Yesterday & Forever (3 page)

If anyone noticed the delivery girl with the giant pink bag scuffling across the floor, they were too polite to say anything. That or they thought she was a few marbles short of a whole bag and thought better than to approach her.

Not much further, Cass thought, breathing a sigh of relief.

“
Where are you going Luca?” a voice called across the din of the crowd.

“
Conference call”, he shot back.

Shit!
Cass thought, shuffling at a faster pace.

Nearly...there...

“
What the?!”

Cass froze, knowing she’d been rumbled.

What seemed like an eternity passed, then, “Do you need any help?”

She could hear the smile in his voice. The cheek!

She sat back on her knees and continued to stare at the door, “No thanks. I’m good”.

“
Do you always refuse help when it’s offered?” he asked. The smooth, familiar voice wrecking havoc with her senses.

Taking a deep breath, Cass stood up and turned around, her chin jutting forward in defiance.

She felt her heart skip a beat. The chant of ‘Don’t cry’ drummed steadily in her head.

“
That depends on who is offering. So no, not always”.

From the way his mouth tightened and the muscle in his jaw twitched, Cass could see that hit the mark.

“
Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get going. I hope you enjoy the cake”, she

said using her best talking-to-the-customer voice. Turning swiftly on her heels, Cass part walked, part ran out of the room and down the short corridor.

Chapter 8

She heard heavy steps behind her. Reaching the lift, she began banging on the buttons. “Come on you stupid thing!” she begged, hoping the lift gods would see her plight and take mercy.

“
That one doesn’t work properly. I’m having it changed over the weekend”. She felt his breath on the top of her head and turning around she came face to chest, with Luca Drake.

“
Oh really? Well probably for the best”, her voice slightly muffled by her mouth’s close proximity to his shirt.

Luca took a step back, allowing her a complete view of him from the top of his gorgeous brown hair to the tips of his polished shoes.

“
Cass”. Her name came out a breathless exhale. His eyes a warm, liquid chocolate.

That was her undoing.

“
No! No! Don’t Cass me!” she cried, “I don’t want to hear anything you have to say to me”.

She whizzed back around, pressing the buttons of the other lift with vigour.

“
Cass, please”, he began.

Reflecting on her actions later, Cass thought this may not have been the most mature thing to do have done. Raising her hands up, she covered her ears and started to hum loudly.

She felt his hands over hers, moving them slowly downwards. The butterflies in her stomach started their fluttering motions triple-time.

“
Really? That’s the best you can do?” His relaxed tone irritated her already shattered nerves.

“
No, that’s not the best I can do!” she snapped back, her voice rising. “I can say ‘Hi Luca. It’s been ages. Well done on the big takeovers! You must be ecstatic! Oh yeah and well done on the family too!”

She pulled her hands free of his, the warmth and feel of them doing nothing to help her determination to stay angry at him.

She turned around, her finger ready to jab him in his chest as she made her final point.

What she saw made her freeze, finger suspended in mid-air.

Luca’s face had gone from ash white to dull red flush.

However, it was the view behind him that had made her stop, jaw dropping open.

Everyone from the meeting room, and some who had made their way out of other offices, were now crowded into the lobby.

Cass was mortified to see those same people she had only just met, having made the short journey up the corridor, now standing nearby gawping at them. The receptionist was leaning dangerously over the desk. The obnoxious man, who had told her about Luca’s baby, was grinning from ear to ear, swigging back his glass of champagne. Liz was carrying a plate in one hand whilst the other was holding a fork, suspended half way to her mouth. And poor Mr. Swans kept opening and shutting his mouth like a goldfish gasping for air, not knowing if he should say something or backtrack to the safety of the meeting room.

Seeing her expression, Luca turned slowly around and surveyed the crowd.

“
Yes?” His clipped tone sent everyone scurrying back to their offices. Cass had never seen people move so fast. The receptionist dropped behind the desk with a thud and the retirement party were actually getting jammed in the meeting room doorway as they were speedily trying to squeeze in en masse.

She heard the ping of the lift. Stepping in, she felt a jerk on her bag.

“
Oh no you don’t! You are not running out on me again”, he growled, pulling her back and started walking towards, what Cass assumed was his office. She stumbled slightly.

Walking backwards was never her forte.

“
You can’t tell me what to do!” She snapped back. “How dare you! I am not a sack of potatoes to be lifted and pulled around”.

He stopped suddenly and Cass careered into his back.

Luca smiled down at her, a dangerous twinkle in his eyes. “You know that’s not such a bad idea”.

“
What...what”, Cass began hastily, backing away, “No! Luca!” she squeaked, as he lifted her over his shoulder and carried her, exactly like a sack of potatoes into a large corner office.

Hearing the squeaks, Cass saw heads popping out of office doors, jaws dropping in surprise at their boss’s behaviour.

Chapter 9

Oooof. Cass landed flat on her back on a large, black leather sofa.

She sat up and looked around, just as Luca closed the thick wooded door. Not bad, she thought, surveying two black leather meeting chairs that sat opposite a huge oak desk, which itself carried the latest in IT equipment. The view outside the all glass wall took her breath away. The afternoon sun lighted up the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and The London Eye in its golden rays. A small room opposite caught her eye and Cass turned her head, just about able to make out a small sink and what looked to be a shower unit.

“
Coffee or tea?” Luca asked her, holding out a small, white china cup.

She shook her head. “Neither thanks but feel free to have one yourself if you want”.

Luca carried on looking at the cup.

Cass clasped her fingers together tightly in her lap, then unclasped them, them clasped then together again.

