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‘A vision clearance executive.’
He laughed, making his megawatt attractiveness zoom even higher.
‘A teacher is a knowledge navigator,’ Laura rattled on, trying to ignore his effect on her. ‘And a librarian is an information retrieval specialist. I can’t remember the rest of the list. All the titles were very wordy.’
‘So putting it simply, you’re a receptionist.’
‘Part-time at a local medical practice. I’m still at uni, doing landscape architecture. It’s a four-year degree program and I’m currently making my way through the last year.’
‘Working and studying? Your father doesn’t support you?’ he queried, obviously not quite in tune with a wealthy man who wouldn’t finance his children’s full education.
She slanted him a derisive look. ‘My father doesn’t support what he doesn’t approve of. You should know that since you work with him.’
‘But you’re his daughter.’
‘Who was expected to fall in with his wishes. I’m allowed to live here. That’s as much support as my father will give to my career choice.’
‘Perhaps you should have sought complete independence.’
It was an odd remark, coming from a man who had to have made an art form of falling in with her father’s wishes. However, she wasn’t about to discuss the dynamics of her family with an outsider, particularly not someone who specialised in siding with her father.
‘My mother needs me.’
It was a brief reply and all he was going to get from her. She opened the back door and ushered him out to the patio, quickly announcing, ‘Your Jake is here, Dad.’
‘Ah!’ Her father rose from his chair at the patio table, which was strewn with the Sunday newspapers. His whole face beamed a welcome at the man who was undoubtedly performing up to his expectations in every respect. ‘Good to see you here, Jake. Beautiful autumn day, isn’t it?’
‘Couldn’t be better,’ he agreed, moving forward to shake her father’s offered hand.
Confident, smooth, at ease with himself and the situation…and Laura definitely wasn’t. She felt dreadfully at odds with the strong tug of attraction that wouldn’t go away. It was wrong. It had to be wrong. The last thing she wanted was a man like her father messing with her life.
‘Go and fetch your mother, Laura. She’s showing Eddie the latest innovations in the garden. You can tell them both to come and meet our guest.’
‘Will do,’ she said, glad to leave the two men together, though knowing that the stirring of the family pot couldn’t be delayed for long. Her father expected instant obedience to his call.
The garden was her mother’s refuge. She was never happier than when discussing what could be done next to it with Nick Jeffries, the handyman who shared her enthusiasm for creating wonderful visual effects and did all the heavy work for her. Laura loved this garden, too, loved every aspect of landscape design, making something beautiful instead of tearing something down…as her father did.
And as Jake Freedman did.
It would be stupid to forget that. She could never, never be in tune with a mind that dealt with destruction.
‘Mum, Eddie…’ she called out. They were by the rockpool, where Nick had installed the new solar lights. ‘Dad’s guest is here.’
Her mother’s smile of pleasure instantly drooped into a grimace. She darted an anxious look at her son, worried about an imminent clash of personalities.
Eddie hugged her shoulders, smiling reassurance. ‘I promise I’ll be good, Mum. No bad boy today.’
It won a wry little laugh.
Eddie made a great bad boy in the soap opera he currently starred in. The wild flop of his thick black hair, the designer stubble along his angular jawline, the dimple in his chiselled chin, the piercing blue eyes…all made him a very popular pin-up, especially on his flash motorbike. He was wearing black leathers today, though he was now carrying his jacket, discarded because of the heat of the morning. His white T-shirt was emblazoned with a Harley-Davidson. He played a bikie and he looked like one, much to her father’s disgust.
The three of them started strolling back towards the patio, son and daughter flanking their mother, determined to keep a happy ball rolling for her. Why she stayed with their father was beyond their comprehension. There was no joy in the marriage. Having a very dominant husband who controlled everything seemed to have sapped her of any will for an independent life.
Laura always thought of her mother as a lady, never anything but beautifully dressed and groomed, imbued with gracious manners, doing everything correctly and tastefully, making a special ritual of keeping fresh floral arrangements in the house, which she did herself. Even her name, Alicia, was somehow very ladylike.
She looked particularly lovely today, her newly dyed blond hair cut into a short, fluffy style, a blue silk tunic giving her eyes more colour. They had seemed so dull and washed out lately, Laura had worried there might be a health problem her mother was not admitting to. She was getting too thin, as well, a fact hidden by the loosely fitting long-sleeved tunic. The white slacks were also loose, affecting a casually elegant look. Certainly no one would notice anything amiss with her, not on the surface. Jake Freedman would probably pigeonhole her as the typical rich man’s wife.
