Catherine, was never going to be just pure and simple.  What a fool she was to think she could sidestep all of the standards she’d set herself.  What was it about this man that made her want to throw caution to the wind?
         James had never managed to make her feel the way that Luke did and since meeting him she had come to realise that it had never been love that she felt for James.  If it had then she would not have let him go so easily.
         It had been just another way to gain her parents approval and she recognised it as such now.  Sadly, because of her father and James, any trust in men that she might have had had been left seriously impaired and so how could she be sure what it was that she was feeling now?  If aching for someone and longing for someone and wanting someone was love - then she loved.
         No, it wasn’t possible!  She pushed herself up on the bed.  She didn’t like the path her thoughts were taking.  She had to move away from him now, before he could look into her eyes and see the feelings that must surely be reflected there.  No man was ever going to have that kind of hold over her, especially one with the track record that Luke Bennett had for loving and leaving. 
         Lowering her lashes Catherine slid to the edge of the bed and stood, oblivious to her dishabille as she backed away from him towards the door.
         Her whispered, “Sorry, I’m so sorry,” was all Luke heard as she made a quick retreat from the room.
         Luke swung his legs round and sat on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands.  What the hell just happened here he asked himself and he headed for a shower; preferably a cold one! 
         Catherine hadn’t struck him as a tease.  In fact he was more inclined to think the opposite, that she was fairly inexperienced.  Except that twenty-eight year old virgins were rarer to find these days than rocking horse ‘you know what’!  And anyway, if her response to him was anything to go by then there was absolutely nothing virginal about her.  She sure as hell knew how to turn a man on! 
         He groaned as he re-lived the feel of his hardness against her soft body.  The idea that she was casting him a line in order to reel him in hook line and sinker did cross his mind.  He tossed it aside for the moment.  He wasn’t going to lose sleep over her and anyhow he was here for business reasons and nothing else.
         Who did he think he was kidding! 
         He was here for business but Catherine was here because he wanted her every which way he could and if he was honest with himself he had since that very first day, when she’d fallen at his feet.
         In her room, Catherine paced the floor.  What do I do?  Do I stay or do I go?
         There was a song in there somewhere but somehow she didn’t feel like singing! 
         If she were worldly wise she would have shrugged this off and acted more blasé.  But she wasn’t and now she was beginning to realise that she did indeed have feelings for Luke.  And they were strong feelings.  She was afraid he would see it in her face and in the way she trembled when he came near her. 
         Dear God, the way she’d ended up on his bed must have spoken volumes. There was no way she was going to be able to face him again after what had just happened. Her body had responded to his touch like a parched man slaking his thirst at an oasis.  There was no way she could just quench that thirst and move on.  Catherine knew that she wanted so much more for herself than a tawdry affair 
         She realised now that she had been living a big fat lie for the last ten years.  Thanks to James she had wasted those precious years.  She wasn’t unresponsive to men as he had made her believe.  It seemed that her body had just been slumbering and tonight was proof enough of that!  She knew now that it had only been waiting for the right man to come along and rouse it.
         What an unkind trick fate had played on her by sending Luke Bennett to do the job.  Why this man, whose sole interest she knew, was in playing the field?
         The best thing she could do was pack her suitcase ready for morning when she was sure she would be handed her marching orders.  Pulling it open on the bed she began to empty the wardrobe. 
         Back into the case along with everything else went the turquoise dress.  It now looked as though she would never have the chance to wear it.  Perhaps it was for the best?  What made her think that she had the ability to hold the interest of someone as attractive as Luke Bennett?
         When she’d finished packing Catherine got herself ready for bed and it was only as she was slipping into sleep that she realised she’d been half expecting Luke to come banging on her door demanding retribution or something from her! 
         Could it possibly be disappointment that she was feeling?  She shivered but not with cold.  The thought of him in those sexy denim jeans, kicking the door open and taking her by force gave her the same delicious feelings she’d had when he’d carried her to his bed!  In her imagination he was kneeling above her, his hands gripping hers high above her head whilst his sexy mouth plundered the length her naked body. Sweet dreams!

                                                      ***
         Catherine woke with a start wondering where she was.  It took her a few moments to gather her wits before turning to look at the travel clock on the bedside cabinet. 
         Six o’clock.  It was not often that she was awake so early but since she was she might as well prepare herself for the ordeal ahead.  Showering quickly, she dried herself off and then began to moisturise her skin. No matter what the situation a girl had to look her best and as she applied the cream she found herself exploring her reflection in the long bathroom mirror.
