Just for Now: Escape to New Zealand Book Three

by Rosalind James

  “I understand this is your holiday,” she said as she showed them to the guest room. “You’ve been here before, of course. So you know your way around.”

  “Never had flowers in our room before,” Sarah commented.

  “Lunch in an hour or so,” Jenna promised. She looked out the French doors, saw Finn already in the garden, dribbling the soccer ball with Sophie. She smiled. Physical again.

  “Did you have a good holiday?” Kieran asked Jenna after finishing off the first half of his ham and cheese panini in a few juicy bites. “Sounds like you’ve earned it.”

  “I don’t know about that. But yes. I had a very good holiday.”

  “Where’d you go? Finn said you were staying on the South Island,” Sarah said.

  “Ah. Changed my mind, in the end.” Jenna felt the treacherous color rising, did her best to sound casual. “I went up to the Far North, to Doubtless Bay. Pretended it was summer.”

  “I saw lots of dolphins,” she remembered, turning to Harry with relief. “And orca, even. That was very cool.”

  Harry’s eyes gleamed behind his specs. “Wow,” he breathed. “A whole pod?”

  “We counted four,” she agreed.

  “We?” Sarah asked.

  “Oh. I did a cruise, one day,” Jenna said. “Yeah. We saw them.”

  “Fancy that. Have you seen orca yourself, Finn?” Sarah asked innocently. “Ever?”

  “A few times,” he said blandly. “Always a treat, eh. Unless I’m kayaking. Then I’m not too keen.”

  “But I want to hear about what you kids did,” Jenna said hastily, watching Sarah and Kieran exchange knowing glances. “How was the farm?”

  “It was so cool,” Harry said enthusiastically. “Nana and Grandpa have barn cats, did you know that, Jenna? And one of them had kittens. They were tiny, like this,” he held his hands out to show her. “And their eyes were still closed! You can’t pet them, though,” he sighed. “That was sad.”

  “And they have chickens,” Sophie put in. “Heaps of chickens. They’re really silly. They have beards.”

  “Araucana,” Sarah explained. “And they are silly, but Mum loves them. They do lay the most beautiful blue eggs. But they have these ridiculous tufts of feathers on their faces.”

  “We collected the eggs for Nana!” Harry told Jenna proudly. “Every day. It was our job.”

  “What kind of farm is it?” Jenna wondered. “I’ve never heard.”

  “Pears,” Finn put in. “It’s a pear orchard.”

  “Really. Isn’t that a lot of work?”

  “It is,” Sarah agreed. “Dad has some help managing it, though. And they’ve been using a new scheme that’s going surprisingly well. Having young people working for him. From all over the world, on working holiday visas. They come and do anything from a week to a month or two. Four hours a day in exchange for a place to sleep, and one big meal that Mum cooks. No pay, unless they want to work a full day.”

  “And that works?” Jenna asked in surprise. “Without any training?”

  “Yeh, it does, surprisingly. Dad says it’s the best workforce he’s ever had. None of the problems he used to have, with casual labor. They’re all bright, all keen. Finishing Uni, or taking a year out from it. And those kids from Germany and Norway speak better English than the Kiwis.”

  “I can believe that,” Jenna decided. “Wow. I wouldn’t have thought.”

  “They’re really nice,” Sophie assured her. “I learnt how to say Good Morning in different languages. D’you want to hear?” She rattled off greetings in French, German, and something that Jenna decided must be a Scandinavian language.

  “Ohayou gozaimasu,” she finished.

  “What’s that?” Finn asked in surprise.

  “Japanese,” she smiled triumphantly. “There was a Japanese girl there, Yuki. She taught me.”

  “So when I go play in Japan, one of these years, you’ll be one step ahead of the rest of us,” Finn said.

  “Is that likely to happen?” Jenna asked, startled.

  “That’s where the money is.”

  “In Japan? They play rugby? Successfully?”

  “Surprisingly. Can’t match up to the top sides, but heaps of ticker. And more to the point, they’re willing to pay big bikkies for All Blacks to come and play for a season. We call it the AB Superannuity Scheme.”

