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His soft, almost seductive tone made her heart thump. Annoyed, she swallowed a sharp retort. Instead, she gave him an abbreviated version of what little she’d discovered that morning.
He took it all in in silence, with no overt display of emotion except a faint tightening of the jaw, a flash of his dark eyes. Finally, he dragged a long-fingered hand through his hair and rose.
“And what’s the real estate agency called?” He fixed her with such a piercing look, she felt the danger tingle down to the roots of her hair.
“Crown. I have a rental agreement … well, it’s more like a caretaking agreement—the owners are permanently overseas and I pay minimum rent to keep their house.”
“And you’ve been here three years.”
“Yes.”
“And before that?”
A myriad of emotions tightened her gut. “A bunch of cheap rentals. Nothing like this.”
She’d put so much time and effort into making this house her home. Fixed and replanted the sad garden. Painted the walls. Retiled the bathroom. Put up shelves. All with her own sweat and time and with many a muttered curse. And in a few months, finances willing, she’d even planned to make an offer on it.
It was her sanctuary from the world and no one was going to take that from her without a fight.
“What do you do for work?” he continued.
“I’m a masseuse. I have a store in Surfers …” She glanced at her watch. “One that opens at ten.”
He paused and took a sip of coffee, his expression unreadable. “Do you have the agency’s address?”
“Highway end of Surfers Mall.” She frowned. “What are you going to do?”
“Who’s Ben?”
“What?” Beth blinked.
“Boyfriend? Ex-husband?”
“No!”
“You thought I was here about Ben yesterday.”
She hated how the seeds of insecurity had blossomed into a full-blown tree of doubt in the last half hour. She didn’t want to give in to that. Because if she did, it meant all her efforts to carve out a normal life these last ten years had failed. She didn’t want to be suspicious, didn’t want to automatically doubt every person she met. But right now, faced with this bizarre situation, she had a strange feeling she should believe him. He just gave off that kind of aura.
“Ben’s got nothing to do with this,” she eventually said.
“How do you know that? He could’ve been partners with the agency, operating a real estate scam.”
“Do you know how ridiculous that sounds?”
“Oh, and what we have here is normal?”
She plunked herself on the porch railing. They stayed like that for a few moments, Luke in anticipatory silence, she with her lips pressed tight. He gave her that look again, that firm, what-are-you-hiding-from-me look. It unnerved her.
“He was my bookkeeper,” she conceded tightly, cheeks warming. “When my bank accidentally deposited someone else’s money into my business account, he took it and ran.”
“How much?”
“Five hundred thousand dollars.”
He gave a low whistle, and embarrassment flamed her face. She’d trusted Ben—someone she thought she’d known—and he’d gone and screwed her over.
“I take it you’ve filed a police report?”
“Not yet.” His look only compounded her shame. “The bank gives you twenty-eight days to return the money. It’s only the second.”
“You think he’s going to bring it back?” At her silence, he added more softly, “So. We have a scam and a missing person.”
“We don’t. My problems are none of your business.”
“And I can see you’re handling them just fine.”
She shot to her feet, irritated beyond words. He was right. But cops meant an inquiry, one she couldn’t afford to have.
“Were you and Foster in a sexual relationship?” he said suddenly.
Beth flushed. “What is it with you and sex? No! He’s nineteen, barely out of his teens. A math geek. His mother was a client and he… I…” She faltered at his expression then conceded, “We met twice after work, but it was always about business.”
“Did he know that?”
“Of course!” She swallowed as a small sliver of doubt crept in. “Of course,” she repeated with less conviction. “Why would he steal from me? And something that’s not even mine?”
“Greed’s a basic human desire. It’s not a matter of need, it’s about want. You focus on a victim, build trust and then …”
“Don’t you think I know that?”
Luke took in her tight expression and felt a rush of sympathy. “Do you need to sit down?”
“No.” As if he’d insulted her, she straightened her back and crossed her arms.
He flipped out his phone and dialed. “Dylan. It’s Luke. I need a favor. Information on a Ben Foster. Lives …?”
He paused for an interminably long moment, until Beth grudgingly reeled off an address.
As he gave details, he pointedly ignored Beth’s impatient snort. But when she attempted to interrupt, he held up a hand, silencing her. A complex play of emotions flitted across her face—annoyance, indignation—along with a scowl. Obviously she wasn’t used to being silenced. Fascinated, he watched her wrestle with the anger banking in her eyes. For a second he wasn’t sure control would win out.
“Gotcha,” Dylan said. “When do you want this info?”
“Yesterday.”
Dylan laughed. “Right. I’m off to Cairns for a court appearance this afternoon, then I’m booked solid until Friday. I could hand it over to one of my guys—”
“No. I’d much rather you handle it.”
“Okay. So it’ll have to wait until Sunday.”
Four days? Luke frowned. “Sure.” Then he hung up.
Beth rounded on him. “I didn’t ask for your help!” Her eyes narrowed, her expression tight. “Or is poking about in people’s lives just something that comes naturally?”
