PART 10

Riley couldn't help but replay Lucas' kiss over and over in her mind. Now that she was alone with her thoughts, she found herself focusing on those seconds in his arms. Their second kiss is more intense. She felt his strength and it had given her a sense of security. And she couldn't understand why.

Riley knows that Lucas' been avoiding her. She didn't much like it, but she knows it's for the best. Thankfully Lucas' housekeeper Nina had been around. She likes Nina's sense of humour and her quirky outlook in life. The only time she got annoyed with Nina was when she "accidentally" left one of Lucas' undergarments with Riley's own clothes after she did the laundry. After that incident Riley decided to do her own laundry, she doesn't need to add another mental image of Lucas in her head. Distance is what they both need. Keeping herself from thinking about him proved a considerably tougher challenge. It had taken all her willpower not to surge to his room and demand for them to talk.

She drew a shuddering breath. Business. This is just business, she ruthlessly reminded herself.

Lucas spent the next few days working and avoiding Riley as much as he could-which didn't turn out to be difficult, since she's been busy preparing for her new position at the US Embassy.

He knows that Riley had already guessed that he's deliberately avoiding her. He feels like an ass for it but he had to. He couldn't make a pass at her. Not that he would. Jack trusted him and he values that trust. This is business and nothing more.

Riley stood with her eyes closed and savoured being bombarded by the heat and noise. She'd just had a gruelling first day coupe up in her new office alone and the noise she's now hearing was creating a special kind of ecstasy. She's glad that Edmin is not here yet. She wanted to stand a little longer before she gets in the car and sit again. Her muscles ache from sitting for a long time.

Opening her eyes Riley noted that the streets had become very busy. Rush hour. The driving condition will be awful because of the traffic. That's a big problem here in Manila. The streets are narrow and yet there are just too many cars. But still, she's glad that Lucas arranged for Edmin to drive her to and from work.

"OMG! It's Lucas Friar!" the young woman lowered her voice to a husky growl on the last word.

Riley followed her glance, and felt her stomach drop into emptiness. Blood tingling through her veins, she wished she'd given in to that instinct to stay longer in her office. Her throat dried and her body unusually hot, she suddenly felt like having a cold shower. Or to run.

"You're right. That's Lucas Friar. I'm going to die! My God, he's such a babe," the other woman said with a huge sigh.

"You said it. I want to take him home with me!" The woman's eyes were fixed avidly on Lucas.

"Same here!" The other one said, alight with triumph.

A stray thought popped into Riley's brain, startling her into a swift flush. Part of his attraction-to women anyway- had to be an instinctive, purely feminine recognition that he'd be a brilliant boyfriend and an amazing partner in every sense of the word.

The sight of Lucas walking towards them, the women gave a gurgle of excitement.

Riley grinned. "Excuse me. Would you ladies like to meet Lucas?"

The younger woman pressed a hand to her heart. "You know Lucas?"

Before she can respond her companion sent Riley an incredulous look. "No thank you. I wouldn't want to embarrass myself."

Just then Riley heard a voice-deep and almost haughty, "Ah, there you are. Ready to go?"

Riley froze, heart hammering in an oddly disconnected rhythm in her chest. "Yes," she said making no attempt to qualify her blunt answer.

"Actually No. I want you to meet these lovely ladies," she said, her tone far too sweet. "I'd like to introduce..."

Lucas' eyes narrowed for a fraction of a second then to her chagrin she saw laughter glint in them. "New friends?" he asked and held out his hand to the ladies.

The young woman's face lit up. "Mari," she said as she shook his hand.

The other woman seems more reserve now that she's face to face with Lucas. Reluctantly she extended her hand and introduced herself as Anita.

"Do you ladies also work here?" Lucas asked of them.

"Yes. We work at the Admin department," Mari replied.

"Is that close to your office, Riles?" his voice subtly amused.

"I'm not sure. I haven't had the chance to tour the building," she answered.

"You work here?" It was Anita who asked the question.

Without looking at her he said, "Yes, Riley works for IMET."

"IMET? You're the director for the new division at the US Embassy?" Anita asked her crisply.

"Yes," she said as lightly as she could.

"We should go," Lucas said, his tone brooking no refusal. "Nice to meet you Mari and Anita."

"Right, then let's go. I'll see you ladies around," she said serenely.

Lucas deliberately placed his hand on Riley's lower back as they were walking away. He guarantees that by tomorrow the entire building of the US Embassy will be talking about him and their new young Director. Good.

He was doing a shoot until late this morning so he didn't see her before she went to work. She's dressed in a skirt that stops just above her knee and some kind of lacy blouse, very professional but the outfit accentuated Riley's figure-making her look sexy.

So yes, he wants everyone to know about them. Specially the guys.

"How's your first day?"

His hold on her back was warm and firm. His touching her was like being subjected to an electric shock. "Okay". Her voice sounded weird-high and strained-so she started again.

"It went okay considering it was my first day."

He removed his hand from her back and took her elbow as he guided her to the car.

"Since your first day went well I'm going to treat you to dinner."

She looked at him in bewilderment. "What?"

"I said I'm taking you to dinner."

"I heard you the first time," she scoffed. "I just wasn't sure what brought this on."

He gave a slow, wolfish smile. "The success of your first day at work."

She grinned up at him. "You sure it's not because you feel guilty for avoiding me this past couple of days?"

He half smiled down at her. Her lively banter in pretty much everything was contagious. He brought her to a Spanish restaurant.

He chose a table at the far corner of the restaurant. Riley ordered for them. She asked for prawn croquetas, tapas and chopped pork empanadas.

"So, are you going to tell me why you've been avoiding me?"

He gave a rueful smile as he shook his head. "I'm troubleshooting."

"What kind of trouble are you trying to fix?"

"Your kind of trouble."

Riley coughed out a chuckle. "How's it going so far?"

Chewing and swallowing, Lucas glanced from their plate to her. "Not well."

Riley nodded.

Lucas arched a brow. "Any suggestions?"

Riley debated another smart-ass answer, but there was frankness in his eyes that stopped her.

"Why not just take it for what it is," she told him.

His gaze was intent on her expression. "And what does that mean?"

Her lips compressed, she set her fork down on the table. "I refuse to lie; there is something about you that makes me feel out of sorts. I tried to analyze it but for the life of me I can't figure what it is and I'm already up to my neck with my assignment so I decided that this feeling, emotion, thought or whatever it is, to just take its course. I mean for all we know it could be nothing."

"One other thing, since we are trying to be open to each other, I honestly don't think that it's a good idea for you to get that involve with my assignment," she told him.

She wasn't sure, but she thought he arched his eyebrows just the tiniest bit at that.

"Is there a particular reason that you don't want me getting involve? As far as I'm concern I am already involved." he said.

"That's just it. You are already partly involved so you really should try and distance yourself. Lucas, I am trained to do what I do and let's face it, you're not."

Now his eyebrows definitely shot up. "Oh? So train me."

"Train you? Are you serious?"

He leaned back against his chair, giving her his full attention. "You might as well train me since I'm not going to just stand aside and let you go off on your own," he reminded her.

"Fine. I might regret this but you should at least learn some basic fighting skills." Riley said.

Lucas shrugged, but the gesture was more one of restlessness than it was one of agreement.

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