Jake couldn’t imagine what kind of favor that could be. Perhaps something to do with Kylie, or the things in the back bedroom that were still a mystery to him.
Most of the guests had drifted outside onto the huge patio by the pool and Jake found himself out amongst the party lights slung around the poles surrounding the patio.
One look at the set-up, let alone the number of guests, led him to believe that Magenta and Terry were no strangers to entertaining, or at least, made the most of living outdoors in the summer weather. Comfortable chairs were scattered around and what looked to be an ornamental grape vine covered the pergola above, its long trailers dangling over the side, providing a measure of coolness and shade on a hot summer day. Large potted plants sat around the side of the patio, softening the setting and giving it a cozy effect. A brick barbeque stood in the far corner, its chimney uncovered by the vine-clad pergola. There was no barbeque this evening though. Instead of that tantalizing smell of meat cooking, a hint of sweet perfume from the garden filled the air.
The air had cooled a little, but not enough to make a difference to his body heat. He thought briefly about all those icy northern winters where he’d spent so much of his life in recent years and found himself wishing he could transport back to that climate momentarily. How a roll in the snow would bring his body temperature down.
The noise of the guests lowered a level and gradually died away. The music changed to a Middle Eastern sound, reminding Jake of the posts he’d held in Egypt and Turkey...the nightclubs, the beautiful local women. One in particular who’d stolen his heart for a time. He hadn’t thought about her in a while.
But now he realized with a shock, his heart belonged to someone else, whether he wanted it or not. Whether she wanted it or not. His thoughts were arrested by a tinkling sound and a feminine presence skimming through the door and onto the patio. The guests moved to make room. She was barefooted, a sheer, gold veil covering her face. Gold coins on her forehead caught the reflection of the party lights and seemed to wink at him. With her air of exotic mystery, the hushed murmurs of the crowd suggested she’d mesmerized them.
Another similarly dressed dancer joined her, their long dark hair glistening under the lights, their costumes sparkling, reminding Jake of the belly dancers he’d seen on his travels. The first dancer spun around and dropped her veil so that he could get a good look at her face.
Jake got the shock of his life.
Nic!
No wonder he hadn’t recognized her. She wore a long dark wig. His gaze flicked to the other dancer. Magenta. He might have known the pair of them had cooked this up between them.
Nic’s long, full skirt of dark purple satin sat seductively on her hips, baring an expanse of toned, tanned middle all the way up to the gold bra top that hugged her breasts. The tip of an Egyptian style necklace, triangular in shape, nestled in the neckline of her top. A silk scarf of deep rose pink and with several layers of gold, tinkling coins and colored beads fastened around her hips.
His gaze sought Nic’s and she winked at him.
He couldn’t drag his attention away from her. She shimmied, the coins and beads bounced and jingled furiously. A hip lifted seductively, the circular movements accentuating her lithe shapely body.
Nic’s gaze remained focused on his, and stole his breath. Heat fused with heat. She smiled knowingly at him before turning her attentions to the other partygoers who lapped up the performance, clapping to the beat of the music.
The baubles on her hips tinkled invitingly as her hips swayed, arms extended above her head. She lowered them, shimmying to the pulse of the drums, the gold coins and beads jingling furiously in rhythm to the accelerated movement of her body. The beat changed and again she raised her arms above her head, each hip lifting in turn, more slowly now, her body making tiny circular movements.
One man who’d had a little too much to drink made a grab for her, but before Jake could step in to yank him back, Nic deftly and seductively maneuvered herself out of his reach. Jake breathed a sigh of relief. No man would put his hands on Nic, not while he was around anyway.
He shot a glance at Magenta who was thoroughly enjoying herself. His gaze came back to Nic. She stood facing him, a sensuous smile on her mouth. She leaned forward then back, all the time her shoulders shimmied, enticing him. It seemed she danced only for him and Jake could not drag his gaze away from her.
