Free Bound By Her Ring by Nicole Flockton Page B

before proceeding. Am I close?”
    “I’m impressed. When it comes to business deals yes. When it comes to my personal life, I’m anything but analytical. You, for one, should know that, Jasmine.”
    Another barb, would he ever give up.
    “Do you think, even for tonight, you could leave out the constant innuendos about my memory loss?” she asked. “It’s clear you don’t believe me and I don’t know what I cansay or do to change your belief. But I would like to eat without the need to watch everything I say or do.”
    She waited for an answer, his face a blank canvas giving her no indication of what he was thinking or what he was about to say.
    He inclined his head as he touched a finger to the end of her nose. “I think I can manage that.”
    She folded her arms across her chest, hiding the effect his soft touch had on her body. It seemed so out of character “You still sound condescending. Somehow, I don’t think you can ever take that tone out of your voice.”
    He laughed. “I think I like this new feisty Jasmine much better than the meek and mild one of before.”
    His words puzzled her, but any train of thought blurred in her mind as he pried her arms apart and slipped his fingers into hers, holding them lightly. Her heart skipped a beat at the warmth radiating up her arm. He led her towards the resort foyer again and disappointment coursed through her. It looked like they would be eating in the restaurant. Why would he say it was a surprise? There was nothing surprising about eating in a resort restaurant.
    Lukas stopped and turned towards her. “Stay here, I won’t be a moment.”
    He made his way over to reception, she relaxed when she noted the receptionist from the afternoon wasn’t manning the desk. After a brief conversation with the clerk, he headed back to her. She couldn’t help but notice the way he moved, his sure, confident steps mesmerising. Though the reception area wasn’t crowded he commanded the attention of the small number of people milling around, herself included. It reinforced herearlier thought there was no way she would’ve been ashamed to be married to him. There had to be another reason why no one recalled them being together.
    Reaching her side he took her hand, raising it to his lips to place a soft, short kiss on her fingers, as if claiming possession. His gaze didn’t meet hers but appeared to be directed to someone off to her side.
    Confusion, mixed with desire generated from his touch, swept through her. Turning in the direction of his look, she noticed a man making a swift exit down the hallway.
    What was that all about? Surely Lukas couldn’t be jealous .
    She let the thought fester momentarily and was secretly thrilled to think it was jealousy motivating Lukas’s actions. Maybe he wasn’t so immune to her after all. A soft smile formed and she let herself bask in the light of the small victory.
    “What’s the smile for?”
    “Nothing.” Looking up at him she cocked her head to the side. “So are we headed somewhere or are we eating dinner in the foyer?”
    Lukas shrugged his shoulders negligently. “No I have something else in mind, something much more private than dining in a roomful of people. Come.”
    Taking command again, he led her out the main door and straight to their hire car. Parked a discreet distance away was a familiar looking black SUV.
    “How private is it going to be with your band of thugs tracking our every move?” she asked.
    “They’re not going to be following us, they’re going to be staying here.”
    “Why? What’s the point in having security if you don’t use them?”
    “We don’t need them where we’re going,” he said simply. “It will just be us.”
    Jasmine had absolutely no idea what to expect from the evening after that. He didn’t expand further and she didn’t ask any more questions. It was safer to go with the flow.
    After a short journey Lukas pulled the car into a small, gravel car park, commonly used as