The Wells Brothers: Luke (18 page)

Absent-mindedly, he stroked his
fingers through her hair while regarding her steadily, speaking honestly.  “I
want us to be a couple, Red.”

“Why?”

The straightforward question
wasn’t a surprise, it was Mikki all over.

“Why?”  He slid a thick swathe of
hair around his finger gently.  “To be honest, I never thought of you like
this, as a woman I’d want to be with, but something happened.  I don’t know
what.”  He gave her hair a tender tug.  “I’m not good with words, Mikki.  God
knows I annoy the living hell out of you sometimes, and yeah, I admit I enjoy
that.”

She didn’t say anything, kept
watching him unfalteringly.

“I think this is the first time
we’ve actually spent time together, forced to, really, and it’s made me see you
in a whole new light,” he stated sincerely.  “I can’t spruce this up with fancy
words and articulate expressions of devotion, it’s not me.  But I do know I
feel something for you, I want to see where it goes.”  Another tender tug of
her hair.  “What about you?”

Luke honestly had no idea what she
was thinking, her expression closed, so he could only sit there with her warmth
against him, her soft curves pressed to his hardness a perfect fit, waiting as
she studied him, his heart beating a little too fast, the first inkling of
uneasiness trickling through him.

The first time he felt a little
fearful because what if she didn’t feel the same? He could swear she did, she’d
responded to him so beautifully, but maybe that was his own wistful imagination? 
Maybe she didn’t feel as much for him, maybe she’d think this was a huge
mistake.  Maybe she didn’t want a bar of him.

Maybe he was heading for hospital,
because if she told him to take a hike, she wasn’t interested, he was sure he’d
stroke out.

“Luke,” she said softly.

“Yes?”  His voice was a teeny bit
hoarse, making him clear his throat.

“Are you really serious?”

“Dead serious.”

Reaching up, she slid her hand to
his nape, drew her head down so she could kiss him with the lightest brush of
her lips before drawing back enough to meet his gaze.  “I’m putting myself out
on a line here.”

His heart actually stuttered.  “If
you fall off, I’ll catch you.”

“No, Luke,” she murmured.  “If I
fall off, I’ll knee you in the nuts again.”

What?  He blinked.

Her fingertips brushed across his
nape, eliciting little tingles.  Their breaths mingled, warm and intimate, they
were so close.

“I agree, something has happened
between us,” she said softly.  “I’ve never reacted to a man the way I have to
you.  Since being here, I’ve found you to still be the annoying idiot I’ve
always known and loved to needle, but you’ve shown me a few other sides as
well.  I want to see where this is going, too.”

His heart swelled with relief and
tenderness as she pressed another soft kiss to his mouth, and he was more than
ready to take this kiss a little further, a little hotter and deeper, when she
drew back to smile up at him.  “Luke?”

“Yeah,” he breathed, already
drawing her closer.

“I’m not one of the usual women
you date.  You break my heart, I won’t just cry, I’ll break your nuts.  Just
remember that.”

“You’re nothing like my usual
women.  You’re all the woman I want.”  Amusement sparkled through the rising
desire and happiness.  “Even with your violent streak.”

And then he kissed her.

~*~

Coming down the staircase from the
tower, her hand clasped securely in Luke’s as he strode ahead of her, Mikki
wondered just how it had come to this.  Two days ago she’d never thought to
harbour any feelings towards Luke, much less have sex with him.  But there
she’d been, with him deep inside her and loving every minute of it.

As she watched his broad shoulders
descend ahead of her, she couldn’t help but grin a little.  He was unexpectedly
sweet, thoughtful and even more surprising, he really didn’t mind that she was
curvier than the women he’d dated previously.

But a tiny part of her still had
reservations.  This heat between them had been so quick, what if it was just
here?  What if once back in the city with work and every day happenings coming
between them, his attraction to her faded?  If the next willowy woman to catch
his eye took him away from her?

Only time would tell.

But even as she stuffed her
reservations back into the deep recesses of her mind, she knew that for her
this was a defining time.  This man with his roguishly good looks and sense of
humour had wedged himself into her heart.

Maybe he had a long time ago,
she’d just never realised it, never spent the time in his presence to recognise
it.

Before she had time for more
troubling thoughts, Luke stopped just before the door that led out of the little
alcove into the main room near the back of the sweeping staircase, picked up
the pencil from the little stone shelf and shoved it behind one ear before
gathering up the loose roll of papers and continuing through the open door.

