Your Bed or Mine?
Kate Hoffmann
One super-sexy old flame.One sizzling hot seduction! Caley Lambert didn’t expect that her sister’s wedding would turn her life upside down. But that was before she got lost in the dark, was propositioned by a gorgeous cop and ended up in bed with the brother of the groom!When she and Jake Burton were teenagers, Jake had been the perfect boy next door – and the object of Caley’s teenage crush. But Caley’s definitely over him…until he proves that the perfect boy is all man now!
Jake felt a warm body besidehim.
It had been years – eleven, to be exact – but Caley Lambert was exactly as he’d remembered her. His gaze drifted down to her lips, soft and full and slightly parted. She was all woman now – sexy, soft and warm. And she was sleeping in his bed…
Jake leaned over, touching his lips to hers. She obviously wanted something to happen. It was a pretty bold move…but Caley had never been known to wait when she wanted something. And he could only hope she wanted him as much as he was starting to want her…
“Jake,” she whispered.
The sound of his name on her lips was like fuel on a fire. His desire surged and he kissed her again, deeper, harder this time. This was Caley, the girl he’d wanted all his life. She could be his now…
But as he settled above her, an uneasy feeling came over him. Something wasn’t right.
“Caley. Open your eyes.”
Her lashes fluttered, and a moment later she was looking at him, first in confusion, then in absolute shock.
He’d known it was too good to last…
KATE HOFFMANN
has been writing stories for Mills & Boon since 1993. She’s written over fifty books for Mills & Boon, including the popular MIGHTY QUINNS series. kate lives in a small town in Wisconsin with her cats and her computer. Besides writing, she works with school students in theatre and musical activities. She also enjoys golf, movies, music of all kinds and genealogy research.
Dear Reader,
I’ve always had a soft spot for stories about childhood sweethearts. And when I was working on this idea for THE WRONG BED series, I thought about twisting that concept a little and giving you a hero and heroine who weren’t quite sweethearts but still managed to carry a pretty big torch for each other.
Jake and Caley come back to the small lake community where they’d spent their summers to serve as best man and maid of honour at a Valentine’s Day wedding between their two siblings. The book is set in my home state of Wisconsin. And since Wisconsin can be pretty cold in February, I had to find new ways to keep my hero and heroine warm – and then hot. But I have to admit, it was a pain dealing with all those layers of clothes.
I hope Your Bed or Mine? keeps you nice and warm wherever you are.
Happy reading,
Kate Hoffmann
YOUR BED OR MINE?
BY
KATE HOFFMANN
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
1
HUGE SNOWFLAKES drifted down through the night sky, spattering against the windshield of Caley Lambert’s rental car. She watched through tired eyes as the wipers slapped them away, the rhythmic sound lulling her toward complete exhaustion. Her eyelids fluttered and she felt herself drifting, then reached down and opened the window.
The chilly night air was a slap to the face and Caley drew a deep breath. The flight from New York had been late getting into Chicago and by the time she’d arrived, the airport hotel had given away her room. Left with nowhere to sleep, she’d decided to drive the two hours to her parents’ lake house rather than waste time searching for a room.
It wasn’t so much an urge to get home that sent her into the midst of a snowstorm, but the fact that Caley just hated wasting time. After eleven years of living in Manhattan and seven years of working the cutthroat world of public relations, she’d learned to be very efficient with every minute of her day. She didn’t waste time on anything that couldn’t get her ahead in the world professionally. She worked out because the gym was a good place to network. She belonged to seven different professional organizations because all those names looked good on her résumé. And she had worked sixteen-hour days for seven years because that was the way to get herself a partnership.
“So what am I doing in North Lake, Wisconsin?” she muttered.
Her younger sister, Emma, had called a few weeks ago, insisting that Caley come home for the week before Valentine’s Day. Emma had a very special event planned at the lake house, but she refused to give any details, only that every one of the Lamberts should be in attendance. Caley’s parents had been married on Valentine’s Day thirty years ago, so it hadn’t been difficult to guess at the purpose of her sister’s plans.
An electronic version of Mozart’s “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” interrupted Caley’s thoughts and she glanced over at her cell phone sitting on the passenger seat. Snatching it up, she looked at the caller ID, then tossed it back onto the seat. Brian. He’d called at least twenty times since she’d left New York for a business trip in San Francisco a few days ago. So far she’d avoided answering.
She and Brian had been exclusive for nearly two years and he’d planned to come to North Lake with her and meet the family. But at the last minute, he’d canceled, begging off because of work commitments. It was at that moment Caley realized her relationship with Brian had become a waste of time. Between out-of-town business trips and busy schedules, they’d spent three nights together in the past month—not much considering they lived in the same apartment.
She squinted through the snow, searching for the sign pointing to West Shore Road. There was a time when she’d known every inch of the tiny town of North Lake. She’d spent every summer of her life here until she’d gone to college.
Even after years of being away from this place, and in the midst of a chilly winter night, she felt a familiar sense of excitement course through her. She remembered the frantic packing the day after school let out for the summer. And then came the ride from Chicago to the lake in an overstuffed minivan, her mother behind the wheel. Her older brother, Evan, always sat in the front and controlled the radio while Caley sat between her younger siblings Emma and Adam. The youngest, Teddy, was wedged into the far back seat between the suitcases and the boxes of kitchen supplies. Her younger siblings had always worn their swimming suits on the ride up so they could jump out of the car and into the lake without having to change.
But Caley had always had other things on her mind. With each mile that passed, she’d grown more excited, the anticipation building, the nerves fraying. What would he look like? Would he be exactly as she remembered or would he have changed? Had she changed? Would he see her differently? Would this summer finally be the summer when she’d kiss him?
Year after year, drive after drive, her every thought had always been focused on him. Even now, Caley found herself falling back into old habits. Jake Burton. He’d been her fairy-tale prince, her knight in shining armor, her schoolgirl crush and her first love, all wrapped up into one incredibly hot boy.
His family had the summerhouse next door. They’d all summered together for years: the five Lamberts and the five Burtons, an unruly tribe of kids known around North Lake as the Burtberts. For years she’d looked at Jake like her older brother, Evan—an icky, gross, burping and spitting cad who had more cooties than she cared to count.
Then, one day they were swimming out to the raft and Jake dunked her under. She’d gone under as an eleven-year-old girl and surfaced a teenager with her first crush. He’d been thirteen that summer and a handsome boy. Even now she recalled his pale blue eyes and his perfect teeth. How little droplets of water had clung to his dark eyelashes as he smiled at her and how his face was so smooth and tanned she felt compelled to reach out and touch his cheek.
When she had, Jake had slapped her hand away, a confused frown wrinkling his forehead. But from that moment on, she’d been in love. It was only later that her hormones had turned chaste puppy love to teenage lust. And later still to feelings that bordered on obsession and finally, ended in humiliation.
She drew in a deep breath and sighed. Over the past eleven years, she’d managed to visit the lake house only when Jake was certain to be elsewhere. Yet, with each visit she’d secretly hoped that maybe she’d run into him again, maybe she’d have a chance to undo the mess she’d made the night of her eighteenth birthday.
Her phone rang again and Caley cursed as she picked it up. But this time, she didn’t recognize the number, only the Manhattan area code. Now that she’d been named a partner, her boss was free to call her at any time, day or night, and John Walters had taken advantage of that fact more than once. Caley wondered what kind of emergency had come up at nearly 4:00 a.m. Manhattan time.
She flipped open the phone and held it to her ear. “Hello?”
“I figured you were screening so I was forced to call from the payphone on the corner.”
Caley recognized Brian’s voice and bit back another curse. “I really don’t want to talk to you. I said everything I needed to say before I left. It’s over.”
“Caley, we can work this out. You can’t just end it. Everything was going so well.”
