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  Frustrated beyond belief, she decided that two could play that game. The next time he slid out, she clenched her inner muscles, clamping around the head of his cock, and smiled when she heard the gasp and the sudden indrawn breath on her neck, along with the answering surge of him back inside. Good. That was working. A nice change of pace.

  In. Out. In. Out.

  Raising herself on arms that trembled brought her back flush up against Jake's chest. Her head lolled back, cradled by his shoulder, and with a slight turn she could nibble the side of his mouth, flicking a teasing tongue out to capture a drop of sweat as it tracked down the side of his face. Thrusting faster, he freed a hand from the grip on her hip to hold her jaw line in place as he angled his mouth over hers, the kiss hard and hot. Clenching around him again, she swallowed the gasp she knew would come and the light flick of her tongue against his felt like an electric shock sizzling between them. Simulating what his groin was doing, she probed his mouth, stroking it intimately with her tongue, feeling the moan rumble up through his chest.

  "Oh fuck!” he cried, tearing his mouth from hers. Finally pushed too far, he grabbed her hips, pounding wildly into her until she could feel his balls slapping up against her.

  Yes! Yes! The frustrating pleasure of moments before peaked like an explosion within her. Uncontrollable, shuddering contractions surged through her and she screamed her release as Jake pounded into her, answering her with a gut-wrenching cry of his own as he emptied into her, gushing hot, searing jets of semen into her womb.

  "Jesus, Cass. Don't do that!” He gasped as he slumped over her.

  "Do what?” Her frazzled brain was struggling back to life, albeit a little sluggishly and she couldn't quite understand what he was saying.

  "You know. With your tongue. You're going to be the death of me."

  * * * *

  He wasn't lying. She would be the death of him for sure. He wondered if there would ever be such a thing as a gentle orgasm with her. Every time it felt like she was sucking his whole body out through the head of his cock. Once he took the edge off his craving for her, he felt sure he would be able to do it nice and slow ... in about fifty years, maybe! With his arms wrapped around her, he nuzzled her neck, inhaling the soft smell of her, a smell that was now mixed with the heady scent of sex.

  "Feel like another shower?” He mumbled against her neck, kissing the line of her jaw until he reached her mouth and turned her in his arms to cuddle her close. Her laughter bubbled up, breaking free in a throaty chuckle.

  "I'm making breakfast, remember?"

  "Damn!” He grinned back at her sheepishly. “I guess that means I'm on my own.” He reached down to pick up the discarded towel off the floor and wrapped it around his hips, tucking it in to hold it there. He ran his gaze over her face, at the sparkling eyes, the cheeky grin that he found so adorable and he reached to cup her face in his hands. “You're a beautiful woman, Cassie. I figure I have two choices: I can either fall in love with you now ... or later. And personally, darlin', I prefer not to wait."

  She stood in shock. With a brief touch to her lips he turned and started to walk away, before turning back to her once more. “And I'll have three eggs and four slices of bacon. I'm very hungry this morning,” he said with a wink.

  Cass stood and watched him walk away, dumbfounded, his words running through her head. Automatically, she turned on the heat under the pan for the eggs and trimmed the fat off the bacon. She was still struggling to believe he had said what he said when he came back out a few moments later.

  * * * *

  Cass watched Jake move confidently around the kitchen while she perched on one of the stools. After the sex in the kitchen and then his mind-blowing little comment to follow, her synapses were shot to hell. As a result, her initial, fumbling attempts to fix them some breakfast had been thwarted by Jake, who insisted she sit there and watch him instead. Which was not a hard thing to do, she decided. He looked mucho cute with his hair all mussed and nothing but the towel on.

  "Cassie? Hello?"

  She pulled her mind back to the here and now. Obviously Jake had been talking to her and she'd missed the whole thing. “I'm sorry. My mind was elsewhere."

  "Yes, I could see that.” He looked at her with a small, teasing smile. “Now, if you can just get your mind off my fine body for five minutes and tell me how you like your eggs, we can eat."

  She huffed in reply, embarrassed that he could read her so well. “I was not looking at your body. And that would be soft and runny, please."

