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He reached across the table to touch her cheek, his fingers brushing lightly, yet stirring sparks with the contact. “I promise you that you haven’t failed me. I don’t want another woman. I don’t want to give up on our marriage. It is working.”
“It’s not!” she protested, more strongly than she meant to as she tried to get a grip on her emotions. “I don’t care for your materialistic life. You know I’m interested in helping people. You waste so much money. It could be used to make a better life for others. I’m a preacher’s daughter and that’s the way I’ve been raised. This isn’t my world.”
His tolerant smile made her frustration grow. He might as well reach over and pat her on the head, she thought.
“I’ve given you a generous bank account that I put an abundant amount into each month,” he said. “You can spend it however you see fit. I hoped you’d get more clothing, but that’s up to you. Even so, you’ve been doing charity work. You tutor, you’ve donated your time and money to lots of worthy organizations. But I’m not giving away my fortune. I grew up poor as dirt. I don’t want to go back there. We have plenty of places where we’re compatible, Em.” His voice dropped a notch. “Concentrate on the good things—magic nights, swims in the moonlight, dancing, kissing, making love for hours…”
She drew a deep breath, trying to keep her thoughts on track and knowing how easily he could make her forget her arguments.
“Jake, you’re not listening,” she said, trying to keep from succumbing to sexy bedroom eyes and a throaty voice. “You’re light-years from your former life,” she argued. “You’ve been generous, but you’re ambitious and materialistic. I’d prefer a simpler life. You have houses all over the world, a collection of luxury cars, tailor-made suits that cost thousands. Yet you work like you’re on your last dollar. If I did get pregnant, I’d want a husband who’s home for his child, who coaches Little League, who reads bedtime stories. You’ll never have time,” she said, her words spilling out, afraid if she didn’t say them quickly, she might never get them said.
Smiling, he took her hand. “Dinner will keep. Let’s dance again,” he said as if he’d already dismissed everything she’d said.
She stared at him. “Are you hearing a word I’m saying?”
He chuckled. “Of course I am,” he said, giving a light tug on her hand. “C’mon. We’ll dance and talk.”
Exasperated, she went with him. On the small dance floor he folded her in his arms. “Will you stop worrying about our future!” he said, laughing softly and brushing her temple with feathery kisses. “You’re stewing about Little League, which is years away at best. When I need to, I’ll rearrange my schedule.” He leaned back to look at her.
She ran her fingers across her brow and placed her hand on his shoulder again. They were barely moving, holding each other and rocking slightly in time to the slow music. “I knew this wouldn’t be easy,” she said. “Marriage wasn’t really meant to be just a convenience for people. Love should be there. Our marriage is sterile in more ways than one.”
“You’re complaining about my lovemaking?” he asked, his eyebrows arching.
“Of course not!” she replied, feeling her cheeks flush with heat. “No woman could ever complain about your lovemaking,” she replied emphatically. “You know what you do to me.” Her face grew hotter. “You’re one of the sexiest men in the world.”
“Ahh! Better! Thank goodness for that,” he remarked lightly. “I’ll increase the monthly amount I put into your bank account and you can help more people in more ways. How’s that?”
“That isn’t it at all. Listen to me,” she demanded, and took a deep breath. “I want love.”
“You didn’t when we talked about this before our wedding,” he replied with a slight frown. “We were both burned out on relationships and you said this marriage would give us both what we want.”
“I know I did, but I was wrong. A spark is missing. Not in the bedroom. In the relationship.”
“I haven’t been attentive?”
“Yes, Jake. You’re attentive and sexy, handsome, charming—”
“You expect me to walk out of your life after you tell me that?” he asked in a husky voice, leaning back to look at her. “If I’m all that to you, then stop worrying, darlin’. Life will fall into place,” he said. “If I’ve got all those qualities and we’re compatible—which we are—then love will come in time.”
“How can you be so certain?” she exclaimed in annoyance. It was impossible to get him to hear what he didn’t want to hear.
The dance ended and he took her hand. While they ate, he told her stories about his week away. She wondered when he stopped work long enough for anything else to happen to him. Or did he make the stories up to get her to laugh? After a time, he glanced at her half-eaten dinner.
“Wasn’t your lobster good?”
“It was wonderful, but I’m not that hungry.”
“Then let’s go home and have a moonlight swim,” he said, motioning for their waiter.
Jake continued to be his charming self all through the flight back to the island and the drive to the villa.
The minute they were in the living room, Emily turned to face him. He unfastened a button on his shirt as he moved around, and desire stirred. Jake was so sure of himself that it showed in every move he made. Should she just put aside her worries and accept their life? But she’d been doing that for too long.
