‘Whatever appeals when we feel like it,’ James answered, his eyes still locked on Lucy’s, promising to please her in every way. ‘There’s plenty to choose from in the refrigerator.’
Could his mother feel the sexual energy being emitted? Was he always so open about it in front of her? Even being conscious of his mother being a spectator, Lucy couldn’t tear her eyes from his.
‘Then why don’t I prepare something while you two have your swim?’ Zoe brightly suggested.
‘Fine!’ James agreed. ‘Is there anything you particularly don’t like—’ He paused, raising goose-bumps on Lucy’s skin as he let the question linger suggestively before adding ‘—in the way of food, Lucy?’
She sucked in a deep breath, trying to focus on the practical question being asked. ‘I don’t really enjoy burn-your-mouth food like chillies and hot Indian curries.’
He smiled. ‘No de-sensitising your taste-buds.’
For kissing, Lucy instantly thought, though she had never connected such things before this. It was James, messing with her mind, the desire emanating from him exciting her own madly wanton urges.
‘Then that’s settled,’ Zoe said with satisfaction, apparently happy to accommodate her son’s program for the evening. ‘I’ll just potter around the kitchen and see what inspires me.’ She aimed a warmly encouraging smile at Lucy. ‘It occurs to me that I’ve been rattling on about our life and I know nothing about yours, apart from being James’ secretary. Do tell me more.’
This distraction was deeply unwelcome, yet courtesy demanded she answer something. Lucy took a quick sip of her gin and tonic to cool herself down. It was difficult to pluck anything sensible out of her fevered brain with James still watching her, listening intently, alert to her every response, both verbally and physically. Her whole consciousness was vibrating on a more immediate level—what was going to happen next, not what had made up her life before this.
‘I really have nothing out of the ordinary to relate,’ she said with a dismissive shrug. The last thing she wanted was to sound boring when James was finding her exciting…the sexiest woman he’d ever met! Somehow she had to live up to that, keep his interest running.
‘Where do your family live?’ Zoe persisted.
‘At Gosford. But I don’t really have a family. Only a mother.’ Like him, she quickly reasoned. Common ground. It was okay to say that much. She wanted a bond between them that went beyond work and sexual excitement, and she exulted at the gleam of interest she saw in his eyes. ‘I was an only child,’ she added, eager to re-inforce the bond, let him know she’d been fatherless, too. ‘My parents were divorced when I was very young and my father went off travelling. I have no idea where he is.’
‘Your mother didn’t re-marry?’ Zoe asked, seeking more background.
‘No. I guess you could say she became a career person, preferring to be on her own,’ Lucy answered reluctantly.
‘Ah!’ James murmured, as though she’d just said something enlightening.
Lucy’s skin prickled. What did he think she had just revealed?
‘What does your mother do?’ Zoe asked curiously.
‘She runs a health food business,’ Lucy answered, still wondering why the career tag was meaningful to James.
‘With all the nutritional fads and diets these days, it must be a thriving business,’ Zoe pressed.
‘It suits my mother,’ Lucy replied, not wanting to comment further. She couldn’t guess what either James or his mother were reading into this information and she felt discomforted by Zoe’s persistent probing for more background. Wasn’t it enough that she was a person in her own right?
‘Well, healthy food is fine, but all dietitions say it should be accompanied by exercise,’ James drawled, pushing up from his chair and giving his mother a look that warned her off any further cross-examination. ‘If you’ll excuse us…’
‘Of course, darlings.’ She eloquently gestured her generosity of spirit over the move. ‘Do go and enjoy the pool. Work up an appetite for dinner. I wouldn’t want my culinary efforts wasted.’
Relieved to be off the hook where his mother was concerned, Lucy quickly put her glass down and eagerly took the hand James offered to pull her up from her chair. Just the feel of his fingers closing around hers set her body abuzz with appetites that had nothing to do with food.
‘Take your time,’ James advised his mother. ‘We’re not in any hurry for dinner, are we, Lucy?’
‘No,’ she agreed.
But there was a sense of urgency pulsing between them, and as James led her off the verandah to the steps that presumably took them to the pool and cabana, the hand holding hers tightened to a hotly possessive grip and her heart started drumming in her ears.
Her mind shut down on where this was leading.
James was orchestrating the moves.
Let him lead.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
‘THE pool is solar-heated. The water is like warm silk this time of the evening,’ James told her as they descended the flight of steps.
His voice was like warm silk, Lucy thought, a sensual encouragement to feel all there was to feel. She shivered in anticipation. ‘Do you swim every day?’ she asked, tinglingly aware of his strong, muscle-toned physique.
‘Depends on the weather, but most days, yes.’ He flashed her a wicked grin. ‘I enjoy swimming and it’s supposedly the best physical exercise. It makes keeping fit a pleasure.’
Lucy’s mind instantly skipped to the other physical pleasures that undoubtedly gave his body a good work-out. If Buffy had spoken the truth…but she wasn’t going to think about Buffy, or any of his other women. This was here and now with her.
They reached ground level and there was the pool stretching out in front of them, clear blue water rippling in the balmy breeze. Most of the area surrounding it was paved with slabs of blue-green slate, but along the high side fences of the property, ensuring privacy, was a profusion of fern-trees, palms and tropical shrubs with shiny, colourful leaves, creating an environment that was visually exotic as well as inviting total relaxation.
Underneath the shade of the verandah were sun-loungers and occasional tables. Behind them was a third level to the house, presumably what they called the cabana, a large glass-fronted room, its layout curtained from view. James released Lucy’s hand, removed a key from under a pot-plant, unlocked a sliding glass door, opened it, lifted the curtain aside and waved Lucy into what appeared to be more a guest suite than a casual entertaining area.