Never Say Love (5 page)

Returning to the booth, Lucy slid into the seating as Benito nodded at James, who, seeing the return of Benito and his conquest, extracted himself from the clutches of Hayley. She was now sat on his lap, her legs straddling his, her arms around his neck. James acknowledged the sign that it was time to go.

“Come on blossom.” Beginning to stand, James forced her to remove herself from him. Pulling her dress down around her backside and thighs, she ran her fingers through her hair, making herself look just a little more presentable.

“Where are we going?” Hayley asked, a frown crossing her face, “I’m not ready to go home, I thought we could…” she whispered to James’ ear.

As she finished whispering and moved away from him, he looked at Benito, chuckling and then back at Hayley, “I have a room at Reid’s, Benito’s there too. You want to come back with us?”

“Oh yeah!” the wide-eyed Hayley gushed. “Are you coming with us?” she turned to Lucy, who nodded demurely, appearing slightly unsure of
herself.

Lucy stood still thinking for a moment, “I don’t know,” Lucy looked between the two strapping men and Hayley. How could she possibly go to a hotel with them?
“No, sorry. I can’t.” She said quietly.

Standing, Lucy collected her bag and looked at Benito. “Sorry. I can’t go to a hotel with you. I don’t really know you, it would be wrong. Sorry.” She looked confused. The emotions running through her wildly, she wanted this man—desperately, but not now, not after a few hours with him. “Maybe I will see you again,” she addressed Benito directly before turning and heading off out of the VIP area.

Both men and Hayley looked stunned as Lucy walked away. Only on one other occasion had Benito been left, dumped by someone he’d chosen to entertain. Feeling slightly embarrassed that this woman had left him, he turned to James, shaking his head, “Give me a second,” he said before rushing off after Lucy.

Catching up with her on the dance floor, he placed a hand on her shoulder, “Lucy, you don’t want to come back with me?”

Looking at him with her big blue eyes she shook her head, “I’m not
that
sort of girl, sorry,” she looked down, “and I don’t drop my pants on the first date,” she added.

Without thinking, Benito looked at her, studied her. He liked her a lot, he was drawn to her. Breaking all his own rules, he asked “Can I see you again then?”

“Yes, I’d like that very much.” She answered straight away, with absolutely no hesitation for she really did want to.

Leaning forward towards her, Benito brushed her cheeks with his lips, “I would so very much like to take you out. Are you free tomorrow? Where can I pick you up?”

Hell, what was happening? He had never taken a girl on a date since school!

“It’s too loud to talk properly in here. Do you have a card? I’ll call you tomorrow morning.” Lucy suggested, her voice rose, battling to allow herself to be heard against the music.

Rummaging through his pockets he found a business card and handed it to her. Grasping the card, studying it carefully, she looked up at Benito, wide-eyed and smiling, “Abelli Security! You’re joking?”

“No, why?”

“I have an interview there on Monday.”

“Oh, well I suppose you’ll be meeting Isabella then?” He smiled. So this pretty young thing was coming along for an interview for the position of his personal assistant or maybe just one of the vacancies they had to fill in the office.

“I’m sure that’s who the meeting is with, a lady.” She smiled, glancing between him and the card.

“Wow, well are you going home or back to your friends?” He asked, surveying the area, trying to see if her friends were still here. “Have they gone?” he looked again unable to see any of them.

Looking around for her friends at the table they had once occupied, she was unable to see any of the girls she had arrived with. Shrugging, she turned back towards Benito, “Yeah, I’ll get a cab, and I
will
call you tomorrow.” Reaching up on tip-toes she kissed his cheek lightly, allowing him to breathe in her smell. As she came closer, he closed his eyes, the fresh smell of lemons—a pure smell.

Moving slightly away and looking down at her, he shook his head, this girl was too pretty to venture out into London on her own, at night, even if she
was
in a cab. “No. Not on your own. I’ll come with you. Once we’ve dropped you off, the cab can take me home. You’re too pretty to be running around London on your own, especially at night.” He smiled, his statement giving her no option but to agree.

“Are you sure?” She questioned, not used to such attention from the opposite sex, well not such
good
attention anyway.

“Yes.
Absolutely. Wait here a moment.” He reassuringly said, holding the top of her arm gently, before leaving her close to the door. Benito turned and went in search of James, explained what was happening, and told him he’d collect his car tomorrow.

Feeling drawn to this pretty young woman, he added, “I think I’m going to ask her to meet me for breakfast at Reid’s.”

“You’ve been sucked in!” James laughed openly at his friend, shaking his head, “You fool. She’ll have you trapped!”

“Piss off,” Benito retorted before joining Lucy and leaving the club, finding a cab and seeing her home.

After a restless night on his own, Benito woke early. His first thought of the day—Lucy. Why couldn’t he get this girl off his mind?

After showering and dressing casually in his jeans, t-shirt and leather jacket, he left his apartment, hailed a cab and made his way to Reid’s to collect his Range Rover and meet the delightful Lucy for breakfast.