“I don’t want to swim. I want to talk to you and I want you to listen. I’ve tried all evening to tell you. I can’t go on with this. I’ve failed you. And while you say you don’t care now, the time will come when you will. Meanwhile, I’m keeping you from becoming a father. I want out of this marriage.”
Frowning slightly, he shed his jacket, tossed aside his tie and keys and crossed the room to place his hands on her shoulders. His gaze bore into hers and she took a deep breath.
“I don’t want you to go, Em,” he said softly, his voice husky and coaxing, the same intimate tone he had when they made love. “I don’t want to find another woman. I think this marriage of ours can work. Remember how happy we were the first few months? We can get that back.”
His words thrilled her, but they also tore at her. If only she could shove aside her doubts and accept the life Jake wanted to give her!
“You’re too materialistic. Money and success are too important to you. We’re poles apart in what we want out of life,” she argued, struggling to maintain control of her emotions. “Jake, I just can’t go on like this.”
Something flickered in the depths of his eyes and a muscle worked in his jaw. Otherwise, he looked calm and relaxed as he shook his head.
“At least give us another six months together.”
“You’re just putting off the inevitable. Six months from now we’ll be having this same conversation,” she said with a sinking feeling. “I’ve thought it over constantly, and I don’t want to go on with this sham of a marriage. Six months won’t matter.”
“Maybe, maybe not,” Jake replied, gazing at her with speculation obvious in his expression. “I really want you, Em. I don’t want to lose you. You’re becoming important to me and I think we have a chance for love if you’ll just let it happen. Stop worrying about the future. I want you here with me as my wife. You took vows,” he reminded her solemnly.
Hot tears filled her eyes.
“Em, if you’ll stay married to me for six more months, I’ll give you half a million dollars to use however you want for charity. Give us that six months together to see what will happen. Our marriage is worth a six-month trial. And with half a million dollars, you can do all kinds of charity projects. Is that too much to ask?”
Two
Emily was stunned by his offer. She stared at him as silence descended. “Six months and half a million dollars?” she asked, amazed that he wanted her so much. She had no idea Jake cared that much about her or their marriage.
His offer meant he wasn’t unhappy she hadn’t given him an heir. He really wanted to give their marriage a chance. Until now she’d brushed aside all Jake’s compliments. For the first time since proposing, she had a faint glimmer of hope that he wanted her as more than a playmate in his bed.
She was shocked that their marriage was so important to him. “You’d give me a half a million dollars for charity? You want me to stay that badly? You’re not unhappy with our marriage?” she repeated, feeling weak in the knees. Her head buzzed. The possibility that he truly wanted her to stay longer was stunning, and she could only stare at him.
“I want this marriage to work,” he replied coolly, caressing the nape of her neck and consuming her with his gaze. His meandering fingers sent shivers down her spine, which distracted her and reinforced his invitation. “I don’t like failure,” he said softly, leaning down to brush her ear with a kiss. His warm breath added more fuel to Jake’s urging—he was using unfair tactics to get his way, yet she couldn’t ignore them.
“I think we have sound beginnings for a solid, satisfying union, so I’m willing to give you an inducement to stay and give us more of a chance,” he whispered, showering kisses on her temple, ear and throat. He straightened to look at her and placed his warm hands on her shoulders.
“Half a million—however I want to use it?” she asked, still stunned.
“Yes. It’s yours with no strings. Buy clothes with it if you want,” he replied with a shrug. He toyed with a lock of her hair, winding it in his fingers. She felt the faint tugs on her scalp.
He sounded relaxed, but his gaze was intense and a muscle worked in his jaw. “Help those kids you work with in that mentoring program. Give it to the children’s shelter you support. It’s yours.”
Warmth and joy poured over her. “Jake, this marriage is important to you,” she said, flustered by his magnanimous offer, tears of relief stinging her eyes as she hugged him. “I was so sure you really wished you’d never gotten into it. There are so many beautiful women you could have had! I had no idea you really weren’t unhappy!” she exclaimed, joy bubbling in her. Worries and stress vanished, replaced by eagerness.
“I think we’re going to have a damn good marriage,” he declared. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t make this offer. With this kind of money you can help others beyond anything you ever envisioned,” he said, combing a tendril of brown hair away from her face and smiling at her.
“Keep your money, Jake.” The important thing was that he had hope for their marriage. “I’m thrilled. Relieved. The future does look bright!” she exclaimed, excitement making her bubbly.
“I think we have every potential for success. I don’t want to lose you. I’m putting the money into your account, but I’m gratified that our marriage is what’s so important. You think I’ll miss the half a million?” he asked with amusement.
