Bound By Her Ring (17 page)

“
Cara mia
, everything will become more focussed when we return. Here, where there are no complications, no outside influences, no one but us. It paints everything in a rosy glow.” He opened the door for her and waited for her to precede him out. Once they were heading to the car he continued.

“You can’t get a handle on any situation until you live in it the circumstances in which it is meant to be lived. Trust me, everything will be fine.”

And she did, she realised. She did trust that he would do the right thing. She just hoped it would be what she wanted.

The mood was a lot different this time when she boarded the plane. The hostess was the same as the previous trip and she found out her name was Marie and she’d been in Lukas’s employ for only a few months. This time, when Marie smiled at Lukas, no spark of jealousy pierced her heart.

She seated herself in the same seat as before and put her seatbelt on, all the while taking deep breaths to calm her nerves.

She jumped slightly as Lukas took hold of her hand, rubbing it between his two large, warm hands.

“You have more chance of dying by being hit by a car than a plane crash.”

She groaned her stomach flip flopping. She placed her hand on it in an attempt to stop the jumping. “Seriously, I really don’t need to hear facts and figures. Plus I’ve lived through a car crash and don’t plan on experiencing the other.”

Jasmine tightened her grip on Lukas, her nails digging into the fleshy part of his hand as the plane gathered momentum and roared down the runway.

She bit her lip hard and, once again, when the wheels locked into their bay, only then did she loosen her grip.

“You seemed much calmer on the flight up, than you do now.”

She tried to laugh to lighten the mood, but it sounded more like a snort mixed in with a hiccough. “Trust me when I say, I was just as nervous then.” She raised her eyes up to him. “Only that time I had to hide it.”

A myriad of emotions flicked across his face as if he was weighing up what she’d said. She couldn’t understand why he had so much trouble believing her sometimes. She’d always been an honest person. What had happened to make him doubt her? She was determined to find out and change it.

“I’m glad you feel more comfortable around me. I probably wouldn’t have been as accepting last time if you had displayed such terror.”

She recalled how he’d acted and the words he’d spoken. “Well, last time, you did mention something about distracting me,” she said as she looked coyly up at him from beneath her lashes. “If you mention it again you might get a different response.”

“Is that right? We’ll just have to see what happens,” he replied as he ran a finger around the hem of her top.

Her nipples peaked beneath her clingy silk fabric and a shiver reverberated down her spine. His seductive tone swirled around her like tendrils of smoke from a candle and if she were standing she was sure her knees would’ve buckled and she would’ve swooned at his feet.

She didn’t know how long they looked at each other, their eyes communicating, their fingers touching, their emotions dancing around each other until they collided and danced as one.

The silent battle taking place between them, in the close confines of Lukas’s luxurious jet, was just as arousing as when Lukas was in full seduction mode. She wanted to rip her seatbelt off, take him by the hand and drag him down to the room at the end of the plane where a bed was waiting.

“Not yet, we need to wait until we are at cruising height before we can leave our seats.”

His calm words didn’t cool her desire, they only inflamed it. For the first time ever she willed the plane to reach the necessary height.

“Soon,
amore
, soon, but I can do this.”

‘This’ turned out to be a mating of their lips. She arched into him, wanting to get closer but unable to because of the limitations of her seatbelt. She thrust her fingers into his hair, relishing the feel of his soft, springy hair.

The plane jolted violently and as her fingers dug into his head, their noses collided.

Terror raced up her spine, its spindly tentacles leeching into her blood. A scream built low in her belly, and if Lukas hadn’t have spoken, it would’ve exploded out of her.

“It’s okay, Jasmine.” He wound his arms tighter around her, throwing caution to the wind by raising the arm rest between them.

The plane hitched again and she was sure it was about to plummet down to the ground. At least she would die holding the man she loved.

And as quickly as it started it was over. The plane levelled out. Before she had time to think the captain’s voice boomed loudly in the cabin.

