when he used his thumb and forefinger to lift her chin until their gazes locked, the sensation danced across every nerve in her body.
“I accept that it was my own damned fault I didn’t know about the pregnancy. But it doesn’t mean that now that I’m aware I have a child I don’t intend to be a big part of her life. And that will be much easier for me to do when I move you and Mandy into the mansion with me.”
“That’s not going to happen, Jake. We’re very happy right here in the carriage house.”
“We’ll see about that.”
Before she could protest or step away, his mouth covered hers and the feel of his firm lips once again caressing hers with such care caused her head to spin. She tried with all of her might to remain unaffected, but her traitorous pulse took off and a delicious warmth began to flow through her veins.
Placing her hands on Jake’s wide chest, instead of pushing away from him as she intended, she reveled in the feel of his strength beneath her palms and the steady beat of his heart. This was total insanity. He’d used her, then cast her aside with little or no regard for her feelings. But when he traced the seam of her mouth with his tongue, she parted her lips without so much as a second thought and allowed him to deepen the kiss.
As he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her more fully against his large frame, he teased her with a tenderness that caused every fiber in her being to quiver to life and her stomach to flutter wildly. The excitement she’d experienced in his arms fifteen long months ago began to fill her from head to toe and it scared her as little else could. Losing herself to Jake’s kiss was the very reason they found themselves in their current set of circumstances.
“Please…stop,” she said, leaning away from him.
Jake immediately put a bit of space between them, but continued to hold her loosely in his arms. “All things considered, I probably shouldn’t have done that.” He gave her the same seductive smile that had been her downfall that night in Los Angeles. “But I’ll be damned if I’m sorry I did. You have the sweetest lips I’ve ever tasted.”
She shook her head. “Forget my lips. It’s not going to happen again.”
He stared down at her for endless seconds and just when she thought he was going to argue the point, Nemo chose that moment to come lumbering in through the doggie door. Finding the two humans standing face-to-face, he apparently took it as an open invitation to push his way between them and plop his big, bulky body on top of their feet.
“What’s his deal?” Jake asked, staring down at the dog. “Every time he sees me, he traps my feet beneath him.”
Thankful for the distraction Heather stepped back then knelt down to scratch the big gentle dog behind his floppy ears. “It seems to be a trait of his breed. I think they realize that they’re too big to sit on your lap, so they lay on your feet to be close to you.”
Jake bent down to pet Nemo’s thick, black coat. “So I guess this means he likes me, huh?”
“It looks that way.” Only inches apart, they stared at each other for endless seconds before she straightened to walk back into the living room to peek inside the nursery door.
She should have named the dog Benedict Arnold. Nemo was supposed to be loyal to her, not cozy up to the enemy like they were long lost friends.
“What did the pediatrician say this afternoon?” Jake asked from behind her shoulder. “Is she cutting her first tooth or is something else wrong?”
Unaware that he’d followed her, Heather jumped as much from the unexpected sound of his voice as from his close proximity. “Uh…yes, she’s teething. The doctor said she has two that should be through her lower gum by the end of the week.”
“She’ll start feeling better after that happens, right?”
Heather nodded as she pulled the door to and moved away from him. The concern in his voice touched her and that was something she didn’t like one bit. It was much safer for her to think of him as the shallow, uncaring man who refused to take her phone calls, than a daddy worried about the welfare of his baby girl.
“I think it would be a good idea if you leave now, Jake.” She walked over to open the front door. “I have to be up by five in the morning and I really need to get some sleep.”
Glancing at the gold watch on his left wrist, he nodded. “I have a lot to do tomorrow and need to be up early myself.”
He walked over to her, then cupping her cheeks with both hands lightly pressed a kiss to her lips. As he raised his head, the determination she saw in his incredible blue eyes sent a shock wave all the way to her soul.
“If you and the baby need me before morning, don’t hesitate to give me a call. You have my word that from this day forward, no matter what I’m doing or where I am, I’ll always be available for you and our daughter.”
Once the front door closed behind him, Heather squeezed her eyes shut against the tears of frustration threatening to spill down her cheeks. She’d known the former owner was looking to sell, but why did Jake Garnier have to be the new owner of Hickory Hills? What cruel quirk of fate had caused their paths to cross again? And why, after all that had happened, did she still find him to be the most handsome, irresistible man she’d ever met?
When he’d introduced himself at the annual thoroughbred auction in Los Angeles, he’d not only charmed his way past her defenses and swept her off her feet, he’d stolen her heart, as well. She’d always heard about love at first sight, but she’d never given it a lot of thought, never believed it would happen to her. Not until last year. Not until Jake.
Swallowing hard, she reminded herself of the disillusionment and emotional pain she’d suffered when he refused to return her calls and she’d realized she meant absolutely nothing to him. It had taken her a long time to move past that and no matter how drugging his kisses were or how wonderful it had felt to be in his arms, she wasn’t about to put herself in that position again.
Besides, it wasn’t just her emotions at stake anymore. She had Mandy’s well-being to take into consideration, as well. And Heather wasn’t going to stand back and watch her daughter bond with Jake, then be devastated when he moved on like the playboy he was.
* * *
As he walked down the long driveway toward the big wrought-iron entrance gates, Jake still couldn’t quite wrap his mind around everything that had happened. In the span of a few hours, his life had changed in ways he could have never imagined. He had reconnected with the only woman he’d ever regretted not keeping in touch with, learned that by taking over Hickory Hills she’d become his employee and discovered that a little over six months ago she’d given birth to his baby.
Unbelievable.
But as he thought about Heather making several attempts to get in touch with him, his gut burned with anger. He deeply regretted that she’d been forced to go through the pregnancy alone. If his secretary hadn’t become overly zealous about screening his calls, she wouldn’t have. He’d have not only been there for Heather throughout the pregnancy and birth, he wouldn’t have been cheated out of the first six months of his daughter’s life.
His daughter.
Jake’s heart slammed against his rib cage and he took several deep breaths. He had a tiny baby girl who looked just
