Chasing Memories: The Forevermore Series, Book 2 (3 page)

Chapter Four

“Lucas?”

He peered up from behind the oak desk in his office at the Acquati hotel overlooking the San Francisco Bay. His day manager, Maryann Underwood, stood in the open doorway.

“Ms. Leone has arrived. She’s waiting in the Executive Boardroom.”

“Okay, thanks. I’ll join her in a minute.”

Maryann nodded, then left.

Lucas gathered his notes, put them back into the file he’d been studying and then stood. Grabbing a pad of paper, he exited the office and strode down the hall.

It occurred to him sometime over the last few days his need for a new interior designer for the Miami property provided the perfect opportunity to meet with India Leone one-on-one. He wanted to learn for himself what she did and did not know about the accident involving his grandmother, so he’d had Brett contact her and invite her in for an interview. With a little luck he would learn more about what had happened, or, at the very least, determine if the amnesia she claimed to have was real or a farce she was perpetrating.

He opened the door to the conference room and stepped in. Piercing blue eyes gazed up at him. His heart raced, pulse soared and the breath stuck in his throat.
Shit.
He
knew
India Leone, and not from pulling her from Grams’s car. No, they’d met in person. A couple of months ago, at an investment seminar in Los Angeles.

Tall, goddess-like, her voluptuous body and raven hair had sparked his interest from the moment he’d set eyes on her.

She’d joined him for coffee after the seminar and they’d talked long into the evening, discussing the best restaurants to dine in. They both loved a little eatery on East Second Street in Los Angeles. Favorite places to visit. She enjoyed Rome and he preferred Rio. Movies they found entertaining. She loved spy thrillers, which had surprised him as he’d figured her for one of those saccharine-sweet chick-flick types.

Not his typical first-date scenario. He’d have chosen dinner in a quiet, intimate restaurant, not drinking an espresso in a coffee shop. Still, he’d enjoyed the evening. Enjoyed spending time with her. More than he’d thought possible.

He hadn’t made the connection until now. Why would he? The woman he’d met in Los Angeles had been named Dee. Maybe it was short for India? Regardless, the beauty he remembered had glorious, long, silky locks that cascaded over soft, alabaster skin, blue eyes that gleamed like sparkling sapphires and a smile that could light up a gloomy day. Not short, wavy curls or a bruised, swollen face filled with cuts and angry scratches.

India stood and extended her hand to Lucas. “Hello, Mr. Walker. It’s nice to meet you.”

Mr. Walker?
She thought he was Brett?

“I want to thank you for considering me for this position.”

Not a hint of recognition. Did she not remember him, or was this all part of a charade? “Lucas Morgan.” He shook her hand. Guileless eyes stared up at him.

“Forgive me, I assumed I’d be meeting with Mr. Walker. He’d emailed me and asked me to come in.”

She was doing one hell of a job pretending, if this was all a game. Then again, she was an actress, or had been years ago, and a good one at that.

“No problem, Ms. Leone. Please, have a seat.” He gestured to the chair she’d vacated a moment before, and when she was seated, took the chair opposite her.

“I’m curious. How did you find out about me, Mr. Morgan?”

“Lucas. Call me Lucas.” He’d liked the way she said his name when they’d first met. The husky murmur rolled off her tongue. It turned him on. An image of Grams flashed into his mind. His stomach twisted. Hands shook. He gripped the pad of paper tighter to stop the trembling.

“Okay, Lucas. What made you think I’d be a good fit for this project?”

A valid question considering he’d insisted Brett contact her. “You came recommended.”

Surprise flickered in her bright blue eyes. “Who recommended me?”

Was she feeling him out? Funny, he’d called her into this interview to do exactly the same. Time to lay his cards out on the table and see how she’d react. “Evelyn Young.”

She stiffened, then jumped up and grabbed her portfolio. “Who put you up to this?” she demanded. “Are you working with some reporter, trying to get the inside scoop on what happened that night? You’re a sick man, Lucas Morgan. A sick man. Why can’t you all just leave me alone?”

