Читать книгу The Right Bed? - Wendy Etherington - Страница 7

THE GENTLE SNOWFALL increased in intensity throughout the early morning. Caley watched it from the window seat in her father’s den. She’d been trying to work, making calls back and forth to the office and trying to send a report via a dial-up modem. She decided to wait until she had better Internet access at the inn and sent a text message to her assistant in the meantime.

Trying to concentrate on work had been impossible. Her mind kept returning to the bedroom upstairs and to the kiss that she and Jake had shared. A shiver skittered down her spine and she rubbed her arms to quell the goose bumps. It was usually so easy to focus on work and now just one silly kiss—two, really—had completely consumed her thoughts.

She closed her laptop and gathered up her things; she would check into the inn right after her fitting. But right now she had to concentrate on getting to her car, which was probably buried. She remembered Jake’s offer of a ride, but thought it best not to tempt fate. It had been far too easy to kiss him. Given another chance, who knows what they might do?

Caley found a hodgepodge of winter outerwear in the hall closet and pulled on a jacket, boots, mittens and a cap. She tucked her phone into her pocket and trudged outside to shovel. She was glad for the distraction, for something productive to occupy her thoughts.

Other things had happened in that bed and she searched the haze of her memories for details. There had been a long, delicious dream in which Jake had finally succumbed to her charms. She’d spent most of her teenage years fantasizing about that moment when he’d pull her into his arms and kiss her, so it was no wonder that back in North Lake those thoughts had invaded her sleep again.

Yes, he’d kissed her. But the heavens hadn’t opened and the angels hadn’t sung. All right, a small chorus had made an appearance. After all, she’d have to be made of ice not to react.

As she started to shovel, she remembered the desire that had bubbled up inside of her the moment his lips touched hers. Caley had wanted him to continue, to make the kiss a beginning rather than an end. She’d longed for him to brush aside her clothes and kiss her naked skin, to pull her back to the bed and seduce her until she trembled at his touch.

She’d once fantasized that Jake was her Prince Charming, pure and noble. Now, she saw him as a man with a killer smile and an incredible body and a way of looking at her that made her tingle all over.

She stepped back from her task and drew a deep breath, trying to calm her racing pulse. It probably wouldn’t be difficult to let nature take its course. Jake had clearly seemed interested that morning—more than interested, if what was going on beneath his boxers was any indication. And it wasn’t as though she’d be seducing a complete stranger. She’d been so curious for so long, now why not enjoy Jake while she could?

She’d left New York with her life in turmoil, searching for the key to her happiness. Sleeping with Jake might make her happy for the short term. Though she’d insulted his prowess in bed, Caley suspected that she’d thoroughly enjoy being seduced by him. He was different now. A shiver skittered down her spine. He was definitely a man—a very sexy, handsome, powerful man.

She sighed, her breath clouding in front of her face. Her rational mind told her she didn’t need to add any more complications to her life. But sleeping with Jake might not be complicated so much as exciting and dangerous and wildly satisfying. Closing her eyes, she took another deep breath. Was it really Jake that she wanted or just someone—anyone—who made her feel better about her life?

Caley had nearly cleared one wheel of the car when Jake pulled up in an SUV. He beeped the horn at her, then rolled down the window and grinned. “Get in,” he said. “I’ll take you to town. You’ll never get that car dug out by yourself.”

Caley held her breath as she stared at him. He’d looked handsome that morning, dressed in only his boxers, his hair mussed by sleep and a scruffy day-old beard darkening his jaw. Now, he looked almost irresistible. Her gaze dropped to his mouth and she wondered when she’d kiss him next. Caley turned back to her shoveling, afraid that she hadn’t the power to resist him. “I—I can drive myself.”

“Come on, Caley. You’re not going to get the car out in any kind of reasonable time.”

She glanced over her shoulder, ready to concede defeat on both the car and her immunity to his charm. Jake jumped out of the SUV, grabbed the shovel, stuck it into a snowdrift and held out his hand. “Come on.”

Caley stared down at his fingers, long and tapered. A memory drifted through her mind, hazy but real. He’d touched her that morning. It hadn’t been part of her dream. His fingers had danced over her skin and his touch had made her body come alive.

Hesitantly, she placed her hand in his and he led her to his SUV. He opened the passenger-side door and helped her inside, then circled around to get in behind the wheel. In the end, she really didn’t want to drive into town on her own, especially along curvy West Shore Road. All it would take was a skid into the ditch and she’d have to listen to Jake’s repeated “I told you so.”

“Buckle up,” he said.

Caley turned to him. “I think we need to get one thing clear. I’m not in love with you anymore. Any crush I might have had as a teenager is long gone. So don’t act like you have me wrapped around your little finger, because you don’t.”

Caley turned to stare out the window, embarrassed by her sudden outburst. She was usually so careful about her choice of words. What was it about Jake that made her act like a petulant teenager? Why did he always have to challenge her?

Jake threw the truck into gear and headed up the hill to the end of the driveway. The SUV easily handled the deep drifts and the slippery conditions. But she wasn’t about to give Jake the satisfaction of being right.

“You were in love with me?” he asked. “When exactly was that?”

“Years ago,” she murmured. “For about a week. It’s all a very vague memory.”

“So you aren’t even slightly attracted to me now?” A grin quirked at the corners of his mouth.

“No,” she lied.

He considered her answer for a long moment. “Too bad. Because I’m still kind of attracted to you. Yeah, I know. Surprising, right?”