He almost gave into the temptation in his thoughts. What he wanted to do to her would only embarrass them both. Caught up in the magic of the music and the supple movements of Nic’s body, Jake felt mesmerized until suddenly she stopped in front of him, her hip dropped, her arm in the air, and he realized the pose meant the end of the dance. The crowd clapped and Magenta and Nic, giggling like a pair of school girls, quickly shimmied and jingled into the depths of the house.
The music changed again to the techno number that had played earlier and the party resumed.
Shortly afterwards Nic made an appearance, dressed again in that indecent blue dress. Jake watched as she circulated amongst the crowd, chatting and laughing. She looked radiant tonight, ready for romance. If he’d thought she was beautiful the first time he’d laid eyes on her, she was more stunning now. Certainly some of the men in the room looked like they were ready to place themselves at her beck and call. Jake smiled to himself. What would Mark say if he could see her now?
She made her way over to him, stepping into the circle of his arms when he reached for her.
“That was some performance.” The music changed to something much less techno.
“What a surprise package you are, Nic.” His lips grazed her cheek as he inhaled her fragrance. “I’ve never known anyone to be so popular.”
“Did you enjoy that little interlude?” Mischief filled her eyes.
“Very much.” The music softened and slowed and he pulled her closer. “You have all the men in the room lusting after your body.”
“Oh, Jake. You’re making that up.”
“You know I’m not.” She felt warm and light in his arms, like she belonged there...forever.
“There’s only one man I’m interested in.”
Jake stiffened momentarily. Surely he’d misheard her soft voice. But there was no mistaking the desire in her eyes.
“You know he won’t make promises he can’t deliver.”
“Yeah, I know. That’s what makes him so appealing.”
“And I thought it was his charm and good looks.”
“That too. All up, he’s a pretty potent package.”
Jake held her more firmly against him, thigh to thigh, hip to hip. He could feel her heart beat in rhythm with his own. Something was happening between them. Something that shouldn’t have been. Just how was he going to handle it?
Silently she looked up at him, invitation in her eyes. It was only a dance, he told himself. Only a dance.
His arms held her firmly in place and she nestled into his embrace, their bodies touching softly. Nic felt good in his arms and he sensed his body’s response to her. She must have felt it too as she eased away from him a fraction, though not enough to cool his reaction.
Thanks to her revealing dress, he had nowhere to put his hands but on the warm bare skin of her back. He thought about letting his fingers wander lower, slipping beneath the fabric that scooped below her waist. Wondered what it would be like to explore further, possess her. The images filling his mind caused his breath to exhale, but it did little to cool him down. For now, he’d have to be content with all that propriety allowed.
A fragrant hint of exotic fruits and flowers wafted around him, soft against the intense heat of the summer night. The storms were there, intermittent in the distance, but there was a more dangerous storm, the one that waged within him, wreaking untold damage to his equilibrium and common sense.
Nic’s fingers caressed the back of his neck and toyed with the ends of his hair. She eased a little closer to him, sending his temperature hiking a notch or two.
>
“If you don’t stop that, I won’t be responsible for the consequences,” he groaned, aware of the soft friction of her body, the light though firm pressure of her thighs against his.
Hazel eyes trained on him. For a few moments, she didn’t respond except to momentarily cease the stroking of his neck. With an impish smile she asked, “Stop what? This?” Her fingers continued their stirring caress.
“Or this?” She eased closer and moved against him intimately, like striking a match to dry tinder. His slow burn ignited into a roaring flame, the heat consuming him. He shuddered against her.
“Or maybe this,” she said, and rose to her toes. The kiss took him by surprise, but it wasn’t the kiss itself, more the sheer audacity of her action. Her open-mouthed warmth as it brushed against his own mouth shook him. His arm slid down until his hand splayed against her bottom, holding her in place.
Were they the only two people in the room?
“You ought to be arrested,” he said.
