The dangerous gift, p.2
The Dangerous Gift, page 2
“We’ll get through this together, Jen.”
“I should be comforting you. They’re your parents…” Jennie squeezed him tighter but didn’t meet his gaze.
“You being here helps more than I can say.” Jared noted the frantic pulse at the base of her neck. His body tightened inappropriately. Did he frighten her? Or was she still attracted to him? He spared a thought for what they could have had, if his father hadn’t intervened. Now Ralf wasn’t around to judge his actions, and Jen was an independent woman, not a girl under his father’s protection. If she still wanted him, they could be together.
Jen pulled away and stepped out of his embrace. Maybe she sensed his hesitation? He pulled her back against him, and his arms tightened to bands of steel. Confusion dominated her startled gaze, but she didn’t look away this time. Like a rabbit dazzled by headlights on a dark road, she appeared mesmerized as Jared’s mouth hovered above hers. He resisted the urge to stroke his tongue across her bottom lip.
Jen sighed and closed her teary eyes moments before his lips touched her…flushed cheek, in the gentlest of kisses. He held her tight for a moment longer before letting her go, her nearness a temptation he couldn’t give in to, even now.
He’d come so close to kissing her lips. Only the echo of his father’s admonition to stay away from her stopped him. Ralf’s death was too raw for Jared to go against his wishes, even if he disagreed with them. Jared pretended to be interested in the documents littering his desk as he willed his unwanted arousal away.
Someone knocked at the door, once, twice, before its significance registered in his desire-soaked mind.
His gaze clashed with Jen’s, and he was certain his eyes mirrored the regret and fiery passion he saw in hers. She looked beautiful with her chocolate-brown hair escaping its pins.
“The door…” Jen nodded and shivered. She smoothed her disheveled hair into a semblance of order.
The visitor knocked again, more insistently.
“All right, I’m coming.” A deep breath calmed his aroused body, and Jared smiled at Jen. “Perhaps you should get ready for the service. This could be Harry now.” Her pink tongue laved her bottom lip, and his gaze jealously followed its path. “Go.”
Jen nodded and scooted upstairs as Jared answered the door.
“Good of you to come over early, Harry. Can I get you something to drink?” Jared stood back to allow him into the office.
Harry Barnes, the Stewarts’ lawyer, placed his well-worn briefcase on Jared’s desk. “I could do with bourbon, but until my official duties are completed, I’ll stick to mineral water, please.”
Jared poured the sparkling water into a long glass, added ice and a slice of fruit, and passed it to his father’s oldest friend. Harry’s pallor was physical evidence of his sadness. He patted the older man’s back. “Sit down, Harry. It’s been a terrible shock for all of us. We could postpone the will reading to another day. I don’t mind, and then you can have the bourbon.”
Harry smiled, but it didn’t reach his troubled, steel-grey eyes. “It has to be today.”
“Why?” Jared’s stomach knotted.
“Your parents left a note, which requested Jennie’s presence at the will reading. I’ve written to her.” Harry eyed Jared warily.
“Have you got the letter with you?” Jared reined in his anger. This wasn’t Harry’s fault.
“Yes, it’s here.” Harry extracted the letter from his crowded briefcase.
“I’ll take it up to her. She’s getting ready for the service.” Jared’s mind ran over the possible reasons for his parents’ request as he walked upstairs. None provided the comfort he sought.
Outside Jen’s room, the gush of water from the shower in the en suite filled his mind with images of Jen’s naked body caressed by soapy bubbles and steamy water. His body hardened. He nearly kissed her earlier, but his reasons for not doing so remained valid. He’d crushed her hopes with unnecessary ruthlessness five years ago because she was too young for him. The age gap was the same, only Jen was no longer a girl. They would be spectacular together, his heart insisted. Attraction hummed between them like a current, waiting for a spark to ignite it. One kiss would be a lightning rod for his emotions.
He shouldn’t want Jen, his conscience reminded him. He must salvage his self-control somehow. Her life plan didn’t include him or Texas. She was studying for her master’s in Business, at an English university, with the expectation of a high-powered job. A slick London P.R. company would surely snap her up when she finished her degree. There would no kissing, whatever the provocation. Conscious of the time, he knocked on the door to give her Harry’s letter.
