'You...all week!' Hooded eyes, glinting strangely, clashed with blue. 'No more tubes, Charlotte. There will be a car and driver at your disposal from now on. It will be a great deal more convenient and, whatever you say, I am not having you exposed to any danger, however slight.'
'Gosh, I never knew you cared,' she remarked with a grin, and saw the shutters fall across his dark eyes as his hand fell from her arm.
'I care for any person in my charge,' he said stiltedly. 'Hurry and dress. We will be late.'
Delving in her shoulder-bag, she lifted out a box. 'Here, this is for you. I got it in the gift shop at Kew Gardens. When I saw it I thought of you.' She placed it in his hand, and caught his look of astonishment as she turned and headed for the bedroom.
Jake looked at the box in his hand as if it were about to explode. Slowly he opened the box. He withdrew the glass globe, and blinked at the beauty of the delicate exotic flower within. He could not remember the last time anyone had given him a gift for no apparent reason, let alone such an exquisitely simple gift, and he was totally humbled.
A quick shower and Charlie was back in the bedroom in a matter of minutes. Slipping on white lace briefs, she withdrew from the wardrobe the dress she had bought on Monday. It had looked glamorous in the shop, pale pink with a bustier bodice and short straight skirt, but now it looked a little too daring to her mind, and she wondered if Jake would like it. She slipped it over her head anyway.
Wondering about Jake had become a full-time occupation, and she now wondered if he liked her present as she sat down at the dressing-table and began to apply a light moisturiser to her face.
It was a black orchid petrified in glass as a paperweight, and now she realised why it reminded her of Jake. He was dark and beautiful, like the orchid, and like it, his true feelings were buried deep in a protective layer. But in his case the glass was probably bulletproof. When she had teased him earlier about caring, the familiar shuttered expression had appeared. But was that so surprising, she mused, given his early life? He had lost his mother young, and been on his own for two years, and that must have affected him. And later, when he had thought he had found love, his fiancée had walked out on him. No wonder he had concentrated all his attention on building up a business empire, and put his feelings in cold storage.
A slow, sensual smile curved her warm mouth. Well, perhaps not that cold. Her mind was made up. She loved Jake and it was up to her to chip away at the glass until she pried the loving, caring man she knew he could be free.
Standing up, she ran a comb through her hair—there wasn't time for anything else—and, smoothing the skirt down over her waist and hips, she picked up her shawl and purse and turned towards the door.
Jake was standing where she had left him in the middle of the room, turning the paperweight over and over in his hand. He swung around, his hooded eyes gleaming with a brightness that looked almost like tears.
'You like it.' She smiled, and Jake's reaction was peculiar.
He placed the paperweight on the table and walked slowly towards her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and said in a low voice husky with emotion, 'Thank you for the gift,
Charlotte. I will treasure it always.' Very gently he pulled her against his hard body, and lowered his head to hers.
The kiss was like no other kiss they had shared. It was soft and unbearably tender and went on and on. She lifted her free hand to curve around the nape of his neck, but his head lifted and he released her with a small sigh.
'I promised you the theatre and we will be late,' he offered by way of explanation. Taking her pashmina from her hands, he wrapped it around her shoulders. 'You look beautiful, absolutely stunning.' His dark eyes gleamed with amusement and something more sensual. 'But that is one dangerous gown and you are one dangerous lady. And I am not letting you out of my sight.'
They were too late to catch the first act, but were allowed to enter the auditorium for the second act. At the intermission Jake ordered her a glass of champagne. Leaning against the bar, dark eyes gleaming enigmatically down at her, he said, 'So, what do you think of it so far?'
'Honestly?' She quirked an elegant brow at him it would not have made a blind bit of difference if we had seen the first act. The play is totally incomprehensible. And as for the poor young boy with the bandy legs who keeps appearing in what I suppose is a loincloth, but looks like a nappy—what on earth was his mother thinking of putting him on the stage? He could be traumatized for life.'
Jake threw back his head and laughed out loud. 'Brutally honest,' he said. 'But I couldn't have put it better myself. Let's get out of here and find somewhere to eat.'
The following day Charlie left Jake sleeping for a change. She showered and dressed carefully in more new additions to her wardrobe. Natural linen trousers with a matching tooled leather belt hung low on her hips, a figure-hugging camisole almost met the trousers, and a loosely tailoredjacket completed the outfit. She left the jacket off, and ordered room service. When the waiter arrived she took the trolley from him and wheeled it into the bedroom.
Sprawled flat on his back across the bed, naked except for the sheet that just about covered his thighs, Jake was a tempting sight, and for a long moment she feasted her eyes on him. Black hair dishevelled and with an early morning shadow darkening his jaw, he looked like a pirate. All he needed was a gold earring, Charlie thought dreamily.
'Are you going to give me that coffee some time today?' One dark eye opened and Charlie nearly jumped out of her skin.
'You're awake.' She pushed the trolley nearer the bed. 'I thought you might like breakfast in bed.'
Jake hauled himself up on one elbow, his dark, sensuous gaze skimming over her face. 'I would if you were going to join me,' he offered lazily.
'No way. Much as I love you, you promised me the day out,' she shot back. 'And I'm holding you to it.'
His eyes darkened and then became hidden beneath the sweep of his lashes, and she realized what she had just said. But she refused to be embarrassed. It was the truth and Jake could accept it, ignore it, or tell her to get lost. She was tired of trying to play by his rules and she wasn't hiding how she felt any more.
'Then pour me a coffee, and I'll be yours in no time at all.' Obviously he was going to ignore her declaration of love, but at least he had not told her to get lost, which was some consolation. She handed him a cup of coffee and left.
Two hours later, Charlie stood on the balcony of a penthouse apartment situated on the bank of the River Thames, and looked around her, absorbing the stunning view of the city spread out before her. She was a country girl at heart but she could certainly get used to this. Her lips twitched in the beginnings of a smile as she turned to go back inside. Fat chance.
She walked across to where Jake was leaning over a table, studying a blueprint. 'Are you really going to buy this apartment?' she asked.
'Actually, I was thinking more of the whole building.' Jake cast her a sidelong glance and straightened to his full height, it's an excellent long-term investment. But as it happens, this apartment is available, and it might be useful to have a permanent base in London.' He lifted an enquiring brow. 'What do you think?'