Never Too Late (9 page)

She waited, breathless, her body aching for his touch.

Suddenly his eyes cleared, his sensuous lips curved in a wry grin and he threw a hand up in mock surrender. “I shouldn’t have mentioned it. Let’s move on and enjoy the day.”

She had to bite back her cry of frustration.

Had she imagined his reaction?

But he’d looked as if he’d wanted to…

No, that was too dangerous. Don’t go there. What she needed was the polite distance between them she’d promised herself. Cheeks blazing, she gave a brisk nod and turned and walked on, following the stream and avoiding even looking in his direction.

Jake walked beside her in silence.

Everything about her was his business, and she’d know that soon enough.

He’d sensed a deeper reason for her jittery reluctance to him, and finding out about her broken relationship had enraged him. The fool had never deserved her. Now, a little probing, and his rage had boiled over into white-hot fury. She was still hung up on the loser.

He frowned. This should be his out. If he had any sense, he’d run for the hills right about now. She’d only had one relationship so far and her heart was still lost in it. She had no room for the casual encounter he would demand.

He glanced at her as she walked beside him, apparently very engrossed in the little stream. She walked with an unconscious feminine grace, swaying in her blue dress in a way that whetted his imagination and fuelled his need like no woman had before her. 

Damn, he wanted her and it was becoming harder to keep away. No way was he leaving without a taste. 

He’d almost lost control at the cottage yesterday and kissed her, claimed her sweet mouth fully. And now, as she’d glared at him in righteous indignation, beautiful and glowing in the summer sun, it had taken everything in him not to throw her down on the grass and take her hard right there. He could only imagine her moans as he thrust in and out of her. His rigid shaft throbbed against the constraint of his jeans and he took a few breaths to calm his hot blood. 

She’d come to him willingly, and soon. 

She needed this as much as he did. He could sense it. But when they came together, there would be no misunderstandings, no expectations, and no meaningless talk of love. It would be physical and explosive and out of this world, and it would free them both. 

But in the meantime, he was going to shake loose that worthless ex of hers whom she kept clutched tight in her heart.

The remainder of their morning walk turned out to be far more enjoyable than Molly liked to admit. They’d diligently stuck to the safe topic of Appleby, Jake wanting to know all about the village and its people, and he’d kept her talking so much, she hadn’t noticed the hours slip past.

Now as they neared the pub around noon, she grimaced and stepped gingerly so as not to annoy her already throbbing calf muscles. She shot him a glance from beneath her lashes. He looked as fresh as he had this morning when they’d set out. No one would guess he’d just trekked over hills and fields for hours.

She groaned inwardly. She’d bitten off more than she could chew when she’d schemed the longest walk in the history of Appleby. He was supposed to be collapsed in an exhausted heap right about now, but he bounced along beside her, and all she could think about was a comfortable chair in the shade somewhere.

She rolled her eyes, and he looked at her with a small frown. “You okay?”

“Uh-huh. Fine.”

“What is it?” His narrowed gaze flicked to the slight way she swapped her weight from one foot to the other. “Your feet hurt? Why didn’t you say so?” And in one swift move, he scooped her up in his arms, holding her firm against the hardness of his chest.

She gasped, clinging to his shoulders. “Jake! Put me down! People will see.”

“I don’t give a damn what people see,” he growled, giving her a quelling look as he strode towards a wooden bench a few feet away on the road’s grassy verge.

He deposited her gently on the bench and she breathed a sigh of relief, willing her hammering heart to slow down and her trembling body to relax.

“Bloody hell! You’re shaking.” He dropped to his haunches and enveloped her cold hands in his larger warm ones. “Are you dizzy? It could be heat stroke. I should have thought of it with your light colouring and the sun like it is today. All that walking and you didn’t even wear a hat.”

The warmth flowing from his hands to hers comforted her. She could stay like this in his hold for eternity. But that wouldn’t do. She couldn’t act needy in front of him.

She pulled her hands away and reached down to massage her calf muscles. “Thanks. It’s not heat stroke. My legs were tired, but they’re better now.”

His hands joined hers on her legs, and she stilled, her breath hitching as he slowly rubbed up and down the sore muscles.

