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She understood what he was trying to say. He was underlining their ‘affair’ again. And he didn’t want her reading more into his actions than he intended. But the questions that had been turning over in her mind all afternoon just begged to be asked. ‘How did you know I was here?’
He looked back to the computer.
‘Why did you come after me?’ she pressed.
‘I guess it was my intuition,’ he said. ‘Something wasn’t right.’
‘Not right?’
‘I was worried about you.’
Adrenalin and forbidden hope surged in her chest at the words. Worried. ‘Why were you worried?’
‘I don’t know,’ he said sharply. ‘You just didn’t seem right.’
‘How did you find out where I’d gone?’
‘Does it matter?’
‘Yes.’
‘Why?’
Because it was telling her a lot about him—about how he was feeling about her. Surely there must be more to them than sex if he was chasing down half the length of the country to make sure she was OK. Surely that meant he must care.
And as the nervous excitement exploded in her chest, sending electrified blood racing through her veins, she realised just how much she wanted him to care.
Try to play it cool, Amanda, she told herself. Just try. This was Jared the loner. Jared the sexier-than-anything flirt who had ironclad armour. If she was going to find a chink she had to do it by stealth.
‘I have to get back to Auckland first thing.’
She drew breath. He’d realised his mistake, was pushing away and putting up the boundaries again. Well, she wouldn’t make the mistake of clinging too tight—not yet. Patience wasn’t one of her virtues, but she was thinking she might have to work on it. That and hope.
‘Of course.’ She nodded. First thing he’d be off to get his distance. But he hadn’t been able to answer her questions, couldn’t deny what they both knew she was thinking—that there was more going on than either of them was able to admit just yet.
And there was the night between them now—their first whole night together. This night could be on her side.
He was staring at the computer. An avoidance tactic if ever she saw one.
Jared had always made her want to be bold. And now she’d had an extra confidence shot in knowing he’d come after her. She badly wanted to say thank you. But she didn’t want him associating this with gratitude. So she kept the words back as she swung her leg over his, straddling his lap, her body blocking the computer screen from him.
He didn’t look up to her face, kept his gaze on the same angle—right at her breasts. She took off her top. He still didn’t move so she twisted her arms behind her and unhooked her bra. Cupping her breasts in her hands, she pushed them together and lifted them in offerance.
His groan was torn from him. And then he buried his head in her.
‘I’m starving.’
Amanda lay back and enjoyed the view as Jared disentangled his limbs from hers, sat up on the bed and stretched.
‘Really, really hungry.’ He grinned.
‘So am I.’ Lunch at the café had been hours ago. ‘Pizza?’
‘Yeah.’ He pulled on his jeans and made the call.
The incessant drumming of the rain on the iron roof of the motel precluded further conversation. He stood in the doorway, one arm stretched out, bracing on the frame, looking out into the light, seemingly unfazed by either the damp or the chill—despite wearing nothing but those black jeans. The pizza boy should have been and gone already—but it was Saturday night and with the weather so miserable it probably meant that everyone in town was staying in. And ordering pizza.
Amanda pulled the sheet higher, wondered if she’d ever tire of looking at him—it didn’t seem likely, at least not in the next century or ten.
‘I used to hate this town.’ Jared finally spoke.
‘And now?’
‘Well, I’ll never live here again. But I don’t hate it so much.’
‘I hate it,’ she said.
He turned, brows raised. ‘You don’t hate anything.’
‘Yes, I do.’
He slammed the door shut and walked towards her. ‘What else?’
‘Not knowing what you’re thinking.’ She held her breath.
He studied her, head on an angle. ‘It’s real simple. I can’t wait to have the pizza, and I can’t wait to have you again.’
‘In that order?’
He grinned. ‘Yeah.’
She sat up and let the sheet fall to her belly. ‘Still in that order?’
His grin widened. ‘Yeah.’
She stood right up on the bed, legs apart, running her hands from her breasts downwards as she rocked her hips in a sensuous circle. ‘And now?’
