Australia: In Bed with a Bachelor

CHAPTER FIVE

THE waitress advised them to choose only one main course with a side dish of vegetables to share since they were ordering two separate entrées. The helpings were large and they would surely want to leave room for dessert.

‘Definitely,’ Laura agreed. ‘I have to try the sesame ice cream with candied popcorn and chocolate.’

‘And I want the Dessert Cocktail,’ Jake said with relish. ‘Sounds wonderful—caramelized pear, London gin, lillet blanc and crème de cacao shaken and served with the chocolate, sesame and cashew bark.’

It sounded very James Bond to Laura who couldn’t help grinning over the thought. Jake might not be 007 but he was certainly tall, dark, handsome and dangerous, especially to any peace of mind. Somehow peace of mind wasn’t rating highly at the moment. A thrilling buzz was running through her veins and she was now determined on milking maximum enjoyment out of the night, throwing caution and the Machiavellian shadow of her father to the winds.

‘That’s a big smile,’ Jake commented, his eyes simmering sexily.

‘Loving the idea of having a piece of your dessert,’ she tossed back, knowing she wanted a piece of him, too.

‘Food, glorious food!’ he quoted from the musical Oliver, half singing the words and making her laugh.

‘We have to decide on which one of our main courses to go for now,’ she reminded him.

‘We’ll go with your choice—the stir-fried pork, bacon, smoked tofu, garlic shoots, garlic chives and chilli oil—and I’ll pick the vegetable dish.’

‘Which will be?’

‘Stir-fried wild bamboo pith, snow peas and quail eggs with ginger and garlic.’

‘We’ll probably end up with garlic breath.’

‘We can try washing it away with wine.’

He ordered an expensive bottle of sauvignon blanc.

The waitress departed, having assured them of prompt service.

Laura heaved a satisfied sigh as she sat back and relaxed, happy to enjoy the ambience of the restaurant and the company of the man she was with.

‘How was your week?’ she asked.

He gave her a very sensual smile. ‘All the better for ending here with you. How was yours?’

‘Annoying.’

He raised a quizzical eyebrow.

She made a rueful grimace. ‘I couldn’t get you out of my head.’

He laughed. ‘I’m glad the problem wasn’t entirely mine. The question is whether to feed the fever or starve it?’

‘I’m all for feeding tonight.’

‘So am I.’

His eyes said he wanted to eat her all up and Laura couldn’t deny she wanted to taste him again, too, but she wasn’t ready to commit herself to becoming lovers on such short acquaintance.

‘I meant here at the restaurant, Jake. I don’t really know you, do I?’ She eyed him seriously. ‘My father obviously likes you very much, which isn’t a great recommendation. I think from your visit last Sunday, you can draw a fairly clear picture of my life, but I don’t have one of yours, apart from your mentioning that your mother has passed away. What about the rest of your family?

He shrugged. ‘Both my parents died when I was eighteen. I was their only child. I’ve been on my own ever since. My life is not complicated by having to manage relationships, Laura. As I saw you doing last Sunday.’

‘You move to your own beat,’ she said wryly.

‘Yes.’

‘No live-in girlfriends along the way to here and now?’

He shook his head. ‘I haven’t met anyone I wanted to be with every day.’

She nodded, extremely wary of the live-in situation herself. ‘It’s a big ask, day in, day out. I can’t see myself even wanting to try it.’

He smiled, eyes twinkling with understanding. ‘You wish to be a free spirit.’

‘I’ve seen my mother compromise too much,’ she shot at him.

‘Not all men are like your father, Laura,’ he said seriously. ‘My parents’ marriage was very happy. I grew up in a loving home. I wish I still had it.’

She felt a stab of envy, though his loss triggered sympathy, as well. ‘You were lucky to have what you did, Jake, but I guess missing that home life leaves you feeling very lonely.’

His eyelids dropped to half-mast, narrowing the flash of dangerous glitter. Some powerful emotion was coursing through him, belied by the offhand tone he used in his reply. ‘It’s been ten years, Laura. I’ve learnt to live with being alone.’

She didn’t think so. She sensed anger in him at the loss, a deep abiding anger, so intense there was an edge of savagery to it. The image of a lone wolf endlessly prowling for some measure of satisfaction leapt into her mind.

