Love Like You've Never Been Hurt (16 page)

However, he returned a chaste kiss on her own cheek. “Why,
thank you purdy lady.” He turned back to the bag once more,
this time he pulled out a beautiful little vase filled with freesia
and pink roses.

She clasped her hands together. “Oh, Jack, thank you!
They’re beautiful, how did you know?”

“Know what?” he arched his brows, trying to look
surprised, the humor playing on his lips giving him away.

“That they’re my favorites,” she laughed.

“Would you believe me if I said it was a lucky guess?”

“Probably not.”

“OK, then I won’t say that. How about insider
information?”

“Pete?” she was surprised.

“Well, I had to talk to him this afternoon.”

“And he knew my favorite flowers?” She looked shocked.

“Of course not, he’s a guy! But he knows your best
friend, Missy.”

“I’ll have to watch myself if the two of you are going
to gang together on me.”

“We are a force to be reckoned with,” he smiled.

She looked at the pretty little flowers. “Thank you, Jack.
That was very thoughtful of you.”

“
Hey, I thought they’d
make you smile, and I like to see you smile. Pete actually came back
to me with roses, freesias or daisies, but the daisies at the florist
were those huge big ones and they didn’t go with the others,
sorry.”

She laughed as he held his hands out wide to describe giant
daisies. “These are perfect, Jack, thank you, and you’re
right, daisies wouldn’t go. I do love daisies, but the regular
ones, seeing them growing wild.”

“All wildflowers or just daisies?” he seemed to be
genuinely interested.

“All of them, but especially daisies. They make me happy.
They always look like they’re smiling and nodding. Sounds goofy
I know, but you have to take your happiness where you can find it.”

“I’ll drink to that,” said Jack and raised his
glass to hers.

They decided to eat outside again since it was such a beautiful
evening. Jack lit the tiki torches while she brought the food. He’d
wanted to help again, but she’d convinced him that it was part
of her fun to cook and serve.

“This is amazing,” he said, as he tasted the pasta.
“You really are a great cook.”

“Thank you, I’m glad you like it. Cooking is one of my
very favorite things to do and it all started right here in this
house.”

“It did?”

She told him about Aunt Martha and learning to cook with her, all
the good times she’d had here as a child, learning the old
lady’s recipes, for food and for life. “Baking is the
best though,” she said, “and tonight we have Aunt
Martha’s very own key-lime pie.” She went into the
kitchen and returned with the pie and two dishes. “Now you
mustn’t tell Pete you got key-lime without him, he adores
this.”

“I can see why. Best key-lime pie I’ve ever tasted and
I’ve had it all over Florida, even down in the Keys when I was
in Miami. I take it you like it too?” He watched her lick her
fork as she finished her own slice. She saw a little pulse appear in
his jaw. Oh my, stop licking the fork, Em!

“How do you manage to stay so,” he let his eyes wander
down to her chest and then travel slowly over her body before coming
back to her face, “so shapely, when you make such great food
all the time?”

Emma tried to calm the butterflies which had started to flutter
under the heat of that look. Forget the pie, he looked like he wanted
to eat her alive right then and there. “I have Aunt Martha to
thank for that too. She taught me that in cooking, and in life, we
shouldn’t hold back. We should indulge fully, allow ourselves
to have what we want, and work hard to pay for it.”

“I like the sounds of that.” The hunger in his eyes
made very clear that it wasn’t more pie he wanted to indulge
in.

Emma swallowed, hard, trying to stay on neutral ground. “I
eat pretty much what I like and I work out every day too, like she
taught me.”

“She sounds like a wonderful lady and it sure does look good
on you.”

“Well, I’m glad you think so, because I’m going
to have another small piece. Want some?”

“Yes, please, and I don’t mind if mine isn’t too
small.”

After they’d cleared dinner away they took the wine and went
to sit down on the beach.

“This place is good for me,” said Jack looking out
across the lake. “I can feel the stress evaporating with every
day I spend here.”

“You do look more relaxed out here. Did you grow up in the
city? Is small town life new to you?” she asked.

