Isle of Sensuality (21 page)
Read Isle of Sensuality Online
Authors: Aimee Duffy
Caitlyn’s eyes filled with moisture, and for the first time in days she felt her lips curve of their own violation. Jake loved her. He wanted her. Then it hit her like a knee to the gut. It didn’t matter. She couldn’t move to London and would never ask him to come to LA. He needed to be there for his brothers, and she knew deep down that a part of him wanted to do that too. Confessing her love would be selfish.
“Isn’t this the part where you confess your undying love for me?” Jake teased, but the easy tone was contradicted by the worry in his eyes.
She couldn’t prolong this. She had to stop it now. Caitlyn pulled away from Jake and headed for the kitchen. She grabbed the manila envelope and then returned to the lounge. Jake leaned against the window frame, his arms folded across his chest, and she longed to rush over and be back in those strong arms, but she didn’t dare. Instead, she handed him the contract. He reached for it, his brows creased in confusion.
“I’m sorry, Jake. I really am, but I can’t be with you.” Caitlyn swallowed against the lump in her throat. Pain flashed in his eyes and he opened his mouth to speak but she cut him off. “My lawyers have drawn up a draft agreement for custody of our baby. If you want to make any changes, you can let them know.”
“What?” he asked. She could see the pain in his eyes and it killed her. “I’m not signing any agreement. Caitlyn, why do we even need this?” He shook the envelope in the air. She realized then he wouldn’t let it go that easy. She had to tell him the truth about why she couldn’t be in London. Maybe then he’d let her go.
Chapter 15
Jake felt anger bubble up inside. He’d just poured his heart out, and Caitlyn handed him a damn agreement dictating when he could or couldn’t see his child. He glared at her long and hard, but his anger deflated. Her shoulders were hunched defensively and pain shone from eyes as bright as beacons.
He remembered when he’d stood behind her at the window and how she’d leaned into him. If she didn’t have any feelings at all, why allow his embrace, much less melt into it? There was something she wasn’t telling him, and he was going to find out it was if it killed him.
“I can’t move to London with you.” She beat him to it. Jake waited for her to go on. Caitlyn closed her eyes. “I told you my father was an alcoholic. What I didn’t tell you was that he used to hit me when he was drunk.”
The anger swiftly returned and Jake saw red. His teeth clenched and his hands fisted, rumpling the envelope. If her father had been anywhere near him he would have no qualms about hitting him.
“I ran away when I was eighteen and took Amanda with me. She was still young, still under guardianship of my dad. If he found out I was in London, he might decide to tell the police I kidnapped her.” Caitlyn’s voice sounded small, frightened. His heart ached.
Jake fought against his anger and closed the distance between them. He wrapped her trembling body in his arms and inhaled the spicy scent of her. With her here, knowing she was safe, his anger died down to a simmer. “I could kill your father. If I ever see him, I don’t know if I could stop myself.”
Caitlyn relaxed into his embrace. “He didn’t deal with my mother’s death very well. The drink changed him.”
And suddenly it all made sense to him. The reason she’d been so wary around him in the beginning and why she didn’t drink. He couldn’t believe Caitlyn had been the only woman who’d never asked for anything from him, but now he could. She had to do everything by herself since she was a child and didn’t expect anything more. It was time she learned to lean on someone. To lean on him.
Jake pulled back to look at her. “That’s no excuse. He’s your father, he should have looked after you.” His jaw clenched. “He should have kept his hands to himself.” Jake tucked a stray curl behind her ear and rested his hand on the side of her throat. Her pulse fluttered and it gave him hope.
“Let me look after you, Caitlyn. Let me look after you and our baby.”
Her eyes filled with tears. “You can’t. You need to help your brothers. I’ll be fine.”
Jake dropped a kiss on her forehead. He now understood the value she placed on family. She really would do anything for her sister. Hell, she already had.
“I’ll help my brothers too. I can move to LA and work long distance. Although I don’t think your father will give you any trouble. After all, would he really risk going to the police when he hit you? If he ever did, I’d do everything in my power to make sure they locked him up and threw away the key.”
Tears streamed from her eyes and he wiped them away with his thumbs.
“Jake, I don’t know what to say.”
He rested his forehead against hers. “Say you love me. Say you’ll marry me and let me take care of you both, even Amanda and Kale. Say you want me,” he whispered. Never had he wanted to hear anything more.
* * * *
Caitlyn’s whole body zinged with life, heat and that special something she always felt around Jake. Her heart was ready to burst out of her chest with love. “I love you. I’ll marry you and let you take care of me and my family on one condition.”
Jake pulled his head back and his eyes shone with happy tears. His smile was full of love, none of its usual playfulness. She knew right then that she had her Mr. Right.
“Anything.”
“You let me look after you too.”
Jake’s grin spread wide. “Well, Caity, I can think of a good place for you to start.”
His mouth crashed down on hers and he devoured her lips with a feral urgency. Caitlyn kissed him back, feeling the fire light up her core and melt her icy body. He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. Wet heat flooded between her thighs as his arousal pressed against her jeans. If this was what looking after him entailed, Caitlyn was more than happy to oblige.
Jake broke the kiss on a gasp, his breathing haggard. She fisted her hands around his collar and pulled his head closer. “I wasn’t finished kissing you, mister.” His throaty chuckle vibrated through them both and she shivered with want.
“I’ll never be finished kissing you, Caitlyn. Just taking a breather.”
He winked before his lips snared hers, and Caitlyn couldn’t help silently agreeing. She thought he might be addictive the first time they kissed, what she didn’t expect was the side effects of their separation. She’d been like a heroin addict without the drug for weeks, and now that she had him back, she knew she would never be without him again, wherever they may be.
About Aimée Duffy
For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a good book in my hands. In primary school I loved Roald Dahl. In high school my English teacher introduced me to Charles Dickens, Stephen King, Jane Austin, Emily Bronte, and Shakespeare. It was then that I discovered my love for romance and I’ve wanted to pen my own imaginary heroes and heroines for others to enjoy ever since. Only in the last few years was I lucky enough to meet some fabulous and encouraging people to help me gain the skills to make that dream possible.
I live in sunny Scotland in a small town near the Ochils and work nine to five in a solicitors office. In my free time, you’ll find me on Facebook, stalking *cough* following friends on Twitter, and may even catch me shoe shopping.
Aimée’s Website:
www.aimeeduffy.co.uk
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