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But the jeweller awaits, and we have to get rid of this mess.'
Still reeling from the kiss, Jemma watched numbly as Luke turned and began to clear away with brisk efficiency. A less lover-like fiancée would be hard to imagine—but then theirs was no love-match, she reminded herself. Luke was a stockbroker and he had brokered a deal on marriage. Nothing more. She bent down to help clear the table, and, picking up the chopsticks, she had a strong urge to stab him in the back with one…
Jemma had thought Jan's birthday party horrendous, but it was nothing to the nightmare her father's birthday party was fast becoming. She was a teeming mass of quivering nerves and Luke's hand, which had rarely left her waist all evening, hadn't helped.
It was all Luke's fault. She should have realised when he'd swept her off to Bulgari's on New Bond Street that he actually meant what he'd said. He had paid a fortune for an impressive diamond and emerald ring, then driven her straight home and informed her he had some business to attend to but he would be back to pick her up at seven-thirty.
She had spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around her house in something of a daze. She had showered and dressed mechanically. It had only been when she'd slowly removed her wedding band that the full import of what she was doing had hit her. Her heart had filled with sadness and regret and she'd given way to a few tears.
But at seven-thirty Jemma had opened the door to him, wearing the classic black designer dress she had worn for Jan's party. She'd seen the flash of disapproval in his eyes, and then stiffened as he grasped her hand and carefully noted the pale line where her wedding ring had been. He'd given her a satisfied smile. 'Good girl, Jemma. But remind me to buy you some more colourful clothes. After all, the grieving widow is no more.' He'd led her to a waiting limousine, where a chauffeur had held the door open, and she'd slipped into the back seat, quickly followed by Luke.
Ignoring his crack about her widowed state, she asked, 'Why are we travelling in such style?' casting him a sidelong glance and trying not to think how handsome he looked in his immaculate evening suit.
'I always do when I intend to have a drink.' He reached into the inside pocket of his jacket for the stunning engagement ring and slipped it on her finger. 'I would imagine that a public celebration of our betrothal, plus the occasion of your father's birthday, will involve the drinking of numerous toasts and copious amounts of champagne.'
Jemma touched the beautiful emerald ring on her finger. 'Is this really necessary?' Glittering silver eyes locked with hers, and fear feathered down her spine. What had she done, agreeing to marry Luke? 'What will people think? My father and Leanne and their friends are never going to believe in a whirlwind wedding—not to mention Jan!'
'Yes, they will. Because I spoke to your father an hour ago. And, yes, the engagement ring is necessary—as the first prop, the traditions that surround a marriage. You and I know it's a business deal, but to the world at large it will appear as a conventional marriage—as long as you follow my lead and say nothing.'
Glancing once more at the sparkling jewel, she remembered the last time a man had put a ring on her finger—with love. Now it seemed to mock everything she had once believed in and she wanted to rip it off.
'Don't even think about it,' Luke growled, accurately reading her mind, and before she could respond he was kissing her senseless.
It only got worse when they arrived at Connaught Square. Her father congratulated her, saying, 'Thank God you two have resolved your differences.'
Jemma was still trying to figure out what her father meant when Leanne, in a surprising show of affection, hugged her and wished her happiness. Jan was the biggest shock of all; with a very young and very handsome male model in tow, she also hugged Jemma and whispered in her ear, 'Well done, kid.'
That her family were happy for her was obvious. In fact, glancing around the crowd now, as far as Jemma could see everyone was happy except her. Without thinking she reached for the diamond studded locket around her neck. Stroking it between her fingers she relaxed a little, a soft sigh escaping her.
Luke felt her relax beneath his palm and thought it was because she was finally adjusting to the situation. He glanced down at her, a smile forming on his firm lips. But then he heard her sigh and saw she was idly playing with the locket around her neck, a faraway look on her beautiful face. She couldn't make it more obvious if she tried that she was bored.
His hand exerted pressure on her waist and subtly moved her in front of him, his eyes darkening with outrage. He wasn't used to the women in his life being anything other than totally absorbed with him, but Jemma had the ability to drift off into a world of her own and it infuriated him. 'Enjoying the party, darling?' he murmured silkily.
Jemma glanced warily up at him, but she refused to lie. 'No, I'm not really a party person—and especially not when I am the cynosure of all eyes because of your ring on my finger,' she said bluntly. It had been a devil of a day, and a pig of a night, and she could feel a headache coming on. She was fed up and had had enough.
'In fact, I'm going to find my father; I want a word with him. After all, this is supposed to be his birthday party, and you've rather hijacked the event. You can do what you like, but after I have spoken to Dad, I am going home,' she said defiantly, and, grasping his hand, she tried to remove it from her waist.
Luke could easily have restrained her, but, banking down his anger, he agreed. 'You're right. The engagement is now public, and we've been here long enough.' Dipping his head, he pressed a swift kiss on her softly parted lips and let her go. He was rewarded with a faint blush that coloured her pale face, and the sudden gleam of awareness in her incredible eyes. 'I'll give you ten minutes and then I'll come looking for you,' he promised, and he watched her spin around and edge through the crowd towards her father as if all the devils in hell were after her.
He smiled a wicked smile. For a woman who had been married she was remarkably naïve. Surely she realised that the pleasure of getting her alone far outweighed any desire Luke had to stay at the party. His blood heated at just the prospect of the night ahead.
As for Jemma, she could do nothing about the embarrassing colour in her cheeks. But as she saw her father slip out into the hall a light of challenge glittered in her eyes. Her dad was not getting away so easily. She wanted to hear the truth from his own mouth. Had he been aware of exactly what Luke had in mind from the beginning? And what had he meant by his comment that she and Luke had resolved their differences?
She reached the hall just time to see him disappear into his study, but before she could follow him a slightly inebriated Jan strolled up to her. 'You dark horse, Jemma. I've got to hand it to you—I would never have guessed. Even when Luke took me to lunch after my birthday, told me he only considered me as a friend, and quizzed me about you, it never entered my head you knew him so well. Until…'
'Knew him so well!' Jemma exclaimed, the heat in her face draining away to leave her white as a sheet. Luke must have told Jan about their one-night stand, as he had threatened. How could he have been so cruel?
'You can drop the grieving widow look, Jemma. My mother told me all about you and Luke when I arrived this evening.'
' Leanne told you?' It was getting worse by the second, and Jemma didn't notice the reappearance of her father until he was beside her.
Beaming from ear to ear, he threw a paternal arm around her shoulder and hugged her. 'It's all right, Jemma, there's no need to look so shocked. You know—Luke insisted I had to tell Leanne the truth about the company, and she was a bit upset at first. But when I told her you and Luke had known each other for over a year and had parted over a silly argument, and that he now wanted to try and resolve your differences and hopefully marry you, Leanne wanted to call you straight away—but I wouldn't let her.' Jemma glanced up and saw the proud expression on his face with incredulity. 'I said no, we were not to interfere, even though as my future son-in-law he had offered to save the business. And see how right I was? One lunch was all it took for you two to decide to make up, and I couldn't be happier.'
Or more relieved, she thought bitterly. 'Luke actually told you we knew each other?' she demanded.
'Don't look so surprised, Jemma; you must have known he was still keen at my party,' Jan said bluntly. 'And you might have told me you'd already met him in Greece and spent time on his yacht, instead of letting me make a fool of myself trying to get him into bed. But, hey! No hard feelings—the next best thing to a wealthy husband is a fantastically rich brother-in-law. I should have guessed when he offered to invest in my business while insisting we were just friends.'