He realized how little she really did know about him. “Oh
no. I’m a small town kid myself.” He thought of the
rundown little house where he’d spent his childhood. Always
anxious not to spark any anger from his father, always looking out
for his mom and Dan. “My childhood wasn’t exactly as
idyllic as this though.” He stopped and looked at her; losing
her folks wasn’t exactly idyllic either. “Sorry, I didn’t
mean that yours was.”

She shrugged. “I had Gramps and Grandma. I lost my parents
when I was eight, but I had people who loved me and took care of me.”

“Your Gramps is a great guy.” He was still thrilled
that Gramps seemed to approve of him and of his relationship with
Emma, or at least what he hoped would become a relationship. She
seemed more relaxed tonight, willing to see where this went.

“He’s wonderful, the best man I could have had around
after my Dad was gone. You weren’t close to your Dad?”

Jack did his best not to show the thoughts that ran through his
mind at that question, but must have failed.

“Sorry,” she said.

“No problem, want to walk a little?” he didn’t
want to dwell on that subject.

He took her hand as they walked along the water’s edge.
“Thanks for a wonderful dinner, Em. I really would like to
return the favor though and cook for you soon.”

She smiled, “How about you come over and use my kitchen to
do it?”

He laughed. “What are you worried about? Have you seen the
kitchen in ‘that thing’ parked in your yard? It’s
better than most apartment kitchens, you know.”

“Really?” She looked surprised.

“You haven’t even seen inside yet, have you? Yet there
you go, prejudging again,” he laughed.

“Hmm, guilty as charged I suppose, but it still can’t
be as good as my kitchen. So how about tomorrow you can make me
dinner in mine?”

“Tomorrow it is then,” he said quickly, more
interested in locking her in for dinner again tomorrow than where he
might cook it. “Come on though, want to take a look inside so
you won’t need to worry about me ‘camping out’ in
there?”

“Why not?”

They walked back up to the driveway where Jack opened the coach
door for her. “After you,” he said and climbed the steps
behind her. The intention had been gentlemanly, but the view of her
backside made him feel anything but gentlemanly. She stopped dead and
turned to face him; the stunned look on her face made him laugh, she
was so adorable. He couldn’t help it, her eyes were wide, her
lips parted. He had to kiss her. When he was finished she looked even
more stunned.

“Go on in. Look around.” If she kept kissing him back
like that, he’d soon forget all about showing her the kitchen.

They walked through the lounge area, past huge leather couches and
two enormous flat screen TVs embedded in the walls. The kitchen was
fitted with stainless steel appliances and cherry cabinets with
granite counter tops.

“That’s a full size fridge,” said Emma, “and
freezer. And a double oven!”

“And it’s probably never been used for anything but
heating pizza,” laughed Jack. “This is Dan’s
remember, but you can see it’s perfectly adequate for making
dinner?”

“It is. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it
wasn’t this.”

“Let me show you the rest.” He went through the
kitchen and slid a door open to reveal a bathroom, all done out in
marble. Behind the next door was a beautiful bedroom, then another.
At the end of a short corridor they came to the master bedroom. “Take
a peek.”

She went inside and was amazed at the California king size bed
facing a wall entirely covered by a huge screen. She peeked around a
door to find an en suite bathroom. She imagined Jack showering in
here earlier. She could still smell the wonderful sandalwood cologne
he was wearing now. She turned to find him standing in the doorway,
arms above his head holding the frame.

“So now you know I’m not slumming it in here.”

She slipped past him, back into the bedroom. There was a huge desk
built under the window. “And you can work in here too?”

“Yeah, in fact, do you want to see the preliminary workups
for Pete’s house? I did them this afternoon and I know he’s
going to run everything by you.”

“Yes, please. I’m curious to see what kind of house
you two are thinking of.”

“Take a seat a minute.”

Emma sat on the edge of the huge bed while Jack fired up the
computer to print off the plans of how he envisioned Pete’s new
home. As he tapped at the keyboard, she looked around the room. That
screen was enormous. She could imagine him, lying on the bed watching
a movie… oh, who was she kidding? She could imagine lying on
this bed with him! She looked up as he sat down beside her. He looked
down at her, eyes full of humor.