She laughed, shaking her head at his ability to spin the situation. Brian was one of the most successful young lawyers on Wall Street. Like her, he could put a positive spin on the worst disaster imaginable.
“How can you say that?” she asked. “We barely see each other. And when we do, we have nothing to say. We talk about work.”
“What do you want? I can talk about other things.”
“That’s not the point,” Caley said, growing more frustrated. Usually, she was able to express her views clearly and unemotionally. But this time she had no idea what she wanted. She just knew she didn’t want to come home to Brian anymore. For a long time, her life had felt out of balance and this was the only way she could think to fix it.
“What is the point?” he asked.
“I—” she took a deep breath “—I’m not happy.”
“When has that ever made a difference to you? You work nonstop, you never take a vacation, every minute of your life is planned. Of course you’re not happy. Who would be? But, Caley, that’s the way you like it.”
“Not anymore,” she said. “It just doesn’t feel right.” Suddenly, she felt a panic grip her body. Was this the right thing to do? Was she really ready to give up? A buzzing in her ears made her dizzy and for a moment she thought she might pass out. “I—I have to go. I’ll call you when I get back and we’ll sort out all the details. Goodbye, Brian.”
Caley quickly pulled over to the curb and rolled the window down, breathing deeply of the cold night air. For the past month, she’d been fighting these panic attacks. They’d become an almost-daily occurrence. She’d blamed them on the stress of being named a partner, on living in Manhattan, on her doubts about Brian. But Caley sensed that none of these factors were really the cause.
The sound of a siren startled her and Caley looked in the rearview mirror to find a police car pulling up behind her, lights flashing. She hadn’t even been close to the speed limit! But when she’d pulled over to the curb, she might have swerved too suddenly in the snow. Caley watched in the side mirror as the police officer got out of his SUV and approached the car. A sudden shiver of fear raced through her. She’d seen the stories on the news. Rapists and serial killers posing as policemen. Caley brushed the thought aside. This was North Lake. Things like that happened in New York, not in Wisconsin.
When the officer reached her car, he tapped at the window with his flashlight. Caley pressed the button on the console and the window slid down an inch. “Show me your badge,” she demanded. He held it out and Caley snatched it from him. It looked real enough. She opened the window a little more and handed it back.
“License and registration, please,” he said.
“I-I’m not sure I have a registration,” Caley said. “This is a rental.” She pulled her license out of her wallet and handed it to him, then reached for the glove box. “The car comes from Speedy Rental at O’Hare. I have the rental agreement right here.” She handed him the paperwork, then peered out at him. “I wasn’t speeding.”
“You were talking on a cell phone,” he replied. “We have an ordinance against that in North Lake. Have you been drinking, ma’am?”
“No,” Caley said, stunned by his question. “I just pulled over because I was tired. I needed some fresh air.”
He paused as he examined her license. “Caroline Lenore Lambert,” he muttered. “You’re Caley Lambert?” He shone the flashlight in her face and Caley squinted.
“Yes.”
“One of the Burtbert kids?”
“Yes,” she replied.
He turned the flashlight off, then leaned down, sending her a friendly smile. “Well, don’t you remember me?” He pointed to the name tag pinned to his jacket. “Jeff Winslow. We went out on a few dates the summer of…well, it doesn’t really matter. I took you sailing. I ran the boat aground over near Raspberry Island and you called me an idiot and dumped a can of Coke on my head.”
Caley did remember. It was the sailing equivalent of running out of gas on a deserted country road. She also remembered how Jeff Winslow had tried to kiss her and feel her up and how he’d chided her for acting like a priss. Most of the boys she’d dated that summer before college had served just one purpose for Caley—they were a feeble attempt to make Jake Burton jealous.
“Of course,” Caley replied. “Jeff Winslow. My goodness, you’re a policeman now? That’s almost ironic considering all the trouble you used to cause.”
“Yeah. A misspent youth. But I’ve reformed. I got a degree in criminal justice, then worked for the Chicago P.D.,” he said. “Then I heard they were looking for a police chief here and I thought, what the hell. I’d been shot at four times in Chicago and figured my number was coming up. So I came home.” He chuckled. “I guess you’ve caught yourself a lucky break.”
“I have?”
He flipped his ticket book closed and tucked it back into his jacket. “I’m going to let you off with a warning.” He returned her driver’s license. “As long as you promise not to talk on your cell phone while you’re driving. It’s against the law in the entire county and it’s a pretty big fine.”
“Thank you,” Caley said.
“So, what have you been up to? The last time I saw you in North Lake you were just out of high school.”
“I work in New York,” Caley said. “I don’t get back much.”
“Too bad,” Jeff said. “Living in the city is great, but I never really appreciated this place until I left. There’s something special about North Lake…something peaceful.” He shrugged, then tapped her window with his finger. “You drive carefully, Caley. The roads are slick. And if I catch you talking on your cell phone again, I’m going to have to give you a ticket.”
“I understand,” Caley said.
“Good night, then.”
For a moment, she sensed he might have something else to say. But then, he turned and walked back to his SUV. A few seconds later, the lights stopped flashing and Caley took that as her cue to pull out onto the street. Moments later, she spotted West Shore Road and made the turn, Officer Jeff following her at a distance.
The houses along the shore were dark, most of them unoccupied in the winter, and she squinted to see the mailboxes through the snow. She passed by the sign for the Burtons’ driveway; the next one belonged to her parents’ house. A small light glowed at the end of the drive and she turned in and steered the car down the steep slope through the leafless trees, holding her breath the entire way. The SUV continued past, Officer Jeff apparently satisfied that she’d made it to her destination.
She switched off the ignition and stared at the house through the icy car window. It was even more picturesque in the winter, the roof covered with snow, icicles hanging from the gutters on the white clapboard facade. Looking at the peaceful setting, Caley knew it would be impossible to get any work done while home with her family. And though she felt she needed a break from work, she knew she couldn’t. So she had made a reservation, starting the next night, at the inn downtown. Between Evan’s three kids and the usual craziness that occurred when her boisterous family was together, Caley was certain she’d need a place to hide out.
Caley stepped out of the car and grabbed her bags from the back seat. She couldn’t help but glance over at the Burtons’ house. There was a light on in the kitchen, but the rest of the house was dark. No doubt Ellis and Fran Burton would be at the anniversary celebration. But there would be no reason for their children to be invited. Still, Caley had to wonder if there was a chance she’d see Jake. And if she did, what would it be like between them. Would he remember that night on the beach? Would he pretend as if nothing had happened?
It had been eleven years. Maybe it was time to let it go, Caley mused. She’d been a kid with a crush. She hadn’t seen Jake since the night before she left for NYU. Until now, the memory of that night had always brought a surge of regret and utter humiliation.
They were adults now and if he wanted to rehash her silly teenage indiscretion, then she would simply refuse to discuss it. Certainly he’d made mistakes in his youth that he didn’t want brought up around his family. Caley tried to think of one or two just in case she needed ammunition.
They had gotten into all sorts of trouble as kids. Even now, Caley was amazed that she’d managed to avoid a life as a juvenile delinquent. But she and Jake had been a pair and she’d been the only one of the Burtberts who ever accepted his dares.
She smiled. Once, they’d caught a squirrel in a live trap and let it go inside the police chief’s cruiser. Then there had been the time she and Jake had stolen a bike from the town bully. The next morning, the kid found his bike bobbing up and down on the raft just off the public beach. That trick had gained them a lot of admirers, although they never admitted to it. And then, there had been all those times they’d broken into their “fortress,” a deserted summerhouse on the east shore.
The house was dark and silent as she slipped inside. No one ever locked the door when the family was at home. She stood in the spacious foyer and took a deep breath, the familiar scent teasing at her nose—a mix of the lake and leaves, old wood and furniture polish and the vanilla candles her mother loved to burn to take the damp out of the air. Once, she’d known every inch of this house, every secret hiding place, every sun-drenched window. It had been her very own castle.