“Still?” Caley asked, stunned by his admission.

“Yeah, still. Hey, I always thought you were hot.”

Caley laughed out loud at the audacity of his comment. “Please,” she said.

“No, I did. I do. Come on, Caley, look at yourself. A guy would have to be crazy to think otherwise. You’re beautiful and sophisticated and smart.”

She wasn’t sure whether he was teasing her or telling the truth. But it did make her feel better. Caley smiled.

“All the guys were madly in love with you that summer before you left for college.”

“Now you are lying. But go on.”

“I told them you were taken.”

She frowned at him. “But I wasn’t. Why would you tell them that?”

“They were only looking for one thing and I just didn’t want them putting the moves on you. I didn’t think you were ready for that. And maybe I felt a little possessive.”

“You were the reason I left for college a virgin.”

“Believe me, I would have loved to help you out on that one, but I wasn’t sure I’d be the right guy for the job.” He paused. “I’d assume you solved that problem a while ago.”

Caley giggled. “Are you asking if I’m a virgin? I’m twenty-eight years old.”

“I was talking about finding the right guy. Teddy mentioned that you’re living with some lawyer.”

Caley opened her mouth, ready to tell him that Brian was probably moving his stuff out of their apartment as they spoke. But admitting that would leave her with no defense against seduction. “Yeah. We’ve been together for a couple years. What about you?”

Caley didn’t want to hear the answer. She wanted to believe that the only woman on his mind was her. But that would be unrealistic. Jake was an attractive, successful man.

“No one special,” he said. “I guess I was saving myself for you.”

She bit her bottom lip, focusing on the road ahead. Why did he say things like that? Was he testing her? Jake had always enjoyed teasing her, but this was different. It was as if he was daring her to take his words seriously.

They drove for a long while in silence. She took out her cell phone and began to text another message to her assistant.

“Do you take that thing with you everywhere?”

“I need to be available. People are counting on me.”

“The rats would continue to race even if you weren’t running alongside them. Take a break. You’re supposed to be on vacation.”

“Partners don’t ever really go on vacation,” she said. Still, she tucked the phone back into her pocket, leaving the message unfinished.

A question nagged at Caley’s brain, a question she never thought she’d have the nerve or the opportunity to ask. But it needed to be answered. “If you were so attracted to me, then why did you turn me down that night?”

He smiled, but kept his gaze fixed on the road ahead. “You’d just turned eighteen. I was almost twenty. I didn’t think it was the right time. It was your first time and I figured that should be perfect. I wasn’t sure I would be able to do that for you.” He glanced over at her. “I did you a big favor, Caley. I didn’t want you to regret your first experience.”

Caley sat back in the seat and stared out the window. Though his words did a bit to soothe the memory of her humiliation, she had a hard time believing Jake was that noble. “I was devastated,” she said.

He reached over and slipped his hand around her nape. Her pulse quickened and Caley felt a rush of desire as his fingers tangled in her hair. “I’m sorry,” he replied, gently forcing her to look at him. “But, if it will make you feel better, I’d be glad to do the job now.”

She saw the wry grin on his face and Caley couldn’t help but laugh. “I’ll let you know.”

“Hey, I’ve been told I do an admirable job in the sack.”

“That’s because all the women you sleep with are too blinded by your pretty face. They’d say anything to keep you in their beds.”

Jake pulled the truck over to the edge of the road and threw it out of gear. “My charm worked pretty well on you this morning.”

“I was asleep.”

“You said my name.”

She shrugged, trying to maintain a cool facade. It wasn’t working. Her hands were trembling and she felt a little light-headed. “Well, it won’t work anymore. Go ahead. Kiss me. You’ll see, I won’t have any reaction.” It was a feeble challenge and she knew he could see right through it. But she didn’t care. She wanted to kiss him again and she couldn’t wait any longer.

To her surprise, he accepted her challenge. Before she could even take a breath, he grabbed her face between his hands and kissed her. At first, the kiss was full of frustration. But then, he softened his touch and slipped his tongue between her lips.

Caley grabbed the front of his jacket and pulled him toward her, until he was sprawled across the console, his hands furrowed through her hair. They couldn’t seem to get close enough, tearing at each other’s clothes, searching for something more to touch. Though she knew she ought to put a stop to it, the taste of him, the feel of his body against hers was exhilarating, like some crazy carnival ride that frightened her and thrilled her all at once.

He slipped his hand under the waist of her pants and clutched her backside, pulling her hips against his. He was aroused and Caley enjoyed the fact that he couldn’t resist her any more than she could resist him.

“What the hell are you doing to me?” he murmured, his breath warm against her ear. “You have a boyfriend. You’re living with him.”

“We broke up,” she murmured, nuzzling her face into the curve of his neck.

Jake grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back, staring down into her eyes. “Don’t play games with me, Caley.”

“I’m not. I swear, we broke up. It’s over.”

Jake dragged his thumb over her bottom lip. “Can we just stop pretending then? I’m man enough to admit that I want you. And I think you want me, right?”

“Maybe,” Caley murmured.

“Not maybe,” he said, shaking his head.

“All right. I’ll admit that there is an interesting attraction between us.”

“So what are we going to do about it?”

Caley frowned. “I don’t know. It could be complicated.”

He drew back, then grinned. “When you figure out what you want, you let me know,” he said.

Caley gasped softly. Was that it? Wasn’t he supposed to pull her into his arms and kiss away all her doubts? Or seduce her without any regard to her reservations? He wasn’t supposed to drop the ball back in her court!

