of money. He understood how getting close to a woman could foster dependency and love, only to have the lot ripped away, leaving pain and devastation in its wake.
Every time he visited his dad, Ronnie, he saw the evidence firsthand. And it gutted him. His dad might not have been the easiest man to live with when he’d been younger, but he was the only parent Cash had ever known. To see a man cut down in his prime like that all because of a woman? No way would Cash ever open himself up for that kind of desolation.
‘You okay?’ Lucy was staring at him quizzically.
‘Not really.’ He glanced at her, those beautiful brown eyes, way too trusting and filled with concern, and shook his head. ‘But it’s my problem, not yours. Let’s just concentrate on getting through this week without either of us going loco, okay?’
‘Sounds like a plan,’ she said, slipping her hand through his elbow when he offered it.
Now all Cash needed was for his head to get with the plan. A clear-cut, no-nonsense, business arrangement between two people who barely knew each other.
Something he’d need to remind himself constantly if Lucy rocked up to any more functions intent on surprising him.
* * *
Sex goddess .
Those two little words echoed through Lucy’s head: relentless, taunting, flattering.
She’d wanted to make an impression on Cash, not send the poor guy bonkers. Because that was what had happened the moment she’d tottered in here, out of practice in high heels. He’d been acting like a crazy person. Complimentary one second, snappy the next.
Then he had to go and blurt that crap again, about liking her for who she was, sans fancy clothes, make-up and new haircut, and she was back to square one: liking him more than was good for her.
She could attribute his bamboozlement to excellent acting skills: a guy trying to woo her in the hope of making their interaction look more real for the cameras.
Except for one factor: he’d appeared seriously rattled when he’d admitted that he didn’t like surprises. In fact, he looked like a guy who’d had a few nasty shocks in his lifetime. And she was in trouble, because that hint of vulnerability beneath his suave exterior? Made him all the more appealing.
‘How are you holding up?’ he murmured in her ear, sending a shiver of illicit longing through her.
She could blame her physical reaction to Cash on the fact she hadn’t had a date in a while—like six months—but she knew better. Cash was the whole package: handsome, dry sense of humour and, she’d finally accepted, downright nice.
‘I’m fine,’ she said, wishing the organisers would wind up their explanatory spiel so she could get out of here.
She was looking forward to getting out of these clothes and finding solace in gardening. When Lucy was feeling unsettled, she liked nothing better than to vent her frustration by digging and hoeing and slashing. How unsettled she was feeling right now? She’d need to spend the rest of the day with her hands in the dirt.
Just thinking about it had her mentally listing her planting to-do list for early February: okra, kohlrabi, radish, parsnip, leeks, collards. She’d head home as soon as this shindig was over and go berserk in the veggie patch. Perfect way to work off the edginess.
‘You don’t look okay.’ He squeezed her hand, which he had to hold for appearances’ sake, apparently. ‘You look like a girl in need of a double-shot latte or a family-size block of chocolate.’
He paused, shot her a sideways glance she had no hope of interpreting. ‘I can provide both at my place if you need to unwind, debrief, whatever, after this.’
Lucy was tempted. Really tempted. The thought of getting to know her enigmatic boyfriend better appealed.
But after their bizarre exchange earlier and the tension-fraught last hour, listening to the organisers drone on about functions they’d have to attend, rules and regulations, and instructions to ham up the romance for the
Every time he visited his dad, Ronnie, he saw the evidence firsthand. And it gutted him. His dad might not have been the easiest man to live with when he’d been younger, but he was the only parent Cash had ever known. To see a man cut down in his prime like that all because of a woman? No way would Cash ever open himself up for that kind of desolation.
‘You okay?’ Lucy was staring at him quizzically.
‘Not really.’ He glanced at her, those beautiful brown eyes, way too trusting and filled with concern, and shook his head. ‘But it’s my problem, not yours. Let’s just concentrate on getting through this week without either of us going loco, okay?’
‘Sounds like a plan,’ she said, slipping her hand through his elbow when he offered it.
Now all Cash needed was for his head to get with the plan. A clear-cut, no-nonsense, business arrangement between two people who barely knew each other.
Something he’d need to remind himself constantly if Lucy rocked up to any more functions intent on surprising him.
* * *
Sex goddess .
Those two little words echoed through Lucy’s head: relentless, taunting, flattering.
She’d wanted to make an impression on Cash, not send the poor guy bonkers. Because that was what had happened the moment she’d tottered in here, out of practice in high heels. He’d been acting like a crazy person. Complimentary one second, snappy the next.
Then he had to go and blurt that crap again, about liking her for who she was, sans fancy clothes, make-up and new haircut, and she was back to square one: liking him more than was good for her.
She could attribute his bamboozlement to excellent acting skills: a guy trying to woo her in the hope of making their interaction look more real for the cameras.
Except for one factor: he’d appeared seriously rattled when he’d admitted that he didn’t like surprises. In fact, he looked like a guy who’d had a few nasty shocks in his lifetime. And she was in trouble, because that hint of vulnerability beneath his suave exterior? Made him all the more appealing.
‘How are you holding up?’ he murmured in her ear, sending a shiver of illicit longing through her.
She could blame her physical reaction to Cash on the fact she hadn’t had a date in a while—like six months—but she knew better. Cash was the whole package: handsome, dry sense of humour and, she’d finally accepted, downright nice.
‘I’m fine,’ she said, wishing the organisers would wind up their explanatory spiel so she could get out of here.
She was looking forward to getting out of these clothes and finding solace in gardening. When Lucy was feeling unsettled, she liked nothing better than to vent her frustration by digging and hoeing and slashing. How unsettled she was feeling right now? She’d need to spend the rest of the day with her hands in the dirt.
Just thinking about it had her mentally listing her planting to-do list for early February: okra, kohlrabi, radish, parsnip, leeks, collards. She’d head home as soon as this shindig was over and go berserk in the veggie patch. Perfect way to work off the edginess.
‘You don’t look okay.’ He squeezed her hand, which he had to hold for appearances’ sake, apparently. ‘You look like a girl in need of a double-shot latte or a family-size block of chocolate.’
He paused, shot her a sideways glance she had no hope of interpreting. ‘I can provide both at my place if you need to unwind, debrief, whatever, after this.’
Lucy was tempted. Really tempted. The thought of getting to know her enigmatic boyfriend better appealed.
But after their bizarre exchange earlier and the tension-fraught last hour, listening to the organisers drone on about functions they’d have to attend, rules and regulations, and instructions to ham up the romance for the
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