The Costarella Conquest by Emma Darcy Page B

marvelous range of tastes.’
    â€˜Let me see.’ She held out her hand for the menu and he passed it over. The list of dishes Jake wanted proved irresistible. ‘I’m up for it,’ she said decisively.
    It would obviously cost Jake another small fortune, but also obviously he didn’t care so Laura refused to feel guilty about the expense. It was his choice. He grinned at her, knowing she was happy to succumb to temptation.
    She sighed. ‘You’re spoiling me rotten with all this, Jake.’
    An oddly rueful expression twisted his grin. ‘You’ve given me more than money can buy, Laura. I should probably thank you for being you.’
    Why did that sound…almost as if he was saying goodbye to her? Laura frowned over the uncomfortable niggle. Surely he was just trying to balance outwhat they had together, make it feel okay to her. ‘It’s no big deal being me,’ she said critically.
    He shook his head, his eyes gently mocking her. ‘I can’t imagine enjoying our dinners so much with anyone else.’
    She relaxed into a relieved smile. ‘Then I should thank you for being you because I can’t imagine it, either.’
    â€˜Good to be in accord on that point.’
    She laughed. ‘I think we’re in accord on many points.’
    â€˜True. Shall we order now?’
    He signalled their readiness to a waiter while Laura happily assured herself that everything was fine between them.
    Again it was another brilliant evening with Jake. The dinner was sensational. It was great fun enjoying and discussing the various tastes, comparing it to what they’d eaten in other restaurants. Laura visited the ladies’ room just before they were about to leave and on her way back to their table, she was struck by another little stab of uncertainty.
    Jake was not looking for her return. He sat in pensive mode, a dark, bleak expression wiping out all the sparkles he’d shot her way during dinner. It didn’t take much intuition to realise something was wrong—something in the private life he didn’t share with her. Wasn’t it time that he did? They’d been seeing each other on a very intimate basis for almostthree months now. Surely he knew her well enough to trust her with what was in his mind.
    He brightened as she reached the table, pulling himself back from the place he’d travelled to without her, but Laura’s fighting spirit had been pricked into taking a stand. ‘What were you thinking of just now, Jake?’
    He shook his head, a wry little smile curling his mouth as he rose from his chair. ‘A piece of the past. Nothing to do with you, Laura. I’ve called a taxi for us. It’s waiting outside.’
    He tucked her arm around his as she frowned over his evasive reply. ‘I want to know,’ she said, shooting him a searching look.
    He grimaced at her obstinacy, but did answer her. ‘I was thinking of my parents. How much they enjoyed sharing meals together.’
    â€˜Oh!’ Laura’s heart instantly lifted. The memory had obviously saddened Jake but she felt it did have something to do with her—a connection to what they were doing, which he enjoyed with her! It made her feel their relationship was more meaningful to him than he was willing to admit at this point.
    â€˜I’ve booked us into the Park Hotel tonight,’ he told her as they made their exit from the restaurant.
    Another hotel. She knew it overlooked Hyde Park in the city centre, which gave them only a short trip to Paddington and Woollahra in the morning. It always disappointed her that he didn’t ask her home with him but she’d decided never to push it. Besides,she was still cherishing that link to his parents, whom he’d loved very much.
    They didn’t chat in the taxi. Laura was keenly anticipating the sexual connection with Jake and she imagined his mind was occupied with it, too. It seemed to her