She looked up into his eyes. “So arrest me,” she whispered.
“There’s only one thing I’d like to do to you,” he said, moving against her. “But it’s better done in private.”
The gold flecks in her eyes glinted as she raised her head a little, her lips parting sensuously. “Well, then...?”
He almost dragged her from the party, but she did manage to offer a hurried goodbye and seasons greetings to their hosts.
Reaching the car, he turned her around, leaning her back against the metal, slipping an arm around her when she complained of the cool hardness on her bare skin. He took her mouth in a greedy kiss but instead of alleviating his discomfort, the feel and taste of her spurred him on. His hands roamed over her and she arched against him. He pressed her body against the car.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” he said gruffly. “I can’t take much more of this.”
She kissed him harder, as if in silent confirmation. “Then don’t,” she whispered.
He could have taken her there, in the car, but Jake held back, difficult as it was. That’s not how he wanted their first time to be, some quick convenience.
He eased her away and studied her expression. “We need to cool off. We’ve probably had to much champagne,” he said, knowing he’d barely had anything much to drink at all. He wasn’t so sure about Nic. Just sure enough to know that her actions with him were entirely out of the character he perceived her to be. He valued her friendship and didn’t want to risk destroying that precious alliance.
“A swim would be nice,” she said softly, her gaze focused on him. In the darkness it was hard to read her expression, to know whether she was disappointed, or not, with his suggestion.
They made the trip home in silence. Her hand resting on his thigh burned his skin through the cloth of his chinos.
Jake took Nicolette’s key from her and unlocked the door. “That was some party,” he said, switching on the light.
“You can say that again. I’m so hot and sticky, I’m ready for that swim. Care to join me?” she said provocatively.
“I’d like nothing better,” he said. His heart flipped at the smile she threw him.
“See you in the pool then,” and she turned and headed for her room.
He’d better get in that pool quick or he wouldn’t be able to fit into his Speedos. He was heating way too fast and already the water would sizzle on contact with his body.
He arrived at the pool at the same time as Nic. The site of her in the fluorescent pink bikini fanned his heat even more. He hadn’t seen her in it since the day he’d arrived. Usually she wore something a little more conservative when they went swimming together. But tonight he sensed a recklessness that was so uncharacteristic of her. And he hoped he could keep a firm grip on his own reckless streak. At this point, his grip was slipping fast.
“Those storms seem to be moving a bit closer,” he said, trying to take his mind off the gorgeous woman beside him, but the only way he could do that was to drown himself. He shallow dived and skimmed along the bottom of the pool before coming up for air.
Nic entered the cool water via the steps, the way she always did. She took the butterfly clips from her hair and placed them by the side of the pool, combing her delicate fingers through the honey brown strands, the silky texture framing her face.
She lowered the rest of her body into the water. “Ah, that’s better,” she sighed.
He watched her steady strokes as she sliced through the water to the other end then back toward him.
Her fingertips on his stomach gave him a start. She surfaced directly in front of him, almost close enough to slide upwards against his body. His own reacted and he pulled her against his arousal before he even had time to think about his actions.
“Don’t play with me, Nic, not unless you mean to see it through,” he growled, his body wanting her, his mouth aching to taste hers. He slid his hand into her hair and held her firm as his mouth lowered to meet hers.
She held nothing back from her kisses, gave them freely and he took all she offered. Her warm breath against his mouth stirred him so deeply that he moaned her name over and over. Just when he thought she’d reached her limit, the tip of her tongue invited his into her mouth, teasing him beyond his own limits.
“Do you know what you’re doing to me,” he breathed, unable to drag his mouth away from the taste of her skin.
“I have a pretty good idea,” she replied, arms resting on his shoulders, her fingers lightly stroking the back of his neck.
That felt so good. And so did her slick wet skin as his fingertips skimmed the curves of her body, his hands cupping her bottom. He adjusted his stance and lifted her to fit intimately between his thighs.
