The Bridesmaid's Baby Bump by Kandy Shepherd Read Free Book Online

alarm.
    ‘That puts paid to the back seat plan,’ he said, pulling away from her with a groan of regret.
    ‘Just as well, really,’ Eliza said breathlessly.
    She smoothed her hair back from her face with her fingers and tucked it behind her ears. Even her ears were lovely—small and shell-like.
    ‘The media would love to catch their most eligible bachelor being indiscreet in public.’
    He scowled. ‘I hate the way they call me a bachelor . Surely that’s a term for someone who has never been married?’
    ‘ Most eligible divorcé doesn’t quite have the same headline potential, does it?’ she said.
    ‘I’d rather not feature in any headlines,’ he growled.
    ‘You might just have to hit yourself with the ugly stick, then,’ she said. ‘Handsome and rich makes you a magnet for headlines. You’re almost too good to be true.’ She laughed. ‘Though if you scowl like that they might forget about calling you the most eligible guy in the country.’
    Jake exaggerated the scowl. He liked making her laugh. ‘Too good to be true, huh?’
    ‘Now you look cute,’ she said.
    ‘ Cute? I do not want to be called cute,’ he protested.
    ‘Handsome, good-looking, hot, smokin’, babelicious—’
    ‘Stop right there,’ he said, unable to suppress a grin. ‘You don’t call a guy babelicious . That’s a girl word. Let me try it on you.’
    ‘No need,’ she protested. ‘I’m not the babelicious type.’
    ‘I think you are—if I understand it to mean sexy and desirable and—’ Her mock glare made him stop. ‘How about lovely, beautiful, sweet, elegant—?’
    ‘That’s more than enough,’ she said. ‘I’ll take elegant. Audrey Hepburn’s style is my icon. Not that I’m really tall enough to own elegant . But I try.’
    ‘You succeed, let me assure you,’ he said.
    ‘Thank you. I like smokin ’ for you,’ she said, her eyes narrowing as she looked him over.
    Her flattering descriptive words left him with a warm feeling. No matter how he’d tried to put a brave face on it, the continued rejection by his ex had hurt. She’d found someone else, of course. He should have realised earlier, before he’d let his ego get so bruised. The admiration in Eliza’s eyes was like balm to those bruises. He intended to take everything she offered.
    ‘I’d rather kiss than talk, wouldn’t you?’ he said.
    He’d rather do so much more than kiss.
    ‘If you say so,’ she said with a seductive smile.
    They kissed for a long time, until just kissing was not enough. It was getting steamy in the car—and not in an exciting way. It was too hot without the air-conditioning, but they couldn’t sit there with the engine on.
    The windows really were getting fogged up now. Visibility was practically zero. Eliza swiped her finger across the windscreen. Then spelled out the word KISSING. ‘It’s very obvious what’s going on in here.’
    He found her wicked giggle enchanting.
    ‘More so now you’ve done that,’ he said.
    Spontaneity wasn’t something he’d expected from cool and controlled Eliza. He ached to discover what other surprises she had in store for him.
    ‘We really should go,’ she said breathlessly. ‘How long will it take to get to Port Douglas?’
    ‘Thirty minutes to my place,’ he said.
    She wiggled in her seat in a show of impatience. ‘Then put your foot to the floor and get us there ASAP, will you?’
    Jake couldn’t get his foot on the accelerator fast enough.
    * * *
    Eliza had a sense she was leaving everything that was everyday behind her as the four-by-four effortlessly climbed the steep driveway which led from the street in Port Douglas to Jake’s getaway house. His retreat, he’d called it. As she slid out of the high-set car she gaped at the magnificence of the architectural award-winning house nestled among palm trees and vivid tropical gardens. Large glossy leaves in every shade of green contrasted with riotous blooms in orange, red and yellow. She breathed in air tinged