《HER EVERY FANTASY》


 1

    A blind date¡­


    Collins Templeton rolled his eyes at the idea of putting himself out for a woman he hadn¡¯t seen, knew nothing about, and would never meet again, given the work schedule he had lined up.


    ¡°Hell no.¡± he said, ¡°Definitely not doing that. It¡¯s not going to happen¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± his old friend, Leonard Cooper asked with a slight frown on his face.


    ¡°Because I said so¡± Collins retorted.


    ¡°She¡¯s a stunner,¡± Leonard assured him.


    ¡°Stunners are two a penny in my world. All of them relentlessly ambitious.¡±


    ¡°That might be so in L. A., but this is home time in Australia, remember? Look, Favour¡¯s sister is something else.¡±


    ¡°Something else like what?¡± asked Collins with a confused look on his face. His derisive tone earned a chiding shake of the head.


    ¡°You¡¯re jaded, mate. When was thest time you let yourself do something like this? A long time ago¡­ Probably even never. Which is why you¡¯re here spending a week with me. A night out with a gorgeous down-to-earth beautiful woman will do you good. Trust me when I say this.¡±


    Collins winced at the argument, turning his gaze to the soothing view of the sea rolling its waves onto the Beach. They were sitting on the balcony of a house Leonard had recently acquired-his getaway from the pressure of being a dealer for an international bank. It was only an hour and a half away from Sydney, the perfect ce to rx, he¡¯d told Collins , persuading him into this week together, catching up on old times.


    They¡¯d been friends since school days and had always kept in touch, despite their different career paths. Leonard was geared topetitive risk-taking while Collins had sought the creative fields opened up byputer technology. He¡¯d built up apany that was now in hot demand for producing special effects for movies.


    But he didn¡¯t want to think about work yet. Tomorrow he was booked on a flight back to Los Angeles and he¡¯d be getting his mind prepared for a series of important meetings, but today was still about recapturing the carefree days of their youth; eating hamburgers and French fries for lunch after a morning of riding the waves on surfboards and baking their bodies in the sun.


    It had been a great week; not having to impress anyone or win anyone over. He and Leonard had done all the things they used to do-ying chess, challenging each other to listen to their choice of music, drinking beer, swapping stories¡­ just having fun.


    He felt wonderfullyzy and didn¡¯t want to give up the feeling. Not until he absolutely had to. Here it was, Saturday afternoon Down Under, midsummer, and the living was easy.


    He didn¡¯t need a blind date. Didn¡¯t want one, either. Didn¡¯t even want to think about it. His broad chest rose and fell in a contented sigh. This was more than good enough for him.


    ¡°Leonard, look¡± he began. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t mind that you¡¯ve got a date with your girlfriend. Go out and enjoy yourself. You don¡¯t have to look after me. I¡¯ll be perfectly happy with my ownpany.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s ourst night.¡± Leonard¡¯s unhappy frown pricked Collins conscience.


    ¡°I can¡¯t get out of it. It¡¯s Favour¡¯s birthday,¡± he went on, making it clear that Collins refusal to go along with the n put him into conflict.


    The week had been special. Was he being a spoilsport, ducking out on sharing thisst night?


    Favour Leire ording to Leonard, was very special. He¡¯d met her walkingher dog on this very beach. She even had a head for finance, holding quite a responsible position in the Treasury Department and living here on the central coast because she worked two days in Sydney and threein Newcastle. This could develop into a serious rtionship, which was fine for Leonard who was getting close to burn-out and looking for more from life than a tight focus on the world¡¯s money markets.


    Collins was currently riding a high wave of sess with a string of big movies featuring the special effects created by hispany. No way was he ready to ease down from that creamy crest. He didn¡¯t have the time or the inclination to link up with a woman who wanted any kind ofmitment from him. Too demanding. Too distracting. Besides he was only thirty three . He wanted what he had achieved. He wanted more of it. Finding a special woman could wait.


    ¡°I tell you, Collins, if I hadn¡¯t got to know Favour first, I¡¯d probably be chasing after her sister,¡± Leonard ran on, intent on persuasion. ¡°Jasmine is a knock-out¡±


    ¡°So howe she¡¯s avable on a Saturday night?¡¯ Collins drylymented.


    ¡°Oh, same as you. Taking time out. Spending the weekend with her sister,¡±


    ¡°And I guess Favour doesn¡¯t want to leave her alone, either¡±


    ¡°No, she doesn¡¯t.¡± said Leonard. Realising he¡¯d been tripped into the truth, he screwed his face into a hangdog appeal. ¡°So help me out here, will you, Collins? Please?¡±


    He really cared for this woman. Collins hoped the feeling was returned and Leonard wasn¡¯t being seen in terms of a good catch. Which he certainly was, financially. And he wasn¡¯t bad in the looks department, either. He was shorter than Collins but his physique was good, no b on him.


    His dark hair was receding at the temples and he¡¯d had one of those ultra-short buzz cuts, defying the signs of encroaching baldness. Definitely a testosterone thing, Collins thought, but it had the advantage of never looking untidy, not like the wild mess of his ck curls, although he figured they gave him an artistic image which was probably helpful in his business.


    Leonard had always had a very expressive face, not exactly handsome, but likeable. He had an infectious grin and his green eyes could quickly radiate a mischief that invited fun. Collins knew his own humour was more quirky, challenging to a lot of people, though Leonard had always understood it.


    Dark, he called it, often adding that Collins had to have a dark and twisted soul to think up some of the special effects he created for movies. His olive skin tanned darkly, his eyes were dark, his teeth were very white-definitely a vampire in a previous life, Leonard joked.


    Whatever¡­ on a surface basis, women wore more drawn to him than they were to Leonard. It was a fact of life outside of his control. He just hoped this Favour Leire would treat his friend right tonight-no roving eye.


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯m in,¡± he conceded finally. ¡°As long as you ept that if I find this¡­ Jasmine a total bore, I¡¯ll make an excuse toe home early.¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.

 2

    ¡°Done!¡± Leonard readily agreed, grinning his head off. No problem in his mind.


    Collins rxed. Let tonight take care of itself, he thought, having dealt himself a ready bolthole.


    __________


    A blind date¡­


    Jasmine Leire gave her sister a look designed to kill the idea on the spot. Stone dead. This weekend with Favour was a much needed time out from men- one in particr-and even being polite to any male at the moment would be an effort she didn¡¯t want to make.


    The look didn¡¯t work. It spurred Favour into attack mode, eyes shing the light of battle.


    ¡°You know your problem, jasmine?¡± she began. ¡°You¡¯ve been so fixated on Robert for so long, that you¡¯ve developed tunnel vision. You can¡¯t even see other men could be more attractive. And a lot better for you, too.¡±


    So find me one, jasmine thought derisively, having done her own looking each time Robert had strayed, then forgiving him and taking him back because there simply wasn¡¯t anyone else she wanted to be with.


    Compared to Robert, other men were dull, but thisst infidelity went beyond the bounds of eptability. For him to snatch a bit of sex with a graphic artist in her own office, a woman who worked on the ounts she handled¡­ that was too bitter a blow to her pride.


    This had to be the end of their rtionship. The final end. All the sexual charisma in the world didn¡¯t make up for a long, continuing string of hurts, especially this worst one, right under her nose. It was time to let go, time to move on, but to what?


