“I don’t know what you mean.” She gave him a hurt innocent look that didn’t fool him for a moment.
“You know exactly what I mean! You manipulated everything to your advantage as usual. And what do you mean by trying to drop hints, like there is something still between us? You have no right to play with Laura that way.” Jake wished he could make her vanish as quickly as she’d appeared. She’d ruined what had been a perfect night.
“Who’s playing? She’s taken what’s mine and I want you back. I’m hardly going to roll over and just let her have you.” Her golden eyes flashed with determination.
“I’m no longer yours, Victoria. We were finished over two years ago. I do have a say in who I want to be with and it isn’t you.”
“Come now Jake, we just need to talk things through,” she insisted.
“We have nothing more to say.” Jake started to walk away from her to head towards the bar but Victoria followed him.
“I think we do.” She wasn’t going to give up without being able to say her piece. Jake knew her well enough to know the fastest way to get her to leave him alone was to listen to her. Otherwise she’d follow him all the way back to Laura and heaven knew what would come out of her mouth in front of her. He stopped, gritted his teeth and turned back to her.
“Fine, but make it quick.” He nodded with his head to indicate for them to move to one side, stepping out of the way of the people wanting to get to the bar. They walked a short distance away before coming to a stop. He raised an eyebrow. “Well?”
“Don’t be like that with me Jake,” she sniffed delicately, dabbing at her suddenly teary eyes with a tissue she pulled out of her bag. “You can’t just brush me aside after everything we meant to each other, like I was never anything to you. I do deserve more than that despite everything.”
“No you don’t!” Jake couldn’t believe her nerve. “What do you expect after two years and everything else you’ve done? Was I supposed to welcome you back with open arms?”
“I thought you might be a little bit pleased to see me, considering. Instead I find you wrapped around some little wren of a woman. Where on earth did you pick her up from? She’s hardly your type. She looks like she’d fall apart with the slightest provocation. You normally like your women with spirit. Or was that the point. To pick someone as far from me as possible.” She smiled at him, a devilish glint in her golden eyes. “You’d never be happy with her. You need someone like me to fire your blood and make your life interesting.” She ran her finger down his arm, her smile turning suggestive. “What do you say Jake? Fancy a dip like we used to? Just me and you.”
Jake pulled his arm away. He leaned closer to her, his eyes deadly. “For your information Laura is no wren. What we have together is far more than what I ever shared with you. I have no interest in ever picking up with you where we left off. You are wasting your time!”
“See, I just don’t believe you Jake.” She stepped in closer, her eyes darkening with her mounting desire. “We belong together. It took me two long years to realise it. But you, you always knew that. It was me that got confused. I don’t think you feel any different about it. If you’re honest, you’re just punishing me. That’s fine. I understand. Just don’t take too long about it.”
“I am not punishing you. How can you even come to that ludicrous conclusion when I didn’t even know you’d be here? I am with Laura because I love her. The sooner you accept that and leave the better for both of us.” Jake made to leave, but Victoria latched onto his arm, pulling him back to face her.
“Maybe you think you love her, but that’s only because you didn’t have me here as an option. I won’t give up on us Jake. You and I are meant to be.” Her face showed her determination. Jake closed his eyes in frustration. Why did she have to come back now?
“I’m sorry you think that. You’re wrong and the sooner you see that, the better.” He stepped in closer, his expression deadly serious. “And stay away from Laura. I don’t want you anywhere near her. Do I make myself clear?”
Victoria smirked at him. She bent to whisper in his ear, her warm breath tickling his skin. “I make no promises. After all, as they say all’s fair in love and war.” She turned and walked away, casting him a mischievous look over her shoulder, her hips swaying suggestively.
Jake wanted to strangle her. He ran his hand through his hair in frustration. He didn’t trust her one inch. He needed to make sure he and Laura were on solid ground as soon as possible. Conscious of the fact he’d been away too long, Jake headed back to the bar. Before long, he grabbed the two drinks he’d ordered and headed back to Laura. Struggling through the crowd, trying not to spill their drinks, he came to the spot where he’d left her. She wasn’t there.