“I will,” Caley said softly.

Jake straightened, sliding back behind the wheel. “We should probably get going.”

When they reached the small bridal shop in the village, Jake parked, then hopped out and circled around the front to open her door. The Burton boys had always had impeccable manners.

“Watch out,” he said, as he grabbed her waist. “It’s slippery beneath this snow.” His hands lingered on her hips as his gaze fell to her mouth.

They stood there for a long moment, frozen in place, their breath clouding between them. Then Caley pushed up on her toes and touched her lips to his. “I’m not playing games with you,” she whispered. “I just felt like kissing you again.”

“I know how that feels,” he replied. His arms slipped around her waist and he pulled her body against his. Jake brought his hands up to her face and gently cupped her cheeks as he returned the kiss. But the sound of laughter brought an end to their momentary pleasure. Caley turned to watch two teenage girls in the midst of a snowball fight.

“It’s no one,” he whispered, his breath warm against her ear.

“If we do this, we can’t let anyone know,” she said.

“I never kiss and tell,” he said.

“I’m serious. It has to stay just between us. And it has to be just sex. Nothing more.”

“Friends with benefits?” he asked.

She nodded. “I’ll be right back,” she said, glancing over at the bridal shop.

“I’ll come in and wait,” he said.

“Is that wise?” she asked.

“I’m not going to seduce you in a public place,” he said. “And I don’t think Miss Belle is going to go running to our parents to tell on us.”

He followed her to the door, then pulled it open for her, placing his hand on the small of her back as she stepped inside. It was a simple gesture, but Caley realized that Jake was taking any opportunity offered to touch her.

The owner of the shop, Miss Belle, greeted them both, then drew Caley along to the fitting rooms in the back. She stopped and turned to Jake, motioning to him. “Are you coming, too?”

“Oh, no,” Caley said. “He’s not my—well, he’s just a—I don’t think he’d be interested.”

“I’ll come,” Jake said, sending Caley a playful grin. “I’m very interested.”

Caley took the dress into the fitting room and slipped out of her clothes. Though the dress didn’t look like much on the hanger, when she put it on it was another story. The silky fabric clung to every curve of her body; the modest neckline plunged to a deep V in the back; the long sleeves fitted to her arms. She slipped out of her bra and then turned to examine the rear view. Emma had gotten the sizing perfect and had chosen a dress that would look stunning for an evening wedding.

Caley pulled open the fitting room door and stepped out. Jake had been sitting on a bench and the moment he saw her, he quickly stood, a tiny gasp slipping from his lips.

“Wow,” he murmured. “That’s some dress.”

Caley smoothed her hands over her hips as she turned. “It is nice, isn’t it?”

“Are you wearing underwear?”

She gave him a stern look. “It’s too clingy.”

“So, you’re not going to wear underwear. Where the hell am I supposed to put my hands when we dance?” he asked. “This is going to be a problem.”

“Are we going to dance?”

“You’re the maid of honor and I’m the best man. I think it’s a rule than we take at least one turn around the floor.”

Miss Belle hurried up and studied Caley critically. “We’ll bring the sleeves up a bit. I’d assume you plan to go … without?” She pointed to Caley’s chest.

“Do I have a choice?” Caley asked.

“Well, we have the stick-ons.”

“Can we see some of those?” Jake asked, a worried expression on his face.

Caley shook her head. “This will be fine.”

Miss Belle held out a shoebox. “Try the shoes so I can check the hem.”

Caley grabbed a shoe from the box and tried to put it on, but couldn’t keep her balance in the long dress. Jake slipped his hands around her waist and steadied her as she put on the dyed-to-match pumps.

“Perfect,” the shopkeeper said. “I’ll be right back.” Miss Belle hurried off to answer the phone, leaving Jake and Caley alone at the rear of the shop.

“Perfect,” Jake repeated.

“Stop saying things like that to me,” she murmured. “Sometimes I feel like you’re playing with me.”

He shook his head. “It’s how we are, Caley. It’s how we’ve always been.”

She turned and walked back to the fitting room, and Jake followed close on her heels. When she stepped inside, Caley tried to close the door behind her, but Jake slipped inside, then leaned back against the door.

“In all the time that I’ve known you, have I ever lied to you?” Jake asked.

Caley stared at her fingernails. Until that night of her eighteenth birthday, Jake had been the one person she knew she could count on for unadulterated honesty. “I don’t think so.”

“Who told you to take the toilet paper out of your bra the night of the Fourth of July dance at the park? Who told you you looked like a giraffe when you started wearing those platform shoes? Who told you not to go out with Jeff Winslow because all he wanted to do was feel you up?”

“You did,” Caley said. “But I went out with Jeff Winslow anyway. Of course, he did try to feel me up.”

“See?”

“Just because you never lie to me doesn’t mean that you don’t have the capacity to hurt me.”

He took a step toward her, then reached out and touched her cheek. “Does that hurt?”

Caley drew a shaky breath. It felt so good to have him touch her, his fingertips leaving a warm imprint on her skin. She shook her head. This time she wouldn’t make it so easy for him. This time she’d resist him.

Jake took another step closer and kissed her softly on the forehead. “How about that? Tell me it feels good.”

She swallowed hard, then sighed deeply as he kissed her temple. Did she have the strength? And was it wise to try and resist? It really didn’t seem worth the effort. “Yes,” she said. “It feels good.”