  “Well.” Jenna got up, began to clear the table. “I guess you’re right, then. Sophie’s got a head start.”

  Japan, she thought with a pang. Too far away.

  “Hmm?” Jenna woke at the feeling of Finn’s big body sliding against her, his hand moving over her breast. “Finn?”

  “Hope so,” he murmured behind her as he pulled her closer. “Unless you were expecting somebody else.”

  “Everybody’s here, though,” she protested in a low voice. “We shouldn’t.”

  “We’ll be quiet,” he assured her. “Least I will be. May be a bit of a challenge for you.” He rolled her, moved over her to kiss her. Stayed there a while, enjoying the way she wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him closer, the feeling of her hands in his hair, her generous mouth moving under his.

  “I may have to kiss you the whole time tonight, keep you from making all that noise,” he said at last, propping himself on one elbow and reaching down to pull off her nightgown. “Course, it’ll be a sacrifice. But I’m willing to make it.”

  “Is the door locked?” she asked. For all her concern, he noticed, her hands were making short work of his T-shirt, and reaching now for his underwear.

  “Locked,” he agreed, moving to take her lower lip in his mouth, give her a little nip there, his hand wandering again. “Any more questions I can answer before I get started here?”

  “Oh,” she sighed. “You’ve already started. And you know I can’t think when you’re doing that.”

  She was shaking by the time he laced his fingers through hers and moved over her. He could tell that forcing herself to stay quiet had been hard for her, and as erotic as he’d found it himself. Now, as he pushed inside, he sought out her mouth again, smothering the moan she couldn’t help.

  “You make me want you so much,” he told her softly, moving slowly, listening to her sigh against him. “I tried to sleep without you tonight, but I couldn’t.”

  “I should say no sometime, I know,” she answered breathlessly. “But I can’t. Every time, I want it more. You make me feel so good.”

  He bent to kiss her, took her up again, so slowly this time, feeling her respond, the moment when she needed more. He kept her there a bit longer, until she was moving hard against him, savored the sighs and moans he took into his mouth, the urgency she couldn’t hold back now. Finally gave her what she needed, felt her convulsing around him in response, the sweetness and power of it, and found his own release, his mouth still locked over hers, stifling both their voices as they cried out together.

  Afterwards, he held her close to him, heard her breathing change as she fell asleep again. Dropped off himself before waking, chilled, to pull the duvet around them both. He remembered where he was, then. That he couldn’t spend the night in her bed. He searched for his clothes, pulled them on in the dark as she stirred into wakefulness.

  “Nightgown,” she said sleepily, feeling around the floor for it.

  “Here.” He moved to her side of the bed, helped pull it over her head. Leaned down to give her a kiss. “Thanks. Better than warm milk.”

  “I could say the same,” she sighed. “Except you woke me up. But it was worth it.”

  “Mmm. Good night.” One last kiss, then he got up to leave.

  “Be quiet,” she urged him as he made his way to the bedroom door.

  “No worries. See you in the morning.” He unlocked the bedroom door and left the room, easing the door quietly shut behind him. Took a few steps toward the stairs, then swore inwardly as the bathroom door opened and he made out his sister’s form.

  She jumped with surprise, eyes not yet accust
omed to the dark. “Who is it?” she hissed, keeping her voice low.

  “It’s me. Finn,” he sighed. “Just . . . ah . . . checking on the kids.”

  “Checking on the kids,” she said dubiously as he came up to join her. “At two-thirty in the morning.”

  “Thought I heard something,” he improvised. “Nightmare, I thought.”

  He could almost hear her disbelief coming across the space between them. “Yeh, right. Going to bed now, though? Your own bed?”

  “Course. See you in the morning. Jenna’s fixing something special, I think.”

  “Already did, I reckon,” he heard her say behind him as he made his escape to the stairs and the privacy of his own room. He loved his sister. But she really was the nosiest woman in the Southern Hemisphere.

  “This is choice.” Kieran reached for another slice of the pear- and dried-cherry-filled coffee cake, only to have Sarah slap his hand. “What?” he protested.

  “You’ll get fat,” she admonished him. “Two was enough.”

