BEN WOKE TO the smell of bacon cooking, plus no Jess in bed with him. Hell, he’d really passed out last night. And slept for a good ten hours, he realised with amazement as he glanced at his watch. And whilst he regretted not waking—he hadn’t intended sex with Jess to be so short and swift—the long sleep had done him a lot of good. His shoulder was one hundred percent better and he felt marvellous.
Ben fairly leapt out of bed, calling a hurried, ‘Good morning,’ out to Jess before bolting for the bathroom. After a very quick shower, he wrapped a towel around his waist, then made his way to the kitchen, anxious to see Jess again. She glanced over her shoulder as he walked in, her lovely eyes lighting up at the sight of him.
‘You look good in a towel,’ she said, smiling.
‘And you look good in anything,’ he returned, his gaze raking over her from top to toe. She was wearing the same fitted black trousers again, but her top was different, a simple scoop-necked sweater in a bright-green colour which suited her dark hair and olive skin. She wasn’t wearing any make-up and her hair was up, secured on top of her head in a rather haphazard fashion. On closer inspection, he could see she’d wrapped it around itself in a knot, a few bits and pieces already escaping. Her lack of artifice continued to enchant him. Amber was always fully made up and her hair groomed to perfection before showing herself in the morning.
Jess made Amber look terribly shallow. And impossibly vain.
‘Flatterer,’ she said, laughing, then turned back to the stove.
‘That smells good,’ he said, coming up behind her to slide his arms around her waist.
Jess tried not to stiffen at his touch, having determined to act naturally with him. It had been difficult not to ogle his beautiful body when he’d come into the kitchen just now, but she’d managed, telling herself all the while that a sophisticated New York woman wouldn’t ogle. She would sail through the morning after the night before with style and panache. She wouldn’t ask for reassurances that he wanted more from her than sex. She would be pleasant and easy going. Slightly flirtatious, yes, but nothing heavy.
So, when Ben placed a hand under her chin and turned her face towards his, she hid her momentary panic and let him kiss her. Fortunately, it wasn’t too deep, too long a kiss. But, oh…how her heart raced, her head instantly filling with images of him scattering everything off the kitchen table with one sweep of his arm and taking her on it then and there.
His eyes were glittering when his head lifted. ‘If that bacon wasn’t already cooked,’ he said, ‘I’d have you for breakfast.’
‘Really,’ she replied with superb nonchalance. ‘I might have something to say about that.’
His eyes carried the knowledge she was bluffing. ‘Come now, Jess, let’s not play games this morning. You and I both know that what we shared last night was something special. And highly addictive. But you’re right. We should eat first.’
‘Your bruise looks much better,’ she said, turning her attention back to the breakfast. ‘When bruises start going all the colours of the rainbow, it usually means they’re on the mend. Now, sit down, for Pete’s sake, and let me get on with this.’
‘You sound like you’re familiar with bruises,’ he said, pulling out a chair at the kitchen table and sitting down.
‘I have three brothers,’ she reminded him. ‘There wasn’t a day that they didn’t come home from school with bruises.’
‘Habitual fighters, were they?’
‘No. Just physical.’
‘Like you. You’re very physical. And very sexy.’
Jess felt some dismay—and irritation—that Ben’s focus seemed to be all about sex. She was more than that…wasn’t she?
Somehow, she managed to serve up toast, bacon and eggs without burning anything. Ben ate his with relish, Jess just picking at hers. She’d always been a girl who lacked appetite when she was upset about something. She tried telling herself she was foolish to expect anything more than sex from Ben, but it was a losing cause.
‘You didn’t eat much,’ Ben remarked after he finished his breakfast.
‘I’m not very hungry. I had some coffee before you got up.’
‘You’re not one of those girls who lives on coffee, are you?’
‘Not usually.’
‘You don’t need to lose weight, Jess. Your body is absolutely gorgeous just the way it is.’
Jess struggled not to show her feelings on her face. But did he have to concentrate on her body?
‘I’m glad you think so. By the way, you said yesterday we could have a talk about Fab Fashions this morning.’
He seemed genuinely taken aback. ‘Yes, I know I did. But that was before last night.’
Jess glared at him across the table. ‘You mean you don’t have to pander to me any more because we’ve already had sex.’
Ben hid his guilt well. Because she was right, wasn’t she? But, damn it all, he wasn’t about to waste time talking about business when he could be having sex with her again.
‘No,’ he said carefully. ‘That’s not true. Though what we shared last night does change things, Jess. It was so very special. We can talk about Fab Fashions during the drive home tomorrow. And every day next week. Meanwhile, we probably only have a couple of hours to ourselves before we both have to get ready for the wedding this afternoon. What time do you have to be over at Catherine’s?’
She seemed mollified by his explanation. ‘I said I’d be there at three. But I have to do my hair first. Catherine and Leanne are having their hair done at a hairdresser’s in Mudgee this morning, but I prefer to do my own hair. I’m better at it than the hairdresser.’
He smiled. ‘I have no doubt you are. Okay, Andy said he’s going to collect me around two-thirty. We’re all getting ready together up at the house before heading over to Catherine’s around four. Apparently, it doesn’t do for the groom’s party to be late arriving.’
‘You haven’t been in a bridal party before?’
‘Actually, no, I haven’t. Have you?’
‘I was a bridesmaid at all of my three brothers’ weddings.’
‘Maybe next time you’ll be the bride.’
‘I doubt it,’ she said, her voice sharp.
‘Don’t you want to get married?’
‘Well, yes, I do. Eventually. That’s what we do in our family. But I’m prepared to wait till the right man comes along. After Colin, I’m not in any hurry.’
Ben wasn’t in any hurry either. But it did cross his mind that Jess would make some man a wonderful wife.
‘And what would make him the right man?’ he asked.
Jess shrugged. ‘That’s a difficult question. For starters, he’d have to be reasonably successful in whatever he’s chosen to do in life. I like men who are confident.’
‘Would he have to be rich?’
‘Not rich like you, Ben De Silva. I would never marry a man as rich as you.’
Ben felt perversely offended. ‘Really? A lot of women would.’
‘Yeah. Silly, greedy ones like Leanne. And already rich ones like your Amber.’
Ben frowned. ‘Why makes you think Amber’s rich?’
Jess stood up and started clearing the breakfast things away. ‘Am I wrong?’ she threw at him.
‘No.