He hooked his finger beneath her chin and tipped her gaze up to meet his. And then he kissed her, his tongue teasing at her lips before gently invading her mouth. But it wasn’t like the kiss in the truck. This kiss was slow and sensuous, meant to melt all her resolve. Caley wrapped her arms around his neck and surrendered, enjoying the rush of heat that coursed through her body.

His hands slid down her waist to her hips, then circled to smooth over her back, left bare by the cut of the dress. Caley’s mind whirled as she tried to remember every detail of the kiss, forcing herself not to slip into some hazy state of desire. But in the end, it was impossible to maintain her composure. Jake seemed determined to prove that he was quite possibly the best kisser in the entire world.

When his hand moved to her breast, she moaned softly. He grazed his thumb across her nipple, bringing it to a hard peak, sending a wild wave of pleasure coursing through her. When he finally drew back, Caley was dizzy with excitement. Her breath was coming in quick gasps and her pulse was pounding in her head.

“If that ever stops feeling good, you just let me know and I’ll stop,” Jake whispered. He kissed the tip of her nose, then walked out of the fitting room, closing the door behind him.

Caley stumbled back until she leaned against the mirrored wall for support. Her trembling fingers touched her lips and she felt a smile growing there. After all these years, it was hard to believe that all her fantasies about Jake might just come true.

There was something powerful pulsing between them and it didn’t look like either one of them had the capacity—or the will—to stop it. And that made it all the more exciting—and dangerous.

“THE BURTBERT SNOW BOWL begins in fifteen minutes!” Brett called.

Jake and Sam looked over their shoulders at their brother and gave him a wave. “We’ll be ready,” Jake shouted.

They sat on the stairs that, in the summer, led down to the dock and the beach they shared with the Lamberts. The lake was frozen over and covered with snow, but Teddy Lambert had cleared an area big enough for skating or a pick-up hockey game.

Jake stretched his legs out in front of him and watched the last of the snowflakes drift lazily through the air. The storm was over and everything was covered with a sparkly powder. “So you’re getting married.”

Sam smiled as he traced a pattern in the snow with a stick. “That’s what I hear.”

“I gotta tell you, Sam, I was surprised when I heard you were engaged to Emma. But then when I heard you were getting married so quickly, I was kinda shocked. A month and a half is a pretty short engagement, don’t you think?”

“Maybe.”

“How much time have you two really spent together?”

Sam shrugged. “Three summers, here at the lake house. And then I visited her in Boston over Thanksgiving and we got together during Christmas break in Chicago and we just decided we didn’t want to be apart anymore.”

“Why not live together then?” Jake asked. “Give yourself some more time.”

“Because Emma wants to get married,” Sam said.

“What do you want?”

“Why so many questions?” Sam asked, a hint of irritation creeping into his voice.

“That’s my job as your best man. To be sure you’re making the best choices.”

“I want what Emma wants. I want to make her happy,” Sam said.

Jake hadn’t been thrilled when he heard about his little brother’s plans to get married, but he chalked that up to surprise. But now that he had a chance to spend some time with Sam and talk to him, Jake realized that twenty-one was far too young to take such a giant step.

He’d spent the last ten years working his way through a variety of females, trying to figure out what made them tick, enjoying the full spectrum of pleasures in their beds. But it was only in the past year that he’d really come to understand what he needed in a relationship and the kind of woman he wanted to spend his life with. Sam hadn’t even started on that journey and already he was tying himself down. How could anyone know they were in love at that age? Neither Sam nor Emma had experienced anything of the world yet.

“You’re not even finished with college,” Jake murmured.

“Emma graduates in the spring and she’s just got a few independent study courses, so she’ll be spending more time in Chicago. I’ll finish at Northwestern at Christmas next year and then I’m thinking about law school. If we get married, we can start planning our lives together—and she can support me while I’m getting my law degree.”

“You can do all that without getting married,” Jake said.

Sam groaned, then leaned back on his elbows, staring out at the wide landscape of the lake. “Maybe I should have asked Brett to be my best man. Or Emma’s brother Teddy.”

“Marriage is a big step, Sam. You have to get married for the right reasons.”

“What reasons would those be?”

“Because you can’t imagine living without her. Because every time you look at her, you have to touch her, just to make sure she’s real and she’s yours. Because she’s the first thing you think about in the morning when you get up and the last thing you think about before you go to sleep.”

Jake drew a deep breath. This was the sum total of his knowledge about living happily ever after. It was what he’d decided it would take to tempt him into settling down for the rest of his life. And oddly enough, Caley seemed to meet all those requirements.

A shiver skittered down his spine. Women were supposed to confuse lust and love, not men. Still, Jake couldn’t ignore his feelings. Things weren’t the same as when they were kids. There was something deeper … something stronger drawing them together now.

He glanced over at Sam. “I’d hate to think you’re doing this to please Mrs. Lambert and our mother. All that Burtbert shit is really silly. We can still be one big family, even if we aren’t technically related.”

“It’s not about that,” Sam said.

“What is it, then?”

“We just want to start our lives together.”

“I know it seems like you’ll never get enough of her, but that kind of desire doesn’t last. It’s not all about sex,” Jake said. “There has to be something more.”

“Oh, we haven’t had sex,” Sam said. “Emma wanted to wait until we got married.”

Jake gasped. “You haven’t—I mean, not even a little?”

“Well, a little. But not the whole way.”

Jake groaned and buried his face in his hands. “How can you possibly make a decision about the rest of your life when you don’t even know if you’re compatible in the bedroom?”