‘What’s he like?’ her mother asked.
‘James Bond,’ popped straight out of Laura’s mouth.
‘What? Loaded and dangerous?’ Eddie queried.
She grinned at him. ‘Plus gorgeous and sexy.’
He rolled his eyes. ‘Don’t you go falling for him, Laura. That’s bad territory.’
‘Yes, be careful,’ her mother quickly warned, her eyes anxious again. ‘Your father might want you to like this man. There has to be some motive behind inviting him here today.’
‘Could be that marrying the boss’s daughter is on Jake Freedman’s agenda,’ Eddie put in, grinning wolfishly, then snapping his teeth to make the point.
Marriage?
Never!
She’d walked out of every relationship she’d had once the guy started making demands on her, which always happened sooner or later. From what she’d witnessed at home, marriage was an endless string of demands, plus abuse thrown in if the demands weren’t met. No man was ever going to own her as his wife.
She rolled her eyes back at Eddie. ‘I’m not so easy to gobble up. I’ll be feeding him lunch. He can whistle for anything more from me.’
‘Humphrey Bogart,’ her mother murmured.
‘What?’
‘Humphrey Bogart. He whistled for Lauren Bacall. It was in an old movie.’
‘Well, I haven’t seen it.’
‘Did he get her in the end?’ Eddie asked.
‘Yes.’
‘No doubt she wanted to be got,’ Laura said, giving her brother a quelling look. ‘Different story.’
‘I’ll be watching the mouth of Dad’s man of the moment,’ he tossed back at her, wicked teasing in his eyes. ‘If he starts whistling…’
‘It’s more likely the man of the moment is about to be used to show you up as a footloose lightweight, Eddie, so watch your own mouth.’
‘I don’t know…I don’t know…’ their mother fretted.
‘It’s okay, Mum,’ Eddie quickly soothed. ‘Laura and I have put our walls up and nothing is going to crack them today. Just you relax now. We’re both on guard.’
It was a relief to hear Eddie so sure that his protective armour was in place. Laura wished she could say the same for herself. Despite what her mind dictated, as soon as they came into view of the two men on the patio and she caught Jake Freedman’s gaze on her, there was no wall at all to hold off the sexual chemistry he triggered in her.
Immediately she felt a wild tingling in her breasts, shooting her nipples into hard bullets. Her hips started swaying provocatively, driven by some primitive instinct to show off her femininity. Heat whooshed to the apex of her thighs and somehow melted the normal strength in her legs. Her toes curled. And turbulent temptation crashed through every bit of common sense that told her to keep away from this man.
She would love to have him.
Regardless of how wrong it would be.
She would love to have him.
Just for the experience!
CHAPTER TWO
JAKE found it difficult to tear his gaze away from Laura to make a quick assessment of the other two people he was about to meet. The mother was more or less what he expected of Alex Costarella’s wife—a lady-of-the-manor type who undoubtedly kept his house as beautifully as she kept herself—but the son was a surprise…unkempt, longish black hair, designer stubble, clothes indicative of a bikie. Obviously Eddie didn’t toe his father’s line, either.
Two rebellious children and one submissive wife.
Was he supposed to tame Laura, draw her into becoming the kind of woman her father would approve of, sharing his world instead of striking out on her own, pleasing herself?
He looked at her again and felt a tightening in his groin. She was, without a doubt, the most desirable woman he’d ever come into contact with, dangerous to play with, yet the idea of drawing her away from her father made her all the more tempting. It was fair justice for Costarella to feel the loss of someone dear to him as well as the loss of the business that gave him the power to wreck people’s lives.
He was acutely aware of Laura watching him as her father performed the introductions, weighing up how he responded to her family.
‘Alicia, my wife…’
‘Delighted to meet you,’ Jake rolled out with a smile.
She returned it but there was a wary look in her eyes as she replied, ‘Welcome to our home.’
‘And my son, Eddie, who obviously didn’t bother to shave this morning, not even for his mother.’
