“Lovely…sweet, romantic and fun with a twist of mystery. What else do you need?…I can see why the series can go on and on. Each character has a story begging to be told…”

“The chemistry between Kane and Jasmine is blistering hot…characters were interesting and amusing…a great read. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.”

an excerpt from

Secret Words

by Miranda P. Charles

 

CHAPTER ONE

“No, no, no!” Jasmine Allen cried softly as she stared at the bold handwritten ‘Out of Order’ sign stuck to the door of the ladies’ bathroom. Hoping against hope that a prankster put up the notice, she twisted the knob. Locked. Damn it!

Had she known that the car trip to Sydney’s Royal National Park would take more than two hours, courtesy of the broken-down truck that created a traffic jam on the main highway, she wouldn’t have drunk all that lemon and ginger tea for her sore throat before they left her sister’s home.

She squinted at the map someone pinned to the door showing the directions to the nearest available ladies’ room. It indicated it was about a five-minute walk away. But with her bladder close to bursting, she didn’t have five minutes.

Well, there’s the men’s room, she thought desperately.

She walked around the small red brick building that stood amongst gum trees and chirping birds, hidden from the view of the picnic area where her sister Jessa, her fiancé Rob, and their friends were gathered for Rob’s birthday.

She tried to listen for sounds from inside the men’s restroom but couldn’t hear anything. With fingers crossed that no one was inside, she cautiously placed her hand on the door to push it.

She let out a short yelp as the door was yanked open from the inside. Her eyes opened wide as they landed on a dark-haired man whose blue eyes stared back at her in horrified surprise.

Jasmine’s mind went blank, forgetting for a moment why she was there. There was no other way to describe the man in front of her. He was a total hunk. She gaped at him for a long second, until her body reminded her she needed to go. Now.

“I think the ladies’ room is around the corner to your right,” Mr. Hunk said, seemingly recovered from his shock.

“It’s out of order,” she squeaked as she shoved him out of the way and ran for one of the cubicles.

Relief flooded her as she let go, followed by a sense of acute embarrassment. Did she just rudely push someone so she could go to the toilet? In the men’s room? She felt her face burn. The fact that the guy she jostled was mega-hot and attractive didn’t help her dignity and sense of femininity.

She finished her business and crept out of the cubicle, relieved that no one came in while she was there and disappointed that Mr. Hunk was gone. Well, what was she expecting? That he’d wait around for her?

She thought of blue eyes that belonged to a handsome face as she washed her hands. Maybe he was here on a picnic, too. If he used this particular bathroom, he must be hanging around close to her group’s spot. Didn’t her sister say they chose this part of the park because it was a lot quieter? A smile formed on her face at the possibility of bumping into him again.

The sound of male voices coming from outside prodded her to hurry up and leave the room she wasn’t supposed to be in. She hastily turned towards the door, eager to get out, when she felt her left foot slip from underneath her.

“Oww!” She landed on her butt awkwardly, her arms thankfully managing to stop her upper body and head from hitting the floor.

Gingerly, she braced herself up and tried to stand. Pain shot up from her ankle and her face contorted in an ugly wince just as the door flung open. To her delight and chagrin, there he was again. Mr. Hunk. How freaking embarrassing!

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Uh, I think so. I didn’t notice the puddle.”

“Here, let me help you up.” Her knight in sexy blue jeans leaned down to give her a hand.

She smiled her thanks as she accepted his assistance.

“Ahem,” a voice intruded, causing her to look away from Mr. Hunk’s handsome face to find a middle-aged man poking his head inside the restroom.

“Excuse me. May I go in now?” the man asked.

“Yes,” Mr. Hunk answered. “Thanks for waiting.”

She gave her new friend a quizzical look.

“I told him not to go in until you came out,” he explained.

“You were guarding the door for me?” she asked in disbelief.

“Yeah. I thought you might need a little privacy while you invaded the men’s room,” he said with a teasing grin.

“Thanks. That’s very kind of you.”

“No worries. There’s not many people around in this part of the park and a pretty girl like you shouldn’t be found in the men’s room. It always pays to be careful,” he said quietly, then turned his head towards the cubicles. “Not that I think you’re dangerous, sir,” he called out loudly to the older man.

“I understand,” the other guy responded.

“Aahh,” she cried softly as she put weight on her left foot.

“Your ankle?” her knight asked.

“Yes, I must have sprained it.” Her eyes watered from the pain and the predicament she found herself in. She prayed her ankle wasn’t too bad. Her sister’s wedding was next week and she didn’t want to be a limping bridesmaid on the day.

“Where do you need to go?” he asked.

“To the sink first. I need to wash my hands again.”

Her heart raced as a muscular arm went around her waist as he helped her hobble to the washbasin.

“Why don’t I help you walk back to wherever you need to be?” he offered. “You probably shouldn’t be putting much weight on that foot.”

“How do I know you’re not dangerous?” she asked with a smile that conveyed she was joking. She felt safe with him already. But was that being too naive?

He laughed out loud. “How about I introduce myself first? My name’s Kane and I work for Krand Architects. I’m definitely not an axe murderer.”

“Where’s your proof?” she asked with a mock frown.

He took his wallet from his back pocket and fished out a business card. “Here. See? Ar-chi-tect,” he said with exaggerated enunciation as he pointed to the title ‘Director and Head Architect’.

She chuckled at his playfulness and snatched the card from him. “Glad to meet you, Kane … Summers? Are you related to Faye Summers?”

“Yes,” Kane replied in surprise. “I’m her oldest brother.”

