Chapter 158 - Lose That Thought

Big brother? Did she just say she was glad to have a big brother like him? Tom asked himself, not knowing whether to be amused by the idea, happy that she wasn't interested in her wealthy boss, or feel offended that was brotherzoning him already. If only she knew that this big brother had been responsible for all her moans last night, Tom thought in amusement as he looked at her. 

"Make no mistake, Lucinda. I have just one baby sister, and her name is Jade Hank," Tom said, every trace of humor gone from his eyes as he took a step closer to her, startling her.

Why did he look so serious? She had not meant to annoy him. All she had wanted to do was straighten out things between them so he that wouldn't begin to develop any romantic feelings for her or think about pursuing any romantic relationship with her, Lucy thought.

She gave a burst of awkward laughter, "I know, right? Well, I don't mean you're my biological brother. I just mean..."

"I know what you mean, Lucinda. And I'm telling you right here and now that I don't intend to be a big brother to you, so lose that thought," Tom said, taking off his glasses so that he was now looking directly into her eyes. 

Lucy swallowed nervously as the smile on her lips wavered, and her heart started to beat really fast. What was he talking about? Perhaps she had said the wrong thing? She should have gone about it a different way instead of calling him her brother? Lucy thought as she looked into his blue eyes. There was something very familiar about his face now that he was no longer wearing his glasses, but this wasn't the place or time to think about that.

"What do you want to be then? My boss?" Lucy asked hopefully even though she knew this wasn't a very smart question. What had possessed her tell him something like that when they just arrived here? She should have shut her damn mouth and waited until after he took her back to the company before saying that. 

What if he had anger issues? What if he got angry and left her here to find her way back on her own? What if he was the type to be violent when he was angry? What if he got angry now and killed her? And then goes on to bury her body between the rocks or something? No one would know about her whereabouts, Lucy worried as she bit her lower lip anxiously and shifted her gaze away from him to somewhere above his shoulder. 

Tom watched as different emotions skittered across her face and he wondered what she was thinking that made her look so pale, "What do you want me to be to you?" Tom asked, watching her calmly, sensing that he was making her anxious, and that was the last thing he wanted, especially after this morning's episode. 

Lucy's gaze returned to his. What did she want him to be to her? A friend? A friendly boss? An acquaintance? It had to be a friend since there was every possibility that Sonia was going to develop something tangible with Bryan, and as Sonia's best friend and nonbiological sister, she had to be able to relate with Bryan and his family as her in-laws, and that included her boss.

"Just a friend?" Lucy asked, looking at him hopefully, and Tom's lips pulled up in a smile as he shook his head. 

"I want to be much more than just a friend to you," Tom said, making her heart skip a beat.

"W..what?" She stuttered, blinking at him. What was he talking about?

"You heard me. I'm interested in you, Lucinda Perry. I've been from the very moment I set my eyes on you, long before I found out about your relationship with my brother's fiancee," Tom said, taking a step closer to her and placing his hands on both sides of her, on the roof of the car in a way that she was trapped between him and the car.

Lucy shook her head in disbelief as her heart started beating very quickly, "I have a boyfriend!" She reminded him, avoiding his gaze. How had she slept with one guy last night, and was receiving love confessions from another the next morning? 

"So you said, and I'm not in a hurry to change your mind. I just want to let you know that if I could wait for years to own this place, then I can as well wait for as long as you need me to, just to make you mine," Tom said with an easy smile.

"Is that what you brought me here to tell me?" Lucy asked with a slight frown as she managed to look into his eyes. 

Tom shook his head, "No. I only brought it up because you tried to brotherzone me, and I'm letting you know right now that I'm never going to be a brother to you, and neither am I going to remain just your friend. So get that thought out of your head."

There was a moment of awkward silence between them before he put down both hands which were on the car and took a step away from her, "I will show you around," Tom said, turning away from her and walking in the direction of the mountains.

Lucy swallowed nervously as she followed him, while putting some distance between them. Both his words and actions were supposed to scare her, but for reasons she didn't understand, they didn't scare her one bit. It only bothered her that he was interested in her. Somehow she felt safe with him, even though she didn't exactly welcome his advances.

