Revenge and Redemption Read online

  He put the perfume back amongst the assortment of earrings and scattered personal items that covered the top of the dresser, items that included her new mobile phone and—a photograph of him. He moved it to the little table by the bed.

  The sound of water draining from the bath tub made him hurry back to the kitchen to prepare supper. Fifteen minutes later Penny appeared in the doorway just in time to watch him serve up omelets with a crisp white wine. He watched her gaze sweep over his handiwork—white linen, fine china, and candlelight—before settling on him. Luke pulled out her chair for her.

  “Good timing,” he said with his most handsome smile.

  She wore a light cotton bathrobe wrapped tightly around her and had her hair piled on top of her head, loosely held by a butterfly clip. The sight had Luke aching for a chance to hold her lovely body, yearning to see what was under that robe, longing to release the chestnut cascade and run his fingers through it, but they were in private now.

  It was up to Penny to make the first move.

  She took a bite of omelet. “Wow, this is actually good. Are you sure you made it?”

  Luke scowled at her teasing. “No, while I was waiting for you to finish your bath, the omelet fairies came down from above and graced your kitchen with their presence.”

  Penny smiled at his sarcasm. “It’s wonderful, Luke. Thank you.”

  Luke’s scowl faded at her compliment. “You’re welcome, Penny.”

  The rest of the meal was eaten in silence. The soft candlelight created little flickering shadow puppets on the walls around them and the gentle crooning coming from the stereo continued to play soft and low.

  “Thank you, Luke,” Penny said again as she finished her meal.

  “It’s just an omelet, Pen. No big deal.”

  “No, not just for dinner. I mean about everything. Oddly, if it wasn’t for you blackmailing me, we would never have become friends, and I do think of you as my friend, Luke, and I hope you think of me the same way.” Penny paused to sip her wine and locked Luke in a vulnerable stare. “I really hope that when all of this is over, we won’t have to say goodbye.”

  Luke’s gut tightened in disappointment as he swallowed down that bittersweet pill and forced a smile. “I don’t want to say goodbye to you either, Pen.”

  Tell her now, he thought. Say it.

  I love you.

  The words wouldn’t come. He knew she would never believe him anyway. Maybe it was better to shelve this particular dream. Being friends wasn’t the end of the world, certainly better than nothing. Now if only he could convince his heart of that.

  “I should go, let you get that early night.”

  “Okay.”

  Luke pulled on his shoes and grabbed his suit jacket and briefcase. Penny opened the door for him and leaned back against the door frame. Luke walked out to the veranda and stared hard at nothing, not sure if he felt angry or confused or both, and then he hung his jacket over the veranda railing and leaned his briefcase against it, too. He spun around and quickly grabbed her about the waist.

  Penny startled as Luke hauled her full length against him and tilted her head back. He stared into her eyes with his golden gaze aflame with desire and kissed her.

  She could not have resisted him even if she’d tried. Luke’s lips were so demanding, his tongue forcing its way between her teeth and lashing against her tongue, his hands holding her so firmly against him that she could feel his thick erection pressing between her thighs.

  She slid her hands up his chest and clung to his broad shoulders, the urge to give in to the pleasure of the moment overwhelming her, but before she could, Luke ended the kiss and gently stroked her cheek.

  “You never know who’s watching us,” he whispered against her ear. “We wouldn’t want anyone to discover our little secret.”

  Luke left Penny standing in the doorway, staring dumbly after him as he slung his jacket over his shoulder and whistled as he walked down the stairs and along pathway to the garden gate. “Don’t forget about tomorrow,” he called out. He hopped in his car and drove away.

  Penny closed the door and walked as if in a daze towards her bedroom. Tomorrow? What was tomorrow? Penny could barely remember her own name after Luke’s parting kiss. She went to her bed and started clearing away her mess.

  “Those weren’t on my pillow,” she said with a frown as she picked up her black silk underwear, then realisation set in. “Oh God!” she groaned. “That sneaky...”