“Better?” he murmured, looking up.

Their eyes locked, and the atmosphere shifted, crackled with tension, anticipation, the soft rhythmic squeeze and release of his warm hands on her legs sending shivers of need pulsing through her. 

His eyes darkened, and shifting forward with one knee down, he reached up and cupping her cheek, traced the contours of her lips with his thumb. Her heart raced and her mind shut down as she stared at him, and in a heartbeat, his lips were on hers. 

His kiss was barely there at first, a featherlight brush against her lips that had her gasping. He took the opening she gave, threading his fingers into her curls, gripping her as he pushed into her mouth, his tongue dancing with hers as he deepened the kiss. 

She closed her eyes on a soft moan. The bristle on his chin tickled the skin of her face and she melted into the delicious feel of him, the intoxicating scent of him, her arms snaking around his neck as she pulled him closer to her, hungry for so much more.

He grasped her waist with his other hand, and the sudden pressure caused slow awareness to seep back into the silly putty her mind had become. 

What on earth was she doing?

They were on the roadside, right opposite the pub, on show in front of potentially the entirety of Appleby.

With a muffled cry, she yanked away from him, and panting, they stared into each others eyes for a long shocked moment.

Then his lips curled into a slow satisfied grin. “Now that was worth waiting for.”

She glared back at him with accusing eyes. “You have a girlfriend!”

“Girlfriend?” His eyebrows snapped together.

He really was no better than Brian. 

“I’m not that type, Jake, understand that. You’re in a relationship and I want nothing to do with you.”

And yet, her traitorous body clamoured for his touch even now. She wrapped her arms tight around herself.

“I’d be disappointed if you were that type,” he said dryly. “My
girlfriend
is history, and I’m not looking to replace her either. I know you feel this thing between us, Molly, but you understand this. Your ex has no part in it. This is between you and me, and I will have you totally to myself, body, mind, and soul while I’m here.”

While he was here?

Warning bells rang in her mind even as her entire body caught flame from his words. He wanted her, and to be so fully possessed by him…

She shook her head in numb denial. A brief affair with him would burn her forever, and all her instincts screamed to keep away.

He smiled and reaching out, traced a gentle thumb over her kiss swollen lips. “Oh, you can run, Molly, but know that I won’t let you run for long. I mean to have you.”

She stared at him, drowning in his golden beauty.

Why was she running? He said he wasn’t with his French girlfriend anymore. She was free too now that Brian had dumped her. Why shouldn’t she take what Jake was offering? God knew she wanted it, wanted him. What was she scared of?

She perched on the edge of the bench, her mind in turmoil, and he regarded her, amusement firmly back in his eyes. “But that’s for later. Right now, you need feeding. Allow me to buy you lunch, Molly, as a thank you for yesterday’s fantastic meal and that kiss like no other.”

Despite herself, she smiled. Did she still want to run?

Seemingly taking that as his answer, he pushed to his feet and held a hand out to her. And without another thought, she took it, letting him help her up and lead her across the road to the pub.

Molly managed to come back to her senses and pull her hand from Jake’s just as they reached the pub. He said nothing, merely glancing at her with a raised eyebrow as they stepped into the cool half-empty building. The smell of hot food and old leather teased their nostrils. 

Jake looked around. “I sure am starving. Anything you particularly like?”

“The house special is usually nice.” She indicated the chalkboard menu above the bar. Today it was beef and pedigree ale pie, and the pub portions were satisfyingly generous. He’d enjoy that. “It also comes with local village cider, if you’d like to try it.”

With a nod, he went to the bar to order their meal.

A furtive thrill shot through her as she watched him from the doorway leading out to the crowded garden seats. Was she really contemplating an affair with Jake Hennessy?

Two days ago, when she’d first set eyes on him here, he’d been intimidating, out of reach. Now here she was, just one word away from climbing into bed with him.

A twinge of uncertainty had her frowning and she turned away to stare outside. What if she wasn’t good enough? She didn’t exactly have a world of experience, not like the women he must be used to. What if she bored him? Doubt was a merciless needle, and her thrill-filled balloon deflated. 