Surprised, he wondered why she’d wondered off. He’d told her that he would be back. Turning around, he wondered where she could have got to. Biting his lip in anxiety, Jake headed through the crowds looking for her, his chest tightening with anxiety. Something told him he needed to find her and fast.
*****
“She’s up to no good. I don’t like it that she’s suddenly popped back into our lives out of nowhere!” Kerry paced backwards and forwards in front of Dan, who was sitting on the sofa in the lounge. They’d headed back to the house after seeing Victoria, Kerry being too wound up to enjoy anything anymore.
Dan didn’t know what to say, so he kept quiet, following her tirade as she marched up and down in front of him. Seeing Victoria again had shaken him up too. It was the last thing he’d expected or needed at this time. He’d finally got things straight with Kerry, both she and Laura had thought he was making progress with Jake and things were finally starting to look rosy for his future. Suddenly the biggest mistake he’d ever made had landed back on their doorstep and he had no idea where that left them all.
“Did you feel anything for her?” Kerry asked suddenly, stopping in front of him and pinning him down with her eyes. “Did all the old feelings come suddenly flooding back when you saw her again? I need to know!”
“No!” Dan denied vehemently. “The only thing I felt was shock, dismay and worry. I have no idea why she is here and that scares me. As for feeling anything for her romantically, that died a long time ago. You know that. I have no interest in any other woman than you.” He got to his feet and crossed to her, taking her in his arms. He kissed her gently, rubbing her back soothingly. “You have nothing to worry about,” he reassured her.
She dropped her forehead to his chest. “I had to ask,” she mumbled.
Before he could say anything, the kitchen door banged open. Laura pounded through into the lounge, her loud sobs cutting through the air. Kerry pulled out of Dan’s arms, going to her friend in alarm.
“Laura, what’s wrong?” she cried, grabbing hold of Laura before she could bolt for the stairs.
“I don’t want to talk about it!” Laura all but yelled, trying to yank her way out of Kerry’s grip.
“Calm down this minute!” Kerry shouted, pulling Laura to the sofa and pushing her into it. “Sit there, don’t move. You are not going anywhere this time until you tell me what’s happened.”
“Shall I leave you to it?” Dan asked, but Kerry was too occupied with Laura to hear him. Quietly, he left the house to give them privacy. Something told him Victoria had struck. He didn’t know anyone else that could cause that much upset, that fast. He’d been wondering around the grounds for a while before he spotted Jake frantically searching the crowd. Indecision warred within him, but finally he walked over to Jake, tapping him on the shoulder.
Jake spun round, surprised to see Dan at his elbow. “She’s at the house with Kerry. I have no idea what’s happened, but she is really upset.” Dan didn’t wait for Jake to reply, but wondered off.
Worried, Jake sped to the house, dumping their drinks on the kitchen counter, he headed to the lounge where he could hear loud sobs. Entering the room, he saw Laura slumped in Kerry’s arms, as Kerry stroked her hair and urged her to tell her
what was wrong.
Spying Jake in the doorway, she glared at him. He shrugged, having no idea at all what had happened. Moving to the side of the sofa, Jake sat on the table in front of Laura, taking her hand in his. She jerked upright, saw him sitting in front of her and tried to get up to leave. He grabbed hold of her by her waist, twisted round and sat in her seat with her in his lap. With a nod to Kerry to leave, he held on tight as Laura tried to fight her way out of his arms. Neither really noticed Kerry’s departure.
“Stop it!” he ordered. “Calm down and tell me what this is all about.”
She glared at him, her green eyes spitting fire from their glistening depths. “I saw you!” she shouted, hitting him in the chest. “You made an excuse to go and see her! How could you do that? Right after you promised me that she means nothing to you!”
Jake grabbed her hands, pinning them between their bodies. “I didn’t go and see her. She came over to me when I went to get our drinks. I tried to walk away from her but she followed me. I knew she wouldn’t leave me alone until she said what she wanted to say. So I stopped and heard her out. That’s all you saw. If you think about it, you’ll see I’m telling you the truth.”