  “Oi,” he complained. “Finn’s had three already. I saw. Bet he’s not done, either.”

  “Yeh, and when you’re playing rugby instead of spending the day cutting the grass and unblocking toilets, you can have three too,” his wife told him firmly.

  “Would you like some more eggs, Kieran?” Jenna asked him kindly. “They’ll be ready in a second here, along with another pan of bacon.”

  “Am I allowed to have more eggs?” Kieran asked Sarah with exaggerated concern. “Would that fit into my dietary program?”

  “Eggs are allowed,” she pronounced.

  “Thank you so much,” he said sarcastically. “And thank you,” he told Jenna with genuine warmth as she brought the pan of scrambled eggs and vegetables over to him. “Great tucker.”

  “Thanks,” she smiled back at him. “Finn, what can I give you?”

  Kieran gave him an elbow in the side when he didn’t answer. “Eyes glazing over, bro,” he muttered.

  “Sorry,” Finn said hastily. “What did you say?”

  “Can I get you something else?” Jenna asked him patiently. “Eggs? Bacon?”

  “Both, please. And then come sit,” he told her, pulling out the chair next to him.

  “May we be excused?” Sophie asked.

  “Yeh. Go ahead,” Finn told his children. He thanked Jenna as she refilled his plate, then watched her as she dished up her own meal and sat down at last. She shouldn’t look so good dressed in gray yoga pants and a white T-shirt. But the knit fabric clung in all the right places, the V-neck was almost tight and just a bit low, her feet were bare, and the whole thing made him want to take her back to bed right now. Well, maybe he would’ve let her finish breakfast first, if there’d been a hope of sneaking her away. Which there wasn’t, not with his sister looking knowingly at the two of them from across the table, and his brother-in-law using his napkin to hide a smile.

  Jenna wouldn’t agree to it anyway, he thought with an inward sigh. Even if it were fast. In the bathroom, maybe. His mind began to explore possibilities as he sat, absently chewing a strip of bacon, and watched her eat.

  “Right. Washing-up.” Sarah got up and nudged Kieran. “Come give me a hand.”

  “I’ll do it,” Jenna offered. “As soon as I finish. My job.”

  “Nah,” Sarah said robustly. “You didn’t sign on to look after us. And I’m not used to anyone waiting on me. Brekkie was a treat, though. Why does food always taste better when someone else makes it?”

  “One of the mysteries of life,” Jenna agreed. “Fish tonight, OK? Salmon. Finn’s favorite.” She smiled at him. “Cooked the way you like.”

  “I’m a lucky man,” Finn told the others. “As you see.”

  “Yeh, mate,” Kieran said dryly, standing up and beginning to gather plates from the loaded table. “We’re getting the picture.”

  “What d’you reckon today?” Finn asked Jenna. “Kieran and I were planning to take the kids to Mission Bay, give them a bit more beach time. Want to come with us? You could have a swim, wouldn’t have to worry about them. Water’s still a bit cold, but you don’t seem to mind.”

  “In my inappropriate costume?” she asked him tartly. “Are you sure Kieran’s ready for the sight?”

  “Oi. I already apologized for that. And you know why I said it.”

  “Heard about that,” Sarah remarked, scooping up jam and butter containers. “You’re a fool, Finn.”

  “Cheers,” he said ironically, lifting his mug to her. “You wouldn’t understand. It’s a man thing.”

  Sarah snorted. “Reckon I understand better than you think. But Jenna. Let’s leave this boy’s mind in the gutter and move on to more important things. I’m going to take my chance to do some shopping on High Street. Want to come with me, keep me company?”

  “Wow, two good options,” Jenna sighed. “Both sounding really attractive. But no, thanks. I don’t want to tempt myself. I’ve bought a lot of new clothes lately, thanks to somebody telling me my wardrobe needed an overhaul. Anyway, I want to go for a run, as soon as I’ve digested all this food. And I need to do some grocery shopping, finish the kids’ washing, start on tonight’s pudding. I think I’d better hang around here today.”

  “I was thinking gingerbread, with an apple-pear sauce and homemade custard,” she mused. “That would go well. Everyone all right with that? Anybody hate molasses?”

