Читать книгу The Gold Collection: A Bride For The Taking: Distracted by her Virtue / The Lost Wife / The Brooding Stranger - Maggie Cox, Maggie Cox - Страница 13

IN THE softly lit restaurant, with candlelight flickering between them, at the beautifully laid corner table that he had specifically reserved, Jarrett formed his hands into a steeple and rested his chin on it to study his companion more closely.

It wasn’t just the muted lighting and candlelight that rendered her features beautiful. It was a face that he could never imagine growing tired of looking at. Just one glance into eyes the colour of new-mown summer grass with sweeping chestnut lashes was enough to kindle a lifelong fascination. But it didn’t hurt that Sophia’s other features were equally compelling—from the small, elegant nose, the strongly defined pretty mouth, right down to the gentle cleft in a firm chin that denoted an uncommon strength of character and resolve. And, by God, she must have had to employ both of those attributes in spades during a marriage that had surely been made in hell.

He was still reeling at what she had told him. The truth had turned out to be much worse than he’d anticipated. The thought of her suffering at the hands of the sort of man her husband had been was enough to make a peaceable man like himself commit violence. In his opinion Tom had done her and Charlie a favour by dying suddenly like that. Still, it bothered Jarrett that Sophia would probably carry the psychological wounds of that terrible experience for the rest of her life.

That was why he had gently held her off in the midst of that incredible kiss they’d shared. He didn’t want her to feel as if he was taking advantage of her in any way, even if his decision to cool things down a bit had been one of the hardest things he’d ever done. Now he planned to woo her properly … to let her know that he would put respect for her feelings, needs and wants above his own desires. He’d waited a long time for the right woman to come into his life, and Sophia was already too important to him to scare her off with any kind of rash move. You didn’t rescue a bird with a broken wing and expect it to fly again without tending to it first, without allowing it time to heal.

‘What are you thinking about, I wonder?’ Sophia smiled, breaking into his thoughts.

‘I was thinking about you.’ There was a helpless, smoky catch in his voice.

‘Boring subject … been there, done that. Earlier today, as a matter of fact—remember?’

She made a face and for a moment the child in her surfaced—a child who had been unbearably wounded. It made Jarrett’s heart constrict. It was becoming clear to him that she went on the defensive at the least provocation. He didn’t doubt her bitterly unhappy marriage had ripped into her sense of safety.

Leaning forward a little, he caught her gaze. ‘How could you think yourself boring when the whole village is buzzing with speculation about you? You’re not like anybody else round here … And although people are naturally suspicious because you’re an unknown quantity, they’re also envious.’

‘You should know by now that they have nothing to be envious of. Besides, do you think I want that kind of attention? I’d rather live like a hermit in a cave. All I want is to be able to go about my business unnoticed and be like everybody else. Just to be ordinary. I’m not asking for the world. I have the same aspirations as most women round here, I’m sure … To be a good mother, be well paid for the work that I do, and to have a comfortable and affordable home. I love High Ridge, but I’d be a liar if I said that it doesn’t keep me awake nights wondering if I haven’t bitten off more than I could chew because I’m living in a house straight out of one of Dickens’s novels!’

Jarrett smiled, wondering if she had any idea how beautiful she was in her simple wrap-around blue jersey dress, with her long chestnut hair glossy as dark fire as it flowed down over her slender shoulders. ‘Those are reasonable and commendable aspirations indeed,’ he answered thoughtfully. ‘Except that I’m perturbed you haven’t included the desire for a meaningful and happy relationship on your list. I was hoping you might include that one.’

Sophia’s returning gaze was steady. ‘Maybe that’s because past experience has demolished all the optimism I once had.’

He was still soberly absorbing this comment when two smartly dressed waiters arrived with their food. The Italian restaurant Jarrett had driven them to was about ten miles from the village, deep in the heart of the surrounding countryside. The chances of bumping into anybody local were slim, and he’d hoped that might help Sophia to relax. Glancing down at the pasta dishes they’d selected from the menu, he didn’t think either he or his companion would be disappointed with their choices. Not if the tasteful presentation and delicious aroma that wafted tantalisingly beneath his nose was anything to go by. And he knew the food was particularly good here because he’d eaten there on the odd occasion with his sister.