Oh. She checked him out with new eyes. She could now see the resemblance between him and Faye—one of her sister’s best friends—especially their blue eyes and the fact that they were both extremely good-looking.

“And you are …?” Kane prodded.

“Oh, I’m Jasmine Allen.”

He lifted his eyebrows. “You’re Jessa’s younger sister?”

“Yes.”

He grinned at her. “Well, then, now you know for sure I’m not an axe murderer. You live in Melbourne, right? When did you arrive?”

“Yesterday. I’m here for five weeks.”

“Wow, that’s a good length of time to be away from work. What do you do?”

“I’m a corporate trainer. My boss wants me to consider moving here to Sydney to fill a position that will be vacant in three months. Since I have plenty of annual leave up my sleeve, I thought I’d take it now so I could see if I’d like living in Sydney while I house-sit for Jessa and Rob when they go on their honeymoon. Plus, I also wanted to come early for Rob’s birthday. Speaking of which, we should head back to the party.”

As Kane escorted her out of the men’s room, she tried to hide the wince that formed on her face. She was in more pain than she would like to admit.

“Do you think I should carry you?” Kane asked tentatively.

“Ah, no. I think that would be too awkward,” she replied, her cheeks turning pink. The thought of being in his arms heated her up all over and made her heart pound hard. This guy was doing crazy things to her system.

“Okay,” Kane said. “But you shouldn’t use your left foot at all until you’ve had it checked by a doctor. Hang on to me and I’ll help you hop along with your right foot.”

“Thanks.” She put her right arm around his shoulders as he kept a tight grip around her waist and held her against his side.

Whoa, this position won’t help me cool down. Not at all.

“I hope I can walk all right by next week,” she babbled, keen to distract herself from her ridiculous physical reaction to this man. “I wouldn’t want to ruin Jessa and Rob’s big day by being on crutches during their wedding.”

“I’m sure you’ll be fine as long as you don’t do silly things while your ankle’s healing,” he consoled her.

Yes, just continue to hold me and I’ll be fine.

She decided not to respond in case something totally inappropriate came out of her mouth.

Jasmine exhaled her disappointment when they neared the place where the rest of their group was busy barbecuing, chatting and laughing. Kane Summers would have to let go of her soon.

She couldn’t understand it. Why this intense attraction? He might be one hell of a looker, but he was just one of the many handsome guys she knew. What made him the most magnetic of them all?

“Nearly there,” Kane said.

She wanted to swoon at the husky tone of his voice. Instead, she forced herself to focus on keeping her left foot raised while she hopped with her right.

“Jaz! What happened?” She looked up to see Jessa’s worried face.

“I slipped and sprained my ankle,” she answered.

“Oh, no! Are you okay? Where did you slip? In the bathroom?”

“Yes,” she responded in a small voice.

Their group gathered around them, wanting to see what was wrong.

“It’s just a sprained ankle, guys. Please don’t worry,” Jasmine pleaded.

“Maybe we should take you to a doctor,” Rob said.

“Rob, seriously, I’m fine. I’ll just put my foot up and relax. Please carry on with your party. You’ll only make me feel bad if you fuss over me.”

“You sure?”

“Yes. Please.” She looked around with embarrassment as about fifteen pairs of eyes stared at her. She didn’t even know who a few of the others were. She had run straight for the bathroom as soon as they got there.

Fortunately, Jessa remembered to make the introductions before shooing her friends back to what they were doing. “It’s all right, guys. We got this,” Jessa said.

Kane led her to the nearest bench and helped her sit down. He squatted before her, gently picked up her left foot and took off her shoe. He lightly caressed her swollen ankle and oddly enough, his touch made it feel a little better.

“Do you girls know how to treat a sprained ankle?” he asked Jessa and Faye, who stood on either side of him.

“You need to put ice on it and bandage it up,” his sister responded. “But I don’t think we have bandage.”

“We have ice!” Jessa went to the portable drink cooler and gathered ice cubes. When she walked back to them, Kane held out his hand for the cubes, wrapped in a tea towel.

“You want to do this?” Jessa asked in surprise.

“Sure. I’m already holding her foot,” Kane responded, taking the makeshift ice pack from Jessa.

Jasmine flushed at the meaningful look exchanged by Jessa and Faye. She wondered what they were thinking. Would they have a problem if she and Kane dated?

Whoa, Jasmine, slow down. You’re getting ahead of yourself here.

At twenty-seven, she had dated plenty of guys. But even though her family thought she fell in and out of love too often, the truth was she hadn’t fallen in love with a single one of her past boyfriends. She didn’t see the point in extending the relationship when she was sure it had nowhere to go.

With her sister’s upcoming nuptials, her desire to find that special someone had become stronger. But finding that one guy might have become harder due to her fear of exposing her little secret—a secret only two other people in the world knew about. She hadn’t even told Jessa, although there were times she had wanted to open up to her only sibling. But she still wasn’t prepared for the repercussions.

She had a mental picture of people—of Kane—finding out about her secret activity and shivered at the thought.

“Too cold?” Kane asked, his concerned look quickly warming her up.

She shook her head and smiled at him.

“So did you two meet outside the bathrooms?” Faye asked.

“I heard Jasmine yell so I went back in and found her on her bottom. Then we introduced ourselves to each other,” Kane answered, his eyes still fully on her flushed face.

“Back in?”

Kane grinned while her face reddened even more. He raised an eyebrow at her. She shrugged and gave a resigned chuckle.

“Jasmine slipped in the men’s room,” Kane stated.

“What?” Faye and Jessa exclaimed.