***
Jennie
Surprised by Jared’s brusqueness, Jennie rushed upstairs and sought sanctuary in her room. His voice in the hallway below sounded normal and unaffected. She envied him his nonchalance. Her insecurities had returned the moment she’d arrived at the ranch. She must have imagined that Jared had almost kissed her.
Duty swept her doubts away. The funeral was in fifty minutes, and she needed a shower before she dressed. Her tears mingled with the shower’s water as she finally allowed her grief for Annie and Ralf to show. She would miss Annie’s warm hugs and Ralf’s well-meant advice.
A knock on her bedroom door forced Jennie from underneath the shower jet. She slipped on her silk bathrobe. When water dripped down her back, she shuddered and shook her hair free of the bathrobe’s collar and caught it up in a crocodile clip. A second knock, louder and more impatient, echoed around her bedroom. She sighed. It must be Jared. She hurried across the room and opened the door as it vibrated with a third knock.
“Did you want something?” She instantly regretted her sharp tone. Jared looked so sad and stressed. She reached out, wanting to touch him and help erase the grief from his strong, tanned face. He wouldn’t meet her gaze and shied away from her touch, a sure sign he regretted their earlier closeness. Jennie withdrew her wayward hand. She still remembered the burn of his rejection. She wouldn’t let herself be that vulnerable again.
Jared swallowed hard. “Harry brought a letter for you.”
“My hands are wet. Put it on the nightstand for me, please.” Jennie smiled.
Jared stepped past her into the room, hands clenched and skimming the door to avoid any bodily contact. He carefully placed the letter where she’d asked. “I’ll see you downstairs in about twenty minutes,” he said before marching from the room without a backwards glance.
“I won’t be long,” Jennie said as the door banged shut behind him.
She selected lingerie and a classic black dress and dressed without conscious thought as she seethed. Jared hadn’t changed. But it was his loss. Next week, she’d be back in England, and Jared and his precious ranch would be relegated to her teenage memories. But deep down, she knew that was only wishful thinking.
The letter on the nightstand drew her gaze. If Harry wanted her to have it before the funeral service, it must be important. She ripped open the envelope and pulled out the thick legal notepaper inside. On it, Harry Barnes expressed his sorrow for her untimely loss and requested her presence at the reading of the wills of Ralf and Annie Stewart immediately after the funeral service.
Jennie scanned the letter’s contents again. She hadn’t misread it. She slipped her feet into neat, kitten-heeled classic court shoes. With a last look in the mirror, she went downstairs. Did Jared know about the letter’s contents?
***
Jared
The hearse and funeral cars arrived, and it was time for his final good-bye. Jared shuddered as he recalled the service would be a memorial. Precious little of his parents remained after the fireball. He pushed the horrific images from his mind and sought a diversion. The answer to his prayer walked down the stairs in a demure black lace dress with a buttoned-up, lacy collar and long sleeves. Jen’s hair was restrained again in a simple bun this time, which his fingers itched to free, and she wore barely any makeup, her pale skin adding to her air of fragility.
Jared captured and held Jen’s troubled gaze. Driven by a protective instinct, he ran up the stairs. The coldness of her delicate hand alarmed him as he enclosed it in his warm grip. As he stroked the soft skin to warm it, the scent of roses drifted off Jen’s body, and his libido went into overdrive. She smelled so good.
“Are you okay, Kitten?”
“Of course I’m not all right. I hate funerals. See, I’m crying again. My face will be red and puffy before we even get to the church.” Jen’s gaze filled with raw pain as she looked into his eyes.
Her flushed face, brittle voice, and eyelashes spiky and wet from tears made Jared feel even more protective. He put his arm round her slim shoulders and pulled her closer into the warmth and strength of his hard body. “You’re not on your own. I’ll be with you. We can support each other. It helps me, having you here. You must know that.”
