LITMIR.BIZ

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me to hang around any longer.’

      ‘Please wait. Look, I’m truly sorry. You can’t know how much I mean that. I made a terrible mistake.’

      ‘That’s all that you can say? I thought you were a good man … a fair man. But then you go and shatter my illusions by behaving just like everybody else in this godforsaken place, with their small minds and unfair suspicions. I would have told you everything if you’d stayed. I see now what a bad error of judgement that would have been. Anyway, I am going to leave now, and I think it’s best if we don’t see each other again.’

      Even as the words left her lips Sophia knew she didn’t mean them. Having not set eyes on Jarrett for almost a week, she’d yearned to see him so badly that the image of his handsome face had seared itself onto her brain practically to the exclusion of all else. But she also knew it was unlikely she’d be able to trust him again, after he’d jumped to the wrong conclusion about David.

      ‘Don’t go.’ He stepped towards her and stilled her escape by catching her hand and holding it. His expression mirrored his distress. ‘At least give me the chance to make amends. You’re right. I was a small-minded idiot not to give you the chance to explain who he was. But I was so intent on seeing you that I reacted like a jealous fool when I saw you with someone I thought must be a rival.’

      ‘That’s still no excuse for staying away without even contacting me to tell me why.’

      ‘You’re right. It isn’t.’ As he lifted one broad shoulder and dropped it again in a shrug a rivulet of rain slid down his sculpted cheekbone from his still wet hair. ‘I suppose I thought the longer I stayed away, the longer I could delay hearing you tell me that there was someone else in your life after all.’

      The tenor in his voice conveyed genuine regret, and in spite of her reservations Sophia sensed some of her anger and tension subside. Hearing Jarrett tell her that he’d acted like a jealous fool made her realise how much it must have meant to him to see her again that Sunday, and how shocked and disappointed he must have been when he’d believed she was seeing someone else.

      He still hadn’t released her hand, and it was as though an electrical current was shooting through it simply because his big palm enfolded it. ‘There’s nobody else.’ She lifted her head, intensifying her gaze to emphasise the point. ‘But that doesn’t mean I’m looking for a relationship either.’

      His lips split into a disarming grin. ‘You know it’s going to be my mission to make you change your mind about that?’

      ‘By all means try. But don’t say I didn’t warn you when you fail.’

      Letting go of her hand, he drove his fingers through his damp ebony hair. ‘Will you still share what you were going to tell me before I made such a colossal fool of myself on Sunday? I honestly want to hear your story, Sophia. And before you say anything else, I’ll make you a cast-iron promise that I won’t share the content of what you tell me with another living soul.’

      ‘Not even your sister?’

      ‘Not even her.’

      She saw from his unwavering stare that he meant it.

      ‘By the way, where’s Charlie?’ he asked.

      She gave him a brief smile. ‘With my brother and his family. They’ve invited him to stay with them in Suffolk for a short break before he starts school. David has a son just a couple of years older than Charlie, and they haven’t seen each other for a long time. I’m glad that he wanted to go, but I’m going to miss him like crazy.’

      Just the thought of being without her precious child for even a day made Sophia feel tearful. They’d always had the strongest bond, but they’d become even closer since the shadow of Tom had no longer loomed over them.

      Jarrett’s glance was warmly reassuring. ‘You’ll be fine,’ he told her. ‘I know you’ll miss the little man, but you could probably do with a bit of a break too.’

      ‘I suppose it’s a good opportunity to get on with doing some work … both my photographic assignments and the house.’

      The man in front of her looked thoughtful. Then with another warm smile he said, ‘Why don’t you let me hang up your coat? Then we’ll go into the kitchen and have a hot drink.’

      With fingers still icy-cold from the rain that had drenched her, Sophia slowly started to unbutton her damp raincoat.

CHAPTER SIX

      THE hot mug of tea helped to dispel the chill that seemed to have seeped right through to her marrow.

      Not since her father had Sophia known a man who knew his way confidently round a kitchen, and it had been an unexpected bonus to have Jarrett make the tea and then bring it to her at the table, along with an inviting plate of custard creams. As she’d watched his eye-catching physique garbed in a black fitted cashmere sweater and black trousers move with arresting masculine grace round the luxurious bespoke kitchen—a kitchen that was a million miles away from her own rather spartan one at High Ridge—Sophia hadn’t been able to help but be transfixed.

      Her heart was still thudding inside her chest because she’d at last found out why he hadn’t turned up on Sunday. It had been the biggest shock to learn that he’d arrived just as her brother was saying goodbye and had immediately assumed that David was her lover. Although she’d forgiven him, it still hurt that he’d believed for even an instant that she was the kind of woman who would deceive him like that.

      ‘Is your tea all right?’

      Her host’s arresting voice broke through her reverie. As he dropped down into the seat opposite her at the round glass-topped table, for a moment the close proximity of his arresting presence made it almost impossible for Sophia to think straight. His sexy but classy cologne made a devastating foray into her senses first. But then she met his gaze. His dark-lashed eyes were so blue that it was as if God had especially reserved the perfect portion of sunlit summer sky to make them. Entranced, Sophia hoped that the neutral expression she aimed for adequately concealed the effect he was having on her.

      ‘It’s perfect. Just the way I like it. Where did you learn such a mundane but vital domestic task?’

      ‘My sister always told me that the way to a woman’s heart was through the perfect cup of tea.’

      ‘Did she really?’

      ‘No. I’m only joking.’ His lips formed an unabashed grin. ‘Living by myself, I’ve learned to do most things. I draw the line at wearing an apron, though. Wouldn’t be at all good for my street cred if my family or friends were to see me in one.’

      ‘Why don’t you just pay someone to look after the domestic side of things for you?’

      ‘Ah …’ Jarrett knowingly tapped the side of his perfectly shaped aquiline nose. ‘Now you’re veering very close to discovering my Achilles’ heel.’

      ‘Which is?’

      ‘Clearly you believe in living dangerously.’

      The lowered husky voice that came back to her made the tips of Sophia’s breasts inside her bra surge and sting. ‘Don’t tell me, then.’ She endeavoured to sound nonchalant when she was feeling anything but.

      ‘I’m a boring perfectionist, I’m afraid,’ Jarrett admitted wryly. ‘I somehow always come round to thinking that I may as well do it myself rather than hire someone who won’t live up to my standards.’

      ‘You’re a bit of a control freak, then?’

      ‘That accusation is not unknown to me.’ He took a sip of his beverage, then grimaced. ‘But I hope I’m not controlling in a way that puts me in the category of typically macho male. With the right woman I’m sure I could learn to be a lot more flexible.’

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