by Anne Mather
Grace sighed. ‘You must have expected that. Jack Connolly’s not going to be as easy to deceive as Dad.’
‘Grace, Grace. You know I’m doing this as much for you as me and—’
‘No!’
‘Well, your parents, then. I need your help, baby.’ He paused. ‘Don’t let me down.’
Was there a threat in those words? Grace felt an uneasy shiver slide down her spine. ‘I can’t help you, Sean. I don’t have any money. And if you think I’m going to ask Dad to take out a second mortgage...’
‘No, no. I know your parents don’t have any money.’
Sean was scornful. ‘I used to think pubs were gold mines, but obviously I was wrong.’ He took a breath. ‘I want you to go and see Jack. Tell him I’m doing my best to get things moving. I need you to explain to him that these things take time.’
‘I can’t do that.’
Grace was adamant. Although the idea of having a legitimate reason to see Jack again caused her heart to thump almost audibly against her ribs.
‘Yes, you can.’ Sean had always been persistent. ‘He likes you, babe. I know he does. You’re just the person to keep him sweet.’
‘To keep him sweet?’
Grace was horrified. What did Sean expect her to do?
‘The guy thinks you’re hot,’ he went on, taking her reaction at its face value. ‘You’re a clever girl, Grace. And it’s not as if I’m asking you to sleep with him or anything.’
Too bad, thought Grace bitterly. Been there, done that, bought the tee shirt.
‘I just want you to be nice to him,’ he continued wheedlingly. Then, when she didn’t say anything, his attitude changed. ‘Or would you rather have him haul me to court?’
‘To court?’ Grace was taken aback.
Sean was losing his cool rapidly. ‘I’m not saying he would do it but his financial advisor wants things doing all legal and official-like.’ He snorted. ‘I don’t do business that way. Besides, I thought Jack was a friend.’
Grace blew out a breath. She might want nothing more to do with Sean, but she didn’t want him to be hauled into court. How could she hide that from her parents? Even if Sean let her try.
After a moment, she said, ‘Why can’t you just do as he asks and draw up a contract? You have a friend who’s a solicitor, don’t you?’
‘And how much do you think that would cost?’ demanded Sean irritably. ‘Okay, if you refuse to help me, I’ll have to think of something else. But I doubt your parents will be too pleased when they find out you had a chance to save the damn website and you refused to do it.’
‘Sean—’
But he’d already rung off, and Grace replaced the receiver with a slightly trembling hand,
She stood for a moment, trying to calm herself. He wouldn’t tell her parents. But he was just spiteful enough to try if he didn’t get his own way.
She groaned. If she hadn’t invited him up to Rothburn, her father would never have got involved. And Sean would never have known where Jack was living. It was all her fault; both the fact of her father’s participation and Sean contacting Jack again.
Though not her fault he’d asked Jack for money, she told herself. Not her fault that he hadn’t kept his part of the bargain he’d made with Jack.
And what kind of man asked a girl he was supposed to love to be nice to someone just for a business deal? She could answer her own question. The kind of man who’d slept with another woman in their bed.
He didn’t know she’d seen Jack again. He didn’t know how intimate their relationship had become.
Which was exactly the reason why she felt guilty. She wasn’t the innocent pushover he believed her to be.
Without telling her father where she was going, she ran upstairs to her bedroom. Slamming the door, she seated herself at the vanity and stared at her reflection.
Tear-wet eyes stared back at her, dark lashes shading their fractured depths. But her tears weren’t for Sean, she thought, scrubbing her cheeks impatiently. The bewilderment she felt was all about herself.
Abruptly, turning her back on the mirror, she surveyed the room with wild eyes. Where was her mobile phone? There, on the cabinet beside the bed.
Snatching it up, she speed-dialled Sean’s number before she could change her mind again. She’d go and see Jack, she decided. However painful it was going to be, she felt she couldn’t do anything else.
