The things we do for love. (20 page)

“When you’re ready.” Luke agreed. So, deciding that she wasn’t ready just yet Cassie relaxed back against him and closed her eyes.

Chapter 26.

“Do you think you can get up?” Luke asked her sometime later.

“Yes, I think so.” She said as she sighed.

“Here let me help you.” Luke helped her to her feet and then eased her down into a chair.

“I should… do things.” She said.

“Why don’t you just sit there while I make some phone calls.”

“Who to?” she frowned as she watched him take his mobile phone from his pocket.

“Police, locksmith.”

“Oh yes, of course. Sorry.” she seriously needed to get her brain in gear.

Luke leant down over her and planted a gentle kiss on her lips and looked into her eyes.

“There’s no need to be sorry. It’s fine.” And he straightened and turned his attention to his mobile once more.

Cassie brought up a hand and touched her fingers to her lips. Lips that were tingling from the touch of his. “When you are ready I want you to pack some things for a couple of days.”

“Oh no… I…”

“No oh no’s, or any I’s.” he cut her off.

“But.” She tried again.

“I don’t want to hear any buts either.” He sounded like a stern parent.

“I will be fine.” She said, though she did not relish the thought of staying here. And, certainly not on her own. She shuddered at the thought. Suddenly her home, her safety haven, no longer felt that way to her.

“You are not staying here” he told her firmly, and she could tell from his tone that he meant it.

“I have nowhere else to go.” She told him in a small lost voice.

“You can stay at my place.” She made a noise and he turned to her. “There is more than one bedroom, you are perfectly safe.”

“I wasn’t suggesting anything untoward.” She assured him as she felt herself blush.

“Good, then that’s settled.” Luke smiled triumphantly.

“Yes but.”

“I don’t like the word but.” He said. “Everything is fine. There is more than enough room at my place. I have more than one bedroom and more than one bed.
Don’t worry. I’ll phone Vera, she can get one of the guest bedrooms ready for you.” Luke turned his back and went out of the room, as he answered who ever had just begun speaking to him on his phone.

Luke ran a hand through his hair as he headed outside into the hallway. Damn he felt as though he had aged twenty years.

It was lucky that Luke had not just driven off after Cassie had high tailed it out of his car. Running scared.

Instead he had sat weighing up his options. He had already made up his mind that he was going to knock on her door and stay the night.

He had just been about to get out of the car and lock up when a flurry of movement had caught his eyes.

When he had watched the figure running from Cassie’s home a little after she had gone in Luke had not given another thought as to what to do.

He had jumped out of the car and had run up the path and into the house as though demons were out to get him.

His heart had been beating furiously in his chest, in fear, as he had pushed open the door and had called out her name in desperation.

When she had not responded to her name panic had really set in then. Even more so as he saw the damage in the hallway and things had been tossed around all over the place.

He had looked in at the kitchen on his way to the living room. It had been a mess in there too. But still no Cassie and still he could not hear her. Please be okay, he had pleaded in his head.

He had tried to prepare himself for the worse as he had pushed open the living room door and stepped inside, frantic eyes scanning the room.

But nothing had prepared him for when he had turned on the light and saw her lying there. she had been on her side, her back to him. Just beginning to move, groaning.

And then when he had turned her and saw the blood and the red swollen angry skin. If that man hadn’t already run off Luke would have killed him. Of that he was sure.

She had looked so vulnerable, so fragile as she had looked up at him with those big hazel puppy dog eyes of hers. Her eyes glazed and unfocused on anything.

He knew straight away that she was in shock. The vacant look in her eyes told him. Along with her skin. It had lost all of its warm peachy colour and it had been clammy to the touch.

There had been quite a bit of blood too, matted in her hair, at her temple. There was a small pool of it on the rug she had been lying on and the corner of the coffee table was also sporting some, along with a couple of her hairs that had been snagged.

But then, it was a head injury and Luke knew that they bled excessively, even a small cut bled more. They always looked a lot worse than they were, making people panic.

Luckily the wound itself was very small and there were no obvious signs of a severe concussion. Dazed, she may have been, but her pupils were reactive and, while she remained uncomprehending at what she was focusing on she could at least follow movement.

It was also an encouraging sign that she had not blacked out and become unconscious. Instead she had remained awake.

Still, he would keep an eye on her for a while just to be on the safe side. There was such a thing as delayed concussion. Not that he thought that she had that. But, head injuries had the potential to turn nasty quickly without warning. He knew that too. Had dealt with it.

He was confident that she would make a quick recovery. He wasn’t a novice at dealing with head trauma. He had worked in resuss and the trauma unit for some time after med school.

Luke dealt with calling the police and then he phoned a locksmith to come and secure the house and change all the locks on the doors. Both back and front, to be sure.

After that he called through to Vera and let her know what was happening and asked her to make up one of the guest rooms, which she finally agreed to without too much fussing.

Why couldn’t Cassie just sleep in his bed, Vera had asked. Luke would not have minded but he thought Cassie would have something to say about that.

It was best to give her the option of having her own room and hopefully she wouldn’t actually get around to using it. Because she would be in his bed. Luke’s loins gave a jump and he took in a deep breath.

Luke also managed to find a phone book in the hallway and, after searching through it he had found Adam’s number and so he had called him.

They had chatted for a while, Luke assuring the other man that Cassie was fine and that, apart from the cut on her head and some bruising, she was fine.

