Bound By Her Ring by Nicole Flockton

right the forgotten memories would return. Unspoken in the air, however, was the possibility that they may never.
    “Don’t tell me you actually believe me and have been doing some research on the subject?” she mocked him.
    “Being sarcastic isn’t going to help you. Finish your coffee while I make my calls.”
    “I’ll stop being sarcastic if you stop being patronising.”
    He gave a slight shrug of his shoulder as he moved away from the balcony. “I think I can manage that. I should be an hour at the most. When I return we can decide what to do with the rest of the day,” he paused momentarily. “And for the remainder of our trip.”
    He didn’t give her a chance to reply as he just assumed she would agree. She didn’t think she’d ever get the last word in an argument or conversation with Lukas.
    She was flicking through a magazine and enjoying her second cup of coffee when Lukas walked back in. A shower had doused some of her anger but, resentment still simmered below the surface. All it would take would be one word which would cause it to bubble and explode over, like lava spewing out of an angry volcano.
    “Any ideas of what you’d like to do?”
    No preliminaries, straight to the point, she was sure that was how he conducted business. However, she didn’t think his associates would be as affected by the sound of his voice, like she was. It was as smooth as silk and enveloped her like a warm bath.
    “Apart from visiting one of the beaches at sunset to see the staircase to the moon or doing the night camel trek on Cable Beach, I’m not sure what else there is to do.”
    “I’m surprised at that, I would’ve thought, being in the same industry, you’d know what all the attractions were up here.”
    “I concentrate mainly on…you know what? It doesn’t matter what my role is. This trip is no longer about business, is it?”
    “What is it about then?”
    “I don’t know, you tell me. You’re the one with the master plan. You finished your deal early. It’s up to you to entertain me now.”
    She’d been enjoying their verbal sparring, until the moment she’d said those words. Now she wanted to snatch them back.
    “Entertain you? That could be fun.” He wandered over and took the seat beside her, moving it closer so their knees were brushing. For the first time since he’d turned up back in her life his eyes sparkled with humor. “I can think of many ways to do that. Do you have anything in particular you’d like me to do?”
    She couldn’t help herself, she laughed at his teasing tone. If he was like this when they’d first met she could understand why she’d married him. What would she have to do to keep him this light-hearted? To leave the brooding, bitter man she had seen over the last few days behind.
    “I think we should leave this conversation here before it gets too dangerous.”
    “Don’t trust yourself, cara ?”
    “Not at all, it’s you I don’t trust.” She stood and moved into the main room. “So have you worked out where we’re going?”
    “Well I would like to take in a couple of pearl farms, check out their operations.”
    “I thought you said your business was finished, unless you want to purchase some loose pearls?”
    She collected her purse and they made their way out.
    Lukas answered her question as they walked to the car. “We can do both, business and pleasure. Besides I’d like some exclusive jewellery designed and made just for Regent Hotels.”
    The business side of things she could deal with, the pleasure, well that was another thing. Just him saying the word had her breasts tightening against the lace of her bra.
    Think business , she chastised herself.
    “I would’ve thought you’d have the market already cornered.”
    “No it’s only something I’ve been contemplating since taking over the hotel chain.”
    As they settled themselves in the car Jasmine opened the glove compartment and found what she was looking for—a local guide