Had he been looking for it in the career he had chosen? The bankruptcy business was centred on loss and he’d spoken almost passionately about the trauma of it and wanting to help when she’d taken him out to the garden last week. It had surprised her at the time. The conviction started to grow in her that he was not like her father. Not at all like him.

Which made the pleasure she could share with him much more acceptable.

‘The self-sufficient man,’ she said, smiling.

‘Who doesn’t want to be alone tonight.’

His smile was definitely wolfish, exciting her with the wild thought of howling at the moon together, mating on top of a mountain under the stars. Ridiculous since they were in the middle of a city, but the female animal inside her was strongly aroused, wanting to explore intimate possibilities with Jake Freedman.

The waitress returned with the bottle of wine and filled their glasses for them. Jake lifted his in a toast. ‘To learning a lot more about each other.’

Laura nodded agreement. ‘I’ll drink to that.’

She clicked her glass to his and they both sipped the wine.

‘I heard you tell Eddie that you worked out at a gym. Do you go often?’

‘Usually after work. It’s a good way of winding down.’

And every woman in the place would be eyeing him off, Laura thought, wondering if he also used the gym for casual pick-ups. She couldn’t imagine him not having a very active sex life. Which, she strongly suspected, he kept completely separate from his work life.

‘You said last Sunday you didn’t want to want me, Jake,’ she reminded him. ‘Is that because it’s difficult to avoid it touching on your career with me being my father’s daughter?’

He made an ironic grimace. ‘I think it’s a complication we’d both prefer not to have.’ He leaned forward, his dark riveting eyes shooting a blaze of purpose at her. ‘Let’s shut the door on it. Just do what we want to do together, regardless of other issues. Are you brave enough to go down that road with me, Laura? Strong enough to make the choice for yourself?’

The challenge propelled her pulse into overdrive. Brave? Strong? She wanted to belief that of herself, but was it really true? She’d always shied clear of intimate entanglements, afraid of how they might affect her. The couple of sexual experiments she’d allowed herself had been more out of curiosity—a desire for knowledge—than a wish for a closer, more possessive attachment.

Jake Freedman tapped something far more primal in her and that was scary because it was uncontrollable. She wanted to explore it, to feel whatever he could make her feel, but she couldn’t quite override the sense of danger with him. Already he had taken up far too much possession of her mind. Would that go away with passion spent or would she end up losing the mental independence she needed for self-survival?

She could not—would not—end up like her mother.

‘I like to come and go as I please, Jake,’ she said firmly. ‘I don’t think I’d mind joining you along the road now and then, but…’

Her mouth dried up as a dazzling grin spread across his wickedly handsome face.

‘Fine…perfect…we can draw a map and meet when the time is right for both of us.’

She laughed with nervous excitement. He was so obliging, so tempting, so incredibly sexy, and surely there was nothing too scary about having an intermittent adventure with him.

The waitress arrived with their entrées. Laura had chosen the fried salt-and-pepper silken tofu with spicy coriander salad and Jake had decided on the Northern-style lamb and fennel dumplings. Both dishes looked and smelled deliciously enticing.

‘We divide them in half. Right?’ she said eagerly.

‘Sharing is the deal,’ he agreed, obviously enjoying her keen anticipation. ‘Go ahead. Divvy up.’

Jake watched her halve the portions on each plate, liking her meticulous care, liking everything about her, especially the determination to run her own life as she saw fit. It freed him of any guilt over pursuing what he wanted with her. She was not looking for a happy-ever-love with him. She didn’t believe in it.

Given what he’d seen of her parents’ marriage, he understood where she was coming from and why she would shy clear of serious attachments. Alex Costarella had wrought damage on his own family, as well as on many others’. He’d robbed Jake of his parents, but unlike them, Laura was alive and kicking. She would survive. An intermittent relationship with him should not create a problem for either of them.

‘We should start with the dumplings and finish with the salad,’ she said authoritatively.

‘Yes, ma’am.’

It startled her into a laugh. ‘I didn’t mean to be bossy.’

He grinned. ‘I don’t mind taking advice from a serious foodie. In fact, I would like you to extend my education on gourmet delights.’

She blushed. ‘You’re teasing me. I think I’ll just shut up and eat.’