         Dropping the damp towel to the floor she stroked the moisturiser in a slow, circular motion over her firm breasts and then smoothly down her flat stomach to the juncture of her thighs with it’s nest of curly auburn hair.
         She was not a vain person but her reflection told her that she had a good body.  How would Luke judge her if he could see her now?  Would he like what he saw?  Would she compare favourably to the women he usually associated with?  Would he appreciate the fact that she had never given herself to any other man? 
         What the hell did it matter anyway? 
         She wasn’t going to be around long enough to find out so she might as well stop torturing herself. 
         Pushing the wayward thoughts from her mind she finished getting ready and collected her things together.  She needed to sort out flight arrangements and she had to organise transport to the airport; she couldn’t expect Luke to do it for her.
         Catherine would have loved to spend some time looking round Limerick but not now.  She knew her heart wouldn’t be in it. There would be plenty of time in the future no doubt.  She would not she decided, look for another job straight away.  Instead she’d take some time to herself and do just as she pleased. 
Glad that money was the least of her problems she mentally thanked her Grandmother for giving her the means to be independent.  With a deep sigh she opened the bedroom door and suitcase in hand, walked into the lounge. 
         Luke must have been up for a while and when she walked into the room he turned to look at her.  His face hardened and those brown eyes skimmed from her face down to the suitcase she was carrying and back again.  The anger she saw in them gave her an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach.   
         He didn’t raise his voice when he spoke.  He didn’t need to. It was his expression rather than his voice that said it all!   
         “Goin’ somewhere darlin’?”  Oh so menacingly smooth and with that lazy Texan drawl!
         Catherine tried to swallow but her mouth was as dry as dust. Shrugging her shoulders she looked around for a way to escape.  There wasn’t one. 
         “I asked you a question darlin’” he repeated and waited for her answer.  “Home” she replied finally, trying to keep the tremor from her voice. 
         His dark eyes burned into her and it took all of her willpower not to look away. 
         “Like hell you are darlin’!  If you leave now I’ll make sure you regret it and you can kiss your job goodbye. 
         He didn’t think he was going to get away with threatening her did he?
                Catherine thrust a stubborn chin forward and managed to steady her voice. 
“I don’t have to work for you” she glowered, “I’ve got good qualifications. I can get a job anywhere”.   
         He moved towards her, his huge body blocking out her view of the room.  Catherine felt as if she was shrivelling up where she stood.  She couldn’t understand his attitude.  Couldn’t he see how upset and confused he was making her?
         “Walk out now and your qualifications won’t be worth a damn.  I’ll make good and sure you never get a decent job again!” 
         Catherine didn’t want to believe him but she knew in her heart that he could make life very difficult for her if he set his mind to it.  She might have decided to take time out for a while but she also knew that she needed work to keep her busy.  It was her lifeline against the loneliness and she would need it more than ever if her feelings for this man were to be smothered.
         “Well Catherine – what’s it goin’ to be?” he asked; still the thread of menace in his voice.  “Forget last night and give it another go or join the realms of the unemployed?  I’ll leave it up to you.  It’s your choice.  What do you say?”   
         She felt like screaming!  What could she say?  Luke wasn’t leaving her much choice was he?  Forget last night.  God, that wasn’t going to be easy, not for her at least. It obviously wasn’t going to be as much of a problem for him. 
         Luke saw the look of defeat that crossed her face and reached out to take the suitcase from her hands. He walked away and dumped it back on the bed in her room. 
         He was all smiles when he returned to face her.  Just, Catherine thought like the proverbial cat that got the cream.  Well he’d better look out. Given half a chance she would curdle it for him!
         She didn’t know how he accomplished it but over breakfast Luke seemed to have put all the events of the past twelve hours or so behind him as if he’d filed them all neatly out of the way. Catherine wasn’t finding it as easy but she thought that she was managing to hide her feelings quite well behind what she was sure was a bland exterior. 
         There was nothing on their agenda until that evening when, he told her, they would be dining with O’Donnell and his wife prior to business meetings the following day. 
         “C’mon darlin’,” he said after breakfast and completely out of the blue, “let me take you sightseeing.” 
         The urge to see something of Limerick won out over the urge to tell him to go to hell and Catherine went to fetch her jacket and handbag.   
