by Nell Dixon
“I see.” Gemma blew out a breath. It looked as if going on a date with Jerome could be hazardous in more ways than one.
Chapter Two
Gemma hadn’t finished dressing the next morning when she heard the throaty roar of Jerome’s sports car pull to a halt outside her front door. The conversation with Nathalie and Evan had made her a little scared for Jerome’s safety.
She tugged a faded sweatshirt over her head and ran down the stairs to answer the door, her heart thumping as she went.
Jerome greeted her with a slow smile. “You all set?”
“Sure, I just need to put on my boots.” She gestured for him to come inside the hall.
All of her senses flared onto alert as he walked behind her into her lounge.
“Are you sure you should be doing this today?” She sat down on a dark brown leather chair and bent to pull on her boots.
“What, taking you on a photo shoot?” Jerome teased as he leaned on the back of her couch.
She squinted at him from behind her hair. “Evan said you’d had some problems since you did the radio lectures.” Her boots in place, she stomped her feet gently on the carpet.
Jerome’s expression sobered. “It’s just a few fatheads letting off steam.”
“Evan and Nathalie seemed concerned and Evan doesn’t appear to be the kind of guy who would panic over nothing.”
“I’ve had a few nasty letters, some obscene phone calls and a suspect package which turned out to be an alarm clock wired to look dangerous.” Jerome shrugged.
Gemma frowned at him. “That doesn’t sound like nothing to me. Perhaps Evan’s right and you should take a break for a few weeks till they find a new target.”
Jerome sighed and raked a hand through his hair. “Listen, this shoot today is a favor for an old friend. It’s not been publicized anywhere and I promise I haven’t seen anyone following me. Scout’s honour!” He held his hand up in a mock salute and smiled before holding out a hand to help her to her feet.
His grip sent a frisson of energy along her fingers.
“I won’t need a flak jacket and a tin hat today, then?” She felt a little foolish that she’d even raised the subject. After all, it wasn’t likely that they’d be in any physical danger. This was the heart of the English countryside, not a war zone. Besides, Jerome was right, the kind of morons who wrote nasty letters or made crank calls didn’t usually translate them into action.
“I don’t think so. A jacket would be good, though, since we might have rain later.” His hand released hers so she could collect her coat from the back of the chair.
“Is your friend’s park open to the public today?” she asked as Jerome started the car.
“It’s the end of the main season so it opens later today. We’ll have till two o’clock to get the shots we need.”
She sensed, rather than saw, the quick glance he gave her. Her eyes remained fixed on the road ahead as they left the city limits behind and headed into the open countryside.
The small interior of Jerome’s car meant that Gemma was unable to put as much distance between them as she would have liked. The sharp clean scent of his cologne teased her nostrils. When he changed gear, his hand brushed against her denim-clad thigh, making her heartbeat skip as she oh-so-casually moved her leg a fraction out of contact.
* * * *
Jerome grinned as Gemma blushed and shifted on the car seat.
“You look a little warm, would you like the roof down?”
He took her sharp intake of breath as a yes and pressed the button to lower the roof. With the wind tugging at his hair and Gemma at his side, Jerome felt more alive than he had for months. The lectures had been tiring, what with all the mail they had produced and the political arguments that had followed.
It was good to escape for a while and to get back to doing the things he loved best. He chanced another glance at Gemma. The wind whipped stray tendrils of hair around her face and the pink tint on her cheeks was reflected in the soft full curve of her mouth.
“What kind of animals are you going to photograph?” She smoothed some of her flyaway hair down as she turned her head toward him.
“Jeff wants shots which will tempt people not just into visiting, but also into sponsoring the animals. He has a lot of native British animals - foxes, badgers, otters, owls, and stoats. A lot of the animals arrive there injured and can’t go back to the wild. Some are there as part of a breeding program.”
Jerome swung the car off the main road and onto a small country lane.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the otters. Will we be able to handle any of the animals?”
“Some of his animals are pretty tame. I know he has some deer that are on diets because they love the visitors so much.”
“People feed them? I didn’t think that was allowed.”
Jerome laughed. “These two in particular would put Fagin to shame. They learned that humans often have food in their pockets and they look cute, so visitors don’t have the heart to stop the little thieves.”
He pulled the car to a halt in front of a black and white timbered house. “Here we are.”
Gemma looked confused as she unclipped her belt. “Where’s the park entrance?”
“This is Jeff’s house. The public entrance is on the far side of the sanctuary. He has some pens here where he looks after the recent arrivals and any sick animals.”
As he spoke, the front door of the house opened and Jeff strode out to greet them, his round face wreathed in a smile.
“Jerome! Glad you could make it.” He greeted his friend with a hearty handshake.
Jerome introduced Gemma and watched as she colored in embarrassment when he explained to Jeff that she was there to help with the photographs.
“Great to meet you. Come through into the kitchen. Marnie, my head keeper, is going to look after you both and help with the animals.”
