His Most Exquisite Conquest (6 page)

Lucy grimaced. ‘He did hit Mum occasionally. Most of the time, though, he’d just get mean and nasty.’

‘What about you and your sister?’

She shook her head. ‘We learnt early on to stay out of his way when he got drinking.’

Michael sensed nothing hidden behind her answer and felt relieved that there’d been no sexual abuse. He wished Lucy hadn’t made that ‘slut’ remark. It sat uneasily in his mind, along with Lester’s ‘bigger bucks’ remark.

‘Not a happy household,’ he murmured, thinking how lucky he had been with his parents.

‘It was happy when my father was away in Mount Isa,’ she said quickly. ‘He lives there full-time now. He’s a miner.’

‘I see. He came home to Cairns in between shifts.’

‘Yes. And it was always a relief when he left.’ She shook her head again. ‘Mum should never have married him. She was pregnant with Ellie at the time and more or less got trapped into it. She was on her own up here, having come from a broken home herself—no one to turn to—and she tried so hard to hold it all together. I couldn’t have had a better mother, Michael.’

‘Well, I’m glad of that,’ he said sincerely. ‘And I’m sorry your father wasn’t what he should have been.’

She eyed him curiously. ‘What was your father like?’

‘He was great. Both my parents were. Harry and I were brought up in a very happy home.’

She sighed. ‘Then you must have only good memories of them.’

‘Yes.’

‘I guess you’ll want to give your children the same kind of happy home.’

There was a faraway look in her eyes, as though she was imagining how it might be in the future.
Whoa!
The warning shot straight into Michael’s mind. He might have gone there with her before Lester had fired his bolt of poison, but he didn’t want a wife or the mother of his children to have earned the reputation of being a slut.

On the other hand, his gut rebelled against giving Lucy up at this point. He’d never had sex this good, and until Lester’s intrusion she had been a delight to be with. Michael still wanted to enjoy this relationship. He wasn’t looking for any long-term future with her. He just wanted a continuation of what they’d been sharing all week.

The waiter arrived to clear away their dinner plates, and diverted Lucy’s attention to ordering sweets. The rest of the evening was fun and they finished it off with fantastic sex. Michael was content with that, deciding he would simply enjoy one day at a time with Lucy, take the experience for what it was—complete and utter pleasure. If it was his wealth that made her sparkle for him, he didn’t care, as long as she kept sparkling. He liked the sunshine. It relaxed him. It made him feel happy.

CHAPTER EIGHT

F
INN
ISLAND
...

Lucy drank in all she could see of it as Michael steered his motor launch closer to the wharf where Harry was waiting for them. They had entered a large bay edged with a beach of very white sand, partially shaded by masses of palm trees. It was a beautiful sunny day and the water was a glorious glittering turquoise. At the centre of the crescent of sand wide wooden decks led up to the main buildings of the resort. On either side, villas were stepped up on hills that were covered with rainforest.

Paradise, indeed, she thought, except for the snake in it. Last night Michael had urged her to wipe the encounter with Jason Lester out of her mind, and she had tried to do that, relieved that Michael’s interest in her had not wavered. But somehow it didn’t feel right that he hadn’t cared about what had been said. Although she had dreaded a negative reaction from him, it didn’t seem natural for there to be no reaction at all. Unless he just wanted the sex to continue, regardless of how many men she had slept with.

She’d told herself not to get in a twist about it if Michael just wanted a sexual fling with her. But if he now saw her as no better than a slut to be used...or even worse, a slut with an eye on taking a slice of his wealth... Lucy hated that thought.

It had wormed its way into her mind this morning and she couldn’t get it out. She
had
slept with most of the men she’d dated for any length of time, though not on the first night. It had been different with Michael. The excitement of connecting with him had been so intense that the idea of holding him off until they knew each other better hadn’t even entered her head. She’d done what she’d wanted to do, elated that the desire was so mutual.

And he’d made her feel...
amazing.

Still did.

As though she was the best thing that had ever happened to him.

He was certainly the best thing that had ever happened to her.

Maybe she was worrying needlessly.

He’d been happy in bed with her last night, happy with her company on the boat this morning, touching her with pleasure in his eyes, holding her, kissing her. She’d revelled in the warmth of his manner towards her. If she could just get rid of this uneasy feeling that underneath it all he might have no respect for her, she would be totally happy with what they were sharing.

Harry helped Michael fasten the motor launch to the wharf and led them to a golf buggy for a quick ride to the administration centre, where Ellie was waiting for them. A track wound through the rainforest and underneath the awesome canopy of foliage formed by the incredibly tall trees were masses of tropical vegetation: giant tree ferns, palms, bamboo, hibiscus, native flowers. Lucy wondered if her sister loved working in this environment, so different to city living. Had she found it more relaxing, or was working with Harry a tense situation, given the very personal element of being attracted to him?