“
You used to do that when you were nervous”, Luca finally said, breaking the silence. “Do I make you nervous Cassie?”

Cass swallowed the lump that had now formed in her throat. Cassie. No-one else called her that except Luca. Even her own parents and siblings had only called her Cass.

She felt the sting of tears prick at her eyelids and turned her face away as one solitary tear slid down her cheek, wiping away at it quickly with the back of her hand. Cass heard the clink of glassware before the sofa dipped as Luca sat down next to her.

His fingers clasped her chin, moving her head gently round to face his. His thumb carefully and ever so gently, wiping the route that the tear had taken.

She tried hard to focus on the sofa, but his eyes drew her like a magnet. She looked up meeting his gaze, the longing she felt, reflected in the dark brown depths of his.

She couldn’t help it. The years melted away as he leaned his face towards her. His smell, that was still so familiar to her even after all the years, engulfed her senses. Cass closed her eyes, breathing him in. She felt her heart beat quicken as the soft, firm pressure of his lips met hers. Gently at first, then more insistent. Her bag dropped to the floor as she moved her arms up, pulling at his shirt. His hands moving onto her back, gathering her closer.

All those nights she had dreamed of this, remembering what it was like. Sure there had been others. She wasn’t that pathetic, but never like this. Everyone had said that she’d get over him, if was young/first love. Of course she’d remember him with rose tinted glasses. But Cass knew it was different. That sometimes, just sometimes, you were lucky enough to hit the jackpot on the first try.

Chapter 10

The knocking at the door was like a bucket of ice water. They broke apart, breathing heavily.

Cass looked at Luca. His shirt was crumpled and a few of the top buttons had come undone. When did that happen?! She thought, shocked by her own response.

She moved backwards, hoping that by creating some space between them, it would stop the humming that was now coursing through her.

His arm was locked solid.

“
Mr. Drake”, came the hesitant voice of the receptionist, “They are waiting for you on the conference call”.

Luca exhaled loudly, his eyes moving from Cass to the door then back again.

Cass self-consciously felt for her clip, trying to push back all the hair that had escaped during their...their...she wasn’t quite sure what it had been.

Luca smiled. The same carefree smile she’d seen all those years ago in the University hall. Cass felt her heart skip a beat. On top of which, she swore she could hear bells. Though afterwards she realised those probably were from Big Ben.

“
Tell them... Tell them I’m not able to take it right now. Can we reschedule for another time”, he replied, his eyes fixed on Cass.

There was a pregnant pause from the other side of the door.

Then a croaking sound, which Cass assumed was the receptionist trying to digest this odd piece of information.

“
But Mr. Drake...” she sputtered.

“
That’s all thank you Mrs.Swithin. If they call back, re-direct them to Drew Frost’s number please”, Luca replied, his gaze fixed steadily on Cass.

“
Yes Mr. Drake. Anything else?” Mrs.Swithin’s asked tentatively, clearly unsure whether or not her boss had taken leave of his senses.

“
Actually there is. Get Jo to cover you in reception. You’ve worked here just as long as Henry. You should be at that party too.”

“
Er...thank you Mr. Drake”, she said, then silence, which Cass took as the receptionist making a speedy get away in case her boss changed his mind.

“
That was a very nice thing to do”, Cass said, giving up her attempt to wriggle free of his arm and deciding to enjoy the moment while it lasted.

Luca looked at her, one eyebrow raised. “You sound surprised. I believe in a proper work-life balance and what I said was true. She has been here as long as Henry so she should join in the festivities”.

“
I just meant that wouldn’t have been something your Grandfather would have done. That’s all”.

“
I’m not my Grandfather”, he replied, his voice cool and clipped.

Cass blinked in surprise. She had never heard him sound like that before. It had always been high praise for his Grandfather, always protecting his attitude to things with excuse after excuse. Never this cold tone.

He stood up and she fell back gently against the sofa.

Without the presence of his arm, without him, she felt lost and empty.

He walked to the window, arms folded, surveying the City. Despite the insaneness of the last few hours, she couldn’t help the feeling of peace she had by just being near him. It was crazy she knew but it was the same feeling she had always had when he was around. The feeling that everything was as it should be.

Luca turned back to her, his expression grim.

“
When my Grandfather passed away, I inherited something of a Colossus. Though everyone worked hard and the money kept rolling in, everyone was miserable. They worked out of fear. I changed that. People enjoy coming to work now. I’m not and never will be my Grandfather”. Dark brown eyes fixed on her, urging her to see the changes.

She stood up and walked towards him slowly. She stopped on the other side of the desk, resting her hands on its smooth surface. It was cool and firm beneath her finger tips, steadying her raw nerves.

“
I never said you were Luca. I admire you,” she began as he arched an eyebrow in disbelief. “No really, I do. It must off been hard to have jumped straight into the business. There was never any warning that your Grandfather was sick. He just passed away and left you with everything. Even if you knew you were due to inherit, it must have been hard”. She paused, taking a steadying breath.

“
But it all worked out didn’t it. You have your business, you’re happy. This”, she said gesturing at the couch, “Was just a trip down memory lane so to speak. We haven’t seen each other in ages so it’s only natural that we should...ah...”

She stopped as his lips began to curve into a smile, “‘Kiss’ Cass. Is that the word you were looking for?”

She nodded dumbly, starting as he made his way around the desk to stand in front of her. Cass tilted her head back to look up at him. Damn the man and his height. It was so hard to make a point when you had the disadvantage of being short.