Me? Working with a reporter? Not in this lifetime or any other.
Definitely not the reaction he’d expected, but one he probably deserved, given what the press had put her through already. Pain radiated off her in waves. A stab of guilt knifed through him.
No.
He wouldn’t feel guilty. He needed to find out what happened the night Evelyn died. India was the only link he had.

India squared her shoulders and looked Lucas in the eye. “You want to know what happened that night. I’ll tell you the same thing I told the police. I don’t know! I can’t remember. Now leave me the hell alone.” She turned away from him and strode toward the door.

Maybe she’d been telling the truth all along? If so, the possibility existed her memory could return at any time. He could have the answers he craved. “I’m not working with the press, Ms. Leone.” India stopped but didn’t turn to face him.

“Why else would you say Evelyn recommended me?”

“We were acquainted. Evelyn did a lot of business with this hotel.” It was the truth. She’d held business functions here, brought clients to the hotel’s five-star restaurant and recommended the Acquati to all her out-of-town clients needing a place to stay while she showed them properties in the area.

India turned around. Good. At least he hadn’t scared her off. “We discussed the renovations being done to the Young building on numerous occasions. She was quite pleased with your work.” More truth. They
had
discussed the improvements being made, and Evelyn was more than happy with the ideas the designer had had. At least she’d been pleased in the beginning, but Evelyn never named India as that designer and Lucas didn’t know what happened between them to make Evelyn fire her. “I asked Brett to give you a call when the position in Miami opened.”

She glowered down at him, and he couldn’t help thinking how damned sexy she looked.
Shit.
What the hell was wrong with him? The woman was ready to rip him a new one judging by the expression on her face. And here he was getting turned on. Again.

“Why would you want to hire the woman who the media says is responsible for Evelyn’s death?”

“You’re good at your job.” He’d done his homework the minute his plan to hire her formed in his mind. Examined her credentials, checked her website and had his HR department contact her references. Hell, he’d even Googled her. All typical research an employer would do on a perspective employee. He’d been impressed with the work she’d done to date. Still, he had to play it cool. “But, if you’re not interested in the position…” She stalked back toward him. His groin tightened. She really was magnificent. Lustrous dark hair, firm high breasts, hourglass figure.

“I wouldn’t have come if I wasn’t interested in the job, Mr. Morgan, but I don’t appreciate you wasting my time if this is some hoax.”

“Sit down, Ms. Leone. India. I’m not in cahoots with any reporters and this isn’t a scam. I’m in need of an interior designer for the new Acquati property in Miami. As for the press…” He knew all too well what they could be like. They’d hunted his billionaire father for years, and drove him into hiding. After Edward disappeared, the paparazzi stalked Lucas. Turned his life into a three-ring circus, which was why he’d steered clear of them over the last few years. “You can’t believe everything you hear. Now, if you’re still interested in taking this assignment, sit down and convince me to hire you.”

Heart thudding against her ribcage, India stared down at Lucas, debating whether or not to believe what he’d said. Could she take a chance? She wanted this assignment. Not only because it promised to give her the one thing she longed for the most at the moment. The opportunity to leave San Francisco for a while was a huge bonus as far as she was concerned. But it also allowed her to obtain more experience. Know-how she lacked, and needed if she wanted to expand her business into the commercial realm. Which she’d wanted to do for a while now, before the accident turned her life upside down. Renovating the Young building had been the first step and the one and only non-residential construction she’d completed. The rest of the projects over her four-year career had been private homes, albeit some were the size of small hotels.

Yes, she wanted this position. India sat and opened her portfolio. If Lucas needed convincing she was the person for this job, she’d do just that.

Chapter Five

His lips covered hers, just a gentle, pleasing whisper of soft skin against skin. India shivered. What was it about this man that the mere brush of his lips over hers could cause such longing deep inside? It had never been this way with anyone before.

He placed light kisses along her jaw line up to the sensitive spot behind her ear where he nipped and nibbled. She shuddered.

“You taste so damned good,” he murmured.

