The Morning After The Wedding Before by Anne Oliver Read Free Book Online Page A

sister off. ‘You have guests to see off and a fiancé to farewell. You’ve called the girls a taxi, right?’
    Stella nodded.
    ‘Okay, go to bed.’
    ‘If you’re sure …’ Stella’s eyes flicked between the two of them.
    Emma couldn’t decide whether there was a glint of something playful in her sister’s baby blue eyes, but her voice was concerned enough when she said, ‘Phone up to the house if you need anything, Em.’
    Then she disappeared outside with the rest of the gang, leaving Emma alone with Jake. The voices faded and the bustling atmosphere disappeared, leaving a tension-fraught anticipation in the gaping stillness. So still that Emma could hear the nearby surf pounding the beach. The sound of her heart beating at a million miles an hour. Jake had to be able to hear it as well. Fantastic. She groaned inwardly. ‘But you have to go too,’ she told him. ‘The limo …’
    ‘I can call him back. He’s booked and paid for till 3:00 a.m.’ His voice lowered a notch. ‘Unless you want me to stay longer?’
    His head was bent over her foot so she couldn’t see his eyes. Just the top of his glossy dark head and those impressive shoulders making the fabric of his sexy black shirt strain at the seams. Before she could tell him no, not on his life, he straightened.
    ‘It doesn’t seem to be swollen. You sure that’s the only casualty?’
    ‘Yes.’ In his line of work he might see more than his fair quota of bare backsides, but he wasn’t going to see hers. She squeezed her still smarting butt and trembling thighs tighter together. ‘I can take care of myself.’
    ‘It’s not your cute
derrière
I’m interested in right now, Emma,’ he said, and she wondered if she’d voiced her thoughts.
And what did he mean ‘right now ‘?
    Her cheeks flamed and she pushed the frozen pack of peas away. ‘I can walk.’ Holding the edges of the sarong together, she rose, ignoring the glint of pain in her ankle, and took three tentative steps. ‘See? Now I want to go to bed. I appreciate your concern, but I’d like it if you’d leave.’
    He ignored her. ‘You should rest it. You need to be fit for Saturday.’ He picked her up again and moved swiftly across the room and past the privacy curtain. He set her on her bed, laid the peas against her ankle again, then placed his hands on either side of her lower legs. Looked into her eyes. ‘And, remember, as best man I’ve got the first dance with you.’
    He’d come to her rescue and allowed her to keep her dignity. And now he sounded so genuinely caring that a wry half-smile tugged at her mouth.
    ‘With you to remind me I’m not likely to forget.’ She had to admit it felt good to be pampered for once in her life,to have someone care enough to look out for her and not even remotely laugh at her embarrassment. She relaxed a little. ‘Thank you. I feel like a kid again. All I need is the warm milk and honey.’
    ‘Warm milk and honey?’
    ‘Mum’s panacea for everything. Rather, it used to be.’
Twenty years ago
.
    Jake knew Emma had always been a keep-to-yourself kind of girl, whereas outgoing, fun-loving Stella had made friends easily. He knew, too, how Emma had changed when her father had died.
    Leaning in, he watched her gorgeous eyes widen, smelled her soft feminine scent. ‘No milk and honey, but this—’ he touched his lips chastely to her forehead ‘—might help.’
    He heard the barely-there hitch in her breath and drew back. His gaze dropped to her mouth and lingered. Unglossed but luscious. So tempting to lean down and … He felt his blood pressure spike. His good deed damn well wasn’t helping
him
.
    Don’t
. Her lips moved but no sound came out.
    ‘Why not?’ he murmured. ‘You kissed me the other night and I can’t return the favour?’
    ‘That was … different.’ Her voice was breathless and he got the impression she’d have pressed her rigid spine through the wall if she could.
    ‘Yeah,’ he said, recalling the