‘Not in that way, Jamie.’
‘No. Not in that way.’ He shrugged. None of that seemed to matter so much now. ‘So what about you?’
‘Me?’ Anna was suddenly uncomfortable, and it struck Jamie that she was just pretending not to know what he meant.
‘I’ve appreciated the way you’ve encouraged me to talk. Can’t I return the favour?’
Anna shook her head quickly. It seemed she wasn’t even going to consider the idea. ‘It is what it is. I’ve nothing to talk about and...so I don’t.’
‘I’m always here. If you change your mind.’
‘Yeah. Thanks.’ Something about the finality of her tone told Jamie that she wasn’t going to change her mind. ‘Oh, look out! You’ve got a hole...’
Jamie looked down at the pastry in front of him, and saw he’d rolled it a little too thin. Anna nudged him out of the way, folding the pastry over deftly so that he could try again and dusting the board with flour. The moment was gone.
Fair enough. If she didn’t want to talk then he shouldn’t press the point. He turned his attention to rolling out the pastry, and together they filled the rest of the foil pie dishes.
‘Perhaps we should mark those three.’ Anna pointed to the pies made with Jamie’s pastry. He chuckled.
‘With a skull and crossbones? Eat at your peril?’
‘No! Your first home-made, home-grown apple and blackberry pies. You need to know when you’re eating them.’ She pulled a face, deftly cutting three capital J’s from the scraps of pastry on the counter, and sticking them down on the top of the pies with a splash of water.
‘Do we get to bake them all now?’ The idea of filling the house with the scent of baking seemed suddenly thrilling. As if he was making a new start, in a new home.
‘No, I think it’s better to freeze them unbaked. We could keep one back to have tonight, though.’
‘Sounds good. I’ll do the washing up and then lay a fire in the sitting room...’
CHAPTER ELEVEN
PICKING APPLES AND making pies. Right now Anna couldn’t think what might make a day better. But in truth it wasn’t any of that which had made her day perfect. It was Jamie.
They sat on either side of the large grate, eating apple pie and cream. It tasted so much better made with apples that had still been on the tree this morning. Jamie laid his empty plate to one side.
‘I’m not sure that even I can manage a third helping.’
‘No. Neither can I.’ Her stomach was full, and she was warm and relaxed after a day’s work. They’d achieved something that might not be as important as the challenges they both met every day at work but it was more clear-cut. A task that had been started and finished, without any of the loose ends that medical treatment had a habit of presenting.
And now... He was so handsome in the firelight.
Anna bit her lip. She had no business thinking such things, it was way beyond the terms of their agreement. And it was that agreement that allowed her to be here, the one that stipulated that spending time together was just that, and not the precursor to something that neither of them could consider.
‘Maybe we should think about making cider next year.’
We. Next year.
That was a promise that couldn’t be kept if they strayed past the boundaries they’d set.
‘Yes, that sounds...interesting. Do you know how to make cider?’
Jamie shook his head. ‘Not a clue. There’s a first time for everything.’
She got to her feet, reaching for the empty plate that lay next to him on the table. Maybe walking out into the kitchen and washing up would shake the spell that seemed to have settled around them.
‘Leave that...’ Jamie reached out, catching her hand. In the firelight it was impossible to tell what colour his eyes were, but she could still see everything that mattered in them.
‘I had a really nice day today. Thank you.’ Anna could hear her voice tremble. One move from him, and she’d forget everything she’d been telling herself.
‘So did I. Thank you.’ He was leaning forward, raising her hand slowly to his lips. Every moment seemed laced with powerful magic.
He made just one, gentle movement. She could have taken her hand from his and resisted him easily. It was her own desire that pulled her down, and that welcomed the feeling of his arms around her. But sitting on his lap, curled in front of the fire was just too delicious.
‘This is nice.’ Jamie’s chest rose and fell, as if he’d been starved for air for a long time and finally he could take a breath.
‘Yes.’ She curled her fingers around his. ‘Not what we agreed, though.’
‘We both said that we didn’t want a relationship. I don’t recall us mentioning any rules for our friendship.’
‘Oh! So you’ve found a loophole, have you?’ She dug her fingers playfully into his ribs.
‘Not so much a loophole. Something that wasn’t originally covered.’
‘That’s exactly what a loophole is,’ Anna protested, although she still didn’t move. ‘Although...you’re right. We never did define what kind of friendship we’d have.’
He chuckled quietly. ‘Maybe we should thrash out the terms of that agreement in more detail. Clearly we need a more rigorous negotiating stance.’
And Anna had the perfect opening gambit. Moving in his arms, she turned to face him, leaving only inches between his lips and hers. ‘No talking about the future, Jamie.’
‘Agreed. You want it in writing?’
‘No. This’ll do.’ She brushed her lips against his and heard him catch his breath.
‘Anything else?’
‘We’re friends first. We don’t need to be joined at the hip, and we can respect each other’s lives.’
‘That sounds more than fair.’ He caught her hand, pressing her fingers to his lips. Then he kissed her palm, working his way across to the base of her thumb. Anna felt herself start to tremble.
‘Anything else that happens is...’