Jerome walked behind Gemma as she followed Jeff into the house. He enjoyed watching Gemma walk, admiring the way the denim curved around her backside in all the right places. One thing was certain; her ex-boyfriend must have been a class A idiot to break up with her. If Gemma were his girl, he wouldn’t let her go so easily.
He squashed the thought as swiftly as it rose. Gemma was a great girl and fun to be with, but he wasn’t up for anything permanent. She half-turned to glance back at him as she went through the kitchen doorway and his heart gave a squeeze.
Marnie smiled as they walked in. She was a tall, friendly-looking girl with wild auburn hair and freckles. Jerome had worked with her several times before and knew she was great with the animals. Jeff introduced everybody while Marnie made coffee for them all.
Jerome watched Gemma take a seat at the scrubbed pine table at the center of Jeff’s kitchen. He had to force himself to concentrate on the conversation going on around him about the type of brochure Jeff hoped to create for the park.
The plans were decided and the animals to be photographed selected, when Jeff had to leave to answer an emergency call from the café on the far side of the park.
“Okay, we’d better get started before the place fills up with visitors.” Marnie suggested.
Jerome swallowed the last few dregs of his coffee and rose to his feet. Marnie and Gemma followed him out to his car to help with the equipment.
“Let’s hope the animals are feeling photogenic today.” Gemma hoisted a large camera box onto her shoulder.
“Oh, no worries about that. A few little treats and they’ll be just fine.” Marnie laughed.
The first stop was the otter pen. Marnie went off to get the otters some of their favorite treats while Gemma helped Jerome decide where the best place for filming would be.
“I didn’t realise taking pictures would be this complicated or would need so much stuff.” Gemma put down the portable light she’d been holding with a sigh when Jerome finally declared himself satisfied with what he’d taken.
“It isn’t always. On a location it can
be just point and shoot.” Jerome winked at her. He didn’t tell her that sometimes in order to get his point-and-shoot picture he’d have to stalk an animal for days waiting for just the right shot.
“What are you going for next? The owls?” Marnie asked. After enticing the otters into the right space and frame of mind, she had waited for Jerome and Gemma to get the pictures.
“I think so.” He bent to help Gemma put the lenses and filters he’d used back into the bag. His fingers grazed against her knuckle and she fumbled the filter she had in her hand. The brief contact made his heart pound.
“Sorry.”
“It’s okay,” he reassured her as she fitted the filter back inside the case.
He sensed Marnie watching him and looked up to catch her smiling to herself.
“What’s so funny?” he asked when Gemma was out of earshot.
“I never thought I’d see the day when Jerome Mayer was smitten by a woman,” Marnie chuckled, nudging him with her elbow.
Jerome flicked his hand through his hair in exasperation. “Women! For heaven’s sake!” So, he liked Gemma. He’d liked other women before her.
His protest went unheeded as Marnie walked away, still giggling, to join Gemma.
* * * *
Gemma enjoyed helping Jerome and Marnie with the photographs. She soon learned the names of the different pieces of equipment and found it interesting to watch Marnie coaxing the animals she clearly loved into cooperating with them.
She didn’t think to look at the time until they had completed the last set of pictures. By then she realized the park had filled up with visitors and her empty stomach had begun to emit growling noises. They said goodbye to Marnie and Jeff, who’d come back to the house to see them leave.
Since the incident with the camera filter, Gemma felt as if Jerome had backed away from her a little. She told herself she didn’t mind. After all, this was what she wanted, to be like other girls, to have a fun and flirty time with an attractive man. She didn’t want anything serious or long-lasting and wasn’t Jerome the perfect man for that?
Jerome hefted the camera equipment into the boot of his car. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. I guess we’d better call in somewhere for some lunch.”
To her embarrassment, Gemma’s stomach growled audibly at the mention of food.
Jerome laughed and opened the car door. “Hop in. There’s a pub just a couple of miles from here that does meals all day.”
He lowered the roof of the car again, she presumed to make the most of the faint glimmer of sun which had forced its way through the dull cloud cover.
“Have you enjoyed the morning?”
She had to raise her voice slightly to make herself heard over the road noise. “It was great. Marnie is wonderful with the animals.”
“I’ve worked with her before. She’s really good.” He flashed a quick smile. “You weren’t so bad yourself, I was glad you were there to help. I could find you a job as my assistant.”
Her heart beat a little faster at his smile and the compliment. The morning had been fascinating and a million miles away from her usual working day with Nathalie at the bridal shop.
“I don’t think I’ll be switching careers just yet.” While she had enjoyed the change, she liked the elegant surroundings of Bridal Belles. Although in her heart of hearts, she knew she would enjoy most things if they meant spending time with Jerome. Suddenly, the thought of returning to her daily routine felt stifling, and she wondered where the unsettled feeling had sprung from.
The cool air rushing past livened her up. She didn’t feel like boring, dull Gemma from the bridal shop as she sat next to Jerome in his open-top sports car. She felt different - more attractive and more reckless. The kind of girl she used to be, and wished she still was.
When Jerome pulled the car to a halt outside a small country inn, Gemma was almost sorry they had stopped. The car park appeared almost empty with just a couple of motorbikes parked in the far corner.