    ¡°I¡¯m not up to a blind date, Favour¡± she said tly, hoping Favour would end the subject, but Favour wasn¡¯t anywhere ready to do that.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not going to leave you here to mope alone,¡± came the belligerent retort from Favour.


    ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen. I won¡¯t mope. I¡¯ll watch TV¡­ Or surf the inte.¡±


    ¡°¡®Wallowing in escapism. That sounds like a horrible idea. I bet Robert isn¡¯t doing that. Good old action man will be unzipping his trousers for some¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop it! Stop it, Favour!¡± jasmine said, almost yelling.


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t. He tried it on with me, too, you know. Your own sister.¡±


    Shocked out of her irritation with Favour¡¯s unwee nagging, jasmine shot a sharp look at her sister, unsure if she was speaking the truth or wanting to cken Robert¡¯s character beyond the pale.


    ¡°You never told me that before.¡± she said. A fierce conviction zed back at her.


    ¡°Yeah. Well, I¡¯m telling you now. Get rid of him. Get over him, jasmine. He might have the gift of the gab and he might be a great performer in bed, but he only ever thinks of himself. You are an ego trip for him. And every time you take him back you feed his ego more. Holding on to him is sick.¡±


    Jasmine frowned over these diforting assertions. Was it sick to keep wanting a man who couldn¡¯t be trusted with other women? Robert swore she was the only one who really counted in his life, but was that enough to hang on to? Obviously she couldn¡¯t count too much when he was hot for someone else, even her own sister.


    ¡°I won¡¯t hold on this time,¡± she muttered.


    ¡°Then let me see you take some positive action in another direction. Like partnering this other guy tonight. It will really do you some good,¡± Favour strongly argued.


    ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯m not in the mood.¡±


    ¡°You never are. Except for Robert who continually does the dirty on you. You¡¯ve wasted four years on a dyed-in-the-wool phnderer and it¡¯s only ever going to be more of the same, him having it off with whomever he fancies, while you¡­¡±


    ¡°I already told you it¡¯s over.¡±


    ¡°Until he soft soaps you again.¡±


    ¡°No. I mean it.¡± dered jasmine.


    ¡°Fine! So you should be celebrating being free from him, giving yourself the chance to eye off someone else.¡±


    She was just like her dog with a bone. Jasmine looked down at the miniature fox terrier sitting by Favour¡¯s feet and was grateful he wasn¡¯t yapping at her, too. She did need to be free of Robert, but in her own mind and heart first. Plunging into dating would only throw upparisons that would keep him painfully alive in her thoughts.


    In fact, Favour had just spoiled her attempt to forget him for a while.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Here they were, seated on the balcony of her sister¡¯s apartment, overlooking the Brisbane Water at Gosford, idly watching the boats sailing out from the yacht club, feeling pleasantly replete from a fine lunch, during which Favour had raved about her wonderful new boyfriend, Leonard. Why couldn¡¯t she just be happy with her own personal life instead of attacking Jasmine¡¯s?


    ¡°This guy has been a friend of Leonard¡¯s since school days. Now that tells you he values the people he likes. He¡¯s not a user and a dumper,¡± Favour ran on, relentlessly intent on persuasion.


    ¡°Friendship between two men has no relevance whatsoever to how either of them view or treat women,¡± Jasmine terselymented, wanting an end to the argument.


    ¡°Right! So now you¡¯re cultivating a negative attitude. Not even giving people a chance. And I might add Leonard treats me beautifully.¡±


    ¡°Lucky you! But I don¡¯t want to be stuck with a guy I don¡¯t know and might not like. It¡¯s just not worth the trouble¡±


    ¡°Well, you like Leonard, don¡¯t you? His friend should be at least an interesting person. The food at The Galley is always good. It¡¯s my birthday, and the best birthday present you could give me is to see you enjoying yourself without that asshole Robert.¡±


    ¡°I have been. With you. Before you started on this blind date kick,¡± Jasmine snapped in exasperation.


    ¡°As for birthday gifts, I thought you liked the bracelet I bought you¡­¡±


    ¡°I do. I love it. I really do.¡±


    ¡°¡­. and the lunch at the restaurant of your choice. Wasn¡¯t that birthday treat enough for you?¡± Favour¡¯s eloquent shrug was apologetic but it didn¡¯t stop her from turning the screws. ¡°I just hate going out and leaving you alone, knowing you¡¯re miserable. I won¡¯t be able to enjoy the evening with Leonard if you don¡¯te with me.¡±


    Emotional ckmail.


    But there was caring behind it, Jasmine grudgingly conceded, and she didn¡¯t want to spoil any part of her younger sister¡¯s birthday. Favour had always been a pet, her naturally happy nature making her a pleasure to be with.


    Their parents were away on an overseas trip, touring Canada this time, so it was up to Jasmine to make up for their not being here, showering love on their younger daughter. She thought she¡¯d done enough but¡­ would it really hurt to make the effort of being pleasant to a stranger tonight?

 3

    ¡°It would be such fun, dressing up together,¡± Favour pressed.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t bring dress-up clothes with me,¡± Jasmine remembered, not so much seeking an excuse but simply stating the truth. ¡°And that¡¯s because I didn¡¯t n on going on a date with anyone¡±


    ¡°You u can try mine on.¡± The eager offer was rushed out. ¡°in fact, now that I think about it, I¡¯ve gota little ck number that would look fantastic on you. It¡¯s a jersey so it doesn¡¯t matter you¡¯re more curvy than I am. It will stretch to fit.¡±


    More curvy and taller. And their taste in clothes was different. Which was why they¡¯d never swapped or borrowed. But what she wore tonight was not an issue, Jasmine decided, as long as she pleased Favour.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Twenty seven today. Her little sister¡­ who had her life more in order than Jasmine had managed in her twenty nine years. Still, Favour¡¯s career in the public service carried minimal stress and steady promotion, given areasonable level of performance. The advertising world was far more cut-throat and Jasmine spent most of her working days living on the edge.


    Different lives, different needs, different natures, different¡­ even in looks.


    Favour¡¯s hair had been very blond in her childhood and she¡¯d kept it blond with the help of a good hairdresser. She kept it short, too, its thick waves cleverly cut and styled to ripple attractively to just below her ears. Having inherited their father¡¯s blue eyes and skin that tanned to a lovely golden honey, she always looked sunny and vibrantly alive.


    Dark and intense were the words more often attached to jasmine. Her hair was a very deep rich brown, as wavy as Favour¡¯s but worn long.


    There never seemed to be time in her life for regr hairdresser appointments. Currently it fell to below her shoulder-des. Luckily she only had to wash it for it to look reasonably good.


    Her eyes were more amber than brown, like their mother¡¯s, but her eyebrows andshes were almost ck, giving them a dark look. The only feature she¡¯d inherited from their father was height. She was a head taller than Favour who had his colouring but their mother¡¯s more petite figure.


    Different to each other but family nheless.


    A close family.


    And jasmine liked to see Favour happy.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go with you. But I¡¯m taking my own car so if Leonard¡¯s friend is a total disaster I cane home by myself whenever I like. Agreed?¡±


    Sheer delight lit up Favour¡¯s pretty face. ¡°Yes. Yes. Agreed.¡± she said.