Arriving at the hotel, Benito waited in the foyer for her to arrive. Sitting in one of the leather sofas, he maintained his focus on the main door, glancing up at every person that entered, sitting up each time a cab pulled up outside. Mentally cursing himself for the way he felt—this was off. He’d never before felt like this about a girl. What was it about her? What did she have that the others did not? It was like an unseen force at work, driving him towards her, a force that he was unable to resist.

At the agreed time of 9.30am, she arrived. He watched as she stepped out of the cab before he stood and rushed forward to meet her, paying the cabbie before she had chance to, not allowing her any opportunity to protest. The overawed Lucy stared open-mouthed as he offered her his arm. Never in all her life had she been treated like this, treated like a princess, the centre of someone’s attention, well apart from her dad’s, but that’s was different.

Him, well he couldn’t believe his own actions,
something
had him, was controlling him, and whilst it wasn’t bad, it wasn’t good either. Benito Abelli on a date! Unheard of!

She looked just as he remembered from last night, wearing cropped jeans and a shirt. Her blonde hair fell loosely around her shoulders in soft waves. He loved that hair. She wore very little make-up on her porcelain skin, totally pure.

Walking into the hotel’s sumptuous foyer, Lucy looked around at the place, the opulence and glitz. She’d heard of Reid’s, had read about the weddings that were hosted here, and she recognized the pictures she’d seen in the glossy magazines she read. Her father had always said he’d pay for a “decent” wedding for his only daughter, but it would never be at anywhere as glamorous as this.

Large leather sofas surrounded low tables with huge arrangements of flowers in ginger jar vases. Copies of
Tatler
,
Vogue
and
The Lady
lay in neat piles, restacked by the front house team as soon as they were slightly out of line. A team of discrete cleaners and waiting staff swooped to clear away debris and discarded glasses, cups and saucers the moment they were abandoned. The place was beyond pristine.

Together they found James sitting at a table tucked away in a corner, a black coffee in front of him and an older lady sitting by his side, dressed in a pale pink blouse and what looked, from where Benito and Lucy stood, like pale grey trousers. Her long blonde hair was tied into a loose chignon. She wore large blue sapphires in her ears, her make-up perfectly applied, but minimal. This woman, who sat next to James, looked so very kind and caring, her soft features making her look very approachable, the sort of person who would sit and listen.

As James saw Benito and Lucy approach he stood, “Benito, Lucy, this is Maggie Smythe.”

Maggie looked up, first towards Lucy, “Hello dear. Sit down, please,” incredibly well spoken, her voice was soft and gentle. She placed her hand on top of Lucy’s. “Did you have a
good
night?” she whispered to Lucy, smiling. “He’s a bit of a dish isn’t he?” she winked and nodded towards Benito. “Very nice.” She looked him up and down, “
Very
nice indeed.” Her voice purred as she continued to take in the handsome young Italian.

Looking down, Lucy smiled, ignoring her question about having a good night. “He is lovely isn’t he?”

“He is...well, I think so!” Maggie laughed watching Benito talk to James as they had moved away from the table. Turning her attention towards Lucy, Maggie watched her flicking through the menu. “Order whatever you want dear,” Maggie said as she picked up her own coffee.

Looking up from the extensive list of delightful sounding food, Lucy asked “What’s good?” She liked Maggie, smiling at the woman who seemed so approachable and easy to talk to.

“Well, it’s
all
good. You have whatever you want. James’ will sort it for you. I have to go, I’ve plane to catch. It was lovely to meet you Lucy.” Maggie looked at Benito again before turning back to Lucy, “Hang on to him! He’s a catch!” she laughed.

Maggie stood, collected her bag and walked over to James and Benito. Looking at James, “I’m going, back in a few weeks—you’re doing a grand job James, carry on as you are. Any problems, you’ve got my mobile number, call me. But I expect you’ll be able to deal with anything this place can throw at you.” She reached up on tip toes and kissed his cheek lightly. “Lord knows why you’ve not settled down. Who
was
that girl leaving at six this morning?” A raised eyebrow and a laugh assured James that Maggie knew exactly what went on last night. Of course, she was
cool
with it.

She turned towards Benito, looking the fine Italian up and down, “And you, young man, whoever you are!”

“Benito Abelli,” he answered looking down at the petite Maggie.

“Oh no!
Not Franco’s son?” Maggie gasped, her soft features hardening slightly.

Frowning, Benito answered, “That’s me. Do you know my Dad?”

Maggie’s mouth drew into a hard line, “Know him, of course. Like him—well that’s another story! If you speak with him, tell him Maggie Smythe said ‘hello’ and thank you, for…” she stopped speaking as Benito went to open his mouth, to defend his father but was stopped instantly by Maggie putting her palm in front of his face. “Don’t say a word. What’s past is past, but you!
You
need to look after her.” She turned towards Lucy, her head down as she studied the menu, “She’s lovely and very beautiful. Franco
would
approve, and I know Sophia would have, definitely. You look after her!” She gave Benito a stern look, not unlike the looks his mother would have given him when he was a boy.

