‘Sure they did.’
‘No. They didn’t. I could tell you about a hundred times when I embarrassed myself, trying to get you to notice me—but you never did, did you?’
‘Sure I did. I noticed. I noticed an extremely pretty girl who had a lot of growing up to do.’
‘Well, I’m all grown-up now.’
‘Yes, you are.’
They sat like that for minutes—too many minutes.
Then Chantal and Brodie called from the other end of the table. They were leaving. Amy pulled her eyes from Luke’s and checked her phone. Midnight. She had to go into work tomorrow—she really should think about going home too. But something about Luke made her want to stay. She wanted to be close to him, to be near him. He made her feel…something she hadn’t felt in a long time. Something comfortable and warm and exciting all at the same time.
‘We’re moving on, Ames—you coming?’
Willa stood to leave. She and Rob and the others would probably end up at Milly’s—the nightclub around the corner where they often partied until daylight.
‘Not tonight, Wills. I have to get up and work tomorrow. I think I might have to call it a night.’
‘What?’ Jess was very drunk. Her hair had come loose and she’d spent the last ten minutes hugging everyone in the bar goodbye. ‘No! Come on, McCarthy—we’re going out!’
‘No—no, I’m not.’
Those words were hard to say, and they tasted strange coming out of her mouth. But she had to say them. Despite wanting to kick the party on with Jess, and despite the irresistible pull towards Luke. She was a grown-up now. Her bosses really were expecting her to nail this account, and she really couldn’t let them down. She had to leave.
‘You can’t go home alone, Ames…’
‘I’m a big girl, Willa.’
‘I know, but you really shouldn’t travel by yourself.’
Amy rolled her eyes. She’d managed to get herself around Sydney every day and night for the last nine months, but Willa still worried about her. It was sweet, but unnecessary.
‘She won’t be travelling by herself. I’ll take her home.’
Amy’s head whipped round at the sound of Luke’s deep voice.
‘No, Luke. You don’t have to do that…’
‘Yes. I do. If you think I’m letting you find your own way home at midnight in the city then you’re drunker than I thought.’
Amy wasn’t drunk at all. Not by her usual standards, anyway. She was sober enough to realise that having Luke take her home was safer than going alone. But she was also sober enough to realise that she was drunk enough to maybe throw herself at him, given half the chance. And she didn’t want to do that.
And then he stood and rose up before her like a Viking, all tall and strong and broad…
Where had that association come from? Maybe she was drunker than she’d thought. She let her eyes drop and they rested right on him. On the part of his body she was most curious about. Slowly she licked her lips. She’d fantasised so many times about sex with Luke. Would he be gentle and accommodating? Or would he throw her against the wall, make her shut up and have his dirty way with her? She couldn’t decide which one she wanted first, but she suspected that she wanted to try them all.
Slowly Amy’s gaze rose to meet his eyes. ‘I don’t need a chaperon any more, Luke, I’ve managed to take care of myself quite well over the past eight years.’
‘Well, maybe I do.’
Amy stilled. What did that mean? Luke hadn’t left her side all night, and she’d noticed him looking at her. She wasn’t an idiot. She knew there was something there. An attraction. The old Luke would have ignored it, but the new Luke seemed a little different. A little more aware of his feelings and more prepared to deal with them. She wondered what he’d do with his feelings for her…
Ten seconds later she had her answer. ‘Get your coat, Amy—we’re going home. Together.’
It didn’t take long to find a taxi. The night was hot, and people were careening noisily down the laneways of the inner city suburb, but the taxis were out in full force, picking up the Friday night revellers as they moved from bar to club.
Amy slipped into the seat and Luke followed, sitting a little too close, pressing his big leg up against hers.
The ride to Amy’s flat in Bondi was silent, but the air was filled with tension. Every movement, every sigh, every look put Amy on alert. The buildings sped past on the main roads, but as they got closer to the beachside suburb the taxi slowed down to navigate the twisty turns of the narrow streets and the plethora of speed bumps that littered the way.
Luke wasn’t looking at her, but his leg was still pressed up against hers. She felt it, hard and definite. The rocking of the taxi was lulling her and letting the alcohol settle in her blood. She felt content. Safe. Safer than she had in months. Ever since she’d left Melbourne and Laurie.
But sitting in the taxi with Luke was nothing like sitting with Laurie. Not even in the beginning. She and Laurie had met through their parents, and he had been just what she’d needed at the time. He’d adored her. He’d thought she was the most beautiful, wonderful person ever to grace the earth and had expressed to her constantly how lucky he was.
He’d soothed her soul. He’d brought back her happiness. And she was grateful to him. But one day she’d realised she just wasn’t in love with him any more. And she’d wanted out.
Laurie had bent over backwards, trying to get her to change her mind. And she’d tried to stay with him—she really had. She’d tried to convince herself that it was just a rough patch.
But one night she’d gone out with some workmates and kissed someone else and it had been then that she’d realised staying wasn’t fair on either of them.
So she’d left—decided on a fresh start in Sydney.
Her parents had been upset. His parents had been angry. Laurie had called every day for the first three months. Amy had wanted to relent. She’d spent three months crying and talking and trying to explain why she’d needed to do what she had but they hadn’t listened.
It had made being in Sydney even harder. She’d felt deserted. Judged. And all she’d been trying to do was be happy. But the people in her life who claimed to care about her the most had seemed to want the opposite of that. They’d wanted her to settle. Be happy with what she had because it made them happy.
The only thing that had got her through was Jess and Willa and her work. Her parents had come round eventually too, but she still had to stay busy and high—otherwise she’d be reminded of how she’d let everyone down, and then all she’d want to do was go back home and make it up to them. Go back and make everyone happy.
‘You’re quiet, Amy. You’re never quiet. What’s wrong?’
Luke’s voice broke gently into the silence.
‘Nothing. Just tired, I guess.’ She was tired. Tired of always trying not to think about the things that made her unhappy.
‘I’m tired too. So much for me being a massive party animal tonight.’
He smiled and shoved his shoulder gently into hers. She shoved him back and he shoved her again. Their gentle shoves soon turned into pushing, and finally a little wrestling.
Luke grabbed at the back of her head. ‘You always did think you were tough, Lollipop, but I know you’re not.’
Amy pushed Luke’s hand away. ‘I’m tougher than you think, Boss.’
Luke smiled,