“The nearest ladies’ room was out of order and I was desperate to go,” Jasmine explained. “So I used the men’s. I slipped as I was about to come out and Kane heard me. He was waiting outside to make sure no one else went in while I was in there.”

“That’s so sweet of you, Kane,” Jessa said. “Thank you.”

“Aww, it was nothing. I’m just glad I was there or one of your bridesmaids might not be able to walk down the aisle on your wedding.”

“If Jaz is still in pain next week then she doesn’t have to walk. Things don’t always work out as planned,” Jessa said pragmatically.

“Don’t say that, Jess! I want to be fine for your wedding,” Jasmine insisted.

“Well, then, you have to make sure you rest your ankle until it’s recovered. It doesn’t look too bad but we’ll stop by a medical centre on our way back home.”

“If you’re going to sit around for the rest of the afternoon, you better sit on a picnic blanket so you can keep your ankle raised,” Kane suggested.

“Good idea,” Jessa agreed. “You can lie down and read a book or something so you won’t get too bored while the rest of us play games. But I’ll sit and chat with you most of the time.”

“Don’t be silly, Jess. I’ll be fine reading. You guys should be enjoying yourselves with Rob and not worrying about me. It’s his birthday, and all I have is a sprained ankle.”

“Okay. We better help you move to the blanket, then.”

“I’ll carry her,” Kane said. With easy movements, he scooped her up in his muscular arms and sauntered towards one of the picnic blankets under the shade of a tree.

Good heavens, this man is literally sweeping me off my feet.

*****

Kane’s heart thundered in his chest and his body hardened. There it was again, that delicious reaction to Jasmine. He’d known her for less than twenty minutes and he already craved being close to her. What was this called? Instant chemistry?

He pressed her closer to him, wanting to bury his face in her long black hair that smelled like some exotic flower.

He was glad he had stayed behind and waited for her while she used the bathroom. He’d always been a sucker for damsels in distress, especially when the damsel was as beautiful and attractive as the one in his arms.

He gently laid her down the blanket and immediately felt bereft when he released her.

“All right?” he asked.

Jasmine nodded, her eyes locking with his with a look of wonder that seemed to reflect what he was feeling. Did she feel it too? That irresistible pull between them? She looked so mesmerising and vulnerable sitting there that he had a great urge to kiss her.

“Here, put your foot up on this, Jaz,” Jessa said, placing a rolled-up jacket underneath Jasmine’s left calf and breaking the spell that encapsulated them.

“Stop fussing. I’ll be fine,” Jasmine told her sister. “All I need now is my handbag so I can read from my phone, then you can look after your birthday boy. He looks lonely without you over there.”

“Which one is your bag?” Kane asked, wanting to continue to do something for her.

“Uh, that red one next to the white one,” Jasmine replied, pointing her finger at the location of her purse.

He went to retrieve it for her. On his way back, he noticed the curious looks Faye and Jessa were throwing at him. You’re being too obvious, he berated himself.

If things were different, he wouldn’t have cared if anyone thought he was interested in Jasmine. But he was in a messy, difficult situation with Hannah and he needed to fix things with her before he could move on. Faye knew that and, knowing how close his sister was to her best friends, he was certain Jessa knew that, too. He would be frowned upon if he pursued Jasmine at this time, and he couldn’t blame them if they did.

He smiled at Jasmine as he handed her her purse then went to join the boys by the barbecue table. Right now, it was all too complicated. So he knew what he had to do. Stay away from Jasmine.

CHAPTER TWO

Kane clapped and whooped with the rest of the guests as the bridal party was introduced pair by pair by the smooth-talking, funny MC at Rob and Jessa’s wedding reception. When Jasmine and her partner entered the room, his heart skipped a beat. Again. It seemed to have developed a habit of doing that whenever his gaze landed on Jasmine.

She looked absolutely stunning in her iris-coloured bridesmaid’s dress. He couldn’t tell if her ankle still bothered her but judging from the happy grin on her face, she wasn’t in much pain. She smiled at people on her way to the bridal party table but she appeared to be scanning the room.

Until she found him and their gazes locked for a few breathless seconds. Her smile widened and her eyes lit up.

He inhaled deeply as warmth flooded him. He really should stop pretending to himself there wasn’t anything major going on between him and Jasmine. It was plain to see. She was interested in him and he was interested in her. They’d been exchanging glances since earlier that day—before, during and after the wedding ceremony.

And he had to admit that since he first met her at the picnic seven days ago, he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her. A few times during the past week, he was tempted to contact her—just to see if her ankle was healing nicely. He had gone as far as asking Faye if she knew how Jasmine was doing and Faye assured him she was fine. Then his dear, perceptive sister followed it up with her own question: “How’s Hannah?”

That was enough to stop him in his tracks. Things with Hannah weren’t sorted yet. Far from it. And it was frustrating the hell out of him.

It didn’t stop him from daydreaming about Jasmine, though.

Yes, him. Kane Summers. Thirty-four years old. Daydreaming about a woman. Seriously.

If he didn’t know any better he would think he’d fallen in love at first sight. But he did know better. What people called love at first sight was nothing more than instant attraction, which had more to do with lust than love. And Jasmine Allen definitely stirred his loins.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t free to do something about his fascination for her. Not yet.

And he didn’t know when he would be.

*****

Envy needled Kane as Jasmine waltzed in another man’s arms. If he wasn’t aware that her dancing partner—the brother of the groom—was a happily married man with two kids, he might even have been downright jealous.

He consoled himself with the thought that he’d get his turn shortly. He figured a dance or two with her would be innocent enough. A slow song would be perfect—

“I feel for you, bro. It must suck,” the man sitting next to him whispered in his ear, bringing him out of his musing.

