In Separate Bedrooms (16 page)

‘Yes,’ Mattie bent to tickle Harry behind one floppy
ear. ‘I’m glad,’ she added with relief; surely Jack would never have forgiven Mattie and her mother if anything had happened to his beloved dog.

Jack gave a rueful shake of his head as he looked down affectionately at his recovering pet. ‘Do you think he was part of the conspiracy?’ He laughed softly.

The conspiracy to stop Mattie and Jack being alone together …

Mattie gave Harry a considering look. ‘He looks intelligent—but I doubt deviousness is part of his character!’ she concluded.

‘You’re right—it isn’t!’ Jack agreed as he reached out to gently put his arms about Mattie’s waist and pull her close against him. ‘It appears I still owe you a weekend in Paris,’ he murmured huskily. ‘After all,’ he added before Mattie could speak, ‘you kept your part of the bargain.’

Her part of the bargain had been to keep Sharon Keswick at bay—and she had hardly succeeded in doing that!

Mattie couldn’t quite meet the warmth of Jack’s gaze, very aware of the close proximity of their bodies. ‘Your family were very disappointed that you had to leave so suddenly—’

‘That
we
had to leave so suddenly,’ Jack corrected, having telephoned his parents earlier this evening and assured them that Harry was recovering rapidly. ‘My mother likes you very much.’

‘That’s very kind of her,’ Mattie returned noncommittally, even as her cheeks warmed with pleasure.

‘Mattie …?’

She looked up at him, the sudden tears in her eyes making her vision slightly unfocused. But not too unfocused
that she wasn’t aware of Jack bending his head slightly, his mouth gently exploring against hers.

But it wasn’t gentle for long, Mattie unsure which one of them had deepened the kiss, only knowing herself suddenly swept along on a tide of longing as Jack’s mouth moved fiercely against hers.

He felt so wonderful against her, so—so absolutely male, his chest warm beneath her fingertips. Whereas her breasts had hardened at Jack’s lightest touch, Mattie groaning low in her throat as his thumbtips caressed those fiery tips, the warmth in her thighs spreading over her whole body, her skin sensitized to his every move.

Jacks’s lips moved down the arched column of her throat now, Mattie gasping her pleasure as those lips claimed one bared breast, the nipple hard against the soft rasping of his tongue.

Mattie had never known such mindless desire, such complete and utter pleasure, knew herself lost, wanted nothing more than to lie down and let herself be taken—

‘No!’ She came sharply to her senses, pulling away from him, stepping back to straighten her dishevelled clothes, unable to meet the heat of his gaze. ‘The weekend is over, Jack,’ she said hardly. ‘And—this, certainly wasn’t part of our deal,’ she added firmly.

‘But—’

‘It’s been a very long and emotional weekend, Jack, and even if you aren’t tired, I am,’ she told him bluntly, unable to actually look at him again. Because she was afraid of what might happen if she did!

‘I
am
tired, Mattie,’ he began slowly.

‘Good,’ she bit out tersely. ‘If you would like to get your bag, I’ll show you where you’re to sleep.’

She didn’t wait to see Jack pick up his case from the
corner of the kitchen where he had dropped it earlier, turning to go out into the hallway to walk to her bedroom at the back of the bungalow. But, nevertheless, she was completely aware of Jack walking behind her down the carpeted hallway, could feel the darkness of his gaze burning down the length of her spine.

But she daredn’t turn and acknowledge that gaze, knew that at that moment they were both walking along a very fine edge between desire and reason. And that for both their sakes reason had to win!

‘Sorry about the décor.’ She grimaced as she opened her bedroom door and showed him inside, very conscious of how feminine the room was, made more so by Jack’s complete masculinity.

‘It’s fine,’ Jack assured her distractedly.

It was far from fine, Jack looking completely incongruous as he sat down on the pink and white lace on her bed, a dozen or so dolls from her childhood arranged on the ottoman at its foot.

‘The bathroom is outside, first door on the right.’ The awkwardness of that sudden earlier desire between them made her voice terse.

Jack looked up and smiled at her. ‘Thanks.’

Mattie still stood awkwardly by the open door. ‘I’ll see you in the morning, then,’ she said quietly before turning away.

‘Mattie …?’

She swallowed hard, stiffening her shoulders as she slowly turned back to face him. ‘Yes?’

