Ultimate Love

by Cara Holloway

  "You look beautiful! I love the dress," Jared said. His eyes roved over her form appreciatively.

  Dinah felt a small glow of warmth inside. "Thank you. You look pretty good yourself," she said.

  He smiled. Holding her by the elbow he guided her to his car parked outside her cafe and helped settle her into the soft leather seat.

  Dinah took a moment before he opened the door on his side to try and steady her nerves. One simple touch of his hand and she was a blubbering jellyfish again! Get a grip girl she told herself silently, struggling to bring her breathing back under control.

  In tiny Devon Bay the restaurant was a short two-minute drive away. Once they were settled in its interior with menus in front of them the butterflies in Dinah's stomach began to settle.

  "The lamb is probably their best dish on the menu. Everyone raves about it," said Dinah.

  "Great. That's what I'll have then. See, this is why I need you to show me around. Local knowledge and all that," Jared said with a cheeky smile.

  "Sure. No worries!" Dinah managed to say between parched lips. She used the excuse of her water glass to divert her attention from Jared.

  Her heart did flip-flops inside her chest. When her eyes met his she stopped thinking straight. He was more gorgeous than any man had the right to be!

  "I'll let you choose the wine. You'll know which of these local wines is best," he said.

  There were two local vineyards, both of which produced exquisite wines. One did a particularly good Sauvignon Blanc with overtones of passion fruit, and the other made a rich smooth Malbec, which was full and dry. Dinah ordered the Malbec. It would match the lamb perfectly.

  Letting the wine slip like velvet down her throat Dinah wondered nervously if she should bring up her sneaking out of his penthouse. Immediately afterwards she decided that no, she didn't need to explain her behaviour to him and she needn't apologise. She owed him nothing, and she'd better remember it. She didn't want to be in this man's debt and apologising to him would feel like she owed him. Best to leave it alone. If he brought it up first she would deal with it, but so far so good.

  "I've been thinking also about some of your ideas on the timing of the work for my development. You've got some good ideas. What time of the year does it start to get really quiet?" said Jared. He was looking earnestly into her eyes and Dinah felt the strong magnetism of his personality draw her deeper into his gaze.

  "The middle of winter is the quietest," she replied. "But it starts to get quieter as autumn cools the air down. No one seems to want to come visit the beach when it's cold and wet."

  "Mmmm. The problem with that is the rain. It's pretty difficult to put a new roof on when it's raining most days. It'll have to be autumn. I think we can fit the new roofs before the rain sets in, then get the interiors finished after that."

  "That sounds fabulous! Perhaps the interiors could be fitted closer to winter. Many of the local businesses take their holidays then so they'd be closed anyway. Wow, if you could move the schedule like that to fit around the seasonal business cycle the locals would be really grateful. They'd all be on your side."

  "That would make life easier. No more unexpected visits from frantic cafe owners in Devon Bay turning up at my office. Actually… Maybe that's not such a good thing."

  He smiled at her cheekily.

  "Well, maybe not, but this particular cafe owner is relieved and thanks you."

  Dinah raised her glass to him.

  Dinah was finding it so easy to slip into a relaxing conversation with this man. He smiled across at her, blue eyes crinkling at their edges, and a full sexy mouth with turned up lips slightly parted. Dinah watched as he brought the wine to his lips, drinking deeply.

  "Mmmm. This wine is excellent. I wouldn't have thought to try a Malbec. It's nice and dry and smooth. Thanks for the tip Dinah. See, it does pay to have a local with local knowledge show you around," said Jared. His sexy eyes glinted at her.

  Dinah felt herself relaxed in Jared's company and enjoyed her dinner with him. The lamb was excellent, slow cooked to tender perfection, with a slight sweetness from caramelised red onions and red capsicums. The Malbec suited it perfectly. After they had finished the lamb and ordered dessert Jared asked Dinah to choose another bottle of wine. She chose a crisp light Sauvignon Blanc to go with the kiwifruit and raspberry dessert.