  "I should have known,” he teased her, his eyebrow arched rakishly.

  She was not deaf, and she was not stupid, and she understood very well the analogy he was making. She rolled her eyes and shook her head. The man was a torment. The mention of the L-word had her in a state. Talk about out of the blue! What did he mean? Could it mean what she hoped it meant? Her nails tapped out a nervous beat on the counter. Jake's hand closed over hers, stopping her movements. She looked up at him.

  "Later. Let's eat first."

  She nodded. The smell of his cooking was making her tummy rumble.

  Jake had cooked up a mountain of food, which was just as well as they were both hungry and managed to demolish the lot of it. She was sipping her steaming coffee, pleasantly diverted by the feel of a full stomach and the pleasure of not having had to cook, when Jake broke into her musings again.

  "We're good together, don't you think?"

  "What do you mean?” In bed? In the kitchen? In the bathroom? After this morning's little episode, all he had to do was pick a room and she would be there, naked, before he could blink.

  "Not just the sex, darlin'...” The smirk on his face made her wonder if he could read her mind. “...but the rest of it—the talkin', the fun you and I have together ... little Chloe, too..."

  Uh oh. Here it comes ... She bit her lip nervously when he reached over and took her hand

  "I want us to see how far this can go, Cassie. D'you know how much I love bein’ with you? Both of you?"

  When he stared at her so intently with those big blue eyes, Cass had to struggle to remember to breathe, let alone think, and she really needed to think about what he was saying, the implications, the meaning.

  "We love being with you too, Jake.” Tell him, tell him.

  It was the opening she'd been looking for, waiting for. And if it all had to come to an end when he found out about Chloe, then it was better to find out now before they all got too deeply involved.

  "About Chloe..."

  Jake's face creased with a smile. “She's a gorgeous kid, darlin'.” His face turned serious. “Look, I know it's a big step to take for you because there is a child involved, but you don't have to worry about me and Chloe. I love that little sweetheart like she was my own. I'd never do anything to hurt either of you. You know that, don't you?"

  Oh God. Could the earth just open up and swallow her now? Please?

  "I know it's a package deal, darlin', and believe me, I want that. I want both of you."

  Stop, stop, stop. It was all moving too fast. Jake wasn't supposed to be talking like this. He wasn't supposed to want kids—his or anybody else's. She flicked at a toast crumb on the tablecloth while she tried to gather her thoughts. It was too damn hard to think straight we she looked into his eyes.

  You've got to tell him, Cass. Now. Stop stalling.

  "Jake, it's great ... that is, I'm very glad you feel that way about Chloe."

  "She's a credit to you, darlin'—a real special little girl. You've done a fantastic job of raising her."

  "Yes, she is, but..."

  "She takes after you in so many ways. Maybe that's why she's so cute."

  She wished Jake would just shut up for one second and let her get a word in before she totally lost her nerve. “About Chloe..."

  "Yes, darlin?"

  "She ... is ... She is..."

  The doorbell rang.

  Shit!

  "Back in a second.” Jake stood, kissin
g her briefly on the cheek, and went to answer the door.

  With a frustrated groan, Cass dropped her head into her hands, trying to slow down the erratic thumping of her heart. So close...

  The sounds of voices caught her attention. Jake's was distinctive, although the light and teasing tone of moments before was replaced by the deeper voice Cass was starting to realise was associated with a sterner Jake. Which was curious, as the other voice was definitely female.

  The voices were quite clear, Jake's especially, and Cass managed to catch snippets.

  "...was passing, so I thought I'd pop in."

  "Yeah, well, em ... this is unexpected, to say the least."

  "...still friends..."

  "Sure, Sandy."

  Sandy?!

  "...going to invite me in for a cup of coffee, hon?"

  Hon? Cass gritted her teeth. I don't think so!

  The door shut, but the voices came closer. Damn, there went her cosy morning with Jake. She tried to push down on the jealousy bubbling just below the surface before it showed on her face, wondering at the same time whether Sandy made a habit of these impromptu little visits. She managed to plaster a smile on her face just before Jake and Sandy rounded the corner into the dining room.

