hand on Melanie’s arm. “Make ‘em work for it, hon. They’ll appreciate it later.” She winked, as if the two women were sharing a secret, then turned to Jake. “Now you get her settled in upstairs, then you and I are gonna be having some conversating, young man.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Jake grabbed Melanie’s suitcase and headed for the stairs at the far end of the kitchen.
“Don’t you worry, darlin’,” the woman said to Melanie. “You just get yourself cleaned up.”
At the top of the stairs, Jake stood waiting for her. She didn’t see her suitcase anywhere.
“I put it in the tub. Didn’t want to get mud everywhere.”
“Thank you.” Melanie turned into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her.
Finally alone again, she leaned against the sink and sighed heavily, forcing herself to relax. The flight, the drive, the flat tire, the cowboy Jake—she’d survived it all. Now to clean herself up, go find Raymond, and show him what a mistake he had made letting her go. From this point forward, this weekend would be nothing but sweet satisfaction.
She looked in the bathroom mirror and saw that the visor mirror had been kind. She would need a total redo—and in record time. She toweled her hair off, pulled it into a loose ponytail, then washed all the makeup and dirt from her face, hands, and knees. The only other dress she brought with her, a soft turquoise sun dress that fell just above her knees, was a little too informal for a wedding. Then again, they were getting married in a barn, so it would have to do.
Car doors slammed outside. Were people leaving already? Surely they would stay for the reception. But what if Raymond didn’t? He wasn’t the schmoozing type, especially since he quit drinking. Melanie put on just a hint of mascara and a nice plum lipstick to highlight her best features. She pulled the ponytail holder from her hair and let her auburn tresses fall around her shoulders. The rain water had left her hair soft and radiant. She stepped back to survey the result. Not too bad—pretty without looking like she was trying too hard. She smiled. Raymond wouldn’t stand a chance.
Chapter Four
Jake frowned at the bathroom door, considering whether he should throw it open and teach her a lesson about manners. Beauty was no excuse for being rude, and slamming doors went beyond rude, especially after he had helped her change her tire. Maybe he should have just left her stranded on the road, getting soaked by the rain. He turned his back to the door and counted to ten, clenching and unclenching his fists. It took him until nine to be able to push the anger back down. Picturing her clinging wet dress helped, although his anger was replaced with a new kind of intensity. Damn. He didn’t realize just how long he’d gone without the feel of a woman beneath him, and now just the thought of this one was turning him into a jumbled mess.
Usually Jake’s charm and smile could land the woman of his choosing in his bed—and all too often a woman not of his choosing. When he was younger, he had followed in his father’s footsteps and bedded anyone who spread her legs for him. His mother had put a stop to that soon enough. She taught him to respect women, which he interpreted as being upfront and honest that he was only looking for a few minutes of fun, not a lifetime of commitment. After seeing how his father’s roaming affected his mother—and how genuinely happier she was when she finally left the womanizer—he also understood the need to have only one play toy at a time and to not draw from the same pool right away. In the bedroom, he treated his lovers well, cherishing their bodies with his hands and his tongue, making sure they walked away just as satiated as he did. Of course, that approach only brought more women to his bed, including some incredible beauties who were adamant about never leaving it. Learning which women to avoid had not been without its own drama. Yet none had ever
“Yes, ma’am.” Jake grabbed Melanie’s suitcase and headed for the stairs at the far end of the kitchen.
“Don’t you worry, darlin’,” the woman said to Melanie. “You just get yourself cleaned up.”
At the top of the stairs, Jake stood waiting for her. She didn’t see her suitcase anywhere.
“I put it in the tub. Didn’t want to get mud everywhere.”
“Thank you.” Melanie turned into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her.
Finally alone again, she leaned against the sink and sighed heavily, forcing herself to relax. The flight, the drive, the flat tire, the cowboy Jake—she’d survived it all. Now to clean herself up, go find Raymond, and show him what a mistake he had made letting her go. From this point forward, this weekend would be nothing but sweet satisfaction.
She looked in the bathroom mirror and saw that the visor mirror had been kind. She would need a total redo—and in record time. She toweled her hair off, pulled it into a loose ponytail, then washed all the makeup and dirt from her face, hands, and knees. The only other dress she brought with her, a soft turquoise sun dress that fell just above her knees, was a little too informal for a wedding. Then again, they were getting married in a barn, so it would have to do.
Car doors slammed outside. Were people leaving already? Surely they would stay for the reception. But what if Raymond didn’t? He wasn’t the schmoozing type, especially since he quit drinking. Melanie put on just a hint of mascara and a nice plum lipstick to highlight her best features. She pulled the ponytail holder from her hair and let her auburn tresses fall around her shoulders. The rain water had left her hair soft and radiant. She stepped back to survey the result. Not too bad—pretty without looking like she was trying too hard. She smiled. Raymond wouldn’t stand a chance.
Chapter Four
Jake frowned at the bathroom door, considering whether he should throw it open and teach her a lesson about manners. Beauty was no excuse for being rude, and slamming doors went beyond rude, especially after he had helped her change her tire. Maybe he should have just left her stranded on the road, getting soaked by the rain. He turned his back to the door and counted to ten, clenching and unclenching his fists. It took him until nine to be able to push the anger back down. Picturing her clinging wet dress helped, although his anger was replaced with a new kind of intensity. Damn. He didn’t realize just how long he’d gone without the feel of a woman beneath him, and now just the thought of this one was turning him into a jumbled mess.
Usually Jake’s charm and smile could land the woman of his choosing in his bed—and all too often a woman not of his choosing. When he was younger, he had followed in his father’s footsteps and bedded anyone who spread her legs for him. His mother had put a stop to that soon enough. She taught him to respect women, which he interpreted as being upfront and honest that he was only looking for a few minutes of fun, not a lifetime of commitment. After seeing how his father’s roaming affected his mother—and how genuinely happier she was when she finally left the womanizer—he also understood the need to have only one play toy at a time and to not draw from the same pool right away. In the bedroom, he treated his lovers well, cherishing their bodies with his hands and his tongue, making sure they walked away just as satiated as he did. Of course, that approach only brought more women to his bed, including some incredible beauties who were adamant about never leaving it. Learning which women to avoid had not been without its own drama. Yet none had ever
Similar Books
An Alpha's Claim
Naomi Jones
Nectar in a Sieve
Kamala Markandaya
The Lady Risks All
Stephanie Laurens
Dead Wrong
J. A. Jance
Monsieur Pamplemousse on Probation
Michael Bond
The Human Age
Diane Ackerman
Reunited in Danger
Joya Fields
The Betsy (1971)
Harold Robbins
Mantissa
John Fowles