Chapter 101 Borrow for a Bit
Luca raised an eyebrow, a meaningful smirk playing on his lips. "A caddy? What a coincidence. We're actually short one on our side, too. Clara, it looks like you're almost done here. Could I borrow Olivia for a bit?"
Clara froze for a moment, glancing at Luca and then at Olivia. She quickly pieced things together.
There was definitely something between these two, and it wasn't simple.
After a brief thought, she turned to Olivia. "Olivia, are you okay with it? Luca's team really needs a practice partner. If you don't mind, you can go over and have some fun."
Clara could tell that although Luca seemed overbearing, he wouldn't hurt Olivia. Besides, she was curious about their relationship.
Olivia was 100% unwilling, but she knew Clara and Luca's mother had been close friends for years. She couldn't disrespect Clara, or the investment deal might fall through.
Taking a deep breath to suppress her annoyance, she looked up with a polite smile. "I'm fine with it."
Seeing her agree, a flicker of triumph flashed in Luca's eyes. He turned to his group and said, "Let's go."
Olivia had no choice but to follow Luca and his team to the other side of the field, feeling reluctant and uneasy.
She had no idea what Luca was up to or if he'd deliberately make things hard for her.
Luca's business partners were surprised to see him bring such a beautiful woman over. They started whispering among themselves.
Everyone knew Luca only ever had Windy by his side. He'd never brought another woman to an event like this, let alone as a practice partner.
Ken and Luca's assistant were equally shocked. They both knew Olivia and hadn't expected to see her here, especially not in this role.
"Luca, what's going on?" Ken quietly tugged at Luca's arm, lowering his voice. "How did you bring Olivia here? When did you two get back in touch? Haven't you been looking for her for five years? How did you find her?"
The barrage of questions irritated Luca.
He shot Ken a glance but didn't answer, only saying flatly, "She's my practice partner today. Just focus on the game and stop asking so many questions."
Ken pouted. Though he was dying of curiosity, he knew Luca's temper and didn't want to push his luck. He held back his questions for now.
"Alright, let's start." Luca picked up his golf club and looked at Olivia, his tone carrying a hint of command. "Play well with me. Don't mess up, or you'll embarrass Clara."
Olivia ignored him, grabbing her club with a surge of frustration.
She took a deep breath, aimed at the ball, and swung hard. The white golf ball soared high and far, landing steadily near the hole, incredibly close.
"Not bad." Luca raised an eyebrow, a glint of surprise in his eyes. He hadn't expected Olivia to be this good at golf. He'd underestimated her before.
For a while, the two went back and forth, playing intensely.
Olivia, fueled by her frustration, performed exceptionally well, outshining Luca several times. The onlookers were impressed.
Luca's competitive side kicked in, and he got more serious. Their scores stayed neck and neck.
Just as they were fully into the game, Olivia accidentally stepped on an uneven patch of grass. Losing her balance, she started falling to the ground.
"Watch out!" Luca reacted quickly, almost instinctively rushing over. He grabbed her waist and held her steady in his arms.
Their bodies pressed close together. Olivia could clearly feel his firm chest, his strong heartbeat, and the familiar scent of cedar on him. Her heart raced with panic.
Luca froze, too. The soft feeling in his arms left him momentarily dazed.
He looked down at her pale face, at her slightly widened eyes from the shock. An inexplicable flutter stirred in his chest, mixed with a trace of worry.
"Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?" Luca's voice softened unintentionally, carrying a hint of unnoticed concern.
Snapping back to reality, Olivia quickly pushed him away. Her cheeks felt hot, and her heart was pounding as if it might burst. "I'm fine. Thanks."
Her ankle still hurt, though, and she limped as she tried to walk. It was clear she'd twisted it.
"You call this fine? You can barely walk." Luca frowned, and without waiting for her to argue, he scooped her up in his arms. "I'm taking you to the lounge to check it out. If it swells up, it'll be a problem."
"No, I can walk myself!" Olivia struggled to get down. She didn't want this much physical contact with him.
"Stop moving!" Luca's tone was domineering, leaving no room for refusal. "If you keep struggling, I'll leave you here to deal with the pain on your own."
Olivia had no choice but to let him carry her, feeling both angry and helpless.
Everyone around was stunned, especially Ken and the assistant. They'd never seen Luca so worried about a woman, let alone carry one in his arms.
Luca brought Olivia into the lounge, gently setting her down on the sofa. Then he crouched down, carefully examining her ankle.
His movements were gentle, as if afraid to hurt her.
"It's okay, just a minor sprain. No bone damage." Luca let out a sigh of relief, then looked up at her with a hint of reproach in his tone. "Can't you be more careful? You're a grown man, and you still manage to trip. Are you out of your mind?"
"None of your business." Olivia turned her head away, not wanting to look at him. Yet, she felt an odd warmth in her heart.
Though his words were harsh, the concern in his eyes was genuine.
"If I don't care about you, who will?" Luca's tone carried a subtle softness. "Why aren't you focusing on your design work? Instead, you return to the country to serve as a practice partner. Are you crazy? If you need money, just tell me. I'll give it to you. You don't have to put yourself through this."
"I'm happy to do it!" Olivia snapped. "I'll do whatever I want. It's none of your concern! Even if I'm short on cash, I won't take a penny from you. Don't flatter yourself!"
"None of my concern?" Luca stood up, towering over her with a deep gaze. "You think coming here as a practice partner will get Clara to invest in you? Let me tell you, it's pointless. Without my approval, she won't invest a dime."
Olivia's heart sank. She knew Luca was telling the truth.
"You're despicable!" Olivia glared at him, her eyes full of anger.
"Despicable?" Luca let out a cold laugh. "I'm just reminding you not to waste your effort. Whatever you want, just ask me. I can give it to you. Why make things so hard for yourself?"
His gaze drifted to Olivia's slightly open collar from the game, catching a glimpse of her fair skin. His throat tightened, and his eyes instantly grew intense.
He leaned down, closing in on her, his hands bracing on either side of the sofa, trapping her in his space. Their faces were so close they could feel each other's breath.
"What are you doing?" Olivia's heart raced, and she instinctively shrank back, her pulse hammering like it might explode.
Luca didn't say a word. He just stared at her lips, his gaze darkening, his breathing growing hotter by the second.