    Yes, it was worth the effort, Jasmine thought, and resigned herself to sharing an evening with a man who would probably bore her to death.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C


    She was really doing this. Going on a blind date¡­


    She looked down at the little ck and white fox terrier, sleeping blissfully at Favour¡¯s feet. He¡¯d been called Luther after Martin Luther King who¡¯d done all he could to integrate the ck and white races in America.


    Bringing people together.


    Jasmine smiled at the dog who¡¯d certainly brought her sister and Leonard together. Maybe she needed a dog in her life. It was surely a better means of meeting men than Favour¡¯s current plot. Bound to provide moresting and devotedpany, too. A steadfast, uplicated love. Yes.


    She¡¯d give up Robert and buy herself a dog. Now that was a much better solution to her problems than a blind date.


    _____-


    Leonard insisted they set off at a quarter to eight, even though it was barely a ten-minute drive around the coast to the beach town of terrigal where they were dining in style tonight. Favour and jasmine were to meet them at the restaurant at eight, which probably meant anything up to an hourter. Collins had little faith in female punctuality, particrly with social evenings. Still, the less time he had to spend with his blind date, the better.


    Terrigal was a prettier beach than Forresters with its row of Norfolk Pines lining the foreshore, but it was tame inparison with none ofthe wild, dangerous surf that stirred the sense of primitive elements at y. This was a highly civilised beach; calm water, smooth sand, edged bywns, arge resort hotel and many fashionable boutiques and restaurants. A yuppie ce, not a getaway, Collins thought, d that Leonard had chosen to buy a house on an untamed shoreline.


    The restaurant they were heading for was called The Galley, built above the sailing club on the other side of town and facing towards theHaven, a sheltered little bay where yachts rode at anchor. The main street traffic was heavy and slow. By the time they got through it and reached the parking area adjacent to The Galley, it was precisely eight o¡¯clock.


    Drinks at the baring up, Collins anticipated. He watched a zippy red convertibleing down the incline to the car park as Leonard was collecting a celebratory bottle of Dom Perignon from the back seat of his beloved BMW. Had to be a Mazda MX-5, Collins decided, and was surprised to see two women upying the open front seats. It was the kind of car guys would cruise in. Women were always worried about their hairstyles being blown awry.


    ¡°I told you they¡¯d be on time,¡± Leonard crowed, nodding to the car Collins was watching. ¡°That¡¯s Jasmine driving.¡±


    A long-haired brte. The blonde in the passenger seat had to be Favour. ¡°Is it her car?¡± he asked, finding himself interested by the unexpected.


    ¡°Yes. Favour calls it Jasmine¡¯s rebellion.¡±


    ¡°Against what?¡±


    Leonard shrugged. ¡°Being a woman, I guess.¡±


    Collins rolled his eyes at him. ¡°You mean I¡¯m about to be faced with a raging feminist.¡± he asked.


    Leonard¡¯s answering grin was unrepentant. ¡°More a femme fatale. Just watch your knees. They might buckle any minute now.¡±


    Not a chance, Collins thought.


    She parked the convertible right at the end of the row of cars, the furthest point away from the entrance to the restaurant. Ensuring it wouldn¡¯t gel boxed in, Collins decided, in case she wanted an easy getaway.


    Which makes two of us, darling, he thought and frowned slightly.


    He and Leonard waited at the BMW for the two women to join them. The ck roof of the red convertible lifted from its slot at the back of the car and was locked in at the front. The blonde emerged first, waving excitedly at Leonard. She looked very cute, wearing a clingy blue dress with shoestring shoulder straps. A pocket Venus for Leonard, Collins thought, smiling at his choice.

 4

    Well, Jasmine, strut your stuff, he silently challenged as a long rippling mane of very lustrous brown hair rose from the driver¡¯s side, the kind of hair that would look good on a pillow. Feel good, too. A tingle of temptation touched his fingertips. He clenched his hands to wipe it away. This was not the lime to let a woman get to him. So she had great hair. No big deal¡­. The workings of the brain under it probably had no appeal at all.


    She turned to close the door and lock the car. Collins attention was galvanised. Leonard hadn¡¯t lied. He hadn¡¯t even exaggerated. Jasmine Leire was a stunner. Helen of Troy


    came to mind. Here was a face that could definitelyunch a thousand ships.


    It seemed to simmer with sexual promise, aided by the erotic positioning of a deep pink flower over her right ear.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    The tingle in his fingertips moved to his groin and there was nothing physical he could do to remove it. He tried willing it away. Impossible mission. She moved to the back of the car to join up with her sister and the full view of her was enough to blow any willpower right out of Collins head. Even his side vision was affected. Favour Leire blurred.


    Only jasmine remained in sharp focus.


    She had a mesmerising hour-ss figure, mouth-wateringly lush femininity encased in a slinky little ck dress with a short flirty skirt that barely reached mid-thigh on long shapely legs that Chloe thought would feel fantastic wrapped around him. She was tall-tall enough to wear t ck shoes, though they looked like ballet slippers with straps crossed around her ankles. Somehow they were erotic, too, more so than kinky stiletto heels.


    His gaze leapt back to her fascinating face as she came nearer. A slight dimple in her chin, a sultry full-lipped mouth, straight nose, angled cheekbones that highlighted the unusual shape of her eyes, more triangr than almond, amber irises, glinting golden between their ck frame of thickshes. Cat¡¯s eyes, he thought, but they didn¡¯t conjure up the image of some tame domestic cat, more an infinitely dangerous panther, capable of wing him apart.


    And why he should find that idea exciting he didn¡¯t know. Didn¡¯t think about it. It just was. He fell something dark and primitive stir inside him, wanting to take up the challenge she was beaming at him, wanting her submission to the desires she aroused, wanting to possess every part of her until he¡¯d consumed the power she was exerting over him.


    ______


    A ss-A hunk, Jasmine thought when she first saw Leonard¡¯s friend.


    Tall, dark and handsome with a body brimful of strong masculinity, his tight ck jeans and the short-sleeved, open-necked white shirt showing off his impressive physique. Lots of surface sex appeal, but undoubtedly a bloated male ego to go with it.


    ¡°Oh wow, look!¡± Favour murmured approvingly. ¡°Leonard¡¯s friend sure measures up.¡±


    Probably worked out at a gym in front of mirrors. Jasmine was determinedly unimpressed, yet as they strolled towards the two men, a flutter started up in the pit of her stomach. It was the way he was looking at her, she argued to herself, assessing her female assets which, unfortunately, were on tant disy in Favour¡¯s dress.


    She hadn¡¯t eared earlier, even letting Favour put the silly pink flower in her hair. It matched the spray of pink flowers featured on the ck fabric of the dress, spreading diagonally from the left shoulder to thehem of the skirt. Favour was into flowers in her hair this summer, using them as essories to her outfits, but it wasn¡¯t Jasmine¡¯s style. Not that it mattered tonight, except¡­ she hoped Leonard¡¯s friend wasn¡¯t seeing it as some flirtatiouse-on.


    On the other hand, if he wasn¡¯t too full of himself, he was certainly attractive enough to flirt with. Though that could be a dangerous y.


    She wasn¡¯t used to partnering a powerfully built man, and as she got closer, this man seemed to emanate power, the kind of big male dominant power that suddenly sent weak little quivers down her thighs. Robert was no taller than herself and his physique was on the lean side.


    His attractiony more in a quick silver charm than sheer physical impact. Jasmine had always found eye contact and conversation sexier than actual bodies. All the same, she couldn¡¯t stop her eyes from feasting on this guy. He had an undeniable animal maism that tugged out a wanton wondering about what it might he like to have sex with him.


