Mar had been moving to sit, until he threw out his last line. “My feet feel great,” she lied. She’d become so used to and adept at the heels that she could wear them through an entire workday and then into the evening without any problems, but the sand had been murder to try to walk in.
“Lucky you. My feet are killing me.”
She looked down at his brown leather Gucci dress shoes and rolled her eyes. They were high-end shoes, and she could bet they were comfortable. The only fashion rule that ever dealt men discomfort was wearing suit coats when it was hot and humid out.
He held out a chair for her. “Please.”
“Fine.” She sank into the chair he offered and wasn’t quick enough to hide a sigh of relief. It was heaven to be off her feet.
Luke angled a chair toward hers and sat as well. “Ah,” he said, letting out a fake sigh. “Blessed relief.”
“Stop.” She pushed at his arm with her hand. His very firm forearm. His very manly arm. His very … Oh crap, she was still touching it, and he was staring at her hand on his arm as if entranced with it. Quickly pulling her hand back, she looked around at the wedding party. Everyone was satiated with great food, spending time with well-loved family and friends, and sharing Isaac and Cosette’s joy; the happy couple competed with the sun for shine and sparkle. “We did good, right?”
“Excuse me?” Luke was still looking down at where her fingers had been pressed against his skin as he’d removed his suit jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt.
“The wedding. We pulled it off.”
“Oh. Yes.” Luke focused back on her face. “Well, you and Rachel pulled it off.”
“You definitely helped. Thank you for paying for everything.”
He waved a hand at that. “I was happy to.” He glanced away from her and at the newlywed couple; they were talking to some of Isaac’s Air Force buddies who’d been able to get the day off and come to the beach twenty miles from their base. “I want them to have every happiness.”
Something in his voice made her spine straighten with defensiveness. “Of course they’ll have every happiness.”
He stared at her. “That’s what I said.”
“That’s not what you meant.” She challenged him with a tilt of her head and an arch of her eyebrows. It was true—she didn’t know the meaning of demure, and she was far too fiery.
A waiter brought drinks around, and Luke snagged them a couple of strawberry lemonades. Mar thanked him and took a long drink of the cool, tart, yet sweet drink. Luke took a drink, then set it down and tugged at his tie.
“You’ve already taken the jacket off; maybe you should keep the rest of your clothes on,” she said before she could help herself. Lord forgive her wanton thoughts.
She thought he might give her a flirtatious line back, but he started guiltily and took another drink. “I have a hard time sitting still,” he admitted, casting his eyes to where his regal mother was talking with a group of ladies. Mar wondered if he had gotten in trouble for being restless as a child.
Now that he mentioned it, she couldn’t help but notice the restless energy that emanated from him. She wanted to ask him more about it, but first had to reiterate, “Why are you worried about Isaac and Cosette’s happiness? They radiate happiness.” She leaned back and assessed him as he prepared to answer.
“I think they’re a perfect fit; otherwise I never would’ve agreed to help you and Rachel and funded the wedding. My concern is that it’s going to be hard to juggle careers they’re both extremely passionate about. Especially if Isaac gets deployed again.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Cosette has been willing to make every sacrifice.” Even sacrificing her best friend. “Moving her lab here, leaving her dad and everything familiar to her …”
“I recognize that, and I hope she never feels alone and resentful when he’s off saving the world.”
“I don’t know that she has a resentful bone in her body, but I can imagine she might feel alone.” Mar’s heart twinged at the thought of it. She vowed that when Isaac was deployed, or even when he was on missions that took him away from home for a few days or a week, Mar would come keep Cosette company. She smiled, feeling better already. Her friend would need her. Thank heavens. Most people thought it was hard to have no family because you had no one looking out for you, but for Mar, it was harder not having anyone need her.
Luke had fallen silent, almost broodily so.
“You definitely don’t match what the media portrays about you,” Mar said.
He focused back on her and smiled easily, spreading his hands. “The billionaire playboy. Why not? Am I not being flirtatious enough for you, Ms. Valez?”
“No, you’re not,” she shot back. “But maybe that’s simply because you’re not interested in me.” She threw it out there as a quip, but it sounded insecure and needy. She was both, but no one needed to know that. She scrambled for how to retract her statement.
“Oh, I’m interested.” Luke’s voice dropped to a low and husky pitch as his gaze swept hungrily over her face. “What red-blooded American playboy wouldn’t be interested in you?”
Mar’s stomach lurched from his look and words; at the same time, she reprimanded herself for letting him affect her at all. Which was the act—the “American playboy,” or the restless genius? He was obviously playing a role just like she was. She wished she knew how to read him.
She ignored his words. Any knee-jerk response would sound overconfident. Every male seemed interested, but she’d never met one who was the right fit for her, one who wanted a long-term relationship with a sassy, driven, independent businesswoman. She asked instead, “I hear you’re something of a creative genius and an expert in business?”