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'And that's a taxi, right?' Luke was fully alert now, dragging her behind him as he loped over the terraces.
'Annie, baby—good to see you!' her mother's agent greeted. 'Sorry to be so late, but—'
'I'm glad you could make it at all,' Annie assured him as Luke left her side, going to poke his head in through the open taxi window.
'How's Willa?' the genial giant enquired, his eyes shrewd and watchful.
'She's—' Annie lifted her shoulders, spreading her hands, grinning. 'She's Willa.'
'Says it all, baby.' He picked up his case, turning to smile at Luke as he loped back from the cab, and Annie introduced them, knowing instinctively that the two men would be friends, hoping quite desperately that Willa would find long-term happiness with the man who had silently adored her for years.
'Well, I guess I ought to track my hostess down,' Griff was saying. 'I have a very personal matter to discuss with that lady, but see you guys at supper.'
'Not if I have any say in the matter,' Luke responded with a grin. 'Nothing personal, Griff, but this lady and I need a slice of privacy.' His smile took any sting out of his words.
Annie added quickly, 'Griff—tell Willa I'll dance at her wedding. Tell her to be happy. She'll know what I mean.'
'Will do.' His heavy brows lowered for a moment before he pulled himself together, and disappeared into the house, his intention to find his beloved accelerated by Annie's words.
'The driver's going to wait,' Luke told her gently, his words muffled through the kiss he placed on her parted lips.
'For us?' she murmured, her tongue playing with his sensual lower lip.
'Don't do that!' he groaned. 'Unless you want me to make love to you in front of one highly interested Italian cabbie! Now.' He held her a little away from him, smiling down into her desire-hazed eyes. 'Can you pack in three minutes?'
'Two, if I have to.'
'Good girl!' He swung her round and patted her neat bottom. 'Get moving. We'll be out of here in five minutes flat, on our way to start renovating a highly desirable property back home. Unless, of course, you have any fond and lingering farewells to make?'
'Not one.' As far as she was concerned the past was a blank page, and the future, her future and Luke's, lay enticingly ahead. And it began right now.