  "Sandy. You remember Cassie?"

  Cass may have been a novice in the men department, but she knew that look on Sandy's face very well. And Cass realised that however much Jake may have put his divorce behind him, that only made one of them. Sandy had definitely not let go.

  Chapter Thirteen

  That smile didn't fool her for a second. Although her gaze was expansive and the mouth tilted up at the corners, the appearance of friendliness stopped somewhere between the tilt of Sandy's nose and eyes. But then, considering the fact that Jake was wearing nothing but faded jeans with the top button undone, and she was still wearing her robe, Sandy didn't have to be Einstein to figure out Cass's visit was more than an innocent sleepover.

  She had to give Jake's ex-wife full marks for composure, though. The woman hardly missed a beat.

  "Cass! Of course. You're Lizzy's little friend aren't you?"

  Little friend. How nice. “Not quite so little anymore, Sandy...” nor as young and innocent as I once was, “...but yes, I'm Lizzy's friend. And how are you?"

  "Fine. It's lovely to see you again. You know, I remember when you and Lizzy first met. Just a couple of crazy teenagers tearing around after anything in pants. Jake and I used to have quite a chuckle over it, didn't we, hon?"

  "I don't recall...” Jake turned a surprised eye on Sandy as she slipped her arm in his and expertly cut him off.

  "He kept a good eye on you two, though. Big brother looking out for baby sister and her little friend.” Sandy looked up at Jake with a smile that just made Cass want to retch. “He used to worry that you'd get yourselves into ... err ... trouble.” Her emphasis hung on the last word and she glanced over at Cass. “By the way, how is that delightful little girl of yours? What's her name ... Clarissa ... Katie..."

  Bitch, thought Cass. Sandy's inference was not lost on any of them. But if only you knew ... Instead, she smiled sweetly back at Sandy, determined not to let her rattle her. “Chloe, actually. And she's fine, thanks, Sandy."

  "But it's so hard doing it on your own, I imagine."

  "True, but the joys are worth the hard work. Giving birth and being Chloe's mother is the best thing that ever happened to me. I wouldn't trade a minute of it..."

  "Yes, I'm sure.” The flicker of dislike passed so quickly through Sandy's eyes that Cass nearly missed it. “Look, I'm sorry if I interrupted something, you two. I didn't expect you to have company, Jake."

  "Yes, well..."

  "Jake's doing the work on your house, isn't he, Cass?"

  "Yes, he is."

  "Poor guy. He works so hard. I almost had to tear him away from it at times so that we could have some special time for the two of us. But it was worth it, wasn't it, Jake?"

  Jake was shifting uncomfortably. It was clear to Cass, and it surely must have been to Jake, that she had hoped to find him alone. “Was there something you wanted, Sandy?"

  "No, just thought I'd pop in and say hello. After our little chat at the barbeque, I thought I'd take you up on your offer to come over and talk."

  The reading on Cass's internal thermometer was about to burst. Standing there in a robe, no doubt looking completely dishevelled, wasn't doing much for her status quo, either. Besides, if she had to stand there and watch Sandy sink her claws any further into Jake's arm, she felt she was likely to grow a few of her own. Which shocked her.

  All of her previous emotions for Jake had been centered around the unrequited nature of her feelings for him. Now, however, having had a taste of Jake's affection, she discovered she didn't like sharing, not even, or especially with, his ex-wife. With as much grace as she could muster, she excused herself in the only way she knew would give Sandy a little bit of her own back.

  "I hope you'll excuse me, Sandy.” Cass fingered the belt of her robe and looked Sandy square in the eye and smiled. “Jake and I had just finished breakfast, and I need to go get showered and changed. It was lovely to see you again.” And on those words, she walked past both of them, running her fingers over Jake's chest with an unmistakable familiarity before she very obviously ... and deliberately ... disappeared into his bedroom.

  And there she stood, struggling to control the unusual feelings of possessiveness she felt for Jake and fighting not to go out and tear Sandy's hair out by the roots. Pacing, she strained to catch some of their conversation and was relieved to hear Jake ushering his ex-wife out the door. With a satisfied smile, she dropped her robe on the bed and walked into the bathroom, letting the shower run until the steam started to rise. She opened the door and stepped into tiled expanse, closing her eyes and releasing a contented sigh as she tilted her head back under the water and let it run down through her hair.