  “I don’t think I’ve had it,” Sarah said, looking at Kieran, who shook his head as well. “Gingerbread, I mean. Or even molasses, that I can think.”

  “It’s more American, I suppose,” Jenna explained. “Spicy and dark. I’ve made it for people here, though, and they seem to like it.”

  “We’ll give it a go,” Sarah promised. “You know these boys’ll eat it. How do you make all this, Jenna, without gaining weight? That’s what I’ve been wondering.”

  “She never eats it herself. Didn’t you notice?” Finn put in.

  “How can you do that?” Sarah wanted to know. “I couldn’t.”

  “Easy,” Jenna assured her, standing up and carrying her dishes to the dishwasher. “I can’t stop once I start. I know that about myself. So I don’t eat sweets, period. That’s my amazing diet plan. And it works for me. But I confess, I still love to make them.”

  “And as I love to eat them, it’s working out well for me too,” Finn noted. “Though I do try to restrain myself. Luckily, she feeds me pretty well with the healthier stuff. As you’ve seen. But she lets me indulge my sweet tooth too.”

  Jenna laughed. “All this flattery is going to my head. But if I don’t get busy, it’s going to be McDonald’s tonight, and my reputation will be ruined. I’m going to say thanks for doing the washing-up, and get on with it.”

  Finn’s eyes followed her as she left the kitchen, and Kieran looked at him in exasperation.

  “Get your A into G, boy.” Kieran snapped a tea towel at his brother-in-law. “If we’re taking the kids to Mission Bay, better get them sorted. Because I’m not hanging around here all day watching you look at that girl. It’s a bit sick-making, tell you the truth.”

  “Kieran!” Sarah scolded.

  “Nah, that’s OK.” Finn got up and cleared his place. Somehow, he realized, he’d managed to finish off his eggs and bacon. He grabbed a final slice of coffee cake, to the accompaniment of another caustic comment from Kieran, before heading off to round up the kids.

  He’d better have a swim himself, he decided. And a trip to the gym later. Because with another couple weeks off before All Blacks training started up again, and Jenna cooking like this, he really was going to turn up unfit if he didn’t get his workouts. And he had a feeling that sex in the bathroom wasn’t going to happen today.

  Chapter 23

  “So,” Sarah said that evening, loading the dishwasher as Jenna dished leftover roasted potatoes and kumara into a plastic container, ready to become home fries the next morning. “Where are you going after this? I know you said you were
teaching in the new year, but you’ll be done here soon after Finn’s back from the Northern Tour, eh. Before Christmas, he said. What happens in between? Back to the States?”

  “No. I haven’t gone back for a long time,” Jenna told her. “I’m not sure what I’m going to do. Something new, hopefully. I haven’t spent nearly enough time in the South Island, considering how long I’ve been down here. That trip to Dunedin made me realize what I’ve been missing. I was considering looking for an interim job over the holidays. Someplace where I could get away, though, enjoy the summer. Do you have any suggestions?”

  “I have a perfect suggestion,” Sarah said. “Come to me. To us. We always need extra help at the holiday park during the summer holidays, specially those two weeks starting on Boxing Day. But before that as well. It won’t be glamorous,” she warned, “but seems like you don’t require that.”

  “Motueka, right?” Jenna asked. “Is it nice?”

  “Best weather in En Zed,” Sarah pronounced. “Nah, really. It’s gorgeous. That’s why I’ve never left. People come from all over the world to visit. Farewell Point, the Marlborough Sounds, Abel Tasman. You can put in a day’s work, then be off to the beach. Borrow my car, when I don’t need it. Sweet as. I can use you over Christmas especially, if you’re free.”

  “I’m free. Nobody freer. And that’d be great.”

  “Housekeeping OK?” Sarah asked. “Don’t want to deceive you when I say it’s not glamorous. Doing the washing, cleaning the toilets and the kitchen.”

  Jenna laughed. “In other words, exactly what I’m doing now, minus the cooking. Will there be someplace for me to stay?”

  “Staff cabin,” Sarah assured her. “You’re sure? Should I mark you down?”

  “Please,” Jenna decided. “It sounds perfect.”