Laura stopped fighting to get away from him. She struggled to get her breath under control, thinking back to what she’d seen. Was it possible he was telling the truth?
“She had her hands all over you,” she accused with a half sob.
“But my hands were nowhere near her,” he replied. “Nor will they ever be.”
Laura fell silent, trying to make sense out of her muddled thoughts. It was possible that Victoria had sought Jake out. She wanted that to be the case more than anything. Walter’s warnings kept ringing in her head, confusing her. Did he see something or know something she didn’t?
“What made you think I ran off to see Victoria?” Jake asked, gently rubbing her back to calm her down.
“After you walked away, Walter came over. He said some things about you still having feelings for Victoria. He said you’d dumped me to go and see her….”
“Sweetheart, how can you believe a word that man tells you?” Jake asked exasperated. He wanted to find Walter and punch the man senseless for putting such ideas in Laura’s head. “He’s messing with your thinking. He has been determined to step between us from day one. He has every reason to make you doubt me and no reason to give you sound advice. Despite what you think, Walter is not your friend.”
Laura rubbed her hands over her tear stained face. “I don’t know what to think.” Her mind felt fuzzy and confused with all that had happened. “I can’t help but think of all the times you’ve pulled back from me because of her. Now that she’s here, how can I be sure that I’m the one you want?”
Jake took her face between his hands, pulling her gaze to his. “Do you remember in the stable when we almost made love?” She blushed hotly, nodding her head. “I told you then that I wasn’t ready to commit to you completely, that I had to be sure. Do you remember that?” Again she nodded. “I wouldn’t have waited if I hadn’t known that I wanted to be sure that when we made love, we would be forever. Do you believe that?”
Laura took a deep breath. She did believe him. He could have just slept with her and walked away if he’d only wanted casual sex. But he hadn’t. He’d held back, even when his body had screamed for release, he hadn’t gone further with her. He’d said he wanted to be sure and she believed he meant it.
“I do believe you,” she said softly.
“Good,” he whispered leaning close to her, so that their lips were almost touching. “Because, unless you have any doubts, I want to make love to you. I want to commit to you; heart, body and soul. Tonight, no more waiting. What do you say Laura? Do you want to commit to me too? To us?”
Laura licked at her suddenly dry lips, his eyes followed the movement, darkening with desire and igniting an answering fire in her. Her mind felt slow, unable to think clearly. She only knew she wanted to be with him, wanted to commit to him with everything she had. She wanted to believe he wanted her as much as she wanted him. Throwing caution to the wind, she nodded her head.
“Yes Jake,” she answered softly. “I do want to commit to us. I do want to make love with you. Right now.”
Her gasp was swallowed up by his mouth crashing down on hers. His tongue entered her mouth as he deepened the kiss. Laura felt her blood heat as his hands loosened her hair from its pins, scattering them to the floor as her thick strands floated down around them. Swiftly, he got up from the sofa, sweeping her into his arms, never breaking the kiss as he walked them to the stairs.
He pulled back, looking into her desire filled eyes. “Are you sure?” he asked her gently. Laura looked at his handsome face. He had come to mean so much to her. She didn’t want to live her whole life not knowing what it was like to make love to the man she loved with her whole being. Whatever else happened, she wanted this night with him.
“I am sure,” she replied. Smiling, he mounted the stairs, taking her swiftly to his bedroom, kicking the door shut behind him. Laura barely noticed the room before he set her down on her feet, his lips back on her own. She felt his strong gentle hands as they undid the buttons down the back of her dress. It parted easily, his hands pushing the material down her arms, letting the dress fall to her feet. His hands ran back up her sides to cup her breasts over the top of her corset, teasing her skin into heightened sensitivity.
Laura gasped, her head falling back, heat spiralling through her as his lips trailed down her throat, leaving a trail of molten heat in their path. He slowly untied the strings of her corset, throwing the contraption into the corner of the room. Gently, he pulled Laura to him, dipping his head and drawing one nipple into his hot mouth through the material of her chemise.