  Dinah enjoyed watching Jared savour his meal. She was proud that the locals produced such excellent food, and the service at the restaurant was friendly and professional. Of course the owners knew Dinah well. She was aware that there would be local gossip about the two of them dining together, but she hoped to be able to put it in a business context quashing any rumors of a romance before they could begin.

  The meal finished and with the night deepening Jared drove Dinah back the short distance to her flat. He escorted her to her door. Fumbling with her key Dinah was suddenly all nerves again. The few glasses of wine she had consumed didn't seem to help her nerves either! She felt Jared's hand over hers as she tried to figure out which key to fit into the lock.

  "Here, let me do it," he said. He was very close and his breath tickled the stray tendrils of hair against her nape. She felt Jared's hand take her upper arm firmly and turn her to face him.

  "You know, I've been wondering. Why did you leave my apartment without saying goodbye?" Jared said.

  Dinah froze. She had thought she had gotten away with not having that question asked. She tried to engage her brain to formulate an answer and failed.

  "Ummm… I er… I had to get back to open the cafe and I didn't want to wake you," she said. She lied, hoping desperately the lie would pass. The shame of sleeping with him on the first day she had met him returned in full force. Dinah felt a blush spread over her face and downwards to her breast, wishing the ground would open up and swallow her.

  "Okay," he said. He did not sound convinced by her feeble excuse, but it seemed he would let it pass. "I just hope you don't do that next time."

  "Next time?" she stuttered. Had she heard him right? There would be a next time?

  Suddenly Jared bought his lips down on hers. Holding her by the waist he pulled her length sensuously against him, molding her thigh to his allowing her to feel his hot arousal. Dinah felt her legs quiver, and if it were not for the strength with which he held her she would have fallen. She felt a sweet warmth pooling deep in her belly. Suddenly she was on fire for this man.

  "You've been on my mind every day since I met you," he whispered into her ear. His mouth left hers to trail kisses along her neck and up to her earlobe. Dinah gasped and struggled to get enough air into her lungs. His hands held her hips firmly against his, moving behind to press against her buttocks, squeezing and pushing her closer into him. As his mouth again covered hers he lifted her slightly by her bottom, pushing his hard shaft, now fully aroused, into her belly. His tongue probed the interior of her mouth in a brazen imitation of intercourse.

  "I can't get you out of my mind. You make me crave you. Oh Dinah!" he said.

  His hand moved downwards to the hem of her dress, slowly moving it higher and skimming her bare skin. His mouth traced a path down her throat, and then his hand was brought up to push the edge of her dress aside revealing the full swell of her breast. His palm skimmed her erect nipple through layers of fabric. Dinah gasped as a bolt of white-hot desire raced from her nipple to her sex. She moaned softly. His hand drew the fabric further downwards to expose her lace-covered breast more completely. A soft breeze kissed her skin, reaching her foggy brain and bringing a brief sense of awareness of where she was and what she was doing. She realised that the light overhead the door lit them up for anyone to see, and suddenly she felt very exposed. Pushing hard against his chest she managed to gain a little space between them.

  "Jared, stop!" she managed to say. "It's too… the light, anyone could see us!"

  As suddenly as he started he stopped. He had the decency to look sheepish. Gently he let her go. "I'm sorry. You're just so de
lectable," he said. Gently he drew the edge of her dress to cover her nakedness.

  Her mind was in turmoil. She was elated to find Jared still found her attractive, but was dismayed at the possibility of having been seen. She also wished he had not stopped but she knew he had to. As he stepped away from her the slight evening breeze cooled her overheated skin.

  "Goodnight Dinah. Sleep tight," he said. Then softly Jared kissed her on the lips, a brief sweet kiss.

  Dinah let herself inside the cafe, locking the door behind her, and made her way upstairs without looking back. What had happened there? Clearly the chemistry between them was strong enough to scorch anything it came into contact with. How on earth was she going to keep her head on and her mind clear with this man wandering around Devon Bay? Dinah knew he intended to stay about two weeks. Two weeks! That's all she had to get through with her reputation and her heart intact. Because after tonight, Dinah knew that her heart was in serious danger.