When a woman answered her call, she was taken aback.
‘Yes,’ the woman said. ‘Sean Nesbitt’s phone. Who is this?’
‘As if you don’t know,’ said Grace harshly.
It was Natalie West, she realised. The girl who’d professed to be her friend and then slept with Sean. It seemed that despite his pleas of loyalty, Sean was still involved with the other woman.
There was a moment’s muttered conversation and then Sean came on the line, apologising fervently.
‘Sorry about that,’ he said. ‘I’ve got a couple of friends round and one of them picked up the phone.’
‘It was Natalie,’ said Grace bluntly. ‘I recognised her voice and I’m pretty sure she recognised mine. You know, I wish I’d never made this call. You don’t change. You never will.’
‘Grace!’ He sounded desperate now. ‘You can’t blame me for dating someone else when you won’t even let me near you.’
Grace expelled a breath. No, she conceded silently. He was right. She couldn’t do that. Not even to avoid an embarrassing interview with Jack.
‘Forget it,’ she said. ‘I just called to say that if I do see Jack, I’ll speak to him. But I’m not promising anything, Sean.’
She rang off then, mainly to avoid his gratitude. She didn’t want to hear him giving her any credit, when she so felt she didn’t deserve it.
Turning back to her mirror, she saw her hair had tumbled down about her shoulders, its red-gold brilliance only accentuating the pallor of her face.
Why had she done it? she wondered. Why had she agreed to speak to Jack? Was it only because she was afraid of what Sean might do without her involvement? Or was she really desperate to prove she didn’t care about Jack, either?
Abruptly getting up from the vanity, she opened a drawer and pulled out a black sports bra and matching sweats.
She’d go for a run, she thought. She needed some air; she needed to escape the confines of the pub. Bundling her hair into a ponytail, she pulled on her canvas trainers and left the room.
* * *
Jack was tying the aft rope to the mooring when he looked up and saw a tall slim figure, dressed all in black, pounding along the pier.
It was Grace.
He knew he would have recognised her anywhere. Even without the glorious fall of hair, swinging from side to side with every step she took.
He hadn’t realised she liked running. But then, what did he really know about her? Just that she was warm and responsive, that she felt and smelled and tasted delicious. That looking at her, even from a distance, caused him to get an instant hard-on.
And when he was with her...
Dammit!
He didn’t want to have this reaction to her.
Just because she had full rounded breasts—with those perky little nipples that had swelled so delightfully against his palms—and slim but curvy thighs, ending in a tight bottom that fitted perfectly into his hands, didn’t mean she was unique.
He’d thought Lisa was unique, but Debra had destroyed that image. Okay, he suspected there’d been more malice than compassion in her revelations, but he’d had to accept that her words had aroused some suspicions.
His mother’s reaction, when he’d phoned her to ask about Debra’s—as he’d thought—jealous claims had clinched it. And, while Siobhan Connolly had done her best to assure him that he shouldn’t ta
ke anything Debra said seriously, that she was a loose cannon, there’d been something in her voice that had persuaded him she knew more than she’d said.
The call had left him bitter but resigned. He’d thanked God he no longer loved Lisa. Was this why his parents hadn’t put up much of a fuss when he’d said he was leaving Kilpheny? Living in the village, there’d always been a chance that someone would say something out of line.
Whatever, he’d noticed that his wife had been significant by her absence since Debra had returned to Ireland. Was that why she’d been hanging around? Had she been waiting for him to find out the truth? He’d decided in the past couple of days that he didn’t really care.
Now he climbed the iron ladder to the jetty and called, ‘Grace!’ before common sense prevented him from doing so.
But what the hell! Sean had been conspicuous by his absence, too, since the money had been transferred to his account. And after what Jack had learned in recent days from his securities expert, he owed the other man no favours, either.
Grace had halted, arrested by the sound of his voice. But then, turning, she put on a spurt and ran back along the pier towards the quay.