Luke looked in on Cassie from the door way several times whilst on the phone, just to make sure. But he did not step completely into the room.

It was best to get all the arrangements done whilst she sat and waited. She would only end up insisting that she was fine and that she could stay here tonight. And as far as Luke were concerned that was not an option.

Before hanging up the phone Adam had arranged to come over and see Cassie tomorrow which, Luke had agreed, was a good idea. It would give Cassie a chance to talk it through with someone close to her that she trusted.

Luke shoved his phone back in his pocket and walked over to the door and looked in on Cassie. She was still sitting in the chair where he had put her. She was staring into space a strange little look on her face.

She was scared he knew that. He had been able to see that when he had turned her over. The same fear that had raced in his heart. He tried to put it from his mind.

He could see the bruising coming out now. At her temple and at her throat. His stomach clenched as anger took hold. He could make out finger marks on the side of her neck.

If he ever managed to get a hold of that bastard, he would kill him. How dare anyone hurt her. Hadn’t she been through enough in her life?

That was it, Luke made his decision, right there and then. She would come home with him tonight and then he would make sure that she stayed there. permanently.

It would be her home too. He loved her. He had known that for some time. He had known that in the courtroom that first day but it had taken a couple of days for him to admit it.

He smiled as he watched her, his beautiful Cassie. Did she really think she was invisible? How on earth had she managed to convince herself of that?

A woman as beautiful as she was got noticed. And boy did she get noticed. He had seen the looks that many men had given her tonight.

If she had been dressed in an old sack cloth with a paper bag over her head she would still be noticed.

And yes, he had felt that twinge of jealousy but she had failed to notice all the looks. She had failed to notice him staring at her like some love sick fool all evening.

In the same way as she had failed to notice him in the court room. The way she had failed to see other men in the corridor as she walked along with her sister.

He had watched every little move, every smile, every time she had reached up a hand and brushed her hair away from her face. Both then and again tonight.

He had stood mesmerised as she had stared open mouthed at the lights in the dining room right up until Adam had nudged her with his elbow. Adam should have left well enough alone. That look. It was something alright.

Luke felt that familiar throb and his stomach clenched. How many times had his body reacted to Cassie over the last few months? More times than he could count.

Adam had noticed him straight away in the reception room. He had nodded his head in his direction and given a little wave. Cassie hadn’t even noticed that. But Adam had not told Cassie that he had seen him.

Instead he had relished watching on in amusement. By the end of the evening many silent exchanges had gone on between the two men, as though they had been conspiring together.

Luke had wanted to go over and ask her to dance but, after earlier in the day when she had slapped him. He had been unsure of the reception. He had glanced over at the dance floor and then back at Cassie. It had not gone unnoticed by Adam.

He had raised an eyebrow and had nodded in the direction of the dance floor. Luke had dipped his head in acknowled-gement and then Adam was getting out of his seat and pulling Cassie along getting ever closer to him. A gleeful look on his face as they had approached him.

Luke stepped further into the room and came to stand by Cassie as he crouched down beside her.

“The police are on their way and the locksmith will be here within the hour to fix the front door and check the windows.” He told her.

She looked at him, her hazel eyes shiny with fresh unspilled tears. Luke reached a hand around the back of her head as he pulled her closer to him. He put a cheek against her own trying to soothe her. Trying to let her know that everything was going to be okay.

“I should…” She stopped. Luke noted the sadness in her voice. She sounded childlike and his heart broke. He lifted his head and looked into her eyes.

“No, there is nothing to do right now.” The need to comfort her became too much for Luke and he bent his head.

His lips touched hers in a feather light touch. He felt her lips soften and yield under his and he kissed her.

Soft languid kisses that he hoped would soothe and comfort her. He traced her lips with his tongue and she moaned, a pleasing sound that had Luke tentatively dipping his tongue into her open receptive mouth. She felt so good. She tasted so good.

Luke felt his arousal pushing against the material of his trousers. He wanted her so damn much. If it wasn’t for the situation at hand he would have carried her upstairs and would have made love to her until the morning. Who was he kidding, he would have kept her there all week. For starters, at least.

He hungered for her in a way he had never hungered for another woman in all his life. He wanted her, he needed her, he loved her. “Cassie.” He groaned against her mouth and he heard her sigh.

He moved closer to her, deepening his kiss. Stroking her with his tongue. Coaxing her to kiss him back, and she did.

He ran his fingers through her hair. He loved the way that felt. Her hair was so soft. He gently massaged her scalp with the tips of his fingers and she sighed again. “I want you so much. Do you have any idea?” he asked her huskily.

“I…” Cassie clung to him.

“You don’t do you?” he asked her. How could one woman be so oblivious to the response she elicited from him.

He took a hold of her hand and moved it to him so that he could place it over his hard arousal and he heard her gasp in shock.

That pleased him. The feel of her hand on him pleased him to. He held her hand there as he pushed himself against her and moved his hips. “You see what you do to me.” He asked. “You see how much I want you”

“Luke.” Her fingers curled to hold him as she tried to wrap around him. If only he wasn’t encumbered with these clothes. Then Cassie would be able to wrap her fingers around him. He was desperate for that. She whimpered against him and gave a shudder.

“It’s okay Cassie. You don’t have to be afraid of it. I won’t hurt you.” He kissed her soft mouth sucking on her bottom lip until she trembled against him.