Reasons Why

Chapter Eight

                "Where are we going?" she asked as Luke led her more slowly away from the bar.

Luke shrugged, "I don't know! We're not going back to mine, that's not on the agenda tonight...there's a cafe bar, in a hotel nearby, it'll be quieter than most places, but I promise I won't be kidnapping you on your own!" Hearing her chuckle, he stopped, "what is it?"

Chloe swung her arms around his neck, "have I scared you that much that you'll spend all evening trying to do the right thing?"

He took a deep breath, "Chloe!"

It was a warning and she smiled. Kissing him briefly she added, "I love that you care that much! The hotel bar sounds great."

Lifting a hand he spread his fingers across her jaw, fanning them down to her neck, holding her in his gaze, "you sure are confusing me Miss Palmer!"

Reciprocating the gesture, she ran her thumb over his lips, loving being so close to his face, having the chance to study him, "I don't mean to confuse, you are trying so desperately to be a gentleman - and it's very appealing." She broke into an evil grin, "and it makes it very tempting to tease you!"

Still holding her close, he threw his head back for a moment, "shall I find my white flag now?"

Chloe placed her hands in the centre of his chest and pushed him away, "oh no. I like the fighting Luke not the passive Luke!"

He laughed, "and I definitely like the feisty Chloe. Come on!"

The hotel was tucked away in a side street, and in the reception was a quiet bar. He led her to a secluded sofa in a corner then made for the bar, ordering them a couple of beers. Coming back to the table, he handed her the drink, and then a menu. "I'm starving; do you want anything to eat?"

She nodded, "you must be ravenous after all that running around!"

                "Oh yes, physical activity does that to a man!" Luke retorted with a grin, before burying his nose in the menu.

Chloe laughed as she opened her own menu.

They ate well, with Luke telling her all about an earlier conversation with his parents. They were planning to visit in the next few weeks. His groans at the thought spoke volumes.

                "I love them!" He assured her, "but my father has had the highest power job imaginable for years, and now he struggles to fill his days of retirement. My mother is a typical Greek woman, fussing and feeding! It can be like hell!"

                "My parents are quite cool actually, my mother is like a friend, we shop together, go out for the day, you know? But then we don't have the huge distances to travel like you."

He nodded, as he accepted his huge hamburger from the waiter, "when I'm in New York in the winter I'll see them a lot. I know they miss me, but they fuss, you know?"

She nodded, "I bet your sisters do too!"

Groaning he looked at her, "you don't know the half, Eleni is the oldest, twenty three, six years younger than me, and she constantly tries to set me up with her friends. Then there's Rhea, she's twenty one and midway towards becoming a vet...she's cool. But Tiana...her name means Princess, and she lives up to it! She's nineteen and has chosen to do nothing. No work, no college...and my parents just give her an allowance to spend on herself.'' he grimaced, "we fight all the time because I'm sick of her disrespecting my parents."

                "And they don't care about that?"

He nodded, "they defend her, we end up fighting...it's always ugly."