‘Enjoy.’

She ate with obvious relish. It was a pleasure watching her appreciating each different taste. ‘Please feel free to comment,’ he urged. ‘I wasn’t really teasing you, Laura. I want you to share your thoughts on these dishes with me.’

‘Tell me what you think,’ she countered.

He did and she happily responded.

The whole meal was a pleasure, not only for the wonderful variety of tastes, but also Laura’s delight in them. She made it a great sensory experience and not only on the palate. The licking of her lips, the heavenly rolling of her eyes, the rise and fall of her lush breasts when she sighed with satisfaction, the warm smiles that fuelled a burning lust to have all of her…Jake itched to sweep her off to bed and take his fill of Laura Costarella.

He couldn’t recall ever having enjoyed an evening with a woman so much. It was impossible to tolerate the thought of it ending here. He had to persuade her to want what he wanted. And not just tonight. He knew one night wouldn’t satisfy him. Not now.

They finished up with nougatine and rum truffle candy bars to nibble as they sipped the last of the German Riesling he’d ordered to accompany their dessert.

‘This has been fantastic, Jake. Thank you so much for giving me the experience.’ Her beautiful blue eyes twinkled. ‘Definitely a more than fair exchange for my Sunday lunch.’

‘Apart from Neil Perry, what other top Sydney chefs would you like to try out?’ he asked, determined on tempting her into his company again.

She reeled off a number of names, then shook her head. ‘I can’t afford to go to their restaurants but one day I hope to. In the meantime, I drool over their cook books.’

‘I can afford them, Laura, but I don’t want to go alone. Nor do I know as much about food as you do. I’m happy to pay for you to be my educator, my companion, to share your knowledge and pleasure with me. Will you do that?’

She hesitated, frowning over his proposition.

‘An adventure into fine dining,’ he pressed.

‘With you footing the bill,’ she said, wincing over the inevitable cost.

‘Why not? It’s my idea.’ Not to mention the desire running hot behind it.

‘It’s like…you’re buying me, Jake.’

He shook his head. ‘Buying your interest, your knowledge. Expanding my own. Say yes, Laura. It will be fun together. As tonight has been.’

Which was undeniable.

‘You’re right,’ she said on a sigh of surrender. ‘It’s no fun alone. I’m sorry I can’t pay my way but I simply don’t earn enough with only a part-time job.’

He waved a dismissive hand. ‘Don’t worry about it. I’ll consider it an investment in broadening my life.’ He flashed her a mischievous grin. ‘You could bring a garden rose for me to smell at our next restaurant. You’re right about the hothouse ones sold by street vendors. They have no scent.’

She laughed, a lovely ripple of sound that was headier than the wine. ‘You actually went out and tried them?’

‘I did.’

‘Well, there’s hope for you yet.’

‘Hope for what?’

‘For being more aware of nature’s beautiful gifts.’

‘I’m very aware of one sitting directly opposite me.’ He reached across the table and took one of her hands in his, lightly rubbing his thumb over its palm as his eyes bored into hers, every forceful atom of his mind willing her to concede to the strong sexual attraction between them. ‘Spend the night with me, Laura. I’ve booked a room in the Intercontinental Hotel. It’s only a short walk from here. Let’s satisfy what was left unsatisfied last Sunday.’

It was blunt.

It was honest.

It promised nothing more than it said.

It had to be this way or no way.

Despite all he liked about her, she was still Alex Costarella’s daughter and that fact would separate them when the time for retribution came. Jake had been moving towards that destination for ten years. Whatever he had with Laura could only be a brief sidetrack.

CHAPTER SIX

A WILD MÊLÉE of emotions pumped through Laura’s heart. The response of her body to Jake’s proposition was instantaneous; her stomach contracting in sheer yearning for the satisfaction he promised, her thighs pressing together to contain the rush of excitement at their apex, her breasts tingling with the need to be touched, held, given the same sensual caressing he was using on her hand.

The simple answer was yes.

She wanted to go with him, wanted to feel how it would be, wanted to know, but the surge of desire was so compelling it frightened her. This wasn’t just curiosity. Nor was it an experiment over which she had control.

And there were other considerations.

