Pregnancy of Revenge

by Jacqueline Baird

  She followed his progress around the room, saw himwithdraw a smart grey suit and white shirt from the ward­robe, and smiled at the intimacy of seeing him dress. First the white boxers, then the white shirt and elegant hip- hugging trousers. 'Going somewhere?' she asked, dragging herself up on an elbow and shaking back the tumbled mass of her ash blonde hair from her face. 'That doesn't look the kind of garb for sightseeing.'

  Jake turned from the chest of drawers, a rueful smile on his handsome face and a pair of black socks in his hand, and crossed to sit down on the bed beside her. 'I have a meeting this morning. I did warn you, cara, I am here on business.' He smiled wryly when he saw the pout of her love-swollen lips, and, lifting his hand, he ran his fingers through her hair. 'And, no, I am not going to kiss you, otherwise I will never make my meeting.'

  His deep, dark eyes gleamed down into hers as he added softly, 'after the last eighteen hours maybe you could use a rest—or to do your own tourist thing today. But I want you back here by six. I'll be waiting.' He pressed a brief kiss on the tip of her nose, before bending down to slip on his socks. A moment later he had donned his shoes, jacket and tie, and turned back to look at her.

  'You're amazingly quiet, Charlotte.'

  'I was just wondering if I should unpack my clothes in the other bedroom,' she teased. She was too happy to be angry with him and anyway he had said originally it would depend on his business obligations, but she wasn't letting him slope off totally scot-free.

  'Ah, I might have lied about that,' Jake returned smoothly, his dark eyes lit with amusement smiling down into hers. 'The second bedroom was converted into an office for the duration of my stay, so unless you want to sleep on the desk...' He paused. 'Then again, a desk has distinct possibilities,' he suggested, a wicked gleam in his dark eyes.

  Charlie picked up a pillow and threw it at him. 'Shame on you,' she cried and burst out laughing at the bemused expression on his striking face.

  'I'll get you for that later.' Placing the pillow on the foot of the bed, he added, 'And that is a promise, so feel afraid, woman.' He sent her a quick blinding smile that took her breath away. Then he was striding out of the room, with the wave of a hand and a, 'Ciao, cara. '

  Charlie didn't go sightseeing; instead she hit the shops, and blew her clothes allowance for the next year because she wanted to look good for Jake. When she returned slightly after six, he was waiting.

  'Typical woman: late and couldn't resist shopping,' he said mockingly as she walked in with a handful of carriers.

  'But not from the hotel's overpriced boutique, and paid for by me,' she mocked back.

  Without a single word of warning strong hands curved under her arms and hauled her hard against a taut male body, a dark head descended and she was kissed senseless. The carriers fell unnoticed to the ground as she linked her arms around his neck. A few hours later they called room service.

  And so it continued for the next few days. Pressure of business meant Jake never accompanied her during the day as she roamed around London, visiting all the places of interest that appealed to her, but she didn't mind because she knew she would see him later. But the nights in the privacy of the suite were the best. He had only to look at her in a certain way, and her whole body heated in instant response.

  CHAPTER SIX

  FRIDAY showed all the signs of being a beautiful spring day, and as she sat dressed in only a bathrobe Charlie wondered what her chances were of getting Jake to share it with her. She looked across the table at him, noting the magnificent broad shoulders clad in a perfectly tailored dark jacket, the white shirt enhancing the bronzed skin of his almost inde­cently attractive face. She could look at him for ever. He had finished his breakfast and was filling his cup with coffee for the third time. That was something else she had noted about him: he always drank three cups of coffee.

  'You drink too much coffee, Jake,' she declared, her eyes sparkling as she held his faintly brooding gaze. 'And you work too hard. If you're not at a meeting you're on the phone or attached to that computer. You need to relax more. Spend the day with me?'

  'If I relaxed any more with you, cara, I would be in danger of having a heart attack,' he mocked gently, his dark gaze sliding down to where the soft swell of her breasts was exposed by the lapels of her robe, and back to her face.

  'I didn't mean that.' Charlie blushed and Jake laughed. 'For your information,' she said firmly, 'I'm going to Kew Gardens to meander around the tropical plants and pretend I'm on a tropical island somewhere.'

  'Now, that I can envisage: you on a paradise island wear­ing only a grass skirt,' he said. 'We'll do that for real when I have time. But, unfortunately, I can't join you today. I do have a huge corporation to run, and thousands of people who depend on me for their livelihood.'

  'Very laudable.' His casual remark suggesting they had a future had made her heart sing. 'But you should remember the old adage: "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy",' she teased with a smile that faded as she saw his dark brows draw together in a frown.

  'I was just joking,' she said.

  Jake was not amused, mainly because he knew there was some truth in her words. His gaze focused on her features, noting the sudden faint wariness in her eyes, and he felt bad. She gave him everything in bed and out; her enthusi­asm for her ridiculous sightseeing tours, and the pleasure she took in explaining them to him, amused him, and he gave little back.

  'I know you were, cara,' Jake hastened to reassure her. Charlotte had surprised him this last week. He could count on one hand the women he had actually allowed to share his life for more than a weekend. He preferred to wine, dine, and make love to the woman in his life and return to his own bed to sleep.