Kane peeled his eyes away from Jasmine to turn to Ray Thackery, Faye’s fiancé and the boss of Faye’s best friends, including the bride. “What do you mean?”

“Jasmine. Hannah,” Ray responded cryptically.

He smiled wryly. “I guess it’s kind of obvious I’m interested in Jasmine, isn’t it?”

“Kind of? Bro, all you’ve done all day was gape at her.”

Kane took a deep breath. “I can’t afford to give Hannah more reason to get upset. It will make things even more difficult.”

Ray smiled sympathetically. “I know. What do you plan to do?”

“What can I do but wait until the time is right? Problem is, I don’t think it will be anytime soon.”

Ray patted his shoulder consolingly. “Everything will turn out fine eventually.”

“Does Jasmine know about Hannah?” he asked his future brother-in-law.

“I don’t think so,” Ray responded. “But both Jess and Faye hope that what you and Jasmine have for each other is just a little crush.”

“What? Jess doesn’t approve of me?” he asked with feigned indignation.

“She just doesn’t want her sister to get hurt. And your sister doesn’t want you to have more problems. I don’t either.”

“Is this your way of telling me not to make a move on Jasmine?”

“No. That’s none of our business. We’re just hoping things don’t get any harder for you than it already is.”

“Yeah, thanks,” he said with a heavy sigh.

The MC’s voice rose over the music and encouraged everyone to join the bridal party on the dance floor.

“Well, I’m off to waltz with the most beautiful bridesmaid of them all,” Ray announced as he stood up and made a beeline for Faye.

Kane watched as Ray pulled Faye in his arms and smooched her right in the middle of the room with no care in the world.

He chuckled at the demonstrativeness of the couple as his eyes searched for Jasmine in the crowded area. He was determined to have her in his arms for as long as he could tonight, if only to move with the music.

Except that another guy had already claimed her.

His face flushed as a wave of sheer possessiveness hit him. His eyes slitted at the way the guy was running his hand seductively over Jasmine’s back while keeping her plastered against his body with a tight arm around her waist. His chest constricted at the intimate picture unfolding before him.

Who the fuck is that guy? A boyfriend?

His gut clenched when he caught the expression on Jasmine’s face. She looked angry and upset. Then worry enveloped him as the pair left the dance floor and went out the door.

With no other thought, he followed.

Kane kept a discreet distance as Jasmine’s companion led her to a quiet corner outside the ballroom. He stopped behind a post, hidden from their view. It was rude to eavesdrop on a private conversation but he wanted to make sure Jasmine was okay.

“Listen to me, Tim,” he heard her say with controlled anger. “I am not going to put up with you touching me like you just did.”

“I’m sorry, sweet pea,” the guy called Tim droned. “You know I’m just hot for you.”

Kane’s hands fisted at his sides. He didn’t like the way the punk talked. But he stayed where he was. Jasmine might not appreciate him interfering.

“Stop calling me sweet pea!” Jasmine cried. “Do you realise how drunk you are already? You are at my sister’s wedding, Tim. Please behave yourself. And please leave me alone.”

“All I want is one chance with you, Jasmine. Just one. Please,” the jerk whined.

“I’m sorry, but no.”

Jasmine’s voice was firm and Kane felt proud of her.

“Well, I have two weeks to wear you down,” Tim said smugly, his tone turning into something more sinister.

“What do you mean?”

“I took a couple of weeks off work so I could stay here in Sydney with you.”

“What? I’m not going to spend any time with you so you might as well go back to Melbourne.” Jasmine replied, her voice losing some of its bravado.

“I heard you’ll be all alone in Jessa and Rob’s big house while they enjoy their honeymoon. You might want a warm body to keep you company,” the creep slurred suggestively.

That’s it. This has gone on long enough. Kane stepped out and showed himself.

“Jaz. There you are. I’ve been looking for you.” He reached out for her.

“Kane!” Jasmine cried as she practically ran to him.

His breath hitched as he put his arm protectively around her shoulders. “Everything okay?”

Jasmine nodded, smiling up at him with grateful eyes.

He turned his attention to the other man. “Hi, I’m Kane Summers,” he said coldly, not even gesturing for a handshake.

“Well, well, Kane Summers. Who might you be? Her new boyfriend?” Tim asked with a sneer.

“Yes,” he responded, the lie rolling off his tongue easily.

Tim glared at Jasmine, his lips twisting with contempt. “You give everyone else a turn, Jasmine. But not me. What do they have that I don’t? A bigger bank account?”

Kane took a menacing step towards the jerk but stilled when Jasmine clutched his arm.

“Kane, it’s Jessa’s wedding,” she whispered frantically.

He took a deep breath and held back. He understood why Jasmine wouldn’t want her sister’s night to be ruined by a fight between two of her guests. But another word from the intoxicated idiot and he might do something he’d regret.

“You should leave now, Tim,” Jasmine said quietly. “Unless you want both our fathers to hear about this.”

“Fine. But I’m not done with you yet, Jasmine,” Tim threatened as he ambled towards the exit.

Kane felt Jasmine sag against him. With relief, he assumed.

“You okay?” he asked, tightening his arm around her.

“Yeah. Sorry. I’m just glad he left.”

“Who the hell was he?”

“That was Tim Smith, the son of one of my dad’s business partners. He’s been pursuing me for a while now but I’m just not interested. I think he got really ticked off when I dated his friend George a few months ago. Since then, he’s been really intense and pushy.”

“So his parents are here tonight too?”

“No. His dad’s not well so they couldn’t attend. He’s here by himself.”