She was supposed to be spending the night at Eddie’s apartment. Her brother would worry if she didn’t turn up there so he would have to be told, though she need not actually speak to him. A text message would suffice. Eddie would undoubtedly repeat what he’d said before—make damned sure you keep it at sex and don’t get hooked on him.

Good advice. Except Laura had the fluttery feeling that she was hooked. Deeply and irrevocably hooked. Although if Jake ever demanded too much of her, surely she had enough backbone to walk away. He was offering her great dinners and very probably great sex. It shouldn’t be a problem for her to take both and enjoy both.

His thumb pressed into her palm. ‘What reservations do you have, Laura?’ he asked quietly, the dark brilliant eyes scouring hers for answers, challenging whatever barriers were in her mind.

Pride wouldn’t allow her to admit she was scared of his power over her. It suddenly seemed terribly important to appear brave and strong, not only to him but also to herself. She forced a smile. ‘None. I was just thinking I don’t want to be left wondering, so let’s do it.’

He relaxed into a laugh—a deep rumble of pleasure that thrummed along her shaky nerves, promising all would be well between them. His eyes sparkled delight in her as he said, ‘You are one amazing woman.’

She raised her eyebrows in arch surprise. ‘Why?’

He grinned. ‘Before I met you I was expecting a pampered princess or a calculating miss, used to getting to her own way. It was a surprise to find you were neither. But you are quite strikingly beautiful, Laura, and beautiful women tend to use that power to see how far a man will go for them.’

‘I don’t like power games,’ she said sharply, hating any form of manipulation.

‘No. You’re wonderfully direct with what you think.’ He lifted his glass in a toast to her. ‘May you always be so.’

She cocked her head on one side consideringly. ‘Were you buttering me up with the foodie thing?’

He shook his head. ‘I want more than a one-night stand with you. I’m quite certain I’ll enjoy our adventure into fine dining.’

‘So will I.’

‘Then we’re agreed on our points of contact.’

She laughed, happily giddy with the sense that this wasn’t so much a dangerous trap she might fall into but a course of action that could give her tremendous pleasure. Her whole body zinged with excitement at the points of contact soon to be made.

‘Will you excuse me for a few minutes?’ she said, rising from her chair. ‘I need to go to the ladies’ and call my brother.’

‘Why your brother?’ he asked, frowning over the possibility of third-party interference.

‘I arranged to stay overnight at his apartment. I don’t want Eddie worrying about me.’

‘Ah! Of course! You didn’t want your father to know. He won’t know any more from me, Laura,’ he quickly assured her.

She paused a moment, eyeing him with deadly seriousness. ‘If you don’t keep to that, Jake, I won’t see you again.’

‘Understood.’

A secret affair, Laura thought, liking the idea of it as she made her way to the ladies’ room. Somehow it was less threatening than a relationship she would be expected to talk about. Eddie would have to know but she could trust him to keep it private if she asked him to. They had a solid sister/brother pact about running their own lives—away from their father.

However, she had no sooner sent the necessary text than her mobile phone rang in response. With a rueful sigh, she reopened it, knowing Eddie was going to express concern.

‘You said you weren’t going to fall at his feet,’ he snapped in disapproval.

‘I’m standing upright and walking to where I want to go. Just like you do, Eddie,’ she reminded him.

‘You’re younger than I am, Laura. Not as street-hard. I tell you, that guy knows how to play all the angles. You should be standing back a bit, more on guard.’

She knew it was Jake’s connection to her father making her brother overprotective but she had dealt with that issue. Until it raised its head again—if it did—she was determined on ignoring it and pleasing herself. ‘I want this, Eddie. Let it be. Okay?’

In the short silence that followed she had a mental image of him grinding his teeth over her decision, not liking it one bit but forced to respect it. ‘Okay,’ he said grudgingly. ‘Will I see you tomorrow?’

‘If you’re at the apartment when I come to pick up the things I’ve left there.’

‘I’ll be in. Hope this isn’t one hell of a mistake, Laura.’

‘I hope so, too. ’Bye for now.’

She stared at her reflection in the mirror as she refreshed her lipstick. Her eyes were very bright. Feverishly bright? Earlier this week she had likened Jake to a virus that had invaded her system, knocking her out of kilter. The invasion was much stronger tonight, both physically and mentally, and she didn’t want to fight it. Surrendering to all the clamouring feelings inside her had to be right. By tomorrow she would know for certain if it was a mistake. That was better than wondering.