Caley slowly climbed the stairs then walked down the hall to her bedroom. But when she pushed the door open, she saw the room was already occupied—Evan’s kids, two in the bed and the youngest in a portable crib.
She carefully closed the door and walked across the hall. Emma would probably have room in her bed. She slipped inside her sister’s room and closed the door behind her. Caley set her bag down and walked to the bed. The room was chilly and Emma had found a down comforter and was buried beneath it, her pillow pulled over her head.
“Em?” Caley whispered as she stood over the bed. She shrugged out of her jacket and kicked off her shoes. Emma had always been a heavy sleeper. Caley sat on the edge of the bed. She could probably find an empty couch downstairs, but she was too exhausted to search. She’d catch a few hours’ sleep and check into the inn for a long nap in the morning.
Caley slipped out of her jeans and crawled beneath the comforter, pulling it up to her chin. She closed her eyes, her mind drifting back to the last summer she’d spent at the lake house. Jake had been home from college that summer after his sophomore year. From the moment he’d arrived, Caley had been completely and thoroughly obsessed with him. He was gorgeous, lean and tanned and so incredibly sexy that Caley was sure she would die if she couldn’t be with him.
The summer had passed, Caley trying anything and everything to get him to notice her. Finally, on the night of her eighteenth birthday party, she had decided to make a bold move. College was just a few days away and she didn’t want to leave for NYU a virgin. So she’d screwed up her courage, gotten Jake alone on the beach, torn off her shirt and asked him to make a woman out of her.
Caley groaned inwardly, pulling the comforter up to her nose. Even after all these years, the thought of her stupid offer was enough to bring a blush to her cheeks. She closed her eyes and said a silent prayer that Jake wouldn’t show up in North Lake until she was gone.
He was probably miles away, Caley mused. Maybe even sleeping beside another woman. She frowned at the tiny sliver of jealousy that pricked at her thoughts. The torch she’d carried for Jake had been extinguished a long time ago. It wasn’t jealousy. Closer to envy, Caley thought, for she had imagined Jake happy and settled and maybe even in love.
He probably had everything in life he’d ever wanted. And she was still trying to figure out what she needed to make herself happy. Caley thought she’d have all the answers by the time she was thirty. Now, her twenty-ninth birthday was just a few months away. There wasn’t much time left.
Maybe a week away from New York and the life she’d built there would give her some perspective, a quiet moment to figure things out. Caley yawned, threw her arm over her eyes. She’d have plenty of time to think about all this tomorrow. Right now, she needed sleep.
THE SOUND OF A CELL PHONE ringing dragged Jake Burton out of a deep and comfortable sleep. He groaned softly, then realized that the electronic jingle didn’t belong to his phone. It was only then that Jake felt the warm body beside him.
At first he thought he was dreaming, but the weight of her leg thrown across his thighs was real, as was the citrusy scent of her hair. He tried to move his arm and found her head nestled against his shoulder.
A name, he thought to himself. He was in bed with a woman and he couldn’t remember her name. Though he’d indulged in a number of one-night stands in the past, he’d pretty much given that up as of late.
The phone continued to ring and then stopped suddenly. Where had they met? Where had he been last night? Jake waited for the signs of a raging hangover to seep into his consciousness, but strangely enough, he knew he hadn’t been drinking. If that was the case, then why couldn’t he remember the woman?
“Think,” he whispered as he slowly opened his eyes. His surroundings were completely unfamiliar. But then, slowly, he realized where he was. The Lamberts’ lake house. Emma’s bedroom. But if that was where he was, then who the hell was in bed with him? Surely not his future sister-in-law!
He pushed up on his elbow and squinted at the clock. Six a.m. He looked down at his bedmate, then carefully brushed the wavy dark hair away from her face. “Oh, shit,” he muttered, snatching his hand away. It had been years—eleven, to be exact—but there was no mistaking that beautiful profile, the upturned nose with the light dusting of freckles, the flawless skin and the long lashes.
She was exactly as he’d remembered her, only Caley Lambert was no longer a gawky teenage girl. She was a woman. His gaze drifted down to her lips, soft and full and slightly parted. A very sexy, soft, warm woman. But what the hell was she doing in his bed?
Jake fought the urge to bend closer and touch her face. God, he remembered those urges. Funny how they all came back so quickly. Just how many times had he thought about kissing Caley Lambert over the course of his life? A hundred, maybe two hundred?
The summer she’d turned eighteen it was all he could do to keep his hands off of her, from the moment he’d arrived at the lake house until the moment he’d left. He’d deliberately avoided her, just so he wouldn’t have to think about it.
And now he had the chance. Why not take it? Why not see what he’d been missing all these years? He smoothed her hair away from her face and leaned over, then touched his lips to hers. As he drew back, she stirred and her eyes fluttered. A sigh slipped from her lips and she smiled.
Jake watched her warily. She obviously wanted something to happen between them or she wouldn’t have crawled into bed with him. It was a pretty bold move, considering her parents were sleeping just down the hall. But Caley had been known for her bold moves and she obviously had become bolder since he’d last seen her. She lived in Manhattan. Hell, he’d seen Sex and the City. He knew what single women in New York were like.
“Do you want me to kiss you again?” he whispered.
“Umm.” She snuggled closer, resting her hand on his bare chest.
“Umm” could be construed as a negative reply, but Jake decided that, coupled with her sleepy smile, it indicated a positive response.
He stretched out beside her, furrowing his hands through her hair and gently covering her lips with his. She seemed to melt into him, her body pressing against his as another sigh slipped from her throat. In his youth, kissing Caley had been an obsession and now that it was a reality, Jake was stunned by the sensations that coursed through his body.
It was just a kiss! But it was as if all of the pent-up desire from his teenage years had suddenly been released. And now, he could actually imagine what might happen between them.
His reaction to the kiss was immediate and intense. It had been a while since he’d had a woman. During the past year, he’d found himself searching for something that had been difficult to find—a woman who was strong and independent and not afraid to be herself. He was through with women who were willing to remake themselves into whatever they thought he wanted.
Jake smiled. He’d known Caley for years and what you saw with her was what you got. Even now, he imagined that she was just as stubborn and opinionated and determined as she’d been as a kid. God, he’d always admired her. She was the only girl he’d ever met who challenged him.
Her hand moved down his back, her palm warm against his skin, then slipped beneath the waistband of his boxers. He held his breath as she moved her fingers forward, to his hip. Though he hadn’t woken up to a morning erection, he’d managed to remedy that situation in quick order by kissing her.
He pulled her beneath him, his fingers still tangled in her hair and molding her mouth to his. Her hips rubbed against his, his shaft hot and hard between them. There was something so exciting about touching her, something almost forbidden.
“Jake,” she whispered.
The sound of his name on her lips was like fuel on a fire. His desire surged and his kiss deepened, his tongue plunging into her mouth hungrily.
This was Caley, the girl he’d known all his life, the girl he’d so carefully avoided. But she could be his, here in this bed. There was nothing to stop them. In the past, the time had never seemed right, but now, every instinct in his body screamed that the time was perfect.
As he kissed her, he found himself caught up in a fantasy that he’d lived a thousand times in his dreams. He slipped his hand beneath her T-shirt and gently cupped her breast, rubbing his thumb across her nipple through the silky fabric of her bra.
She shuddered, then arched against him, but still her eyes were closed. An uneasy feeling came over him and for a moment, he thought she might be asleep and dreaming. Jake drew back and stared down at her face, watching her as he continued to caress her breast. “Caley?”
“Jake?” she murmured.
“Open your eyes.”
