But it was lonely at the top and there was only one way down from it—the word he dreaded more than any other—failure.
‘I’m just a ratbag,’ he said lightly. ‘Ask my brother. He’ll tell you.’
A wistful smile curved her mouth. ‘I would’ve loved a sister or a brother. I think my mum would’ve had another child but for the fact that she wasn’t happy with my father.’
‘Why didn’t she divorce him?’
‘She asked him once or twice but he always talked her out of it.’ She traced her fingertip around the rim of her glass before she added, ‘Arguing with my father is not for the faint-hearted. He can be very persuasive.’
Tell me about it, Luiz thought. ‘What sort of husband was he to your mother?’
She looked at him with her clear blue gaze. ‘Do you mean: was he abusive?’
‘Is that why she wanted to leave him?’
‘No, he wasn’t abusive. He loved her too much, if that makes sense.’ Her finger did another circuit before she looked at him again. ‘He expected her to be a certain type of wife. But my mother wasn’t the type of person to be boxed in.’
‘Is that what he does to you? He expects you to act and behave a certain way?’
She sighed. ‘Yes…I hate disappointing him. I really do. I’m all he has, when you think about it. He wants me to be happy. I totally understand that. It’s what all parents want for their kids. He doesn’t want me to mess up my life with being with the wrong person, I guess because of how things turned out between my mother and him. But how can I find out who’s right for me if I don’t put myself out there? It’s not like you can just know in an instant if someone’s perfect for you.’
Luiz studiously examined the contents of his half-empty glass. ‘My brother said as soon as he met his wife Teddy he knew she was the one.’ He met her gaze again. ‘So I suppose it must happen occasionally.’
‘So you believe in love at first sight?’
‘I didn’t say that.’
‘But that’s what happened with your brother.’
‘Doesn’t mean it will happen with me.’
She angled her head in that cute way she had. ‘But it could. Statistically speaking.’
‘What have statistics got to do with it?’
She shrugged and picked up her drink again. ‘Your brother sounds like a romantic. You’ve got a fifty per cent chance of being one as well.’
‘I don’t think so.’
She gave him a teasing smile. ‘How do you know? You haven’t met the woman of your dreams yet. But when you do—whammo—you’ll be done like a turkey at Christmas.’
He gave a wry chuckle. ‘The woman of my dreams doesn’t exist.’
She sat back in her chair and recrossed her long legs, gently kicking one dainty ankle up and down as her gaze held his. ‘Describe her to me.’
Luiz gave her a crooked smile. ‘Chestnut hair, blue eyes, creamy skin, hot body and legs up to—’
She leaned forward and tapped his thigh with a playful hand. ‘I’m being serious.’
So am I, he thought with a jolt. Wasn’t Daisy everything he wanted? She was funny and smart. She was fun to be around. She was sweet and yet strong enough to speak her mind. She was sexy and yet she could be a perfect lady when the need arose. She had class. She was the most thrilling lover he’d ever had.
But…
He wasn’t going to fall in love and have his feelings trampled over. He wasn’t going to make himself vulnerable. Not to her. Not to anyone. Not again.
‘What about you?’ He tossed the question back. ‘Describe your dream lover.’
Her gaze flicked up to the right as if she was picturing her ideal man in her mind. ‘Tall, because I would hate to tower over a man when I put on a pair of heels. Smart, because I find intelligence the biggest turn-on. Funny, because life is so serious anyway and it’s important to be with someone who makes you smile. Sexy, because chemistry is so important and who wants to be with someone who doesn’t make your heart go pitter-patter?’
‘Anything else?’
She tapped her index finger against her lips. ‘Let me see now… Ah, yes. Eyes. He has to have nice eyes.’
Luiz lifted a brow. ‘What about money?’
‘Not important.’
He gave a cynical laugh. ‘It’s always important.’
‘Not to me.’
He held her gaze for a beat. ‘Isn’t the possession of money a sign the man has got his act together? That he has drive and ambition?’
Her clear blue gaze didn’t waver. ‘He might have got it through inheritance or luck, such as winning the lottery.’