‘Entirely a matter between ourselves?’ His eyes darkened suddenly. Maybe it was a trick of the light, but the way his body felt against hers was no trick.
‘Yes.’
He was still and silent for a moment, staring into her eyes. Everything that she wanted was right there. She kissed him and his tender response couldn’t completely hide his hunger.
‘Stop me, if I go too far...’
‘You’re not going far enough, Jamie.’
His hands moved. One rested at the back of her head and the other began to explore. It was a slow, agonising expedition into just how much pleasure a moment could contain, and Jamie was watching her silently. When he cupped her breast, his thumb moving across the fabric of her shirt, she caught her breath.
‘Oh!’ The agony of frustration was only bearable because she knew now that she wasn’t going to allow him to stop.
‘You’re so beautiful.’ He kissed her cheek and she felt it burn. Slowly, deliberately he undid the buttons of her shirt. His fingers traced the edge of her bra, straying across her breast, and she gasped. He was drinking in her pleasure, his eyes fixed on her face.
She wanted his pleasure, too. And she wanted to tease it from him slowly. She wriggled out of his embrace, backing away from him and slipping out of her shirt as she did so. Anna felt the warmth of the fire against her skin as she undressed, the heat of his gaze as he watched her.
‘Come here.’ She crooked her finger and he was on his feet in an instant. Anna took her time about unbuttoning his shirt, sliding her hands across his shoulders, feeling his heart thundering in his chest.
‘Anna...!’ He groaned out loud as she ran her tongue across his nipple, so she did it again. He was so strong and yet so entirely in her power. And then when his gaze swept hungrily across her body, she was entirely in his power.
Finally they were naked. This was so much more than just lust, it was loving friends who wanted to see everything. Feel everything, before the inevitable climax robbed them of this trembling anticipation.
When they embraced, she felt the tautness of his body against hers. Then he fell to his knees, one hand still pinioning her tightly against him, the other sliding between her legs. She felt his mouth against her breast, and she cried out, hanging onto his shoulders.
‘Too much?’ His eyes shone teasingly in the firelight as he looked up at her.
‘Not enough, Jamie. It’s not enough...’ She gasped as she felt his arms around her sweeping her off her feet and lowering her to the floor.
The hearth rug was warm against her back. In the heat of the moment all she wanted was to feel him inside her, but Jamie had other ideas. His hands and his mouth were everywhere, and she cried out as he pulled her legs apart. He was pushing her close to her limit, and she felt a bead of sweat run across her brow, then further, past her limits, to a place where she responded only to his touch.
Then he slowed. She felt his weight on her, and she wrapped her legs around him, desperate for the sweet friction of his body against hers.
‘More...please...’ She’d never begged a man before, but that didn’t seem to matter right now.
‘More?’ There was something steely in his gaze. It told her that he could break her, and that was exactly what she wanted him to do. Break her and then hold her tight, before he did it all over again.
‘Jamie! Please...’ Her fist beat weakly against his shoulder, and he moved. Running his fingers from her neck to her navel, then right back where she wanted them. He was searching for the exact place that gave her the most pleasure, looking for clues in her face. When he found it, his lips curved in triumph.
A little faster. A little more pressure. She guided him as best she could, but he didn’t need much help. He seemed to know when it was just perfect, and lifted his weight a little to allow her body to arch under his. When she felt his lips touch her nipple she came. So hard, so quickly. Maybe she screamed, maybe not. When she stilled and wrapped her arms around him, she felt a long sigh rack his body.
‘You are amazing.’ He rolled over onto his back, pulling her on top of him.
‘Me? You were the one who seemed to be doing all the work.’ She snuggled against him. ‘Although don’t think you’re going to get away without doing a little more. Do you have any condoms?’
‘I’ll find them.’ He kissed her cheek, tenderly. ‘Don’t you want to rest a bit?’
No. Not now. It was warm in front of the fire, and she was comfortable here. But Jamie had awakened a rolling desire that hadn’t been slaked and was fast gaining momentum again.
‘I want to feel you inside me. You want that?’ She moved against him and he gasped. He flexed his hips a little and his erection hardened against her leg.
‘What do you think?’
When he picked her up, carrying her out into the hallway, the chilled air made her shiver. His bedroom door was opposite that of the guest bedroom, and she’d only ever seen the outside of it. Jamie pushed it open, but she didn’t much care to look around her, all she needed right now was him.
He laid her down on the bed and she felt the warmth of his body against hers as he leaned over to kiss her.
‘Stay there. I won’t be a moment...’ She saw his shadow move and there was the sound of him opening and closing drawers. It was cold in here and Anna pulled the duvet over her. Jamie seemed to have found what he was looking for, and his shadow moved to the end of the bed. Then a large brick fireplace suddenly glowed into life as a gas fire ignited.
Flickering light filled the room, and his shadow was more substantial now as he moved towards her. Anna sat up, and he bent to kiss her again.
‘You want warm and comfortable?’ He tugged at the duvet, his mouth curving into a smile.
Warm and comfortable was nice. She wanted more than nice. ‘What do you want?’