Her lashes fluttered. She looked at him, at first with a blank stare and then with growing confusion.
“Morning,” he murmured.
Caley frowned and rubbed her eyes with her fists. A cry of alarm slipped from her lips and then, in a rush, she pushed away from him, tumbling backward onto the floor, her bare legs tangling in the comforter. “Wh-what are you doing in my bed?”
“I think the more appropriate question would be, what are you doing in my bed?”
“Not your bed. This is Emma’s room. It’s her bed.” She blinked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. “And you’re not her.”
“Emma’s staying at the inn in town so she can have a little peace and quiet. Our house was full, so your mother offered me the last empty bed.”
Her phone rang again and Caley looked around the room, then crawled across the floor to retrieve her purse. She watched him warily as she flipped open the phone. “Hello?”
Jake grinned at her, letting his gaze take in her long, naked legs and the lacy black panties. Yes, the gangly teenager was gone, replaced by a long-limbed, incredibly sexy woman.
“Yes, John. I understand. No, I’ll get right on it. You’ll have it by the end of the day. All right. You, too. Goodbye.” She closed the phone.
“Boyfriend?”
“Boss,” she murmured. “You were in this bed last night. With me?”
Jake nodded. Oh, hell, she had been asleep. “Yes. But I wasn’t with you. Not in the biblical sense. We were just next to each other. And then, well, then you woke up.” The last thing he needed was Caley to go running downstairs, accusing him of being a pervert. “Hey, it was an honest mistake. It was dark. I looked like your sister. How could you have known?”
A frown wrinkled her forehead. “Then we weren’t just… I wasn’t… Nothing happened, right?”
Jake winced. “Well, there was a little something, but that was an honest mistake, as well. I just kind of assumed you’d crawled in bed with me for a reason, so—”
She touched her lips. “You kissed me?”
“But you kissed me back. And there was some localized touching going on, but only through the clothes. Except you did put your hand down my boxers.”
Her phone rang again. Caley opened her mouth and snapped it shut, then looked at the caller ID. This time, she decided not to answer. Instead, she grabbed the corner of the comforter and pulled it off the bed to cover herself, leaving him in nothing but those boxers. She watched him warily, waiting for him to make the next move.
“Did you think I was someone else?” he asked.
“Yes,” she snapped. But from the guilty look on her face, he could tell she was lying.
“Some other guy named Jake?”
“Yes. I happen to know three or four other Jakes.”
He grabbed a corner of the comforter and pulled it over his lap. It would be hard to sell the “nothing happened” story with a raging hard-on pressing against the front of his boxers. Jake cleared his throat and forced a smile. “So, how have you been? It’s been a while. How long? Eleven years?”
She nodded, clutching the comforter to her chest. Her cheeks were flushed and her breath was coming in quick gasps. And her hair, thick and wavy, was tumbled about her shoulders. She’d never looked more beautiful. Jake’s gaze drifted down, stopping at the perfectly painted toes peeking out from under the blanket. She’d always had really pretty feet. He’d spent a lot of time looking at her feet when he was younger, simply to avoid looking at her breasts, which were also pretty incredible.
“Your mother said you wouldn’t be arriving until this morning,” he commented.
“I decided to drive directly from the airport. When did you get in?”
“Yesterday,” he said. “So, what have you been up to?”
“Not much,” she replied. “Just working. I’m still with that public relations firm that I joined right out of college. I was made partner last month. What about you?”
“I have my own design firm now. I’m doing mostly residential architecture. I kind of specialize in vacation homes based on classic camp designs.”
“Interesting.” She drew in a sharp breath, impatient with the idle chitchat. “What are you doing home? Why would you want to come to my parents’ anniversary party?”
A slow realization dawned. Emma hadn’t told her what was going on. Jake wondered if he ought to be the one to break the happy news or if she should hear it over the breakfast table. For now, it might prove a distraction from what had just happened. “This isn’t an anniversary party,” Jake said. “It’s Emma and Sam.”
She frowned at the mention of Jake’s youngest brother. “Emma and Sam?”
“They’re getting married.”
At first she gasped, then regarded him with disbelief. This was the Caley he remembered. She always found a way to disagree with him, even if he was only claiming the sun rose in the east and set in the west. “Not funny.”
“It’s the truth,” Jake said. “That’s why we’re all here. It’s going to be a small wedding at the Episcopal Church in town on Valentine’s evening. She’s got the dress and they’ve got the license.”
“They aren’t even dating,” Caley said.
“I guess they have been. They’ve been secretly seeing each other for the past three summers. They didn’t want anyone to know. You know how our mothers are and how they’ve dreamed about making a match between the Lamberts and the Burtons. They got engaged on New Year’s and decided to get married right away, before Fran and Jean could plan a big event.”
“But they’re only twenty-one,” Caley said. “That’s too young. What do they know about marriage?” She drew a ragged breath and stared at him, as if she were taking a moment to digest the news. Then, her eyes slowly dropped, first to his chest and then his legs. She pulled the comforter up beneath her chin. “Do you think maybe you could get dressed and—”
The door to the bedroom swung open and Caley’s youngest brother, Teddy, stuck his head inside. “Hey, Jake. Are you going to want some—” His words died in his throat as he took in the scene in front of him. “Hey, Caley. You’re home.” He glanced over at Jake, then forced a smile. “Yeah, okay. Breakfast,” he murmured as he closed the door.
“Oh, no,” Caley moaned, scrambling to her feet. “No, no, no. Now he’s going to go downstairs and this is going to be the subject of breakfast conversation. The two of us, in our underwear, in the same bedroom.”
“And in the same bed,” he said. “We could always crawl back under the covers and really mess with their heads,” Jake offered. She sent him a withering look and he held up his hands in mock surrender. “Bad joke. Sorry.”
With a low growl, Caley scrambled to her feet and tossed the comforter aside. “You haven’t changed at all, Jake Burton. Everything is always a joke to you. You never take anything seriously.”
Jake watched as she searched for her pants. “Don’t get your panties in a twist. I’ll explain the mistake. Although I’m not going to give them all the details.”
“The state of my panties is none of your business. And I don’t remember any of the details. Why? Because I was asleep.”
Jake laughed. To think he’d dreaded seeing her again, knowing how uncomfortable it might be. But they’d slipped right back into their normal dynamic. Jake swung his legs over the side of the bed, fighting the urge to grab her arm and pull her back on top of him, to remind her of her reaction to his kiss.
There had always been a heat between them, an attraction that he’d been reluctant to act upon. She’d always been too young, too naive. And he’d known she was in love with him, so it could only end badly. He’d thought he’d done the honorable thing that night so long ago, the night she’d offered up her virginity for his taking.
His rejection obviously still stung. If not that, what else could she possibly be angry about? “If you’re still angry about—”
Caley gasped, then threw a shoe at him. “I’m not angry about that. Just forget about that. I was young and stupid and I’ve slept with plenty of men since then and all of them much better lovers than you could have possibly been. Some women might find you attractive, but not me.”
Her phone rang for a fourth time. Jake jumped off the bed and caught her arm, then pulled her against him. Without a second thought, he brought his mouth down on hers and kissed her, deeply and thoroughly. He felt her soften in his arms and when her knees buckled, Jake grabbed her waist to steady her.
When he finally drew back, her face was flushed and her eyes closed. He felt his own reaction in his boxers, the desire returning immediately. This was going to be one helluva week if this was how they were starting, he mused. There had always been a sexual curiosity between them. Maybe it was time to satisfy it.
“Are you going to answer that?” he asked.
“It can wait,” Caley replied breathlessly.
“Yeah,” he murmured, “that’s what I thought.” Nothing had changed. He wanted her just as much as he always had.