Ellie was not one to let down her hair in a hurry, but Lucy hoped she was letting Harry into her life. Two years of strict spinsterhood needed to be broken. Ellie was too young to give up on men. There was pleasure to be had in relationships, even though the guys might turn into frogs after a while. Lucy decided to insist they all have lunch together. It would give her the opportunity to observe what was happening between Harry and her sister.

They alighted from the buggy at a wide wooden walkway dividing the two main buildings. Michael took her arm, tucking it around his, smiling in pleasure at having her with him. Lucy’s heart lurched. He was such a beautiful prince. She desperately wanted to be his princess, though she already knew this relationship would not have that happy ending.

Michael would want a family in his future. He hadn’t actually said so last night, but she’d felt it in his head and in his heart, and she wasn’t the one who’d be sharing that with him. Nevertheless, she still wanted to feel he loved and respected her.

Harry led them into the manager’s office. Lucy beamed at her very clever sister, who rose from behind an imposing desk, looking very much in charge of everything. ‘This island is fabulous, Ellie,’ she immediately enthused. ‘What a great place to work!’

‘Tropical paradise,’ Ellie replied, smiling as she moved out from behind the desk to greet them.

Lucy slipped her arm free of Michael’s to rush forward and give her a hug. ‘Are you loving it?’ she asked, curious to know everything, especially the situation with Harry.

‘Not too much, I hope,’ Michael semi-growled in the background.

‘It’s been quite a change,’ Ellie said drily, flicking him a sharply assessing look, probably checking if he was badly put out by her decision to leave him for a month. He hadn’t grumbled about it to Lucy, but he probably wouldn’t anyway, since their relationship had nothing to do with his work, and he’d be conscious of the fact she and Ellie were sisters.

‘A good one, I hope,’ Harry interjected, drawing Ellie’s attention to him.

‘Yes,’ she answered with a warm smile, which Lucy took as a very good sign.

‘Now, Harry, poaching my PA is not on,’ Michael declared.

‘Like I said before, Mickey—
her choice,
’ he replied with an affable shrug.

‘Okay, while you two guys argue over my brilliant sister, I want her to show me her living quarters,’ Lucy put in quickly, wanting to get Ellie on her own. ‘You can mind the office, can’t you, Harry?’

‘Go right ahead,’ he said agreeably.

‘Come on, Ellie,’ she urged, nodding to the door at the back of the office. ‘Michael said your apartment was right here. I want to see everything. And while I’m at it, may I say you look great in the island uniform?’

Ellie laughed. ‘Not as spectacular as you this morning.’

Lucy was wearing cheeky little navy denim shorts with a red-and-purple halter top, big red hoop earrings, red trainers on her feet, and a purple scrunchie holding up her long blond hair in a ponytail. ‘Am I over the top?’ she asked.

Ellie shook her head. ‘You can carry off anything, Lucy.’

‘I wish....’ she replied with a wry grimace, as Elizabeth ushered her into the apartment and closed the door on the two men in the office.

She hadn’t carried off the encounter with Jason Lester with any classy panache, quite possibly adding to his nasty slur on her character with her own wild retort, and she wasn’t very confident of carrying off being an appropriate companion for Michael at the ball next Saturday night. Jason’s accusation that she had come on to one of the Finn brothers because of his wealth might be suspected by Michael’s friends. It could also have tainted
his
opinion of her.

Ellie eyed her quizzically, sensing something was weighing on her sister’s mind. ‘Is that a general wish or...?’

‘Oh, nothing really,’ she replied airily, not wanting to unload these highly personal problems on her sister. She focused on examining the living-room of the apartment. It looked bright and cheerful, with colourful tropical prints on the cushions softening all the cane furniture. An adequate kitchenette ran along one wall. A television and sound system were arranged against another. She gestured around, saying, ‘This is lovely, Ellie. Show me the bedroom and bath.’

The very modern bathroom had everything any woman could want, and there was no stinginess in the bedroom, either. The queen-size bed had much more space than the king-size singles they had at home. She couldn’t help grinning mischievously at Ellie. ‘Have you shared this with Harry yet?’

‘Actually, no.’ She retaliated with, ‘Do you want to tell me what’s going on with Michael?’

Lucy threw up her hands. ‘Everything is happening! I swear to you, Ellie, I’ve never been this mad about a guy. I’m in love like you wouldn’t believe, and while it’s incredibly wonderful, it’s also scary, you know?’

‘In what way scary?’

Because it meant too much that everything feel right between them—so much it made her terribly conscious of shadows lurking in the wings. She flopped onto the bed, put her hands behind her head and stared at the ceiling, knowing Ellie expected an answer, and finally picking a problem her sister would readily understand.

‘Michael is smart. I mean
really
smart, isn’t he?’

‘Yes.’

‘So what happens when he finds out that my brain wasn’t wired right and I’m a dummy when it comes to reading and writing? So far I’ve been winging it, as I usually do, but this is far more intense than it’s been with other guys, and he’s bound to start noticing I’m a bit weird about some things.’ She rolled her head to look directly at Ellie, needing a straight opinion from her. ‘You’ve worked for him for two years. Will it put him off me if I tell him I’m dyslexic?’