Laura thought she might faint as sensations rippled through her body. She moaned deep in her throat, her body igniting at his answering groan. Her fingers gripped his shirt, pulling it free from his trousers. He grabbed her hands before she could rip the shirt from his back, his deep laugh filling the room.
“I can see I am going to have to switch to easy to pull off t-shirts from now on, if I want my clothes to survive our intimacies.” Laura blushed hotly, laughing in embarrassment, as Jake slowly unbuttoned his shirt. Her breath caught at his provocative movements, her heart catching as he bared his bronzed chest to her gaze. Stepping close to him, she ran her fingers over his hot skin, loving the way he moved into her touch, his breath heavy with desire. She drew one of his nipples into her mouth, the way he’d done with her, sucking gently, rolling her tongue over him. His hands plunged into her hair, holding her close to him, the sounds of his pleasure rippling through the room.
Drawing back from her, he gazed at her with eyes so dark with passion, they looked almost black. He slowly pulled her undergarments from her body, feasting his eyes on her form as it was revealed inch by tantalising inch. She blushed hotly, but made herself stand before his inspection, cringing at what he may think of her. She’d never been very confident where her body was concerned and she wanted Jake to find her attractive more than anything.
She didn’t need to worry. Jake pulled her into his arms, his hands running down her arms, caressing her skin gently. “You are beautiful. Even more so than I dreamed of,” he told her sincerely. Her heart skipped several beats at his impassioned declaration. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pressed her heated skin against his, kissing him with abandonment.
They touched and explored each other with slow deliberation, letting the fire of their desire build between them into a wild blaze of passion. Every kiss, every touch filled with heated promise. Laura felt her heart expand as love filled her whole being. The feeling of his body pressed to hers was like being in heaven. She felt overwhelmed by the sensations coursing through her.
Jake gently picked her up and placed her on his king sized bed, his body covering hers, pressing her into the mattress as he kissed her deeply. His hand drifted to her core, his fingers care
ssing her gently, making her whimper in her desire. Slowly with tormenting deliberation, he circled her nub, drawing her closer and closer to her fulfilment. He moved his head to her breast, drawing her nipple into his mouth, sucking her gently into the damp heat of his mouth.
She moaned long and deep, her hips moving with the urgency of her body against his hand. She found herself panting as the fire built inside her. She clung to his broad shoulders as she came apart in his arms. Her cry rent the air with the force of her climax. She sobbed his name into his neck.
Jake drew her to him as she slowly came back to earth. He kissed her again deeply, feeling her hands moving over his heated skin. Her fingers went to his trousers, unbuttoning the front and slipping in to stroke his heated flesh. It was Jake’s turn to moan in helpless pleasure, as her hands found his stiff erection and stroked him with gentle firm movements.
Unable to wait any longer, he pulled at the confining garments, rolling them down his legs and kicking them off his body. Breathing deeply, he covered her soft body with his. Every curve, every inch of her delicate form was perfect. She fit him like she’d been made just for him. Taking his time, he gently built her body back up to heated arousal before he carefully entered her.
He wanted this moment, the first time they came together, to be perfect for both of them. Shuddering with desire and deep emotions, he slowly filled her body, feeling her answering shudder of pleasure around him. He felt his heart split open, the hurt and pain of the past healing over like they’d never been. He’d found the woman that completed him, the other half of his soul. He’d never felt this connection with any other before. She was his heartbeat, his breath and his life. He wouldn’t let anyone or anything stand between them. Not Victoria and not Walter.
Kissing her deeply, he told her of his love as he drew back and thrust back into her, his hands tangling in her silky hair. Slowly they built the rhythm, their movements in perfect harmony. Laura wrapped her legs around his hips, pulling him deeper into her body, lifting her hips to meet his thrusts, the feel of his skin against hers like the sweetest torture.
Wild Fire (The Fairy Tale Match Series) Page 22