         “Where would you like to go,” he asked.  “Do you want castles, museums, countryside or would you like to go walkabout in the City.”  Trying to hide her rapidly increasing enthusiasm Catherine left the choice up to him, after all he’d been here before so he was a lot better informed than she was. 
         Luke decided that they’d start with a visit to King John’s Castle.  The reason being, he told her in a confidential whisper that most Americans liked something that went back a bit more than a couple of hundred years.    Built around 1200 a.d. the castle certainly fit the bill! 
         Not realising how enchanting she looked as she revelled in the role of
tourist, Catherine was finding it hard to hide her enjoyment until finally she gave up the fight and just went with it. 
         She climbed the drum towers, poked her head into nooks and crannies, looked in awe at the replicas of siege machinery, sat through a filmed history of the castle and enthused at the jewellery and pots unearthed in the ongoing excavations of Viking artefacts. 
         When Luke thought she’d seen enough he walked her along the riverside past the impressive Civic buildings and the ancient potato market- now used as a car park- to where, a few strides up the hill they left the heat of the day behind them as they entered the cool interior of St. Mary’s Anglican Cathedral. 
         One of the oldest structures in the city, very little remained of the early Church but Catherine found the 15th century misericords in the choir stalls fascinating with their carvings in black oak of angels and other real and imaginary creatures. 
         Shortly after, they left the church and headed for nearby George’s Quay and then up to O’Connell Street where, Luke informed her, she had a treat in store.  Catherine looked up at him and smiled.  She suddenly realised that she was truly enjoying herself and it was not solely because of where she was but was also due in great part to the man she was with. 
         At sometime during their walk Luke had taken hold of her hand and it felt so good, so natural.  She was more relaxed with him at this moment than she had been since the day they first met and she wasn’t going to do anything to spoil it. 
         So what if he didn’t do long term, she’d take whatever was on offer she decided.  She wasn’t going to worry about later until later arrived.  Almost immediately she felt as though a weight had dropped from her shoulders and the day seemed sunnier as they walked along O’Connell Street hand in hand jostling their way through the busy crowds. Limerick was a thriving, bustling city and Catherine was falling in love with it, and she realised with shock, she was falling in love with the man at her side.  She pushed the thought to one side.  She would analyse her feeling later, for now she was going to enjoy the day.
         “What’s the surprise,” she asked with a smile that lit up her face. 
          “Nearly there” Luke said treating her to a smile that made her heart turn somersaults. Her green eyes were sparkling by the time they arrived at their destination. 
         It was a restaurant, its exterior not overly pretentious. In fact, if you didn’t know it was there you would probably have missed it. 
                “The Texas Steak-out” Catherine read aloud. She looked at him and laughed.  Luke looked back at her with a mock stern face. “It’s a real, live, authentic Texas saloon ma’am,” he said in a pronounced Texan accent.  Her face alight with laughter, she couldn’t wait to see inside and so she tugged him through the doors.
         Catherine thought she’d walked onto a western film set; the restaurant was modelled on one of the old western saloons and to make it appear more realistic the staff wore western style clothes.  A juke box was playing country music in the background as they were shown to a table where they studied the menu the waiter gave them.
          With his American accent, blue jeans and cowboy boots Luke blended in perfectly and as Catherine looked across at him her heart swelled with a tenderness that threaded its way around her body until she found it hard to ignore.  She knew that it wasn’t food she hungered after but for the moment she was prepared to settle for a light meal. 
         Luke went for the ‘full works’ to remind him of home, he laughingly told her. They ordered their meal and sat in comfortable silence as they waited for it to be served.  Catherine listened as Willie Nelson sang his version of ‘Blue eyes crying in the rain’ and without thinking she began to sing quietly along to it. Her elbows were resting on the table and her chin was resting on her hands as she sang. 
         Realising that she’d been carried away by the music she stopped singing and looked at Luke. He was watching her intently.  “Sorry” she said blushing. 
         “Darlin don’t be sorry” he rejoined “I was enjoying listening.  You sure sound good but I’d never have had you pegged for a lover of country music” 
         “What would you have me down for then?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
                “Anything but country sweetheart,” he replied with a grin.  She smiled back at him and they continued to talk about their tastes in music as they ate.  Catherine told him about being a member of a music society and the enjoyment she got from it and the shows and concerts that they had performed.  She even told him of her wish to visit Nashville sometime which took him by surprise but, he told her, she had to go with her dreams. 