“Lots of people wait,” he said. “And it’s not like I haven’t done it. And Emma has, too. We just haven’t done it together.”

“Well, maybe you should,” Jake said. “Just to make sure.” Hell, he’d never even tried to regulate his own desires for women—and since Caley had arrived back in town, Jake didn’t even feel in control of his libido. How did a guy just put those feelings on the back burner? Wasn’t it scientifically proven that abstaining wasn’t good for the male body?

He took a deep breath. “Why not just wait a little longer? It couldn’t hurt.”

“I love her,” Sam said. “And she loves me.”

“I love Emma, too,” Jake said. “And Caley and Teddy and Adam and Evan. The Lamberts are like our family.” Jake sighed softly, searching for another argument that made sense. Who was he to try to explain what went on between a man and a woman? Hell, he couldn’t begin to fathom his obsessive attraction to Caley. All he knew was that it felt good when he was with her, so good that he never wanted to let her go.

He pushed to his feet and offered his little brother a hand. “Come on. If I know Brett, he’s going to want to strategize before we get the game going. The last time we played football with the Lamberts, they beat us bad. They’ve got Evan’s wife now and she’s gone through natural childbirth three times. She’s no wuss.”

“And Caley plays like a guy,” Sam said.

“Don’t worry about Caley, I can handle her. You just take care of Emma.”

Sam grinned. “Until we’re married, she’s still a Lambert. And the enemy.”

They walked up to the lawn, now covered in a foot of powdery snow. After a few minutes, all the players were congregated at the center of the field. When Jake saw Caley, he gave her a wave and she returned his greeting with a hesitant smile. She looked so cute bundled up against the cold that it didn’t take more than a moment for his mind to begin a fantasy of slowly peeling off all those layers of clothes. Jake drew a sharp breath and closed his eyes. Now was not the time to think about getting naked with Caley!

Once everyone was gathered, Brett raised his hand. “Welcome to the first, and possibly only, Burtbert Snow Bowl. In the tradition of our annual summer Toilet Bowl football game, we have decided to bring back the time-honored trophy.” He pulled a toilet plunger from behind his back and everyone laughed and clapped, surprised to see the trophy after so long.

“The last time this was awarded was eleven years ago last summer and, according to the inscription, it was won by the Lamberts.”

“On a touchdown run by Caley,” Jake said. He looked at her. “Remember? Adam threw you the ball and you just took off down the field. No one could catch you.”

She gave him an odd look. “I don’t remember that.”

Jake shrugged. “I do. It was a great play.”

He slowly walked around the perimeter of the crowd as Brett went over the rules, stopping when he stood behind Caley. His gaze fixed on Sam and Emma. “They look happy,” he murmured. “What do you think?”

Caley glanced over her shoulder at him. “Yes,” she replied.

Brett pointed to the list of winners, written on the wooden handle with a marker. “Our captains today will be Sam and Emma. By my count, we’ve got even teams with Evan’s wife, Marianne, and Ann’s husband, John, so no one has to sit out.”

Teddy disagreed. “We have three guys and three girls and you’ve got four guys and two girls. You call that even?”

“John just had knee surgery last year,” Brett said. “And Marianne played college soccer. I’d say it’s even.”

The coin was flipped and the game began. Brett played quarterback for the Burton team and when he went out for a long pass to Ann, Caley stepped out in front of her and snagged an interception.

She started off down the sideline and Jake took off after her, making up the distance between them in a few seconds. He grabbed Caley around the waist and picked her up off her feet, then fell into the snow near the goal line, taking the impact with his body.

They’d played in this rough-and-tumble fashion when they were kids and back then it had been fun. But now, lying beneath Caley, her body stretched out on top of his, the game had taken on a sexual element.

“This is supposed to be touch football!” she cried.

“And I’m touching you,” Jake murmured. “Although not the way I’d like to touch you.” He rolled Caley beneath him, pinning her body to the ground with his. “We have to talk,” he said softly.

She wriggled beneath him, trying to escape. “If you think you can convince me to throw this game,” she whispered, “just because you kissed me then—”

“Later,” he replied as he saw Brett approach. Jake rolled off her and helped her up and then brushed the snow off her backside, before sending her across the scrimmage line to her team. “Good catch,” he shouted.

A change of possession put Jake on offense and he took a handoff from Brett and headed down the field. He saw Caley coming toward him and he knew she was prepared to hit him hard. That’s what he liked about Caley. She never backed off from a challenge. But instead of running away, he waited, slowing his run until she caught up.

Jake feinted to the left, then the right, but Caley surprised him by countering his moves. When Jake realized he wasn’t going to shake her, he bent over, grabbed her around the waist and carried her toward the end zone with him. But Caley knocked the ball out of his hand as he ran.

“Fumble!” she shouted.

Teddy was right behind them and he picked up the ball and started toward the other end zone. Jake turned and dropped Caley into the snow, then ran after Teddy, but Caley grabbed his leg and pulled him down. When he was lying on his stomach in the snow, she crawled on top of him, straddling his hips, and watched as Teddy scored.

She bounced up and down as she cheered for her brother, the movement causing a definite reaction on his part. Cursing softly, Jake rolled over and dumped her into the snow, picking up a handful and rubbing it in her face.

“You are such a bad sport,” Caley cried, grabbing a fistful of snow and throwing it at him. She wrestled him to his back, pinning his arms on either side of his head.

“Kiss me,” he murmured.

Caley frowned. “Not here. Everyone will see.”

Jake brushed the snow out of her hair. “Where? When?”

