She carefully relaxed into his chest and sat perfectly still, not wanting to encourage anything, but secretly enjoying the intimacy. His steady heartbeat vibrated throughout her body, rain had begun to splash against the dark windows of the cozy Victorian, and the marshmallow exploded.
Mrs. Dugan’s eyes shone with excitement as the credits rolled across the screen. “First time I’ve ever seen that movie. It’s a wonderful movie.”
Mrs. Fitz agreed. “It was a treat.”
Jake eased away from Berry. “Speaking of treats, I have some goodies to distribute.”
Two minutes later he returned from the kitchen with an armful of shopping bags.
“Mrs. Fitz, this belongs to you,” Jake said, handing her a bag. “Mrs. Dugan, here’s your loot.” He handed a bag to Miss Gaspich.
“Lipstick!” Mrs. Fitz announced. “He bought me lipstick. And a nightgown.” She held it up for inspection. “It’s a pip.”
“Here’s the toothbrushes.” Miss Gaspich smiled shyly. “This is better than Christmas. We got slippers, and face cream, and hairbrushes.”
Berry looked at Jake. “You’re awfully good at buying women’s toiletries.”
“I have four younger sisters. I know all about girl things,” he told her proudly.
Miss Gaspich stifled a yawn, “I can’t wait to get into my nightgown and climb into bed.” She looked questioningly at Jake. “Where is my bed?”
Jake stuffed his hands into his jeans pockets. “I have four bedrooms, but only one bed. I suppose the most sensible arrangement is for you ladies to use my king-sized bed. Berry and I will sleep downstairs.”
Mrs. Dugan narrowed her eyes. “You’re not planning any funny stuff, are you? I won’t put up with hanky- panky.”
“The thought never entered my mind,” Jake said. “Berry can sleep on the couch, and I’ll rough it on the floor. I have some sleeping bags upstairs.”
Mrs. Dugan pressed her lips together. “I suppose that will be all right, but I’ve got good ears. You better watch your step.”
Jake’s face creased into a good-natured smile. “Yes, ma’am.”
Berry watched the women climb the stairs. “That was really nice of you to get lipstick and moisturizer for them. It’s been a long time since they could afford those luxuries.”
“You haven’t opened your bag.”
Berry studied the pale lavender bag on the coffee table. It was smaller than everyone else’s bag, and it was from an expensive shop catering to fancy lingerie and expensive perfume. It was a bag designed to hold silk teddies and lacy thongs. “I’m afraid to open it. Is this something extravagant?”
“Sleepwear.”
She extracted a small bottle of perfume that she suspected cost more than a replacement for her Jeep. “There’s only perfume in here.”
“Yup.”
“Everyone else got flannel nightgowns.”
“Isn’t there a nightgown in there?”
Berry searched the tiny bag. “No.”
Jake stroked her cheek with his fingertip. His eyes grew dark. His voice turned alarmingly husky. “You’re so beautiful with your unruly blond curls and silky peaches-and-cream skin. You should wear nothing to bed but a dab of perfume.” His hands traced the slender column of her neck and rested in a caress on her shoulders. “I have a confession to make. I’m in big trouble here. I’m having heart problems.”
“Good Lord. What kind of heart problems?”
“Heartache, heartthrob, heart flutters. I feel like the Grinch at Christmas-you know, the part where his heart grew two sizes in one day. I thought my heart was going to burst when I saw you for the first time, lying on the ground beneath that big old oak tree. You looked like a crazy modern-day wood nymph.”
Berry’s eyes flew open. “Crazy?”
“For crying out loud, you were flat out on a pizza.” He grinned at her indignation and cuddled her close to him. “Maybe someday you’ll develop heart problems, and you’ll come to me wearing just the perfume.”
“Not anytime soon,” Berry said. “I have a plan.”
“I’m not liking the plan,” Jake told her.
He curled his fingers in her hair, holding her head captive while he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her slowly and gently.
It was like being drugged, Berry thought. Once he was this close to her she was a goner. Her thinking slowed, and her heart rate accelerated. At the first touch of his tongue, her stomach tumbled. He was pressing himself into her belly, holding her against him so she couldn’t escape the feel of him wanting her.
“I’m going to tell Mrs. Dugan on you,” Berry murmured halfheartedly.
“Mrs. Dugan doesn’t scare me.”
“Oh, ha!”
“Okay, maybe a little.”
There was a pattering of slippered feet upstairs and a fit of obtrusive coughing. “We’re going to bed now,” Mrs. Fitz called down. “Anybody need anything from the bedroom?”
“Yes,” Jake yelled back at her. “Be right there.”
Moments later he returned to Berry with two sleeping bags draped over his arm and a large royal-blue silk pajama top in his hand. He dropped the sleeping bags on the floor and held the pajama top up for Berry’s inspection.
“My sister Amy gave me these pajamas last Christmas. She has an enhanced image of bachelor existence.”
“Mmmm?”
“I’d prefer you wear only the perfume to bed, but if you’re the shy type you could start out in these.”
Berry took the pajama top and narrowed her eyes. “To begin with, where’s the other half? You only brought me the top.”
“I thought the bottoms would get in our way.”
“Read my lips. I am not going to bed with you.”
“You would have if Mrs. Fitz hadn’t interrupted.”
“A moment of weakness. It won’t happen again. And anyway, you don’t know that for sure. Maybe I’ll just sleep in my clothes.”
“Don’t you think that will be uncomfortable?”
Berry couldn’t think of anything more uncomfortable than sleeping in Jake’s silky pajamas. The very idea gave her a lust attack. She chose one of the sleeping bags and laid it the length of the couch.
“They zip together, you know,” Jake said.
“Not tonight, they don’t.”
Jake started to get undressed.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Getting undressed for bed.”
“Aren’t you going to turn off the light? Aren’t you going to wear pajamas? Don’t you have to brush your teeth, or something?”
“Nope.”
“Terrific.” She jumped into her sleeping bag and turned her face to the back of the couch.
“I thought you liked watching men undress,” Jake said, smiling, enjoying the moment.
Berry grunted and burrowed deeper into her bag.
“Last chance to look,” he offered in a loud whisper.
“Oh! Ugh!”
Jake made some chicken sounds, flicked the light switch, and the room was plunged into darkness.
Too bad she wouldn’t look, he thought. He was wearing his boxers with the big red hearts and pink cupids. His sister had given them to him as a gag Valentine’s Day present, and they’d become his instant favorite. They were awesome.