    Different, she decided.


    Not quite civilised.


    Dark and intense.


    Like his eyes¡­ now that he was looking directly into hers.


    Jasmine sucked in a quick breath as her heartskipped into a wild canter. This guy had it in spades. With one searing look he burnt Robert right out of her mind and stamped his own image over the scar. It was a stunning impact.


    Jasmine hadn¡¯t even begun to recover from ii when she heard Leonard start the introductions.


    ¡°Favour¡­. Jasmine¡­ this is my friend, Collins Templeton.¡±


    Another stunning impact.


    She knew him. Or rather, knew of him. Who didn¡¯t in theputer graphics business? Collins Templeton was already reaching legendary status for what he had achieved in special effects. He produced amazing stuff. And he was Leonard¡¯s friend¡­ her blind date?


    Very white teeth Hashed a winning smile. ¡°I¡¯m delighted to meet you both. And I wish you a very happy birthday, Favour¡±


    He offered his hand to her first-a perfunctory courtesy as Favour thanked him-just a quick touch- then to Jasmine, who found her hand captured by his for several seconds, making her extremely conscious of the warm flesh-to-flesh contact.


    ¡°I appreciate your giving me yourpany tonight, Jasmine¡± he said very personally, his voice pitched to a low, deep intimacy.


    Her stomach flipped. She¡¯d thought of Collins Templeton as some cleverputer nerd with a weird creative genius, upying some of his own. Yet here he was, right in front of her, so dynamically sexy she could scarcely breathe. It was a miracle she found the presence of mind to produce a reply.


    ¡°My pleasure.¡± she replied.


    His smile was quite dazzling, given the dark tan of his skin. He had a strong nose, strong chin. His eyebrows were straight and low, his eyes deep-set, somehow emphasising their prating power. His hair was a mass of tight, springy ck curls which should have had a softening effect, but perversely added a sense of wound-up aggression.

 5

    ¡°Nice car,¡± he said, nodding to where she¡¯d parked. ¡°I like it¡±


    His eyes leased as he asked, ¡°What does it say about you?¡±


    She already felt under attack from him and instinctively she fended off the probe that was asking her to reveal private feelings. ¡°Ermmm¡­ Does it have to say anything?¡± Jasmine asked


    ¡°Cars always say something about their owners.¡± Collins replied and withdrew his hand. Then gestured to his friend. ¡°Now take Leonard here. His BMW says he¡¯s made it. He¡¯s solid. He likes proven performance.¡±


    ¡°Right on,¡± Leonard agreed.


    ¡°So what car do you own?¡± Jasmine asked Collins, wanting to learn something about him.


    He grinned. ¡°I don¡¯t. If I need a car, I hire one.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let him fool you, Jasmine¡± Leonard quickly inserted. ¡°Collins is a bikie from way back. He¡¯s got a whole stable of bikes to suit whatever mood he¡¯s in and whatever he wants to do.¡±


    ¡°An open road man,¡± she observed, thinking Collins had to have the kind of mind that would hale any form of confinement.


    ¡°Oh wow. Like you, Jasmine¡± Favour popped in, all for encouraging this twosome.


    Collins raised one eyebrow. ¡°True?¡± he asked.


    Jasmine shrugged. ¡°I have only ever thought of my car as a somewhat impractical self-indulgence.¡± she replied. She shot a rueful look at her sister. ¡°Favour is the one who analyses everything to death.¡±


    ¡°And I love her great sense of logic,¡± Leonard said with relish, beaming pleasure in her sister. He held out the bottle he was carrying. ¡°Brought the best French bubbly to celebrate your birthday, Fav¡±


    ¡°Great¡± She grabbed his arm, hugging it as he turned to lead them into the restaurant. ¡°I just love your sense of asion, Leonard¡±


    The were so obviously happy with each other, Jasmine shook her head over the pressure exerted on her to make up a foursome. She eyed Collins Templeton curiously, aware that he could probably snap his fingers and pick up any woman.


    So why had he agreed to a blind date?


    She remembered Favour¡¯s argument, centred mostly on getting Jasmine to rid herself of Robert and open up to other men.


    Embarrassment squirmed through her at the thought that Favour had engaged Leonard¡¯s help to fix up her sister and she was some kind of charity case to Collins Templeton-doing a favour asked of him by his old friend, A horrible sense of humiliation forced her to blurt out.


    ¡°Did Leonard coerce you into partnering me tonight?¡± she asked.


    He was slow to reply, possibly picking up her inner tension and musing over its cause. ¡°I had no other ns. Leonard wanted me to make up a party of four tonight and I agreed.¡± His mouth quirked. ¡°No regrets so far. But if you have a problem with the arrangement..¡±


    ¡°No¡± she rushed out on a wave of intense relief. He hadn¡¯t been told anything personal about her.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    His head tilted quizzically. ¡°You want to cut and run?¡±


    Truth spilled out before she could slop it. ¡°Favour would kill me if I did.¡±


    ¡°Ah! So she coerced you.¡± he said.


    Jasmine took a deep breath, wanting to get onto some kind of equal footing with him. ¡°It was more her idea than mine.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re anticipating pain with me?¡±


    A nervous gurgle ofughter bubbled out. ¡°Let me fantasise pleasure for a while.¡±


    ¡°Good idea!¡± His eyes twinkled wicked mischief. ¡°I will do the same.¡± He half turned, waving her to fall into step with him to follow Leonard and Favour. He made no attempt to take her arm or hand, for which she was grateful since she was super-conscious of his physicality as it was, and any contact would feel sexual after her blunder in linking pleasure and fantasy.


    ¡°Favour said you and Leonard have been friends since school days,¡± she remarked, trying to dampen the sizzle she¡¯d unwittingly raised.


    ¡°Mmm¡­ going on twenty years. We¡¯re still the same people to each other. You get to value that as you move through life.¡±


    ¡°I guess you do a lot of role-ying with your work.¡±


    He paused, nting her a sharp look beneath lowered brows. ¡°You know what I do?¡±


    Would he have preferred her not to know? To pretend he was just some regr guy for the night? Was he sick of women climbing all over him for what he was?


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I won¡¯t b on about it,¡± she assured him. ¡°I don¡¯t think Favour knows. I happen to work with graphic artists who are interested in everything youe up with-big discussions-so when Leonard introduced you¡­¡±


    ¡°You are a graphic artist yourself?¡± he cut in, an angry tension emanating from him.


    ¡°No. And I¡¯m not a user, either.¡± she asserted, resenting the implied assumption that she might angle some benefit out of this meeting with him. ¡°You¡¯re perfectly safe with me, Collins Templeton¡±


    He gave her a long hard look that bristled with suspicion and she stared right back with fierce pride, finally earning a glint of respect.


    ¡°Oh, I wouldn¡¯t go that far,¡± he drawled, his mouth taking on a wrytwist. ¡°You pack quite a punch, Jasmine Leire¡±


    Heat whooshed up her neck and into her cheeks as sexual electricity crackled from him and zipped into her bloodstream. Jasmine was appalled at herself. She never blushed. She might flush in anger, but blushing belonged to adolescence and she was way past that. A sophisticated career woman did not blush.


