Read Online The Bridesmaid's Baby Bump by Kandy Shepherd - Free Book Online
Authors: Kandy Shepherd
Ads: Link
aware of a bitter edge to her laughter. ‘I interrogated all my potential dates to try and gauge if they were controlling bullies like my ex. You’re on the lookout for gold-diggers. Are we too wounded by our past experiences just to accept people for what they appear to be?’
Jake’s laugh added some welcome levity to the conversation. ‘You mean the way you and I have done?’ he said.
Eliza thought about that for a long moment. Of course. That was exactly what they’d done. They’d met with no expectation or anticipation.
‘Good point,’ she conceded with an answering smile. ‘We just discovered we liked each other, didn’t we? In the old-fashioned boy-meets-girl way. The best man and the bridesmaid.’
‘But then had to wait it out until we could pursue the attraction,’ he said.
She reached out and placed her hand on his cheek, reassuring herself that he really was there and not one of the dreams she’d had of him after she’d got home from Montovia. ‘And here we are.’
When it came to a man, Eliza had never shut down her good sense to this extent. She wasn’t looking any further ahead than right here, right now. She’d put caution on the back burner and let her libido rule and she intended to enjoy the unexpected gift of time with this man she’d wanted since she’d first met him.
Jake went to pull her closer. Mmm, they could start all over again... Just then her stomach gave a loud, embarrassing rumble. Eliza wished she could crawl under the sheets and disappear.
But Jake smiled. ‘I hear you. My stomach’s crying out the same way. It’s long past lunchtime.’
As he got up from the bed the sheet fell from him. Naked, he walked around the room with a complete lack of inhibition. He was magnificent. Broad shoulders tapered down to a muscled back and the most perfect male butt, his skin there a few shades lighter than his tan elsewhere. He was just gorgeous. The prototype specimen of the human male. She felt a moment’s regret for humanity that his genes weren’t going to be passed on to a new generation. That combination of awesome body and amazing brain wouldn’t happen too often.
She had nothing to be ashamed of about her own body—she worked out and kept fit. But she suddenly felt self-conscious about being naked and tugged the sheets up over her chest. It was only this morning that she’d encountered him at the airport lounge. She wasn’t a one-night stand kind of person. Or hadn’t been up until now. Until Jake.
He slung on a pale linen robe. ‘I’ll go check what food there is in the kitchen while you get dressed.’
Eliza remembered their frantic dash into the bedroom a few hours before. ‘My bag with my stuff in it—it’s still in the car.’
‘It’s in the dressing room,’ said Jake, pointing in the direction of the enormous walk-in closet. ‘I went out to the car after you fell asleep. Out like a light and snoring within seconds.’
Eliza gasped. ‘I do not snore!’ Did she? It was so long since she’d shared a bed with someone she wouldn’t know.
‘Heavy breathing, then,’ Jake teased. ‘Anyway, I brought your bag in and put it in there.’
‘Thank you,’ said Eliza.
The bathroom was as luxurious as the rest of the house. All natural marble and bold, simple fittings like in an upscale hotel. She quickly showered. Then changed into a vintage-inspired white sundress with a full skirt and wedge-heeled white sandals she’d bought just for the vacation.
Standing in front of the mirror, she ran a brush through the tangles of her hair. Then scrutinised her face to wipe the smeared mascara from under her eyes. Thank heavens for waterproof—it hadn’t developed into panda eyes. She slicked on a glossy pink lipstick.
Until now she hadn’t planned on wearing make-up at all this vacation. But hooking up with Jake had changed all that. Suddenly she felt the need to look her most feminine best. She wanted more than a one-night stand. Four days
Jake’s laugh added some welcome levity to the conversation. ‘You mean the way you and I have done?’ he said.
Eliza thought about that for a long moment. Of course. That was exactly what they’d done. They’d met with no expectation or anticipation.
‘Good point,’ she conceded with an answering smile. ‘We just discovered we liked each other, didn’t we? In the old-fashioned boy-meets-girl way. The best man and the bridesmaid.’
‘But then had to wait it out until we could pursue the attraction,’ he said.
She reached out and placed her hand on his cheek, reassuring herself that he really was there and not one of the dreams she’d had of him after she’d got home from Montovia. ‘And here we are.’
When it came to a man, Eliza had never shut down her good sense to this extent. She wasn’t looking any further ahead than right here, right now. She’d put caution on the back burner and let her libido rule and she intended to enjoy the unexpected gift of time with this man she’d wanted since she’d first met him.
Jake went to pull her closer. Mmm, they could start all over again... Just then her stomach gave a loud, embarrassing rumble. Eliza wished she could crawl under the sheets and disappear.
But Jake smiled. ‘I hear you. My stomach’s crying out the same way. It’s long past lunchtime.’
As he got up from the bed the sheet fell from him. Naked, he walked around the room with a complete lack of inhibition. He was magnificent. Broad shoulders tapered down to a muscled back and the most perfect male butt, his skin there a few shades lighter than his tan elsewhere. He was just gorgeous. The prototype specimen of the human male. She felt a moment’s regret for humanity that his genes weren’t going to be passed on to a new generation. That combination of awesome body and amazing brain wouldn’t happen too often.
She had nothing to be ashamed of about her own body—she worked out and kept fit. But she suddenly felt self-conscious about being naked and tugged the sheets up over her chest. It was only this morning that she’d encountered him at the airport lounge. She wasn’t a one-night stand kind of person. Or hadn’t been up until now. Until Jake.
He slung on a pale linen robe. ‘I’ll go check what food there is in the kitchen while you get dressed.’
Eliza remembered their frantic dash into the bedroom a few hours before. ‘My bag with my stuff in it—it’s still in the car.’
‘It’s in the dressing room,’ said Jake, pointing in the direction of the enormous walk-in closet. ‘I went out to the car after you fell asleep. Out like a light and snoring within seconds.’
Eliza gasped. ‘I do not snore!’ Did she? It was so long since she’d shared a bed with someone she wouldn’t know.
‘Heavy breathing, then,’ Jake teased. ‘Anyway, I brought your bag in and put it in there.’
‘Thank you,’ said Eliza.
The bathroom was as luxurious as the rest of the house. All natural marble and bold, simple fittings like in an upscale hotel. She quickly showered. Then changed into a vintage-inspired white sundress with a full skirt and wedge-heeled white sandals she’d bought just for the vacation.
Standing in front of the mirror, she ran a brush through the tangles of her hair. Then scrutinised her face to wipe the smeared mascara from under her eyes. Thank heavens for waterproof—it hadn’t developed into panda eyes. She slicked on a glossy pink lipstick.
Until now she hadn’t planned on wearing make-up at all this vacation. But hooking up with Jake had changed all that. Suddenly she felt the need to look her most feminine best. She wanted more than a one-night stand. Four days
Similar Books
