“Jake, what’s wrong? Are you all right?”
“No,” he said, his voice raspy and wavering. “I’m not.”
She glided further into the room and sat beside him on the bed. She reached out a hand, hesitated, and then began to caress his cheek. The touch of her soft skin triggered thoughts he knew would be hard to rein in. His body’s response was immediate as she continued her tender assault.
“This is becoming a habit...you coming to my rescue in the middle of the night.” He leaned into her palm. His voice was huskier now, stronger, as was the heat coursing through him.
“Do you mind?” she asked, leaning forward slightly, her fingers drifting down, tickling the back of his neck. He felt the warmth of her hand resting on his bare shoulder and tried not to shudder at her touch. His skin tingled.
“How could I mind? What better way than to wake up from a bad dream to find an Angel of Mercy by my side?” In the silence of darkness, he reached out, his palm finding the softness of her cheek. He smiled, recalling the light rose that flushed her cheeks. “You’re blushing,” he said tenderly.
“How did you know?”
“I know you.”
He urged her closer and her body lost some of its tension and relaxed toward him. He lifted himself, supported by his left arm and slid his other hand to curl around her neck.
Their bodies eased closer, and he could tell her eyes were wide, watching him. The last thing he remembered a moment before his lips met hers, was that her eyelids fluttered closed and her lips parted, accepting his kiss.
Her mouth was velvet, her lips pliable as they molded to his. Her initial hesitancy disappeared the more he tasted her, until she was clinging to him and kissing him back. He was losing his cool, his blood heating through his veins. Again her fingertips played with the ends of his hair where it fell against his neck. Her touch intensified the pleasure and passion that spiraled through him.
“Are you sure you want this?” he forced himself to ask, almost afraid of what her answer would be. He knew he didn’t want to share her with anyone, not even his memories, but was he strong enough to deny the need that filled him?
“Are your loyalties divided, Nic? What about Mark?”
Anguish sliced through him. He was afraid she still harbored a love for Mark. It wasn’t fair to either of them if that was the case.
His night vision had well and truly kicked in now and he could see she was taken aback by his bluntness. Though he’d tried to sound tactful, years of reporting had given his voice that cool-edged tone.
She watched him carefully, taking her time to reply. “My loyalties aren’t divided.” Her voice was whisper-soft, husky, and feathered over him like the most delicate, transparent cloth. “I feel like I’ve finally put Mark’s death behind me now. I’m ready to move on.”
His breath shot out into the warm night air. Only then he realized he’d been holding it in anticipation of her response. The relief that filled him now also increased his desire for her.
He took a deep calming breath.
But it had little effect.
“And Danny?” His voice was a gravely whisper.
“You know there’s nothing between Danny and me. He’s a very happily married man and I’ve no intention of becoming the other woman.” Nic’s whispered words curled around him. A slight pressure at the nape of her neck brought her mouth closer to his.
“I wouldn’t be here with you if I didn’t want to be.” Between kisses, her mouth barely left his long enough to get the words out.
Though she tried to rain more kisses on him, he eased her away, his fingers caressing her cheek. His gaze held hers. “Then why didn’t you tell me...about Danny that first day?”
“I wasn’t sure how I felt about you, only that I felt too much too soon. Initially having you think Danny and I were involved provided a kind of protective barrier. Something to hide behind. Bought me some time to work out how I really feel about you.”
“And how do you feel about me now?”
“I...I’m still not sure. All I know is that I want to be with you. More than anything.” She place a finger over his lips to prevent him interrupting. “I know what I’m doing. Don’t think I don’t. I’m ready to move on, Jake.”
He raised the sheet and looked at her expectantly. Silence filled the air between them.
Nic rose from the bed. A smile teased at her lips as she tugged at the folds of her nightie before dragging it over her head.
Jake almost dropped the sheet in surprise. His breath caught as she stood before him, naked in the pale moonlight. A hundred emotions coursed through him, fighting for control.
The storm outside had subsided now, but the storm in his heart still raged. Nic slid into bed beside him and he let the sheet flutter over their bodies.
At the touch of her body against his, Jake hauled her to lay on top of him, flesh to flesh, heat to heat, softness to hardness. His hands framed her face as his tongue began tasting her mouth.
“You can do anything you like to me,” he whispered, trying not to let his imagination run too far ahead of him.
“That’s supposed to be my line,” she said provocatively.
With a deep groan he flipped her over onto her back and pinned her to the sheets. Before he could say another word, she kissed him with a hunger that echoed his own.
Chapter Twelve
Nic needed her head examined. There was no doubt about it.
She continued to go through her paces, stretching, flexing. Jake seemed to be keeping to himself since they’d spent the night together. Seeking peace in the training room, where she could concentrate on her exercise and dance routines, she’d more or less done the same.
A silent mutual agreement.
But images of Jake rendered concentration almost impossible. When she tried to dismiss him from her thoughts, Mark took his place. She pushed herself all the harder then reminded herself that neither of them were worth injuring herself over.
As for Jake, she’d always thought that nothing about him would appeal to her. Now she realized he had qualities she admired. She liked having him around, enjoyed his company and sense of humor. God help her, she liked his touch and the way it made her feel.
