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cost is not a problem to me,’ he assured her.

      Still she frowned. ‘Does my father pay you so well?’

      He shrugged. ‘Well enough, but I don’t count on him for my income.’ Because that was always going to end and quite soon now. He would probably become unemployable in the bankruptcy business after he’d blown the whistle on how corrupt some of it was and he’d prepared for that outcome. ‘I have a side interest that has proved very profitable.’

      It piqued her curiosity. ‘What is it?’

      There was no harm in telling her. He doubted she would tell her father and it didn’t really matter if Costarella knew, not this close to his resignation from the company. ‘I buy run-down houses, renovate them in my spare time, then sell them on.’

      ‘Ah!’ She looked pleased. ‘The property ladder. That’s another show I sometimes watch on TV. It’s always fascinating to see how each property is improved before reselling. How many houses have you done?’

      ‘I’m currently on my fifth.’

      ‘I’d love to see it sometime. See what you’re doing to it,’ she said with eager interest.

      He had to clamp down hard on the strong impulse to share it with her, to hear her views on the renovations he was doing, enjoy her interest. She was so attractive in so many ways. But anything beyond sexual intimacy had to be discouraged or he risked becoming far too hooked on Laura Costarella. Bad enough that he couldn’t go to bed without wanting her in it.

      ‘Maybe when it’s further along,’ he said ruefully. ‘It’s virtually a shell right now. Nothing to see but mess.’

      She grimaced in disappointment. ‘Okay. I guess you’d prefer to feel some pride in showing off your work. I take it you’ve made a good profit from each house you’ve done.’

      ‘Good enough not to worry about paying for a great night out with you, Laura, so don’t you worry about it, either. I can well afford special treats like this and having you share them doubles the pleasure.’

      She visibly relaxed, smiling her heart-kicking smile at him again as she picked up her menu. ‘In that case, I’m very happy to share your pleasure. I shall have no inhibitions about ordering whatever I want to try.’

      No inhibitions in bed, either, Jake thought happily, relieved that she wasn’t pressing the house issue. Their time together had to be time out from his real life. He couldn’t consider anything else with her however much he would like to.

      Laura let herself wallow in the pleasure of being with Jake. He was so attractive in every respect—looks, wit, charm. There was nothing about him she didn’t like. However, he was big on control, and she shouldn’t forget that. Although there was a plus side to that, too. It had obviously taken a great deal of inner strength to set the trauma of losing his parents aside and drive himself towards establishing a professional career, and his enterprise in climbing the property ladder, as well, was truly admirable.

      Something Eddie had said popped into her mind—sooner or later he’ll turn you off—but she honestly couldn’t see that happening, definitely not tonight. In fact, she was so turned on, it was impossible to find any wrongness in him.

      He was the best company over dinner, relishing and enjoying the amazingly wonderful food as much as she did. The conversation between them was fun. The sexy twinkle in his eyes kept her excitement bubbling. She loved every bit of him, which should have set warning signals off in her head, but it was so giddy with delight, no sense of caution was even registered.

      Again it was an easy walk to the hotel. Her body was humming with delicious anticipation. Her feet wanted to dance all the way. Jake had brought the rose she’d given him at the restaurant, twiddling it in his fingers as they walked, smiling down at it, and she smiled at it, too, imagining he intended taking it home with him as a romantic reminder of her.

      She knew this wasn’t supposed to be a romantic relationship. It was probably crazy wanting it to turn into one, yet all her female instincts were insisting this man was the right man for her. He wasn’t demanding anything of her. It was simply great being together.

      The hotel was brilliantly sited right below the harbour bridge. A set of glass doors on the far side of their room showcased a fabulous view of the opera house. Laura couldn’t help loving the luxury of it, couldn’t help loving the man who was giving it to her. As soon as the door was closed behind them, she turned to hug him tightly and kiss him with every fibre of her being, unable to wait another second to feel all he could make her feel.

      Almost instantly they were on fire for each other, quick hungry kisses turning into fierce, needful passion. The barrier of clothes was unbearable. She broke away to get rid of hers and laughed as she saw Jake clamping the stem of the rose between his teeth to free his hands for the same purpose.

      ‘Just as well I picked off the thorns,’ she tossed at him.

      ‘Mmmh…’ was all he could answer.

      Naked and still laughing with wild exhilaration, she raced him to the bed, landing and rolling until her caught her, trapping her into stillness with one strong leg flung over hers. She looked up into wickedly glittering eyes, her chest heaving for breath, her heart hammering with excitement.

      ‘You can’t kiss me with that rose between your teeth,’ she teased, her lower body wriggling provocatively against his.

      He plucked the rose free and started caressing her face with it. ‘I’ve been fantasising about doing this all evening. Lie still, Laura. Close your eyes. Feel the petals gliding over your skin. Breathe in the scent of them.’

      It took enormous control to follow his instructions but it was worth the effort, focussing on the amazing sensuality of what he was doing, the soft graze of the rose, tantalisingly gentle, followed by a trail of kisses that had all her nerve ends buzzing. It made her feel like a pagan goddess being worshipped, anointed with perfume and brought to tingling life by a ceremony of slowly escalating physical ministrations.

      She had never been so acutely aware of her body, hadn’t realised she had erotic zones below her hip-bones, behind her knees, on the soles of her feet. To be touched like this everywhere, to be kissed as though every inch of her was adored…it was an incredible experience, mesmerising, heavenly.

      Finally he came to her most intimate parts, caressing her to an exquisite tension, making it impossible for her to lie still any longer. Her body arched in need for release and she cried out his name, desperately wanting him to take her to the end now.

      He moved swiftly to oblige and it was wondrous all over again, the ebb and flow of extreme sensations gathering momentum to a fantastic climax, then the delicious aftermath of sweet contentment, the scent of the yellow rose still lingering on her skin, adding its heady pleasure to their intimate togetherness.

      Laura had never felt so blissfully happy. To have a lover like Jake…she was incredibly lucky to have met him. She could even find it in her heart to be grateful to her father for bringing him into her life. This journey was definitely worth taking and she hoped it would go on for a long, long time.

      As they were leaving the hotel the next morning Jake asked, ‘Will you be free to join me next Saturday night? I’ve booked a table at Universal, Christine Manfield’s restaurant.’

      Free for you anytime, she thought, her heart skipping with pleasure at not having to wait more than a week to be with him again. Glorious food was no longer the seductive temptation it had been, though she would absolutely enjoy it, having Jake as her dining partner.

      ‘That would be lovely,’ she said, trying not to sound too eager for his company, which was now the main drawcard. This relationship did have to be controlled. Jake was not falling all over himself to be with her every free moment he had and it was better for her if she could hold him at a distance, too, in between their meeting points,

      ‘Same time?’ he asked.

      ‘Suits me.’

      ‘Good!’

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