A savage frown carved deep on his forehead. ‘What?’
Ruby stepped up close to him again and lifted her hand to his stubbly jaw. He flinched as if her touch burned him, but he didn’t step away. She placed her hand back on his face, gliding it over the rough regrowth. The raspy sound was loud in the silence. She lowered her hand from his face and tried to ignore the fluttery sensation in her belly. Tried to ignore the tingling in her fingers and the pulse of something dark and silky and secretive between her thighs.
‘Unless you intend to grow a beard, you really could do with a shave. I could drive you to a barber, if you like.’
‘I’m not going anywhere.’
‘I could maybe get one to do a house call.’
‘No.’ He moved away to search for his sunglasses on the bedside table. He slipped them on and turned to face her with an unreadable expression. ‘What? Not going to offer to shave me yourself?’
Ruby could feel another blush crawling over her cheeks. ‘I can’t imagine you allowing me to come at you with a razor in my hand. Who knows what might happen?’
One side of his mouth lifted at the corner. ‘Who, indeed.’
Something about his sardonic tone sent a shiver rolling down her spine and Ruby turned for the door before she was tempted to touch him again. What was wrong with her? Did she have no shame—especially after the blistering set-down he’d given her all those years ago? She had to get a hold of herself. The last thing she needed right now was the complication of developing an attraction to the one man who would never be interested in someone like her.
A few minutes later they were seated in the dining room. Ruby dished up a portion of the casserole she had made onto his plate and filled his glass with wine.
‘Bon appetit.’
Lucas leaned down to sniff the steam rising off his plate. ‘Mmm, smells good.’ His fingers briefly searched for cutlery. He cocked his head, as if sensing she was watching him. ‘Is something wrong?’
She flicked her napkin across her lap and picked up her own cutlery. ‘It must have been hard to learn how to eat without vision.’
‘I’m getting used to it.’ A frown flitted across his brow and he added, ‘I had the help of a very efficient occupational therapist for a couple of weeks.’
‘That must have been a great help.’
‘She’s the mother of three adult children and has zero tolerance for self-pity.’ One side of his mouth tilted in an almost-smile, which was a little rueful around the edges. ‘I told her she’d missed a great career in the army as a drill sergeant.’
‘You won’t have been an easy client.’
His smile dropped away and he moved the food around his plate, a brooding frown pulling on his brow. ‘No, I wasn’t.’
‘Why did you come back here to recuperate?’ Ruby asked. ‘I mean, you hardly spend any time here these days. I got the impression you didn’t enjoy being here.’
He put down his fork and picked up his wine glass. ‘I chose it because of the isolation. The press would have a field-day if they found out about my condition. Plus, I know my way around here. I spent my childhood seeking out various hiding places to avoid the battles between my parents.’ He took a sip of his wine and put the glass back down, the line of his mouth bitter. ‘I don’t remember this place as a home. It was more of a war zone.’
‘But your parents weren’t always unhappy. I remember them being so in love and—’
‘I hardly think that waslove.’ Cynicism was ripe in his tone. ‘They lived off each other’s drama. They got high on it. They weren’t happy unless they were making each other unhappy.’ He shook his head, as if he still couldn’t make sense of his parents’ relationship. ‘If that’s what love is, I want no part of it.’
‘Have you ever been in love?’
‘No.’
‘But you’ve dated so many women. Hasn’t one of them made you feel something?’
‘Sure—but lust isn’t love.’ He picked up his wine glass again. ‘I don’t stay with anyone long enough to develop feelings for them.’
‘But what if they develop feelings for you?’
‘I don’t intentionally set out to break anyone’s heart. I state my terms and those who can handle them accept them.’
‘It sounds like plenty of women do accept them.’
Ruby tried but failed to keep the note of disapproval out of her voice. If what was reported in the press was true, Lucas changed partners faster than a racing driver changed gears.