“Later,” Caley said. “After dinner.”

“Meet me at the boathouse,” he said.

Caley shook her head, then got to her feet, running back to her team. She turned around and looked back at him once, smiling, teasingly taunting him. “You’re gonna lo-ose,” she sang. “You’re gonna lo-ose.”

She did a little dance, wiggling her backside, and Jake chuckled. God, she was sexy. As he watched her walk away, he thought about what it would be like to have an entire night alone with her. To have all the time in the world to seduce her. To slowly undress her and touch her body and make her moan with pleasure. She’d been the stuff of his adolescent fantasies. But now, the things he dreamed about doing with her—to her—weren’t things he could have even imagined back then.

“Jake!”

He glanced up to see Brett staring at him. “Look alive,” his brother shouted. “Keep your head in the game.”

They played for exactly an hour and, in the end, the trophy went to the Lambert family on a last-minute touchdown pass from Evan to his wife, Marianne.

As they walked back up to the house, Jake lagged behind, his gaze fixed on Caley. He wondered how things might have been between them if he had accepted her offer that night eleven years ago. Would they be here, in the same place, still lusting after each other? Or might they look at each other with embarrassment or regret rather than anticipation and excitement?

Maybe things had worked out exactly as they were supposed to that summer. But what happened between them this week was still in the hands of fate. And it would either begin or end in the boathouse tonight.

DINNER WAS A BOISTEROUS EVENT with both families sharing chili and corn bread in the Burtons’ huge family room. After dinner, Jake and Caley joined Sam and Emma in a game of Monopoly, but Caley could barely concentrate. Jake had taken to playing a game of footsie beneath the table, running his stocking foot over hers in a very seductive manner.

Caley kept her gaze focused on the board, trying to control her wildly beating heart. There had been men in her life who had touched her in the most intimate of ways and she’d barely reacted. All Jake had to do was rub her foot and she felt like tearing his clothes off and jumping his bones.

“Park Place,” Sam said as Emma landed on his property. “Let’s see. That will be twelve hundred dollars, please.”

Jake chuckled as he scrutinized Sam’s stash of cash. “Looks like you almost have enough for that motorcycle you want to buy.”

Sam shot his brother a cold look and Emma immediately frowned. “What motorcycle?”

“Sam’s going to buy a motorcycle after you get married,” Jake said as he straightened his property cards. “Our mother wouldn’t let him, but once he’s married, she can’t say anything since you’d be in charge.” He fixed Emma with an inquisitive gaze, waiting for her response.

Caley thought it was an odd turn in the conversation. She sent him a frown and he just smiled and began to count his money.

“You can’t get a motorcycle,” Emma said. “They’re dangerous. I won’t let you.”

“But, Em, it would be practical. We can’t afford two cars. And the gas would be cheap.”

“No,” Emma said stubbornly. “I won’t allow it.”

Sam straightened, his expression growing petulant. “What is that supposed to mean, you won’t allow it? You’re not my mother.”

“Sam should be able to make his own decisions,” Jake murmured.

Caley gave him a swift kick beneath the table and he winced.

“Ow!” he cried. Sam and Emma looked at him and he forced a smile. “Cramp. To much football in the snow.” He snatched up his money and handed it to Caley. “I’m going to cash out now.”

Caley looked back and forth between the glowering expressions on Sam’s and Emma’s faces to the smug smile on Jake’s. He’d started this argument on purpose. “So am I,” Caley said.

“Jake is right,” Sam countered. “I’m an adult. I should be able to do what I want.”

“Who’s going to pay for this motorcycle?” Emma said. “Not me. And if you think you’re going to use any of our wedding money, you’d better think again.”

Caley quickly stood and followed Jake to the kitchen. He set his glass in the sink, then called out to his parents, who were playing cards with Caley’s mother and father. “I’m going to go down to the boathouse and see if I can get the heat going. We’re going to need the extra room.”

“And I’m going to head back to the inn,” Caley said. “I have to make some calls. I’ll see you all tomorrow.” Their mutual exit caused no undue interest. Jake helped her on with her jacket and they walked out the front door together.

When they got outside, he grabbed her hand and drew her along with him, toward the path down to the lake. “Jake, maybe we should—Where are we going?”

“The boathouse. I could use some help getting the heat going. You can hold my tools.”

Caley laughed, then fell into step beside him. The crisp night air heightened her senses and she felt her heart skip, knowing what would happen once they were alone. Caley had never considered herself a very passionate woman. She’d always been able to control her desire. But with Jake, she seemed to be constantly fixated on sex.

Though she had good intentions of playing it cool, everything fell apart the moment he touched her. Her rational side could come up with an entire list of reasons why she shouldn’t sleep with Jake. But then her pulse began pounding and she felt a tiny bit lightheaded and her brain stopped working entirely. It felt good to just let go, to feel something so strongly that it completely consumed her. She hadn’t felt like this since that night with Jake on the beach eleven years ago.

But was she really ready to do this? For the past few months, she’d felt an emptiness inside her, as if her life had ceased to make her happy. It would be easy to fill that emptiness with Jake. And maybe she would feel better for a while. Still, Caley didn’t want to believe that she needed a man to be happy. She probably just needed really good sex.

At least she was now old enough to know the difference between desire and love. If she did surrender to physical attraction, Caley would be able to control her emotions. Jake was the last person she would allow herself to love. In truth, he was the only man she’d known who had the capacity to break her heart. And that made him dangerous.