His mouth trailed a path of fire down the column of her neck to the hollow at the base of her throat, then his tongue…it licked and laved at the hot skin where her pulse hammered, and oh dear Lord in heaven, nothing had ever felt so damned good in all her life.

“I can’t get enough of you,” he whispered. “Please, let me touch you. I need to touch you.”

As scary as the idea seemed, India couldn’t force herself to pull away. Just once she wanted to experience the heart-thudding, pulse-pounding, breath-stealing excitement of desire coursing through her. Not the fear or panic she usually suffered when a man tried to touch her. “Yes.”

He slid his hands under her shirt and ran his fingertips up her ribcage. Anticipation hummed inside. With one quick flick, he unfastened the front clasp of her bra and then strong, sure hands cupped her breasts.

He sighed. “Perfect.”

His thumbs glided over the tips. They tightened into stiff, hard peaks. India let her head fall back as sensations swamped her.

All of a sudden, he shoved up her shirt. His mouth replaced one hand, and before she had time to freak out, he tasted, teased, feasting on her, like a starving man eating for the first time in months. India moaned. “So, good. So, so good.”

A slow, languid heat settled in her belly and her whole body tingled. She marveled at the sensation. No fear. No panic. Only pleasure. So much pleasure and the discovery that a man existed who could make her feel…respond…want… Well, it blew her mind. “Don’t stop, Lucas. I don’t want you to stop.”

India came awake with a start. Her gaze darted around the room. A shroud of darkness surrounded her, except for the sliver of sunlight peeking through the blackout blinds. It took a moment to recognize her surroundings, then comprehension dawned. The Acquati Hotel. Miami Beach.

The noise sounded again. A door, slamming shut somewhere down the hall. It must have been what woke her. What time was it anyway? Rolling over, she glanced at the bedside clock through squinty eyes. Seven thirty.
Ugh!
Too early to be up on a Sunday morning, but up she was. India could never fall back asleep once she’d woken, not even as a child.
Might as well get an early start.

Having never been here before, she’d come to Miami a day in advance of her on-site meeting at the Acquati to do a little sightseeing. She levered up into a sitting position, pulled the covers aside, and let her feet drop to the worn carpet floor. Rising from the bed, she padded down the short hall to the bathroom.

Minutes later, India washed her face and hands—and let out a loud gasp at the sight of her reflection in the mirror.
Oh dear Lord
. Passion-glazed eyes stared back at her. Her nipples had tightened into stiff peaks and thrust shamelessly against the oversized cotton sleepshirt she wore.

The dream slammed back into her mind with the force of a freight train. Good grief, her subconscious had been having a field day creating fantasies about
Lucas Morgan
, of all people, and her musings had been all too real judging by the aroused state of her body. What the hell had she been thinking?

All right, rational thought hadn’t played a part in the illusions her brain conjured while she slept. Still, something must have triggered the subliminal musings. Heat crept up her neck and flooded her cheeks.

Okay yes, she’d thought about him. A lot. A lot, a lot. Hadn’t stopped since meeting him during the job interview the other day. Why, she couldn’t say.

Not true.
Her brain knew damned well why he’d been on her mind since they’d met. The man was utterly delicious. Taller than her, a rarity in her world since she topped the charts at just under six feet, broad shoulders she itched to get her hands on and his sexy, cropped brown hair. And what he could do with only his mouth…

Not real, her brain taunted. It had all been a fabrication, an illusion created by her wild imagination. How could she have believed anything different? Her track record with men spoke for itself.

It took her years to pluck up the courage to start dating again after her then-manager had raped a sixteen-year-old India. Joshua, the one and only serious boyfriend she’d had bolted after she’d panicked when they became intimate. She’d kept things casual after him and always broke it off before things got serious.

So, why these feelings now? Better yet, why Lucas? How could it be possible? They didn’t even know each other. And how the hell did she stop the sensations now that they’d started? Lucas Morgan was her boss. Her boss, for goodness’ sakes. She couldn’t afford to be interested in him. There was too much at stake. Her career depended on Lucas giving her a good reference. An unlikely outcome if they got involved and things didn’t work out.

