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“What’s the schedule for today?” Caley asked, her voice cracking slightly.
“Emma’s chosen a dress for you at the bridal shop in town and you need to go try it on this morning. The snow is getting deep. Adam will take you in his truck.”
“I’ll take Caley into town,” Jake volunteered, giving her hand a squeeze. “I have some errands to run anyway.”
“I can drive myself,” Caley said, tugging her hand from his.
Jean smiled at Jake. “Thank you, dear. I knew I could count on you.” She folded her hands in front of her, then looked back and forth between Jake and Caley. “It’s so nice to see you two together again. How long has it been?”
“Eleven years,” Caley said. She grabbed her plate and stood up. “I’ve got to make some calls. And I can drive myself to town. I have to check in at the inn before I go to the fitting.” She sent Jake a cool look, then stalked out of the room.
Jake stood and carried his plate to the sink. “Not much has changed. Come on, Teddy, let’s get that firewood loaded.”
As they grabbed their jackets and walked out the back door, Teddy chuckled softly. “Oh, I think a lot has changed.”
“And I’m not so sure you need help with the firewood,” Jake replied.
“Sorry,” Teddy murmured.
Jake used to be able to hide his feelings for Caley. But from the moment he woke that morning to find her wrapped around his body, Jake knew he wanted to explore those feelings. He and Caley weren’t teenagers anymore, they were adults. And there were no rules keeping them apart. Now that there was time to test their attraction to each other, he planned to take full advantage of it.
2
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.