He slowly crossed his arms. “Dylan’s a P.I. and can find your runaway a lot quicker than the bank or the cops. I’m not interested in your secrets, Beth,” he lied smoothly.
“Just make sure it stays that way.” The fire retreated as she darted her gaze away to a point past his shoulder. “My private life stays private.”
Luke swallowed the unspoken question teetering on the tip of his tongue. Somehow he didn’t think voicing his opinion on her trust issues would bode well for their tentative truce.
“White-collar crime is more common than you think.”
“Gee, that makes me feel so much better.”
He ignored her sarcasm and started dialing Gino’s solicitor again. “And we need to prove I’m telling the truth.”
Luck was definitely not with him. After a few minutes of the busy signal, he clicked off with a foul curse. “I need to see your lease.”
Her eyes narrowed then zeroed in on his hand where he’d begun to rub his neck.
“Wait here.” But when he stood, she took a step back. “What?”
“Wouldn’t have any more coffee, would you?”
She paused. “In the kitchen.” Then, reluctantly, “Fine. Come in.”
Beth was acutely aware of his presence as she gathered up the carnations then walked into the kitchen. She got an empty vase from the cupboard, filled it with water then arranged the flowers, all the while trying to ignore the whirl of confusing reactions circling inside.
“Mind if I have some toast?” he asked when she finally finished.
She sighed. What’s one more oddity in a day like today? “Help yourself,” she muttered and walked out of the kitchen.
When Beth returned, she paused in the doorway, watching as Luke stood at the counter eating Vegemite-smothered toast.
I’ll bet relax is not in his vocabulary. Yet despite that small flaw, he was a perfect specimen. He had shoulders broader than a man had any right to have. His Mediterranean skin was a healthy tan and from what she could see, not one ounce of fat insulted that perfect physique. It was a functional, red-blooded, well-kept body … and looked far too warm and touchable for her liking. Despite herself she wanted to touch him, wanted to ease out the tension furrowing his brow, trail her hands down those beautiful forearms, over his chest, feel the heat radiating there, maybe even—
Annoyance chased away the threads of attraction. After her past mistakes, she’d vowed never to let anyone get that close again.
And now Luke was making himself at home in her kitchen. He’d even mastered her temperamental toaster, because just as the offending appliance flung a piece of toast high into the air, Luke caught it as skillfully as a Brisbane Broncos halfback.
She’d never been able to judge the trajectory on that stupid thing.
She laid her papers on the kitchen table. “Here’s everything. You should also know I have a legally binding tenancy agreement.”
She savored the small bittersweet triumph, even as he grabbed the documents and scanned them with a black scowl.
But as she watched him read, that feeling of victory slowly leeched away. Three months. Only a blink away. If he was telling the truth, could he actually sell her home from under her feet regardless of that bit of paper?
This house meant more to her than a roof. It was a home, a sanctuary. It was her home. After so many years of not belonging, it was a symbol of how far she’d come and everything she’d struggled for. And there was no way some high-priced banker with a sinful smile would force her out.
She needed expert legal advice—except she couldn’t afford it.
She eyeballed Luke still studying her papers, his shirt tight across his shoulders as he leaned over the table. Amazing how such a large piece of clothing provided so little cover.
With awareness prickling her skin, she reached for the coffeepot and poured herself a cup. Gently blowing the steam off, she lifted her eyes, only to find his intent on the rim of her cup.
On her lips.
She swallowed, lowered the cup and waved to her papers. “Does that prove I’m not lying?”
“It looks legitimate.” He pointed to a signature. “The agency has a management agreement, acting on behalf of the owners.”
“That’s right.”
“So you have no idea who the real owners are?”
“No.” From the look on his face he obviously didn’t like her answer. “So our next move is …?”
“I’m going to see Gino’s lawyers.”
“You mean, we’re going.” She put her cup in the sink, the coffee now a tart taste in her mouth.
He flexed his back and grimaced but said nothing.
She scowled. “I’m going to be frank with you, Mr. De Rossi. I am not impressed with you—not by your power or your wealth. I know people like you.”
His eyes narrowed. “Really.”
“Yes. Men dedicated to their jobs, their own needs. They think that with one killer smile, anyone can be swayed into changing a decision. They have to be in control twenty-four hours a day.”
“All that just by looking at me, hey?”
“I’ve had a lot of practice. And just so you know, don’t even think about trying to charm me. I’m immune.”
Luke studied her blankly, her stubborn chin tilted up, lips pressed tightly together, hands on hips.
Classic defensive stance.
His sudden smile threw her. “So, apart from my job, my looks and my mere presence, you like me, right?”
A gentle morning breeze took that moment to sweep through the window, curling through the flowers on the windowsill and ruffling her wheat-blond curls. It wrapped around them until Luke wasn’t sure if the perfume came from her or the flowers.
Either way, she smelled damn good.
Yeah, hold on there, mate. You need to focus on getting Gino’s stuff out of your life, not be swayed by a pair of wide Bambi eyes. She could make things awkward. You still don’t know what her part is and you need Beth Jones onside.
Judging by the hostile vibe of her crossed arms and her closed expression, he had his work cut out.
