One Touch Read online

  "Don't move, darlin'.” His voice shook a little. “Please, just let me touch you. I never really noticed before ... you're ... you're beautiful."

  He said it like it was some sort of revelation, which it undoubtedly was, however untrue. “It's just the scotch talking, Jake.” She tried to stand still. She tried not to move ... After all, what woman walks away from a dream coming true? But her heart was hammering so wildly in her chest she wouldn't have been surprised if it unseated itself and ended up down near her navel.

  It was the first time any man had touched her there and her nipple beaded into a hard bud as his work-roughened fingers caressed the tip. Biting her lip against the warmth that flooded through her at that single touch, she tried but couldn't stop the moan that bubbled up.

  During the course of her teenage years, she had kissed and been kissed like any other girl, but that was as far as it had ever gone. The simple truth was that she didn't want—hadn't wanted—anyone to touch her but Jake. Not that she'd been consciously saving herself for him. He was taken and she knew it, but just the thought of anyone else touching her intimately like Jake was doing repulsed her. And while all of her friends had tried sex in some shape or form, she was the only virgin left among them.

  With an experienced flick, her bra was unhooked and her breasts tumbled out. Her blouse was ruched up, baring her damp skin to the cool night air. With a distressingly practised touch that only served to make her more aware of her lack of experience, Jake had her blouse over her head and tossed away to land in a damp lump on the floor.

  His surprisingly warm hands caressed her. “You've such beautiful breasts, Cassie darlin',” he murmured, the brogue seeming to thicken as he became more excited.

  She inhaled sharply as his lips closed around a tip, suckling the aroused peak. The sensation of warm breath and lips over cool skin sent a shaft of pleasure through every nerve in her body, flooding the vee between her legs with moisture. The hindrance of her short little wrap skirt to his determined explorations proved as non-existent as her blouse and soon joined it in a soggy heap on the floor. This was so far beyond anything she had ever felt before, and her legs buckled when he slid a hand up her inner thigh to the dampness of her panties. Then, a slight pull and she was on his lap, the hardness of his erection nudging her hip.

  The licking and suckling on her nipple moved to the other one and breath escaped her when he slipped a finger under the elastic of her panties and ran a teasing line along the wetness of her folds. She had to bite her lip to stop from crying out.

  * * * *

  "Cass?"

  "Hmmm?” She felt a tugging on her elbow and shook her head to clear it of the memories. As long as she lived, she would never forget the way Jake had made her feel that night.

  "Don't mind her.” Rach nudged Lizzy and rolled her eyes. “When she gets that glazed look in her eyes, she's lost in her memories. You get used to it after a while."

  "I do not!"

  "Sweetie,” Rachael cupped her face in her hands, her words affectionate. “I have had so many conversations on my own over the years when you get that look on your face. So trust me, here. This is something I know from personal experience."

  "Am I right?” Lizzy was persistent, as always.

  A shroud of tiredness settled over Cass. She didn't want to be having this discussion. She didn't want to be thinking about Jake. She didn't want to be there, being forced to relive the old hurt, yet again. Perhaps it was just a figment of her imagination, but the walls suddenly seemed to be closing in.

  She had to remind herself that this was Lizzy, her best friend, and she deserved an honest answer. There was no way she could lie to her now. Because Lizzy had been supportive and caring for all of the last five years. What it must have cost her not to say anything, even when she suspected ... Maybe it was time. Time to put it all to rest at last.

  "I'll trade you.” She sighed deeply as the last vestige of fight in her dissolved. “I'll answer that if you answer a question for me. Deal?"

  "Sure."

  "Fine. Now, the answer to your question is...” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, realising that there was no way she could take back what she was about to say. “Yes, Jake is Chloe's father."

  Her eyes snapped open at the uncharacteristic growl that erupted from Lizzy.

  "Why, that bastard!” Her fists clenched at her sides as the anger, vented as a hiss, flared up within. “I'll kill him for this. I'll damn well..."

  Cass groaned. “And this is exactly why I didn't tell you before, Liz. I knew you'd blame Jake, but it was my fault as much as his—probably more so."

  "Unless you're telling me you seduced him, Cass, which I know you wouldn't do, that is just so much bullshit!"