The acid criticism was brushed off with a nonchalant grin. ‘Couldn’t do it, Dad. We’re shooting tomorrow. Got to stay in character.’ He turned the grin to Jake as he offered his hand. ‘I guess you’re the son my father should have had, Jake. Happy days, man!’
Jake laughed and took his hand, shaking his head as he replied, ‘Don’t know about that but thanks for the good wishes, Eddie.’
‘You’re welcome.’
‘Eddie is an actor,’ Laura put in proudly. ‘He plays the bad boy in The Wild and the Wonderful.’
Jake frowned apologetically. ‘I’m sorry. I don’t know the show.’
Her father snorted. ‘It’s rubbish. A TV soapie.’
‘Rubbish or not, I enjoy doing it,’ Eddie declared, totally unabashed. ‘How about you, Jake? Do you enjoy doing what you do?’
‘It’s challenging. I guess acting is, too,’ he said, careful to be even-handed in his reply.
‘Totally absurd la-la-land,’ Costarella jeered. ‘Jake and I deal with the real world, Eddie.’
‘Well, Dad, lots of people like to have a break from the real world and I help give it to them.’ He deftly turned attention back to the guest. ‘How do you relax from the pressure-cooker of work, Jake?’
Jake found himself liking Laura’s brother. He stood up for himself and was clearly his own man. ‘Something physical does the trick for me,’ he answered.
‘Yeah, got to say sex does it for me, too,’ Eddie drawled, eyes twinkling with reckless mischief.
‘Eddie!’
The shocked cry from his mother brought a swift apology. ‘Sorry, Mum. It’s all Laura’s fault, saying Jake was sexy.’
‘Did she now?’ Costarella said with satisfaction.
‘Eddie!’ Laura cried in exasperation. ‘I told you to watch your mouth.’
Jake turned to her, curious to see the reaction to her brother’s claim. Her eyes were flashing furious sparks and her cheeks were flushed with embarrassment. As she met his gaze, her chin tilted defiantly and her own tongue let loose.
‘Don’t look at me as though you haven’t heard that about yourself before because I bet you have. It’s purely an observation, not an invitation.’
‘Laura!’ Another shocked protest from the mother.
She threw up her hands. ‘Sorry, Mum. I’m off to bring out refreshments. Iced water coming up.’
Jake couldn’t help grinning as she turned tail—a very sexy tail—and left the rest of them to patch a conversation together.
‘I did try to bring my children up with good manners,’ Alicia stated with a heavy sigh.
‘No harm done,’ her husband declared cheerfully.
‘Actually, I like working out at a gym,’ Jake said to remove sex from everyone’s minds.
‘’Course you do,’ Eddie chimed in. ‘Can’t get those muscles from sitting at a desk.’
‘I do a yoga class,’ Alicia offered, anxious to promote non-contentious chat as she gestured for everyone to sit down, tidying the newspapers on the table before sitting down herself.
Jake hadn’t expected to find himself interested in Costarella’s family. Even less had he expected to like any of them. In fact, the only one he’d given any thought to was Laura, whom he’d imagined to be a pampered princess, revelling in the role of Daddy’s little girl.
The family dynamics were certainly intriguing and Jake was not averse to exploring them further…watching, listening, gathering information…and maybe, maybe, he might go after what he wanted with Laura Costarella, satisfying himself on several levels.
Laura cursed Eddie for being provocative, cursed herself for reacting so wildly, cursed Jake Freedman for making her feel stuff that completely rocked any sensible composure. Her escape to the kitchen should have settled her nerves but they were still jumping all over the place even after she’d loaded the traymobile with the preferred drinks and the platter of hors d’oeuvres.
There was no hiding from the man. He had to be faced again. She could only hope he wouldn’t try capitalising on her remark or she’d be severely tempted to pour the jug of iced water over his head. Which just went to show how out of control she was and that just wouldn’t do. Better to freeze him off with good manners. She had to keep remembering that Jake Freedman was her father’s man and any close connection with him could not lead anywhere good.
Not emotionally.
No matter how good he might be in bed.
And she had to stop thinking of that, too.
Having taken several deep breaths and gritting her teeth with determination to behave as she should, Laura wheeled the traymobile out to the patio. It was a relief to find the four of them chatting amicably about relaxation techniques; meditation, Tai Chi, massage and flotation tanks. Even her father appeared to be in good humour. She noted glumly that the only empty chair left for her at the round table was between Jake Freedman and her mother so she couldn’t avoid being physically close to the man.
