Free Forever Scarred by Jackie Williams Page B

surgery up. If he found out that she had been surgically enhanced when she didn’t need to be, he thought he might actually be sick.
    Lucy eyed his broad shoulders as he stood solidly in the middle of the path. She had heard the defensive tone in his voice and wondered fo r a few moments why he was so against having a relationship. But then she saw his shoulder give an involuntary dip and she realized immediately that his bravado was all just a show. Of course he wanted a relationship. He wanted everything that his friends had but clearly he couldn’t get over the huge hurdle of what people saw when they first met him. She gave a tiny snort of derision and he suddenly swung back to her.
    “You think I’m joking? Relationships are not for everyone you know.” His voice was hard and his eyes glinted dangerously.
    Lucy backed up a step.
    “No, of course not, I was just wondering, that’s all. As it happens I don’t want a relationship either. I’ve just managed to get myself out of a terrible one so I’m not likely to be looking for anyone else at the moment, but I wouldn’t like to stay that way forever. I would like a husband and children one day.” Her voice was soft, almost fragile and Joe took a sudden stride towards her.
    “Who hurt you Lucy?” He demanded as he growled out the words.
    She stared up into his gleaming blue eyes wondering at the fire that suddenly appeared in them. She almost stammered out her words.
    “He was just an idiot who fooled me for far too long. It’s over now though and I can start to look forward again, but I’m not interested in falling straight back into a relationship again. I’m looking forward to some alone time.” She bit back the bitterness at her situation. Mortgaged up to the hilt and paying nearly every penny of her wages over to clear the outstanding debts, alone time was all she could possibly afford. She lifted her chin defiantly though and turned back to the chateau. “I’d better get back there. Carter will want to see me and I might have to do some emailing or other work for him.”
    Joe grunted.
    “Huh, well get it all done today as I’m confiscating all forms of communications device first thing in the morning, laptops and tablets included.” He let out a laugh at her horrified expression. “It’s okay Lucy, there are plenty of static computers available in the chateau, you only need to ask and one will be made available to you. It’s the mobile devices that I am talking about. I don’t want anything getting damaged or anyone cheating during the course. You’d be surprised what lengths some of our clients go to, to win in any team competitions that I set, especially the map reading ones. Google Earth and a GPS on a mobile phone have a lot to answer for.”
    It was Lucy’s turn to laugh.
    “Well good luck with getting Carter’s phone from him. I think it’s glued to his ear most of the time.” She began heading back to the chateau. Joe walked along beside her.
    “Oh I’ll get it alright, don’t you worry about that. I have a few tricks up my sleeve that normally work and within a few minutes I usually have about ten to fifteen secreted devices . Just make sure you don’t have one on you or I will be seriously disappointed now that I have gone to the trouble of telling you that you won’t get away with having one.”
    Lucy looked up at him. She was on the more immobile side of his face and she couldn’t see his exact expression, but his beautiful lips were curled up in the corner. She let out another light laugh.
    “Now do I look the sort of woman who cheats at anything?”
    Joe gave her quick glance. He took in to her soft, doe like eyes and at her rosy apple cheeks.
    “Absolutely not, so let’s keep it that way.” He stopped as they came up to the chateau entrance and Joe glanced up at the tall man coming down the steps towards them. “I’m going to go and check the zip wire and the tree walk. We start at six in the morning and I