Her Not-So-Secret Diary(17)

Turning her hands over so that his hard palms abraded her ultrasensitive  ones, he laced his fingers through hers and his gaze seemed to reach  down deep inside her to some unexplored place she'd never known existed.  Maybe she was ready to take a chance on some fun with a guy. And since  he'd enjoyed some fun at her expense, wouldn't it be kind of fun to  tease this workaholic back just a little?

'So what do you say, are you with me?'

She just smiled a flirty smile and said, 'Tell you what, how about we have our coffee at my place?'





CHAPTER EIGHT




JARED leaned on Sophie's balcony and watched the palm fronds move lazily  in the allotment across the street. A car-chase movie wailed from an  open window in an apartment somewhere below. High-density living in  apartments where the walls were thinner than cardboard wasn't for him.  Then again, nowadays he could afford to be selective.

He knew Sophie's answer. Was one hundred and ten per cent certain.  Didn't know why he'd asked the question. The question he was more  interested in finding out the answer to right now was when did this  short-term relationship start?

The brief drive back to her apartment had been … intense. Inside the car  the tension had been so tight it had been almost explosive. Like sitting  on a bunch of live wires.

Or maybe that had just been him.

She'd invited him into her cramped but cheerful living room with its  hotchpotch mix of furniture and colour. Mostly maroon, cream and forest  green with slashes of peach in the furnishings. She'd switched on a  muted lamp then slid the balcony's full-length glass door open to catch  the night breezes and invited him to make himself comfortable. He'd  nearly laughed aloud at that and chosen the balcony, thankful for its  cool camouflaging darkness.

She'd firmly refused his offer of help. Presumably, and somewhat to his relief, she'd wanted to make the coffees herself.

He turned as she set two steaming aromatic mugs on her patio table in  front of the open doorway. A muted gold light from the lamp spilled onto  the balcony, leaving the far end with its potted palm draped in purple  shadows.

'I'm afraid there's no such luxury as a cappuccino maker here. I … ' She  trailed off as she looked at him, and stood perfectly still.

Which gave him time to drink her in. Who needed coffee? She was glowing  and beautiful and warmed his insides as no cappuccino could. She smelled  of flowers in full bloom and hot velvet nights. Summer. No, he didn't  want coffee. He'd waited all evening to reacquaint himself with her  taste.

But before he could make his move she pulled the clasp from her hair and  shook it free. An invitation if ever he saw one. He watched,  transfixed, as the shiny black silk slithered loosely over her shoulders  and down her back. The air between them smouldered with desire. With  intent.

He wasn't aware that he'd crossed to her but here she was, an erratic  pulse-beat away. In the half-light her skin was creamy smooth, her lips  ripe and full, her eyes huge and aware. Then his fingers were skimming  her jaw, angling her chin towards him. Up close he could pick out the  subtle fragrance of sun-drenched petunias.

His heart seemed to stutter, his throat dried up. Right now he had no  words to tell her how gorgeous she looked, how desirable. How much he  wanted her. He lowered his mouth to hers.

Her body softened instantly against his, allowing him to pull her  closer, to slide his hands beneath her hair and over her bare shoulders,  down her spine to where the top of her dress fitted just below her  shoulder blades.

She shifted with a moan that vibrated through his senses and settled in  his throbbing groin. Her arms slid up and around his neck as she fitted  herself against him. Her breasts rubbed against his chest. Her legs  tangled with his. The smouldering heat threatened to spontaneously  combust them both right where they stood.                       
       
           



       

And then, on the little table, his phone buzzed.

He almost lifted his head but suddenly something inside him rebelled.  Years of putting everyone else first. Being there. Taking charge. He  tightened his hold. Always-on-hand Jared was, at this moment-and for  however many moments it might take-unavailable. With his fingers splayed  against her back, he pressed her nearer, as if that might make the  noise disappear.

But Sophie wasn't of the same mind. She drew back breathless, her hands  still on his shoulders, and looked up at him. 'You want to get that?'  she murmured.

