Island Hearts (Jenny's Turn and Stray Lady) by Vanessa Grant Page A
Authors: Vanessa Grant
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informed her, “I thought I’d take you sightseeing this morning.”
She wanted to see his islands, but ... She stared down at the cup in her hands, admitting to herself that she’d missed him terribly ever since she got off that jet in Ketchikan. Now, knowing he would be meeting them again in a few days, she felt excitement and anticipation growing.
Was she insane? Jake was going back to Vancouver meanwhile. He would return to her directly from Monica. God, poor Monica! Jake was marrying her, yet only moments ago his eyes had been hot with desire as they roved over Jenny.
If she were to answer his desire with her own, meet his eyes honestly and boldly—
No! She wasn’t going to be Jake’s next girl, a temporary mistress, left lonely and desperate when the affair was over.
But what if she did? Would he still marry Monica? Or wouldn’t it matter that he had been unfaithful to his promised bride?
Her eyes shifted back to him. He’d been watching her, trying to see her thoughts. She recovered quickly, asking, “What about George? Are you taking us both sight seeing?”
George said, “I’m busy, giving guitar lessons to Gerry. He sings, and he’d like to play. You could join us if you like, Jenny.” There was mischief behind her smile.
“Not me!” The two cousins laughed together and Jenny’s voice was bright and superficial as she explained to Jake, “I’m the girl they threw out of the church choir.”
He smiled and the tension was gone. She felt the warmth flowing through her body, her lips curving in response to his as he said, “I thought you had a blameless past. What did you do to get tossed out of the choir?”
“I sang,” she admitted, grinning.
George said, “They didn’t really throw her out.”
Jenny agreed, “No, but I got the message when the bishop came to town and the choirmaster asked me just to move my lips, not make any noise. I know my limits. I’ll stick to singing in the shower when no one else is around. If it’s a choice between a jam session and a sightseeing tour, I’d better take the tour.”
The deck shifted under their feet as they left. Jake asked, “What happened after the bishop?“
“I know when I’m not wanted. I just went away and didn’t come back.”
He said softly, “That’s a bad habit of yours, running away instead of fighting back.”
A speedboat roared past, setting the larger boats swaying on its wake. Jenny stepped off Lady Harriet . Jake stepped down behind her. There was no one else in sight, only the boats tied to either side of the float.
Fighting back was dangerous. She knew better than to stand up and ask to be rejected.
“It’s safer,” she said finally, not looking at him.
His hand came down on her shoulder, turning her towards him. The water was still, his eyes deep and waiting. “Is safety important to you?”
If she touched him, he would take her in his arms. She closed her eyes briefly, remembering when she had first started working for Jake.
He had seemed deeply involved with a dark-haired woman named Elissa. Jenny had seen them dancing once, Jake’s arms around her, his eyes warm with desire as they looked down. Then, suddenly, Jake wasn’t seeing her any more. She was gone, with no sign of regret on Jake’s side.
When he’d asked Jenny to dinner, his eyes had held the same look he’d had for the other woman. Her lips had parted, almost saying yes before she got her refusal out. Jenny wasn’t about to become the next one.
Keep it cool. Don’t get involved deeper than you can handle if it ends. She’d learned the rules, and Jake was too dangerous to play with. Yet working with him, beside him every day, she had learned the joys of sharing his creations, of becoming indispensable to him.
Now, five years later, he was waiting for an answer. “Safety? Yes, that’s what’s important.” As she walked beside him, not touching, she could still feel the imprint of his hand on her shoulder.
He probed, “But
She wanted to see his islands, but ... She stared down at the cup in her hands, admitting to herself that she’d missed him terribly ever since she got off that jet in Ketchikan. Now, knowing he would be meeting them again in a few days, she felt excitement and anticipation growing.
Was she insane? Jake was going back to Vancouver meanwhile. He would return to her directly from Monica. God, poor Monica! Jake was marrying her, yet only moments ago his eyes had been hot with desire as they roved over Jenny.
If she were to answer his desire with her own, meet his eyes honestly and boldly—
No! She wasn’t going to be Jake’s next girl, a temporary mistress, left lonely and desperate when the affair was over.
But what if she did? Would he still marry Monica? Or wouldn’t it matter that he had been unfaithful to his promised bride?
Her eyes shifted back to him. He’d been watching her, trying to see her thoughts. She recovered quickly, asking, “What about George? Are you taking us both sight seeing?”
George said, “I’m busy, giving guitar lessons to Gerry. He sings, and he’d like to play. You could join us if you like, Jenny.” There was mischief behind her smile.
“Not me!” The two cousins laughed together and Jenny’s voice was bright and superficial as she explained to Jake, “I’m the girl they threw out of the church choir.”
He smiled and the tension was gone. She felt the warmth flowing through her body, her lips curving in response to his as he said, “I thought you had a blameless past. What did you do to get tossed out of the choir?”
“I sang,” she admitted, grinning.
George said, “They didn’t really throw her out.”
Jenny agreed, “No, but I got the message when the bishop came to town and the choirmaster asked me just to move my lips, not make any noise. I know my limits. I’ll stick to singing in the shower when no one else is around. If it’s a choice between a jam session and a sightseeing tour, I’d better take the tour.”
The deck shifted under their feet as they left. Jake asked, “What happened after the bishop?“
“I know when I’m not wanted. I just went away and didn’t come back.”
He said softly, “That’s a bad habit of yours, running away instead of fighting back.”
A speedboat roared past, setting the larger boats swaying on its wake. Jenny stepped off Lady Harriet . Jake stepped down behind her. There was no one else in sight, only the boats tied to either side of the float.
Fighting back was dangerous. She knew better than to stand up and ask to be rejected.
“It’s safer,” she said finally, not looking at him.
His hand came down on her shoulder, turning her towards him. The water was still, his eyes deep and waiting. “Is safety important to you?”
If she touched him, he would take her in his arms. She closed her eyes briefly, remembering when she had first started working for Jake.
He had seemed deeply involved with a dark-haired woman named Elissa. Jenny had seen them dancing once, Jake’s arms around her, his eyes warm with desire as they looked down. Then, suddenly, Jake wasn’t seeing her any more. She was gone, with no sign of regret on Jake’s side.
When he’d asked Jenny to dinner, his eyes had held the same look he’d had for the other woman. Her lips had parted, almost saying yes before she got her refusal out. Jenny wasn’t about to become the next one.
Keep it cool. Don’t get involved deeper than you can handle if it ends. She’d learned the rules, and Jake was too dangerous to play with. Yet working with him, beside him every day, she had learned the joys of sharing his creations, of becoming indispensable to him.
Now, five years later, he was waiting for an answer. “Safety? Yes, that’s what’s important.” As she walked beside him, not touching, she could still feel the imprint of his hand on her shoulder.
He probed, “But
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