His head tilted quizzically to one side, a perplexed frown on his face. ‘I— Earlier wasn’t the first time I’ve kissed you.’

It was the first time she had lost control so completely! ‘I know that,’ she responded impatiently.

‘I didn’t mean for things to go so far just now. It’s just …’ He paused. ‘You’re … different, somehow, since we got back to England.’

‘Different’! Of course she was different. Before they’d gone away she had found him attractive, enjoyed his company, quite enjoyed their verbal sparring, too, but during the last two days she had fallen in love with him. Of course she was different!

‘I don’t know what you mean,’ she denied sharply praying silently that she hadn’t given her feelings away so completely!

But Jack persisted. ‘You seem—distant, not at all the feisty Mattie I’ve come to know this last week.’

‘I told you—I’m tired.’

Jack seemed unconvinced. ‘And that’s all it is?’

‘Of course.’ Her gaze was fixed on the rosebud wallpaper just above his shoulder. ‘I’m sure we’ll all be feeling a lot brighter after a good night’s sleep,’ she added offhandedly.

Jack nodded slowly, obviously still not satisfied with her reply, but not about to push for an answer any further this evening. ‘In that case, I’ll wish you goodnight.’

‘Goodnight,’ she echoed softly, closing the door behind her as she left the room.

Mattie hesitated in the hallway outside, very aware of the fact that she needed to be alone for a few minutes before going to the bedroom she was to share with her mother. The two of them had always been very close, but the love Mattie felt towards Jack was still too raw to share with anyone, even her mother.

Harry looked up briefly from his basket as she re-entered
the kitchen, turning away disinterestedly when he saw it was only Mattie.

Mattie knew how he felt!

‘Sorry, boy,’ she murmured as she sat down at the kitchen table to look at the disappointed dog. ‘I guess we both love Jack, and only Jack, hmm?’

But how could love be like this? Painful as much as pleasurable? Pleasure in everything Jack did or said, in just being in the same room as him, let alone the ecstasy of being in his arms. But along with that the pain of knowing that he could never return the feelings she had for him.

At last she gave in to the tears that had been threatening for so long. Hot, uncontrollable tears that made her whole body tremble as she grieved for the loss of the man who had never been hers to start with, a man she had to let walk out of her life tomorrow without him ever guessing that Mattie loved him.

How could she bear it?

How …!

‘G
OOD
morning!’ Mattie greeted brightly as Jack came into the kitchen at eight o’clock the next morning. ‘Would you like a full English breakfast, or just cereal and toast?’ she offered even as she poured him a mug of strong coffee from the percolator.

This was how she bore it, she had decided in the early hours of this morning as she’d lain awake in the huge double bed beside her sleeping mother.

Jack seemed to want bright and cheerful, so bright and cheerful was what he was going to get. There would be plenty of time for tears later, Mattie had decided firmly. Once Jack had gone …

Jack winced, looking less than bright himself, dark smudges beneath his eyes, the dark shadow on his jaw-line proof that he hadn’t shaved yet, seeming to have pulled on only a shirt and denims before coming through to the kitchen, his feet bare. ‘Nothing else but the coffee just now, thanks.’ He took a grateful sip of the strong brew. ‘Where’s Harry?’ He looked around the deserted kitchen.

‘He went for a walk with my mother,’ Mattie reported happily. ‘He’s obviously feeling much better this morning,’ she added with satisfaction.

‘As are you,’ Jack observed, still not quite awake as he blinked at her owlishly.

‘I told you I would be,’ Mattie returned.

‘Are you always this cheerful in the morning?’

‘Pretty much,’ Mattie agreed, putting some bread in the toaster anyway. No doubt Jack would eat it if she prepared it; they certainly hadn’t eaten much yesterday, having had nothing before they’d left the hotel, Jack having had little appetite for the dinner she and her mother had prepared last night, either.

Jack strolled over to the open kitchen door, looking outside at the early morning sunshine. ‘The weather seems to be reflecting your mood,’ he said.

Which was more than could be said for him!

Mattie chuckled. ‘Are you always this grumpy in the morning?’ After all, this was the first time she had seen him after a night’s sleep, too; Saturday morning he had already left for the airport when she’d got up, and yesterday morning they had been up all night anyway!

