Read Online A Man to Remember by Mary Tate Engels - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Mary Tate Engels
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fresh out of the oven.
"Thank you, Lena." Jake smiled at their shy waitress and, when she left, leaned toward Alyse. "Lena's family has worked here for years. For them, it's like losing a family member. Everyone is quite upset over my aunt's illness. They call her La Duena, a title of respect because she is much loved."
"I'm sure," Alyse murmured.
After lunch Jake suggested a dip in the sparkling pool. "Aunt Myra usually naps this time of day. It would be the perfect time for us to go swimming."
"I'd love it. The pool's gorgeous."
"I trust you brought a swimsuit. If not, I'm sure we can find something for you around here."
"Thanks, I have one," Alyse said, patting the large shoulder bag she brought along. "Where can I change?"
He pointed out a nearby cabana, and she disappeared inside it.
A few minutes later Alyse stepped out wearing a one-piece purple maillot, and Jake's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
"I like it," he managed to say, trying not to stare.
"Better than the red one?" Alyse smiled at his obvious masculine admiration. She liked the idea that Jake found her attractive. Casually, seductively she raised her arms to pull her chestnut hair back in a ponytail.
"Well, I don't know about better. But this one is, uh, quite nice," he stammered.
She walked to the edge of the shimmery pool, and he noticed that the suit was completely backless and cut down to the dimples at her lower back. The bottom was cut high at her thighs, making her long legs appear even longer. They seemed to go on forever. He followed her into the sun-heated water and wished it were colder. Ice cold, in fact.
Jake proceeded through the afternoon in pure agony. Swimming with Alyse in that skimpy suit, rubbing oil on her curvaceous back and gorgeous legs, lying next to her in the sun, trying not to watch her every move, trying not to respond like a ram in rutting season. It had taken a great deal of convincing and planning to arrange the torturous afternoon. Fortunately Emilio was willing to go along, for Jake's sake. All in the line of business.
Later he took her on a motor scooter ride through the entire villa complex, which was like a small village. Mexican employees were housed in modest living quarters and worked in the villa's hillside orchards and terraced vegetable gardens. Jake halted the scooter by a small storage building adjacent to the main hacienda.
He unlocked the door, and they stepped inside the cool rock and plaster interior. "I want to show you some of the inheritance I intend to take back home. Primitive Mexican art." Reaching inside one of the packed boxes, Jake unrolled one of the canvases. "Beautiful, isn't it?"
"Oh, my, yes!" Alyse admired the brilliant colors and bold brushstrokes on the oil painting. "I had no idea you were such an art aficionado, Jake."
"This primitive stuff is my passion." Then he added with a grin, "One of them anyway. I have quite a collection at home. Most of these will be sold, though. I already have buyers all over Texas." He patted the box proudly. "These will bring more than a hundred thousand in the States. Here, unfortunately, they aren't worth much." He rolled the canvas, stuffed it back, and unfurled another, of a small sailboat anchored in a small private bay.
"Oh, I like this one!" Alyse exclaimed enthusiastically. "It reminds me of Balandra Beach. How lovely."
"Then you can have it," Jake said quickly.
"Oh, no, I couldn't."
"I'd like you to have it. As a reminder of a beautiful day we spent together." God, he couldn't believe he was saying something so damned sweet and sentimental. Was he going soft because of this sincere young woman who believed his every word? Alyse, the siren dressed in a skimpy purple swimsuit, the woman he'd like to take to bed? Then why the hell did he keep resisting her charms?
"Jake, you don't have to give away your inheritance."
"I know. But I want to. Just this one." He rolled the canvas and replaced it. "Now can you see why I must take
"Thank you, Lena." Jake smiled at their shy waitress and, when she left, leaned toward Alyse. "Lena's family has worked here for years. For them, it's like losing a family member. Everyone is quite upset over my aunt's illness. They call her La Duena, a title of respect because she is much loved."
"I'm sure," Alyse murmured.
After lunch Jake suggested a dip in the sparkling pool. "Aunt Myra usually naps this time of day. It would be the perfect time for us to go swimming."
"I'd love it. The pool's gorgeous."
"I trust you brought a swimsuit. If not, I'm sure we can find something for you around here."
"Thanks, I have one," Alyse said, patting the large shoulder bag she brought along. "Where can I change?"
He pointed out a nearby cabana, and she disappeared inside it.
A few minutes later Alyse stepped out wearing a one-piece purple maillot, and Jake's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
"I like it," he managed to say, trying not to stare.
"Better than the red one?" Alyse smiled at his obvious masculine admiration. She liked the idea that Jake found her attractive. Casually, seductively she raised her arms to pull her chestnut hair back in a ponytail.
"Well, I don't know about better. But this one is, uh, quite nice," he stammered.
She walked to the edge of the shimmery pool, and he noticed that the suit was completely backless and cut down to the dimples at her lower back. The bottom was cut high at her thighs, making her long legs appear even longer. They seemed to go on forever. He followed her into the sun-heated water and wished it were colder. Ice cold, in fact.
Jake proceeded through the afternoon in pure agony. Swimming with Alyse in that skimpy suit, rubbing oil on her curvaceous back and gorgeous legs, lying next to her in the sun, trying not to watch her every move, trying not to respond like a ram in rutting season. It had taken a great deal of convincing and planning to arrange the torturous afternoon. Fortunately Emilio was willing to go along, for Jake's sake. All in the line of business.
Later he took her on a motor scooter ride through the entire villa complex, which was like a small village. Mexican employees were housed in modest living quarters and worked in the villa's hillside orchards and terraced vegetable gardens. Jake halted the scooter by a small storage building adjacent to the main hacienda.
He unlocked the door, and they stepped inside the cool rock and plaster interior. "I want to show you some of the inheritance I intend to take back home. Primitive Mexican art." Reaching inside one of the packed boxes, Jake unrolled one of the canvases. "Beautiful, isn't it?"
"Oh, my, yes!" Alyse admired the brilliant colors and bold brushstrokes on the oil painting. "I had no idea you were such an art aficionado, Jake."
"This primitive stuff is my passion." Then he added with a grin, "One of them anyway. I have quite a collection at home. Most of these will be sold, though. I already have buyers all over Texas." He patted the box proudly. "These will bring more than a hundred thousand in the States. Here, unfortunately, they aren't worth much." He rolled the canvas, stuffed it back, and unfurled another, of a small sailboat anchored in a small private bay.
"Oh, I like this one!" Alyse exclaimed enthusiastically. "It reminds me of Balandra Beach. How lovely."
"Then you can have it," Jake said quickly.
"Oh, no, I couldn't."
"I'd like you to have it. As a reminder of a beautiful day we spent together." God, he couldn't believe he was saying something so damned sweet and sentimental. Was he going soft because of this sincere young woman who believed his every word? Alyse, the siren dressed in a skimpy purple swimsuit, the woman he'd like to take to bed? Then why the hell did he keep resisting her charms?
"Jake, you don't have to give away your inheritance."
"I know. But I want to. Just this one." He rolled the canvas and replaced it. "Now can you see why I must take
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