His stomach growled. The only sustenance he’d imbibed all day was a slice of nearly burnt toast and a cup of strong black coffee at breakfast. In fact his appetite and his sleep had been poor all week, due to his belief that Sophia was seeing another man.

‘Let’s eat, shall we?’ he suggested lightly, giving her a broad smile as their attentive waiters left them alone again. ‘I don’t know about you, but I could eat the proverbial horse!’

‘So, not only don’t you have someone to clean for you, you obviously haven’t succumbed to hiring a cook either?’ Picking up her fork, Sophia expertly twirled some strands of spaghetti round it, guiding it into place with her spoon.

For a moment Jarrett was too transfixed by the sight to even think about satisfying his own appetite. She somehow managed to make the most commonplace actions look sexy, he mused, as a pleasant buzz of heat infiltrated his insides, ‘Are you putting yourself forward for the job? Because if you are then I’ll happily forego the interview and appoint you straight away.’

She moved her head to indicate no. ‘I won’t consider it right now, because I need to put my energies into my photography, but ask me again in a month or two when the coffers aren’t exactly spilling over with coin and I might accept.’ She popped a forkful of pasta with its accompanying fragrant sauce into her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut in a demonstration of unrestrained pleasure. ‘Mmm …’ she groaned. ‘This is really, really good’

Jarrett almost let his fork clatter back onto the table. The look on her face was straight out of a candid scene from an erotic movie. Helplessly shifting in his seat as an arrow of flame zeroed straight into his loins, he suddenly found it wasn’t food that he was hungry for.

‘Aren’t you going to eat?’ Sophia asked innocently. ‘I thought you were starving?’

He cleared his throat. ‘I am. I’m afraid I just got a little distracted.’

‘Oh.’ She brushed off the comment with a careless shrug, but nonetheless he saw the swathe of hot pink that swept into her cheeks.

Feeling undeniably pleased, Jarrett watched her tuck into her meal for a few seconds longer before hungrily attacking his own.

By the time coffee arrived Sophia was feeling much more relaxed and at ease. Tonight, in this lovely restaurant, she was like any other diner enjoying the company of her date, and nobody either knew or cared about her painful past. That gave her a sense of freedom and autonomy that she’d long craved.

Adding some cream to her coffee, she stirred it in, and when she looked up again Jarrett was studying her, an enigmatic smile lifting the corners of his mouth. A frisson of intense pleasure rippled through her as she recalled his urgent passionate kisses just a few short hours ago. There was no doubt in her mind that the man could win a trophy for his ability to kiss a woman and render her weak with instantaneous desire. In fact, there was so much about him that was wonderful that it was hard to fathom why he hadn’t already met and married someone, Sophia mused.

‘My turn to ask what you’re thinking,’ he remarked, just as her mind was in the middle of listing the qualities of his that she found the most appealing and attractive.

She smiled with a guilty blush. ‘I was remembering that I once asked you why you were still single and you didn’t really give me an answer. Have you ever had a long-term relationship?’

‘No.’ He shifted a little uncomfortably in his seat, settled again, then paused to take a sip of his strong black coffee.

Sophia was intrigued by his apparent reticence. ‘Why not?’ she asked bluntly.

‘I guess up until recently I’ve never felt the desire to commit to anyone. No doubt there are many people who would think that’s extremely selfish. My sister has despaired of me from time to time,’ he said candidly, shrugging his shoulders. ‘Don’t get me wrong,’ he added quickly, seeing her frown, ‘I don’t play the field … nothing like that. It’s just that I’ve never met anyone that I wanted to be with for more than a few dates. And I’ve devoted most of my time to building my business.’