    ¡°You are not exactly harmless yourself,¡± she retorted defensively, only realizing it was an admission of the attraction he exerted after she had spoken. Not that it mattered. He knew anyway. Impossible for him not to be aware of his effect on women, just as she was aware that many men fancied her.


    He shrugged. ¡°Sorry if I gave offence. This is my week off from being the Collins Templeton. In fact, it¡¯s myst night off. I have to go back to being him tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t like being him?¡± she asked. Was being so sessful such a burden?


    ¡°Well, it has its rewards and I¡¯m not about to give them up,¡± he stated, determination glinting in his eyes. ¡°But¡­. there¡¯s a time and ce for everything.¡±


    it was clear he wouldn¡¯t enjoy being with some star-struck woman who raved on about what he¡¯d achieved or tried to ferret out the key to his meteroric rise to fame in his field.


    ¡°So what would you like tonight to be?¡± Jasmine asked, somewhat bemused by his wish to set aside the recognition that most men¡¯s egos would demand.

 6

    He paused to consider. His eyes beamed a spective challenge as he answered, ¡°Whatever two strangers want to make of it.¡±


    ¡°¡®Without a tomorrow.¡± jasmine asked.


    ¡°Tomorrow I¡¯m gone.¡± he replied.


    Well, that wasying it on the line. No future with Collins Templeton. Not that she had had time to even think of one or consider whether it might be desirable.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll just take this one night experience with the man behind the name,¡± she countered, pride insisting that his schedule did not affect her expectations from this blind date, which had been zero before she met him anyway.


    Sexual invitation simmered back at her. ¡°I wonder if you will.¡±


    She hadn¡¯t meant a one-night stand. Another wretched blush goaded her into being uncharacteristically provocative. ¡°You win some. You lose some.¡± It was a warning for him not to assume anything.


    He grinned. ¡°The game is afoot. And you can¡¯t cut and run because your sister is watching and she¡¯ll kill you if you do.¡±


    Heughed, trying to lighten the effect of a charge of nervous excitement.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m trapped?¡± Jasmine asked.


    ¡°Yes I do. Why did youe then?¡±


    ¡°To please Favour. It¡¯s her birthday.¡±


    ¡°Then you have a giving nature. That¡¯s a trap in itself, Jasmine¡±


    ¡°Oh, the giving only goes so far¡±


    ¡°¡®What would you take, given the chance?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a big question.¡± she said.


    ¡°And you don¡¯t intend to answer it yet.¡±


    ¡°That would spoil the game.¡±


    Heughed, entirely rxed now and enjoying the flirtation he¡¯d fired up and was stoking with every look and word.


    ¡°I guess we¡¯d better join Favour and Leonard. They¡¯re waiting for us on the steps.¡±


    So they were, paused halfway up the flight of steps to the restaurant and viewing her and Collins with an air of smug satisfaction-the sessful matchmakers congratting themselves on getting it right! Except this blind date wasn¡¯t going beyond whatever happened tonight.


    Remember that, Jasmine sternly told herself as she walked beside the man who had every nerve in her body agitated, her heart thumping, her mind bombarded with tempting fantasies.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    There is no tomorrow, she recited, meaning it as a sobering caution to be sensible. Yet somehow it had the perverse effect of inciting a sense of wild recklessness-a desire to take what she could of Collins Templeton while she could. To have him. All he¡¯d give her. If only for one night.


    ______


    Jasmine had ordered the three scoops of different ice creams for dessert and was tasting them each in turn, sliding the loaded spoon between her lips, consciously testing the vour on her tongue. Collins found the action so sensual, his whole body was tightening up. Jasmine Leire was one hell of a sexy woman and the urge to race her off into the night and ravage her from head to toe had a powerful grip on him.


    He wrenched his gaze away from her mouth and turned it out to sea. Their table was on the open veranda that ran the length of the restaurant and he¡¯d taken refuge in the view several times tonight, needing to cool the desire that kept guing him. Was she as hot for him as he was for her? Would she go for it, given the limitation he¡¯d stipted?


    One night¡­


    Problem was, he might end up wanting more and that would mess him up. She was like a fever in his blood and he needed a cool head once he hit Los Angeles. It was the wrong time to meet a woman like Jasmine. She appealed to him on too many levels. He liked the way her mind worked, liked talking with her, liked having her across the table from him, watching her face, the expressions in her fascinating eyes, her bodynguage.


    She wasn¡¯t a stranger anymore, though he¡¯d deliberately refrained from asking about her life, keeping their dinner conversation to verygeneral topics. She¡¯d still got to him, more than he recalled any other woman ever doing.


    Better to let her go, he told himself. What had she said¡­ win some, lose some? He¡¯d never liked losing, but he had a lot at stake right now.


    Winning what he nned to win in L. A. was more important than losing out on a night of sex which could get him too involved with this woman.


    ¡°Do you think a full moon really does affect people?¡± There was a full moon tonight, big and white, hanging in the sky where he had turned his gaze, but he hadn¡¯t been looking at it. Jasmine question drew an instant reply from Favour who¡¯d been bubbling with high spirits all evening.


    ¡°Course it does. The word, lunatic didn¡¯t evolve from nothing.¡±


    ¡°Historically it is associated with madness. And romance,¡± Leonard chimed in.


    ¡°Which could be considered a form of madness,¡± Collins observed dryly, looking back at Jasmine, hoping she wasn¡¯t nursing romantic thoughts about him.


    It simply wasn¡¯t on. Yet the pull of her attraction was very strong.


    ¡°I was just wondering¡­¡± The musing little smile on her lips had his gut contracting with the desire to kiss her. ¡°¡­ how connected are we to the physical world? We get irritated when it¡¯s windy. Sunshine tends Co make us smile. The moon regtes the tides, so when it¡¯s at full strength like this, does it tug at things in us, too¡¯.¡±


    Was she wanting an exnation for what she felt with him? Favour An excuse for it? Something outside herself so she couldn¡¯t be med for wanting what he wanted, too?


    ¡°You mean like amplifying the feelings we have,¡± said spectively. ¡°Making mad people even madder.¡±


    ¡°Swelling the tides of passion,¡± Leonard rolled out, relishing that idea and proceeding to banter with Favour about possible lunar effects on human behaviour.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget animals,¡± Collins inserted after a while. ¡°Why do wolves howl at a full moon?¡±


    ¡°Because they prefer dark nights?¡± Jasmine suggested, looking at him with her head on a tilt as though mentally likening him to a wolf who prowled dark ces.


    ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s part of the mating game,¡± he couldn¡¯t resist saying.


    Her thickshes lowered, veiling the expression in her eyes, though rot before he glimpsed a vulnerability to the mating they could share.


    Temptation bit into his resolution to let her go. She wanted him. He wanted her. Where was the harm in a one-night stand? It wasn¡¯t as though she was an inexperienced woman. Late twenties, he guessed, and given her face and figure, had probably been fending off or taking on guys since her mid-teens.

 7

    Her long throat moved in a convulsive little swallow. Dry-mouthed from the heal coursing through her? The low V-neckline of her dress pointed into the valley between her breasts, shadowed by the soft swell of lush feminine flesh on either side. He wanted to fill his hands with her, wanted to¡­


    ¡°Coffee, anyone?¡± The waiter deftly removed the emptied dessert tes as choices were made around the table.


    ¡°Short ck,¡± Jasmine said, Strong and dark, Collins thought, which was how he wanted it, too.


