interrupted her thoughts with another question. ‘And you enjoy managing other people’s lives for them?’
‘Very much, thank you,’ she said sedately.
Obviously she was only too eager to get the hell out of there. Luke fought back an unexpected spurt of temper. He wasn’t foolish enough to fall in love with his mistresses; experience had taught him not to let down his guard. So Iona’s calm lack of warmth should not only reassure him that she was in control of her life, but allow him to snap the tenuous bonds of an insignificant affair.
Instead he found himself resisting a wild impulse to touch her.
Alarm bells should be screaming, yet it took every shred of self-control not to reach out to her, run the tip of his forefinger around the luscious curve of her top lip, and then down the pale line of her throat, watch her changeable eyes darken into desire.
To prove she was no more immune to him than he was to her…
The doorbell rang. Iona started, then stepped back, blinking shadowed eyes. Luke felt as though he’d been poised on the edge of some dangerous precipice, and realised savagely that he’d just been about to make an idiot of himself.
She swivelled and said huskily, ‘That’s probably Angie—my employer.’
Luke’s voice was cold and deliberate, chilling her right through. ‘I’ll come with you.’
It was Angie. Iona hoped Luke didn’t notice the flicker of unease in the older woman’s expression.
It was masked by the calm professionalism in her tone when she said, ‘I’m Angela Makepeace; you must be one of the guests expected here?’
‘Yes. I am Lukas Michelakis.’
Angie held out her hand. ‘How do you do? I’m sorry, Mr Michelakis, but we were told you wouldn’t be here until late this afternoon.’
Somewhat to Iona’s surprise Luke accepted the courtesy, long tanned fingers enveloping Angie’s in a brisk shake. ‘As you see, I am early,’ he said, as though it were explanation enough.
Angie nodded, and went on, ‘I assume you’ve met Iona?’
‘Iona and I already knew each other,’ he said without expression.
Angie’s glance swivelled to Iona’s still face, then back to the dark countenance of the man towering over her. ‘What a coincidence,’ she said uncertainly.
‘An amazing one.’
Angry at being talked about as though she weren’t there, Iona said abruptly, ‘The beds should be made up by now—I’ll just go and check.’
As she turned away she heard Luke say, ‘I wish to speak to you, Ms Makepeace.’
Angie’s reply was muffled as they moved towards the drawing room. Questions buzzed around Iona’s mind. Why did he want to talk to her cousin?
And what had happened in that final intense moment when his gaze had dropped to her lips and tension had drummed between them, an insistent beat that drowned out every sensible thought in her mind?
Forget it, she told herself angrily, and checked the first and second bedroom. The maid had just finished making up the big king-size one in the master suite; she looked up as Iona came in and gave a swift smile. ‘All done.’
‘Thank you,’ Iona said as she slipped into the bathroom to make sure it was free of any trace of spilt detergent.
It was clear, and she’d just emerged from the suite when she heard her cousin call her name. Angie was on her own.
‘He’s on the phone, and it’s looking good,’ Angie said softly. ‘We might be put on retainer while he’s staying in New Zealand. Why is your smock wet?’
Hurriedly Iona explained, ending, ‘I hope you’ve got a spare one in the car?’
‘Yep.’ She handed over the keys. ‘Your Lukas hoped so too.’
‘He’s not my Lukas!’ He’d never corrected her when she’d called him Luke.
Angie grinned. ‘Go down and get the smock from the back seat, then get changed here.’ Reading Iona’s instinctive objection she said, ‘It’s OK—he suggested it. I’m waiting while he runs a check on the business.’
‘What?’
‘He’s a very rich man,’ Angie said with a shrug. ‘They’re not into trust. Off you go.’
When Iona got back with the clean smock she heard the sound of voices in the drawing room, and hastily shot into the powder room, gratefully pulled the crisp dry garment on and, after stuffing the wet one into her bag, examined the room to make sure it was pristine.
‘Good, not a rose petal out of place,’ she muttered, and came through the door, stopping abruptly when she met Luke’s eyes.
One eyebrow lifted, and his smile was brief as he said, ‘You look much more comfortable.’
‘Thanks for letting me use the room.’
That eyebrow cocked again, giving him a sardonic air. Hard eyes fixed on her face, as though he could read both her thoughts and the emotions rioting through her, he asked, ‘Are you and your employer sisters?’
Iona’s surprise must have shown because his broad shoulders lifted in a slight shrug. ‘Your colouring is different, but the shape of your face is identical to hers. The curve of your lips also, as well as a certain silken texture to your skin.’
His sculpted mouth curled in a narrow smile, and after a deliberate pause that set her nerves jangling he said lazily, ‘I have never forgotten it.’
Sensation prickled along her nerves, pooled inside her, reminding her of the bold, masculine virility that had swept her into an affair that now seemed like a dangerous fantasy.
It took all of her self-control to be able to say shortly, ‘We’re cousins.’
Chapter Two
GOING down in the lift, Angie said, ‘Where did you meet him, and why haven’t I heard about it?’
Iona had been bracing herself for questions, but even so, she paused as the lift came to a halt in the basement car park. ‘We met in Tahiti,’ she said, keeping her tone casual and matter-of-fact. ‘On the second anniversary of Gavin’s death. I was walking along a deserted beach—’
‘Wallowing in grief and guilt, I bet,’ Angie said astringently. ‘Iona, nobody knew Gavin had a heart weakness. Yes, saving you exhausted him and he drowned, but it was an unexpected, shocking tragedy, not your fault.’
Iona said quietly, ‘Intellectually I knew that, but I just couldn’t accept it.’
Angie unlocked the car and got in. Once they were settled she said, ‘And then your parents were killed by that damned drunk driver. It’s no wonder you were a mess. Then you met Lukas Michelakis in Tahiti?’