With a little flare of satisfied heat warming her insides at the realisation that he’d been referring to her when he’d stated that ‘up until recently’ he’d never felt the desire to commit to anyone, Sophia leaned forward a little, unconsciously inviting more candid revelations about his feelings and his life. ‘And what is your business, Jarrett?’

‘In simple terms, I buy and sell land.’

‘Locally, you mean?’

His arresting smile was modestly wry. ‘All over the world,’ he confessed.

‘Goodness … no wonder you haven’t had time for romantic relationships. Such a global undertaking must surely demand a huge amount of time and energy? How will you manage things if you ever do settle down with someone?’

She almost held her breath as she waited for his answer, wishing that it didn’t suddenly matter quite so much as it did.

His returning glance was completely frank. ‘It’s fortunate that I have several very competent and skilled people working for me, so it wouldn’t be a problem to delegate a little more in order to free up more time. Especially if I’m ever lucky enough to have a family.’

The unexpectedly revealing comment had the effect of silencing the next question that hovered on Sophia’s lips and it made her heart gallop. Reminding herself to get a grip, and not to let her hopes run away with her, she unconsciously added another lump of brown sugar to her coffee and took a deep sip. It was far too sweet and she couldn’t help grimacing.

Jarrett laughed, and Sophia blushed to the roots of her hair when she realised he had seen her sour-faced expression.

‘I was wondering if you usually made a habit of putting five lumps of sugar in your coffee. I surmised that you clearly just had a very sweet tooth,’ he teased.

‘I’m afraid I lost count of how many I put in,’ she murmured, colouring hotly.

‘I’ll order you a fresh cup.’ About to beckon a waiter, Jarrett hesitated when Sophia reached out and touched his hand.

‘Please don’t,’ she said earnestly. ‘It would probably keep me up all night anyway, and I need my sleep.’

‘In that case I’ll pay our bill and we’ll go.’

Brushing back her hair from the side of her face, she nervously let her eyes meet his as she wondered what the protocol was these days on dating a man if he’d bought a woman a meal. Was he going to expect much more than a goodnight kiss?

A short while later, as they were sitting in the car in the impressive shadow of High Ridge, Sophia turned to her handsome companion and sighed. ‘So there really hasn’t been anyone you’ve been serious about in the whole of your romantic history?’

‘That’s right,’ Jarrett answered. A thread of anxiety rippled through him that she might not believe him—that she might think he was just making it up to pique her interest.

‘And you’ve never been lonely? Being on your own, I mean?’

The question made Jarrett smile. He knew perfectly well what she was asking him. ‘If by lonely you mean have I ever felt the need for some female company to share my bed, then, yes. I have.’

‘And presumably there’s been no shortage of takers?’

Even in the dimly lit interior of the car, her blush was endearingly delightful. From the roots of his hair to the tips of his toes, Jarrett’s whole body tightened. ‘Can we talk about something else?’ he suggested lightly. ‘For instance, are you going to invite me in for a coffee? I know you implied that too much caffeine keeps you awake, but I wouldn’t say no to another cup if you’re offering.’ He knew his smile was boyishly hopeful.

Sweeping her hair behind her ear, Sophia was suddenly wary. ‘Can we do that another time, maybe? I really am feeling rather tired tonight.’

‘Why didn’t you mention that earlier?’

‘Because I was feeling fine then … it’s only just hit me now we’ve arrived home. By the way, I’ve really enjoyed our evening together and the lovely meal. Thank you. It was so nice to be taken out to dinner. I can’t remember the last time I did such a normal thing.’

‘It was my pleasure. My hope is that we’ll have many more evenings like this together. Are you okay?’ he asked, frowning. The wary look hadn’t retreated, he saw.

‘Yes, I’m fine. A good night’s sleep will sort me out, I’m sure.’

‘I’ll walk you to your door, then.’

‘There’s no need … thanks all the same.’

Sophia was already taking her keys out of her purse. As she glanced up again, Jarrett saw she appeared to be thinking hard about something.

‘Do you still see any of the women who kept you company when you were lonely?’ she quizzed him.

