Tags:
Fiction,
General,
Romance,
Contemporary,
Love Stories,
australia,
Fiction - Romance,
Romance - Contemporary,
Romance: Modern,
English Light Romantic Fiction,
Sydney (N.S.W.),
Surrogate mothers
mother had been close before her breakdown, but from the age of nine, he’d been left in the care of a succession of governesses, or to be entertained by Roy. Then there’d been boarding school.
His parents had focused on raising their cattle and training their racehorses, or throwing lavish parties after race meetings. Jake had spent a solitary childhood, never feeling that his parents needed him, and in response he’d chosen to make his own way.
It was vitally important to prove to his parents that he could become successful in his own right, so he had no plans to change his job in the near future. But, this morning, the thought of going back to Mongolia for six long months left a chasm in his gut so big a truck could pass through it.
He was going to miss Mattie.
But he wasn’t right for her.
He couldn’t give her the steady commitment she needed and deserved. If he was halfway decent, he should tell her that. Now, this morning, before he left, before it was too late.
He was leaning against a kitchen bench, coffee mug in hand, when Mattie came in, wearing a white towelling bathrobe tied at the waist. Her feet were bare and she hadn’t bothered to brush her hair. Jake wondered if she’d deliberately left her hair in that just-out-of-bed disarray because she knew it looked so damn sexy.
Her soft skin had a peachy sleep-warmed glow and he had to fight a fierce urge to pull her in for a deep and meaningful good morning kiss.
Hell. Hadn’t he decided it was time to back off?
‘Morning.’ Mattie sent him a shy smile, then looked around the kitchen. ‘Oh, I see you’ve taken care of Brutus and Pavarotti. Thanks.’
‘No problem.’
Jake watched the upward tilt of her soft, full lips as she smiled again. He watched the way she tucked a wayward curlbehind her ear and he forgot every one of his good intentions in his need to taste her, to let his hands slip inside her towelling robe to explore once more the exquisite softness of her slender waist, the silken roundness of her breasts.
Right at this moment, there was only one thing he wanted and that was to take Mattie straight back to bed.
His lips dipped to meet hers. Ah, yes…he could spend the whole morning just kissing her…
‘Um.’ Gently Mattie broke the kiss and she pushed her hands against his chest, easing out of his embrace. Her eyes were serious as she dropped a light kiss on his chin. ‘I think I’ll take a shower.’
‘Sure,’ he said, disappointed. ‘Will I…er…start breakfast?’
She paused in the kitchen doorway. ‘Don’t you have to pack this morning?’
‘I’ll take two seconds to throw my few things in a bag.’
Mattie gave a shrug. ‘Cook whatever you like, but don’t worry about me. I’ll fix tea and toast when I’ve showered.’
‘Let me know if you’d like a hand in there.’
She smiled, but there was no coy come-hither message in her eyes and she left without replying.
Jake took a moment to collect his thoughts. He’d almost made a serious mistake, carrying on with Mattie like a lover, instead of a guy who was about to walk out of her life.
He’d never enjoyed the morning after, letting women know that they couldn’t hope for a long term future. He’d had some bad experiences with women who were clinging and possessive and he supposed he should be pleased that Mattie was letting him off the hook so easily.
He should be very grateful. And he was. Of course he was.
CHAPTER FIVE
M ATTIE was towelling her hair dry when she heard the phone. She’d been trying to decide if she should use the blow-dryer to try to turn her hair into the sleek bob the hairdresser had achieved, but she abandoned the challenge and hurried into the kitchen, damp hair in a tangle.
Jake had already answered the phone and, when he turned and grinned at her, her tummy flipped.
He was so beautiful. She longed to hurl herself into his arms, but he was leaving today and she had to be brave. The last thing he would want was a