The Real Romero(44)

                He looked at her, his dark eyes lazily drifting over the baby-smooth, soft curves of her open, expressive face. She had tied her long hair back but, as usual, unruly curls were refusing to be flattened into obedience.

                ‘What would you do if I told you that I had? We’re in mid-air. Would you chuck me out of your plane? I still can’t believe that you actually own this, Lucas.’

                ‘I don’t employ strong-arm tactics, Milly. So no, in answer to your question, I wouldn’t chuck you out of the plane. And I’m getting a little tired of hearing you tell me how incredulous you find it that I happen to be rich.’

                ‘You can’t blame me. I don’t meet many people who own ski lodges and private planes.’ Her voice bore the lingering remnants of accusation.

                ‘I suppose I should be grateful that you’re no longer lecturing me for being a lying bastard like your long-gone ex-fiancé. Why are you sighing? If we’re going to do a passable imitation of being a loved-up couple, heavy, troubled sighs aren’t going to sell it.’

                In response, Milly released another sigh as she absently looked at the stunningly beautiful face gazing at her with just the slightest hint of impatience.

                ‘You never told me why you’re so averse to settling down.’

                ‘You’re right. I didn’t.’

                ‘Why not? I’ve told you loads of stuff. The least you could do is fill me in, or am I supposed to be the clueless girlfriend?’

                Lucas raked his fingers through his hair and stared at her in silence for a few seconds. ‘I don’t confide.’

                ‘And I don’t pretend to be someone I’m not.’

                ‘Bloody stubborn,’ he muttered under his breath. ‘Okay, if you really want to know, I had a poor experience when I was young. Take one pretty girl, making me so out of my normal comfort zone that I didn’t think twice about believing the clap trap she concocted, add a phoney pregnancy threat and I give you the sort of gold-digging experience that’s made me realise that, when it comes to permanence, the only kind I will ever go for is of the business arrangement variety. I’m a fast learner when it comes to mistakes and never making them again.’

                ‘That’s awful,’ Milly said, appalled. ‘How old were you?’

                ‘This isn’t a continuing discussion, Milly.’

                ‘But how old?’

                Lucas shook his head, exasperated. ‘Nineteen.’

                ‘So you had a bad experience when you were a teenager and you’ve let it ruin your adult life and all the choices you make?’

                ‘Ruin? Wrong word. I prefer affect. Like I said, I learn from my mistakes.’

                And he wasn’t about to budge. She could see that in his eyes and in the grim seriousness of his expression. It chilled her to the bone.

                ‘But what if you one day fall in love?’

                ‘Not on the cards. And, Milly, let’s put this conversation to rest now.’

                ‘I never thought that large scale lying was on the cards for me, yet here I am...’ She rested back and stared off at nothing in particular.

                Lying was just not part of her nature and ye here she was, immersed in the biggest lie of her life, and all because she had had a vivid image of his mother, frail, vulnerable, bitterly saddened and disappointed at having to be told that she was the victim of a lying ex-girlfriend. She knew first-hand how much lies could wound. She also knew that men could be utterly blind when it came to health issues. If someone had been recently mown down by a bus and, when asked how they were, replied, ‘just fine,’ the average man would be insouciantly inclined to accept the answer at face value.