  Luke had been in her bedroom. And seen the black silky knickers that she was too chicken to actually wear. “Oh God,” she groaned again. Penny pushed the rest of her clothes on to the floor and crawled into bed, her face warm from her blush.

  Luke had been in her bedroom. Did he sit on the bed? Did he go through her things? Did he touch anything besides her knickers?

  Her mobile phone rang. She jumped out of bed and grabbed it off the dresser, then noticed other things had been moved. “Hello?”

  “I forgot to tell you,” Luke purred, “nice PJs.”

  “Were you in my room tonight?”

  “Why?”

  She scowled as she located the photo of Luke beside her bed. “Just wondering.”

  “Sounds like you have something in there you don’t want me to see,” Luke said, the humour obvious in his voice.

  “You pervert, you were in my room.”

  Penny tried to sound mad but the thought of Luke in her bedroom, in her bed, made her as dizzy as a schoolgirl.

  “Perhaps.”

  “Was there a reason for this phone call?”

  “Yes.”

  Penny heard knocking on her front door. “Oh, what is it now?”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “There’s someone at the door. Hang on a tick.”

  “You want me to stay on the line in case it’s some weirdo, or a reporter?”

  “Aren’t they the same thing?” The knocking sounded again. “I’m coming!”

  Penny tied her bathrobe around her again and stalked down the hall to the front door. She yanked the door open—and stared at Luke snapping his mobile phone shut.

  His eyes locked on to hers, golden pools of light flaring with lust. He reached out and plucked her mobile phone from her trembling fingers and snapped it shut, too. Penny stood frozen to the spot, transfixed by the power of his gaze.

  Luke stepped over the threshold and closed the door with a swift backwards kick. He stared down at her, his eyes darting hungrily from her luscious pout to her uncertain eyes. Slowly he took her face in his hands and traced the pad of his thumb over her soft lips.

  “Don’t be afraid, Penny,” he murmured.

  “I…I’m not afraid.”

  “Then tell me you want me, Penny. Tell me you want this.”

  “I…we…I can’t, Luke.”

  “You can.”

  “No.”

  “Why are you afraid of me?”

  “I’m not afraid of you.”

  Luke’s stare intensified as his brow creased. “I know I’m a big man, Penny, but−”

  “I said it’s not you,” Penny snapped as she pulled away from Luke. He growled in frustration and raked his hands through his hair to stop himself from grabbing her again.

  “Then what is it? Why won’t you let me love you?” He did grab her again. “Is there someone else?” he demanded, unable to keep the jealousy from his voice.

  Penny’s steely eyes flared. “No! Of course there isn’t. Do you really think I would have agreed to any of this if there was?”

  “Why did you agree to this, Penny?”

  “I…You know why.”

  “Because you fear me, fear what I’ll do to you,” Luke said, his voice taking on that irresistible husky timbre, his hands sliding down her arms in a gentle caress. “What do I do to you, Penny?”

  “Stop saying my name like that!”

  “Like what?” he said as he angled her towards the hallway, towards the bedroom, his voice gentle and low.

/>   “Like we’re lovers,” she spluttered in a rush.

  “We could be lovers, Penny. Just tell me you want me.”

  Penny backed away from Luke. She was afraid of him. She was afraid of what he made her feel. She was afraid of losing herself to the moment and offering up the last of her dignity on a silver platter, of the regret she would feel afterwards for being so weak, of the rejection she would suffer at his hands when he tired of her and cast her aside.

  “No.”

  “Did someone hurt you?” Luke asked. “Is that why you persist in denying the connection between us?”

  Connection? Penny’s heart thudded furiously. Luke felt it too.

  Or was he just telling her what she wanted to hear? She knew she’d never been able to hide her emotions well, and Luke’s renewed interest in having her as his mistress in private as well as public was proof that he had noticed her true feelings.

  “Was it one of those bastards at Royale Industries?” Luke pressed on as his grip tightened around her wrists. “Did one of them hurt you?”

  Penny gasped incredulously. “No.”

