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Jemma's mouth worked but no sound came out. What was there to say? It was game, set and match to Luke. He came out of this as the generous, pining lover… What a joke! But she wasn't laughing. For a mad moment she was tempted to blurt out the truth—only after one look at their smiling, relieved faces she bit her tongue.
'Is this a private party or can anyone join in?' Leanne sauntered up and linked her arm through her husband's, smiling broadly at Jemma. 'I always knew there was more to you than met the eye, Jemma darling. Well done.'
Well done! She felt as if she had been turned over and spit-roasted, and white-hot rage consumed her. 'Thank you.' Not trusting herself to stay a second longer without exploding in fury at the injustice of the situation, Jemma turned to walk away and bumped straight into Luke. One long arm closed around her waist to steady her. She looked up and saw the glitter of mockery in his grey eyes and wanted to rip his throat out.
Knowing perfectly well she was furious, Luke hauled her hard into his side, the warning explicit in the firm touch of his fingers. He smiled at her father. 'You will excuse us? After all, this is your party, David.' Glancing down at Jemma he added, 'I think we've stolen enough of your father's thunder for one night, darling.'
Was it only she who noticed his emphasis on the word stolen? It was a seething but subdued Jemma who remained silent as Luke said goodnight to the other three…
CHAPTER SEVEN
The moment she stepped out of the house Jemma turned to Luke. 'You bastard! How dare you—?'
'Save it, Jemma, and get in the car,' Luke said curtly. With his hand at her back he almost pushed her in and slid in beside her, throwing a long arm around her shoulders to hold her firmly in the seat. The car moved off after a brief command from Luke.
'Don't you order me around,' she snapped, her amber eyes clashing angrily with steel-grey. 'And how could you tell my father we were—' She stopped. Were what? Lovers? She couldn't say the word, and she hated the way he arched a sardonic black brow at her obvious reluctance to continue.
'Poor Jemma,' he taunted softly. 'You've buried your head in the san
d for so long that when the truth is out you still can't admit the fact.'
'You wouldn't know the truth if it jumped up and bit you,' she spat. 'You're a devious, conniving swine, and you might be able to fool my father but you don't fool me.' She tore her gaze from his and shook her head. 'I must have been mad to think this arrangement would work.'
She felt his fingers dig into her shoulder as his free hand tilted her head back slightly, so she was forced to meet his eyes, and the look she saw in his glittering gaze made her tremble inside.
'No, you only fool yourself, Jemma. I do not lie—and I would kill a man for insulting me as you have,' he hissed with sibilant softness, his nostrils flaring and his lips tightening into a hard bitter line. It struck her forcibly that invoking his anger hadn't exactly been wise.
Luke in a fury was an impressive specimen of primitive male. Inexplicably Jemma's heart stopped beating, and she was aware of him as never before—the rise and fall of his muscled chest beneath the conservative clothing, the strong tanned column of his throat and the small pulse that beat in his cheek. Her heart jerked back into a frantic rhythm, and as she watched his handsome face was suddenly wiped clear of all expression. 'So consider yourself lucky that I'm a man of restraint.'
'If you say so.' He didn't look very restrained to Jemma, or feel it as his body leaned over hers, making her nerves jangle with a host of sensations that were nothing to do with fear. She lost any desire to argue with him as desire of a different kind brought a humiliating blush to her cheeks.
'I do say so. And if this marriage is to have any chance of convincing my grandfather and the world at large that it is genuine, I suggest you start trying to do the same. We have to present a united front—which shouldn't be too difficult.' His face was only inches from hers, and his hand slipped lower to curve around her breast, his thumb apparently idly stroking the swelling peak through the fabric of her gown. 'And, with that in mind, I told your father that we met a year ago and you visited me on my yacht. We had a fight. The truth as far as it goes, you must agree,' he murmured softly, his narrowed gaze dropping to her mouth.
Heat coursed through Jemma's body and she lifted her hand, intending to grasp his wrist, wanting him to desist, but aching for more, but somehow her hand landed feebly on his shirtfront, and she couldn't deny what he said was true. 'Yes,' she whispered. He completely confused her, and his hand caressing her breast didn't help her thought processes one jot.
'So we are in agreement at last,' he said huskily, before adding, 'As for the rest, your father heard what he wanted to hear. And our appearance tonight as an engaged couple freed him of all guilt.' His head moved a fraction and his lips brushed across her mouth and back again, to harden and deepen into a long, possessive kiss. By the time he lifted his head, to Jemma's chagrin she was leaning against him, breathless and melting.
'I did you a favour, really, Jemma. Your family are convinced this is a love-match and can sleep happily in their beds free of any financial worry.' He gave her a knowing smile, his hand dropping from her breast to land casually on her thigh. She made a weak attempt to knock his hand away, but inside she was a quivering mass of electric excitement. 'And you can sleep happily in my bed, Jemma. You want me almost as much as I want you—though I don't expect you to admit it. But you will eventually. That I can promise you. In the meantime, as my soon-to-be wife and hopefully mother of my child, I expect you to behave as the sensible, sophisticated lady I know you to be—understood?'
Jemma silently nodded her head in agreement, not trusting herself to speak. Though she hated to admit as much, she understood perfectly. Luke's version of events saved face all round—hers included.
He was helping her out of the car before she had fully realised it had stopped. 'Wait,' she protested, glancing around. 'This isn't my street.'
'No, it's mine. You and I have a lot to discuss; I'm leaving for New York tomorrow. The details of our wedding must be decided before I go, and I have no intention of doing that in the home you shared with your late husband.'
About to refuse, she stopped. Financially he held all the cards, and physically, for some unknown reason, just the sight of him was enough to send her pulse racing—and he had done a damn sight more than look at her in the car, as her wayward body was hotly reminding her. 'Okay.'
'Very wise,' he taunted softly, slipping a hand around her elbow and ushering her into the foyer. He stopped at the security desk and introduced her to the uniformed attendant. 'Sam, this is Jemma—my fiancée, I'm leaving tomorrow, but Jemma will be moving in here next week, so I'd appreciate it if you would accord her every courtesy, and inform the rest of your crew.'
'Was that really necessary?' Jemma demanded as soon as the elevator doors swung closed behind them. 'I mean—'
'You mean what? You would prefer to wait until after we are married to move in? Grow up, Jemma. You're an experienced woman of twenty-eight and you know the score as well as I do, so no more pretence. We have a deal, and the sooner you accept the fact, the better it will be for both of us.'
The experienced woman bit was rather flattering; the rest she wasn't so sure about, and when he placed a hand at her back and urged her into the massive lounge of his apartment she had the childish desire to turn and run. But, sensing her ambivalence, Luke stroked his hand up her spine and settled around her shoulders. A minute later she was seated on the black sofa, watching as Luke strolled over to the drinks cabinet, removing his jacket and tie as he did so and dropping them on a seat.
He glanced back over his shoulder. 'Would you like a drink?'
'Just mineral water, please. Two glasses of wine is my limit.' She saw his grimace as he turned back to the cabinet, but a moment later he returned with two crystal glasses and handed her one.