She inhaled deeply. “I wasn’t sure how you felt and couldn’t imagine that you were happy with me. It’s a generous offer, but what changes everything is that you want me to stay and make all this work. I really meant it when I said that you don’t have to give me the money,” she said, winding her fingers into his hair and realizing she’d misjudged him all this time. Maybe he wasn’t as materialistic as she thought. She saw the satisfaction in his expression.
“The money’s yours,” he replied with a smile. “Just stay with me, Em. We’ll be great together,” he said, leaning down to cover her mouth with his in a long deep kiss. She threw herself into the kiss, clinging to his lean muscled frame, seeing hope for their future, after all.
“The doctor told you that you were stressed out over not getting pregnant. That’s why I took some time off and we came out here for another honeymoon,” Jake reminded her, his voice lowering seductively. “For six more months, just relax and take life as it comes, darlin’.”
Heat flushed her cheeks when she remembered their first week on the island, when he had taken time off work to stay with her. They had made love constantly and she’d expected to get pregnant, but that had been three weeks ago and she knew she wasn’t expecting a baby. “I’m thrilled you want me that badly,” she admitted.
He smiled as he gazed warmly down at her. Creases framed his mouth and again he looked his most appealing. “I’m patient and you’re anxious. I’m not disappointed, Em. This has been a great bargain. And you won’t regret your decision. You can’t possibly. You can do good deeds to your heart’s content. As far as being ‘poles apart’ as you said we are, thank heavens. It’s more interesting that we’re not alike. I don’t want to marry someone like me.” His voice dropped while he talked and his gaze lowered to her mouth and she forgot about the future and the money.
“This is one thing we have that’s special,” he whispered. “The lovemaking is fabulous.” He lowered his head. His mouth brushed hers and as her insides heated, she had to agree with him.
His mouth opened hers and his tongue went deep, ending all talk as effectively as his half-a-million-dollar offer had. She slid her arms around his neck and pressed against him, kissing him in return as she combed her fingers into his hair.
She stroked his tongue with hers, tasting him, teasing, dimly hearing his groan over the thumping of her heart. It was paradise to be in his arms, to have hope and to be able to finally let go. She wanted to devour him, consume him, give herself completely to him and pleasure him the way he did her.
She twisted her hand in his shirt at the small of his back and pulled, tugging it free of his trousers. Then she ran her hand over his smooth back, wanting to feel all of him. As their kisses grew hotter, he slid his hand down her back slowly, lightly over her bottom and then back up to twist free the tiny buttons of her dress and push away the wisp of lace. He cupped her breast in his hand, his thumb stroking her nipple.
She gasped with pleasure, pressing her hips more tightly against him, kissing him until she pushed lightly against his chest. She hoped to draw this out, to play and pleasure him. She intended to love him for hours. She looked up at him, gasping for breath.
“Let’s swim first,” she said, gulping to catch her breath. “Let’s make this evening last, Jake,” she whispered.
“Sure,” he said in a husky voice, desire now a steady blaze in his eyes.
“I’m going to our room to get my suit. The one I want isn’t in the cabana. I bought a new suit.”
“Want me to help you change?” he asked, and she shook her head, smiling at him.
“You meet me at the pool,” she said.
“I can’t wait,” he drawled, touching the end of her nose lightly.
Laughing, she left him, shimmying out of the top of her dress as she crossed the room. It fell around her waist, leaving her bare except for a wisp of a bra.
“Dammit, Em,” she heard him mutter, and she turned, slanting a sultry smile at him.
“I’ll hurry, Jake,” she promised breathlessly and dashed away as he started toward her.
Laughing and eager, she raced upstairs. Her heart throbbed with desire and joy and she wondered if she was going to fall in love with her handsome husband, after all.
Six more months with Jake! He truly wanted her. This marriage wasn’t such a cut-and-dried bargain, after all!
The knowledge had lifted an enormous burden off her shoulders. And maybe it would help with getting pregnant. Dr. Claywood had assured her that she could get pregnant. He’d told her to relax and given her a list of books to read on the subject.
Plus she had a half a million to spend as she pleased! Emily could think of projects at her father’s church—a remedial reading program for kids and one for adults. Mission trips to help rebuild old churches. Free breakfasts for the needy. There were countless places where the money would help. She was on the board of a children’s shelter and worked with a mentoring program. The money was fabulous and she was grateful to Jake for his generosity, yet she wished he would do more things on his own to help others. She shrugged away her concern, thankful for what he’d done already.
In their bedroom she hurried to change to a new black two-piece swimsuit. It was skimpy, but she planned to wear it only on occasions when she was alone with Jake. Although, she knew she didn’t really need to go to any effort to turn him on. A look, a caress or a kiss could do that. It amazed her how easily he became aroused.