'No.' No way. No. Not in a million years. 'It'll go to voice-mail.'

The offensive sound ceased. He slid a finger along her collarbone,  turned on just watching her lick her lips, wet from their kiss.  'Now … where were we … ?' Putting her arms back in place around his neck, he  nibbled at her mouth, not thinking about whether whoever-it-was had  left a message and whether it might be important.

But, no matter how hard he tried, the moment was spoiled. He wanted to  howl. Years of owning a business, and, more importantly, being there for  his younger siblings, made it impossible to disregard the phone no  matter how badly he wanted to make it with Sophie.

And he could already feel her cooling off. There was a tiny tremor of  tension that hadn't been there before, as if she'd suddenly realised  where this had been heading and come to her senses.

He only wished he felt as cool.

With a sigh he touched his forehead to hers. 'I'm going to have to see who that is first so I can ignore them guilt-free.'

She drew back. 'Timing,' she said, nodding as if she knew what she was  talking about. 'Maybe it's a good thing it happened after all.'

'How can it be a good thing?' he muttered, stalking to the table. He  swiped up the phone. One missed call from Lissa. His pulse spiked in a  different way when he remembered she'd gone out tonight. She'd left a  message …

'Um, hi, Jared. Are you coming home any time soon? This is real dumb and  I'm sorry and all, but I've locked myself out of Fort Knox. Any chance  you can swing by and let me in?'

He closed his eyes and prayed for patience and understanding. Because right now he didn't have much of either.

'Is everything okay?' Sophie's soft voice reminding him of what might have been.

He opened his eyes but he turned away, didn't look at her. 'Melissa's  managed to lock herself out,' he clipped, already returning her call.

Melissa answered on the first ring. 'Jared. Good, you got my message. Um … did I disturb you?'

He unclenched his teeth before they cracked. 'Why didn't your friends  wait with you?' And why so early? She didn't usually stroll home till  three. He fisted his free hand against his trousers and tried to  maintain an outwardly calm and composed façade.

'I've got a headache so I caught a cab home and it was gone before I  realised I'd forgotten my keys,' she said. 'I didn't notice because I  left first and wasn't the one who locked the door tonight-you were.  Sorry, are you … busy? I can-'

'Stay right there. I'll be home in ten minutes.' He swung around to  Sophie. He wasn't going to make it with her tonight. 'Lissa's not  feeling well, I have to go.'

'Yeah, you do.'

'I'm sorry about the coffee. I'll ring you.' He paused on his way to the  front door to look back at her. She was still watching him with that  wide expressive and slightly stunned gaze. 'What are you doing this  weekend?' He realised he'd never asked his PA that question in quite  that tone nor with the same interest and expectation.

The rush of surprised excitement in her eyes was quickly doused. 'I'm  going to keep Pam company since she can't go out in public. I've got  chick flicks, calamine lotion, chocolate ripple ice cream and a book of  cryptic crosswords.'

He had to grin at the cosy scenario. 'Sounds like you've got all bases  covered there.' So Sophie was the kind of person who was willing to put  her weekend on hold for a friend. She knew what he was offering but  she'd turned him down because she was needed elsewhere. Putting her  needs aside. Not so selfish as you profess, are you, Sophie Buchanan?

He understood all too well. He also knew she understood why he had to  leave now. He opened the front door, stepped onto the common balcony.  'I'll be in Brisbane first thing Monday morning and back late Tuesday.'

Sophie caught up with him, curled her hand around the door. 'Have a successful trip.'                       
       
           



       

He nodded briefly. 'Any problems, ring me.' His tone sounded brusque to  his own ears as he turned abruptly away. Abrupt because he had to force  himself not to touch her again. Because if he kissed her goodnight, he'd  not want to stop at one and Liss was waiting and it was well past  midnight.



Sophie was glad to have something to do over the weekend. During the  day, Pam's companionship took her focus away from Jared. It was a  different story at night when she lay on hot sheets and her body itched  and burned so that she had to wonder if she was coming down with chicken  pox too.