stop.’ He said it quietly, in that bone-melting voice of his. ‘My glass runneth over.’
‘What?’ Eek. Bad move. She’d been so distracted she’d started pouring again without realising. So unlike her. Worse, he knew exactly what she was distracted by—him. Suck it up, and get over him. He’s a minor diversion.
Jackson raised his fingers to his mouth and lapped up the champagne. Had he heard her telling herself to suck it up? She shivered deliciously. The gesture was done so naturally that she had to presume Jackson hadn’t meant it as a sexual come-on. But, then, why would it be? She’d be the last female on earth he’d come on to. They probably still wouldn’t get on very well; she was a solo mum, he was used to glamorous, sexy ladies who didn’t sport stretch marks on their tummies.
Wait up. He’d only been back in Golden Bay for five days and before today she’d only seen him at the wedding rehearsal. She might have that completely wrong. She was open to having her opinion changed. He didn’t look so full of himself any more. No, rather world-weary and sad, if anything.
Then Jackson seemed to shake himself and sit up straighter. Lifting his glass carefully, he sipped until the level dropped to a safe place, before clinking the rim of the glass with hers. ‘To the happy couple.’
‘To Sasha and Grady.’ She should be looking for her friends as they danced on the temporary floor in the centre of the marquee, but for the life of her she couldn’t drag her attention away from Jackson. When had he got so handsome? Like so handsome she wanted to strip him naked. Back at school, she’d never been as enthralled as all the other girls, but maybe she’d missed something. His body was tall and lean. His face had a chiselled look, a strong jawline and the most disconcerting eyes that seemed to see everything while giving nothing away.
‘Has my mascara run?’ he quipped.
Her face blazed. Caught. Why was that any different from him scrutinising her? It wasn’t, but she never normally took the time to look a guy over so thoroughly. She usually wasn’t interested. ‘Yes.’
‘Wonderful. My macho image is shattered.’ His deep chuckle caught her off balance.
That made her study him even closer. There were deep lines on either side of that delectable mouth. More of them at the corners of those eyes that remained fixed on her. What had caused those lines? To avoid getting caught in his gaze she glanced at his hair, dark brown with a few light strands showing in the overhead lights. Grey, yet not grey. She glanced back to those eyes. ‘You look exhausted.’
Jackson blinked, tipped his head back to stare at the top of the marquee. His mouth had tightened, instantly making Jessica regret her words. There was no way she wanted to upset him; she didn’t want him to think she was probing, being nosey. ‘Sorry. I take that back.’ She sipped her champagne, the glass unexpectedly trembling in her hand.
‘I am totally beat.’
Phew. Still talking. ‘Jet-lag?’ She supposed it was a longish haul from Hong Kong.
‘Nah. Life.’ His hand groped on the tabletop for his drink.
‘Here.’ She pushed it into his fingers.
‘Thanks.’ Sitting straighter, he took a deep taste of the nectar. ‘You’re right. This is superb.’
Again she wondered what hiccups there had been in his life to make him look so shattered. From what she knew, he worked as an emergency specialist in a huge hospital in Hong Kong. That would keep him busy, but many specialists put in the long hours and didn’t end up looking as jaded as Jackson did right now. He’d be earning big money and no doubt had a fancy apartment and housekeeper, along with the to-die-for car and a string of women to ride alongside him. Maybe one of those women had caused a ripple in his otherwise perfect life? ‘Why Hong Kong?’
‘To live? I did part of my internship there and was offered a position in the emergency department for when I qualified.’ Now he stared into his glass, seeming to see more than just the bubbles rising to the top. ‘Hong Kong was exciting, buzzing with people, and completely different from Golden Bay. It was like starting a whole new life, unhindered by the past.’
‘You sound like you hated it here.’ What had happened to make him want to head offshore?
‘I did at times.’ Draining the glass, he reached for the bottle, peered at it. ‘We need another one. Be right back.’
Jess watched Jackson stride around the edge of the dance floor, ignoring the women who tried to entice him to dance with them. So he was determined to sit with her for a while and share a drink. Why? Why her of all the people here? There had to be plenty of family and friends he knew from growing up in Takaka, people he’d want to catch up with. Come to think of it, she hadn’t noticed him being very sociable with anyone in particular all day. Not that he’d been rude, just remote. Interesting. There must be more to this man than she knew.
Was she a safe bet, unlikely to molest him because she sat alone, not leaping up to shake and gyrate to the music? Well, he’d got that right. She didn’t come on to men any more. Not since the last one had made her pregnant and then tossed ‘Don’t send photos’ over his shoulder on the way out, heading about as far north as earth went.
The sound of a cork popping as Jackson returned was like music to her ears. ‘What is it about champagne that’s so special?’ she asked, as he deftly topped up her glass. ‘Is it the buzz on the tongue?’
‘That, the flavour and the fact that champagne goes with celebrations. Good things, not bad.’ Somehow, when he sat back down, his chair had shifted closer to hers.
‘I guess you’re right.’ Goose-bumps prickled her skin and she had to force herself not to lean close enough to rub against his arm. Bubbles tickled her nose when she sipped her drink and she giggled. Oops. Better go easy on this stuff. Then again, why not let her hair down and have a good time? It had been for ever since she’d done that.
‘Of course I’m right.’ He smiled, slowly widening his mouth and curving those delectable lips upwards, waking up the butterflies in her stomach and sending them on a merry dance. Then he said, ‘That shade of orange really suits your brown eyes and fair hair.’
‘Orange? Are you colour blind, or what? Your sister would have a heart attack if she heard you say that. It’s apricot.’ She fingered the satin of her dress. Being bridesmaid for Sasha had been an honour. It spoke of their growing friendship and being there for each other. One of the best things about returning home to Golden Bay had been getting to know Sasha, whom previously she’d only thought of as the girl about the bay who was younger and wilder than her. But that had been then. Nowadays they both were so tame it was embarrassing.
Jackson shrugged. ‘Orange, apricot, whatever. You should wear it all the time.’
‘I’ll remember that.’
‘Do you want to dance?’
What? Where had that come from? Dancing had nothing to do with dress colours. ‘No, thanks.’
‘Good. I’m hopeless at dancing. Always feel like a puppy on drugs.’ His smile was self-deprecating.
‘Then why did you ask?’ She seemed to remember him gyrating around the floor at school dances.
‘Thought you might want to.’ He chuckled again.