  “Something is holding you back, Penny. Something is stopping you from being the sexy, passionate woman I know you are. Tell me, why are you so determined to live in fear?”

  “I…”

  “What?”

  Penny felt cornered and lashed out. “It’s none of your business!” she snapped. “And why do you care anyway?”

  “Because I do care, Penny,” Luke said, his deep voice washing over and through her, soothing her fears, tempting her to give in to him. He loosened his grip on her wrists and stroked his strong lean hands back along her forearms, infusing her skin with his heat. “Tell me.”

  “No.” Penny tried to pull away.

  Luke tightened his grip again and held her firm. “Tell me.”

  “I…”

  Penny looked in his eyes and saw the resolve and tenacity that made him the man he was, the man she loved, and suddenly she was gripped by a new fear.

  If she never gave in to temptation, never let go of her death grip on her independence and freedom, she may never have another chance. What was holding her back, really? The fear that she would lose him? If she didn’t take a chance now she would lose him anyway, and where would that leave her? In love with a man she could never have.

  But she could have him now, for a little while at least, and that was something.

  “Tell me, Penny,” Luke said, lowering his mouth to her ear as his hands fell to her hips, pulling her closer. “Tell me you want me.”

  Penny tried to push away from him but her mind and her body were at war. Her body was unable to resist him anymore, was trembling against him, searching for warmth, longing for his strength, needing him, wanting him. Craving him.

  But her mind still fought for the side of caution, reminded her that he was a womanizing pig, that whatever they had now was only temporary, nothing more than empty sex, a cunning façade. Her temper rose to the occasion, forcing Penny to fight.

  “I…”

  “Yes?”

  Luke’s warm lips grazed the sensitive flesh below her earlobe, making Penny quiver with need. It was the subtlety of his seduction, the arrogance and the certainty that he’d won that made her temper snap and blurt out the truth.

  “I’m a virgin, all right? I’m a bloody virgin!”

  Luke quickly pulled back and looked down on Penny’s blushing face with his brow knit and his mouth hanging open. “You’re a virgin? But...the way you kiss...”

  “I’m twenty-six years old, Luke. It’s not like I’ve never dated before. I do know how to kiss a man.”

  “I’ll say.”

  Penny shook her head and laughed joylessly. “You don’t want me now, do you? Well, you wouldn’t be the first man to tell me that virgins are more trouble than they’re worth.”

  Luke’s expression could only be described as shocked. So she had been hurt, just not how he’d suspected. Luke fumed, indignant on Penny’s behalf. He couldn’t believe any man would be so cruel as to say that to a woman, or would reject such a special gift. He recovered quickly and held her face so she couldn’t look away from him, eager to reassure her that he didn’t share such a narrow minded and ridiculous sentiment.

  “Knowing you’re a virgin, knowing I’ll be your first, only makes me want you more.”

  Penny narrowed her eyes as she searched Luke’s gaze. “Really?”

  He smiled and tugged her into his arms, held her head to his chest. “Oh, honey.” He chuckled quietly. “You have no idea what you do to me.”

  Penny relaxed as he tightened his arms around her and she reveled in the closeness of the moment. “I think you’re right, Luke. I am afraid of you, a little.”

  “Why?” he asked, pushing her back so he could look in her eyes again.

  Penny didn’t dare tell Luke the real reason she feared him, that he would break her heart and leave her devastated. That when all was said and done and he didn’t need her to spy for him anymore, he would go, walk out of her life, never to be seen or heard from again. He would discard her.

  Just like everyone else did.

  “Like you said, you’re a big man…”

  Luke reached behind Penny’s head and grabbed the butterfly clip holding her hair in place. He released her hair and threw the clip over his shoulder, then slid his hands into the chestnut waves that tumbled down around her shoulders. He pulled her closer until his lips touched hers in a tender kiss.

  “I might be big, but I can be gentle. I will be gentle with you, Penny. Let me make love to you. I don’t want you to be afraid of me anymore.”

  “I want that, too.”

