like twins,’ she told him.
‘Not quite,’ he said with a grin, giving her a head-to-toe survey.
Jake refused coffee in favour of leaving immediatelyto avoid the morning rush hour, stowed Sarah’s belongings in the car, then waited while she made sure the house was secure.
‘My grandmother’s on holiday,’ she explained, sliding into the passenger seat. ‘But I’ve plugged in the gadgets that make the lights come on, and cancelled the milk and newspapers, and double-checked all the windows and doors.’
‘Then you were alone in the house last night?’ asked Jake as he drove off.
‘Yes.’
He slanted a look at her. ‘But you didn’t tell me that in case I carried you up to your bed and demanded my evil way, I suppose?’
‘I sleep downstairs, so it doesn’t apply,’ she said, unmoved. ‘And, believe it or not, I just forgot to mention it.’
‘I believe everything you tell me, Sarah.’
‘Good. Anyway, it was Grandma’s trip to Italy which originally gave me doubts about going to the wedding. But the school has my mobile number, and the details of the hotel in Norfolk, and Alison offered to stand in as back-up for Davy if the need arises.’ Sarah shivered. ‘Which I devoutly hope it won’t.’
Jake touched her hand for an instant. ‘Of course it won’t. But even if it does I’ll get you back here at the speed of light.’
‘I hope that’s not your normal approach to motorway driving?’ she asked, laughing.
‘Don’t worry, you’ll arrive in one piece, but I may need a bit of guidance to find the actual spot once we leave the A11.’
‘No problem, I’m a brilliant navigator,’ she assuredhim. ‘But we’ve got a lot of motorway to get through yet before I start grappling with a map.’
Jake drove not only with speed, but with such skill Sarah relaxed when she found he was capable of paying attention to the road at the same time as giving details of his trip to London, which had included a meal eaten with his brother.
‘Did you tell him about me, Jake?’
‘Yes.’
Sarah gave him a wry glance. ‘Was he surprised? Or didn’t you tell him about Davy?’
‘Of course I did. We’re pretty close, Liam and I. We like to know the other is enjoying life.’
‘And is Liam enjoying his?’
‘The work part, yes, as usual. But his romance has come unstuck.’
‘Poor Liam.’ Sarah changed the subject to talk about the wedding, which had put a strain on the accommodation available in the area. ‘Nick says the bride’s family lives in a vast old rectory, which will be crammed to the rafters with as many relations as possible to leave room in the area for the other guests.’
‘Talking of which, how, exactly, do I introduce myself to your chums?’ asked Jake.
‘As Sarah’s friend, of course.’
‘A bit lukewarm for my taste. You won’t allow lover, I know, and I draw the line at boyfriend. How about partner?’
She shook her head. ‘That implies that we live together.’
‘As we would, if I had my way,’ he said, startling her.
‘But how can you want that when we’ve never even—?’ she began, then stopped, colour flooding her face.
‘Made love?’ He sent her a smouldering look, then returned his attention to the three lanes of motorway crowded as far as the eye could see by this time with London-bound traffic. ‘The fact had not escaped my attention, Sarah. Though the foretaste I’ve been granted makes it obvious we’d be good together. More than good. Sensational.’ He drew in a deep breath. ‘Now for pity’s sake let’s change the subject—it’s bad for me when I’m driving.’
They stopped later at a motorway service restaurant for coffee and toast and a breather for Jake, who declined Sarah’s offer to help with the driving.
‘Not,’ he assured her, ‘because I refuse to let a woman drive me. But I don’t want you to arrive at the hotel too tired to enjoy the wedding.’
‘Thank you,’ she said, her smile so warm Jake reached a hand
‘Not quite,’ he said with a grin, giving her a head-to-toe survey.
Jake refused coffee in favour of leaving immediatelyto avoid the morning rush hour, stowed Sarah’s belongings in the car, then waited while she made sure the house was secure.
‘My grandmother’s on holiday,’ she explained, sliding into the passenger seat. ‘But I’ve plugged in the gadgets that make the lights come on, and cancelled the milk and newspapers, and double-checked all the windows and doors.’
‘Then you were alone in the house last night?’ asked Jake as he drove off.
‘Yes.’
He slanted a look at her. ‘But you didn’t tell me that in case I carried you up to your bed and demanded my evil way, I suppose?’
‘I sleep downstairs, so it doesn’t apply,’ she said, unmoved. ‘And, believe it or not, I just forgot to mention it.’
‘I believe everything you tell me, Sarah.’
‘Good. Anyway, it was Grandma’s trip to Italy which originally gave me doubts about going to the wedding. But the school has my mobile number, and the details of the hotel in Norfolk, and Alison offered to stand in as back-up for Davy if the need arises.’ Sarah shivered. ‘Which I devoutly hope it won’t.’
Jake touched her hand for an instant. ‘Of course it won’t. But even if it does I’ll get you back here at the speed of light.’
‘I hope that’s not your normal approach to motorway driving?’ she asked, laughing.
‘Don’t worry, you’ll arrive in one piece, but I may need a bit of guidance to find the actual spot once we leave the A11.’
‘No problem, I’m a brilliant navigator,’ she assuredhim. ‘But we’ve got a lot of motorway to get through yet before I start grappling with a map.’
Jake drove not only with speed, but with such skill Sarah relaxed when she found he was capable of paying attention to the road at the same time as giving details of his trip to London, which had included a meal eaten with his brother.
‘Did you tell him about me, Jake?’
‘Yes.’
Sarah gave him a wry glance. ‘Was he surprised? Or didn’t you tell him about Davy?’
‘Of course I did. We’re pretty close, Liam and I. We like to know the other is enjoying life.’
‘And is Liam enjoying his?’
‘The work part, yes, as usual. But his romance has come unstuck.’
‘Poor Liam.’ Sarah changed the subject to talk about the wedding, which had put a strain on the accommodation available in the area. ‘Nick says the bride’s family lives in a vast old rectory, which will be crammed to the rafters with as many relations as possible to leave room in the area for the other guests.’
‘Talking of which, how, exactly, do I introduce myself to your chums?’ asked Jake.
‘As Sarah’s friend, of course.’
‘A bit lukewarm for my taste. You won’t allow lover, I know, and I draw the line at boyfriend. How about partner?’
She shook her head. ‘That implies that we live together.’
‘As we would, if I had my way,’ he said, startling her.
‘But how can you want that when we’ve never even—?’ she began, then stopped, colour flooding her face.
‘Made love?’ He sent her a smouldering look, then returned his attention to the three lanes of motorway crowded as far as the eye could see by this time with London-bound traffic. ‘The fact had not escaped my attention, Sarah. Though the foretaste I’ve been granted makes it obvious we’d be good together. More than good. Sensational.’ He drew in a deep breath. ‘Now for pity’s sake let’s change the subject—it’s bad for me when I’m driving.’
They stopped later at a motorway service restaurant for coffee and toast and a breather for Jake, who declined Sarah’s offer to help with the driving.
‘Not,’ he assured her, ‘because I refuse to let a woman drive me. But I don’t want you to arrive at the hotel too tired to enjoy the wedding.’
‘Thank you,’ she said, her smile so warm Jake reached a hand
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