in her. Like a drought-ravaged
flower she had blossomed under Jenna’s nurturing. Her once pale,
thin face had filled out and she glowed with the vitality of normal
childhood.
What a remarkable change Jenna had wrought.
She obviously affected everybody she came in contact with. With a
wry grin Braden included himself in that thought. When he had seen
her with Mark jealousy had raged in him like a fire out of control.
If he hadn’t had his briefcase and the video-camera case in his
hands he wouldn’t have been able to control his urge to punch the
look off the other man’s face.
He knew the look and what it meant because it
was the same way he’d felt when he first saw Jenna in a bikini. Her
pale slender body with those beautiful full breasts and shapely
long legs had a quality that was both ethereal and erotic, and
evoked a reaction that was protective and arousing at the same
time.
He’d kissed her twice now and the effect had
been so devastating he knew if he kissed her again he’d be lucky if
he could stop himself doing what he’d fantasized about since he’d
first seen her. His imagination started to take over again and his
mouth went dry.
The ball landed at his feet. He brought his
mind back from its dangerous meanderings, picked up the ball and
threw it to Caitlin. She grinned. A happy, carefree grin that he
was quick enough to capture on video. And suddenly he could see a
future for her. Suddenly the worry that had eaten into his
consciousness day and night since Alicia’s breakdown dissolved.
Since he was five years old he had become
Alicia’s protector, guarding her from the emotional debris of their
parents’ fights, showering her with the love she’d never received
from their mother. When she had married he had made himself back
off, not wanting to have David think he was trying to interfere.
But with Caitlin’s birth he had become a doting uncle, pleased that
the child was so like him, strong and determined.
So it had proved an immeasurable frustration
when she had withdrawn into herself after Alicia’s breakdown. He
had always been in control before, always able to fix any problems
that occurred, and for the first time in his adult life he had been
left floundering, unable to find a solution for either Alicia or
Caitlin. Until now. Until Jenna.
As though sensing his thoughts she turned
towards him. Their eyes met, and held. There was wariness in her
gaze and he knew he was to blame. He knew he had been unfairly
angry with her several times now, but the truth was he hadn’t meant
to be. He was struggling to come to terms with the feelings she
evoked in him, feelings he didn’t like because they left him
vulnerable.
But he was essentially a fair man, and he had
resolved this afternoon that he would make an effort to see that
she enjoyed her stay here. After all, it was the least he could do
for her after all she had done for Caitlin.
He suddenly realised that in three weeks
Jenna would be leaving to fly home to Sydney. What surprised him
was the queer sense of loss that thought brought with it.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Jenna had never felt so happy ... or so
miserable.
Braden had been incredibly nice to her for
the past two days. He had even helped her to cook some of the
meals, joking, laughing, involving Caitlin in the simpler chores.
He had shown her a side of himself she had only guessed at before.
He could so easily be all that she had ever wanted in a man. If
only ...
But there was no point in “if onlys”.
Although he had been charming, friendly, and helpful, the spark
that had ignited between them had been effectively extinguished.
Not on her behalf. No, she still felt that quick tightening in the
stomach, that shivery tingle through her body when he walked into
the room, that slow liquid heat between her thighs as her eyes
caressed him when he wasn’t aware.
But for the past two days he had treated her
with ... her teeth ground ... brotherly nonchalance. No spark
flower she had blossomed under Jenna’s nurturing. Her once pale,
thin face had filled out and she glowed with the vitality of normal
childhood.
What a remarkable change Jenna had wrought.
She obviously affected everybody she came in contact with. With a
wry grin Braden included himself in that thought. When he had seen
her with Mark jealousy had raged in him like a fire out of control.
If he hadn’t had his briefcase and the video-camera case in his
hands he wouldn’t have been able to control his urge to punch the
look off the other man’s face.
He knew the look and what it meant because it
was the same way he’d felt when he first saw Jenna in a bikini. Her
pale slender body with those beautiful full breasts and shapely
long legs had a quality that was both ethereal and erotic, and
evoked a reaction that was protective and arousing at the same
time.
He’d kissed her twice now and the effect had
been so devastating he knew if he kissed her again he’d be lucky if
he could stop himself doing what he’d fantasized about since he’d
first seen her. His imagination started to take over again and his
mouth went dry.
The ball landed at his feet. He brought his
mind back from its dangerous meanderings, picked up the ball and
threw it to Caitlin. She grinned. A happy, carefree grin that he
was quick enough to capture on video. And suddenly he could see a
future for her. Suddenly the worry that had eaten into his
consciousness day and night since Alicia’s breakdown dissolved.
Since he was five years old he had become
Alicia’s protector, guarding her from the emotional debris of their
parents’ fights, showering her with the love she’d never received
from their mother. When she had married he had made himself back
off, not wanting to have David think he was trying to interfere.
But with Caitlin’s birth he had become a doting uncle, pleased that
the child was so like him, strong and determined.
So it had proved an immeasurable frustration
when she had withdrawn into herself after Alicia’s breakdown. He
had always been in control before, always able to fix any problems
that occurred, and for the first time in his adult life he had been
left floundering, unable to find a solution for either Alicia or
Caitlin. Until now. Until Jenna.
As though sensing his thoughts she turned
towards him. Their eyes met, and held. There was wariness in her
gaze and he knew he was to blame. He knew he had been unfairly
angry with her several times now, but the truth was he hadn’t meant
to be. He was struggling to come to terms with the feelings she
evoked in him, feelings he didn’t like because they left him
vulnerable.
But he was essentially a fair man, and he had
resolved this afternoon that he would make an effort to see that
she enjoyed her stay here. After all, it was the least he could do
for her after all she had done for Caitlin.
He suddenly realised that in three weeks
Jenna would be leaving to fly home to Sydney. What surprised him
was the queer sense of loss that thought brought with it.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Jenna had never felt so happy ... or so
miserable.
Braden had been incredibly nice to her for
the past two days. He had even helped her to cook some of the
meals, joking, laughing, involving Caitlin in the simpler chores.
He had shown her a side of himself she had only guessed at before.
He could so easily be all that she had ever wanted in a man. If
only ...
But there was no point in “if onlys”.
Although he had been charming, friendly, and helpful, the spark
that had ignited between them had been effectively extinguished.
Not on her behalf. No, she still felt that quick tightening in the
stomach, that shivery tingle through her body when he walked into
the room, that slow liquid heat between her thighs as her eyes
caressed him when he wasn’t aware.
But for the past two days he had treated her
with ... her teeth ground ... brotherly nonchalance. No spark
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