  "No! Of course I didn't. But Jake was drunk. He didn't know what he was doing. He probably doesn't even remember it happened.” Her words petered out, voicing the reality that she had been living with for the last few years.

  "Jake? Drunk? Mr. Clean Living? ... Oh, no!” Liz slapped her forehead, remembering that time years ago when her brother had started to act out of character, causing Liz to wonder at the time what the hell was going on. “Now I remember. When Jake and Sandy broke up before the wedding..."

  "Yep."

  "He went out and got drunk."

  "That he did."

  "The next day was when I found this.” Liz held out a simple necklace, placing it on Cass's palm. “But, why didn't you tell him? He would have done the right thing. He's not the sort of guy to just leave a girl pregnant and alone."

  Why didn't she tell him? Cass couldn't help it; a tear tracked down her cheek as she recalled the day she had found out she was pregnant. “You remember the day that Jake and Sandy got back together about a month after their fight? The day they got engaged?"

  "Y-eesss. Sandy decided she couldn't stand the thought of Jake with some other woman. Let's forget of course, that she'd been dating up a storm in the meantime. But she came and proposed to Jake and he accepted."

  "That was the day I got the results back.” Cass caught the flicker of recall in Lizzy's eyes. “I came over to your place just in time to hear the happy news. Remember? You were all drinking champagne and celebrating. Somehow I didn't think either Jake or Sandy would appreciate my little announcement as an engagement present."

  "Oh, shit, Cass. I'm so sorry.” Lizzy wrapped her arms around Cass, hugging her tight. “But why didn't you tell me? Was it because you thought you couldn't trust me? I wouldn't have told a soul. Honestly. You know I wouldn't have."

  "It wasn't that, hon. I just didn't want to put you in the position of having to keep such a huge secret from Jake. That wouldn't have been fair. I couldn't do it to you."

  Lizzy wiped her damp cheeks with the back of her hand. “Thanks for trusting me now, Cass. You know I love you, sweetie, and that goes for Chloe, too. You've done a fantastic job with my little niece.” A tremulous smile teased the corners of her mouth. “I'm sorry I pushed. I just had to know. Ever since I found your necklace, it's been bugging the hell out of me, especially since you were so close-mouthed about who the father was—even with me."

  "I understand. Don't worry. It's fine."

  "So ... will you be okay with Jake at the wedding? If you want to bail out, I'll understand. I don't want you to be hurt anymore than you have been already."

  "Believe me, I'll be okay, Liz. I've had to grow up a lot since I became a mum.” A faded, weary grin creased her face. “Motherhood does that to a girl. Now ... my question."

  "Shoot."

  "Why did Jake and Sandy divorce?"

  It wasn't her imagination that a look of concern flickered across Lizzy's face.

  "Um ... why? I mean, what does it matter?"

  "I'm curious. Come on, Liz. I haven't asked you a single thing about Jake all these years. Just answer me this one question."

  Lizzy glanced at Rachael with a desperate look. A fact that was not lost on Cass.

  "What? Just answer the
question, Liz."

  "They ... er ... they split up because..."

  "Spill, for heaven's sake!"

  "Um ... Sandy was pushing and pushing to start a family and ... and Jake said he didn't want kids."

  Chapter Two

  Jake paced the hotel room feeling caged, not so much physically, but by his thoughts. Memories. Reminders of a night five years ago that he had tried to forget, tried to shove away to the back of his mind. Memories of long brown hair, the sweetest, juiciest lips and green eyes that flashed golden when she was aroused ... He paled and barely noticed the iron-tension in his shoulders.

  "Look, mate,” Rob came up behind him and slapped him on the back, jerking him back to the present, “I'm the one getting married today, so why the hell do you look more like the nervous bridegroom than me?"

  With a frown, Jake stopped his pacing and turned to face Rob. “Do I?” He hadn't realised. He knew why, though. He'd been thinking about seeing Cassie—again. In fact, since the moment he'd found out that he would be partnering her at the wedding, he couldn't stop thinking about her. But nervous? No. Yes. Maybe ... Aww, hell, definitely. He hadn't spoken to her or seen her since that night all those years ago.