  Jared returned to his house tense and uncertain. His plan to get Dinah Luxford out of his mind was moving too slowly for his liking. He had to step it up. He had only two weeks. He hoped it was long enough.

  Taking a quick shower he mentally reviewed the plan to use Dinah's cafe as a hub to gather some input from the locals on the development. It would necessarily mean he had to visit her often and have plenty of contact. Now he just had to get her back into his bed, where she belonged, at least for the time being. Until he had enough of her that is.

  Chapter 13

  The next morning Dinah descended to the cafe from her internal stairs to find Jared waiting at the door with a sheaf of papers in his hand.

  Opening the door she gave him a small puzzled smile.

  "Good morning. I thought I'd get started with those ideas you gave me last night. Here's a form for you to use to collect input from the locals," he explained. "How about a coffee to start the day? I hear you make a mean cappuccino."

  His smile was infectious. Truth be told, she was pleased to see him so early. He was a sight to brighten her day. Happily Dinah turned to switch on the coffee machine to warm it up in preparation for the first brew of the day.

  "One caffeine hit coming up," she said.

  Looking at Jared sitting opposite her across her coffee cup gave an air of intimacy to her morning. He was attentive and polite, but still there was that current of sexual tension underlying their interaction.

  He turned up again in the afternoon as she was clearing the place just before closing, to again ask her to join him at another great local restaurant for dinner. Dinah was slightly surprised but very pleased and accepted his invitation.

  Taking time to have a relaxing bath before dressing for dinner she reminded herself to guard her heart against this man. It seemed obvious that he wanted to spend time with her while he was in Devon Bay, but she knew it was temporary. It was only for two weeks, then he would be gone back to his glamorous life in Auckland. She had to be careful that he did not take her heart back with him when he left.

  Dinah knew she had a decision to make. Would she take the little he offered and risk her heart? Or would she play it safe and avoid him altogether? She knew the risk, or at least she thought she did, but she felt almost powerless to resist him. The chemistry between them sparked and sizzled whenever they were in the same room. She had even caught herself gazing at his form during the day as he moved about in the courtyard outside the cafe, directing and organising the workmen. His strong thighs and taut hips clad in denim jeans mesmerised her.

  Dinah reasoned that she could take a risk and enjoy the time he offered, or she could lose out completely. She knew she may never be offered a chance to spend time intimately with a man she found so attractive, so to turn it down seemed crazy. She knew she would take whatever he offered and enjoy it as much as possible. She kidded herself that she had a choice. If she had been really honest with herself she would have known she was so drawn to Jared Knight she simply could not say no to him.

  Dinah resolved to continue. She carefully chose a sexy backless dress to wear. Devon Bay had one restaurant that was more up-market than the rest. Francophile served a blend of French and Kiwi cuisine and was one of the only places the locals deemed worthy of dressing up for. This gave Dinah the excuse she wanted to dress for Jared in a way that would be sure to get his attention. Because the dress was backless she could not wear a bra with it; all the better to let the natural shape of her breasts be visible for him. The neck of the dress was high, but the tight fit and stretchy silky fabric ensured her curves were amply on display. At the back it dipped low enough to see the curve of her lower back, hinting at what was below. She paired it with sexy high-heeled sandals and simple make-up. Finishing up with her favourite strawberry lip-gloss she surveyed herself in the full-length mirror in her bedroom. Turning to check her appearance from all angles she was pleased with what she saw. Jared would not be able to resist. If she wanted to end this night in his bed then she could.

  A few minutes later she heard a knock at her cafe door announcing his arrival. With butterflies in her stomach Dinah drew a deep breath and walked steadily down the stairs to meet him.