“Sorry about that Mr and Mrs Morelli. We hit some crosswinds, but I’ve taken the plane to a cruising height of thirty thousand feet. It’s hard to tell if we may encounter more turbulence, so I would suggest you remain seated with your seatbelts fastened until further notice. My apologies again.”

The silence in the cabin sounded louder than the captain’s voice. Fear had her reaching down and tightening her harness until it almost cut her in half. She closed her eyes and muttered a silent prayer while wishing she could somehow be magically transported safely back to Perth.

“Where is Doctor Who with his Tardis?” she muttered.

“Probably morphing between one realm and another. We don’t need him, Darryl is an excellent pilot. I only employ the best.”

“Yes, I know you do.”

“Then try and relax, the more nervous you are the longer the flight will be.”

“Easier said than done, you know.” She checked her seatbelt again.

“I don’t want to revisit your accident.”

The words were terse and she was confused at his reaction. Now it was her turn to do some reassuring.

“So seeing as moving isn’t an option what can we do to fill the time until we can land safely?” she asked.

“I can think of many things, how about I show you?”

“Sounds intriguing go ahead and dazzle me.”

She spent the next hour in a haze of mind blowing feelings. His touch and caresses transporting her to a place where all thoughts were lost and all she did was feel.

Adrenalin was pumping through her at breakneck speed, leaving her little time to breath as Lukas moved from one erogenous zone to the next. And when finally, her climax took hold she felt she was flying alongside the plane.

She collapsed in his hold and after a while the glow of contentment faded and was quickly replaced by embarrassment. What if the pilot or the hostess had walked out when Lukas was seducing her into her relaxed state?

“I can’t believe I just let you do that. We could have been caught out at any time.”

She tried to break out of Lukas’s hold but he held her firm, kissing the top of her head while a hand stroked lightly up and down her spine. “My staffs know better than to intrude. If I need them I let them know. Otherwise they remain at the front end of the plane.”

Jasmine knew he was trying to be reassuring but she felt anything but reassured. She also knew it would be futile to fight out of his embrace. So she lay quietly, the steady beat of his heart under her ear lulling her to sleep.

A soft kiss on her lips roused her from her slumber.

“We’re about to land.”

She couldn’t believe how long she’d slept. She stretched to iron out the kinks that had taken hold during the flight.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t better company on the rest of the flight.”

“It’s fine.” Lukas replaced the armrest between their sets, took hold of her hand and tucked it into his as they started to descend. “We’re almost home.”

Her sigh was heartfelt; the end of their idyllic getaway was fast approaching. How different the trip home had been to the trip up.

The sound of the plane’s landing gear engaging had her tensing momentarily.
No
, she told herself sternly, she was going to overcome this fear. She dropped her shoulders and let the tension seep out of her.

We’re going to be fine. We’re going to be fine
.

She chanted to herself for a few seconds. When she felt more in command she flashed a wide smile to Lukas.

“I’m done being afraid.”

He didn’t say anything, just raised her hand to his lips.

The plane touched down smoothly and taxied to a stop. Disembarking only took moments and then Lukas led her out of the plane and to the waiting car. Once he had her settled he said a few quiet words to the driver and then got in beside her.

Jasmine wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but she thought Lukas seemed distant. They’d been travelling in silence for a while before he spoke.

“I need to go into the office. Once the car has dropped me off, the driver will take you home.”

The news that Lukas had an office in Perth surprised her and rallied for top position with the disenchantment his words brought.

He was sending her home.

“I didn’t know you had an office in Perth. Is it temporary?”

“No,” he said as he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and started pressing various buttons.

Jasmine glanced at the stranger next to her wondering where the man who had comforted her on the plane had gone. It was as if the moment they’d landed, Lukas had to become the cold businessman again, like he didn’t want to let anyone know how considerate and loving he could be. His words were now short and clipped and no nonsense. His demeanour untouchable.

