mean you haven’t told them that you’ve joined the band?’
‘I will tell them…eventually. But, just not right now.’
Jake shrugged. ‘It’s your call.’
‘You said that you learned not to depend on anyone else to make you happy. What about romantic relationships, Jake? Have you had maybe one or two that haven’t worked out?’
‘Who hasn’t?’
A reticent smile suggested that discussing his own experiences was the last thing he wanted to do. It wasn’t hard to understand why he should feel that way. Nobody welcomed talking about the things that had hurt them. Yet Caitlin couldn’t help wanting to know more. Despite her vow never to easily trust another man, the idea of perhaps trusting Jake was strangely compelling. After all, he knew what it was like to have been badly hurt by someone and wouldn’t knowingly inflict similar hurt on someone else…would he?
Drawing in a deep breath for courage, she asked the question she’d been longing to hear the answer to since talking to Lia.
‘My friend Lia—the manager of the shop where I worked—she told me that she once read in the papers that you’d been married.’
As Caitlin had expected, Jake’s guard slammed down like a portcullis. ‘Then why ask if I’ve had any relationships that haven’t worked out? It must be obvious that my marriage didn’t, if your friend read about it.’
He let loose an irritated sigh, but Caitlin detected weariness in the sound, as if he was well and truly sick of the subject.
‘Presumably she also told you that my wife left me and then sold a sordid little tale to the press?’
She flushed, feeling uncomfortably guilty. ‘Yes…she did.’
‘Then that should tell you it was hardly a match made in heaven. My ex was a manipulative little liar…what else do you want to know?’
‘Please don’t be so defensive. I was hoping you might tell me your side of the story. I never read any details myself. To be honest, I didn’t even recognise you when we first met. I don’t often read the newspapers, and neither do I use social media very much. I honestly won’t breathe a word of this conversation to anyone…not even to my friend.’
‘I take it I have your word on that?’ Jake’s blue eyes were momentarily fierce.
With her heart thudding, Caitlin nodded. ‘Of course.’
‘Her name was Jodie and she was a model who wanted to become a pop singer. I had no idea of her ambition at the time. Anyway, we met at a party and had a few dates. She was pretty and engaging enough to capture my attention, and on a weekend break to Rome I foolishly asked her to marry me.’
He shook his head in mocking disbelief.
‘Practically as soon as we were married she started to put pressure on me to help her get a record deal…all the while telling me I was the best thing that had ever happened to her and that she was madly in love with me, of course. You’d think I would have known better.’
He gave a harsh self-deprecating laugh before continuing.
‘She couldn’t sing, and when she realised I wasn’t going to help further her career she started an affair with Mel Justice—the lead guitarist of the bestselling rock band on the planet. I was travelling in South America on business when she moved in with him and on my return she told me she was filing for divorce. Then, when the case came to court, she cited mental cruelty because I’d allegedly promised to help make her a star and I hadn’t…’
The way Jake shook his head told Caitlin everything she needed to know about how he’d felt about that.
‘In the story she portrayed me as some kind of Svengali who’d preyed on her naïvety and led her astray. If it hadn’t been so painful and hadn’t ruined my reputation it would have been funny. Anyway, with the help of a high-profile American lawyer, courtesy of her new boyfriend, she got her divorce and was awarded a ridiculous sum of money from me for so-called damages. Then she married her lover and became Mrs Justice.’
Jake’s telling of the painful events was succinct and to the point. But to have had his reputation sullied by Jodie’s lies and for her to have sold her story to the newspapers because she hadn’t got what she wanted out of him must have seriously shattered his belief in relationships. Sighing, Caitlin tucked some drifting strands of hair behind her ear.
Relieved to have done with his story, Jake moved across to the sofa to join her. Breathing out on a sigh, he gently touched his knuckles to the side of her cheek. As soon as he’d done it he knew he was lost.
Even though he’d kissed her, touching Caitlin was still a revelation. Her skin had the texture of the purest silk. An erotic image of her lying naked in his bed, her slender limbs tangled in black satin sheets, her eyes dark with desire and her skin flushed pink with arousal, slipped easily into his mind to taunt him even more. He wanted to touch her everywhere. He wouldn’t rush. He’d take his time and savour every inch of her beautiful body, every flavour. Was she uninhibitedly vocal? Or would she whimper gently when he brought her to climax?
‘Anyway, I think I’ve said enough. Thanks for telling me about Sean. I hope it hasn’t upset you too much?’ It didn’t surprise him when his voice sounded less than steady.
‘It hasn’t. I’m fine.’ Caitlin willed herself to move, to put herself out of reach of his seductive touch and wrest her gaze from the haunting blue eyes that made her feel so restless and hungry.
She burned for him. Could Jake see that? Could he tell? If she was going to make her dream come true she couldn’t afford to let him know just how much she desired him. Becoming intimately involved with Jake Sorenson would be a disaster personally and professionally. Somehow she had to play it cool…for both their sakes. They were both recovering from seriously hurtful relationships and, if nothing else, they should exercise some common sense.
‘I’m just very tired.’ Faking a yawn, Caitlin surprised herself by following it up with a genuine one.
Jake immediately got to his feet. Planting his hands either side of his straight lean hips, he nodded. ‘I almost forgot how late it was.’
He should be glad of the excuse to leave. He didn’t dare risk staying for much longer because being with Caitlin was putting an impossible strain on him to stick to his vow to leave well alone.
‘I know we haven’t discussed the situation we’ve got but that will have to wait. At the end of the day, the band is the first priority. I’ll see you tomorrow at rehearsals. Three o’clock, usual place.’
‘I’ll be there.’ Caitlin pushed to her feet.
‘Good. I’ll see myself out. Don’t come down.’
Following him onto the landing, Caitlin felt every muscle in her body tense as she stared at his back, at the soft leather jacket that accommodated his broad shoulders to perfection, at his long, hard-muscled legs and taut, lean behind. A wave of heat rolled over her and almost made her lose her balance. She’d never ogled a man in her life before, but there was something about Jake Sorenson that made her behave out of character…something wild and untamed.