Jack blinked. But then, ignoring his conscience, he vaulted over the handrail onto the pier and raced after her. He easily overtook her, despite the length of those gorgeous legs.
‘Hey,’ he said, catching her arm and feeling an instantaneous connection. He brought her to a standstill and released her. ‘Don’t I warrant a hello or something?’
Grace swallowed a little convulsively. Here was her chance to speak to him, so why was she drawing back?
In a tight navy tee and baggy black shorts, Jack should have looked nerdy. But he didn’t. He looked incredible and she felt all the muscles in her stomach contract.
‘I don’t know,’ she managed now, trying to control her breathing. ‘Do you?’
‘Why’d you run away?’
Grace shook her head, intensely conscious of the protective limitations of a sports bra. She couldn’t prevent her breasts from peaking, could feel the nipples taut against the tight cotton.
‘If you hadn’t noticed, I’m running,’ she said, with what she hoped was a distracting gesture towards her joggers. ‘I can’t stand around talking. I’m getting cold.’
‘So let me show you my boat,’ said Jack recklessly, immediately regretting the invitation. Had he lost his mind? If he took her down onto the Osprey, he wouldn’t be responsible for his actions.
‘I don’t think so.’
She’d refused him, and Jack knew he should leave it there. This was the first time he’d seen her since that encounter at Culworth, which was far too prominent in his mind to make any kind of social gesture credible.
‘Afraid?’ he asked, his brain clearly having no control over his mouth.
‘Of course not.’ Grace held up her head. ‘I just wouldn’t want you to put yourself out on my account.’
‘I’m not putting myself out,’ said Jack drily. ‘I really thought you might be interested.’
If she was honest, Grace knew she was interested. But he hadn’t been far from the truth when he’d asked if she was afraid.
Now she said quietly, ‘I think it would be best if I continued with my run.’
‘Why?’ Jack wouldn’t let it go. ‘Despite what you said that night, I get the feeling you resent me for taking advantage of you.’ He grimaced. ‘Well, believe me, you can’t regret what happened any more than I do myself.’
Grace licked her lips. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘Don’t be. These things happen. You’re a beautiful woman, Grace. I wanted you. But I guess that goes without saying.’
Grace pursed her lips. ‘I expect you’ve said that to lots of women before,’ she offered, trying to lighten the mood, but Jack only grimaced.
‘Not as many as you’d think,’ he replied with a rueful shrug of his shoulders. ‘Come on, Grace. Can’t we be friends?’ He paused. ‘We could always talk about Sean. How is your boyfriend, anyway? Has he told you how he’s spending my money?’
It was a crass thing to say, but Jack couldn’t help it. He was doing his best to be friendly, even though it was taking every ounce of self-control he had. When was she going to get the message about Sean? Dared he tell her? But, no, there were some things even he wouldn’t do.
Grace stared at him. ‘Not exactly,’ she said now. Not at all, actually. ‘But I imagine he’s invested it. In—in starting up the website.’
‘Yeah, right.’
Once again, Jack was tempted, but he couldn’t tell her that half the money had already gone to paying off debts Sean had probably not told her about. Debts for entertaining, that he suspected weren’t business-related. Like hotel rooms that had been occupied by two.
Grace was frowning now. ‘Has—has Sean been in touch with you?’
She meant this evening, thinking that would be a load off her shoulders. But then, if Jack had been here on his boat, how could he have spoken to Sean? She doubted Sean had Jack’s mobile phone number. Any more than Jack had his.
‘I haven’t heard a word from him,’ replied Jack after a moment. ‘Look, forget what I said. Just go and enjoy the rest of your run.’ He turned back towards the pier. ‘I’ve got a couple of things to finish off before I go home.’
Grace chewed at her lower lip. Talking about Sean had reminded her what she’d agreed to do. To talk to Jack; to make some excuse for the delay in Sean sending the contract.
To keep Jack sweet!