She looked forward to the possibility of spending Christmas with Jake and hoped that the hum of tension between them would ease.
A soft sound caught her attention and she looked up to see the object of her thoughts framed in the doorway and her heart shimmied. He stood watching her, dark eyes assessing. Then he smiled and her heart fluttered in a rhythm all its own as she smiled back.
“I’m going for a swim when I’m done here. Come and join me,” she invited, almost melting into a puddle beneath his burning gaze.
But just then, the phone rang.
“I’ll get it,” he said, and snatched the receiver from the wall extension.
“Natalie!”
He sounded pleased to hear from her, whoever she was.
He nodded, and his expression lightened. He chuckled. “Yeah, I’m looking forward to spending Christmas with you too. It will be the first one in a long while.”
He glanced over at Nic. “Yeah, I can spare a few days.” He paused. “Sure, it would be a good time to discuss selling the house. It’s not likely we’ll be sharing it again any time soon.”
He nodded. “Yes, go ahead and get an appraisal or two, then we can discuss it at Christmas. By the way, how’s Crash?”
What kind of relationship did Jake have with this woman? It was obvious they’d shared a house. And who was Crash? Could he be their son? A cold shiver shot through her. How did this woman know where to find Jake? Obviously he’d kept in touch with her.
Nic had enough and left the room. She heard his laughter as she walked toward the river, far enough away so she couldn’t hear his voice. She leaned against the trunk of a huge old gum tree, glad of its shade.
So Jake had a better offer for Christmas. She felt crushed and it took solid effort to h
old herself together. Not that she’d show him how devastated she was.
“Hey Nic.” He came up behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders, turning her around gently. “That was a hasty exit. I needed to ask you something.”
His questioning gaze scrutinized her. “Hey, is anything wrong?”
“If you have better things to do over the holidays, Jake, don’t let me stop you,” she said, hoping she didn’t sound bitchy. She tried very hard not to feel that way, but it wasn’t working. Damn it, but her feelings were hurt.
Surprise registered on Jake’s face. “What do you mean?”
“Well, obviously, you’ve just made other plans with...with that Natalie woman. And you’re selling the house that you and she shared by the sounds of it.”
A smile curved his mouth. “Are you a teeny bit jealous, Nic?”
“No!” she pouted. “You said yourself that we’ll make no promises, that we have no claims on one another. Why should I mind if you’re seeing another woman.”
She barely got the words out. Her lower lip trembled. She’d known it would, and she clamped her lips together to keep the trembling under control. But hot tears burned her eyes and she wanted to kick herself for behaving this way in front of Jake. What would she be like when he left for good? But that was different. While he was here with her, she didn’t want to share him with anyone.
“Hey, Sweetheart,” he said, stepping closer. His arms encircled her. She shrugged away from him and stepped back.
“Am I your sweetheart?” she said, knowing she sounded like a jealous adolescent. This was no way to behave, but her pent-up emotions took control.
Jake stepped forward again and Nicolette moved away, only to feel the tree trunk at her back. She tried to step sideways, away from Jake’s approach but he was too quick for her and blocked her escape.
Nic trembled, unsure whether its cause was Jake’s closeness, her disgust at her behavior or an inner anger for letting herself be duped by him, or giving in to her emotions.
“Yes,” he said, trailing a finger down her cheek. “You are my sweetheart.”
He bent to kiss her, but she moved her head away. “Th...then who’s Natalie?”
“My sister.”
Nic’s insides cringed with embarrassment. “Oh Lord.” She closed her eyes and felt Jake’s tender butterfly kisses on her eyelids.
“Who did you think she was?” He continued his tender assault, his voice husky, his caresses soft and gentle. He trailed his fingers down the column of her neck, continuing across to the softness above her breast and then slowly down her breastbone.
Her breath shot out of her lungs and she had difficulty breathing in.
His other arm stretched upwards and he leaned a hand against the tree. “I wanted to ask you,” he whispered in a hushed voice, before touching a soft kiss to her mouth, “if you would like to spend Christmas in Canberra, with my sister and me and Luke, the friend I told you about.” He feathered another kiss to her lips. “Would you like that?”
How could she deny him anything when faced with this sweet torture?
“You’re most welcome, but if you’d rather not go, we can stay here.” He continued with his tender kisses.
“I’ll call her back either way.”
Nic’s breath came out in a rush. “You’re bribing me,” she accused, her inner self crumbling amidst the onslaught of his kisses.
“Now why would I do that?” he asked, a hint of mischief in his eyes.
“Why indeed?” she said, and began to kiss him back.
“How about we go inside?” Jake whispered, his breath tickling her ear, ruffling through her hair. “A bed has to be better than the hard ground.”
She smiled her assent and laughed as he scooped her up in his arms. “You’re a wicked man, Jake Harrigan,” she teased, in between nuzzling his neck and kissing him, as he crossed the short distance to the house and made his way up the stairs.
“I know. But you wouldn’t have me any other way.” She laughed softly as she nipped at his ear lobe. “Ouch. Keep that up and we won’t make it to the bedroom.”