“You shouldn’t have come out here all alone with him, Jasmine,” he rebuked.

“He’s never tried anything inappropriate before. But I must admit he spooked me a little bit tonight.”

“Shouldn’t you tell your dad about him?”

“No. There’s no need. He’s gone now.”

Kane was unconvinced Jasmine had heard the last of Tim but he let it go for now. “I’m glad I followed you.”

She gave him a startled look. “I thought you just happened to be around again.”

“No. I saw how upset you got in there. I wanted to make sure you were fine.”

“Do you make it a habit of playing hero to damsels in distress?” she teased.

“Only to beautiful distressed damsels in pretty bridesmaid’s dresses. You look stunning today, Jaz. I haven’t had the chance to tell you that until now.”

“Thank you,” she murmured, her long lashes fluttering as she gazed into his eyes.

Jasmine licked her lips and his breathing shallowed. He felt the pull of her mouth and his tongue itched to explore it. He stopped breathing altogether when Jasmine tilted her face to his in an open invitation.

Damn it. Not yet.

“Uh, I think we should go back in,” he croaked.

Jasmine seemed to snap out of a mesmerised state and her cheeks reddened. He could imagine what was going through her head.  She would be thinking he didn’t want to kiss her.

He decided he owed her an explanation. “Jaz, I’m afraid I’m engaged.”

“What?” she asked in shock. “I had no idea.”

“It’s complicated and —”

Jasmine shook her head and raised her hand to stop him from explaining. “You’re right. We should go back in.” She turned on her heels and hurried away.

He wanted to kick himself for sticking to principles.

CHAPTER THREE

“No way. Not again,” Jasmine said heatedly to her best friend over the phone.

“Weren’t you just a little curious as to why it was complicated?” Samantha Lane asked.

Jasmine rolled her eyes although her friend couldn’t see. “Sam, he’s engaged and that’s that. I don’t care why it’s complicated. I just don’t understand why he kept making moon eyes at me and felt compelled to rescue me from a boozed-up admirer.”

“Well, he sounds keen on you.”

“I’m not a fiancé-stealing slut,” she said bitterly.

“Of course you’re not! Will you stop saying it like you think everyone thinks so?” Sam demanded.

“George’s fiancée thought so. And I bet you George told Tim something along those lines, and that was why Tim treated me like he did.”

“I thought Tim stopped talking to George when George dated you. You really think George badmouthed you to Tim?”

“Why else would Tim be so disrespectful of me all of a sudden? He wasn’t like that before.”

“Maybe Tim just feels frustrated. Like you said, he seemed to wonder why you were giving everyone else a go and not him,” Sam suggested.

“He said I was giving everyone else a turn. That has a totally different connotation from giving everyone else a go. I’m positive he believes I sleep around and he wants his turn.”

“That’s ridiculous. I’ll slap him hard the next time I see him,” Sam declared loyally.

“Thanks, Sam. I’m still wishing I slapped him hard last Saturday.”

“I’m worried that Tim’s there in Sydney with you. What if he follows you around and does something unthinkable?”

“Don’t worry. Most of the time, I’ll be in the house writing. I’ll keep the doors and windows locked.”

Sam snorted. “You went there to see if you’ll enjoy living in Sydney, not lock yourself indoors to write your book.”

Jasmine laughed. “I know. But you know I like Sydney already. The only thing I’m still considering is if I want to be away from my parents and you and Kris,” she said, thinking of Kristen McCann, her other best friend and Sam’s cousin. “Although you did promise me we’ll have fun girls’ weekends often if I do decide to move.”

Sam chuckled. “Yes. Even though we’ll miss you a lot, Kris and I are already looking forward to those weekends. They’ll be great because absence makes the heart grow fonder.”

“Looks like you want me to pack up and leave Melbourne already.”

“You know you’re very close to accepting your boss’s offer, Jaz. It’s a senior role and it’s more money. And I don’t think you should worry about your parents being far away from both you and Jessa. I bet you when you make the move, they’d think about moving too.”

“I hope so. I really do hate the thought that they’d be by themselves without one of their kids close by.”

“What have your mum and dad said about you moving?”

“Well, Mum got teary when I told her but she said I should do what I want. But you’re right, Sam. If I do accept the role, Jess and I could convince Mum and Dad to move here, too.”

“Did you tell Jessa about your books before she left for her honeymoon?” Samantha asked.

“No. I chickened out.”

“Why? You said you were excited about letting her know. I’m sure she’d be thrilled about the fact that there’s another writer in the family.”

Jasmine snorted. “Jess is one of the star writers for Lifestyle by Design. You know how huge that is, with the magazine being so highly popular and well-respected. Compared to her, I’ve got a long way to go.”

“Hey, don’t sell yourself short. If people knew your pseudonym, they would probably mob you before they would your sister.”

“Yeah, right,” Jasmine smirked. “Anyway, in relation to telling Jess about my writing, even though I could trust her to keep a secret from our parents, I don’t think she would keep it from her best friends. They’re as thick as thieves and tell each other almost everything.”

Sam laughed. “Just like you, me and Kris.”

She chuckled. “Yeah, just like us.”

“Well, so what if Jessa tells her friends? Maybe they’ve even read one of your books and are already your fans. And from what you’ve told me, Jessa’s friends are great people.”

“They are,” she confirmed with a loud exhale. “But one of them is Kane’s sister.”

“Aha! So it’s really about the guy you want to run away from.”

“I don’t want to run away from him. He’s simply not available.”

“Fair enough. If that’s the case, what would it matter if he learned about your secret life?”