If he could switch to cool businessman, she could do the same. “I’d like to go to my office as well. There are a couple of things I need to check up on.”

Lukas glanced up from his cell phone. “I don’t think that would be a good idea.”

“Well I don’t care if you think it’s a good idea or not. I had to push everything aside to rush away with you. Now I’m back I need to make sure everything is running smoothly.”

The car stopped and Jasmine saw they were out the front of the Palazzo Regent, the place where it all started.

They had come full circle.

She looked up at the cement and glass structure, its lavish portico shining in the sunshine. A group of people had gathered clearly meeting to have lunch in one of the many restaurants. She wondered what they could be celebrating. Less than an hour ago she wanted to celebrate a new beginning.

Lukas got out of the car and she made to follow him.

His cell phone rang and he went into instant business mode. Answering the phone and asking the caller to wait. He then turned his distracted attention back to her. “Seeing as you are so keen, Ken will drive you to your office. I’ll see you later on.”

He closed the door on her before she had a chance to voice her opinion.

Anger infused her. How could he treat her like she was just a minion? She was his wife.

She taped the glass that separated her from the driver. “When it’s safe to do so, can you please turn around and take me back to the Palazzo.”

“I’m sorry, Mrs Morelli, Mr Morelli said to take you to the office. That’s what I’m going to do.”

She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. Of all the high handed actions by he-who-must-be-obeyed, that just took the cake. She much preferred the man she had woken up with this morning to the man she had just left at the hotel. Where had he gone? What had happened between the plane landing and getting into the car?

She seethed the whole way to the office, and when the car stopped she didn’t wait for Ken to open the door, she opened it herself and obtained little satisfaction from slamming it shut.

She stormed into her office, marching past her bewildered assistant. She stood behind her desk and gazed out at the view, trying to absorb some of the tranquillity from the river cutting a swathe through the city.

A clearing of a throat had her glancing over her shoulder. Her assistant hovered in the doorway, surprise etched all over her face. She started to speak, “I wasn’t…”

“Expecting me back for at least another week, yes I know. Let me just say my plans changed.” Jasmine turned fully from the view and sat behind her desk, switching on her computer. “Is there anything urgent that needs my attention?”

She spent the next couple of hours getting up to speed with the happenings of all the hotels. Reservations were at an all time high across all the hotels. It seemed being aligned to Regent Hotels and Morelli Corporation proved to be a very positive connection for business.

Her assistant left her with the latest brochures and marketing material for the upcoming holiday promotion that needed reviewing. She was making corrections, oblivious to how much time had passed, when her assistant buzzed through to her.

“Yes?”

“There’s a man by the name of Ken here, he says he’s come to pick you up?”

“Kindly tell him I’m busy and will make my own way home.”

“Sure, Jasmine.”

She had no doubt Ken would’ve heard her but she knew Pamela would make sure the message was conveyed in a manner which Ken would understand clearly.

After ten minutes of silence she was feeling very pleased with herself. Hopefully Lukas would get the message she wasn’t going to be pushed around to suit his needs.

The door being thrust open and a cry from her assistant had her head shooting up so fast she was sure she had given herself whiplash.

“Lukas,” she gasped as her eyes clapped onto who had thundered into her office.

“Your workday is done, Jasmine. It’s time to go home.” His tone brooked no argument and the fire in his eyes flared out engulfing her with their intensity.

“Really?” she replied archly. “Well I still have a few matters that need attending to.”

“They can wait,” he strode purposefully around to her side of the desk. “I said it’s time to go home.”

He took her handbag off the coat rack, placed it in her lap and lifted her easily from her chair.

She spluttered in shock. “Just what do you think you’re doing?”

He didn’t answer her question, just strode past a stunned Pamela, into the waiting elevator. He didn’t release his hold until they’d reached his car.

“I demand to know where you’re taking me, Lukas.”

“Where does it look like I’m taking you? I’m taking you home.”