Voices came from the staircase
above them and Mikki looked up to see her aunt standing on the landing talking
to, of all people, Wally DeOvert.

“What’s Lanky doing here?” Luke
queried.

“Talking to Aunt.”

“Smart arse.”  He peered up at the
dour-looking man.  “Geez, he’s got some life in him at the moment.  Get a
gander at him.”

Studying Wally, she had to admit
Luke was right.  Wally’s grim features were almost animated, the smile curving
his thin lips almost wince-inducing.  He had his hands folded over each other,
his shaggy eyebrows going up and down with - holy crap, was that glee?

Leaning closer to Luke, she
whispered, “I’m expecting him to start rubbing his hands together and cackle.”

“Yeah, I hear you.”

Elspeth was full of enthusiasm,
her arms waving about as she chattered brightly, arms flinging first in one
direction then the other.  She almost got Wally right in the chops with one
hand, but he ducked it with surprising litheness and carried on listening
without blinking an eye.

“What’s got him so enamoured?”
Mikki wondered.

“Probably got dollar signs in his
eyes,” Luke replied.

“What is it with you and dollar
signs?  Is it your business or something?”

“No, it’s the fact your aunt is
loaded and suddenly men are sniffing around you and her.”

Mikki shot him an incredulous
look.  “Maybe I should say the same about you!”

He didn’t take his eyes from the
couple on the landing.  “Red, I know you’re as broke as all get-out.  You’re a
shop assistant.  Yet I still have the hots for you.”  Bright blue eyes dropped
to skim her face with a definitely wicked look.  “And I’m sniffing-”

“Don’t go any further.”  She held
up one hand.  “It might sound okay in your head, but trust me, that sentence
can only end badly.”

“You have no idea where I’m
thinking of sni-”

“Will you stop it?”  She cut him a
severe look.  “If you’ve got a thing for sniffing, don’t do it around me. 
Maybe you’ve been around Dog too long.”

That had him straightening indignantly. 
“I don’t sniff arses.”

“So what were you going - never
mind.”  Mikki squinted up at Elspeth and Wally.  “Besides, you chased Mark
off.”

“Yeah, I did,” Luke agreed smugly.

“You going to chase Wally off
too?”

“He’s sniffing around Elspeth, the
dirty gold-digger.  Watch me in action.”  With that, Luke strode the remainder
of the length of the staircase and started up it.  “Hey, Wally, fancy seeing
you here.”

There was no doubting Wally wasn’t
keen on Luke.  His thin shoulders drew back, his face resumed its haughty expression,
and he eyed the younger man like he was the proverbial shit on the soles of his
shoes.  “Mr Wells.”

“Please, call me Luke.”  Luke
smiled at Elspeth.  “You’re looking happy.”

Mikki half expected him to ask Elspeth
straight out if she was thinking of dating, almost choking on a  laugh at the
reply she knew Elspeth would slap him with, but instead Luke managed not to
spoil his poise by saying anything dumb.

“Wally is going to be my new
butler!” Elspeth announced excitedly.

That had Luke stumble on a step.  Mikki
raced up the stairs, half expecting him to bounce down it arse over tit, but he
grabbed onto the banister to steady himself while staring up at the thin man.  “What?”

“My butler,” Elspeth repeated. 
“Isn’t it a great idea?”  Turning, she swung her arms to each side in a grand
sweep, narrowly missing Wally who simply leaned back so her hand could swing
past his face.

Give the man credit, he didn’t
even flinch.  Coming up behind Luke, placing one hand in the small of his back
in an unconsciously supportive gesture, Mikki had to marvel at Wally’s composure.

“An old mansion brought back to
life, full of paying guests, recreating the glory of by-gone years, the elegance,
the era, and I’m going to have an honest-to-goodness
butler
!”

Astonished, Luke pointed at
Wally.  “Him?”

Wally looked down his nose at
Luke.  “I’m a descendant of the butler who used to serve here.  I have the
mansion in my genes.”

“Impressive, I only have a pecker
in mine-” Luke caught himself, coughed and continued, “What do you know of
butlering?”

“Young man, I have managed the
motel in town for years.  Before that I managed the Grand Hotel in the city.  I
am not without experience.”

“Are you seriously going to wear a
butler’s uniform?”

