And volcano-hot!
She hoped that she’d hit the right note between casual and sexy herself, with a pair of white jeans and a pale green gypsy top falling off one shoulder and belted in at the hips. Strappy heels took her height to Will’s shoulder, yet she still felt—like most people, she supposed—dwarfed by him.
Will walked back towards her and Lu saw various sets of eyes following his progress, noticed the nudging elbows, the behind-the-hand comments. The crowd knew exactly who he was.
‘Here you go,’ Will said, handing her a glass of wine and hanging on to his tall glass.
How exactly was she supposed to act when she’d hinted that she wouldn’t say no to a bedroom invitation and he hadn’t say anything? Was that a yes? A no? Hang on, I’ll think about it?
What she wouldn’t do was let him think that she gave a damn—not even for half a second. She’d learnt to hide her emotions, and pride insisted that she do it now.
‘What are you drinking?’ Lu asked politely. Look—she could do polite
‘Coke. I’m driving. I don’t drink that much.’
That hadn’t been true in his past, Lu thought. She’d internet-searched him to death and it seemed that at one time Will had had a very unhealthy relationship with alcohol. And dope. And his ex-wife. There had been public fights, public displays of over-the-top affection, busted-up hotel rooms. She couldn’t reconcile this controlled, calm man with the younger version of himself she’d read about.
She was pretty sure that younger Will would have slept with her!
‘So, did you find a place to rent?’ Lu asked as people started moving towards the intimate theatre.
‘A flat near you, actually. Practically around the corner. It has a hot tub.’
Oh, good grief. Will in a hot tub...bubbles, champagne... She was not going to think about him skin on skin. He wasn’t on the same page as her in terms of skin and sex and... Dear Lord, it was hot in this theatre.
Lu handed their tickets over and pulled in a breath when Will placed his hand on her lower back to guide her down the theatre steps.
‘It has a great view,’ Will continued as they eventually stopped at the bottom row, dead centre.
Typical Mak to have organised the best seats in the house, Lu thought.
‘And it’s fully furnished, so I just need to move my clothes across. I’ll sign the lease tomorrow. I can also raid your fridge for frozen lasagne when I forget to buy food.’
‘I’ll make you a tray as a house warming present,’ Lu promised him as she sat down. Maybe.
‘You do love to cook, don’t you?’ Will shook his head, bemused. ‘My skills in the kitchen are limited to making coffee. When you make that tray of lasagne feel free to throw in a couple of those beetroot cupcakes you made for Kelby.’
Lu looked puzzled. ‘When did you taste those?’
‘You sent some home with Kels and Angie? I ate with them last night.’
‘Oh. You liked them, huh?’
‘I have a chronic sweet tooth. I’m really hoping that they’ll have samples here of what they make tonight.’
Will smiled at her and Lu’s stomach flipped over. His smile should be declared a weapon of mass destruction, she thought. How could she remain irritated when he was so charming? So appealing?
‘I love the art of baking...decorating. It’s so creative.’ Lu sighed. ‘I wish I could shoot them as they worked...it would be such fun.’
‘Talking of photography—Kelby and Angie were over the moon when they received those first couple of photos of Micki you e-mailed them.’
‘Good.’ Lu crossed her legs and tapped her finger against the wine glass. ‘They are a sweet family. Tell me about yours.’
Affection passed across his face. ‘I have two sisters—one in London, one in Wellington—and my folks live in Auckland.’
‘Do you miss them?’
‘Sure. Although I’ve lived away from them for so long that it’s become normal.’
Lu stared at the stage with its three tables and heaps of cooking equipment and felt her throat constrict. ‘The boys are having a fantastic time at uni...I already feel like they’re slipping away.
‘You are one of my brothers’ sporting heroes by the way,’ Lu told him as the lights flickered.
‘Do they play rugby?’
‘And cricket and hockey and soccer. And squash. And they surf... If it’s called a sport, they’ll try it. The one thing I don’t miss is ferrying them from activity to activity. Kids here only get their freedom at eighteen, and they’ve only just got their licences.’ Lu stared off into space for a moment. ‘That’s about the only thing I don’t miss about them being gone.’
Will heard the tremor in her voice. ‘It’s been tough, huh?’
Lu managed a quick laugh and waved his concern away. ‘Nah, I’m fine.’
‘Tell me the truth, Lu,’ Will insisted quietly.
Her irritation with him flooded back with his request. He wanted to get into her head but not into her bed? She knew that she was out of practice dating-wise, but she was pretty sure that her complaint was ass-about-face.
She wanted to tell him that she felt as if she’d had her head amputated, that the house was too quiet and that the dogs were pining. How excited she was to be working again. Instead she just turned her head away and stared at the stage.
‘It’s starting,’ she said as a spotlight highlighted the middle table.
‘Who is this dude anyway?’ Will demanded in a low whisper.
‘Rupert Walker is reputed to be the best baker in the world. And Heinz Martine is an amazing chocolatier and another incredible baker,’ Lu whispered as Ruper Walker bounced onto the stage and greeted the audience amongst a flurry of clapping and whistling. ‘I don’t know the third chef.’
When the audience settled down, the chef, dressed in tartan chef’s pants and an enormous maroon chef’s hat, put his hands on his hips and looked into the audience.
‘Thank you for being here! I always ask for audience help and I usually ask for volunteers, but tonight I understand that Will Scott is in the audience. I’m the biggest, gayest fan!’ Rupert shuddered delicately and the audience howled with laughter.
Lu heard Will’s groan.
‘So maybe Will could come up and give me a hand to make sugar baskets? Will, are you...game?’
Will muttered a swear word and looked at Lu with panicked eyes. ‘Crap, Lu—I burn bloody water!’ he whispered.
As Will stood up Lu slapped her hand against her mouth to keep the laughter from tumbling out.
He bent down so that he spoke directly into her ear. ‘You might think this is funny, Mermaid, but I will get my revenge.’
Lu’s laughter, hot and hard, followed Will up onto the stage.
Will bombed at making sugar baskets. He tried so hard, and was such a good sport about it, but he burnt his sugar twice and accidentally knocked Rupert’s elaborate half-finished sugar cage to the floor, where it shattered into a million sugar pieces. Rupert eventually, and very good-naturedly, threw in the towel and sent Will back to his seat,