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Authors: Kandy Shepherd
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stretched out ahead of her in Port Douglas and she hoped she’d spend all of them with Jake. After that—who knew?
CHAPTER SIX
J AKE WAITED IMPATIENTLY for Eliza to get dressed and join him in the living area. He couldn’t believe she was here in his house with him. It was more than he could have hoped for when he’d intercepted her at the airport.
He welcomed the everyday sounds of running taps, closing doors, footsteps tapping on the polished concrete floors. Already Eliza’s laughter and her sweet scent had transformed the atmosphere. He’d like to leave that sexy trail of clothing down the hallway in place as a permanent installation.
This house was a prize in a property portfolio that was filled with magnificent houses. But it seemed he had always been alone and unhappy here. There had been many opportunities for infidelity during the waning months of his marriage but he’d never taken them up. He’d always thought of himself as a one-woman man.
That mindset had made him miserable while he’d refused to accept the demise of his marriage. But meeting Eliza, a woman as utterly different from his ex as it was possible to be, had shown him a different possible path. However he hadn’t been ready to set foot on that path. Not so soon after the tumult and turmoil that had driven him off the rails to such detriment to his business.
Extricating himself from a marriage gone bad had made him very wary about risking serious involvement again. He’d stayed away from Eliza for that very reason—she did not appear to be a pick-her-up-and-put-her-down kind of woman, and he didn’t want to hurt her. Or have his own heart broken. Ultimately, however, he’d been compelled to see her again—despite the advice from his divorce support group and his own hard-headed sense of self-preservation.
She’d told him he’d been over-thinking the situation. Too concerned about what might happen before they’d even started anything. Then she’d gifted him with this no-strings interlude. No expectations or promises, no apologies if it didn’t work out. What more could a man ask for?
Eliza had surprised and enthralled him with her warm sensuality and lack of inhibition. He intended to make the most of her four days in Port Douglas. Starting by ensuring that she spent the entire time of her vacation with him.
He sensed Eliza’s tentative entry into the room from the kitchen before he even heard her footsteps. He looked up and his breath caught at the sight of her in a white dress that was tight at her waist and then flared to show off her slim figure and shapely legs.
He gave a wolf whistle of appreciation. ‘You’re looking very babelicious.’
Her eyes narrowed in sensual appraisal as she slowly looked him up and down. ‘You don’t look too smokin’ bad yourself,’ she said.
He’d quickly gone into one of the other bathrooms, showered and changed into shorts and a T-shirt.
‘Comfortable is my motto,’ he said. He dragged at his neck as if at an imaginary necktie. ‘I hate getting trussed up in a suit and tie.’
‘I don’t blame you. I feel sorry for guys in suits, sweltering in the heat of an Australian summer.’
‘It’s a suit-free zone at my company headquarters.’ A tech company didn’t need to keep corporate dress rules.
‘I enjoy fashion,’ she said. ‘After a childhood spent in jeans and riding boots—mostly hand-me-downs from my brothers—I can’t get enough girly clothes.’
‘Your dress looks like something from my grandma’s wardrobe,’ he said. Then slammed his hand against his forehead ‘That didn’t come out quite as I meant it to. I meant from when my grandma was young.’
‘You mean it has a nice vintage vibe?’ she said. ‘I take that as a compliment. I love retro-inspired fashion.’
‘It suits you,’ he said. He thought about saying that he preferred her in nothing at all. Decided it was too soon.
She looked around her. ‘So this is your vacation house? It’s
CHAPTER SIX
J AKE WAITED IMPATIENTLY for Eliza to get dressed and join him in the living area. He couldn’t believe she was here in his house with him. It was more than he could have hoped for when he’d intercepted her at the airport.
He welcomed the everyday sounds of running taps, closing doors, footsteps tapping on the polished concrete floors. Already Eliza’s laughter and her sweet scent had transformed the atmosphere. He’d like to leave that sexy trail of clothing down the hallway in place as a permanent installation.
This house was a prize in a property portfolio that was filled with magnificent houses. But it seemed he had always been alone and unhappy here. There had been many opportunities for infidelity during the waning months of his marriage but he’d never taken them up. He’d always thought of himself as a one-woman man.
That mindset had made him miserable while he’d refused to accept the demise of his marriage. But meeting Eliza, a woman as utterly different from his ex as it was possible to be, had shown him a different possible path. However he hadn’t been ready to set foot on that path. Not so soon after the tumult and turmoil that had driven him off the rails to such detriment to his business.
Extricating himself from a marriage gone bad had made him very wary about risking serious involvement again. He’d stayed away from Eliza for that very reason—she did not appear to be a pick-her-up-and-put-her-down kind of woman, and he didn’t want to hurt her. Or have his own heart broken. Ultimately, however, he’d been compelled to see her again—despite the advice from his divorce support group and his own hard-headed sense of self-preservation.
She’d told him he’d been over-thinking the situation. Too concerned about what might happen before they’d even started anything. Then she’d gifted him with this no-strings interlude. No expectations or promises, no apologies if it didn’t work out. What more could a man ask for?
Eliza had surprised and enthralled him with her warm sensuality and lack of inhibition. He intended to make the most of her four days in Port Douglas. Starting by ensuring that she spent the entire time of her vacation with him.
He sensed Eliza’s tentative entry into the room from the kitchen before he even heard her footsteps. He looked up and his breath caught at the sight of her in a white dress that was tight at her waist and then flared to show off her slim figure and shapely legs.
He gave a wolf whistle of appreciation. ‘You’re looking very babelicious.’
Her eyes narrowed in sensual appraisal as she slowly looked him up and down. ‘You don’t look too smokin’ bad yourself,’ she said.
He’d quickly gone into one of the other bathrooms, showered and changed into shorts and a T-shirt.
‘Comfortable is my motto,’ he said. He dragged at his neck as if at an imaginary necktie. ‘I hate getting trussed up in a suit and tie.’
‘I don’t blame you. I feel sorry for guys in suits, sweltering in the heat of an Australian summer.’
‘It’s a suit-free zone at my company headquarters.’ A tech company didn’t need to keep corporate dress rules.
‘I enjoy fashion,’ she said. ‘After a childhood spent in jeans and riding boots—mostly hand-me-downs from my brothers—I can’t get enough girly clothes.’
‘Your dress looks like something from my grandma’s wardrobe,’ he said. Then slammed his hand against his forehead ‘That didn’t come out quite as I meant it to. I meant from when my grandma was young.’
‘You mean it has a nice vintage vibe?’ she said. ‘I take that as a compliment. I love retro-inspired fashion.’
‘It suits you,’ he said. He thought about saying that he preferred her in nothing at all. Decided it was too soon.
She looked around her. ‘So this is your vacation house? It’s
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