Jasmine looked out the window as she twirled a strand of hair around her finger. Would it matter if Kane found out she wrote steamy romance novels? Even though her novels were a celebration of love and its physical expression, she anticipated not everyone would be open to them. Would he even want to read them? She grew warm at the picture of Kane reading the sexy scenes in her books.

She shook her head vigorously to rid herself of the embarrassingly erotic thought. It was ludicrous to keep dreaming about a man who was unavailable. Even if the other woman was only his girlfriend and not his fiancée, she would still keep her distance. After her humiliating experience with George, she didn’t want to go where she could be painted as a whore who destroyed relationships.

But Kane said it was complicated.

“Jaz? You there?”

Samantha’s voice jolted her out of her pondering. “Yeah, I’m here. What were we talking about?”

“Where did you go, girl? I said what would it matter if this guy Kane knew about what you do in your spare time?”

“You know I still very much want to keep my writing top secret. If I’m still too shy to even tell my family, why would I want him to know? We’ve only known each other for over a week.”

“That’s a point,” Samantha agreed. “I guess I’m just intrigued by this sizzling attraction you two seem to have.”

“I know, Sam,” she said with a sigh. “There’s something there. But he’s engaged so there’s no way we could be together.”

Her chest hurt at the reality of her words.

*****

Jasmine’s fingers stopped tapping on her keyboard when her phone rang. Shoot. She was just finishing a scene where her lead character was having a toe-curling orgasm from the man she thought she’d lost forever.

She frowned at the caller ID. ‘Blocked’, it said. She stared at it, reluctant to answer for fear it could be one of her workmates wanting to chat about how her holiday was going, then ask a quick question or two about one of her clients.

What if it’s Kane calling?

Her mind flashed a picture of Kane’s head between her legs, giving her as much pleasure as her heroine just got, and she quickly moistened at the thought. Damn, it wouldn’t do her good to think of him while she was writing erotic scenes.

The ringing had stopped and she felt a pang of regret for not answering it. What if it had been Kane? What if he was ringing to tell her he’d broken up with his fiancée because he couldn’t stand the thought of never being with her? What if he wanted to tell her he couldn’t wait to kiss her all over —

Her overheated, overactive imagination was interrupted by the phone ringing once again. She answered it quickly and rather breathlessly. “Hello?”

“Jasmine. Even over the phone you’re so sexy.”

“Who’s this?” she cried in alarm, knowing it wasn’t Kane.

“It’s me,” the caller chuckled and she stiffened in hostility.

“What do you want, Tim?”

“Hey, I’m just calling to apologise for Saturday night. I’m sorry for the way I acted. I blame it on the alcohol.”

“And who chose to drink too much, Tim?” she asked coldly.

“You’re right, of course,” he replied placatingly. “It was entirely my fault. I’m sorry.”

“Fine. Thank you for calling.”

“Wait, wait!” Tim called out before she had a chance to hang up. “I want to make it up to you, Jasmine. How about I take you out to dinner tonight?”

Her mouth opened in disbelief. This man was really something else. “Sorry, Tim. I can’t. I already have plans.”

“With your boyfriend?”

“Yes.”

“I noticed you spent last night alone by yourself in that big house after your parents went back to Melbourne.”

The hairs on her neck stood up. How the hell did he know?

“Are you stalking me?” she asked, injecting as much disapproval and coldness in her voice as she could muster.

“Stalking you? Come on. I thought we were friends. Can’t friends have dinner together?”

“We’re not friends. We’re just acquaintances.”

“Come on, sweet pea. Our fathers are business partners now. Don’t you think they’d like it if the two of us got closer together?”

“You know I already have a boyfriend. You even met him the other night.”

Tim chuckled. “Can one man satisfy you, Jasmine? I heard you have a high sex drive. And dating different men gives you ideas for those sexy stories you write. I promise you I’m much better in bed than George. I’ll give you lots of ideas for your sex scenes. Please, Jasmine. I’m dying to know what it’s like to be with you. You’re so beautiful.”

“You must be mad! If you don’t stop hassling me, Tim, I swear you’ll regret it.” Her voice was low and shaking with anger. “You know my dad is the majority shareholder in the business and it would impact on your dad —”

“Would you really tell your father?” Tim interrupted. “Do you really want him to know you sleep around so you could write horny little stories? Wouldn’t that break his heart?”

“I do not sleep around! Now go to hell and leave me alone!” She ended the call and flung her phone on her bed. Her body shook uncontrollably from outrage and shock. How could anyone think that way of her?

The answer was obvious. George Paulson. The liar ex-boyfriend from hell. That phone call was evidence he had given Tim a copy of the document he stole from her computer.

Her eyes burned with furious tears as she remembered that incident.

George had turned up at her doorstep on a Sunday afternoon when she was in the middle of writing a lovemaking scene for her third book.

She had gone to the kitchen to make them coffee and plated up some leftover lemon meringue cake her mum had made the day before. When she had called for him to join her in the kitchen, he didn’t answer. To her dismay, she found him in her study, sitting in her chair, his bulging eyes glued to her laptop screen.

That was precisely the time when George went from sweet to icky. Instead of being embarrassed at being found snooping into her private stuff, he had suggested they find another girl and have a threesome.

She had gaped at him in astonishment. There was nothing in her manuscript about a ménage à trois, so where the hell did the idea that she was up for that come from?

She threw him out, angry and hurt.

It got worse. A couple of days later, she had discovered a ‘sent’ message from her email folder. George had emailed her partial manuscript to himself from her computer. The hide of the guy! The only consolation about all that was there was nowhere in that document that showed her pen name. Her alter ego’s identity remained a secret.