She strolled to the end of the natural rock pool as he swam up, shaking his head and raking his raven hair back away from his face. Smiling, she unfastened her coverup and took her time taking it off, knowing he was watching her, tingling beneath his steamy gaze. He floated at the edge of the pool, his arms crossed on the rocks.
She walked close to the edge and struck a pose, her hand on her hip. “Like my suit?” she asked in a sultry voice, turning first one way and then another. He looked her over and his gray eyes held scalding desire.
“Fabulous,” he said in a deep voice.
“I bought it for you,” she replied.
“Come here, Em,” he said in a throaty rasp that strummed her nerves.
She hurried a few feet away from him and jumped in, surfacing with her head tilted back to get her hair out of her face. Hands closed on her waist.
“I like your suit,” he said, running his hands over her hips as they both treaded water. She drew a deep breath. His hands slipped lightly across her breasts, a faint touch, yet scalding. As she drew closer, her leg slid between his and she felt his arousal.
“I thought all this cold water would keep you cooled down.”
“Not when you look like that,” he said, staring at her mouth. She ran her hands over his broad shoulders, relishing the hard muscles. She wanted to touch him everywhere, needed bare skin against bare skin.
Jake’s mouth covered hers. Her awareness splintered among his kiss, the cold water swirling around her and his warm body against her, his leg between hers, pressing intimately. Holding her tightly with one arm around her waist, he let his other hand drift down her bare back over the tiny string that held her top in place. His kiss went deep, distracting her so that she was only dimly aware of his hands moving over her, tossing aside the top of her suit and then peeling away the bottom, his hand caressing the inside of her thigh. Sensations tangled, melting together, fueling fires already raging.
Her moan was both pleasure and need. His hands cupped her breasts, thumbs circling her nipples while she cried out in pleasure.
“Let’s get out of the pool,” he said gruffly, hoisting himself out and then leaning down to pull her into his arms.
His black suit molded to his amply endowed male body. She peeled it away to free him. Wanting him desperately, she ran her hands along his muscled thighs and then over his tight bottom. He kissed her and walked her backward, his legs against hers until her calves bumped a chaise longue.
He’d been gone a week, and she’d been alone. He was a passionate lover and she was eager for his powerful male body, his bone-melting kisses.
Jake cupped her breasts in his warm hands, dark against her pale skin.
“You’re beautiful! You have a gorgeous body.” He leaned down to take her nipple in his mouth, his tongue curling around it, stroking it. She clung to his broad shoulders and closed her eyes, moaning with pleasure. She ran her hands over him, needing to caress and stir him to frenzied heights the way he was doing to her so easily.
Jake picked her up and placed her on the chaise, sitting beside her and showering kisses over her breasts as his hands roamed freely over her.
Gasping and writhing with pleasure, she trailed her hands down over his chest, tangling in damp chest hair, then sliding to a washboard stomach. She heard him inhale deeply as he kissed her throat, trailing lower to kiss her breast. He teased her, nibbling and licking and then showering kisses across her stomach while his hand stroked the inside of her thighs.
With a cry of need, she turned him to rub her breasts against his back, wanting his hard, lean body against her. Tonight, passion carried more emotion than any time they had ever made love. Hope for their future and a knowledge that he wanted her both fueled her need for him. She ran her hand over his flat stomach to his thick hard erection and wrapped her hand around it.
He inhaled sharply and turned to kiss her hungrily. Then she was on her back again. Jake’s mouth and hands explored every inch of her until he buried his head between her thighs and teased with his tongue, a torment that fanned blazes.
She tangled her hands in his hair, spreading her legs and arching against him. Emily cried out with pleasure, wanting him inside her, wanting him more than ever before.
Tension built like a spring coiling tighter and tighter, sweeping her into a whirlwind. “Jake!” she cried out, raising her head to bite his shoulder. She dug her nails into his back, then scrambled around to take his thick rod in her mouth, running her tongue over the velvet tip.
Now his hands were tight fists in her hair while he licked her. His tongue toyed with her even as she teased him. With a groan, he flipped them so that she was on her back with Jake’s weight on her. He kissed her hard, pinning her to the chaise while she writhed beneath him.
He knelt and spread her legs, watching her, leaning down to enter her slowly. He filled her and paused, driving her wild with need, and then withdrew. She screamed his name and tugged at him, wrapping her long legs around his waist and pulling at his bottom as she arched up to meet him.
He thrust hard and fast. Her world spun, blurred. Sensations melted into one driving force, all consuming as she rose toward the brink. The tension became unbearably exquisite.