With a disgusted grunt, she turned away from the wanton woman staring at her and strode out to the living area of the elegant suite. While she found the color scheme pleasing, renovations would be required for the room to fit in with her new design theme, Art Deco meets contemporary luxury. The boxy space needed to be reconfigured for better feng shui. It needed new furniture, too. The current industrial gear would be replaced with sleek metal finishes, or maybe sexy, glossy woods and lush leather pieces. Bold, geometric accents would complete the scheme.

Morning light blazed in through the glass door on the south side of the room, beckoning her. She crossed to the slider and opened it. Her cell rang and she detoured back into the bedroom.

India scooped up the phone and glanced down at the caller ID. Victor.
Crap.
Why wouldn’t he leave her alone? His constant pursuit didn’t make any sense. They’d only dated for a few months. She hadn’t wanted serious and neither did he. Maybe he’d changed his mind during the time she couldn’t remember? Even if he had, she had not. No way. No how. She didn’t want to hurt him, but things were over between them, as far as she was concerned.

Letting the call go to voice mail, she placed the phone back on the bedside table then strode into the living room and out onto the modest balcony.

What a view.
Golden rays of sun shone brightly in a cloudless sky, glinting off the Atlantic Ocean below, but this area, too, needed work to give off the lavish vibe she aimed for.

Patrons wanted chaise lounges, rattan or maybe sleek molded plastic with plush cushions, not the hard iron bistro chairs currently gracing the space. And modern side tables, too. Lush, green leafy plants. Real, they needed to be real and not fake. The live greenery would require significant upkeep, but made a much better impression than plastic. Maybe even a miniature water feature. Yes, a water feature would add a touch of class and make this the perfect place to sit back and relax.

For now, she’d settle for a seat in one of the existing chairs. All she needed was a steaming cup of coffee to make this Sunday morning complete. She could get up, go back inside and brew a pot, but preferred to drink from a ceramic mug, not a Styrofoam cup, and she wanted the rich taste of real cream, not the powdered stuff you dumped from a packet. Another recommendation she’d make to Lucas when they spoke tomorrow. Added touches such as real coffee mugs, fluted champagne glasses and other amenities weren’t part of the interior design per se, but they were items clientele would expect in a high-end hotel.

She rose a few minutes later and rubbed the backs of her thighs. Even with the cushion, the hard, metal surface had been uncomfortable. They definitely had to go.

Intending to shower, India ambled inside. A loud knock had her detouring from the bathroom. She strode to the door, peered through the peephole and found Lucas. Her eyes widened.
Oh my God.
Opening the door, she asked, “What are you doing here?”

His gaze raked over her in critical appraisal, and her insides started to tingle. What was it about this man? One look from those fathomless brown eyes could set everything inside her humming.

Brooding males the likes of Johnny Depp weren’t her type. But Lucas, with his high cheekbones and those very, very kissable lips, not to mention those glorious biceps, pecs and abs, judging from the T-shirt that clung to him like a second skin, was definitely appealing.
Get a grip, woman, and fast!

“Good morning, India.”

His gaze shimmered with heat when it met hers, and hell’s bells, the tips of her breasts tightened. Again. Eyes flared wide, he stared at her.

Oh shit.
She wore nothing but the oversized T-shirt she’d slept in. Heat scorched her cheeks. She slammed the door in his face and raced back into the bedroom.

He knocked again. “India?”

“Hang on a second.” She whipped off the nightshirt, grabbed a bra from the dresser and put it on, then grabbed a shirt and shorts from another drawer, not caring if they matched, and wriggled into them as she made her way back. Taking a deep, steadying breath, she opened the door and faced him. “Sorry. I wasn’t expecting you. We’re not supposed to meet until tomorrow morning.”

“I wanted to make sure you’d settled in and have everything you need.”

She nodded. “I’m good.”

He held up a white paper bag in one hand and a cup holder holding two steaming cups in the other. “I thought you might like some coffee and something to eat. The hotel’s restaurant isn’t up and running yet, so I brought pastries from one of the local bakeries.”