He leaned forward. ‘I want to be able to see you, and for you to see me. I want to be what keeps you warm.’
Hot desire started to course though her veins. They could make use of every inch of the large bed, unencumbered by bedding. And she’d be able to see it all.
‘That’s what I want, too.’ Her fingers tightened on the duvet, holding it firmly around her, and she leaned forward to kiss him. ‘Take it...’
She heard his quiet laugh and then he wrested the duvet from her grip. His hands were still cold and he was making full use of them to make her squirm and gasp under his touch. Suddenly she was on her back, Jamie’s knees planted on either side of her hips. His hands closed gently around her wrists and she felt hot desire flooding through her body.
‘I want you to take me, Jamie...’
His grip tightened, and he pinioned her arms above her head. Raking her body with his gaze, and then covering it with his. She wrapped her legs around him, and he kissed her mouth, hard and searching.
* * *
They were the same. They both took pleasure in moments of exquisite tenderness and the long, slow build-up of desire. Whispered words, waiting and watching to see the reaction to every new caress. But when passion got the better of them, she was bold. Unafraid to challenge him, and unafraid to be challenged.
Anna was his match. Equal and opposite forces, they fitted each other’s desires perfectly.
Her hair glinted in the firelight, spread across the pillow. When he pushed gently inside her, she seemed to bloom under him, and Jamie was carried away by the sweet ebb and flow of her lovemaking. Suddenly strong, because she had no hesitation in showing him how much he pleased her.
Sweat trickled down his spine. Every muscle quivered at her touch, and when she pushed him over onto his back, he knew one thing for sure.
‘I’m in real trouble now...’
‘Yes, you are.’ She bent over to kiss him. ‘And you can’t talk your way out of it...’
He knew. When Anna climbed astride him, taking him inside her again, it seemed that everything else was just a whisper in his imagination. Only she was real. She twisted her hips and he couldn’t help crying out.
She bound him in sweet, silken bonds of pleasure. All he could see was Anna. She was all he could feel. Her pace quickened a little and he reached up to caress her body, knowing that she was close to breaking. He wanted to watch, but when he felt her muscles tighten around him he couldn’t hold on any longer. He roared out her name, as his own release crashed over him.
It was a long time before he was able to speak. Jamie just held her, feeling her heart beat against his in a crazy rhythm. What they’d just done together had been frightening in its intensity, but he couldn’t let her go.
‘That was the very best kind of trouble.’ He kissed her forehead.
‘Mmm...’ she agreed sleepily, snuggling against him.
All he wanted to do now was to hold her in his arms, feeling the soft rhythm of her breathing against his chest. He wanted to drift off to sleep and find her there when he woke up. And if this really was asking for trouble, a loophole in their agreement that neither of them should have opened, he didn’t care. He’d worry about that later.
* * *
Jamie dreamed that he was caught in a web. Sticky and oleaginous strands held him fast, and every time he broke free there seemed to be more in every direction. He could hear Anna’s breathing, feel it almost, and he knew that he had to protect her but he didn’t know how. In the distance, an alarm was trilling. Something was wrong, and he had to get out.
‘Jamie... Jamie!’
He came to suddenly, still locked in the folds of the dream. His alarm actually was sounding, on the bedside table, and Jamie reached over to silence it. Something got in his way, and he realised that Anna really was there, too.
‘Uh... Sorry.’
‘Tha
t’s okay. You were dreaming?’
‘Yes.’ The alarm was still boring into his brain, but he’d have to lean across Anna to shut it off. Jamie realised that he was naked, and that she was too. That hadn’t seemed like a problem last night...
This morning it was an obstacle for both of them. Wrapped firmly in the duvet, she slid across the bed, hitting the snooze button on the alarm. That was the first problem of the morning, and quite possibly the simplest.
‘You have to go, don’t you?’
That wouldn’t have been so difficult if Anna hadn’t echoed Gill’s words. She’d seemed to like the fact that he was often on call at first, she’d said he must be important if everyone needed to call him so often. But after a while she’d frowned when his phone had rung in the middle of the night or at a dinner party, and Jamie had even considered not answering a few times. But he had to answer. Each one of these calls could be a child in trouble, and he’d promised to be there for them, day or night.
‘I’m sorry...’ That was what he’d always said to Gill as well. This was turning into a re-run of old memories and old mistakes, and it was just what Jamie had been trying to avoid, for both their sakes.
‘That’s okay. We’re not joined at the hip, you know. Remember?’
He did, and suddenly everything seemed okay. Better, at least. Anna had only been to basketball practice once, but she’d obviously enjoyed it, and become more involved than Gill ever had.
‘I remember. But it’s bad timing.’
Anna raised her eyebrows. ‘Not really. I’d come with you, but...twice in a row...’ She shrugged. ‘You don’t want everyone gossiping about you.’
‘If it keeps them out of trouble, they can gossip all they like. If you want to come, then come. If you want to stay here and have a lazy morning, then I’ll be sparing a few jealous thoughts for you.’
She flashed him a sudden smile. ‘I’ve brought my sweatshirt, and it seems a shame not to use it. I’d love to come, thanks.’
A Rival to Steal Her Heart Page 12