Chapter Six #2
‘Maybe calculating is the wrong term.’ She gazed at him for a fleeting second.
He was so complex. There were hidden depths to him that existed beneath the surface, and she itched to find them with a burning curiosity she’d never felt before.
‘Maybe it’s shrewdness laced with a lot of tenderness and affection, but…
it’s just a feeling. She said, out of the blue, that everyone has second thoughts when it comes to relationships, but she knows that even if I do, I shouldn’t be swayed by that, because you and I are right for one another.
Almost as if she was trying to pre-empt me from finding reasons to walk away. ’
‘Doesn’t every mother give that second thoughts speech?’
‘Only on the day you’re supposed to get married, when she finds you staring out a window and contemplating whether you can jump through it just in case you’ve made a mistake. The speech doesn’t tend to happen three seconds into a supposed fledgling relationship.’
‘When it comes to my mother’s levels of shrewdness, there’s a limit to what she can do.’ Gabriel stood up and looked at her with a remote, guarded expression. ‘With the best will in the world, I don’t think she’ll be able to manacle our wrists together and frog-march us up the aisle.’
‘No.’ Jennifer hesitated. She could feel something in the air between them, a pulsing electric charge that made her feel as though making conversation, usually so effortless, was now like wading through treacle. ‘Gabriel, is something wrong?’
‘Wrong? What do you mean by that? What do you mean by wrong?’
‘See, that’s what I mean.’
She glared at him, annoyed because he was being obtuse and annoyed that she wasn’t sure whether it was deliberate or not. This uncomfortable argument, and she wasn’t sure whether it was even an argument, was so unlike them.
‘Not following you.’ Gabriel’s dark eyes were suddenly wary and distant.
‘Your attitude!’ she exclaimed helplessly.
Even as she stared at him, she could feel an unnerving physical response to a masculinity that she had never quite allowed to penetrate her consciousness.
‘Look.’ She steadied her voice and tried a smile on for size, but his expression didn’t soften.
‘Have I done something to upset you, Gabriel?’ She drew in a deep breath and went for it.
‘I know this is an unusual situation, and…ah…we’re not accustomed to…
’ she nodded around her, but her eyes remained on his face ‘…these living arrangements, but…you did say that sharing this space had one or two advantages. Didn’t you?
That we could relax here away from watchful eyes and be ourselves except…
except we’re not being ourselves, are we? ’
A thick silence greeted this.
‘Yes, I did say that,’ Gabriel admitted gruffly. He slanted her the shadow of a smile whilst choosing to ignore what she’d said about the subtle change in their interactions. ‘There are definite advantages to being stuck here on our own, but maybe…’
‘Maybe what?’
Gabriel looked at her levelly. Should he admit to concerns about them sharing this place?
And if he did, what exactly would those concerns be that he would admit?
That he was alarmed at the way he was finding it difficult to take his eyes off her?
Especially since that little encounter in the kitchen?
Nope. That wasn’t going to do. He didn’t know where this sudden loss of self-control was coming from, but he was going to nip it in the bud to stop it having a little fun at the expense of his good judgement, which had never let him down before.
‘Maybe we should cut this stay short,’ he abruptly offered. ‘No need to remain here for another week. I have perhaps a couple of days’ worth of work, and then we can feasibly make an excuse to return to England.’
‘Would that be okay with your mum? It would be a shame when you look at how well she’s doing here, and it’s only been a day or so!
She’s really taken to Luisa and Roberto.
Perhaps because they don’t know her back story.
Maybe it’s like starting a clean chapter.
They don’t feel sorry for her the way some of her friends back home probably would, so she feels she can be herself, be vulnerable after everything she’s been through, without eliciting well-meaning pity. She’s very proud.’
‘One day,’ Gabriel mused in a roughened undertone, ‘you’re going to make some lucky guy a very good wife.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Exactly what I just said.’ Gabriel felt that this was the time to kill off the onset of whatever weird attraction had suddenly started gripping him.
He needed to clear his head and, within himself, re-establish his boundaries.
She was fine. He, annoyingly, wasn’t. If he verbalised the route his mind should be taking, then his body might get the hint and pay attention.