The softness of her cheek rested against his naked chest and his breath caught when she turned her head slightly and circled his nipple with the tip of her tongue. Urged on by his response, her cheek slid across his chest and she applied the same tantalizing treatment to the other nipple.
He groaned as he eased her away, the coolness of the water slapped him where her warm body had been. He didn’t keep them separated for long. She was just far enough away to allow him to lower his head until his mouth sought her breast through the pink triangles barely covering them.
Nic arched against him, her sweet heat, her willingness to share herself with him, drove him to be so bold with this woman he’d treated as an untouchable and unattainable precious treasure.
She moaned his name as his mouth encircled her nipples, first one, then the other. His hand moved lower, cupping her feminine place, his finger gently stroking at the fabric which kept him from the heart of her warmth.
The water lapped around them, heightening his awareness of how little clothing separated them and the feel of their water-slicked skin as they melded together. His hand eased aside the fabric of her bikini bottoms and his longest finger slipped inside her. She was velvet. Soft. Her gasp was lost as his mouth closed over hers.
How easy it would be to take her here in the pool, but somehow it didn’t seem right. He wanted more for Nic than that. She was special, fragile, and before he knew it, he was thinking of Nic and Mark.
Jake had to ask himself. Was he really ready for this? Suddenly he didn’t know and for the first time in a very long time, Jake realized he was unusually unsure of himself.
Nic had taken him by surprise this evening, shaken him.
His thoughts coincided with a loud clap of thunder, and hit him with about the same force. His hands moved to grasp her upper arms.
“Jake, what’s wrong?” Nic’s puzzled voice finally got through to him. He was breathing hard, but then so was she, as affected by the power of their liaison as much as he had been.
“The storm,” he breathed heavily. “The lightning. We’d better get inside. It’s pretty close.”
Nic’s face fell. Her expression tugged at him.
“Maybe it’s for the best Nic, Divine Intervention and all that.”
&nb
sp; She was bitterly disappointed, he knew, though she did her best to remain calm and in control. He could feel her tremble and knew it wasn’t from the cool water lapping around them.
“I’m sorry Nic,” he said. “I shouldn’t have let that happen.” Reluctantly, he let her go.
“I’m not sorry, Jake. But I wouldn’t want to force you into something you didn’t want to do.” With that she stormed out of the pool and headed into the house.
He shook his head and realized he trembled too.
The next set of thunder and lightning brought back memories of faraway places and the bone-chilling sounds of artillery, sending him scrambling for cover.
Chapter Eleven
The storm raged. In his bed, Jake tossed and turned, restless, unsettled, not asleep, yet not fully awake. Images and dreams raged like the storm.
Mark’s image flitted into his troubled thoughts.
Could Jake love her and leave her? Walk away in a fortnight or so? One troubled thought led to another, with no clear answer in sight. Deep in his heart he new Nicolette wasn’t the type of woman a man would find easy to leave.
But he had commitments with his work and a hazy plan for his next step in life. It didn’t include settling down in one place or with a permanent partner, no matter how tempting the thought.
“Mark!” His own scream frightened him awake.
He must have dozed off, he realized, waking to find himself tangled in the sheets. It took him a moment to realize where he was. Thunder had penetrated his dream and translated to the sounds of battle, awash with the strained faces of terrified people. Tortured images. Fear. Fire. Screaming interspersed with the thundering of guns and heavy vehicles.
He lay there, stunned, soaked. Damp sheets entwined around him, his breath hard and fast. It had been some time since he’d had that dream, the one where Mark had rolled into the path of a tank to get the particular shot he sought. He’d been a hair’s breath from being crushed by the heavy vehicle.
Jake groaned just as his door burst open. Nicolette stood there, the moonlight highlighted her white night gown. She looked like an angel in the darkness. An angel he’d prayed would rescue him from the depths of his dark, nightmarish dreams during those trying months in captivity.
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