She set the platter on the table for everyone to help themselves, handed the ice-bucket containing a bottle of her mother’s favourite white wine to Eddie and told him to open it, placed the jug of iced water and a crystal tumbler in front of Jake, served her father his Scotch on the rocks, and supplied the wineglasses before bowing to the inevitable of taking the designated chair and addressing the gaffe she’d made.
‘I’m sorry for blowing my stack with you, Jake. I was annoyed with Eddie. And embarrassed.’
The riveting brown eyes sparkled with amusement, making her stomach flutter again. ‘No offence taken, Laura. I dare say Eddie hears that said about himself so often, it’s lost any currency with him. And I doubt he thought it had any currency with me, either.’
Letting her know he didn’t have tickets on himself, not on that score anyway. Though Laura wasn’t sure she believed him.
Her father snorted in rank disbelief. ‘If it didn’t have any currency with Eddie, he’d be out of a job. It’s only because all the teeny-boppers think he’s sexy that he’s built up a fan base.’
‘Lucky for me!’ Eddie said flippantly. ‘Though I do work at it, Dad.’
‘Some people just have it,’ her mother said, trying to divert a clash. ‘I always thought Sean Connery…’
‘Back to James Bond,’ Eddie cut in, grinning at Laura.
She bared her teeth at him in warning.
He stood up to pour the wine, cheerfully saying, ‘Mum’s a great movie buff, Jake. I bet no one could beat her on that topic in a quiz show. And she’s a champion Mum, too. Let’s drink a toast to her.’ He lifted his glass. ‘Mother’s Day!’
They all echoed the toast.
Having been handed the movie ball, Jake Freedman proceeded to run with it, giving her mother so much charming attention, Laura couldn’t help liking him for it. He was probably working hard at being an amenable guest, showing off his talent for diplomacy to her father. Nevertheless, it was giving her mother pleasure, and her father, for once, was not souring it with any acid comments.
In fact, he looked surprisingly content with the situation.
Laura didn’t really care why.
It was good that he wasn’t putting her mother down as he usually did.
She slipped away to attend to the lunch preparations, feeling slightly more at ease with Jake Freedman’s presence. It was making the day run more smoothly than she had hoped for. The only negative was his sexual impact on her.
She hadn’t been able to stop herself from slyly checking him over; the neat curl of his ears, the length of his eyelashes, the sensuality of his lips, the charismatic flashes of his smiles, the light sprinkle of black hairs on his strong forearms, the elegant length of his fingers with their clean clipped nails, the way his muscular thighs stretched the black fabric of his jeans. And long feet! Didn’t that mean his private parts would be…very manly?
Which, of course, would be in keeping with the rest of him.
It was all very difficult, knowing he was her father’s man. It was also difficult to concentrate on getting everything right for the meal; vegetables to go into the oven, reheating the soup, greens ready for last-minute microwaving, mint sauce on the dining-room table. She would have to sit next to him again; probably a blessing since this table wasn’t a round one and he couldn’t see what was written on her face unless he turned to her.
So far, he wasn’t giving her any special attention and it was probably better if it stayed that way—no dilemma between temptation and caution. He was bound to have a woman in the wings, anyway. Eddie had girls falling all over him and she couldn’t imagine it would be any different for Jake Freedman—another reason for not getting involved with him. Being perceived as just one of an available crowd had no appeal.
Although being the boss’s daughter, he would have to treat her with respect.
Which she’d hate.
Whatever way she looked at it, having Jake Freedman was no good. Besides, he wasn’t exactly holding out the chance to have him, though he might before the day was over. As her mother said, there had to be a purpose behind this visit. If a connection with her was the desired end, she had to be ready for it, ready to say no.
The soup was hot enough to serve. Telling herself she was lucky to have the distraction of being the cook, Laura returned to the patio to invite everyone inside for lunch. Eddie escorted her mother to the dining room. Jake Freedman followed with her father, the two men obviously on congenial terms.
Another warning.
Her father must have once been charming to her mother or she wouldn’t have married him. His true character could not have emerged until she was completely under his domination. If Jake Freedman was of like mind, thinking he had the right—the power—to rule others’ lives as he saw fit, she wanted nothing to do with him.