‘Look at you,’ he murmured with heartfelt sincerity. ‘You never wanted to do this, to be here, but here you are. Even now that I’ve given you the chance to cut things short, you still have my mother’s welfare in mind.’ He paused. ‘I appreciate that. You’re one of a kind, Jen.’
‘Thank you.’
‘I mean it.’ He slanted her a crooked smile and gritted his teeth against the temptation to keep staring. ‘You’re thoughtful and considerate and always willing to put other people ahead of yourself.’
‘Thanks again, Gabriel. I had no idea you thought I was in line for a sainthood, although I’m really not that person.’
‘Oh, but you are, which is why you’re meant for marriage to a good guy, a guy who will appreciate you.’ He laughed self-deprecatingly. ‘I, on the other hand, am perfectly cut out for a hard-as-nails woman.’
‘Why do you say that?’
‘You know why, surely. After the example my father set? Crash course in why love and marriage aren’t for me.
Lots of people might come from a broken background and continue, against the odds, to actually believe that wishing on a star and hoping love works out are enough, but fortunately not me.
’ He thought about the pain of finding his dad only to be turned away, sent packing, shown the cruel face of parental indifference.
Hope, like love, equalled pain and loss.
‘Although I might have to ask you to give her a few vital pointers on making my mother happy.’
‘Or,’ Jennifer responded with a tight smile, rising to her feet and concluding a conversation that felt vaguely offensive even though it obviously wasn’t, ‘you could try casting your net a little wider and going for someone who’s less interested in taking and more interested in giving.
That might do the trick, and then you wouldn’t have to depend on someone to give any lessons on how to be a decent human being.
What are the plans for this evening? Will Luisa and Roberto be joining us somewhere for dinner? Or will it just be the three of us?’
Tension hung in the air, but Gabriel welcomed it. He felt he could deal with a little tension a lot better than he could deal with whatever was screwing with his libido and firing up his imagination.
‘Luisa has helped the chef to prepare some homemade pasta for us, or maybe I should say that Luisa has given orders to the chef on how to prepare pasta the way she likes it. Roberto confided that she doesn’t think anyone can make pasta the way she can, and she’s determined to show us just how good she is.
Also, I’m assuming my mother is pretty exhausted after today’s activities? ’
Back in control of his wayward thoughts and perversely pleased to have got under her skin, Gabriel watched her with brooding intensity.
She was pink-faced and ruffled and hot after her sightseeing trip. Her clothes, which were loose and unrevealing, nevertheless clung to her curves, to her rounded hips, her breasts, her long legs.
He tightened his jaw.
‘Think I’ll remove myself to the office to catch up on some work,’ he said tersely. ‘Give you time to use the bathroom, have a shower, freshen up. Mind if I meet you at Roberto’s in a couple of hours?’
‘Of course not.’
‘And one other thing which only occurred to me when I was on vineyard inspection today… If we’re sharing this cottage, it might help if there’s some semblance of us sharing the bedroom.
My mother is sure to wander over at some point, and she might be a little astonished if we’re sleeping in separate bedrooms.’
‘I hadn’t thought about that.’
She hadn’t. She’d been so consumed with the business of trying to get her act together that small details like that had ended up in her blind spot.
Jennifer thought about her personal belongings nestling alongside his and felt a slow burn spread through her.
He was already on the move. She could see that from the way he was looking away from her, his mind on thoughts of work, she assumed.
He’d tossed that observation at her and had no idea of the reaction it had evoked.
‘What do you suggest?’ she asked.
Their eyes met, and he tilted his head to one side thoughtfully.
‘Doesn’t have to be dramatic. No need to move in lock, stock and smoking barrel.
A few items of clothing draped here and there, and of course make sure your bed is made with hospital corners so that there’s some pretence at us actually being what we’re supposed to be.
Two people who share a bed. She might be old-fashioned, but I don’t think the twenty-first century has completely passed her by.
I doubt she’ll get it into her head to pop in for a quick chat and then suddenly decide to go through the entire cottage forensically for signs of anything that might not add up, but we should probably work on a better safe than sorry basis. ’
‘Okay. I’ll do some draping before I head over, shall I?’
‘Drape away. I’ll be in the office with the door shut, and I’ll see you in a couple of hours.’
‘Gabriel…’
He was already moving towards the office, leaving her to do her own thing, but he paused and glanced over his shoulder to her with a questioning look.