  Luke took Penny’s hand and led her to the bedroom. He stood by her bed and stroked her cheek before leaning down to brush his lips against her the shell of her ear.

  “Touch me,” he whispered, his voice harsh with lust.

  Penny’s hands moved tentatively across the hard ridges of his stomach, clawed at his chest as it rose and fell with every staggered breath. He wrenched at his loosened tie and she fumbled with the buttons on his shirt. But he grew impatient for the feel of her hands on his bare flesh and his passion quickly overwhelmed all reason. He tore at his shirt, sending buttons flying across the room and pinging off the mirror. He snatched Penny into his arms and crushed his lips against hers.

  Penny wound her arms around Luke’s neck and returned his impassioned kiss. She felt his hands leave her body, heard the sound of a belt buckle jingling, the purr of a zipper, and the whoosh and thud of trousers falling to the floor. She began yanking on the belt of her robe but Luke’s hands stilled hers.

  “No, honey, let me.”

  Penny watched Luke as his fingers deftly unraveled the knot at her waist and pushed the light cotton robe from her shoulders, letting it pool at her feet. He licked his lips as he unveiled her pale pink satin and lace camisole and French knickers, as though she was something delicious he couldn’t wait to taste.

  “You are so sexy,” he said.

  Penny needed no other encouragement. She threw herself at Luke. She wrapped herself around his powerful body and giggled as he roared playfully and pinned her to the bed. She wriggled under the hard muscles pressing down on her, exciting in her something primal, something deeper than physical need, something so visceral it couldn’t possibly be wrong.

  She laughed as he tickled her throat with butterfly kisses, gasped as he slid his hands over the thin satin that barely covered her torso, burning her body through the material with his scorching hot fingers. Then his lips were devouring all sense and time as he plundered her mouth once more.

  Luke stroked his hand over Penny’s belly. He delighted in the feel of the shiny fabric and the way it slid sensuously across her soft flesh, and in the gentle mewling that bubbled from her throat. He groaned with the strain of holding his lust in check. But he would not rush her.

  He moved over her and slowly kissed a path leading down, settled h
is head against the swell of her breasts and showered them with attention. He squeezed and massaged her satin-covered body, he kissed her hardened nipples and sucked the tender peaks until she cried out, then sucked them some more. He simply couldn’t get enough of her warmth and softness. Her breasts were like two luxurious pillows, perfect for a wealthy man’s head.

  Slowly he traveled lower and skimmed over the sumptuous curves of her hips and thighs. Luke felt the scratch of lace against his palms. He tucked his thumbs into the waist of Penny’s knickers and slowly pulled them down, kissing and nipping his way along her beautiful body as he went, smiling when he revealed the chestnut curls that lay nestled between her thighs.

  He knew it. A real woman.

  Penny lay on the bed and whimpered as she felt Luke’s hot breath pass over her exposed stomach, gasped as she felt it between her legs, groaned with frustration as he moved lower.

  She squeezed her eyes shut and clutched at the sheets beneath her, as though that would somehow ease the tension that had her whole body wound tighter than a clock spring. The slightest touch from Luke had her jumping out of her skin.

  Her old insecurities had her going out of her mind.

  Luke had been with so many women, so many experienced women. What if she disappointed him? Or worse, what if the sight of her jiggly nakedness sent him screaming from the room? Just because he found her attractive with her clothes on didn’t mean he’d feel the same way once they all came off.

  She bit her lip as she writhed on the bed, Luke’s feather-light caresses driving her crazy with wanting, his mouth working its way back and forth along her legs, inching closer and closer to her lips, stopping, always stopping before satisfying her.

  Luke groaned as he watched Penny from the corner of his eye. He wanted nothing more than to sink inside his woman and ease the burden of his own immeasurable need, but he’d promised her he’d be gentle, a task she was making increasing difficult whenever he saw her bite her damned lip.

  But he continued to tease her, to slowly drag his fingers across her flesh and make her squirm, to kiss and lick her, tasting every inch of her with such deliberation, wanting to make her so dizzy with need that she would become as addicted to him as he was to her.