“Want to see my etchings?”

She had to laugh. “I thought you would come up with a better
line than that!”

His eyes were serious now. “Do I really need a line?”

“No, you don’t.” His arm came around her drawing
her closer. She reached up and touched his face, looking into eyes
filled with desire. His mouth came down on hers and she surrendered
to his kiss, feeling her nipples tighten as his tongue explored her
mouth. She returned each stroke, feeling a sense of power as he
trembled under her hands. Without leaving her lips he groaned and lay
back taking her with him. He drew her closer until she lay pressed to
him, his arousal pushing against her. Feeling emboldened she rubbed
her hips against him.

“Emma!” His hands tangled in her hair. She slipped her
hands under his shirt and trembled herself as she touched rock hard
abs. He rolled onto his back, still kissing her, as he pulled her on
top of him. In a moment his hands were on the back of her legs,
stroking upwards until they cupped around her backside and he pulled
her down onto the hardness that was now straining to escape from his
jeans. She felt the heat from him spread all through her body and
moved rhythmically against him as his hands caressed her. She sat
back a little, her skirt riding up around her hips as she unbuttoned
his shirt then ran her hands over his chest. She smiled and gently
squeezed his nipples, then cried out as he surged upwards in
response.

He smiled and held onto her hips as he flipped them so he was on
top of her. “Two can play that game,” he said, as he
slipped his hands inside her top. He bent his head to kiss her once
more as his hands worked their way up, over her stomach, then
stroking her ribs. She moaned as he cupped her breasts through her
bra. He rolled to the side, bringing her to face him and trailed his
tongue from her ear down to her collarbone, his hands still teasing
her silk-covered nipples. Emma was overwhelmed by the sensations
rolling through her, consumed with desire for him. As she pushed at
his shirt, he pulled back long enough to remove it then carried on
kissing her as he pulled her own top up. She felt him get rid of it
and felt the heat mount between her legs at the feel of his hard
naked chest against her.

“
Let’s lose
this.” He reached one hand around her back and expertly flipped
the clasp of her bra, unfastening it in one deft movement. Emma felt
a little chill run through the heat of her desire. Expertly? How many
women had he practiced on to be able to pull that little move off so
neatly? “Oh, Em, stop it,” she thought. She tried to
respond to his kiss, but couldn’t recall the same excitement as
her mind raced. She moved her hands across his chest, but even to her
the movements felt mechanical. Did she really want to be doing this
with a man who had so many other women wanting, willing and waiting
to give him the same thing? Jack had obviously sensed the change in
her. His hands stilled and he was no longer kissing her.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” his voice with husky with
desire. “What happened?”

She couldn’t bring herself to say anything, she felt too
stupid.

“Emma, sweetheart, what happened?”

She felt her eyes fill with big, stupid, tears. She couldn’t
exactly tell him, could she?

His big arms closed around her, holding her close, lust now
replaced by tenderness. He gently stroked her hair and turned his
body to stop the last evidence of lust from throbbing against her.

“Too soon?” he asked gently.

She buried her head in his chest, and nodded.

“I’m so sorry, Baby. I should have known, should have
waited. I just... You’re so beautiful, so desirable, I want you
so much.”

She kept her face pressed into his chest, breathing in the
reassuring scent of him, listening to his heartbeat slow back down to
normal. She still didn’t trust herself to say anything. How
could he be so sweet, so gentle, when he must be frustrated as hell?
She bit her lip as he reached around and fastened her bra. He held
her close for a long time, stroking her hair, murmuring how sorry he
was, asking for her forgiveness.

Eventually she looked up to meet his eyes.

“Please don’t be sorry, Jack. You didn’t do
anything wrong,” The tender look on his face almost made her
cry again. “I’m the one that’s sorry, I guess I
wasn’t as ready as I thought.”

“I should have known,” he began, “Should
have...”

She pinched his lips between her finger and thumb to quiet him.
“How could you have, when I didn’t know myself?”