  It occurred to him that his mind had visited her pretty often. His thoughts had turned to her again and again over the intervening years, even throughout his mistake of a marriage to Sandy, and at the most disconcerting of times, dammit!

  He had tried ignoring the memory, had tried replacing it with other things—wild, sensory things, and even unbridled sex with Sandy and the few women who had followed his divorce—but nothing worked. In all the years since that night, he had never had unprotected sex with another woman. Sweet little Cassie was the first and only, as if, subconsciously, that was something of him that no other woman would have. He could never forget the feel of her tight sheath hugging his cock, the warm, silky kiss of her skin against his, the awakening of her nervous, innocent body as she surrendered so completely under him before unleashing a passion that amazed and seduced him. And the scent of her ... Jeesus! Even the taste of her was burned into his lips and tongue so that nothing and no one else had even come close to what he had experienced that night with her. No other woman had felt ... right, for him since.

  No wonder his bloody marriage had gone down the toilet. But after Cassie, he shouldn't have married Sandy, anyway. He just hadn't realised...

  He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, running a hand over the growing tightness in his neck muscles. After his reaction to her the morning after, he'd be surprised if she ever spoke to him again and he wouldn't blame her one little bit. A shudder of disgust at himself rippled through him.

  He had been such an arsehole.

  Like he hadn't known what he was doing at the time. Huh! Even as drunk as he was, it had all felt so perfect, everything he had ever expected making love to a woman to be. But the cotton wool head and the hangover the next morning meant that he had handled the situation badly ... No, worse than badly. He'd been a total cretin.

  Opening his eyes as if from a warm dream to find Cassie snuggled ... no ... wrapped tightly up against him by his arms; sitting bolt upright in bed much too quickly when he realised, letting loose a savage pounding of a headache; saying the wrong fucking thing, as usual; Cassie trying to be dignified, shrugging off his words, quickly getting dressed and then leaving before he even had a chance to get his stupid brain in gear and his useless mouth in motion ... He had hurt her. Even his bloodshot eyes hadn't missed that Cassie's were filled to overflowing with unshed tears. It had damn near torn him apart. He had never wanted to hurt her ... Damn, damn, damn.

  With a determined shake of his head, he pushed those recriminations away. If he was going to get through his friend's and his baby sister's big day, he would have to get his thoughts under control. Somehow.

  Rob was looking at him curiously.

  "What?"

  "Nothing. You okay, mate?"

  "I'm fine. Fine. Never better.” The last thing he wanted was Rob doing twenty questions on him. “So, you all ready to be tying the knot to my little sister?"

  Rob chuckled. “I've been more than ready for the last twelve months. If I'd had to wait much longer, I was seriously considering kidnapping and elopement. Convincing her just took a little bit more sweet-talking than I expected. Damn woman is as stubborn as you are and God help me if it's genetic. But you know what?” He grinned, a self-satisfied grin that Jake envied. “I wouldn't trade her for all the tea in China. I knew Liz was ‘the one’ the minute I laid eyes on her."

  "But she was just a kid back then, and a bloody annoying one at that."

  Lizzy had been a wild and out of control nineteen-year-old. Rob had somehow managed to tame the little vixen, a fact for which his parents were eternally grateful.

  "Maybe to you, big brother, but to the rest of the male population, she was all woman ... all my woman. I knew it was just a matter of time before my good looks and devilish charm got to her."

  Jake laughed. He had suspected for years that half the reason Rob almost lived at their house was not just because they were best mates. That little revelation merely confirmed it. “Well just make sure she stays ‘the one', Boy-O, or I'll have to do the big brother thing and beat the crap out of you.” His wink let Rob know he was joking. Although he and Rob were the same height, Rob was just a big ball of muscle. Growing up, Jake had been glad more than once that Rob was his friend and not his enemy.

  A loud thump-thump on the door caught their attention, and they both looked over as the door vibrated under the assault.

  "Gee, do you think that might be Tom?” Rob, facetious as always, walked to the door and paused as it suffered under another barrage. “He's the only guy I know who never learned the subtle nuances of knocking on a door.” He opened it to reveal the man in question. “Well, lookie here. It's the police. Is this a raid, officer?"