She’d never completed that book and she’d decided to abandon it.

She thought that was the end of it until that horrible day when she was at a coffee shop with Sam and Kris. A woman in her early twenties had approached their table, grabbed a glass of water and threw it in her face. Thank God it was only water, but still, it was shocking.

The woman had accused her of being a cock-sucking, fiancé-stealing, slut-whore and warned her to stay away from her George. She had been so stunned she could only watch as her friends defended her. After much drama, the woman had left, still fuming and cursing at her.

She couldn’t understand how George could have fooled them both. But it made her feel a little better that she wasn’t the only one deceived. At least she could hang on to the notion that George was an expert liar instead of her being stupid and a bad judge of character.

She didn’t know if George and that girl were still together but she wouldn’t be surprised if they’d split. It would serve George right. But what worried her now was that George might be being vindictive. He was the one who cheated and slept around but he wanted her to have that reputation. Now his pal Tim was bothering the hell out of her. Some dysfunctional trait in common must have bound those two as friends.

Nervous goosebumps covered her with the knowledge that Tim had known she spent last night alone in the house. Was he watching her? Following her?

She stood up and tiptoed to the window. She couldn’t make out any person sitting inside any of the cars parked outside. She released the breath she was holding and let out a little laugh.

You’re just being paranoid, Jasmine.

Still, she wanted to be with other people tonight. Who could she call?

*****

“Thanks so much for having me. I hope I didn’t ruin any plans you have for tonight with my last minute dinner request,” Jasmine said as she greeted Clarise Matthews, Jessa’s other best friend who also worked for Ray—the Ray who was Kane’s future brother-in-law.

She forcefully pushed aside the ‘Kane connection’ her brain made as she gave Clarise a hug.

“Of course you didn’t, Jaz. We’re glad you called,” Clarise responded. “Come on in.”

“Clarise was just saying to me how we should invite you over for dinner when you rang. You must have some sort of sixth sense,” Will Matthews, Clarise’s husband, said.

Jasmine chuckled. “Well, I’m here to help prepare. What are we having?”

“Pasta. Then we’re having Clarise’s special tiramisu for dessert,” Will responded happily. “You’re in for a treat. My wife makes the best tiramisu on the planet.”

“Stop exaggerating,” Clarise said.

“But it’s true!” Will huffed.

Jasmine followed the couple into their kitchen, watching as they exchanged light-hearted banter, sweet little touches and a quick kiss.

This is why I want to find love. I want that too, not some freaky attention by a man who could be dangerous.

Tim’s increasingly weird behaviour was unsettling her. A part of her wanted to believe he couldn’t possibly be so stupid as to force himself on her, but what if she was wrong? She didn’t get it right when she thought his friend George was a good guy.

Well, Tim should be leaving Sydney in two weeks. All she had to do was surround herself with people or stay put in Rob and Jessa’s house until then. For now it was important to show Tim, if he was indeed stalking her, that he wouldn’t be able to predict her movements so there was no point wasting his time.

*****

“I’ve had a really wonderful time, guys. Thank you,” Jasmine said sincerely as she prepared to leave.

“Hey, anytime, Jaz. We’ll do it again soon,” Clarise said. “Oh, wait, don’t forget your leftovers.”

Jasmine felt her phone vibrate and pulled it out of her purse as she waited for Clarise to come back from the kitchen. She froze as she read the text message.

*Sweet pea, are you staying home tomorrow night? You’re out very late tonight. I’m jealous. Dinner tomorrow with me, okay?*

Her hand flew to her mouth as fear gripped her. Tim knew she wasn’t home. Was he outside the house right this minute? What would he do when she got there?

“Jaz? What’s wrong?”

She looked up at Will’s worried face but she couldn’t speak. She simply stared at him, her eyes wide with apprehension.

“May I?” Will gestured for the phone and she handed it to him.

“Do you know this person, Jaz?” Will asked as Clarise re-joined them.

“Is everything okay?”

Will held out her phone for Clarise to read the message.

“Jaz?”

“He’s … I think he’s stalking me,” she managed to blurt out.

“Who is he?”

“An acquaintance from Melbourne. The son of dad’s business partner. He was at the wedding,” she answered, feeling somewhat calmer after the initial shock had worn off.

Clarise took her hand and gently led her to the sofa. “Tell us about him.”

She related to them her recent encounters with Tim, including the time when Kane helped her out.

“This dude sounds a little unstable,” Will commented.

“He thinks I sleep around. That’s what his friend, who happens to be my ex, led him to believe. Now he’s determined to have his turn. He can’t seem to get it into his thick skull that I’m not that kind of girl.”

“That’s horrible, Jaz!” Clarise exclaimed. “I think you should stay with us tonight. He may be watching Jess and Rob’s place.”

“Geez, guys, I couldn’t possibly impose.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I can lend you some nightwear and we have a spare toothbrush. You can even stay here until we figure out what we can do to stop him from bothering you. Maybe we should report him to the police.”

“No, please. I don’t want the police involved. I’ll tell my dad when I get back home. I’m sure both our fathers would be able to make him see sense.”

“Okay but you’re staying with us, Jasmine. We won’t take no for an answer,” Will declared. “Tomorrow night after work, we’ll go and grab your things from your sister’s place. Can you wait for your stuff until then? I don’t think you should go back there by yourself. He may not do anything—he might not even be there—but it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

“Thank you. I really appreciate this.”

Jasmine was grateful to have people she could depend on at a time like this. Her heart’s frantic beating started to slow as the threat of danger lessened.