    ¡°The same for me.¡± he said. He didn¡¯t hear what the others ordered. The waiter departed. Leonard suggested they walk on down the hill to the Crowne za after they¡¯d finished their coffee, disco the rest of the night away. Favour apuded the idea. Jasmine smiled al her sister but said nothing, waiting Collins reaction with no persuasion from her either way.


    Hours of ear-sting music and hot, sweaty dancing didn¡¯t appeal to Collins. Nor did a long sexual tease with Jasmine that promised without delivering. She had burned him enough tonight. If there was to be any action between them, it was now or never, he decided.


    Her choice.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯ll all excuse me-you, particrly, Jasmine¡­¡± He offered her a rueful smile. ¡°I wasn¡¯t nning on ate night tonight. I have a car calling at seven-thirty in the morning to take me to the airport. I have the evening very much but¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to be a total wreck tomorrow,¡± she finished for him, smiling her understanding and with more than a hint of relief in her eyes.


    Off the hook?


    ¡°I won¡¯t cut into your n of action, Leonard¡± he directed to his old friend.


    ¡°I can call a taxi from here and the three of you can¡­¡±


    ¡°No need for a taxi.¡± Jasmine, cut in. ¡°I can drive you back to Forresters Beach on my way home.¡±


    Excitement zipped through his veins. Opportunity had just been opened up. Was it deliberate, decisive, or merely flirting with a chance she might take?


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said, anticipation surging into a storm of desire at the thought of being alone with her.


    She looked at her sister. ¡°That¡¯s okay with you, isn¡¯t it, Favour? Leonard will bring you home after the disco?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Leonard agreed, happy to have Favour to himself.


    Her sister heaved a sigh and looked from Jasmine to Collins, clearly exasperated by this abrupt end to their foursome. It wasn¡¯t what she¡¯d nned but the decision had already been taken out of her hands.


    Collins smiled at her. ¡°May I say it¡¯s been a delight to meet you, Favour. You and Leonard have yourself a ball tonight.¡±


    ¡°Hey! And wake me for a coffee with you before you leave in the morning, Collins¡± Leonard demanded.


    ¡°Will do.¡± Collins replied.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to go home this early, Jasmine¡± Favour pressed, frowning at her sister. ¡°It will only take ten minutes to drop Collins off at Forresters Beach¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you watching out for me at a disco,¡± she stated firmly. ¡°You and Leonard should feel free to have fun together. It¡¯s your birthday.¡±


    And that might be the straight truth of it, Collins cautioned himself. Being at a disco without a partner, guys on a high trying to pick her up¡­ he could well imagine a fight breaking out over Jasmine Leire ¡­ and that could be extremely tiresome if she wasn¡¯t in the mood to y. With anyone else but him.


    Conviction fizzed through his mind. She need not have made the offer to drive him home. She could have waited until he¡¯d left in a taxi, then made the decision not to go to the disco. This was not a safe y. The chance was on.


    Jasmine beamed her sister a flinty look that said enough was enough and there¡¯d be no forcing her to circte in a crowded disco where shemight or might not hit it off with some guy. Impossible anyway after being with Collins Templeton all evening. Though her impulsive offer to drive him to Leonard¡¯s ce now had her stomach churning.


    The move protected her from being thrown at more men, which Favour had obviously intended once Collins removed himself from the field of y. It also protected her from any argument over her decision to leave since giving her blind date a lift home was a perfectly reasonable and polite thing to do in return for hispany tonight. But it did mean she¡¯d be alone with him in her car and when they reached Forresters Beach.


    Would she be safe with him?This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Did she want to be safe with him?


    Favour¡¯s resigned grimace set her free to do whatever she liked and Leonard was obviously not troubled by their party being cut in half. He¡¯d done what had been requested of him, supplying Collins for Favour¡¯s sister, and if the two of them went off together, that was fine by him. He had the woman he wanted still at his side.


    The coffee arrived. She hoped its hot bitterness would sober her up. Not from alcohol.


    She¡¯d only drunk one ss of champagne. It was Collins Templeton¡¯s affect on her that needed diluting down to something manageable. He was like a ma, ying a tug-of-war with every female hormone in her body. Never in her life had she been made to feel so aware of her own sexuality, as well as a chaotic craving to experience his.


    He had the most sinfully sexy eyes, teasing, challenging, flirting, knowing and constantly evaluating the response he drew from her. He made herugh. He made her smile. He made her tingle all over. He was the intoxicant and not even the knowledge that he¡¯d be gone tomorrow lessened the addictive power of his attraction.


    ¡°So I get to have a ride in your car.¡±


    She stopped sipping the coffee and looked up to answer him, her heart squeezing tight at the warm pleasure in his eyes.


    ¡°A short ride,¡± she said, reminding herself again of the brevity of this encounter. One night¡­ which was fasting to an end.


    ¡°An impractical self-indulgence,¡± he drawled softly.


    For a stomach-clenching moment, she thought he was referring to her decision to ride with him, whatever that might lead to between them. Then she realised he was repeating her own words about owning such a car.


    ¡°You get wet if it rains before you can stop to get the hood on,¡± she exined with a shrug.


    ¡°But you don¡¯t mind the wind in your hair.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°Nor the sun on my face.¡±


    ¡°You like the feel of nature.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°An elemental woman.¡± he said.

 8

    He made it sound intensely sensual, made her feel intensely sensual. She took refuge in sipping coffee again, trying not to wonder just how elemental he was and how he would look as nature had fashioned him.


    The open-necked shirt had been tantalising her all throughout dinner, giving her a glimpse of tight ck curls arrowing down his chest. His forearms weren¡¯t hairy, their darkly tanned skin gleaming like oiled teak. She imagined his whole body would be mainly like that with a sprinkle of ck springy curls in the most masculine ces. The desire to know, to touch, conflicted terribly with the sensible course of simply wishing him well and waving him goodbye. He wasn¡¯t going to be in her life.


    Except for this one night.


    Leonard paid the restaurant bill, insisting it was his party treat for Favour. Everyone had drank their coffee, it was time to go. Nervous tension gripped Jasmine as Collins moved to hold her chair back for an easy rise from the table. She looked at the full moon as she stood up. Was this lust for him a madness that she would shake her head over tomorrow?


    She didn¡¯t understand it.


    Was she raw and needful from Robert¡¯s most recent dalliance with another woman? But she wasn¡¯t feeling any bitter hurt right now. It was as though all that was in a far distant ce. Collins Templeton generated a physical immediacy thatpletely clouded anything else.


    She was super aware of her legs moving in step with his as they followed Leonard and Favour out of the restaurant, aware that the top of her head was level with his chin, aware of the strength of the man and the weak little quivers running down her thighs, aware of her breasts straining against the stretch fabric of Favour¡¯s dress, aware of the flutters in her stomach where the yearning to experience Collins Templeton was strong and deep and beyond any mental control.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Leonard decided to drive down to The Crowne za and have his car parked at the hotel for an easy pickup when he and Favour had had enough of the disco. They said their goodnights at his BMW and Jasmine and Collins watched them drive off before moving on to theend of the car park where her red convertible was waiting for them.


    ¡°Do you like to dance?¡± Collins asked as they strolled along.


    He wasn¡¯t touching her, merely walking beside her, but Jasmine barely found breath enough to answer,


    ¡®Yes.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m sorry if you feel you¡¯re missing out.¡¯ She shook her head.


