anyway.
But with Jenna, it was as if he was being offered a wholesome breakfast…as if it filled him…completed him even…as if she satisfied something substantial in him.
Last time he’d felt like that had been with Maddie.
Bloody hell!
He dropped his eyelids again, pushing all thoughts of his late wife to the back of his mind. This wasn’t the time or place to be thinking about the woman who had introduced him to love.
When he opened his eyes again sometime later, Jenna was looking at him. “I see you’re not an early riser.”
He gave a low chuckle and pushed himself forward against her. “I wouldn’t say that.”
She blushed. “You know what I mean.”
“No, show me.”
Her hand touched him and he was instantly lost. Afterward they showered together, made love again, then dressed and headed downstairs.
Adam had to admit he was surprised by her. Other women wanted to talk and decipher everything, sometimes wanting a declaration of love or commitment, yet Jenna seemed to be happy to just be with him.
And when they walked into the breakfast room to find Todd and Chelsea there alone, Jenna didn’t gloat, like the other women he knew would gloat at being made his lover. In a way he wished she would, rather than being sensitive to Chelsea’s feelings. It was what they were here for after all.
Yet how could he fault Jenna when her actions were showing him a depth of character he was only now beginning to appreciate?
“Good morning,” he said, holding a chair out for Jenna but smiling at Todd and Chelsea. For a moment the other couple sat there in a kind of stony silence, making him suddenly aware of the tension in the air.
Then Todd put on a forced smile. “Good morning. Did you both sleep well?”
Adam sat down next to Jenna, but he watched Todd. “Yes. What about you two?”
Todd’s smile was tight. “Terrific. This country air has me sleeping like a log.”
“I’m glad someone did, then,” Chelsea snapped, much to Adam’s surprise. He felt Jenna startle, too.
“Chels…” Todd said in a warning tone.
For a second Chelsea looked as if she would snap at him again, but then she seemed to realize she had an audience. She pulled a face. “Sorry about that. I’ve got the beginnings of a headache.”
Adam remembered what Todd had said about Chelsea’s female problems, but her excuse just now didn’t gel. It had been too glib.
“Perhaps you should go lie down,” Jenna said sympathetically.
Antagonism flared in Chelsea’s eyes, then banked, and she put on a bright smile for everyone to see. “No, I’ll be fine.”
At that point Adam suspected that Chelsea’s ill health was more likely due to her jealousy over seeing him and Jenna in bed together last night. For a brief second he wondered if he hadn’t unwittingly dumped Jenna in the middle of something impossible, but then he remembered she was tough. If Jenna could handle him, she could handle Chelsea.
The arrival of the other guests in the breakfast room brought a flurry of chatter. Chelsea seemed to go into overdrive, her eyes extra bright as she turned into the perfect hostess. It didn’t disguise the hint of hostility in the air, though after watching her send one or two dark glances at her husband, Adam had to wonder if this was more about Todd than not.
“So this morning we have a lot of activities to get through,” Chelsea said now. “There’s tennis, horseback riding and swimming to choose from, or you can choose all three—if you’re game,” she joked, with a wink. “And after lunch I’ve arranged for a tour of a local winery. I can guarantee you’ll love it,” she enthused just a little bit too shrilly.
Adam saw Jenna dart a look at him, and he knew instantly what she was thinking. He agreed. He didn’t want to stay any longer, either.
“I’m afraid we can’t stay, Chelsea,” he said, placing his napkin on the table. “Jenna and I both have to get back to the city for another commitment
But with Jenna, it was as if he was being offered a wholesome breakfast…as if it filled him…completed him even…as if she satisfied something substantial in him.
Last time he’d felt like that had been with Maddie.
Bloody hell!
He dropped his eyelids again, pushing all thoughts of his late wife to the back of his mind. This wasn’t the time or place to be thinking about the woman who had introduced him to love.
When he opened his eyes again sometime later, Jenna was looking at him. “I see you’re not an early riser.”
He gave a low chuckle and pushed himself forward against her. “I wouldn’t say that.”
She blushed. “You know what I mean.”
“No, show me.”
Her hand touched him and he was instantly lost. Afterward they showered together, made love again, then dressed and headed downstairs.
Adam had to admit he was surprised by her. Other women wanted to talk and decipher everything, sometimes wanting a declaration of love or commitment, yet Jenna seemed to be happy to just be with him.
And when they walked into the breakfast room to find Todd and Chelsea there alone, Jenna didn’t gloat, like the other women he knew would gloat at being made his lover. In a way he wished she would, rather than being sensitive to Chelsea’s feelings. It was what they were here for after all.
Yet how could he fault Jenna when her actions were showing him a depth of character he was only now beginning to appreciate?
“Good morning,” he said, holding a chair out for Jenna but smiling at Todd and Chelsea. For a moment the other couple sat there in a kind of stony silence, making him suddenly aware of the tension in the air.
Then Todd put on a forced smile. “Good morning. Did you both sleep well?”
Adam sat down next to Jenna, but he watched Todd. “Yes. What about you two?”
Todd’s smile was tight. “Terrific. This country air has me sleeping like a log.”
“I’m glad someone did, then,” Chelsea snapped, much to Adam’s surprise. He felt Jenna startle, too.
“Chels…” Todd said in a warning tone.
For a second Chelsea looked as if she would snap at him again, but then she seemed to realize she had an audience. She pulled a face. “Sorry about that. I’ve got the beginnings of a headache.”
Adam remembered what Todd had said about Chelsea’s female problems, but her excuse just now didn’t gel. It had been too glib.
“Perhaps you should go lie down,” Jenna said sympathetically.
Antagonism flared in Chelsea’s eyes, then banked, and she put on a bright smile for everyone to see. “No, I’ll be fine.”
At that point Adam suspected that Chelsea’s ill health was more likely due to her jealousy over seeing him and Jenna in bed together last night. For a brief second he wondered if he hadn’t unwittingly dumped Jenna in the middle of something impossible, but then he remembered she was tough. If Jenna could handle him, she could handle Chelsea.
The arrival of the other guests in the breakfast room brought a flurry of chatter. Chelsea seemed to go into overdrive, her eyes extra bright as she turned into the perfect hostess. It didn’t disguise the hint of hostility in the air, though after watching her send one or two dark glances at her husband, Adam had to wonder if this was more about Todd than not.
“So this morning we have a lot of activities to get through,” Chelsea said now. “There’s tennis, horseback riding and swimming to choose from, or you can choose all three—if you’re game,” she joked, with a wink. “And after lunch I’ve arranged for a tour of a local winery. I can guarantee you’ll love it,” she enthused just a little bit too shrilly.
Adam saw Jenna dart a look at him, and he knew instantly what she was thinking. He agreed. He didn’t want to stay any longer, either.
“I’m afraid we can’t stay, Chelsea,” he said, placing his napkin on the table. “Jenna and I both have to get back to the city for another commitment
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