And yet, she wasn’t afraid. Instead, she felt liberated. She could finally act on her desire for Jake and explore just how deep it ran. She didn’t have to pretend anymore. He wanted her and she wanted him, and neither one of them had to deny it.

The shadow of the Burtons’ boathouse, built into the slope of the shoreline, loomed at the edge of the lake. The lower level held the Burtons’ small sailboat and their vintage motorboat, but the upper level was a small apartment that they often used for guests. It was fully furnished with a bed and a sofa and a small kitchen and bath. The windows had been shuttered for the winter, giving the place a cold and uninviting look.

Jake held her hand as she carefully climbed the snow-covered stairs. Caley glanced back over her shoulder to see the trail of their footprints in the moonlight. “They’re going to know we were out here together,” she said.

“I just asked you to give me a hand,” Jake said. “It was a perfectly innocent request.”

Caley took a ragged breath and clenched her fingers inside her jacket pocket. Just the thought of running her hands over his body, of having the freedom to touch him, to undress him, made her mind spin. She knew what would happen when they were alone and she wasn’t afraid. All she could feel was an overwhelming anticipation.

When they reached the landing, Jake pushed the door open and then walked inside. She followed and heard the door shut behind her. The moment it did, Caley felt his hands on her face. His lips met hers and a heartbeat later they were lost in a deep and stirring kiss.

“I’ve been thinking about you all day,” he murmured against her mouth.

“What were you thinking?” she asked, her breath coming in quick gasps.

“About what would happen once we were alone again.”

“Tell me,” she said. “What did you imagine?”

It was so dark inside the boathouse that they couldn’t see anything, but she could feel his heat against her body, his warm breath against her cheek. The lack of sight seemed to heighten all her other senses and she shivered as she felt his lips brush across her cold cheek.

“I imagined that you’d stand in front of me and slowly take all your clothes off. And then, I’d finally be able to touch you. And I’d be able to see if it felt as good as I dreamed it would.”

Caley unzipped her jacket and let it fall to the floor behind her. Then, she pulled her sweater over her head and tossed it aside. She wore a thin T-shirt beneath, barely enough to protect her from the cold. But strangely, she didn’t notice the temperature. Her heart was beating so fast that her skin didn’t even prickle into goose bumps.

Jake reached out and ran his hand down her bare arm, then grabbed her hand and kissed the center of her palm. “Wait here,” he murmured. “The circuit box is in the closet.”

He disappeared into the darkness and Caley leaned back against the door, her heart pounding. She heard him fumbling around on the far side of the room and a moment later, a match flared. The flame illuminated the interior of the boathouse, casting wavering shadows on the walls. Jake lit a lantern and set it down on the bedside table. Then he turned to her, motioning her closer.

Caley rubbed her arms, suddenly feeling the cold along with a rush of nerves. It was easier in the dark, like a dream, two bodies connected only by touch. But now that she could see the bed, could look into Jake’s eyes, it had all become very real.

“Let me see if I can get the heat going,” he said. He walked past her to the opposite wall and leaned inside the closet. A switch clicked. A moment later, he bent over the radiator and nodded. “It’s working.”

Jake moved back toward her, taking off his jacket along the way. He was the boy she’d always known, every feature still there—the dark lashes and brows, the penetrating pale blue eyes, the straight nose and sensuous mouth. But with age, his features had become even more captivating, more compelling. She couldn’t take her eyes off of him.

When he stood in front of her, Caley reached up and unbuttoned his shirt, exposing his skin to her touch. “What are we doing here?” she murmured, pressing her lips to his chest.

“I have no idea,” Jake replied, “but I don’t want to stop.”

He smoothed his hands up her back and Caley shivered at the sensation of his touch. “This is going to be impossible,” she murmured, nuzzling her face into his neck.

“We’re in the same state, living minutes apart. How is that impossible?” He pulled her along to the bed. “We have heat and light and a comfortable bed. What happens here is just us, no one else. I promise.”

“This could change everything,” Caley said as he kissed her neck.

Jake grabbed her waist and they tumbled onto the bed, the covers cold on her bare skin. “I’m counting on that,” he said.

Caley reached up to run her fingers through his dark hair and smiled. “You know, I really don’t think we should do this. You’re not ready and it wouldn’t be right and I just don’t think of you in that way.”

He frowned, pushing back. “You don’t?”

“I just don’t have those kinds of feelings for you, Jake,” she murmured, deepening her voice to make the imitation more obvious.

She watched as a slow smile broke across his face. He’d said those same words to her that night on the beach. “I lied,” Jake said. “Believe me, I did have those feelings.”

His admission stunned her. “Really?”

“For a long time.”

“How long?”

“Remember that red striped bikini you had? You were fourteen that summer.”

Caley nodded.

“Since then. I remember I saw you in that bikini and later that night I was thinking about you and your body and how smooth your skin was and how perfect your breasts were and then I—well, you know.”

“I do?”

“What? You want me to say it? I pleasured myself as teenage boys do on occasion. Hey, grown men do it, too.” He chuckled softly. “All I remember is, from that summer on, being around you was pure torture.”

Caley smiled, satisfied with the admission. So the infatuation hadn’t been unreciprocated. Oddly enough, that did make a difference. Why not make both of their fantasies come true? “So what else were you thinking about?” she asked as she dropped a line of kisses across his chest.

He pressed his mouth to her shoulder, gently biting as he kissed her. “I wasn’t very experienced back then. I was still technically a virgin. But I thought about what you’d look like naked.” Jake pulled up her T-shirt and trailed a line of kisses from her belly to a spot beneath her breasts.