The hearse with its two caskets waited outside. Full of yellow roses, it had a kind of macabre beauty that drew the eye. Jen’s tears flowed as Jared ushered her into the lead limousine. When the door closed with a soft thud, he turned to her, desperate for comfort.
***
Intruder
The lonely hillside stood silent, the tears it had witnessed already a memory, the recent mourners’ grief an echo in the gentle breeze. The solitary, dark-suited mourner picked up a handful of earth and threw it into the newly dug graves. Tears splashed onto the dry earth, unnoticed, except by the dead.
The afternoon sun reflected on the windows of the distant ranch house, almost blinding him. Memories flooded back, unwanted and horrific—a fireball spinning in the prematurely darkened afternoon sky, the odor of burning fuel, and the sweet, sickly smell of cooked flesh.
The lone mourner’s vomit spewed onto the dusty trail.
Chapter 2
Jennie
The funeral was soul-destroying. Memories of her parents’ deaths and the pain of her loss resurfaced and intensified the grief she felt for her guardians’ passing. When the ranch house came into view on the ride home, its legacy resonated and comforted her. Memories of happier times gave her hope for the future as she unclasped her hands and relaxed back against the limousine’s upholstered seat. Jared reached for her hand, as if he sensed her disquiet.
Jennie’s mind drifted to her parents and how happy they were. Sarah, her English mother, met and fell in love with Jennie’s father Antonio, Unicorn Ranch’s manager, during Sarah’s post-university graduation holiday. Impulsive Sarah had then shelved her original life plan for wedded bliss on a Texas ranch. Sarah had taught her daughter to always follow her heart, just as she had.
Jennie wiped a stray tear from her cheek. She hadn’t followed her heart when it came to Jared, but maybe this was her second chance.
The limousine came to a stop, and Jared opened the car door. The hot air stole her breath. She fought to inhale much-needed oxygen into her lungs as they hurried up the steps, into the cool of the air-conditioned house. The other mourners looked up as they entered the hallway, their faces blurred by the tears in her eyes.
Jared’s hand on her arm halted her progress into the dining room. “Harry’s ready for us in the office, Jen.”
“I hope your guests don’t mind us disappearing so soon. Shouldn’t I stay here?”
“They’ll understand. There’s plenty of food and drink.” Jared walked towards his office without a backwards glance.
“Give me five minutes and I’ll be with you.” Jennie ignored the other mourners as she headed for the staircase.
Upstairs, she washed her face and reapplied her minimal makeup. She had to look good before she faced the roomful of inquisitive well-wishers again. Her thoughts drifted to Jared. Outwardly, he appeared unaffected by his parents’ deaths, but Jennie knew better. She’d held his hand in the car as he struggled with his grief. When they arrived at the church, he’d hidden his turbulent emotions behind an implacable mask and read the eulogy without stumbling. A private man, he would deny his grief in public, yet he allowed her glimpses of his pain. He’d been sending her mixed messages since her arrival at the ranch. She had to understand what she truly meant to him before she returned to England.
Jared’s reflection in the mirror startled her. His expression was an equal mix of concern and impatience. “Jen, are you all right?”
“I’m coming.” She took a deep breath and followed him downstairs.
***
Jennie jumped up so quickly that she overbalanced the chair, and it hit the floor with a thud.
“Sorry, I must have misheard. I thought you said Annie and Ralf bequeathed me a thirty percent share of the Unicorn Ranch.”
“Yes, honey, I did,” Harry’s gravelly voice assured her. “I know you live in England, but thirty percent of the ranch is yours, regardless of where you reside.”
Jared remained silent, and Jennie risked a glance his way. When his icy-blue-eyed gaze captured hers, cynicism had replaced their usual warmth.
“You didn’t know about this, Jared?”
Jared’s face whitened. “Hell no! Why would they do this behind my back, Harry?”
An awkward silence ensued, broken by the sound of muted voices and the clink of glasses from the wake in the other room. Jennie opened the double doors and stepped into the sultry afternoon heat. The empty porch promised solitude.
“I’ll sit here alone awhile.” I don’t have to accept the gift, her conscience reasoned. Annie and Ralf never knew the real reason she’d fled to England.
