Page 77 of Mr. Darcy’s Forgotten Heir (Pride and Prejudice Variations #1)
Luke chuckled, joining in on the joke. “I have to agree with Mango. Yellow is your color.”
Maya’s cheeks heated because she’d taken special care in dressing in a gauzy yellow sundress. Was he cocky enough to assume she was making herself attractive for him?
Mango, not to be outdone, snatched a piece of fruit from the table, scampering away as the trio laughed at his antics.
The moment was lighthearted and fun, and heat rose up inside her that had nothing to do with the hair clip shenanigans and everything to do with the attractive man feasting on her with his eyes.
After breakfast, Luke insisted on paying the bill, his confident and assertive demeanor returning. But he surprised her by not pushing for more of her time. “I know you have work to do, and I have some business to take care of, too. Shall we catch up later?”
Maya hesitated but then agreed. “Sure, I’d like that. I’ll be around.”
With a final, lingering glance, Luke left her to her day, allowing her the space she needed to focus on her work. It was what she’d wanted, wasn’t it?
Still, she’d expected him to show more interest. A niggling doubt crept into her thoughts as she recalled Luke checking out the sorority girls. Perhaps one of them caught his eye. In that case, she’d had a lucky escape, although, at the moment, she wasn’t feeling very lucky at all.
The lingering warmth of his hand linked with hers brought an undeniable wave of longing, and somehow, the sun was brighter with Luke’s magnetic presence.
Back in her room, Maya assembled her gear for the day, her thoughts a jumble of confusion.
Luke was charming and interested in her, but his tendency to move too fast was off-putting.
A man like that would view a short-term vacation fling as part of the pleasures of traveling.
She, on the other hand, wasn’t interested in being that kind of entertainment.
Her heart, however, told her there was something more to Luke, or perhaps it was wishful thinking.
He’d shown some depth by asking her about her interests and was amused instead of annoyed by Mango’s antics.
Rosa’s eyes lit up whenever Luke spoke but it only showed how his charm appealed to women of all ages.
Nope. She’d better stick to her plan to concentrate on her photography and renew her spirits. Getting involved with a man, even as a vacation fling, would distract her from her goals and peace of mind. Still, the temptation was too much.
Maybe she should have asked Shelly to accompany her. Her bestie would have been the best buffer, soaking up the attention of all the available men while leaving Maya to play the role of observer and confidante.
Her phone vibrated and Shelly’s name popped up on the screen. Maya smiled to herself as she picked up the call. Shelly always had an instinct that was uncanny.
“Hey, girly girl, are you having too much fun to return my texts?”
“I had my phone on vibrate,” Maya sputtered at the thought she’d been so distracted by Luke that she hadn’t paid attention to her phone.
“Sure it isn’t the only thingamajig on vibrate? Do tell me, have you met anyone yet?”
“You know I’m not here to meet anyone—especially not a man.” Maya’s voice quavered, giving away her guilty excitement.
“Ah, so you have met a man.” Shelly’s voice dripped with amusement. “I bet he’s a handsome stranger who’s sweeping you off your feet. Is he with you right now?”
“Of course, not,” Maya protested. “I’ve work to do.”
“Working on him, aren’t you?” Shelly was enjoying her predicament way too much. “Who is he? Tall, dark, handsome?”
“You could say that,” Maya admitted, squirming at how thrilling it was to be on the receiving end of male attention. “His name is Luke Hastings, and he’s the CEO of CyberSanctum, a data security and online privacy company.”
“Wow, sounds like a catch. Let me look him up.” Shelly went silent for a moment before exclaiming, “Maya, he’s a hunkazoid. Thirty-two years old. Single as far as I can tell. Hmm… not on social media or at least with his real name. Image search limited to his company data. What’s this guy hiding?”
“He probably enjoys his privacy as much as I do.” Maya wasn’t sure why she was defending Luke.
“I wonder,” Shelly said. “But then again, who cares? He looks like a lot of fun, charming, and undeniably attractive. Are all the other women at the resort scamming on him?”
“They all noticed him,” Maya replied. “But he had breakfast with me.”
“In bed?” Shelly squealed. “You’ve got yourself into a hot, steamy fling.”
“Not quite,” Maya couldn’t help salivating at the fantasy of Luke between the sheets, not that she would ever experience it in real life. “I turned him down last night for drinks. I can’t lose focus on my goals, and when I return, I should have a colorful portfolio to start my freelance business.”
“You’ll need to socialize more and put yourself out on social media for that to happen,” Shelly reverted to her oft-repeated advice. “Who knows? Maybe being involved with Luke can give you publicity.”
“I wouldn’t use him like that,” Maya huffed. “Besides, he’s probably a player. He was looking over at a group of sorority girls at breakfast. He told me he had work to do and left after paying the bill. Didn’t even walk me back to my bungalow.”
“Then you’d better swing that sassy ass of yours out there with your camera and bikini and land him. You can’t be afraid of competition. Any guy worth his socks is going to have tons of interested females.”
“That’s the problem.” Maya sighed. “There’s something about him that’s different, or maybe I’m reading too much into his small little gestures.”
“I’m sure there’s nothing small or little on that guy.” Shelly’s laughter rang through the phone, her teasing tone both comforting and infuriating. “Sounds like someone’s got it bad. Don’t miss out on this one. Lordy me. If you don’t want him, I’m hopping on the next flight.”
“And then I’m guaranteed not to have time to think and reflect on my life.” Maya appreciated Shelly’s exuberance and pushiness, but the last thing she wanted was interference and maybe, competition.
“Don’t worry, dolly. I’m not going to cut in on you.” Shelly’s voice was a mix of affection and mischief. “As long as you get some.”
Maya’s heart swelled at the thought of an unlikely romance blossoming under the warm tropical sun, but reality told her it happened to others way more adventurous than her timid self.
As she hung up the phone, her words to Luke came back to haunt her. She’d claimed to be adventurous and daring in her hunt for the perfect photograph. Could she do the same with her heart?