Jake continued to get his bearings with the Costarella family over lunch. Eddie had dropped out of school and left home at sixteen, getting himself a job as a backroom boy in one of the television studios.
‘One day you’ll regret not going on with your education,’ his father said balefully.
He shrugged. ‘Accountancy was never going to suit me, Dad.’
‘No. Head in the clouds. Just like your mother.’
The tone of disgust caused Alicia to flush. She was a more fragile person than her perfectly groomed image presented, very nervy and too anxious to please. He was recalling Laura’s comment that her mother needed her when she leapt to Alicia’s defence.
‘Oh, I think Mum’s totally grounded when it comes to her garden.’
‘Garden…movies…’ Costarella scoffed. ‘Alicia has led both of you astray with her interests. I had high hopes for you, Laura. Top of your school in mathematics…’
‘Well, I have high hopes for myself, Dad. Sorry I can’t please both of us,’ she said with a rueful smile.
‘Gardening…’ he jeered.
‘Landscape architecture is a bit more than that, Dad.’
No hesitation in standing up for herself.
Costarella huffed. ‘At least you can cook. I’ll say that for you. Enjoying the meal, Jake?’
‘Very much.’ He shot an appreciative smile at Laura. ‘Top chef standard. The soup was delicious and I’ve never tasted better lamb and baked potatoes.’
She laughed. ‘Top chef recipes from a TV cooking show. All it takes is dedication to following the instructions. You could do it yourself if you had the will to. It’s not a female prerogative. In fact, most of the top chefs are male. Do you cook for yourself?’
‘No. Mostly I eat out.’
‘Need a woman to cook for you,’ Costarella slid in.
It was a totally sexist remark and he saw the recoil from it in Laura’s eyes, followed by a derisive flash at him…if he thought the same.
He turned to Costarella and allowed himself one risky remark, grinning to take away any sting. ‘Given that most top chefs are male, a man might be better.’
Eddie found this hilarious, cracking up with laughter.
‘What’s so funny?’ his father demanded.
‘It’s just that lots of guys in the service industry are gay and I don’t see Jake as gay,’ he spluttered out.
Laura started giggling, too.
‘I’m not,’ Jake said.
‘Certainly not,’ Costarella declared emphatically.
‘We know you’re not,’ Laura assured him, still tittering.
‘Absolutely.’ Eddie backed up. ‘Laura wouldn’t think you were sexy if you were gay.’
‘Eddie, behave yourself,’ Alicia cried.
‘Impossible,’ his father muttered, though his ill humour had dissipated at this affirmation that his daughter was vulnerable to the attraction he favoured.
Laura rose from the table. ‘Now that you’ve embarrassed both of us, Eddie, I’m going to serve sweets, which I hope will be tart enough to glue up your mouth.’ She smiled at her mother. ‘It’s lemon-lime, Mum.’
‘Oh, my favourite!’ Alicia glowed with pleasure. ‘Thank you, dear.’
Jake watched her head off to the kitchen again. It would be risky business, taking on a connection with her, complicating what had been his undeviating purpose for too many years to mess with when he was in sight of the end. She could become a distraction. He’d been single-minded for so long, read justing his thinking to include a relationship with Costarella’s daughter was probably not a good idea, however tempting it was.
Cynically dating her for short-term benefits at work was no longer an option. He was genuinely attracted to her. Strongly attracted to her. She had his skin prickling with the desire for action between them. Costarella expected him to make a move on her. He wanted to make a move on her. The tricky part was controlling it.
‘How come you’re not sharing Mother’s Day with your own Mum, Jake?’ Eddie suddenly asked.
‘I would be if she were still alive, Eddie,’ he answered ruefully.
‘Oh! Sorry!’ He made an apologetic grimace. ‘Hope the bereavement isn’t recent.’
‘No.’
‘Guess I’m lucky I’ve still got mine.’ He leaned over to plant a kiss on Alicia’s cheek.
‘Yes, since you’ve always been a mother’s boy,’ Costarella sniped.
There was a flicker of fear in the look Alicia darted at her husband. Jake imagined she had been a victim of abuse for so long, she felt helpless to do anything about it.
‘I’ve been admiring the very artistic centre-piece for the table,’ he said, smiling at her to take the anxiety away. ‘Are they flowers from your garden, Alicia?’