Her dismissive words seemed to hit the spot.
Jared’s gaze heated. “Touché, Kitten. I’ll leave you to your thoughts. Come on, Harry, the bourbon beckons.”
Alone, Jennie closed her eyes. The old wooden rocker’s monotonous creak soothed her frazzled nerves. She loved ranch life, and she regretted leaving, but Jared’s rejection had made it the only choice. She’d thought her life would be easier if she didn’t see him every day, but her leaving had proven futile. Her teenage crush had endured her self-imposed exile and matured into one-sided love. No one at university threatened Jared’s place in her heart. She compared every man she dated with her first love, and they always fell short. Now that part of the ranch belonged to her, she had to decide if she could live with the platonic relationship Jared had once claimed he wanted or, her heart ventured, see if Jared was willing to take a chance on her now.
A noise in the office startled her. Footsteps, a door clicked shut. A lost guest maybe? Her lack of sleep the previous night, coupled with the rocking motion, induced a drowsy state. She should be at the wake, but she wouldn’t go just yet. She’d take just a few more minutes alone. Exhaustion numbed her. Jared’s long-ago rejection didn’t cut so deep amidst the raw grief of her recent loss. Perhaps she could revisit her painful teenage memories and move on. She must, if she wanted any kind of future with Jared.
“Jen, are you okay?” Jared’s quiet voice disturbed her musing.
“Yes, I’m fine. Old memories, that’s all.” Jennie rubbed her tired eyes.
Jared sat in the adjacent seat. “I know what you mean. It’s a pity you have to go back so soon.”
“If I go back. I’m not sure I will now.” Jennie cast a wary glance at him.
The color leached from Jared’s face. “Really?”
“I love the ranch. I’m sure Annie and Ralf wanted me to stay and help you run it.” Jennie hoped he would understand.
Jared sat straighter in his chair. “There’s no need to worry about your investment. I’ll take good care of it.”
“Don’t be defensive, Jared. I know you’re not happy about their decision.” Jennie couldn’t prevent the pique in her voice.
“Mmm, well, let’s talk about it tomorrow. Oh, I found this. It’s addressed to you.”
As Jennie took the pretty cream envelope from Jared, their fingers brushed. She felt a current arc between them. Shocked, she sought his gaze.
Jared looked away and muttered, “Time I went back.”
Jennie examined the envelope. “I heard someone in the office earlier. Strange they didn’t bring this out to me. I’ll open this first and come with you.”
“Perhaps they didn’t see you out here.” A soft knock at the door interrupted them. “I’ll get that. Seems we’ve been missed.” Jared shrugged and walked back into the office.
Jennie opened the envelope, and a stiff formal invitation card fell into her lap. Her heart bumped in her chest as she read the unmistakable warning, written in bold red script, a stark contrast to the snowy white of the card. She had to show Jared. Jennie shuddered and glanced at the office door. Jared stood against the doorframe, a tall, willowy blonde draped in his arms, their lips fused in a passionate kiss.
Jennie’s sore eyes blinked, focused, and flooded with tears. The card fell from her lifeless fingers, forgotten. She stumbled along the porch towards the noisy wake, the lesser of two evils. She couldn’t watch Jared kiss another woman.
***
Jared
Jared closed his office door, and the tall, statuesque blonde sauntered towards the wake alone. Through the open double doors, the empty rocking chair creaked in the gentle breeze and drew his gaze. No sign of Jen. His uninvited guest forgotten, Jared walked onto the now-deserted porch, surprised Jen had left without a word. He ran his fingers through his close-cropped hair, frustrated. A white object flapping underneath the runner of the rocking chair drew his gaze. He picked up the invitation card. His eyes hardened as he read it. What the hell?
TIME TO GO HOME. THE RANCH IS NOT A SAFE PLACE. THINK ABOUT ANNIE AND RALF. A WELL-WISHER.
Jared stared at the writing on the card, and his hand shook with anger. Why would someone threaten Jen, unless they knew she now owned part of the ranch? Who would benefit from frightening her away?