Caley opened her eyes and stared at him, a sigh slipping from her lips. “I-I’d better get dressed. Everyone is going to be expecting us at breakfast.” She quickly grabbed her overnight bag and rushed to the adjoining bathroom, then slammed the door behind her.
Jake sat down on the bed and smiled. This was a start and maybe that was all he could hope for. He glanced around the room, grabbed his jeans from the bedpost and tugged them on. He found a clean T-shirt in his duffel and pulled it over his head. He’d find a way to continue what they’d begun later in the day.
When he got downstairs, the huge kitchen was filled with people. Caley’s mother, Jean, was busy at the stove, preparing pancakes for her family. Her eldest, Evan, was just a year older than Jake, but already had a wife and three children. After Caley came Adam and Emma, followed by Teddy, who would graduate from high school in June. Evan was reading the sports section and discussing the Bulls game with Jake’s younger brother Brett.
“Good morning, everyone,” Jake said, taking the first empty spot at the huge table.
“Sausage or bacon, dear?” Jean called.
“Bacon,” Jake said. A moment later, a plate was dropped in front of him. He reached out for the lazy Susan, which held utensils, napkins, butter and syrup.
The Lambert house was so much like his own that he felt at home at their table. He couldn’t remember the number of meals that he’d eaten in their kitchen, usually with several of his siblings. Jean and Jake’s mother, Fran, never bothered to sort out their respective children at mealtime. Whoever was sitting at the table at the beginning of a meal got fed, no matter which family they belonged to.
Jake had just dug into his pancakes when Teddy walked in the back door, covered in snow and carrying an armload of firewood. He sent Jake a knowing smile, then dropped the wood next to the door. “Morning, Jake. How’d you sleep?”
“Teddy, I want you to take some firewood over to Ellis and Fran’s house,” Jean said. “Load a bunch in the back of your truck. We have plenty. Jake can help you load it.”
Teddy grinned. “Oh, I think he might be too tired to load firewood, Ma. So didja get much sleep last night, Jake?”
“I’ve been meaning to get a new mattress for that bed,” Jean said. “It wasn’t too lumpy, was it?”
“Not lumpy,” Teddy said. “Maybe a little crowded.”
Caley’s mother scowled. “Teddy, what are you talking about?”
The entire group turned to hear Teddy’s response. “Caley was sleeping with Jake.”
Jean gasped. “Caley’s home? When did she get in?”
“At about three in the morning.”
They all turned again, this time to Caley, who stood in the doorway of the kitchen. She was dressed in a bulky wool sweater a shade of blue that complemented her eyes. Faded jeans hugged her long legs and slender hips.
“I thought I was crawling into bed with Emma,” she explained. “It was a mistake. And nothing happened.”
“Emma’s staying at the inn,” Jean said, bustling over to give her daughter a huge hug. She stepped back. “That’s right, you don’t know the big news, do you?”
“Jake told me,” Caley replied. “Sam and Emma. Who would have thought?” She cleared her throat and looked at the curious gazes of her siblings. “Nothing happened. It was a mistake.”
“Of course nothing happened,” Jean said. “You two are like oil and water.” She kissed Caley’s cheek and smiled at Jake. “How could you possibly mistake Jake for Emma?”
“He had the covers over his head,” Caley explained.
“Well, since I don’t have to worry about you two getting cozy, maybe I should just have you bunk together for the rest of the week,” Jean teased. “Oh, and Emma is going to ask you to be her maid of honor, darling. I hope you’ll say yes. Bacon or sausage?”
“I’ll just have the pancakes,” Caley said, glancing across the table at Jake. “And you don’t have to worry about me. I booked a room at the inn.” She paused. “I’ll be able to help Emma out. Since I’m her maid of honor. And Jake can have Emma’s room all to himself.”
Caley searched for a spot at the table and Adam moved his seat to make a space between himself and Jake. Caley reluctantly retrieved a chair and sat down. Her mother put a plate down in front of her and Jake picked up the pitcher of orange juice and poured her a glass. He held it out and she hesitantly took it and set it beside her plate.
They ate in silence, the both of them pretending to listen to the conversation around them. Jake’s foot brushed against hers and she coughed on the orange juice she was drinking.
It was so nice to be able to touch her, Jake mused.
He felt her hand push his leg away and he reached beneath the table to grab it, weaving his fingers through hers. Her eyes grew wide as his thumb rested on her wrist, just over her pulse point.
“What’s the schedule for today?” Caley asked, her voice cracking slightly.
“Emma’s chosen a dress for you at the bridal shop in town and you need to go try it on this morning. The snow is getting deep. Adam will take you in his truck.”
“I’ll take Caley into town,” Jake volunteered, giving her hand a squeeze. “I have some errands to run anyway.”
“I can drive myself,” Caley said, tugging her hand from his.
Jean smiled at Jake. “Thank you, dear. I knew I could count on you.” She folded her hands in front of her, then looked back and forth between Jake and Caley. “It’s so nice to see you two together again. How long has it been?”
“Eleven years,” Caley said. She grabbed her plate and stood up. “I’ve got to make some calls. And I can drive myself to town. I have to check in at the inn before I go to the fitting.” She sent Jake a cool look, then stalked out of the room.
Jake stood and carried his plate to the sink. “Not much has changed. Come on, Teddy, let’s get that firewood loaded.”
As they grabbed their jackets and walked out the back door, Teddy chuckled softly. “Oh, I think a lot has changed.”
“And I’m not so sure you need help with the firewood,” Jake replied.
“Sorry,” Teddy murmured.
Jake used to be able to hide his feelings for Caley. But from the moment he woke that morning to find her wrapped around his body, Jake knew he wanted to explore those feelings. He and Caley weren’t teenagers anymore, they were adults. And there were no rules keeping them apart. Now that there was time to test their attraction to each other, he planned to take full advantage of it.
2
THE GENTLE SNOWFALL increased in intensity throughout the early morning. Caley watched it from the window seat in her father’s den. She’d been trying to work, making calls back and forth to the office and trying to send a report via a dial-up modem. She decided to wait until she had better Internet access at the inn and sent a text message to her assistant in the meantime.
Trying to concentrate on work had been impossible. Her mind kept returning to the bedroom upstairs and to the kiss that she and Jake had shared. A shiver skittered down her spine and she rubbed her arms to quell the goose bumps. It was usually so easy to focus on work and now just one silly kiss—two, really—had completely consumed her thoughts.
She closed her laptop and gathered up her things; she would check into the inn right after her fitting. But right now she had to concentrate on getting to her car, which was probably buried. She remembered Jake’s offer of a ride, but thought it best not to tempt fate. It had been far too easy to kiss him. Given another chance, who knows what they might do?
Caley found a hodgepodge of winter outerwear in the hall closet and pulled on a jacket, boots, mittens and a cap. She tucked her phone into her pocket and trudged outside to shovel. She was glad for the distraction, for something productive to occupy her thoughts.
Other things had happened in that bed and she searched the haze of her memories for details. There had been a long, delicious dream in which Jake had finally succumbed to her charms. She’d spent most of her teenage years fantasizing about that moment when he’d pull her into his arms and kiss her, so it was no wonder that back in North Lake those thoughts had invaded her sleep again.
Yes, he’d kissed her. But the heavens hadn’t opened and the angels hadn’t sung. All right, a small chorus had made an appearance. After all, she’d have to be made of ice not to react.
As she started to shovel, she remembered the desire that had bubbled up inside of her the moment his lips touched hers. Caley had wanted him to continue, to make the kiss a beginning rather than an end. She’d longed for him to brush aside her clothes and kiss her naked skin, to pull her back to the bed and seduce her until she trembled at his touch.
She’d once fantasized that Jake was her Prince Charming, pure and noble. Now, she saw him as a man with a killer smile and an incredible body and a way of looking at her that made her tingle all over.