How thoughtful.
“What kind of pastry?”

He smiled. The kind of grin that probably had women swooning at his feet. She was no exception.

“…together?”

She blinked. “Huh?”

“I said, maybe we can have breakfast together?”

Breakfast with Lucas?
Bad idea. Really, really bad idea.
“Sure, come in.” The words spilled out of her mouth before her brain had any idea of what she’d been about to say.
Idiot, idiot, idiot.

“Great.” He stepped through the opening and into the living room.

What was she supposed to do now? She sure as hell couldn’t ask him to leave after she’d already invited him in.

“Shall we eat in here?”

“Why don’t we go out onto the balcony? It’s such a beautiful day.”

He followed her out and when they were both seated, handed her a coffee. “I brought cream and sugar in case you need them. The cashier even threw in some of the fake sweetener stuff.”

Considerate.
She wouldn’t have expected it of the man she researched on Google. Yes, she’d done her homework after he’d offered her the job. The whole being careful thing, and all. The press had portrayed him as more of a cad. Handsome.
Oh yes.
Debonair even, but a cad just the same. “Thanks.” India added three creamers to the cup Lucas handed her and a packet of sugar.

“Pastry?” he asked, leaned toward her and passed the bag.

A hint of whatever cologne he wore drifted past her nostrils. She inhaled the soapy, spicy scent and sighed. God, he smelled so damned good.
No, no, no.

“Take whatever you like.”

Ladies first. Another redeeming quality.
Maybe he wasn’t as bad as the media indicated? Who knew better than her how truths could be distorted into big, fat, ugly lies. She grinned. “Thank you.” After peeking inside, India selected an apple turnover, then passed the bag back to him and took a bite. “Oh my God. This is fantastic.”

He grinned. “I’m glad you approve.”

Holy hell.
His smile would be her downfall. “If I’d known Miami had this,” she lifted the confectionery for effect, “I’d have visited sooner.”

“This is your first time?”

“Yes, it’s why I came down early. I wanted to take a look around and see what the area has to offer, then, if I have to, I’ll tweak my design recommendations.”

“I can show you around if you’d like.”

No way.
Not when the man had the power to turn her insides to mush with only a glance from those mesmerizing eyes. India waved a hand in the air. “I don’t want to put you out. I’m sure I can find my way around.”

“It’s no trouble. It will give us a chance to get to know each other, which is a good idea considering we’ll be working closely together for the next few weeks.”

She drew in a sharp breath.
Work together?
Damn. How was she supposed to spend every day with this man when only fifteen minutes got her all hot and bothered? “I’d assumed you’d return home once we’d agreed on the designs.”

“No, I plan to stay until the main floor renovations are complete.” He arched up one brow. “Is that a problem?”

Of course not.
She could handle the close proximity. He grinned again.
Yeah, sure you can
, her brain scoffed. India flashed her most professional smile. “Not at all.”

Lucas stood. “How does ten o’clock sound?”

“I’ll be ready. Shall I meet you down in the lobby?”

“See you then.”

And then what? She shivered at the possibilities.
No, no, no!

*****

Lucas paced back and forth in his office at the Acquati hotel in Miami Beach. He paused, then glanced down at his watch. Almost ten o’clock. He’d meet India in a few minutes.

He couldn’t believe his luck. Showing her around Miami would provide the perfect opportunity for them to spend time together. Time he needed to figure out if her memory loss was real or a complete fabrication. If she did have amnesia, then what did and didn’t she remember?

She still hadn’t shown any signs of recognizing him, although she’d definitely been attracted. So had he. He closed his eyes as the image of her in nothing but an oversized T-shirt floated into his mind. When she’d opened the door… Lord Almighty. Seeing those firm, high breasts and miles of shapely legs on display, he’d gone rock hard. Wanted nothing more than to pull her gorgeous body into full contact with his and kiss her senseless. He hadn’t acted on the impulse, thank God. No way could they get involved. He needed answers only she could provide and he couldn’t risk alienating her, regardless of how sexy and alluring he found her. And he damned well needed to remember that.