But still, her whole being seemed to scream for the one person she wanted by her side. Kane. But he was the one individual she should never call upon.

*****

          Jasmine wandered aimlessly inside Will and Clarise’s house. She wondered if she could help tidy up their kitchen or vacuum the place but everything seemed spotless.

She sighed. She was getting bored out of her brains and it wasn’t even the middle of the day yet. Apart from her wallet, keys and phone, everything else was back at her sister’s place.

She considered going to the shops in the city and hanging around there until Will and Clarise were ready to go home. It appeared Tim didn’t know where she was right then so he wouldn’t be able to follow her.

Except that she knew she’d get bored shopping for hours, too. What she really itched to do was work on her book. She could write for hours and not notice the time pass. But she didn’t have her laptop with her.

What were the chances of Tim still hanging around outside Jessa and Rob’s house at this time of the day? If he was there last night, he would have gone home by now. Most likely, he wouldn’t resume his stalking until tonight.

She shivered but felt confident enough she should be okay going back to the house by herself during the day. It would save Will and Clarise the trouble of accompanying her to pick up her things after work.

Satisfied with her planning, she headed for the kitchen to check out what the couple had in their fridge. She could cook dinner for the three of them tonight. That was the least she could do after she had invaded their space unexpectedly.

Ding-dong.

The sound of the doorbell stopped her in her tracks. She placed her hand on her chest and took a deep breath, hoping that would calm her heart, which had started racing. Did this house have a security door? She couldn’t remember. How could she check who rang the bell?

Relax, Jasmine. It could just be a door-to-door salesman or someone doing a survey or something.

She jumped when the bell rang again.

“Jaz? Are you there?” a muffled voice asked.

Her heart pounded harder, but this time for a much different reason. Her legs came back to life and she hurried to the door.

“Kane, is that you?” she asked hopefully.

“Yeah, it’s me.”

Relief and excitement made her giddy as she opened the door for the man she’d been dreaming about every night for the past week. What was he doing here?

“Hi,” he said.

“Hi,” she responded, taking in huge gulps of air.

“Hey, are you okay?” Kane asked with concern. He cupped her cheeks with his warm hands and his piercing eyes inspected her face thoroughly.

She let out a ragged sigh. His touch was both calming and stirring. “Yes,” she responded with a weak smile. “For a while there I thought you were …”

“That idiot better not show his face or I’ll deck him,” he muttered as he ushered her inside and locked the door.

“What are you doing here, Kane?” She didn’t know whether to give in to the comfort or the agitation brought by his presence.

“Ray called me and told me about the text you got last night.”

“Oh. Clarise told him?”

“Yes. We’re all worried. Anyway, I think that the best way to keep this guy away from you is for someone to act as your bodyguard. And since he already thinks I’m your boyfriend, I’m taking the job.”

She gaped at him, her mind trying frantically to process what he’d just said. “Did you say you’re going to act as my bodyguard?” she asked uncertainly.

“Yes. I can’t be around all the time, unfortunately. But I’ll check up on you daily at different times to hopefully make Tim believe he would get caught if he tried something stupid.”

“But that sounds too much of an inconvenience for you. What do you mean ‘daily at different times’? How often? When?”

“It’s not an inconvenience, Jasmine. This is a very serious matter,” he admonished her. “Right now, I have a very flexible schedule at work. I’ll just get in the car and drive here when I can.”

Her jaw dropped to the floor. “You can’t be serious. You’d do that?”

“Yes. No more arguments,” he said in an authoritative voice. “Now, do you want to go out to lunch or do you want to eat last night’s leftovers? Clarise said to help ourselves.”

“Kane?” she said quietly.

“Yes?”

“If you’re going to be around then I could go back home to Jess and Rob’s, couldn’t I? I really don’t want to bother too many people.”

Kane pursed his lips as he considered her request. “I can’t see why not.”

She smiled at him. “Thank you. I really hope this isn’t too much trouble for you.”

He moved closer to her and tilted her face to his. “You know this isn’t any trouble for me, Jaz,” he said huskily, his eyes boring into hers with naked emotion.

Her breath caught in her throat. The magnetic attraction she’d been trying to push away no longer wanted to be ignored. It wove an invisible cord around them, pulling tighter, bringing them closer. She didn’t know who made the first move but in the next breath, their lips met.

She moaned softly as Kane’s lips moved against hers, and she responded without a thought.

“Jaz,” he whispered before he deepened the kiss. He crushed her to him, his hand raking her hair while the other heatedly stroked her back. His tongue explored her mouth insistently, deliciously. Making her hot, making her wet.

“Kane,” she breathed as his lips went to her neck. Kane. How many times had she called that name in her dreams. In her dreams. Before this, only in her dreams because … he was engaged.

“No!” she cried as she pushed him away and turned her back to him. She squeezed her eyes shut, forcing away the desire from her body, willing her head to override her heart.

She flinched as he felt his hand on her shoulder.

“Jaz, let’s talk about this,” he pleaded.

“I only have one question, Kane,” she said tremulously as she faced him to look straight into his eyes. “Are you still engaged?”

“Only technically speaking.”

“What the hell does that mean?” she asked angrily, her mind focusing on one thing alone. He was still engaged.

“It’s a long story so we better sit down,” he said resignedly
as he held out his hand to her.

She ignored his proffered hand and walked stiffly to the sofa, her arms folded across her chest. She sat on the one-seater, wanting to put some distance between them.

She hated herself for not clarifying his status before she went lip-locking with him. And she was mad at him for even attempting to kiss her.

But despite that, her heart eagerly awaited his explanation.