He glanced back at her. ‘Pretty much,’ he dryly repeated her own reply of a few seconds ago, strolling back into the kitchen.

She gave a rueful shake of her head. ‘Just as well we don’t live together all the time, then, isn’t it?’ she retorted, putting the toast on the table with the butter and preserves already there.

‘Mattie—’

‘Would you like a refill on the coffee?’ she cut in busily. ‘Just help yourself if you do.’ She indicated the full percolator of coffee on the side. ‘I’m just going outside to see if my mother needs any help.’ She hurried out of the kitchen before Jack had chance to make any reply.

Keep it up, she told herself firmly as she walked quickly round to where the kennels were.

With any luck Jack would be gone in an hour or so, and then she could give in to the misery she was really
feeling. But until that time Jack would continue to get the full force of the preferred bright and cheerful Mattie Crawford.

Her mother wasn’t so easily fooled, giving her a searching glance as Mattie joined her in the kennels. ‘You were late coming to bed last night. I heard Jack come to bed hours before you did,’ she continued as Mattie would have replied.

Successfully preventing Mattie from inventing the excuse of a long conversation with Jack having delayed her!

‘I just wasn’t sleepy. All the excitement of the weekend, I expect.’ Mattie said.

‘Michael has already called—Michael Vaughan. The vet,’ her mother explained at Mattie’s blank look. ‘He called in a few minutes ago on his way to his surgery. He says that, as Harry seems pretty much back to normal, he can go home with Jack this morning.’ Her mother sighed her relief as they both turned to watch Harry in the large outside pen, Sophie happily ensconced in there with him. ‘They’re great friends,’ Diana added happily.

‘So I see,’ Mattie agreed; if Sophie’s—excuse the pun!—dog-like devotion was anything to go by, then Jack’s charm had spilt over onto his pet!

Her mother gave her another sideways glance. ‘Have you seen Jack yet this morning?’ she asked casually.

Too casually, for Mattie’s liking. Had her mother guessed how she felt about Jack? And, if her mother could so easily see how she felt about him, could Jack see it too?

That would be just too humiliating!

‘He’s eating breakfast,’ Mattie replied just as casually,
collecting up the bowls ready for feeding. ‘I’ll go and do this, shall I?’ She didn’t wait for her mother’s answer, hurrying off to the room at the back of the office where they prepared the food.

Just another hour or so, Mattie, she told herself encouragingly. And then the only time she might possibly catch a glimpse of Jack would be when she went to his offices to care for the plants, and the flowers in Reception; as she had never caught a glimpse of him before on any of her visits there, that wasn’t very likely!

She took her time over preparing the food and delivering it to their guests, the dogs setting up a cacophony of noise at the mere suggestion of breakfast.

‘How on earth do you hear yourself think?’

Mattie’s hands shook, and she almost dropped the bowl of food she was carrying, at the unexpected sound of Jack’s voice. She schooled her features into neutrality before turning to smile at him. ‘You don’t,’ she answered loudly, her breath catching in her throat at his newly shaved and showered appearance, the creased tee shirt and denims he had worn earlier replaced with an obviously laundered shirt and smart black denims. He was also wearing shoes. ‘Harry is round the back with Sophie if you’re looking for him. The vet has already been, and declared him fit for home,’ she explained before turning away.

‘Mattie.’

He hadn’t gone yet!

She turned back slowly. ‘I’ll be finished here shortly,’ she said.

Jack looked at her consideringly. ‘Come and have a cup of coffee with me before I leave,’ he prompted.

And talk about what? The wonderful weekend they
had spent together? What had happened between them last night. How they must do this again some time? Mattie didn’t think so!

The fact was they would never see each other again, and Mattie had never particularly liked goodbyes; this one promised to be more painful than most.

She gave a shake of her head. ‘I’m going in to my shop as soon as I’ve finished here,’ she told him.

Jack frowned. ‘But it’s a bank holiday.’

Mattie nodded. ‘But I have mail and—and things, to check up on, before I open up again tomorrow. I’m sure you know how it is when you’re in business, Jack,’ she offered, knowing full well that her little business in no way compared with the multimillion pound JB Industries.

‘Even I take holidays, Mattie,’ he countered.

‘Because you aren’t more or less a one-man band,’ she reasoned. ‘Do go and see Harry,’ she encouraged. ‘He really is so much better.’