No Mistaking Love

Kate stared out of the window of the limousine as it crawled through the rush-hour traffic on the M4 heading towards Heathrow.

If things didn't get any better she would have to start looking for another job. Her heart cracked at the thought of leaving Luke, but he seemed to have put her at a deliberate distance, as if trying to discourage her from getting involved. Kate was humiliated by the idea that her emotions were that transparent. She had been trying so hard to appear unaffected by his sudden change of attitude.

It was after seven by the time they reached the hotel.

`I suppose you've arranged to see Xavier tonight?' Luke said in a distant voice as he signed the register.

`Xavier?' Kate repeated blankly. She had been watching his broad wrist where it emerged from an immaculately white cuff and for a moment couldn't remember quite who Xavier was. `No.'

Luke glanced at her. Was it her imagination, or did his expression lighten slightly?

`We'd better go and have something to eat together, then,' he said, but in such a colourless voice that she decided that she must have been mistaken.

`All right,' she said, equally wooden.

`Shall we meet down here in half an hour?'

'Fine.'

This is awful, she thought as she washed her face and combed her hair drearily. Everything was so different to the last time they had been here. Even when they had been arguing she had felt excited, alive.

Her eye fell on the black dress in her open suitcase. She had been so angry with Luke when she had put it on last time! There had been little point in bringing it, but somehow she had been reluctant to leave it behind.

Now she picked it up thoughtfully. It was a wonderful dress, the kind of dress that made you feel a million dollars. On an impulse, Kate stripped off her sensible travelling clothes and slipped it on. If ever she had needed some extra confidence it was now!

She kept her make-up understated, but at the last minute pinned the brooch Luke had given her across the revealing slit. She didn't feel as exhilarated as the last time she had worn this dress, but she certainly felt a lot better!

With renewed confidence in her ability to keep her true feelings hidden from Luke and return to the relationship they had had before her emotions had started to behave in such a stupid way, Kate made her way down to the foyer.

Luke was waiting for her. In his grey suit, he looked taciturn and remote. Hesitating outside the lift, Kate felt herself stung by unfamiliar protectiveness as she caught sight of his dark head. If only he weren't so determined not to depend on anyone else!

As if aware of her gaze upon him, Luke turned. Something blazed in his eyes as he saw that she was wearing the black dress, but the shuttered look dropped back into place almost immediately

Kate's chin went up at that unmistakable sign of uninterest, and she walked unhurriedly towards him.

`I haven't booked anywhere,' Luke said abruptly as she came up to him. `I thought we could just walk out and see what we find. I could do with stretching my legs anyway.'

Kate agreed in a neutral voice, and made sure there was a good two feet between them as they walked down the hotel steps and on to the street. Being too close to him would be too much of a temptation.

Lights flashed and blurred as they walked p~ neon advertisements and garish cafe signs and impatient cars held up at traffic lights. Horns tooted and pedestrians hurried past; she and Luke seemed to be the only people in Paris not anxious to get to their destination, Kate thought.

They looked at everything except each other until, as they came up to the Place de l'Opera, Luke suddenly stopped at a crossing, pulling Kate back as she made to step off the kerb.

`Kate, why are you being like this?' he demanded.

Kate looked down at his hand on her sleeve and then up into his face.

`Like what?'

As if aware that he was still holding her, Luke dropped his hands and thrust them into his pockets. `You've been so distant lately,' he grumbled.

`I've been distant?' Kate stared at him in astonishment. `You're the one who's been distant!' `No, I haven't!'

'You made it very clear that you were only concerned with work,' she said. `You discourage every attempt at conversation. Every time I say good morning I feel as if I'm invading your privacy!'

`But that's exactly what I thought about you!' Luke protested. `After you went out with Xavier you seemed to retreat behind a sort of chilly facade. It was like working with an ice-cube!' He looked down at his shoes. `I know we used to fight, but after the last time we were here I thought we'd become friends.'

They were blocking the crossing. The crowds pushed past them with fulminating glances and the occasional muttered exclamation, but Luke and Kate were oblivious.

`We were friends,' Kate said.

`Then why aren't we any more? Why did you clam up like that?'

'I thought that was what you wanted. I thought you wanted to keep things strictly business.'

`A businesslike relationship doesn't preclude friendship, does it?' Luke said crossly.

No, but it made it very difficult to be in love at the same time. `No,' Kate said.

`So you mean all this time I thought you were ignoring me you thought I was ignoring you?'

'Well… yes.'

A dangerous smile lurked about his mouth. `That wasn't very sensible of you, Kate!'

`Whereas you behaved impeccably, I suppose?' Kate retorted, and he laughed, a sudden, exuberant laugh of relief. Despite herself, Kate felt her own mouth quiver in response.

`I've missed the way you answer back when you're cross,' Luke said, holding out his hand. `Come on, let's shake on a friendly, businesslike relationship with no more misunderstandings,

shall we?'

It was what she had wanted, wasn't it? Kate felt his hand close round hers and tried to ignore the jolting response of her heart to his touch, and the small, insistent voice that said that friendly and businesslike would never be enough.

`Now that that's sorted out, where were we?' Luke asked cheerfully as they crossed the road at last. The grim look he had worn for so long now had vanished and he looked buoyant, even happy.

Kate struggled to match his mood. `Looking for somewhere to eat.'

`Well, what about here?' They peered at the menu displayed outside a small restaurant. `We don't need anything grand.'

Inside the restaurant was dark and noisy. It seemed to be full of people talking and laughing and waving their hands about. Kate felt horribly overdressed in her sophisticated black dress, but nobody seemed to notice.

She and Luke were squeezed into a corner, side by side on a plastic banquette. Their thighs kept touching, their arms brushing against each other. Luke made no effort to put some space, however small, between them.

Kate's appetite had deserted her. She picked at the trout she had ordered with a creamy herb sauce, and sipped her wine nervously. A candle flickered on the table and she kept her eyes fixed on it, hoping that Luke wouldn't see the desire written on her face.

It was all very well to talk about a friendly relationship, but when Luke's body was pressed so close to hers it was impossible to think about anything but how muscular his thigh felt, how strong his arm. She could see his hands out of the corner of her eye as he lifted his glass or reached for the bread, and wondered how they would feel against her bare skin.

She talked feverishly, unnerved by his eyes or her face, the pressure of his leg against hers, and when at last they stood up to go her knees fell weak. Luke helped her out from behind the table and kept his hand under her arm as they went outside. Kate wanted to pull herself away, but was afraid she would fall.

Luke fell silent as they walked. She had no idea where they were going, but talked on until her tongue felt thick and unwieldy and she floundered to a halt. Instead she looked up at the sky a narrow strip between the tall Parisian buildings. The moon was almost full, and fuzzy through the reflected city lights.