Free Lucas: The Hunter Brothers Series by L.J. Dee

to organise an event to showcase the
apartment build and I wondered if you’d let me put some ideas together. I have
a lot of experience in events and it will give me something to do while
evidently I cannot be trusted to do anything else,” I smiled with the most
innocent face I could conjure. He was watching me closely and his eyes were
twinkling with humour.
    “You’ll
need to see if the other Mr Hunter can spare you,” he said, a small smile tickling
the side of his mouth. “And to avoid confusion, please call me Charlie. We have
a number of agencies pitching their ideas to us next week. You can do the same
if Lucas agrees.”
    “Thank
you, Charlie, and please call me Jess,” I smiled, returning to my desk and
firing up my computer. I didn’t have anything else to do, so I made a
start.  
    It
was Monday afternoon before I saw Lucas again and he asked me into his office
politely as he walked in, which earned me a stern look from Melody. That girl
was skating on very thin ice. He gestured for me to sit, taking the seat
opposite and my heart was pounding like it always did around him. I wasn’t sure
what he wanted, but for once he was smiling and I forced a small smile back.
    “I
want to apologise, Jessica, it appears that I’ve made an inaccurate assumption
about you,” he said as I gazed into those beautiful eyes that looked so sincere
I knew already I’d forgiven him. “I jumped to conclusions without gathering the
facts.”
      I nodded mutely, still gazing and allowing him
to continue. “Your contract is extremely unusual and I’ve been informed that
you didn’t know about it, which I don’t understand because you’ve signed it,”
he said, clearly waiting for an explanation.
    “I
read the first one of course, Sir, but Mr Turnbull told me that HR had
incorrectly calculated my holidays and that he’d amended it. I trusted him and
didn’t think I needed to read it again, so I signed it straightaway and gave it
back,” I said, shrugging my shoulders. “He didn’t give me my own copy. That
usually comes straight from HR in the internal mail when they’ve processed it.
I called them for a copy when you didn’t make me redundant because I thought it
was odd. It hasn’t come through yet and I get the impression they’ve been kind
of busy,” I said as he nodded slowly.
    “I
see. Charlie tells me you want to pitch some ideas for the Waterside event,” he
said as I smiled.
    “Yes,
if you can spare me,” I replied as he started to laugh. I had never heard Lucas
Hunter laugh and the sound was so lovely I couldn’t help the small giggle that
burst forth, knowing that it probably wasn’t apt. I had never heard it from
Melody.
    He
gestured for me to leave, calling me as I walked away.
    “Will
the waitresses be wearing hot pants, Jessica?” he grinned as I rolled my eyes.
      “Definitely not, Sir,” I laughed, a warm
shiver running through me as I thought I heard him mutter ‘what a shame’ under
his breath, although I couldn’t be certain. I made my way back to my desk
altogether happier. Chas was right, things were looking up.
    By
Friday I had all my ideas in place. I’d spoken to Chas and met with Patrick as
I’d be using the services of Elite if they went with my vision. I’d visited the
area where the apartments were being built and I thought my event was novel and
unusual. I’d asked Charlie for the budget and came in well within it, and as I
put the final touches to my presentation I was really proud of it.
    I
wasn’t used to presenting and that would be the hard bit I thought, especially
in front of Lucas Hunter. The man unnerved me, intimidated me and set my heart
pounding in equal measure. I’d practiced every night in front of my audience of
one, but he was five and totally biased. I would try this weekend on Chas.
She’d be honest and not pull any punches, but she wouldn’t hit me with those eyes
that would have me swooning and salivating, and that was the thing that