‘I really do appreciate your help just now.’ She gave him a bright, dismissive smile.
His hand closed lightly over hers before she could step away from him. ‘You’re trembling.’ He frowned darkly.
Was she? Yes, she was. But was that because of Paul Bridger’s behaviour just now, or because she was so aware of the man standing beside her, his hand cool and yet firm as it covered hers?
Luccy gave a shaky laugh. ‘So I am.’ She grimaced. ‘I just wasn’t expecting—that.’ She gestured to where the disgruntled Paul had just left.
The tall American gave her a quizzical look. ‘Perhaps you should sit down for a while? A brandy might help.’
Luccy was starting to feel a little ridiculous; after all, Paul had only been trying his luck just now. He wouldn’t actually have forced her. Would he…?
‘You are upset.’ The American scowled fiercely as Luccy gave another shiver of reaction. ‘I have a bottle of brandy upstairs in my suite—I’m only offering to give you a medicinal brandy,’ he added dryly as he obviously saw Luccy’s dismayed expression. ‘I think you’ve probably been propositioned enough for one evening, don’t you?’
‘Sorry!’ Luccy exclaimed, knowing she was over-reacting. After all, this man needn’t have come to her rescue; he could just as easily have exposed her as being a complete stranger to him. ‘Luccy,’ she invited huskily.
‘Excuse me?’
‘My name’s Luccy.’
‘Ah.’ He nodded. ‘Just Luccy?’
‘Just Luccy.’ This evening was enough of a mess already, without it becoming publicly known that the photographer Lucinda Harper-O’Neill, contracted to PAN Cosmetics, had been involved in an unpleasant scene in a hotel as prestigious as The Harmony!
Dark brows rose over those pale grey eyes as the American answered her. ‘Then I suppose I’m just Sin,’ he drawled softly.
Her smile was rueful now. ‘Interesting name.’
Sin studied the delicate perfection of Luccy’s profile—the deep, unfathomable blue of her eyes, like a flawless sapphire with the light shining behind it, that short nose, the fullness of her mouth, her small pointed chin—before allowing his gaze to move discreetly lower to the creamy swell of her breasts visible above the fitted red gown, her nipples clearly outlined against the flimsy material, as was the slope of her waist and the curve of her hips and thighs.
‘Maybe I should just call it a night.’ Long dark lashes lowered onto her creamy cheeks. ‘Much as I appreciate your help just now, I’m not sure it would be…sensible on my part to go up to your hotel suite with you.’
To hell with whether or not it was sensible—now that circumstances had allowed him to talk to her, to hear the husky sensuality of her voice, Sin wanted to know this woman better. A whole lot better!
His mouth quirked. ‘I’m sure I could get two character references if you’re willing to wait here—’
‘Now you’re making me sound childish!’ Luccy protested.
He raised dark brows. ‘What do you think? Will you risk it?’
Luccy thought that the way she had completely misread Paul Bridger had shown her just how naïve she was when it came to men. By accepting this man’s invitation she could just be jumping out of the frying pan directly into the fire.
She might be well on her way to thirty, but that didn’t mean she was in the least sophisticated when it came to reading men. There had only ever been one man in her life in an intimate way, when she was at university seven years ago, and that certainly hadn’t been very exciting. So much so that she hadn’t been particularly interested in repeating the experience since.
Yet just looking at this man—a man called Sin, for goodness’ sake!—was exciting!
Oh, for goodness’ sake, Luccy, she instantly chided herself again. The Harmony hotel was one of the most exclusive and expensive in London, and this man was a guest here, not a mass murderer. Besides, he was only offering her a glass of brandy to settle her shaken nerves, not a night of unbridled sex—and if by some strange chance he should offer the latter, she could always say no; unlike Paul, this man didn’t look the type of man who needed to force a woman into his bed!
Nevertheless…‘Just a glass of brandy?’
He smiled. ‘Sure.’
Luccy still hesitated, half of her intrigued by this man, the other half—
‘There really is no need to be scared, Luccy,’ Sin reassured her ruefully.
Luccy bristled resentfully as she realised some of her thoughts must have shown on her face. ‘My caution has nothing to do with being scared,’ she denied sharply. ‘I’ve just escaped from one awkward situation—’
‘You believe I’m trying to get you up to my suite in order to seduce you?’ He raised arrogant brows.
‘No, of course not!’ Luccy’s cheeks blazed with embarrassed colour; what a way to treat the man after he had come to her rescue! ‘I’m just not in the habit of going to the hotel room of a man I’ve only just met.’ Especially considering the circumstances under which they had met.
The man called Sin shrugged broad shoulders. ‘All I’m suggesting is a reviving glass of brandy.’
Was he? Was his invitation really that innocent?
‘It’s a hotel suite, Luccy,’ he added impatiently. ‘With its own lounge, and not a bed in sight, I promise.’
Now he was starting to make her feel naïve and unsophisticated. ‘Okay, then, I’ll come,’ she decided, her eyes taking on a glittering determination as she saw the amused slant to that sculptured mouth.
‘After you…’ Sin indicated for her to precede him to the lifts, his gaze appreciative as the red silk of her gown clung to the thrust of her breasts and the gentle curve of her hips, her red strappy sandals adding to the length of her silkily long legs. Her beauty was all the more stunning because she seemed so completely unaware of just how sexily attractive she was.
But Sin was aware of it. Totally. Especially once they had stepped into the confines of the private lift together, the mirrored walls reflecting back numerous images of Luccy.
‘Mmm, nice,’ she murmured appreciatively seconds later as they stepped straight out into the luxurious sitting-room of the penthouse suite. ‘Are you sure you’re just an ordinary hotel guest?’ she added teasingly.