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“Why would you not want to spend a day at a spa?”

“How long have you got?” He shrugged off his puffer jacket and stuffed it on the armchair opposite, his gaze skimming round the room. “Fuck knows what Colin was thinking.”

The window for today had read. Spa day including a massage.

“Maybe he was thinking we both need some time to chill, to relax.”

He grunted. “Does it look like I’m relaxed?”

“That’s because you’re out of your comfort zone.”

He gave her a dry look. “You think?”

“Wait till the staff start working wonders on you.” As she looked at him, she caught sight of the edge of transparent film beneath the sleeve of his T-shirt. “Did you remember to change your dressing?”

“Yes Mum.”

She rolled her eyes. “Let me see the tattoo.” He lifted the sleeve of his T-shirt and her heart gave an appreciative thump as she stared at her art on his tanned skin. Unable to help it, she smoothed her fingers across the film. When they accidentally touched his warm skin, he flinched.

Hurt, she dropped her hands. “Sorry.”

His chest heaved. “That’s not . . . I didn’t react because I didn’t like your hands on me.”

It wasn’t how it had looked, but it was stupid to be so upset. “Whatever.”

Another of his big sighs, the ones that made his whole chest rise and fall. “Anna, look at me.” Reluctantly she stared into his direct green eyes. “I reacted because I liked it too much.”

Her heart stuttered. “Oh.”

The corner of his mouth turned upwards. “Exactly.”

He looked relieved when one of the therapists came over to take their forms.

The pretty young blonde scanned it and nodded. “I see you’ve both gone for the full treatment spa day. You’re going to love it. You’ll be so relaxed at the end we’ll have to peel you off the floor.”

Luke gave her a nonplussed look.

The therapist indicated over to the door on the right. “Come with me and I’ll show you to the lockers and get you both a robe.”

Luke froze. “A robe?”

The therapist smiled at him. “Of course. You’ll find it much easier to go from treatment to treatment in a robe. Saves you having to keep taking your clothes on and off.” She batted her eyelids flirtatiously. “And of course you’ll be dipping in and out of hot tubs, steam rooms, the hydrotherapy pool. That’s a lot of getting hot, wet and sweaty. I hope you’ve brought your trunks.”

“He has.” Anna threaded her arm through Luke’s. “We’re so looking forward to this.” A rumble sounded in Luke’s chest, like he was about to laugh, and she smiled sweetly up at him. “Aren’t we, sweetie?”

He coughed, humor making his green eyes sparkle like emeralds. “Sure, babe.”

They followed the now subdued therapist to the locker rooms where she told them to change and wait by the pool.

When Anna found Luke a short while later he was sitting on a lounger, swaddled in a fluffy white robe. He should have looked ridiculous.

Unfortunately all she wanted to do was rip open that robe and give the body inside a long, careful study.

“Not that I’m complaining,” he murmured as she reclined on the lounger next to him. “But what was with the possessive gesture back there?”

“I didn’t like the way the therapist flirted with you in front of me. It was disrespectful,” she added hastily.

“But we’re not a couple.”