He might have known she wouldn’t let him off lightly. She was behaving like every other woman who had the bit between her teeth about something. But in Sophia’s case her need to know about this particular facet of his past was entirely justified, he thought—because she knew only too well the pitfalls of being with someone who couldn’t be relied upon except to hurt her.

‘No, I don’t. I already told you I never dated anyone for very long, but neither did I cold-heartedly desert them. When we parted it was always mutual. The kind of women I saw were usually from the corporate world, as time-poor as me because they were immersed in their careers, wanting to make a name for themselves. Having a romantic relationship was never going to be top of their list of priorities.’

There had been one liaison where the woman in question had got a little bit too attached to the idea of deepening her association with him, Jarrett recalled wincingly, but he had told her as diplomatically and as kindly as possible that he couldn’t consider it. She hadn’t guessed that he was holding out for the woman of his dreams, and he wondered if she would have been surprised that he secretly harboured such a romantic ideal.

‘Did you ever want more than just a mutually satisfying fling with anyone in particular?’ Sophia asked, just as though she’d read his mind.

He heard the slight condemnation in her voice and flinched inwardly. ‘No, I didn’t,’ he admitted, low-voiced. ‘And I don’t want you to think that’s because I’m some kind of devil-may-care playboy, because I’m not. The truth is I just never met anyone I fell for in that way. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t had a desire to. To fall in love, I mean.’ He hardly knew how he kept his hands off of her as he said this, because she was becoming more irresistible and important to him every time he saw her.

Like now, when her face was so bewitchingly illuminated by the gentle rays of moonlight drifting in through the windscreen.

The smooth skin between her brows puckered in thought. ‘I’m sure if it’s meant to happen it will,’ she commented, and then, leaning towards him, dropped a light kiss at the corner of his mouth.

A purely chaste kiss, Jarrett thought in frustration. Every masculine instinct he had clamoured for him to haul her into his arms and kiss her properly … to taste and ravish her mouth in the way that he yearned to do … to run his hands down over her lithe, beautiful body and build up a storm—a storm that he’d sensed had been brewing between them ever since he had first set eyes on her.

Yet he couldn’t bring himself to succumb to such a raw, elemental need when the woman he desired was still wrestling with so many fears from her past. He would just have to learn to be patient.

Already out of the car, Sophia dipped her head to give him a smile. Her long hair fell softly around her face and framed it. ‘If you want to drop round tomorrow some time and have coffee then I’d be glad to see you,’ she said.

His relief was off the scale. For a moment there he’d worried that she might put him off indefinitely.

‘What time?’

‘Don’t you have to work?’

‘Yes, but tomorrow I’m working from home … How about eleven o’clock?’

‘Eleven is fine. I’ll see you then.’

Jarrett didn’t respond with goodnight or goodbye. He merely gave her a brief nod. He guessed he wanted to avoid any reference to the fact that they were going to be parted—even if it was only until tomorrow …

A devastating nightmare had shocked Sophia awake. The icily threatening quality of the dream disorientated her, and for a moment or two she was completely unaware of where she was or even her own name.

Breathing hard, she sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. It jolted her to realise that she wasn’t back in the expensive London house she’d once shared with Tom Abingdon, and neither was this her bed. She hardly remembered electing to sleep on Great-Aunt Mary’s threadbare old couch, but now it came back to her. When she’d finally decided to turn in—just like on the previous three nights—it had hit her that she was all alone in the house without Charlie. It was too hard to sleep in her own bed when on the other side of the room her son’s endearing little cabin-bed with its Paddington Bear quilt was empty, and above her the rest of the cavernous rooms were full of imagined ghosts that her imagination was only too eager to make real.

The fire that she’d left alight in the grate to keep her warm during the night was down to a few glowing embers, and the large stately room she’d been sleeping in was now so cold that it frosted her breath.

