Every muscle in her back seemed to stiffen before she turned back to face him. ‘And how are you going to solve your problems? By pushing everyone away who could help you? Good luck with that. I’ve tried that in the past and, believe me, it doesn’t work.’
‘Then let’s both do it differently this time.’ Raoul let out a long breath. ‘Let’s pretend my brother didn’t engineer this. Let’s just be two people who might be able to help each other get back on their feet...or back on the horse; whatever metaphor works.’
Her look was guarded. ‘I’m not sure what you’re suggesting.’
‘Just be yourself. That’s all I’m asking. I want to get to know the real Lily Archer.’ He suddenly realised it was true. He wanted to know everything about her. He wanted to understand her and help her to claim back the life that had been stolen from her. She was a beautiful, warm-hearted girl who had been treated badly. She needed to regain her confidence and trust in people—and wasn’t he the perfect man to do it?
Are you out of your mind? You can’t help her. You can’t even help yourself!
Raoul didn’t want to listen to the voice of reason. This time he was going to go on his instincts rather than rationality. Spending time with her would make her feel more at ease with herself. Make her less shy, less defensive. It would be a two-way deal. She would be helping him to get back on his feet and he would help her embrace her life once more.
Her teeth sank into her bottom lip again. ‘You might be disappointed.’
‘I might be surprised. And you might be, too.’ He gave her a crooked smile. ‘I’m told I can be quite charming when I’m not snapping people’s heads off.’ He held out his hand. ‘Truce?’
She put her small, soft hand in his. His almost swallowed it whole. ‘Truce.’
* * *
Lily spent the next fortnight working with Raoul in the gym and on parallel bar exercises. She kept things as conservative as she could because she was concerned he was doing too much already. She had caught him a couple of times doing extra sessions in the gym, and she had seen him in the pool each afternoon since his plaster had come off, although she hadn’t been brave enough to join him. It worried her that he was pushing himself beyond his body’s capabilities. She didn’t want to leave him worse off.
Leave him.
Those words made her uneasy every time she thought of them. She had to keep reminding herself that this was a job like any other. She wasn’t supposed to get attached in any way to a client. She was supposed to do what she could to help them regain their mobility and strength and then move on to the next person who needed her. She wasn’t supposed to daydream about their kisses or touches. She wasn’t supposed to hope they would kiss her again or touch her other than incidentally.
He had kept a polite distance after that night in the pool. He had dined with her only a handful of times, mostly preferring to eat in his study while he worked. But she had seen the way his gaze kept homing in on her mouth now and again when he was speaking to her. It was like an involuntary impulse he couldn’t control.
She wasn’t much better. Only that morning she had helped him stabilise on the parallel bars and had come too close to him. He had momentarily lost his balance and she had stepped in to support him. She felt his warm, minty breath on her face and her heart had given a kick inside her chest in case he closed the small distance and covered her mouth with his.
But he hadn’t.
His eyes had locked on hers for a heart-stopping moment. Her belly had flipped and then flopped. She had dropped her gaze to his mouth, instantly recalling how those firm lips and that searching, commanding tongue had wreaked such havoc with her own.
The seconds of silence had pulsed with sensual energy.
‘That was a close one.’ He gave her a wry smile as he rebalanced. ‘I was about to fall flat on my face.’
‘I wouldn’t have let that happen.’
He looked at her for another long moment. ‘Do you want to have dinner tonight?’
She arched a brow at him. ‘You mean you don’t have pressing paperwork or thousands of emails to see to?’
‘Dominique told me you’re lonely eating in the dining room all by yourself.’
‘I’m not lonely.’ Lily knew she had said it too quickly. It sounded far too defensive and prickly.
‘I’ll get Dominique to pack us a picnic.’
She blinked at him. ‘A picnic?’