Not giving Benito or James a chance to argue back, she turned and left the restaurant calling “Ciao” as she left, walking quickly past the concierge and out of the hotel.

Once Maggie was out of the building, James and Benito returned to Lucy, “So what’s it to be?” James asked.

She shrugged, “Just some toast, I’m really not hungry, and some orange juice please.”

“Just coffee for me,” Benito chipped in.

Stopping one of the waiting staff as they passed, James gave Benito and Lucy’s order as well as ordering himself another coffee, some pastries and a bowl of strawberries. Lucy frowned as he asked for strawberries, catching his eye. “They’re good for you, didn’t you know?” He smiled and winked at her.

She shook her head, a half smile crossing her lips.

“So how old are you?” James asked, wincing as he felt a whack in the shins under the table. Turning towards his friend he glared at Benito as Lucy answered.

“I’m 22, why?”

Looking directly at Lucy, James smiled before turning his attention to Benito, “No reason, just curious.”

Sitting in silence, Lucy was thankful for the arrival of her food, breaking up the awkwardness between the three of them.

Benito watched as she sipped on her orange juice and nibbled her toast. “Why are you looking to leave your job?” He asked, recalling the conversation from last night.

She shrugged, “He’s just a dirty old man. Well actually, he’s not old, maybe forty? But, he’d have his hands all over us, if we let him. Anyway, I’ve got that interview on Monday. I’ve taken the day off work.” As she continued telling him how the letch of a boss frequently pawed at the girls in the office, Benito felt his muscles tense, becoming angry at the thought of this beautiful young woman who he felt so much for (although he didn’t understand why he felt this way), being subjected to the unwanted attention of someone who was clearly old enough to be her father, his fists clenching under the table, he sighed deeply.

“Are there more girls in the office?” Benito questioned as James watched the conversation unfold. Despite being infuriated by Lucy’s reports of the letch of a boss, Benito started to relax in her company, he felt good. Whilst James looked at her, she was a lovely girl, so pretty but he wouldn’t have arranged a date, would
he
? And what happened to Benito wanting to stay away from commitment? Hell, who knows until you are there, in this situation with an incredibly pretty girl. Hayley had disappeared before he woke this morning, although he wondered how she’d actually managed to walk away from the hotel after what they’d done last night. He liked Hayley, but she just wasn’t the one for him, just didn’t do it for him; well, not enough to commit anyway.

Putting her juice down, Lucy looked towards Benito, her eyes brighter now, a beautiful blue, clear and bright. “There are three of us in the office, and given the chance, he’d always be too close to any one of us all of the time. He knows how we feel, we’ve threatened that we’ll leave, but he takes no notice.” She explained about the letch, that she’d started at the company a couple of years ago when the letch’s father had been there. He had retired and his son had taken over, and he was the one that the girls had the problem with. She explained that the old man was a great guy.

Thinking about the interview that Lucy was attending at his offices, “One of the positions that Isabella is recruiting for is my P.A.” Benito lifted his coffee. “Is that the job you applied for? I need someone I can trust. Whoever that person is will need to develop a small team.” It was out before he could stop himself. This girl did something to him. She took his guard away so much so that he felt totally off the ball.

Looking between him and James she studied them both, the curly haired hotel manager nodded and the man who had chosen her, selected her in the night club and now, potentially could be her new boss. “You won’t go far wrong with Benito, he’s straight up. If he doesn’t like you, he’ll tell you. Don’t like what you’re wearing, he’ll tell you that too!” James half laughed, whilst looking at his friend who glared at him.

Benito let the hard look drop, his face softening as he looked down, laughing and shaking his head. “It’s true Lucy, if I didn’t like you, you wouldn’t be sitting here now. What do you think? Do you want to work with me?
Could
you work with me? The pay’s good, but I need someone to start pretty much straight away. Can you do that?”

Looking at them both and smiling, “I applied for an administration role, not a P.A.”

He shrugged, “Maybe you did but I think I could work with you. Would you work with me?”

Thinking again for a while she reached for her juice. She
could
trust him. He hadn’t taken advantage of her last night; in fact, the complete opposite. “Tell you what Mr. Abelli. Let’s see how we get along first, then I’ll at least know if I can work with you, or not, won’t I? What do you think?”

Benito smiled, he liked a woman who knew her own mind, and of course, from what he saw of her here and what he knew of her so far, she certainly
would get the job, she
would
be his P.A, although he still had no idea why he felt this way. “Sure,” he nodded towards her, “eat up,” he looked at the unfinished toast.

“So, what would you like to do Lucy? Have a wander around? Some lunch maybe?” Benito asked.

“I think so. Yes, that would be lovely. Thank you.”