The Costarella Conquest Read Online Free Page B

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.
    â€˜How come you’re not sharing Mother’s Day with your own Mum, Jake?’ Eddie suddenly asked.
    â€˜I would be if she were still alive, Eddie,’ he answered ruefully.
    â€˜Oh! Sorry!’ He made an apologetic grimace. ‘Hope the bereavement isn’t recent.’
    â€˜No.’
    â€˜Guess I’m lucky I’ve still got mine.’ He leaned over to plant a kiss on Alicia’s cheek.
    â€˜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 beena victim of abuse for so long, she felt helpless to do anything about it.
    â€˜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?’
    â€˜Yes.’ Her face lit up with pleasure. ‘I did that arrangement this morning. I’m very proud of my chrysanthemums.’
    â€˜And rightly so, Mum,’ Laura chimed in, wheeling the traymobile into the dining room. ‘They’re blooming beautifully.’
    She served the lemon-lime tart with dollops of cream to everyone, continuing her praise of her mother’s talent for horticulture.
    Jake watched her. She was beautiful. And smart. And so lushly sexy, temptation roared through him, defying the reservations that had been swimming through his mind.
    As she resumed the seat beside him, he turned to her, his eyes seeking to engage hers with what he wanted. ‘I’d like to see this garden. Will you show it to me when we’ve finished lunch?’
    Startled, frightened, recoiling. ‘Much better for Mum to show you, Jake. It’s her creation.’
    â€˜He asked you, Laura,’ Costarella immediately bored in. ‘Not only should you oblige our guest, but your mother has already shown Eddie around the garden. She doesn’t need to repeat herself, do you, Alicia?’
    â€˜No, no,’ she agreed, her hands fluttering an appeal to her daughter. ‘I’m happy for you to do it, Laura.’
    Caught.
    She had to do it now whether she wanted to or not.
    Jake aimed at sweetening the deal for her. ‘I’m interested in seeing it through your eyes. You can tell me how it fits your concept of landscape design.’
    â€˜Okay! I’ll flood you with knowledge,’ she said tartly.
    He laughed. ‘Thank you. I will enjoy that.’
    Surrender under fire, Jake thought, but no surrender in her heart. It made for one hell of a challenge…their walk in the garden. The adrenaline charge inside him wanted to fight her reluctance to involve herself with him, yet that same reluctance gave him an out from Costarella’s heavy-handed matchmaking…keeping the more important mission on track, without distraction.
    He would make the decision later.
    In the garden.

CHAPTER THREE
    L AURA told herself it was just a job she had to take on and get through—escort Jake around the garden, bore him to death with her enthusiasm for built environments and deliver him back to her father, who had announced his intention to watch a football game on