As they walked around the vast expanse of land that surrounded the mountains which was covered in white sand on some areas, and green grass on other areas nearer to the mountains, Tom pointed out some landmarks to her while explaining what structures were going to be built on those areas. Lucy paid close attention to all he was saying and offered her opinions and suggestions whenever he asked for them. 

After walking around for some time Tom turned to her abruptly, and asked, "What makes you think you love your boyfriend? What do you like about him?"

Lucy blinked at him in confusion, startled by the sudden question as she had thought they were done with that line of conversation already. Why was he asking her that? 

"Hmm... Do I have to like him for any particular reason?" She asked, and when Tom gave her a nod, she narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. What did she like about Tom?

"Well, for starters, he is caring."

"So am I," Tom countered, making her raise a brow. 

"He is thoughtful and considerate," Lucy added.

"And so am I too," Tom informed her once again with a small smile. He really hoped he was the person she was talking about, and she was not just making up all of these qualities. 

She opened her mouth to say some other things, but hesitated, knowing that he was just going to say he was all of those too, so instead, she said, "He isn't proud, or arrogant, and he doesn't talk down people," Lucy said daring him with her eyes to say he wasn't proud or arrogant too.

"Why do I feel like you are indirectly saying I'm proud and arrogant?" Tom asked with a slightly amused smile. 

"Are you?" Lucy asked, not understanding where this sudden boldness was coming from. Why was she talking to him this way?

"Perhaps I am. Is he as wealthy and successful as I am?" Tom asked cocking his head to the side.

"Does he have to be?" Lucy asked with a slightly raised brow. 

"Shouldn't he be? Women want wealthy and successful men, don't they?" Tom asked, looking at her as he waited to hear what she had to say about that.

For some reason, Lucy felt slightly annoyed that he could think that way about women. Or maybe what was annoying her was the fact that he was indirectly talking down Tom. So because Tom wasn't as wealthy or successful as he was, she wasn't supposed to date him? It was because of men like him, that other ladies looked down on average wage earners like Tom. A person like him really deserved someone like Anita, "Do they?" 

He could hear the slight annoyance in her tone, and he couldn't help wondering why, "What kind of a man do you want, Lucinda?" Tom asked, looking at her curiously now. Whatever she said now was going to determine whether or not she was going to see Tom Handy again. 

While they were busy talking, the private investigator was seated on the floor of his studio apartment with several photos of Tom littered on the floor.

He had a wide smile on his face as he thought about how pleased Mrs. Miller would be to know that he had gotten her the information she needed on such short notice. It felt really satisfying to know that despite the fact that he was aging, he was still the best there was when it came to digging out important information on short notice.

After his brief conversation the previous afternoon with the lady during lunch hour, he had decided to follow his hunch and return to the CEO's private parking lot. 

Although he had been very tempted to tail the CEO and his right-hand man when they were leaving for their meeting earlier, his instincts told him to stay back, as the answers he needed might be with the young man whose name he had been told was Tom.

He had been keeping watch over the parking lot when the CEO returned to the office after work hours, and he had watched as he went into the private elevator. Less than thirty minutes later he had also closely watched as Tom the driver came out from the elevator. He had then tailed Tom.

At first, he had been trying to make sense of the situation, asking himself if perhaps Tom was the CEO in disguise, especially when he tried to make the connection between the names, Thomas and Tom.

When Tom parked the car in front of an average-looking building that didn't look anything like where the CEO of I-Global would choose to make his home residence, he had started questioning himself again to know if he had been too hasty in drawing his conclusions.

Still following his instinct, he had remained in his car somewhere down the road from where Tom had parked the car and had kept watch for most of the night. Thankfully, he had woken up in time to see Tom rushing out of the house very early the next morning carrying an unconscious lady in his arms. 

Once again he had followed Tom to the hospital and had eavesdropped on his conversation with the doctor, confirming what he already suspected that both Thomas Hank and Tom, the driver were the same person.