Caley sat up and straddled his hips, then slowly pulled her T-shirt over her head. She remembered doing the same thing eleven years ago. But then, she’d been so nervous her heart nearly jumped out of her chest. Now, it seemed like the most natural thing in the world, to crave his touch, to offer him more.

Jake smiled as he reached out and cupped her breast in his hand, teasing at her nipple with his thumb. And then, in one easy motion, he sat up, wrapping his arms around her waist and pressing his mouth against her neck. He trailed kisses from her collarbone to her breasts as he unhooked her bra. Finally, he drew the hard nub of her nipple into his mouth.

She arched back, holding her breath as he pulled her back down with him. Caley remembered how fascinated she’d been with his body, watching it change from summer to summer as he slowly became a man. She was as desperate to touch it now as she had been then. Grabbing the front of his shirt, she worked at the remaining buttons, then brushed it off his shoulders until his chest was completely bare.

She drew back, staring at him as she tossed aside her bra. Her fingers lazily following the line of hair that ran from his collarbone to his belly. Now he was fully formed, his shoulders broad, his body lean and hard, a body only a woman could appreciate.

Caley bent forward and pressed a kiss to his chest, then gently sucked on his nipple. What began as curiosity had now taken on a very intimate feeling. He groaned softly, then murmured her name. A shiver skittered over her exposed skin. Her breath caught in her throat.

“Are you cold?” he asked.

“No,” she lied.

He chuckled softly, grabbing her by the waist and pulling their bodies together in a warm embrace. They kissed for a long time, hands touching, mouths tasting. It was everything she’d always thought it would be, yet more. It wasn’t just about sex, it was about … trust.

He ran his hands through her hair, then pressed his forehead against hers. “Spend the night with me.”

“Not here.”

“Where then?”

“At the inn. We’ll have more privacy there.”

“What about Emma?”

“Her room is on the second floor and mine’s on the third. There’s a back stairway. I’ll let you in and no one will know you’re there.”

Jake kissed her forehead, his lips warm and damp. “Have you talked to Emma yet? I mean, about the wedding.”

Caley shook her head. “No. I told her I’d meet her for lunch tomorrow and I thought we’d have some time then.”

“What do you think about this marriage? Do you think they’re ready?”

“No!” Caley frowned, pushing up on her elbow. “Not at all. They’re so young. I thought I was the only one who had concerns. Everyone is just so thrilled that our families will finally be related. But no one is even thinking about what will happen if the marriage doesn’t work.”

“I agree,” Jake said. “I don’t think they’re ready.”

Caley crossed her arms over his chest and stared into his eyes. “You started that fight between them on purpose, didn’t you?”

“Someone has to shake some sense into them.” He paused. “We need a plan. A coordinated effort between the two of us. If we go at it from both sides, maybe we’ll be able to convince them to wait.”

“I don’t think they’ll consider waiting. Everything is moving so fast and I’m sure they feel they’d be disappointing the families.”

Jake reached out and brushed her hair away from her temple, his gaze skimming over her face. “I talked to Sam this afternoon and he’s just going along with what Emma wants.”

Caley gasped. “You think she talked him into this?”

“Maybe. I can’t imagine he really wants to get married. What guy in his right mind would want a wife at twenty-one?”

“Well, he’s the one who asked her,” Caley said. “If he didn’t want to get married, why did he ask?”

“She probably pressured him,” Jake said.

Caley pulled out of his embrace and sat up, stunned by his comment and eager to defend her sister. “Emma wouldn’t do that.”

“I’m just saying that usually women are the ones who press for the wedding,” Jake said.

“And you come by this knowledge how?” Caley asked. “Have you been manipulated into an engagement recently?”

“No, just the opposite. Every woman I’ve ever met has had marriage in the back of her mind. Come on, even you’ve thought about it. Wondered what it would be like if you and I … you know.”

Caley scrambled off the bed. Marrying Jake was the last thing on her mind! And if he thought she had any designs on his future, he was sadly mistaken. “I think this was a mistake,” she murmured, crawling off the bed. She searched the floor for her bra and T-shirt.

“Come on, Caley, don’t be mad. I didn’t mean to imply that—”

“No, I understand,” she said as she pulled the shirt over her head. “You just assumed I wanted more than just … sex.” She drew a ragged breath, shoving her bra in her back pocket. “See, that’s why we shouldn’t do this. Unless we’re agreed on the reasons, it’s bound to get very messy.”

“Is it?” he asked.

She snatched up her sweater from the floor and tugged it back over her head. “I have to go.”

Jake sat up and reached for her, but she avoided his grasp. “Caley, come on. I was just teasing. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

She shook her head. “I do agree about Emma and Sam. They’re too young. You and I don’t even know what we want. How would they?”

Jake grabbed her hand. “I know what I want,” he said.

She stared down at their fingers, intertwined so tightly that she couldn’t tell his from hers. Caley fought the temptation to strip off her clothes again and just forget her fears. But if she jumped into bed with Jake tonight, there would be no going back. “I’ll talk to Emma.”

“When will I see you again?” Jake asked.

“You’re going to see me all week.”

“You know what I mean.”

Caley bit her lower lip. “I don’t know. Maybe we ought to forget this. It just makes things too complicated.”

“I’m not sure I can,” he replied.

“Try, Jake,” she murmured. Caley walked to the door, then turned back to look at him. “Try really hard.”