In the horrible nightmare that had visited her she’d been running barefoot through eerily menacing dark woods, with Tom chasing after her, threatening all kinds of dire consequences when he caught up. When the white-hot rage that he was still tormenting her had suddenly spilled over, giving Sophia the courage to turn and face him, the cruel face that had gaped back into her eyes hadn’t been her deceased husband but his father …

A chill and queasy sensation lodged like congealed porridge in the pit of her stomach and made the inside of her mouth dry as sand. Reaching for the glass of water she’d left nearby on a table, she gulped the contents down. Before she finished the drink, the hot tears burning at the backs of her eyes were streaming in an unchecked flow down her face. She hadn’t even undressed. She was still wearing the blue wraparound dress she’d worn out to dinner with Jarrett.

With stoic determination she scrubbed away the moisture streaking down her face with the heel of her hand. Just the thought of him sent a tropical heatwave sweeping through her blood and made her ache almost beyond bearing to see him again. And, for a blessed few moments even the memory of his reassuring presence drove out the cold and fear that gripped her. Simply recollecting his sculpted handsome face, haunting blue eyes and the richly sensual quality of his mesmerising voice was enough to make her yearn to have him appear. Not only was he the most attractive man she had ever seen, to Sophia’s mind his best asset was his unquestioning ability to be kind. She’d seen plenty of evidence of that. Jarrett epitomised the very best of masculinity, where her deceased husband had epitomised the worst.

With all her heart she wished she could turn back the clock and invite him in for coffee, instead of walking into this lonely old house on her own. But her emotions had been in a distressing state of turmoil after her revelations to him about her marriage, and she’d feared she had told him too much. Confessing the details of her personal horror story had left her feeling uncomfortably exposed, and fear of Jarrett’s unspoken judgement had made her want to distance herself from him for a while.

If only she hadn’t succumbed to that painful impulse so quickly, she thought now. If she hadn’t, he might still be here …

Jarrett had lain down on his bed fully clothed, thinking hard about the evening he’d just spent with Sophia. His mind simply refused to let him dwell on any other subject. It had done his heart good to see her tuck into her meal with such enjoyment, and he wondered how many meals she’d left uneaten or barely touched because she’d been consumed by the threat of harm her malicious ex-husband regularly seemed to have menaced her with?

His hands curled into fists down by his sides. He made himself think about something far less likely to arouse his fury. Apart from her undoubted beauty, there was so much that he admired about this lovely woman. For instance her ability to be brave in the face of the most horrendous adversity and not lose hope. Even now she was putting on a brave face, because her little son was away from home staying with his uncle and she was spending her nights at High Ridge alone.

Cursing out loud, because that particular thought was apt to inflame him and rob him of his sleep entirely, Jarrett got up, quickly shed his clothes, then got back into bed again, dragging the duvet up over his head to block out any disturbing glimpse of light. Then he turned his face into the pillow and willed sleep to rescue him from the too tempting images of Sophia that his mind seemed determined to taunt him with …

Jarrett wake up … you must wake up. I need you!

Sophia’s voice—urgent and low—was right against his ear, shockingly stirring him from the deep, dreamless slumber that he’d fallen into. Immediately turning on his side towards her, Jarrett’s heart hammered hard. Feeling as if he’d been cruelly cheated of the one thing that he longed for above all else when he realised the space beside him was empty, he reached towards the bedside lamp, almost knocking it over in his haste for illumination. Impatiently he switched it on. As light flooded the room, he sat up, scrubbing the sleep from his eyes with his knuckles.

The sound of her voice had been so real. Even more disturbing to his peace of mind was that it had sounded so frightened—desperate, even. Was she in trouble? I need you, she’d cried. Had that bastard of a father-in-law discovered her whereabouts and was right now threatening her?

Not even taking time to dwell on the sense of the action he intended, or be remotely concerned that it was the dead of night, Jarrett rushed into the dressing room adjacent to his bedroom, grabbed a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt from out of the bank of mirrored wardrobes that contained his clothes and quickly dressed. Returning to the bedroom, he pushed his feet into the pair of loafers he’d left by the bed, then grabbed the leather jacket he’d thrown onto a chair and hurriedly exited the room as though the hounds of hell themselves were snapping hungrily at his heels …