         “You only get one shot at this life darlin’ and it’s not a practice so you’ve got to go all out to get what you want.” 
         The smile faded on Catherine’s lips.  Of course that would be his philosophy on life - to go all out for what you wanted - and she knew damn well what it was that he wanted. 
         Well she had wants too so maybe she would take a leaf out of his book.  The pages in hers were pretty boring.
         After lunch they spent some time visiting the Hunt Museum and then the rest of the afternoon was taken up just wandering round the many shopping areas.  All too soon it was time to return to the hotel.  Catherine couldn’t remember when she’d enjoyed herself more, which, on reflection was a rather sad indictment on the content of her social life.   
         They were going to be eating in the hotel restaurant that evening and Luke had arranged to meet the O’Donnells in the bar for drinks at eight o’clock.  That gave Catherine plenty of time to relax in a hot bath before she had to get ready.  She’d remembered to unpack her dress again and to hang it up before going out. Luckily it was crease-resistant so no worries there!  She’d been so sure she wouldn’t get a chance to wear it when she packed it away last night. 
         Since then so many things had happened, some good and some bad that although Luke had not mentioned what had ensued between them last night Catherine knew in her own mind what she intended to do.  She was going to follow Luke’s philosophy for living which seemed to be ‘take what you want from life and be damned.’
         She luxuriated in the bath for a while letting the scented water perfume her skin before wrapping herself in a huge fluffy towel and sitting in front of the mirror to apply her makeup.  Catherine had never used much and she didn’t now, just a touch of shadow to compliment her luminous green eyes, a little mascara to darken her auburn lashes, a whisper of blusher on her creamy cheeks and then to add a worldly effect, a deep red lipstick.  She brushed her auburn hair and pinned it back at the sides with diamante clips letting the curls tumble carelessly down her back. 
         Now for that dress!  She couldn’t wear a bra with it as the bodice fitted like a second skin enfolding her breasts whilst giving the observer a tantalising view of the creamy  globes.
         Knowing she wouldn’t be able to wear her usual panties with it Catherine had brought a flimsy G-string. 
         Looking at it now she wasn’t sure if she possessed the nerve to wear it.  Lord, she might as well go without as wear this scrap of flimsy lace!  She wasn’t bold enough to do that though, was she?
         The eroticism caused by this thought was what decided her.  She would definitely be wearing it!  No way was she going to spend the evening hiding the fact that she was in a high state of sexual arousal because she wasn’t wearing any knickers! 
         She donned the ‘briefs’ and slipped into the dress checking in the mirror for VPL.  Don’t be silly, how can there be a visible panty line when you’re not wearing visible panty’s she chided. 
         Thank goodness she was able to zipper up on her own.  The thought of having to ask Luke for help horrified her. She slid her feet into the dainty evening sandals she’d bought to go with the dress, walked over to the full-length mirror and took a long look. 
         This was definitely not the usual Catherine Ford who looked back at
her.  She looked like - Well she didn’t know what she looked like.  The dress hugged her body like a second skin, from her pert breasts to her rounded hips and over her derriere.  It left little or nothing to the imagination.  The split seam went from the top of her thigh down to the ground and showed off one long smooth leg to perfection.
         She must be out of her mind.  Whatever had she been thinking when she bought it?  She couldn’t go out looking like this – could she?
         Then she remembered some of the magazine photo’s she’d seen of Luke with the women he escorted.  Compared to them she was definitely overdressed.  Before she had chance to change her mind and chicken out she picked up her purse and the matching shawl and left the bedroom. 
         Her eyes practically popped out on stalks when she saw Luke waiting for her.  He stood there looking ever so sexy and oh so masculine in his tuxedo.  It crossed Catherine’s mind daringly that there were plenty of other things they could be doing tonight besides eating. 
         Luke turned and saw Catherine and his jaw almost hit the floor.  He didn’t need to tell her she looked good.  She could see from the look on his face that she passed muster. 
         Pity she didn’t have the courage to walk over and close his mouth for him.  The guy was positively drooling and Catherine bet that food wasn’t the first thing on his agenda at this minute either! 
         Luke swallowed hard, recovered quickly and taking her arm in his led her from their suite, across to the lift and down to the bar. 
         As he walked with her he was wondering how the hell he was going to keep his mind on his guests.  It was going to take all his willpower and more to focus on business and not on Catherine to the exclusion of all else.