  She gasped moments later when she felt the small gust of cool air hit her as the door opened and Jake moved behind her, his hands reaching up to cup her breasts as his erection nudged her bottom.

  "You've no reason to feel jealous, you know."

  "Jealous? Me?"

  "Sandy and I are over, darlin'. I wouldn't have gone through with the divorce if I hadn't been sure of that."

  "So what was all that out there?"

  "We're just friends. Nothing more."

  Cass fought the urge to scoff. “Does Sandy realise that?"

  "Of course she does.” One of his hands slid down lower, the fingers raking through the nest of curls. “What about us, Cassie?"

  "What do you mean?"

  "Are we just friends?"

  Sliding over soapy skin, his hands met at her waist and turned her to face him. His erection throbbed against her stomach as he pulled her in closer and wrapped his arms tight around her.

  "I ... I don't know, Jake. We haven't ... um ... we've ... the sex ... I wasn't sure what else..."

  He kissed her, a soft yet searching kiss full of gentleness, not meant to excite but to speak to her, lay out as plain as day the difference between sex and making love, that spoke to her heart instead of her body, but left her weak-kneed just the same. “I want to be with you, darlin'. All the time. And not just for sex. Understand?” Blue eyes bored into hers, intent.

  She nodded, speechless.

  "And you, baby?” The rough timbre of the words made her heart stumble. His grip on her changed. No longer pulling her tight against him, he shifted, his arms enfolding her so that she felt embraced, secure, precious ... And in the same way, so too, did his words become infused with a fuller meaning, and the question was no longer simple and short.

  He was asking her to take the next step, with him, and she couldn't say no. He was her dream, for so many years, a dream that amazingly had become a reality, and so she grabbed it with both hands because she needed it, wanted it so much that she burned for it.

  "I do, Jake. Very much."

&nbs
p; He sighed as if a weight had been removed and kissed her, his lips settling softly over her cheeks, her eyes, before settling on her mouth, the heat from them melting the last part of the ice wall she had built to protect herself years ago. When he finally broke away, minutes later, they were both panting from the intensity. He rested his forehead on hers and breathed deeply. “Good. Because I'm telling you now, darlin'...” He took hold of her face, looking at her so deeply he reached into her soul. “...what I want is a whole lot more and I intend to make sure it's all mine. I don't share, Cassie. You're mine, baby, and that's a promise."

  * * * *

  After that amazing weekend, things with Jake seemed to change. He still joked and teased, but at times she would catch him looking at her when she turned quickly and she was surprised by the need and the hunger she thought she saw in his eyes. He would always look away quickly as if he'd been caught thinking things out loud that he wasn't ready to say. She wanted to ask him, but didn't know how, and she suspected if she did, he wouldn't say.

  But as if the words were too simple, too bland, to communicate what he was feeling, in bed with her at night after Chloe was asleep, his lovemaking, intense at times, incredibly tender at others, took her to heights she had never even realised were possible.

  And in the back of her mind was always the thought of Chloe, and Jake, and the words she had to tell him. But the longer it went on, the harder it became. She was trapped by her own cowardice. To tell him now meant she might lose him, and if that happened, she wasn't sure she would survive it...

  * * * *

  Grabbing a beer from the fridge for both of them, Cass walked out onto her brand new deck and handed one to Richard. Slipping a leg under her, she settled into one of the canvas deck chairs she had bought to celebrate and glanced out over the view. “How much longer do you think?"

  From the look of it, Richard and James, the two tradesmen Jake had assigned to do the work on her house, had nearly finished. The roof was fixed, the deck was built, her ensuite was fully operational. All that seemed to be left was the extra room downstairs.

  "Say, two weeks? Then we'll be out of your hair. And you two won't have to put up with us two messing with your routine anymore. What do you say, Chloe?” Chloe was sitting on his knees, licking at an ice cream. He mussed her hair, his touch affectionate.