Bound By Her Ring by Nicole Flockton Page B

mate.
    He clenched his fingers tighter on the steering wheel as the next memory washed over him, the vividness of the scene unfolding in his mind.
    It was as they were lying entwined in each other’s arms, after making love for the first time as husband and wife, that Jasmine had announced she was expecting their child. Love washed over him, well what he thought was love, and he’d kissed her soundly and then proceeded to show her how much her news meant to him.
    He never knew just how quickly she could change. How she could go from being so ecstatic to so cold and unfeeling in the space of a few days. He’d then wished he hadn’t been so impulsive in suggesting marriage. The bubble of love had been shattered by her callousness and now, whenever he saw baby furniture or baby clothes, his heart twisted in pain at the thought of what he’d lost and what he’d never had the chance to know.
    A hand on his thigh jolted him out of his painful thoughts. The warmth of the touch radiated through his soul, soothing the hurts and he had to tamp down the fierce desire that was so at odds with his tumultuous thoughts.
    “What’s wrong?”
    He resisted the temptation to entwine his fingers with her. He gave the small, delicate hand a squeeze before removing it from his thigh and placing it back in Jasmine’s lap.
    “Nothing’s wrong. I’m running through the logistics and possibilities of a partnership between us and Fierro’s.”
    “You expect me to believe that? That you were thinking about a business deal?” she scoffed at him. “Lukas, from the look on your face, business was the last thing you were thinking about.”
    He pulled the car into a car bay and switched it off. “Look it doesn’t matter what I was thinking, we’re here let’s enjoy lunch.”
    He heard her groan of annoyance and chose to ignore it. He had to remember all she’d done to him, but with each passing hour spent in her company it was becoming more difficult to remember. His body wanted him to forget the past, believe her and move forward. But his head was warning him that she couldn’t be trusted. He’d followed his heart once. It was now time to follow his head.
    The staff clearly remembered them from before and whether it was the air of wealth that surrounded Lukas or they were just very good at their jobs, the service they received was impeccable. The food delivered to the table was delicious and cooked to the way they’d requested. The restaurant was bursting at the seams, but the staff was cool and controlled.
    As she glanced around, Jasmine took in the ambience of the room. The interior designer had taken all the facets of a pearl and its origins into account. The bottom three quarters of the walls was painted in washed out black, signifying the outside of an oyster shell. The top section was brushed in the softest, luminescent cream that seemed to glow with the same luster as a pearl.
    Through the windows the blue water sparkled and shimmered under the sunlight. The rows and rows and rows of wire showing above the water hid the real riches of the oysters lovingly nurturing their secret treasures underneath. The whole concept of how a pearl was cultivated amazed her. That a parasite entering the oyster could turn into a gorgeous gemstone.
    “It really is a beautiful sight isn’t it?”
    She dragged her gaze from the window back to the man who’d asked the question. They had somehow managed to recreate a semblance of their previous relaxed atmosphere, but she could still feel some tension, the conversation in the car was never far from Jasmine’s mind.
    “Yes, peaceful on top and a buzz of activity not far beneath the surface.”
    “So what’s your impression of the operation now?” he asked.
    “The way they’ve handled the lunch crowd only reinforces my initial impression. They’ve trained their staff well and are very organised.”
    “I tend to agree, but it’s easy to become complacent.” He smiled up at the waitress as