She stepped back from her task and drew a deep breath, trying to calm her racing pulse. It probably wouldn’t be difficult to let nature take its course. Jake had clearly seemed interested that morning—more than interested, if what was going on beneath his boxers was any indication. And it wasn’t as though she’d be seducing a complete stranger. She’d been so curious for so long, now why not enjoy Jake while she could?
She’d left New York with her life in turmoil, searching for the key to her happiness. Sleeping with Jake might make her happy for the short term. Though she’d insulted his prowess in bed, Caley suspected that she’d thoroughly enjoy being seduced by him. He was different now. A shiver skittered down her spine. He was definitely a man—a very sexy, handsome, powerful man.
She sighed, her breath clouding in front of her face. Her rational mind told her she didn’t need to add any more complications to her life. But sleeping with Jake might not be complicated so much as exciting and dangerous and wildly satisfying. Closing her eyes, she took another deep breath. Was it really Jake that she wanted or just someone—anyone—who made her feel better about her life?
Caley had nearly cleared one wheel of the car when Jake pulled up in an SUV. He beeped the horn at her, then rolled down the window and grinned. “Get in,” he said. “I’ll take you to town. You’ll never get that car dug out by yourself.”
Caley held her breath as she stared at him. He’d looked handsome that morning, dressed in only his boxers, his hair mussed by sleep and a scruffy day-old beard darkening his jaw. Now, he looked almost irresistible. Her gaze dropped to his mouth and she wondered when she’d kiss him next. Caley turned back to her shoveling, afraid that she hadn’t the power to resist him. “I—I can drive myself.”
“Come on, Caley. You’re not going to get the car out in any kind of reasonable time.”
She glanced over her shoulder, ready to concede defeat on both the car and her immunity to his charm. Jake jumped out of the SUV, grabbed the shovel, stuck it into a snowdrift and held out his hand. “Come on.”
Caley stared down at his fingers, long and tapered. A memory drifted through her mind, hazy but real. He’d touched her that morning. It hadn’t been part of her dream. His fingers had danced over her skin and his touch had made her body come alive.
Hesitantly, she placed her hand in his and he led her to his SUV. He opened the passenger-side door and helped her inside, then circled around to get in behind the wheel. In the end, she really didn’t want to drive into town on her own, especially along curvy West Shore Road. All it would take was a skid into the ditch and she’d have to listen to Jake’s repeated “I told you so.”
“Buckle up,” he said.
Caley turned to him. “I think we need to get one thing clear. I’m not in love with you anymore. Any crush I might have had as a teenager is long gone. So don’t act like you have me wrapped around your little finger, because you don’t.”
Caley turned to stare out the window, embarrassed by her sudden outburst. She was usually so careful about her choice of words. What was it about Jake that made her act like a petulant teenager? Why did he always have to challenge her?
Jake threw the truck into gear and headed up the hill to the end of the driveway. The SUV easily handled the deep drifts and the slippery conditions. But she wasn’t about to give Jake the satisfaction of being right.
“You were in love with me?” he asked. “When exactly was that?”
“Years ago,” she murmured. “For about a week. It’s all a very vague memory.”
“So you aren’t even slightly attracted to me now?” A grin quirked at the corners of his mouth.
“No,” she lied.
He considered her answer for a long moment. “Too bad. Because I’m still kind of attracted to you. Yeah, I know. Surprising, right?”
“Still?” Caley asked, stunned by his admission.
“Yeah, still. Hey, I always thought you were hot.”
Caley laughed out loud at the audacity of his comment. “Please,” she said.
“No, I did. I do. Come on, Caley, look at yourself. A guy would have to be crazy to think otherwise. You’re beautiful and sophisticated and smart.”
She wasn’t sure whether he was teasing her or telling the truth. But it did make her feel better. Caley smiled.
“All the guys were madly in love with you that summer before you left for college.”
“Now you are lying. But go on.”
“I told them you were taken.”
She frowned at him. “But I wasn’t. Why would you tell them that?”
“They were only looking for one thing and I just didn’t want them putting the moves on you. I didn’t think you were ready for that. And maybe I felt a little possessive.”
“You were the reason I left for college a virgin.”
“Believe me, I would have loved to help you out on that one, but I wasn’t sure I’d be the right guy for the job.” He paused. “I’d assume you solved that problem a while ago.”
Caley giggled. “Are you asking if I’m a virgin? I’m twenty-eight years old.”
“I was talking about finding the right guy. Teddy mentioned that you’re living with some lawyer.”
Caley opened her mouth, ready to tell him that Brian was probably moving his stuff out of their apartment as they spoke. But admitting that would leave her with no defense against seduction. “Yeah. We’ve been together for a couple years. What about you?”
Caley didn’t want to hear the answer. She wanted to believe that the only woman on his mind was her. But that would be unrealistic. Jake was an attractive, successful man.
“No one special,” he said. “I guess I was saving myself for you.”
She bit her bottom lip, focusing on the road ahead. Why did he say things like that? Was he testing her? Jake had always enjoyed teasing her, but this was different. It was as if he was daring her to take his words seriously.
They drove for a long while in silence. She took out her cell phone and began to text another message to her assistant.
“Do you take that thing with you everywhere?”
“I need to be available. People are counting on me.”
“The rats would continue to race even if you weren’t running alongside them. Take a break. You’re supposed to be on vacation.”
“Partners don’t ever really go on vacation,” she said. Still, she tucked the phone back into her pocket, leaving the message unfinished.
A question nagged at Caley’s brain, a question she never thought she’d have the nerve or the opportunity to ask. But it needed to be answered. “If you were so attracted to me, then why did you turn me down that night?”
He smiled, but kept his gaze fixed on the road ahead. “You’d just turned eighteen. I was almost twenty. I didn’t think it was the right time. It was your first time and I figured that should be perfect. I wasn’t sure I would be able to do that for you.” He glanced over at her. “I did you a big favor, Caley. I didn’t want you to regret your first experience.”
Caley sat back in the seat and stared out the window. Though his words did a bit to soothe the memory of her humiliation, she had a hard time believing Jake was that noble. “I was devastated,” she said.
He reached over and slipped his hand around her nape. Her pulse quickened and Caley felt a rush of desire as his fingers tangled in her hair. “I’m sorry,” he replied, gently forcing her to look at him. “But, if it will make you feel better, I’d be glad to do the job now.”
She saw the wry grin on his face and Caley couldn’t help but laugh. “I’ll let you know.”
“Hey, I’ve been told I do an admirable job in the sack.”
“That’s because all the women you sleep with are too blinded by your pretty face. They’d say anything to keep you in their beds.”
Jake pulled the truck over to the edge of the road and threw it out of gear. “My charm worked pretty well on you this morning.”
“I was asleep.”
“You said my name.”
She shrugged, trying to maintain a cool facade. It wasn’t working. Her hands were trembling and she felt a little light-headed. “Well, it won’t work anymore. Go ahead. Kiss me. You’ll see, I won’t have any reaction.” It was a feeble challenge and she knew he could see right through it. But she didn’t care. She wanted to kiss him again and she couldn’t wait any longer.
To her surprise, he accepted her challenge. Before she could even take a breath, he grabbed her face between his hands and kissed her. At first, the kiss was full of frustration. But then, he softened his touch and slipped his tongue between her lips.
Caley grabbed the front of his jacket and pulled him toward her, until he was sprawled across the console, his hands furrowed through her hair. They couldn’t seem to get close enough, tearing at each other’s clothes, searching for something more to touch. Though she knew she ought to put a stop to it, the taste of him, the feel of his body against hers was exhilarating, like some crazy carnival ride that frightened her and thrilled her all at once.
He slipped his hand under the waist of her pants and clutched her backside, pulling her hips against his. He was aroused and Caley enjoyed the fact that he couldn’t resist her any more than she could resist him.