“They’ll bring our drinks.” Jake placed a hand on the small of her back, startling her out of her thoughts. “We’ll get a table outside. It’s too dark in here.”

Her worries frittered away and she relaxed into his touch, basking in his closeness. He’d said he wanted her, and that knowledge alone sent her heart soaring again.

The pub garden was packed, but she smiled as she stood beside his tall form and scanned the rows of colourful parasol-shaded tables for an empty one.

“Over there.” Jake gently pressed her toward a table that had a green parasol, and where a couple was standing up, having finished their drinks.

She froze.

The smile on her lips melted into wide-eyed shock as she recognized Brian and Abby.

But Jake didn’t notice her hesitation, and his long strides propelled them there before she could even think of a quick get-out.

“Molly!” Brian’s dark eyes widened in shock before narrowing in hostile curiosity as he looked from her to Jake.

Recovering with speed, she forced a cheerful note to her voice. “Brian, Abby, how nice to see you. This is Jake Hennessy. He’s buying Barrowdene.”

Brian’s expression opened, his hostility morphing into immediate interest, and he sprung forward, hand outstretched. “Brian Wilkins.”

Jake’s dispassionate amber gaze flicked over Brian’s proffered hand, and for a mortifying second it looked like he was going to snub the gesture. But then he grasped it in a firm handshake.

Molly breathed a silent sigh of relief.

“And this is my fiancée, Abby Fontelroy.” Brian beamed with pride and Molly stared at him.

A day ago, he’d been ready to pick up where they’d ended, and here he was now, barely acknowledging her and fawning over Abby like she was a rare gem. At least Jake had been honest in his desire. In that moment, Brian looked exactly like a proud little schoolboy bragging about his superior toy. How come she’d never seen that about him before?

Abby looked Jake up and down, and obviously liking what she saw, moved ever so slightly, positioning herself for maximum visual impact in her figure-hugging, thigh-skimming canary-yellow dress.

Jake appraised her with intrigued eyes, and Molly’s stomach clenched in distaste.

“Fontelroy…” he mused. “Would that be of Fontelroy investments?”

Brian nodded. “The chairman, Peter Fontelroy, is Abby’s father.”

“Small world.” Jake flashed Abby a smile that all but turned her into a puddle at his feet.

Molly glanced away, only just managing not to roll her eyes.

“Do you know Daddy?” Abby gawked at him in the type of wonder that said she couldn’t quite fathom how this casually dressed, longish-haired, bearded god fitted in with her rich posh daddy.

“I’m a member of Chateau Blanc. He was there once as someone’s guest.”

Brian gaped and Abby’s eyes became saucers, and well they might. Molly’s own eyes rounded at what Jake had just revealed in that offhand remark. 

Martin had also enjoyed a weekend as someone’s guest at Chateau Blanc, a gift from a happy client, and he’d spent the entire week afterwards gushing to her about the charms of France’s most exclusive mountain resort. Guests were common there, but to even get a sniff at membership, a person had to be in the billionaire category.

All of a sudden, Jake wasn’t just out of her league, he was on a different planet altogether. Had she really been thinking of a fling with him mere minutes ago? With the sort of women someone like him was used to, how did she even compare? Sure, he’d kissed her, but she’d been convenient, and Appleby didn’t exactly offer the pick of the crop.

But now that he’d seen Abby…

Abby became all bright smiles and fluttering lashes, and slinked closer to him as if they’d just become the only two people in the world. “You must visit us at home. Daddy would be so happy to see you again.”

“I’d love to,” he murmured, looking her over in lazy appreciation. 

Disappointment stabbed through Molly like an icy knife to the heart, but as she once again turned away, she caught sight of Brian’s expression. Mortified red stained his cheeks and he looked in imminent danger of bursting a blood vessel. 

He cleared his throat. “Darling, I think we should be heading back to the vicarage.”

Abby pouted. “Already?” She shot Jake a winning smile. “We were only just getting to know each other.”

Jake didn’t need further encouraging. “Join us for lunch.” His invitation was pointedly for Abby.

Molly had never hit anyone in her life, but she had to clasp her hands behind her back in an effort to keep from whacking him.