As if she needed any encouragement, she thought painfully.
Bitterness clogged her throat, but she found herself saying, ‘Maybe I would like to see your boat, after all.’ She shrugged. ‘Can I change my mind? It’s a woman’s prerogative, isn’t it?’
Jack’s hands balled into fists, but he forced himself to turn back to her. What could he say? He’d offered the invitation, hadn’t he?
‘Sure,’ he said, ignoring his misgivings. But he couldn’t help wondering what had caused this sudden change of heart.
‘Okay.’
She wrapped her arms about herself, as if she truly was as cold as she’d claimed earlier.
And Jack’s jaw hardened at the thought that he could warm her. Where Grace was concerned, it would be no hardship at all.
Yet he had to keep his head. After all, her sudden change of heart had been unexpected, to say the least. He couldn’t help the suspicion that the money he’d given Sean had played a part in it. There was something far too ingenuous about her acquiescence.
But what did that matter? He wanted to spend time with her. He’d take any chance to be with her again.
How the hell was he going to keep his hands off her?
Jack gestured back towards the iron ladder now. ‘Can you make it down that thing, or would you rather go round to the steps?’
Grace pulled a face. ‘I think I can manage,’ she murmured drily.
Then wondered if she’d been entirely wise in her estimate when he went ahead of her to provide a barrier if she fell.
But she didn’t miss her footing and Jack didn’t touch her, so all was well. She stepped down onto the narrow slip that ran between the rows of craft feeling much warmer than before she’d started.
‘It’s this way,’ he said, going ahead of her again, and, although she’d been expecting a luxury cruiser, the Osprey turned out to be a sailing yacht. Some forty feet of polished woodwork and silver-painted hull.
‘Oh!’
Grace pressed a hand to her mouth, enchanted by the boat’s beauty. Twin masts rose from its gleaming deck, chrome rails adding a touch of elegance.
‘D’you like her?’
Jack’s tone was surprisingly diffident, and Grace didn’t hesitate before giving him an honest reply.
�
�I love it,’ she said, shaking her head in admiration. ‘I never expected anything like this.’
Jack’s lips tilted. ‘I won’t ask what you did expect,’ he murmured wryly. Then, stepping onto the gunwale, he jumped down onto the deck. ‘Give me your hand.’
Grace took his hand without thinking and immediately felt a bolt of electricity shoot up her arm. Jack felt it, too. She was almost sure of it. And she snatched her hand away as soon as her foot touched the planking.
There was a moment when she thought Jack was going to say something. His eyes darkened, and her heart, already pounding in her chest, seemed to rise into her throat.
But the advent of another craft into the marina caused the Osprey to rise and fall on the draught.
Unbalanced—physically and mentally—Grace tried to save herself. She groped for the handrail. And, not finding it, suddenly found herself squatting on her bottom on the deck.
It was so unexpected, so unladylike, that she couldn’t stop herself from giggling. The tension was released, and Jack, who’d been concerned she might have hurt herself, found a relieved grin spreading over his face.
‘I guess you haven’t found your sea legs yet,’ he said humorously. He held out his hand to help her up. ‘We’ll have to do something about that.’
Grace didn’t want to touch him again, but it would have been churlish not to. His strong, cool fingers curled about her hand, and the electricity she’d felt before fairly sizzled up her arm.
‘Thank you,’ she said, releasing herself. Then, before he could say anything more, ‘Are you going to show me around?’
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
JACK TOOK A deep breath. He told himself he had no intentions to kiss her. But who was he kidding?
From the moment she’d taken his hand to board the boat, he’d been fighting a battle with himself. He wanted her, dammit. He’d acknowledged that. And he’d provided himself with the ultimate temptation.
But she’d drawn back, and he assured himself he was grateful. And how difficult could it be, showing her round the boat? He was proud of the Osprey. It was one of the positive advantages that inheriting his grandmother’s money had given him.