“What the hell are you doing to me?” he murmured, his breath warm against her ear. “You have a boyfriend. You’re living with him.”
“We broke up,” she murmured, nuzzling her face into the curve of his neck.
Jake grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back, staring down into her eyes. “Don’t play games with me, Caley.”
“I’m not. I swear, we broke up. It’s over.”
Jake dragged his thumb over her bottom lip. “Can we just stop pretending then? I’m man enough to admit that I want you. And I think you want me, right?”
“Maybe,” Caley murmured.
“Not maybe,” he said, shaking his head.
“All right. I’ll admit that there is an interesting attraction between us.”
“So what are we going to do about it?”
Caley frowned. “I don’t know. It could be complicated.”
He drew back, then grinned. “When you figure out what you want, you let me know,” he said.
Caley gasped softly. Was that it? Wasn’t he supposed to pull her into his arms and kiss away all her doubts? Or seduce her without any regard to her reservations? He wasn’t supposed to drop the ball back in her court!
“I will,” Caley said softly.
Jake straightened, sliding back behind the wheel. “We should probably get going.”
When they reached the small bridal shop in the village, Jake parked, then hopped out and circled around the front to open her door. The Burton boys had always had impeccable manners.
“Watch out,” he said, as he grabbed her waist. “It’s slippery beneath this snow.” His hands lingered on her hips as his gaze fell to her mouth.
They stood there for a long moment, frozen in place, their breath clouding between them. Then Caley pushed up on her toes and touched her lips to his. “I’m not playing games with you,” she whispered. “I just felt like kissing you again.”
“I know how that feels,” he replied. His arms slipped around her waist and he pulled her body against his. Jake brought his hands up to her face and gently cupped her cheeks as he returned the kiss. But the sound of laughter brought an end to their momentary pleasure. Caley turned to watch two teenage girls in the midst of a snowball fight.
“It’s no one,” he whispered, his breath warm against her ear.
“If we do this, we can’t let anyone know,” she said.
“I never kiss and tell,” he said.
“I’m serious. It has to stay just between us. And it has to be just sex. Nothing more.”
“Friends with benefits?” he asked.
She nodded. “I’ll be right back,” she said, glancing over at the bridal shop.
“I’ll come in and wait,” he said.
“Is that wise?” she asked.
“I’m not going to seduce you in a public place,” he said. “And I don’t think Miss Belle is going to go running to our parents to tell on us.”
He followed her to the door, then pulled it open for her, placing his hand on the small of her back as she stepped inside. It was a simple gesture, but Caley realized that Jake was taking any opportunity offered to touch her.
The owner of the shop, Miss Belle, greeted them both, then drew Caley along to the fitting rooms in the back. She stopped and turned to Jake, motioning to him. “Are you coming, too?”
“Oh, no,” Caley said. “He’s not my—well, he’s just a— I don’t think he’d be interested.”
“I’ll come,” Jake said, sending Caley a playful grin. “I’m very interested.”
Caley took the dress into the fitting room and slipped out of her clothes. Though the dress didn’t look like much on the hanger, when she put it on it was another story. The silky fabric clung to every curve of her body; the modest neckline plunged to a deep V in the back; the long sleeves fitted to her arms. She slipped out of her bra and then turned to examine the rear view. Emma had gotten the sizing perfect and had chosen a dress that would look stunning for an evening wedding.
Caley pulled open the fitting room door and stepped out. Jake had been sitting on a bench and the moment he saw her, he quickly stood, a tiny gasp slipping from his lips.
“Wow,” he murmured. “That’s some dress.”
Caley smoothed her hands over her hips as she turned. “It is nice, isn’t it?”
“Are you wearing underwear?”
She gave him a stern look. “It’s too clingy.”
“So, you’re not going to wear underwear. Where the hell am I supposed to put my hands when we dance?” he asked. “This is going to be a problem.”
“Are we going to dance?”
“You’re the maid of honor and I’m the best man. I think it’s a rule than we take at least one turn around the floor.”
Miss Belle hurried up and studied Caley critically. “We’ll bring the sleeves up a bit. I’d assume you plan to go…without?” She pointed to Caley’s chest.
“Do I have a choice?” Caley asked.
“Well, we have the stick-ons.”
“Can we see some of those?” Jake asked, a worried expression on his face.
Caley shook her head. “This will be fine.”
Miss Belle held out a shoebox. “Try the shoes so I can check the hem.”
Caley grabbed a shoe from the box and tried to put it on, but couldn’t keep her balance in the long dress. Jake slipped his hands around her waist and steadied her as she put on the dyed-to-match pumps.
“Perfect,” the shopkeeper said. “I’ll be right back.” Miss Belle hurried off to answer the phone, leaving Jake and Caley alone at the rear of the shop.
“Perfect,” Jake repeated.
“Stop saying things like that to me,” she murmured. “Sometimes I feel like you’re playing with me.”
He shook his head. “It’s how we are, Caley. It’s how we’ve always been.”
She turned and walked back to the fitting room, and Jake followed close on her heels. When she stepped inside, Caley tried to close the door behind her, but Jake slipped inside, then leaned back against the door.
“In all the time that I’ve known you, have I ever lied to you?” Jake asked.
Caley stared at her fingernails. Until that night of her eighteenth birthday, Jake had been the one person she knew she could count on for unadulterated honesty. “I don’t think so.”
“Who told you to take the toilet paper out of your bra the night of the Fourth of July dance at the park? Who told you you looked like a giraffe when you started wearing those platform shoes? Who told you not to go out with Jeff Winslow because all he wanted to do was feel you up?”
“You did,” Caley said. “But I went out with Jeff Winslow anyway. Of course, he did try to feel me up.”
“See?”
“Just because you never lie to me doesn’t mean that you don’t have the capacity to hurt me.”
He took a step toward her, then reached out and touched her cheek. “Does that hurt?”
Caley drew a shaky breath. It felt so good to have him touch her, his fingertips leaving a warm imprint on her skin. She shook her head. This time she wouldn’t make it so easy for him. This time she’d resist him.
Jake took another step closer and kissed her softly on the forehead. “How about that? Tell me it feels good.”
She swallowed hard, then sighed deeply as he kissed her temple. Did she have the strength? And was it wise to try and resist? It really didn’t seem worth the effort. “Yes,” she said. “It feels good.”
He hooked his finger beneath her chin and tipped her gaze up to meet his. And then he kissed her, his tongue teasing at her lips before gently invading her mouth. But it wasn’t like the kiss in the truck. This kiss was slow and sensuous, meant to melt all her resolve. Caley wrapped her arms around his neck and surrendered, enjoying the rush of heat that coursed through her body.
His hands slid down her waist to her hips, then circled to smooth over her back, left bare by the cut of the dress. Caley’s mind whirled as she tried to remember every detail of the kiss, forcing herself not to slip into some hazy state of desire. But in the end, it was impossible to maintain her composure. Jake seemed determined to prove that he was quite possibly the best kisser in the entire world.
When his hand moved to her breast, she moaned softly. He grazed his thumb across her nipple, bringing it to a hard peak, sending a wild wave of pleasure coursing through her. When he finally drew back, Caley was dizzy with excitement. Her breath was coming in quick gasps and her pulse was pounding in her head.
“If that ever stops feeling good, you just let me know and I’ll stop,” Jake whispered. He kissed the tip of her nose, then walked out of the fitting room, closing the door behind him.
Caley stumbled back until she leaned against the mirrored wall for support. Her trembling fingers touched her lips and she felt a smile growing there. After all these years, it was hard to believe that all her fantasies about Jake might just come true.
There was something powerful pulsing between them and it didn’t look like either one of them had the capacity—or the will—to stop it. And that made it all the more exciting—and dangerous.