    ¡®For me it would have been more of a torture than a pleasure.¡¯


    The wry statement drew her into ncing at him His eyes caught hers and delivered their own searing meaning as he borated. ¡®I would have wanted more than the touching permissable on a public dance floor, Jasmine.¡¯


    She wrenched her gaze from his as heat whooshed through her entirebody.


    The direct acknowledgment of the desire he was feeling for her left no way of dismissing it as possible fantasy. It was real. And it was vibrantly alive, pulsing through her, arousing eager responses that moured for expression.


    Her mind tried to over-ride them. She didn¡¯t do one-night stands. She believed that casual sex diminished what should be really special to artionship that shared far more than just sex. Men were different, she¡¯d told herself, having excused Robert¡¯s infidelities as meaningless rushes of testosterone. But she¡¯d never felt so sexually connected to a man before, not even with Robert at his charismatic best.


    She fumbled in her evening bag for the car keys. Just a short ride and this¡­ this raging temptation¡­ would be over. Unlock the car, get in and drive Collins Templeton to Forresters Beach. He would fly away tomorrow and she¡¯de down to earth with a big thump if she strayed from what she believed in tonight.


    But what if she never felt like this again? Was she passing up a once-in-a-lifetime experience? Would she always wonder?


    Her fingers found the car key, curled around it, brought it out. Her hand trembled as she pointed the key at her car and pressed the remote control button to unlock the doors. Collins apanied her to the driver¡¯s side, intent on doing the courtesy of seeing her settled on her seat. She waited by the door for him to reach out and open it. He stepped forward, then turned to face her instead.


    ¡®Have I embarrassed you?¡¯ he asked. His eyes scanned hers with probing intensity, driving her out of her tongue-tied state.


    ¡®No.¡¯ She tried to smile but her mouth fell as wobbly as the rest of her. ¡®I think the wolf in you was howling just then.¡¯


    ¡®And you didn¡¯t want to answer?¡¯


    ¡®Wolves tend to keep to their own territory.¡¯


    ¡®They have been known to cross boundaries if the call is strong enough.¡¯ He reached up and touched the silk flower in her hair.


    ¡®It¡¯s not real.¡¯ Her voice emerged as a husky whisper.


    ¡®No. But this is, jasmine.¡¯ His fingers feathered her earlobe before sliding under the fall of her hair to the nape of her neck. ¡®This is,¡¯ he repeated, his voice a low erotic burr as he moved closer and bent his head to hers.


    The drumming of her heart filled her ears, blocking out anyst seconddenial her mind might have dictated. A light lug of her hair tilted her face up. She was beyond fighting this moment which shimmered with the promise of answers she craved. His lips brushed hers, stirring ahost of electric tingles. Then came the tasting, a feast of sensual pleasure that was more seductive than any kissing jasmine remembered.


    Her arms lifted and wound around his neck, her own hands thrusting into his hair, fingers driving through the thick mat of curls, pressing for a continuation, wanting to know arid feel more. He scooped her body firmly against his and the hard, heated strength of him was imprinted on her, the muscr wall of his chest, rock-hard thighs, and an erection that instantly set a wave of desire rolling through her, inciting a wild, questing passion for satisfaction when his mouth invaded hers.


    Long, fierce, ravishing kisses¡­ kisses in her hair, on her throat, shoulders, her breasts yearning to be touched, taken, her stomach reveling in the feel of his urgent wanting.

 9

    Oh, he knew how to kiss. His tongue mated with hers in a rhythm that exactly matched the pulsing it set off in her body. Fireworks sparkled along her nerve endings, making every inch of her so sensitive that the merest brush of clothing against her skin seemed overwhelmingly sensual and sexual.


    He shifted, pulling her closer and pinning her body to his, so they were locked together and her throbbing center was out of reach even as it grew heavy and aching with need.


    All from a kiss.


    Her body wanted to fight the imprisonment until she felt his hardness against her belly. She understood then. He wanted her every bit as much as she wanted him. Somehow that freed her in a way desire alone couldn¡¯t have.


    He continued to hold her close with one arm as he kissed her, but his other hand began to wander. He stroked her side from breast to thigh, to the point where his leg trapped hers, then swept it up again, slowly¡­ oh, so slowly.


    And as it returned upward, she gasped.


    She arched a little, breaking the kiss. He stayed there for a while, drawing slow,zy circles on her middle while his mouth imed hers again, this time more gently, echoing the touch of his fingers.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Impatience started to build in her again, causing her to squirm a bit against his bondage, but he didn¡¯t release her. Her breasts ached for a touch, a kiss, until she thought she would go out of her mind from the longing.


    A burst ofughter jolted them both out of the wildpulsion to pursue more and more sensation. It came from another group ofpeople emerging from the restaurant and heading for their cars. Collins sucked in a deep breath, one hand lifting to cup her cheek, fingers stroking soft reassurance.


    ¡®I know a private ce. I¡¯ll drive us there.¡¯ he said.


    Her mind was too shattered to think. With quick, purposeful strides, he bundled her around to the passenger side, all his energy focused now on taking her with him. Jasmine was still too tremulous to take any positive action herself. He¡¯d already guided her into the car and fastened her seat bell before she remembered¡­


    ¡®The key¡­¡¯ he said


    It wasn¡¯t in her hand anymore. ¡®I must have dropped it.¡¯ she replied.


    ¡®I¡¯ll find it.¡¯ He bent and kissed her, stoking the need that had been left hanging.


    She sat dazed by the whole tumultuous eruption of passion. It didn¡¯t even ur to her that she hadn¡¯t given him permission to take control of her car. He settled behind the driving wheel, shed her a dazzling grin as he fastened his seat belt, switched on the engine, and they were off.


    ¡®Where are we going?¡¯ she finally found wits enough to ask.


    Another white grin-the grin of a man on a winning streak that couldn¡¯t be stopped. ¡®To a ce that was made for us, Jasmine Leire ¡­ a ce that will give us a night to remember.¡¯


    ¡ª¡ª-


    A night to remember¡­ The seductive words kept floating through Jasmine¡¯s mind as Collins drove through Terrigal, crossed the bridge over thegoon, and headed along Ocean Drive Road-all familiar territory to her, yet nothing felt familiar on this journey with Collins Templeton.


    They hadn¡¯t put the hood of the convertible down. She was closed in with him and he seemed to dominate the space inside the car, emanating an irresistible power that would pull her along with him wherever he wanted to take her. That was seductive, too, removing from her all responsibility for what happened. Except Jasmine knew that wasn¡¯t true.


    She could still say no, though her gaze was continually drawn to the hands firmly wrapped around the driving wheel, hands in control, sure of what they were doing, and the wanton desire to feel those hands on her clouded any decision. So far he hadn¡¯t done anything she hadn¡¯t secretly yearned for. Why stop now? Yet wasn¡¯t it risky, even dangerous, trusting herself to him like this?


    At the Wamberal roundabout he took the road that led towards Forresters Beach. Jasmine told herself it would be easy to stop this madness now, insist he drive to Leonard¡¯s ce and say she didn¡¯t want to take this night any further. It was the safe thing to do, just open her mouth¡­ and lose out on having Collins Templeton as her lover for one night.