  Charlotte was the exception, probably because she was the least demanding woman he had ever met. She was noth­ing like the greedy, selfish bitch he had first believed her to be. He hadn't spent a penny on her, and guiltily he realised he had never actually taken her out all week.

  He wasn't the type of man who explained his actions, but Charlotte deserved some explanation. 'Before I met you, I had spent the past three months confined to my home in Italy, because my foster-parents were in poor health and needed my constant support. This trip to London is the first of many overdue visits, and in the next few months I must visit America and the Pacific Rim countries, so if I have appeared a little preoccupied with work, that's why. But all that is about to change.'

  Charlie almost gasped out loud at the warmth of the smilehe bestowed upon her as, rising to his feet, he crossed to where she sat and turned her around in her chair, and, bend­ing slightly, tipped her chin up with one long finger.

  'Be back from your jungle adventure early. We have tick­ets for the theatre tonight and the curtain rises at seven- thirty.' He lied: he had not got tickets, but he would. 'And tomorrow I am completely at your disposal. You can take me where you want.' Straightening up, he added, 'Though I do have a property to check out in the morning. Perhaps we can combine the two.'

  His information about his parents, work and the difficul­ties he'd had in the past few months was a first, and Charlie was delighted. At last Jake was beginning to confide in her. Hugging him around his hips, she tilted back her head, her blue eyes dancing. 'Careful or you might spoil me,' she chided him, and Jake laughed.

  'And you be careful where you hug a man.' He took her hands from around his hips and shot her a mocking glance. 'You could give him the wrong idea.'

  She was late. It was almost seven, and she was so looking forward to the theatre. Dashing out of the lift, she opened the door to their suite and stopped.

  'Where the hell have you been? We're due at the theatre in thirty minutes.' Jake was standing in the middle of the room, immaculate in a dark evening suit, but with a face like thunder.

  'I know, I know,' she wailed. 'But the tube was delayed and I got stuck in the rush hour.'

  'The tube? You travelled on the tube? Are you crazy?'

  'Not so you would notice, I hope.' She
moved towards him and opened her shoulder-bag at the same time, it's okay, I'll be ready in fifteen minutes.'

  It is not okay.' She was made aware of the tension inhis tall, commanding figure as he grasped her arm. 'The tube is dangerous for a woman on her own. Have you no sense?' Jake demanded, studying her in angry challenge.

  'Oh, Jake, come down from your rarefied planet. It's per­fectly safe. I've been using it all week, and no one has leapt on me yet.'

  '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?'

  'I love it.' She felt flattered he had asked her opinion. 'But then, I'm not in your league when it comes to busi­ness.'

  It wasn't business I was thinking of.' Reaching an arm around her waist, he pulled her to him. 'But from a woman's point of view, would you rather spend time with a man here?' His eyes glinted when he saw her blush. 'Or in a hotel?'
/>   If it was the man I loved, it wouldn't matter,' Charlie responded honestly, her sapphire eyes holding his.

  They stared mutely at one another for a long moment, and Jake was the first to break the contact. His arm fell from her waist and he took a step back to lean against the table. A typical romantic response. You must know very little about your own sex if you believe that.' She was struck by the sudden cold glitter in his dark eyes. 'Take it from me, most women will run a mile if the man in their life doesn't support them in the manner to which they would like to be accustomed.'

  'That is a sweeping generalization,' she said. 'And I don't believe it for a minute.'

  'Try telling that to my ex-fiancée. She took off like light­ning when she realized I wasn't as wealthy as she had thought.'

  'That must have hurt,' Charlie murmured.

  'No.' Jake took in a controlled breath. 'Her leaving did not hurt at all, and how in the hell did we get onto this subject?' He shook his head and wrapped a strong, lean hand around Charlie's wrist, which he twisted around her back, pulling her in close to his great body. His other hand came up and touched her smooth cheek. 'What is it about you that makes me tell you things I don't mean to?'

  'My fatal charm,' she replied cheekily. She had learnt more about Jake over the last few days and understood a lot better now why he appeared so hard-headed and con­trolled.

  'You could be right at that,' Jake husked, his dark head bending. Her lips involuntarily parted for his kiss, but in­stead he whispered in her ear, 'You can prove it later.' He dropped his fingers from her cheek to rest on her hip, his dark eyes laughing down at her. 'As it happens, I already bought this place yesterday. Come on, the rest of the day is for you.'

  They spent it at London Zoo and Charlie, with her arm linked through Jake's, for the first time felt as if they were a normal couple. They laughed at the monkeys, and she shivered at the snakes while Jake held her close. They ate sandwiches outside the café in the zoo, and when Charlie fell in love with a soft cuddly panda in the gift shop, Jake bought the toy for her. Much later they dined on scampi and chips sitting outside a pub on the river. Jake was con­vinced that whatever was in the popular English dish had never been in the sea, and they were still light-heartedly arguing on the merits of Italian versus English food when they returned to the hotel. Finally Charlie threw her hands up and admitted that Italian cuisine won hands down, andJake took advantage of her position to whip her top over her head...