“I guess I learnt to detach myself from both of them. I think a lot of children become victims of the emotional crossfire that divorce invariably triggers.” She heaved another sigh, which drifted into an appreciative smile for his concern. “I hope Thomas gets to feel good with his father. And I hope his mother comes around to understanding that he needs both parents to love him.”
“I hope so, too.”
“So what about you, Peter?”
The question caught him by surprise. She could see he was still sifting through her personal experience of divorce, perhaps applying it to his Good Samaritan act and wondering if it would lead to a better life for Thomas Harper. He looked quizzically at her as he repeated, “What about me?”
“What’s it like to have been born and raised as a prince, able to distribute largesse on a whim?”
She had tossed the question at him lightly but his face hardened as though she’d hit a raw nerve. “Does anyone really care about a prince as a person, or do they simply work at getting close and staying close for what he can do for them? What they can get out of him? The largesse they might be able to tap?” One eyebrow lifted in sardonic challenge. “You’d be surprised how lonely that life can be, Erin.”
She stared at him, wondering if his trust in friendship had been totally tainted by the wealth at his disposal. It was a sad situation if that was his reality. She could see why he’d feel good about giving to Dave Harper because it hadn’t been expected of him, hadn’t been asked for.
Their meals arrived. Once their plates were set in front of them and the waitress gone, Erin leaned forward to say, “I’ll be paying for my dinner, Peter. I didn’t come for a free ride.”
She’d come for something else entirely—an adventure with him.
“I did ask you to join me, Erin,” he pointed out, amused by her independent stance.
“My choice,” she reminded him. “Let’s eat.”
The food was good; fresh vegetables lightly cooked, succulent king prawns, flavours enhanced by the spicy chilli jam. “Enjoying it?” she asked, hoping that her choice was to his liking.
“Mmm…very tasty.”
His eyes locked with hers for a moment, a bombardment of bright blue twinkles arousing the strong sensation he was once again applying the words to her, not the meal. She kept eating but the excitement racing around her mind made the action completely mechanical.
“Sure you wouldn’t like a glass of wine?” he asked, lifting the bottle from the ice-bucket.
Erin shook her head, feeling she was intoxicated enough just being with him. When he replaced the bottle without refilling his glass, she said, “Please don’t let me stop you from enjoying it.”
“I have to keep a clear head, too. I’m driving.”
Away from this meeting place.
The thought delivered a shaft of cold sanity. Erin once more berated herself for being so foolish as to think he might want to extend this connection with her. Hadn’t he just more or less rebuffed her attempt to delve into his life? He was now assured he’d done the right thing by Dave and Thomas Harper. Once this dinner was over…and it was…both of them setting their emptied plates aside for the waitress to collect…there was no reason for him to prolong this encounter.
Unless…
She couldn’t suppress the hope for something more.
“Do you have far to drive?” she asked, trying to force herself to accept the inevitable.
“No. It’s only a short distance to Bondi Beach.”
“Is that where you live?”
“I have an apartment there.” His mouth curved into a dry little smile. “I live in many places, Erin.”
“So do I,” tripped off her tongue.
It caused him to look at her quizzically.
She didn’t want to talk about herself anymore, didn’t want him to stay on out of politeness, listening to the kind of footloose life she had adopted. Besides, most people considered her odd—those who had roots they cared about. Rather than be seen as odd by this man, she laughed and said, “I can go anywhere in my mind, Peter.”
He smiled his understanding. “You must have a vivid imagination to tell stories so well. Can your mind encompass going with me tonight?”
The question was slid out so smoothly, tapping straight into her own secret desire, Erin wasn’t sure if it had really been spoken. “I beg your pardon?” she rattled out, her heart thumping so hard her chest hurt.
He leaned forward, bringing the full power of his physical magnetism into play as he spread his hands out to her in open appeal across the table. His eyes engaged hers with almost hypnotic intensity as he said, “You’re not committed to meeting anyone in particular at your party.”