“Luke,” Elspeth said
reproachfully.  “Wally is an excellent choice.  We’ve talked about his
experiences, he’s going to give me his resume, we’re both quite keen.  I’ll
need to discuss with him the role of a butler, I’m not even sure I really know
myself, but it
will
be a good idea.”  She said it with a smile, but
there was no doubting the steel underlying her tone.

Mikki grinned at Luke’s astonished
expression.  Everyone thought Aunt Elspeth was a push-over, but beneath that
sometimes airy-fair, eccentric air she liked to cultivate, there beat a heart
of solid good business sense.  Depending on Elspeth’s plan, she could call a
spade a teaspoon with cute little roses on the handle, or call it a bloody
shovel and be done with it.

“Now then.”  Elspeth gave them all
a beaming smile.  “Let’s go to the kitchen and have a nice cuppa and chat.”

Wally politely waited for Elspeth
to precede him, giving Luke a slight smirk behind her back.

As she passed Luke, Elspeth
stopped, kissed him on the cheek fondly, said, “Dear boy, stop worrying about
me,” and continued down the staircase with Wally bringing up the rear, his back
plank straight, his face completely expressionless except for a bright gleam in
his eyes.

Turning to watch them, Luke
whispered, “That woman has hidden depths.”

“You have no idea.”

“She’s a little scary at times.”

“Diddums.”  Amused, she took his
hand and started down the staircase.  “I’ll protect you.”

They were almost to the doorway of
the side hall leading to the servants’ hall, Elspeth and Wally already
disappearing down it, only to hear Elspeth screech out seconds later,
“Duchess!”

Before Mikki and Luke could even
think, a little mottled ball of black and ginger fluff tore around the corner
of the doorway, skirted around their ankles and took off through the big room. 
Dog appeared excitedly, looking around eagerly.

“Dog!  Sit!” Luke ordered swiftly.

Dog obeyed immediately, his bum
hitting the floor, ears pricked, watching Luke.

“The kitten’s loose!” Mikki started
after it.

“Wait.”  Luke grabbed her arm. 
“Don’t chase her, she’ll only get jittery and-” but he didn’t get any further
before Wally appeared, long legs eating up the distance as he went full-bore
after Duchess, who immediately scampered up the stairs.  “Oh shit.  Well, there
goes that.”

“Wally!” Mikki yelled.  “Stop! 
Duchess is scared of you!”

Wally did as bidden, but only
because he had to regain breathe.  Running halfway up a grand staircase was
obviously a little too much for him.

The next half hour was spent
hunting for Duchess.  The tiny scrap was easily lost in a mansion of this
size.  Luke made Wally stand guard at the top of the staircase while he, Mikki
and Elspeth split up to search through the rooms.

Worriedly, Mikki searched through
the boxes left behind to pack the last of the furniture the next day, as well
as the trinkets and china left behind.  In the other rooms she could hear Elspeth
and Luke cooing and calling softly to Duchess.

“Come on, baby,” she said a little
desperately.  “You can’t stay up here alone.”

No kitten.

Anxiously nibbling on a fingernail,
she stood in the last room contemplating the surroundings.  It was one of the
bedrooms, the old, tattered, four-poster bed grim and shabby with its
mouldering quilt cover.

Luke came in behind her.  “Any
luck?”

“No.”  Her voice wobbled.

He gave her back a comforting
rub.  “We’ll find her, Red.”

“She’s so little, and we haven’t
found her yet.”

“So we’ll search again.  Elspeth
is re-starting the rooms she’s searched already.”  He gave Mikki a quick hug. 
“I promise we’ll find her.”

“If we don’t?”

“Stop that.”  He accompanied the
stern words with a quick kiss to her brow.  “We will.  Now come on, let’s look
around in here together.”

She swallowed.  “No.  I’ll look
here, you check out the other rooms.  We need to find her.”  At his searching gaze,
she said, “I’m fine.  Just a weak moment.”

He nodded.  “Understandable, she’s
only a baby animal.  Okay, I’ll just be next door and -”  He stopped suddenly,
holding up a hand, one finger pointing towards the old four-poster bed.

Looking down, she saw Duchess’s
little tail sticking out from under the rotting bedspread that hung to the
floor.  Thank God, they’d found her!  Duchess moved further under the bed, her
tail disappearing from sight.