  "Ha, ha. Very funny.” Tom glared at his friend good-naturedly. “Sorry I'm late. Had a minor emergency down at the station. But I'm here now, and I brought beer, too, so cut me some slack.” With a flourish, he brought the six-pack around from behind his back. “Thought you might need some Dutch courage ... in case the nerves were starting to take hold."

  "You'd best sling one to our compadre over there.” Rob grinned and nodded at Jake. “So far he's worn the carpet out in front of the window with his bloody pacing. Although what he has to be nervous about beats me. I'm the one being fitted for the noose."

  Jake turned, trying to hide a good-humoured smile, but it reached his eyes and made them sparkle. “That's my baby sister you're talking about, mate, so watch it,” The mock severity of his tone didn't fool anyone.

  Tom passed around the beers, and then raised his in a toast. “Here's to Rob and Lizzy. May all your fantasies come true and your kids look like your wife, cause you are one ugly bastard."

  "Don't worry, mate. You'll get yours one day.” Rob bellowed with laughter as he acknowledged the toast with a nod of his head. “In fact, I can't wait for the day that you find the little lady that makes you want to settle down."

  "Me? Bite your tongue, man! I mean, I'm all for you and Lizzy getting legal, but I find certain advantages in the single state. No point in disappointing all those luscious lovelies who lust after my body."

  "Yeah, right. It must be the uniform, because you have bugger all else going for you."

  Jake stood back and listened to his two mates trading friendly insults. It was a standard routine that usually amused him. But today, his mind was elsewhere. A quick glance at his watch showed him that the time was drawing near. He took a quick swig of his beer, the cold liquid running a chill down his throat.

  "Well, gents,” Rob glanced at his watch, “I think it's time to get this show on the road. What do you say? Drink up and let's go get hitched."

  Tom looked at Jake. “Is it my imagination, or is someone just a tad eager? I never would have thought I'd see the day that we didn't have to drag you ki
cking and screaming to the altar."

  "No, Rob was always keen. You're the one that we'll have to hogtie. He's right, though—time to go. If we're late, Lizzy will tear you a new one, and me along with you. You do realise, of course, just what a tyrant my little sister can be?"

  "No problem. I've got it covered. I have ways of taking the piss out her vinegar, don't you worry.” Rob laughed at the expression on Jake's face.

  Tom chuckled and slung his arm around Rob. “Ahhh, you don't say things like that to the big brother, mate."

  Jake recovered and laughed. “I agree. Waaaaay too much information, thanks all the same. C'mon, let's go. Time to get you married."

  And time for me to see sweet little Cassie once again and put those old ghosts to rest.

  Chapter Three

  "This is beautiful, Lizzy.” Rachael glanced around at the garden and the guests seated on white wicker chairs on the lawn. “I love garden weddings."

  "I thought you said you had no intention of even thinking about getting married, Rach?"

  "And I don't, Cass. I meant for other people, you twit. I shall remain virginal and pure for the rest of my life."

  The pious expression she assumed had Lizzy laughing out loud. “You're joking, right?"

  Cass snorted. “Looks like you blew that one already, Sister Saintly. Because I seem to recall you telling me about Billy and Carl..."

  "Don't you dare!” She turned to glare at Cass, who just raised her eyebrow mockingly a la Rachael and threw in an upward twist of her mouth. Satisfied with her little tease, she closed her eyes and inhaled the myriad of scents permeating the air.

  Late spring/early summer in Sydney was a beautiful time of year and the grounds of Granville House were abloom with a profusion of spring bulbs and flowers. The garden's explosion of colour dazzled the eye with a near overwhelming jumble of hues, both rich and vibrant. Nature's brush had painted her verdant canvas with the abandon of a brilliant artist gone wild, splashing leafy greenery with the soft lavender and mauve of hyacinths and the crimson and white of roses. To the mix, she'd added a punch of yellow-throated violet irises and, in a final burst, had daubed on white, red and yellow freesias spilling through the foliage. The heady scent of a multitude of fragrances swirled and eddied in the light breeze, and the leafy bower of the jacarandas hung over the garden like a lacy veil, filtering the late afternoon sun in and out in a lazy rhythm. One look was all it had taken for Lizzy and Rob to decide that the gardens and the historic old house were the ideal place for the ceremony as well as the reception.