* * *
The last few days leading up to Christmas became a blur of keeping up her exercise routine and making love with Jake. Neither of them spoke about the future, but simply enjoyed the present.
Nic accepted she’d never be more than memories for Jake to take back with him overseas to God knew where. And she told herself that was all right by her. She didn’t want commitment anyway. She had a career to rebuild. However, another little part of her reminded, rather cruelly, from time to time, that she was only kidding herself.
On the way through Windsor they stopped at Mark’s grave, where Nic placed an assortment of flowers she’d bought at one of the market stalls. She lingered a while, and Jake allowed her to take her time. He seemed very quiet and she expected his thoughts were filled with the experiences he’d shared with Mark.
It surprised her that she had no qualms about saying goodbye to Mark. Both she and Jake had been denied that opportunity before Mark’s death and now that she could look ahead to her own future, she was more able to let go than she had been the day of his funeral. With grim acknowledgment she knew a bigger wrench still lay ahead of her—saying goodbye to Jake.
“Are you ready to go?” Jake asked softly.
She nodded, looking up into his eyes. She saw a sadness there, but warmth as well. “Are you?”
“Yes.”
His gentle squeeze of her shoulder reassured her. “Let’s get going before the traffic begins to build.”
Christmas Eve morning promised another hot day and after spending some time in the cemetery beneath the heat of the sun, Nic was more than ready to climb back into the air-conditioned car.
The trip was slow until they reached the highway linking Canberra and Sydney, then headed south. From then on the traffic flowed smoothly. Close to three hours later, in the leafy streets of one of Canberra’s oldest suburbs, Jake pulled up in front of a cream painted wooden house surrounded by native gardens and flowering shrubs.
“We’re here,” Jake said. “This is where I grew up.” He looked through the car window, a pensive expression on his face. “You know, for a while I never thought I’d see this place again.”
Nic rested her hand reassuringly on his thigh. Jake hadn’t spoken much at all about those weeks in captivity. She’d sensed he didn’t want to talk about them and she’d respected that. “It must have been awful for you.”
“More than anyone will ever know, except for those who were there with me.” He drew in a deep breath and smiled, as if mulling over some secret thought. “But we survived.” He continued to gaze through the glass.
“This is so pretty.” Nic studied the tree-lined street and well established gardens.
“It almost seems a shame to sell the house. But Nat wants something more modern, something that demands much less maintenance to suit her lifestyle and I don’t have any plans to return here to live.”
Nic’s heart fluttered in reminder that Jake’s words were true, but she dismissed the negative emotions before they swamped her completely. She would take each day as it came and appreciate having Jake around for a few more days.
Jake alighted from the car and moved around to open her door. Nic stepped out into the dry heat of Canberra’s December sunshine.
“Only the old suburbs have wooden houses,” he said. “And their share of monocrete houses as well. When Canberra was first established, it grew faster than anybody anticipated, so that meant hurried building programs to house the swelling population. It was only later that brick homes became the norm here.”
“Are all the suburbs this leafy?” she asked.
He shook his head. “Probably not. When I lived here, some of the newer ones were cleared of trees and had to rely on whatever the residents planted to provide any greenery.”
“This is lovely,” she said. “I didn’t realize how accustomed I’d become to being surrounded
by trees. And your house is so...so quaint.”
Jake grinned. “That’s one way of putting it.”
Just then the front door opened and a small dark-haired woman bolted toward them. “Jake!” She flung her arms around Jake and held him.
“G’day Nattie,” he said as he hugged her tight and rubbed his hand on her back.
“It’s so good to see you,” she said. “I can’t believe you’re here. Safe.” She stepped back and wiped a tear from her eye. “You had Luke and me so worried. You’ve no idea.”
He grinned. “I think I might have a fair idea. It’s good to see you too.” He hauled her against him and gave her another hug.
“This is Nic. Nicolette.”
“Natalie,” she said, extending her hand to Nic. “Jake’s told me so much about you, I feel I know you already. I’m so sorry to hear about your husband.”
Nic smiled, warming to this woman’s easy personality and welcoming smile. She had such lovely eyes—a clear light blue, fringed with dark lashes. Her dark short hair framed her face, its carefree wispiness giving her a wild gypsy look.
“Thank you,” Nic said. “Mark’s death was quite a shock to us both.”
Nic glanced at Jake.
“How about we take your bags inside?” Natalie suggested. “Luke should be here any minute. He’s gone to do some last minute shopping. We’ve been so busy this week, there wasn’t a chance until now. Even with the supermarkets open anywhere from eighteen to twenty-four hours.”
Only then did Nic become curious about Luke.
“Have you been to Canberra before?” Natalie asked.
“No, I haven’t, but I’ve always wanted to visit.”
“Then we’ll have to give you the grand tour while you’re here. Let me know if there’s anything special you want to see. For starters, there’s Parliament House and the War Memorial, and of course, the museum. Oh, and the Lakes and recreation areas. And the Carillon. And the zoo and aquarium. That’s worth a visit.”
December Heat Page 13