Jake rose from his chair as she approached their table again. ‘Ready to go?’ he asked as she reached it.

‘Yes. Have you paid…?’

He nodded. ‘And tipped. The service was excellent.’

‘Absolutely. We didn’t have to wait too long for anything.’

He smiled, the sexy simmer back in his eyes as he hooked her arm around his, drawing her into close physical contact with him and intimately murmuring, ‘I’m glad you don’t like waiting.’

Her ear tingled from the warm waft of his breath. Her heart leapt into a wild hammering as the thought jagged through her mind that she was being too easy for him—not waiting, plunging headlong into bed with him. Probably all women were easy for him and she would be no different to any of the others. But did that really matter? Wasn’t she going after what she wanted? She didn’t have to be different. She just had to be true to herself.

She sucked in a deep breath to calm herself as they moved towards the exit. ‘I daresay you don’t have to wait for much, Jake,’ she said drily.

‘You’re wrong.’ He slid her an ironic look. ‘Some things I’ve been waiting years for.’

‘Like what?’

She caught a savage glitter in his eyes before he turned his head away and shrugged. ‘Just personal goals, Laura. I guess you’re impatient to make a start on your career, but you have to wait until you get your degree under your belt.’

‘It will be good to finally strike out on my own,’ she agreed, wondering what his personal goals were and why they sparked such a flow of strong feeling in him. A dangerous man, she thought again, dangerous and driven, but driven by what?

‘I’m sure you’ll find your work-life very rewarding, caring about the environment as you do,’ he remarked, sliding straight back into an admiring expression, shutting the door on what he obviously wanted to keep private.

Laura decided not to try probing. Later in the night when his guard was down and he was more relaxed, he might reveal more about himself. It could wait. Or maybe his goals were connected to her father. In which case, she didn’t want to know. Not tonight. Tonight was about exploring something else entirely and she didn’t want anything to spoil it.

As they emerged onto the street she hugged his arm, secretly revelling in its strongly muscled masculinity. Her imagination conjured up images of him naked—the perfect male in every respect. Every woman should be allowed to have one, she told herself, and this was simply seizing the opportunity. This connection to Jake Freedman didn’t have to get complicated. In fact, she shouldn’t let it become complicated. It was much safer to keep it simple.

‘The hotel is about three blocks away,’ he said, his mouth moving very sensually into a teasing little smile. ‘Can you manage to walk that far in those gloriously erotic shoes or shall I flag down a taxi?’

She laughed, giddy with the thought of his mouth moving erotically all over her. ‘I can walk, as long as it’s a stroll and not a forced march.’

‘I wouldn’t force anything with you, Laura. This is all about choice,’ he said seriously.

It was nice to have that assurance, to know she wasn’t at physical risk with him. Strangely enough, it hadn’t even occurred to her that she might be. It was the emotional risk she’d been concerned about. No man had ever affected her as Jake did.

‘Why choose a hotel?’ she asked as they walked towards it. ‘We could have gone to your place.’

‘My place is barely habitable. It’s an old run-down terrace house that I’m in the process of renovating. There’s stuff everywhere. I hope I can make it look great when it’s finished, but that’s not tonight or any night soon. I only have time to work on it at week ends.’

‘You’re doing the renovating yourself?’

‘Not all of it. Only the carpentry. My father taught me all the skills of the trade and I’m enjoying doing the work myself.’

‘Your father was a carpenter?’

‘No, he was an engineer but he loved working with wood. It was a hobby he shared with me in my growing-up years.’

The tone of deep affection told her he’d shared a very special bond with his father while Eddie had only ever known criticism and disapproval from their father and she had learnt to avoid the kind of contact that inevitably led to acrimony. Such different lives…

Possibly working with wood kept the family bond alive for Jake, though he’d also said last Sunday he liked to relax by doing something physical. Going to the gym was not his only outlet, and she liked the idea of him being involved with something creative. Renovating a house was similar to building an environment to a pre-designed plan.

Jake worked for her father but he definitely wasn’t like him.

She would tell Eddie so tomorrow.