“THE BURTBERT SNOW BOWL begins in fifteen minutes!” Brett called.
Jake and Sam looked over their shoulders at their brother and gave him a wave. “We’ll be ready,” Jake shouted.
They sat on the stairs that, in the summer, led down to the dock and the beach they shared with the Lamberts. The lake was frozen over and covered with snow, but Teddy Lambert had cleared an area big enough for skating or a pick-up hockey game.
Jake stretched his legs out in front of him and watched the last of the snowflakes drift lazily through the air. The storm was over and everything was covered with a sparkly powder. “So you’re getting married.”
Sam smiled as he traced a pattern in the snow with a stick. “That’s what I hear.”
“I gotta tell you, Sam, I was surprised when I heard you were engaged to Emma. But then when I heard you were getting married so quickly, I was kinda shocked. A month and a half is a pretty short engagement, don’t you think?”
“Maybe.”
“How much time have you two really spent together?”
Sam shrugged. “Three summers, here at the lake house. And then I visited her in Boston over Thanksgiving and we got together during Christmas break in Chicago and we just decided we didn’t want to be apart anymore.”
“Why not live together then?” Jake asked. “Give yourself some more time.”
“Because Emma wants to get married,” Sam said.
“What do you want?”
“Why so many questions?” Sam asked, a hint of irritation creeping into his voice.
“That’s my job as your best man. To be sure you’re making the best choices.”
“I want what Emma wants. I want to make her happy,” Sam said.
Jake hadn’t been thrilled when he heard about his little brother’s plans to get married, but he chalked that up to surprise. But now that he had a chance to spend some time with Sam and talk to him, Jake realized that twenty-one was far too young to take such a giant step.
He’d spent the last ten years working his way through a variety of females, trying to figure out what made them tick, enjoying the full spectrum of pleasures in their beds. But it was only in the past year that he’d really come to understand what he needed in a relationship and the kind of woman he wanted to spend his life with. Sam hadn’t even started on that journey and already he was tying himself down. How could anyone know they were in love at that age? Neither Sam nor Emma had experienced anything of the world yet.
“You’re not even finished with college,” Jake murmured.
“Emma graduates in the spring and she’s just got a few independent study courses, so she’ll be spending more time in Chicago. I’ll finish at Northwestern at Christmas next year and then I’m thinking about law school. If we get married, we can start planning our lives together—and she can support me while I’m getting my law degree.”
“You can do all that without getting married,” Jake said.
Sam groaned, then leaned back on his elbows, staring out at the wide landscape of the lake. “Maybe I should have asked Brett to be my best man. Or Emma’s brother Teddy.”
“Marriage is a big step, Sam. You have to get married for the right reasons.”
“What reasons would those be?”
“Because you can’t imagine living without her. Because every time you look at her, you have to touch her, just to make sure she’s real and she’s yours. Because she’s the first thing you think about in the morning when you get up and the last thing you think about before you go to sleep.”
Jake drew a deep breath. This was the sum total of his knowledge about living happily ever after. It was what he’d decided it would take to tempt him into settling down for the rest of his life. And oddly enough, Caley seemed to meet all those requirements.
A shiver skittered down his spine. Women were supposed to confuse lust and love, not men. Still, Jake couldn’t ignore his feelings. Things weren’t the same as when they were kids. There was something deeper…something stronger drawing them together now.
He glanced over at Sam. “I’d hate to think you’re doing this to please Mrs. Lambert and our mother. All that Burtbert shit is really silly. We can still be one big family, even if we aren’t technically related.”
“It’s not about that,” Sam said.
“What is it, then?”
“We just want to start our lives together.”
“I know it seems like you’ll never get enough of her, but that kind of desire doesn’t last. It’s not all about sex,” Jake said. “There has to be something more.”
“Oh, we haven’t had sex,” Sam said. “Emma wanted to wait until we got married.”
Jake gasped. “You haven’t— I mean, not even a little?”
“Well, a little. But not the whole way.”
Jake groaned and buried his face in his hands. “How can you possibly make a decision about the rest of your life when you don’t even know if you’re compatible in the bedroom?”
“Lots of people wait,” he said. “And it’s not like I haven’t done it. And Emma has, too. We just haven’t done it together.”
“Well, maybe you should,” Jake said. “Just to make sure.” Hell, he’d never even tried to regulate his own desires for women—and since Caley had arrived back in town, Jake didn’t even feel in control of his libido. How did a guy just put those feelings on the back burner? Wasn’t it scientifically proven that abstaining wasn’t good for the male body?
He took a deep breath. “Why not just wait a little longer? It couldn’t hurt.”
“I love her,” Sam said. “And she loves me.”
“I love Emma, too,” Jake said. “And Caley and Teddy and Adam and Evan. The Lamberts are like our family.” Jake sighed softly, searching for another argument that made sense. Who was he to try to explain what went on between a man and a woman? Hell, he couldn’t begin to fathom his obsessive attraction to Caley. All he knew was that it felt good when he was with her, so good that he never wanted to let her go.
He pushed to his feet and offered his little brother a hand. “Come on. If I know Brett, he’s going to want to strategize before we get the game going. The last time we played football with the Lamberts, they beat us bad. They’ve got Evan’s wife now and she’s gone through natural childbirth three times. She’s no wuss.”
“And Caley plays like a guy,” Sam said.
“Don’t worry about Caley, I can handle her. You just take care of Emma.”
Sam grinned. “Until we’re married, she’s still a Lambert. And the enemy.”
They walked up to the lawn, now covered in a foot of powdery snow. After a few minutes, all the players were congregated at the center of the field. When Jake saw Caley, he gave her a wave and she returned his greeting with a hesitant smile. She looked so cute bundled up against the cold that it didn’t take more than a moment for his mind to begin a fantasy of slowly peeling off all those layers of clothes. Jake drew a sharp breath and closed his eyes. Now was not the time to think about getting naked with Caley!
Once everyone was gathered, Brett raised his hand. “Welcome to the first, and possibly only, Burtbert Snow Bowl. In the tradition of our annual summer Toilet Bowl football game, we have decided to bring back the time-honored trophy.” He pulled a toilet plunger from behind his back and everyone laughed and clapped, surprised to see the trophy after so long.
“The last time this was awarded was eleven years ago last summer and, according to the inscription, it was won by the Lamberts.”
“On a touchdown run by Caley,” Jake said. He looked at her. “Remember? Adam threw you the ball and you just took off down the field. No one could catch you.”
She gave him an odd look. “I don’t remember that.”
Jake shrugged. “I do. It was a great play.”
He slowly walked around the perimeter of the crowd as Brett went over the rules, stopping when he stood behind Caley. His gaze fixed on Sam and Emma. “They look happy,” he murmured. “What do you think?”
Caley glanced over her shoulder at him. “Yes,” she replied.
Brett pointed to the list of winners, written on the wooden handle with a marker. “Our captains today will be Sam and Emma. By my count, we’ve got even teams with Evan’s wife, Marianne, and Ann’s husband, John, so no one has to sit out.”
Teddy disagreed. “We have three guys and three girls and you’ve got four guys and two girls. You call that even?”
“John just had knee surgery last year,” Brett said. “And Marianne played college soccer. I’d say it’s even.”
The coin was flipped and the game began. Brett played quarterback for the Burton team and when he went out for a long pass to Ann, Caley stepped out in front of her and snagged an interception.
She started off down the sideline and Jake took off after her, making up the distance between them in a few seconds. He grabbed Caley around the waist and picked her up off her feet, then fell into the snow near the goal line, taking the impact with his body.
They’d played in this rough-and-tumble fashion when they were kids and back then it had been fun. But now, lying beneath Caley, her body stretched out on top of his, the game had taken on a sexual element.
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