Anne Oliver - The Ex Factor

Barely a respectable two months’ grieving period later and a few days before his parents had left for Europe he’d finagled it with the catering firm so she worked one of his father’s business functions. The Bohemian waitress looking for excitement and new experiences. Oh, yeah, they’d found that all right, but the relationship had ended three months later.

‘What made you choose nursing?’ He dumped an extra spoonful of sugar into his mug to sweeten the suddenly sour taste in his mouth. ‘I’d’ve thought it would be the last thing you’d choose. You couldn’t even stand the sight of blood.’

Or vomit, for that matter. His stomach spasmed at the mere thought of Luna Park’s high-rolling ride she’d talked him into. Now those golden days of fun and laughter and love in the summer sun seemed like another lifetime.

Her eyes flicked away as if she couldn’t bring herself to meet his gaze. She rose and walked to the window. ‘It was something I needed—need—to do.’

If he hadn’t known better he’d have said she looked fragile. ‘What happened?’

‘Life happened.’ She massaged the heel of her hand over her heart. ‘It was time to get serious.’

‘Serious?’ Mel didn’t do serious. He’d realised that on their last night as lovers. His fingers tightened on his mug as the blow-by-blow scene roared to life behind his eyes. He’d been the idiot who’d thought it could be something more.

Melanie flinched at the sarcasm in Luke’s voice then made the mistake of turning. He was one dangerous step away, six feet plus of emotionally charged man.

‘Yes, serious,’ she fired back, her spine stiffening at his scepticism. But she couldn’t blame him—she’d been a different person when they’d met. Their relationship had been hot and intense…and temporary. A firecracker destined to die.

A fling.

What else could it be? A waitress and a rich man’s son? Never mind that she’d done something with her life since. ‘It’s in the past, Luke, leave it there.’

‘You’re happy, then? Life’s good?’

‘Never been better.’ She meant it. She was doing what she loved: helping sick kids. It was enough.

It had to be enough.

At the sound of a door opening they both turned as a bleary-eyed Adam appeared. ‘I thought I heard voices,’ he said. At least he had the discretion not to mention the tone of those voices. ‘I hear you two have…ah…introduced yourselves.’

‘Morning, Adam.’ Melanie stared at her flatmate. He’d mentioned Luke, but she hadn’t realised he’d meant Luke Delaney.

‘I was just leaving.’ Luke set his still-half-full mug on the table, nodded to Adam. ‘It was good to catch up.’

‘Stay for breakfast,’ Adam said. ‘Mel makes the best pancakes and maple syrup this side of the Pacific.’

Drizzled with maple syrup… Her toes curled inside her boots at a particularly erotic memory. Head down, she busied herself tidying the coffee-table.

‘I’m sure she does,’ Melanie heard Luke say before she could refuse, jangling keys as he fished them from his pocket. ‘I’ve got to run.’

‘I think these are yours,’ she said, glancing at the DVDs as she picked them up and held them out for him at arm’s length. ‘I guess it gets lonely…wherever you are.’

His fingers slid against hers as he took them from her with that almost-smile on his lips. Oh, that familiar heat, that slow burn snaked its way through skin and bone to wrap cunningly around her heart’s memory.

‘You never did ask where that was,’ he murmured.

No, but it was already too much that she knew where he’d been last night.

He leaned close so only she could hear, his breath hot against her cheek, eyes smouldering with a lambent heat that burned her from the inside out. ‘The sex was great though, wasn’t it?’

She gasped inwardly at his words, not mocking but sincere, brutally honest in fact. And gulped as the old familiar ache clenched deep in her belly.

His gaze lingered on her lips a moment and she swore she felt his touch. Then he straightened, waved a casual farewell to Adam. ‘See you later.’

Rubbing her arms against the rawness of newly awakened emotions, Mel watched the door close behind him. Until Adam’s whistle between his teeth startled the wits out of her.

‘Is there an electrical storm in here or what? I could literally see the sparks. Sorry if I overstepped the line with the bed. I didn’t think you’d be back so early.’ His eyes narrowed and she fought the urge to look away. ‘Nor did I expect you to be so…uptight—if that’s the right word. You okay?’

Mel poured herself another fortifying coffee. ‘I’m fine, and anyway it’s too late now, the damage is done.’

‘What damage?’

She rolled her eyes heavenward. ‘The sheets, Adam.’

‘The sheets?’ He ran a hand through bed-spiked hair. ‘I was going to make sure the bed was tidy so you didn’t notice.’

‘You didn’t think I’d notice a man had slept in my bed?’

‘To be honest, no.’ A grin tilted the corner of his mouth. ‘Luke’s okay, Mel.’ Adam sprawled out on the sofa and dipped a spoon into last night’s Chinese. ‘And he’s made a fortune overseas.’ He pointed his spoon at her. ‘Most women would find that a plus.’

Overseas? What about the job in Queensland? she wanted to ask—but, of course, she couldn’t. Not without going into the sordid details of their history and she really couldn’t face that right now. Easier to pretend she’d never met him. ‘Doing…what?’ she prompted, keeping her tone casual.

‘He’s an engineering geologist,’ he said between spoonfuls. ‘Working alongside civil engineers, designing bridges et cetera et cetera. He’s been involved in a huge development in Dubai.’ A mischievous glint winked in his blue eyes. ‘Ah…that auction you girls are planning…’

Huh? The silent auction where everyone was paired off with a member of the opposite sex for the evening? ‘No!’ With her luck she’d draw his number. Oh, no. No way.

‘I can vouch for him, Mel. He’s single, no risk and good company. The guy could use some female companionship while he’s here. It’s for charity and he’s got money to burn.’

While he’s here? Temporarily, then. Thank God. She shrugged, picked up a DVD cover and pretended to check out the blurb. ‘He may look—’ like every woman’s fantasy ‘—okay, but, from a female perspective, he needs more than just a honed body and a sexy smile.’

But they could have used the money. Unlike the others, her prize didn’t include her—it was strictly a BYO partner deal. So why was she so against Adam’s idea? Because she didn’t want to think of Luke paired off with any of her colleagues. She’d hear about it and even after all this time she didn’t know if she could deal with that.

‘It’s too late,’ she said, rubbing her arms with the chill that had suddenly wrapped around her. ‘The bids closed yesterday.’

But Adam merely grinned as he stacked the empty containers. She frowned as apprehension shivered over her skin. When Adam grinned that way and didn’t offer up some comeback line, it usually meant he knew something she didn’t. Anyway you looked at it, it spelled trouble.

CHAPTER TWO

THAT night Melanie couldn’t sleep. Probably because she hadn’t been able to bring herself to change the sheets. Stupid. Even worse, she’d left off her night-shirt and slipped naked into bed.

She breathed in the lingering scent of Luke’s hair on her pillow. Luke had slept here; his hot skin had rubbed over this very spot. Had he been restless too? Had he tossed and turned, maybe subconsciously remembering her scent?

The sheet’s texture abraded the sensitive parts of her body. The suddenly overly sensitive parts of her body. She felt like a ripe peach—one fingertip on the right spot and she’d explode right out of her over-tight skin.