Her sister frowned in thought, then slowly shook her head. ‘I honestly don’t know, Lucy. Does it feel as though he’s in love with you?’

‘Well, definitely in lust. I can’t be sure that’s love, but I really want it to be. More than I’ve wanted anything. I want him to care so much about having me, it won’t matter that I’m flawed.’

Ellie sat on the bed beside her and smoothed the worried furrows from her brow. ‘It shouldn’t matter, if he loves you. And stop thinking of yourself as a dummy, Lucy. You’re very smart, and you have so many talents.... Any man would be lucky to have you in his life.’

She heaved a rueful sigh. ‘Well, I don’t want him to know yet. I couldn’t bear it if...’ She shot a pleading look at Ellie. ‘You haven’t told Harry, have you?’

‘No. And I won’t.’

‘I need more time. To give it a chance, you know?’ A chance to keep this man as long as she could—to have all the pleasure of him—because it was really going to hurt when she did lose him.

‘Yes, I know.’

‘I’ve been running off at the mouth about me. What about you and Harry?’

Ellie shrugged. ‘Same thing. More time needed.’

‘But you do like him.’

‘Yes.’

There was obviously a chance for something really good here for Ellie. Harry couldn’t possibly see any bad in her. She was clever and classy and sensible, perfectly suitable to be a wife who could manage anything in the Finn world. Definitely not riff-raff—a tag Lucy suspected might be attached to herself, since she drifted aimlessly from job to job, living in the moment rather than planning ahead, because there was really nothing to plan for, not with her dyslexia blocking any way upward.

In contrast, Ellie’s path forward had always been clear. The teachers at school had loved her for being so bright and studious, and she had certainly been driven by their family situation to make the most of her capabilities, building a career ever since she’d been at business college. To be so good at everything automatically commanded respect.

Lucy propped herself on her elbow, looking earnestly at her far more worthy sister. ‘Promise me you won’t go off him if things don’t work out between me and Michael.’

Ellie looked surprised at the request, but it was important to clear away any complications in the current mix. When the relationship with Michael lost its magic, it shouldn’t take the shine off Ellie’s connection to Harry. Lucy didn’t want sister loyalty to muddy the waters. That wasn’t fair. The idea of the four of them—brothers and sisters—ending up together was a wonderful fantasy, but Lucy felt compelled to do a reality check here and now.

‘Harry could be the right guy for you,’ she argued. ‘Let’s face it...he’s gorgeous and sexy and wealthy, and obviously keen to have you in his corner. You could be great together and I don’t want
me
to be the reason for you not having a future with him. I’d be happy to see you happy with him, Ellie, regardless of what happens between me and Michael.’

Concern and confusion chased across her sister’s face. ‘But being so madly in love with Michael, you’ll be hurt if he walks away from you.’

And who always stood by and tried to make things better any way she could?

Ellie did.

Being the older sister, she had an overdeveloped sense of responsibility, looking after Lucy when they were kids, stepping in when she was bullied at school for her scatty mind, taking charge of everything when their mother became too ill to manage, getting them through all the traumatic turmoil of her death and setting them up as their own little family unit. Ellie was the rock, the anchor around which Lucy had drifted, the one who made a mission of
being there,
no matter what.

No way was Lucy going to cost her sister a chance with Harry Finn.

‘I’ll muddle along like I always do,’ she insisted. ‘I’m good at putting things behind me. I’ve had a lot of practice at it.’ She reached out, took Ellie’s hand and squeezed it reassuringly. ‘You mustn’t worry about me. Go for what you want. You deserve a good life, Ellie.’

‘So do you.’

‘Well, maybe we’ll both achieve it. Who knows? I just want to clear the deck for you and Harry. Now tell me you’re okay with that.’

Ellie heaved a deep sigh, obviously wishing the situation wasn’t complicated. But it was and there was no point in not facing it. ‘I’m okay if you’re okay,’ she finally said, her hand squeezing back, her eyes holding the steady determination that had seen them through many troubles. ‘Whatever happens with either of us, we’ll always have each other, Lucy.’

‘Absolutely!’ she agreed, relieved to have this serious stuff settled between them.

It was time now to set about banishing shadows from both their lives. They were here on this beautiful island and two princes were waiting for them. She grinned at Ellie. ‘Now let’s go get our men!’ She bounced off the bed and twirled around in a happy dance. ‘Let’s have a fabulous weekend, following our hearts’ desire and not thinking about tomorrow.’

She paused in the doorway to the living room to give her often too sensible sister a wise look. ‘You never know when something might strike us dead, so we do what we want to do. Right?’

‘Right!’ Ellie echoed.

Life could be very short.

Since their mother had died, that proven truth had never left Lucy’s mind. She had to stop thinking of any kind of future with Michael and just take each day as it came.