  Jared's first sight of her caused his heart to skip a beat. Wow! Dinah was stunning. The dress was a perfect fit over her breasts and upper body, flaring out from her hips to drape in soft folds to just above her knees. As she turned slightly away from him and reached up for the light switch to turn on the outside light he saw her exposed expanse of back and a slight curve of the side of one breast. The breath stopped in his throat and he had to force himself to remember to draw air into his suddenly parched lungs.

  Turning towards him Dinah smiled. "I'm looking forward to this. Francophile has a fabulous menu, and the desserts are to die for," she said.

  "Great! You look beautiful! What more could I want. A fabulous menu and a beautiful woman to share it with," he said.

  Jared placed his hand on the small of her bare back to escort her to his car. Dinah felt heat radiating out from where his hand was placed down into her sex.

  Once they were settled at their table in the restaurant Dinah relaxed a little. Again he let her choose the wine and guide him as to what was best on the menu. They discussed local spots of beauty avoiding talking about the development.

  "I'd love for you to show me the best spots to spend an afternoon in. I've been to a few, but sounds like I've barely scratched the surface," he said. Dinah had happy images of them picnicking together and swimming in the wide blue Pacific Ocean.

  After the main course was finished and they were perusing the dessert menu Jared leaned over to her with a sexy smile. "How about we order dessert to go and take it back to my place. When the sun sets over the mountains it lights up the ocean outside my living room. It would be the perfect end to our dinner," he said.

  With her breath caught in her throat Dinah could only nod her assent as she looked into his eyes, as blue as the Pacific Ocean.

  In moments Jared had ordered two chocolate fondants with raspberry sorbet to take away with them and paid the bill. Dinah finished her wine while they waited a few minutes for their desserts to be ready and then she found herself whisked away into Jared's car.

  His beach house was only a two-minute drive away. He helped her out of the car and ushered her inside his home. He had understated the view. It was magnificent. The wide blue Pacific spread from one side of the house to the other and could be seen at all angles through floor to ceiling bi-fold doors. As the sun set in the mountains to the west it lit up the sky to the east, and the ocean reflected the fire in the sky. Sunset had just begun and the sky above the ocean was beginning to turn pink with offshore islands dotted along the horizon. In the foreground the house was surrounded by plantings of natives, with giant ancient Pohutukawa's on each side and smaller shrubs in front so as to not impede the view. Dinah stood still, mesmerised, until Jared gently drew her forward to sit on the couch facing the windows. He set the desserts on a coffee table in front of them an
d quickly fetched dessert spoons from the kitchen at the back of the long open living room.

  In silence they ate their desserts. Dinah's eyes alternated between the view outside the house and the view of Jared sitting beside her enjoying his dessert.

  Jared saw with interest her eyes drawn to him. "Mmmm. I don't know what's better. The view of the ocean or the view of you, or this amazing dessert," he murmured in a low soft voice. Turning towards her Jared gently removed her dessert plate from her hands.

  "I've been wanting to do this all night, sitting opposite you watching you enjoy your food," he said as his lips came down upon hers ever so gently. Dinah sighed and felt her body relax into him and mould to his frame. With her gentle sigh Jared increased the intensity of the kiss, probing his tongue into her mouth tasting the chocolate and raspberry.

  Dinah felt her body arch against him, desperately wanting him to touch her and stroke her sensitised flesh. She moaned with lust and desire.

  Jared lifted his hand to stroke the side of her face, holding her into the kiss. As his tongue flicked in and out of her mouth tasting her sweetness his hand skimmed her throat and down to cover her breast. With a low moan he felt her breast swell and the nipple stiffen beneath his palm as he worked his hand in small circles.

  Drawing away slightly Jared reached up to her nape and released the clasp of her dress then slowly peeled it down over her throat to expose the swell of her breast. Dinah felt his eyes on her and lifting her hand she drew the dress down to her waist to expose herself to him. The sunset was now in full bloom and pink light washed over Dinah's skin. She thrust her breasts upwards towards his face and was rewarded with the feeling of his warm wet mouth closing over first one engorged peak then the other. Dinah locked her hands into Jared's nape, entwining her fingers in his short hair and encouraging him in his exploration of her body.