“It looks fairly quiet. Would you rather go in or sit outside?” he asked.
“Outside.” The air felt warm and still after their open-top journey. Gemma walked beside Jerome through a small pretty garden to a lawned area with wooden tables and benches.
She took a seat under a gaily striped red-and-white umbrella while Jerome went to fetch drinks and the lunch menu. The garden was empty of other people. Only a couple of empty glasses on a nearby table showed that others had been there.
“The hot food has finished but they still have the sandwich menu on.”
Jerome’s voice as he returned with the drinks startled her. She had been lost in her own private world, listening to the lazy hum of a lone bumblebee amongst the late flowering fuchsias in the borders.
“That’ll be fine.” She accepted the ice cold glass of fruit juice from him with a grateful smile. Her stomach felt so empty that she didn’t care what she ate. Jerome passed her the menu and took a seat opposite her.
“I think I’m going to go for the beef,” he announced.
“Me too.” Gemma placed her menu on top of his.
The sun had disappeared and the sky had changed again to an ominous dull grey. The scent of lavender from the bushes nearby filled the humid air.
One of the bar staff came out to collect the empty glasses from the nearby table, so Jerome gave her their sandwich order. Once the girl had gone back inside the pub, he leaned back a little on the bench to look at Gemma as she sipped her drink. The intensity in his gaze made her shift a little in her seat.
“I was a bit surprised when you agreed to come with me today.”
Gemma placed her glass back on the table with care. “Why? What made you think I wouldn’t?” She was interested in his answer. Did he think she was boring, too?
“I don’t know. I suppose whenever I’ve seen you it’s nearly always been at the shop and you look so at home there. I didn’t think that wellies and wild animals would be your scene.” He picked up his lager and took a long drink.
“I see.” She snapped the words out, hurt that he, too, thought of her as being some dull little shop assistant.
He sat up straight at the tone of her voice, a crease appearing on his forehead. “Have I said something wrong?”
Gemma bit her lower lip in an effort to stop it from wobbling. Darn it, she wasn’t usually the kind of girl to get all emotional. The bar girl reappeared before she had time to answer Jerome’s question. By the time the girl had left their plates on the table and gone, Gemma had composed her feelings.
“Perhaps you don’t know me as well as you thought you did. I like lots of things. I’m quite adventurous.”
Jerome coughed as he took a bite of his sandwich. His blue eyes sparking at her assertion. “I like an adventurous girl.”
The lazy smile that accompanied his statement told her he had a different kind of adventurousness in mind and heat rose in her cheeks.
“I am not boring!”
The corners of Jerome’s mouth quirked upwards. “Hey, did I say you were boring?”
Gemma sought refuge behind her juice glass, taking a long sip before replying. “You implied it. I’m sorry, I guess I’m a little sensitive on the subject.”
“I didn’t mean to offend you.” He took another large bite from his sandwich.
She sighed as she swished the rapidly melting ice in her glass. “You didn’t - not really. Like I said, it just hit a nerve. Forget it.”
Jerome looked thoughtful as he swallowed his mouthful. “Does that mean you’d be up for another outing like this one?”
“What did you have in mind?” Her pulse quickened.
“Could you be free next weekend?”
“Well, I’m due for some holiday. If Nathalie is okay for cover in the shop, I suppose I could be.” Even as the words left her mouth she wondered what she was about to agree to.
“I’ve an assignment in the Lake District. The site is a few miles off the beaten track so there’d be some hill
walking involved. It would mean roughing it,” he warned.
Her chin lifted at the unmistakable note of challenge. Did he expect her to turn him down?
“Okay, it sounds like fun.” She’d show him she could hike with the best of them. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t gone hiking before.
Okay, so it had been a little while ago. Well, more than that if she was honest, but she could do it. She would do interesting and exciting things even if it killed her.
“Great.” He picked up the empty glasses as he rose to his feet. He leaned forward to plant a quick kiss on her lips. He walked away and into the inn to pay the bill before she could move.
Gemma froze for a moment with the imprint of his mouth still fresh on her lips. What had she let herself in for?
Chapter Three
Jerome had just finished paying the bill for their lunch when he heard a crack of thunder. Without waiting for his change he hurried back out to the garden where large round bullets of rain had already begun to discolor the ground.
Gemma had picked up her bag and was on her way towards the front door of the Inn.
“Race you to the car.” Jerome grinned when she turned on her heel and ran across the grass beside him.
“Good job you’d put the roof back up,” Gemma said after they had climbed hurriedly into the car. She smoothed her damp hair back from her face.
Jerome felt the breath catch at the back of his throat. “Yeah, it would have been a wet ride home.” He had to get a grip. His life didn’t have room in it for a steady relationship, and although Gemma might be playing at flirting with him, he knew that deep down she was a serious kind of girl.
He must have been crazy to suggest she accompany him to the Lake District. Gemma might have been prepared to wear gum boots and help with the animals today, but he wasn’t sure how she would feel about camping out in a tent, since the wildlife he planned to photograph were in a secret location off the beaten track.