    This immensely desirable man¡­


    Even in profile he was strikingly handsome. And his aggressively male physique had a sexual power which stirred basic instincts she could neither ignore nor deny. More than that, every time he looked at her, his eyes seemed to connect to what she was thinking, what she was feeling¡­ dark burning eyes, challenging her to acknowledge that the desire between them was real. Not a fantasy. Real and urgent andpelling. Every jangling nerve end in her body was still affirming this reality.


    Whether it was right or wrong for her¡­ was such a question relevant at this point?


    She was over thirty. Thirty-one. And going nowhere with the man who¡¯d monopolised her interest for the past few years. It was time to face the fact that Robert was a footloose phnderer and always would be. Collins Templeton might be one, too, for all she knew, but at least he wasn¡¯t pretending to have fallen in love with her and he¡¯d been honest about not holding out more than one night with him. This blind date did not have a blind end to it. She knew precisely what was on offer.


    Well, not precisely. Her imagination was running riot, fueled by the feelings Collins had stirred in her. It might be a wild, reckless act to ride this tide until time ran out but she didn¡¯t want to go home wondering what it might have been like. She needed to know there was something more than Robert had given her, something she could look for in the future, knowing it was real.


    The car slowed, turned into Crystal Street, the road to Leonard¡¯s ce.


    ¡®We¡¯re going to Forresters?¡¯ she blurted out, seized by the panicky thought that he had changed his mind, deciding she wasn¡¯t worth losing sleep over.


    ¡®No.¡¯ He shed her a smile that sparkled with anticipation. ¡®We are going to a little bay just past the heand at Forresters. You¡¯ll see. It¡¯s the perfect ce for us.¡¯


    Perfect¡­ He didn¡¯t have any doubts.

 10

    There was no struggle over any sense of right or wrong in his conscience. It was full steam ahead for Collins Templeton. And maybe that was part of his strength, part of his overwhelming attraction. He knew what he wanted and went after it with single-minded purpose.


    They turned right at the end of Crystal Street. The car climbed a steep hill-the headnd-went over it and down the other side, turning sharp left anding to a halt in arge dead-end parking circle that wasclosed in by a nature reserve, a thick belt of trees and bushes cutting off any sight of the ocean.


    Shadows from overhanging foliage put them in a pool of darkness.


    There were no other vehicles here. The sense of being very much alone with Collins Templeton sent a quiver of apprehension down Jasmine¡¯s spine. Was she mad to do this? Was she?


    Then he was opening the passenger door, drawing her out of the car and into an embrace that shot a flood of positive responses through her body, swamping any chilling fears. He nted soft little kisses around her face, gentle smiling kisses, transmitting a pleasure in her that Jasmine revelled in.


    ¡®Do you have a rug in the boot of the car?¡¯ he murmured.


    She always kept a pic rug there. More a rubber-backed mat than a rug. It could beid on damp ground. Or firm, wave-washed sand. She could hear the ocean now, booming behind the trees, and the idea of a secluded little beach all to themselves misted what they¡¯d be using the rug for in a romantic haze.


    ¡®Yes,¡¯ she said, and knew it was a yes to all that might ensue, regardless of how reckless it was.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Again he cupped her cheek, subjecting her eyes to an intense focus from his. ¡®I didn¡¯te prepared for this. Tell me now, Jasmine, do I need to use¡­¡¯


    ¡®No. There¡¯s no risk. Unless¡­¡¯


    She paused. Did he have sex indiscriminately, whenever and wherever the urge took him? He read her question and shook his head.


    ¡®I¡¯ve always been careful.¡¯ His mouth tilted ruefully. ¡®You¡¯re the only woman who¡¯s made me forget¡­ momentarily¡­ what intimacy can lead to.¡¯


    The power of his desire for her was exhrating. The only woman¡­


    And he was the only man who had ever incited thispelling sense of need in her. A man of control, she thought giddily, a man she could trust to look after her.


    He collected the pic rug from the boot of the car, then took her hand, holding it with warm possessive strength as he led her onto a paved path that wound through the nature reserve. It stopped wherethe beach began. With the shadows of the busnd behind them and the full moon lighting their way, it was easy to see the boards marking sand-filled steps which took them down a long dune to the seashore.


    ¡®Sit for a minute,¡¯ Collinsmanded, pausing to drop the rug on the step behind them. ¡®I¡¯ll take your shoes off.¡¯


    The first bit of undressing, Jasmine thought, her heart thumping erratically as she sank onto the rug-covered step and Collins descended a couple more before crouching to remove her shoes. She hadn¡¯t worn stockings or pantihose. It was a hot night. It felt even hotter as Collins handled her ankles, undoing the crisscross straps, his fingers sliding along the soles of her feet with each shoe removal, making her toes twitch from the sensitivity aroused by his touch.


    ¡®Cramp?¡¯ he asked.


    ¡®No. Just¡­¡¯


    He massaged her toes anyway, leaving her speechless and breathless.


    It was some slight relief when he handed over her shoes and sat down beside her to take off his own, which were casual slip-ons, no socks.


    Rather than stare at his naked feet, she trained her gaze on the big surf which was crashing onto a circle of rocks, sending up spectacr sprays, their froth gleaming white in the moonlight. The rocks encloseda small bay, reducing the waves rolling past them to small swells, a safe swimming area close to the beach.


    ¡®Does this ce have a name?¡¯ she asked, trying to find some normallevel with him.


    He grinned at her. ¡®Spoon Bay.¡¯


    Laughter gurgled out, easing her nervous tension about epting whatever would be between them. ¡®Made for spooning by moonlight?¡¯


    His eyes twinkled, happy to have her more rxed with him. ¡®I think it refers more to the shape of the area¡­ the way the beach curves intothe treeline and the rocks curve around the bay. You can¡¯t see it properly from here. Come¡­¡¯


    He stood and pulled her to her feet, grabbed therug again, tucking it under his far arm so he could still hold her hand as they continued down the sand-and-board steps. Jasmine took a deep breath of the salty sea air. Somehow it was as intoxicating as the tingling heat of Collins fingers, intertwining with hers. All her senses seemed switched onto a much sharper level.


    They walked along the beach to the little cove Collins had described, sand squishing underfoot, the surf beating out its own primevalrhythm, the almost eerie light of the full moon lending a mood of ancient timelessness to the scene. They could have been the only man and woman in the universe, making footprints where none had been before, surrounded by elements of nature that no human touch had ever controlled.


    Would tonight with Collins leave its imprint on her¡­ a night to remember?


    Heid the pic rug over a stretch of smooth sand in the centre of the cove. The sight of it, ready for them, so sensible and nned, suddenly put Jasmine at odds with its obvious purpose. Her nerves jangled a panicky protest. She tossed her shoes onto it and spun around to face the sea, instinctively seeking a spontaneous rush of something else, more natural, more enticing, more¡­ explosive¡­ like the waves on the rocks, a fierce flow and ebb, driven by mindless forces which were very, very real.


    Like what she had felt with Collins before, when he¡¯d kissed her, when¡­


    ¡®Stay right there,¡¯ hemanded from behind her, and she heard the rustle and click of his clothes being removed.


    She didn¡¯t look, couldn¡¯t bring herself to look or take any action at all.


    Her mind filled with a vision of him emerging naked in all his muscr splendour, primal male pulsing with a vitality which he was releasing from all the conventional bonds of their civilised world, and she wanted to be released too. free of all inhibitions. He woulde to her¡­ she was waiting¡­ and her heart was drumming louder than the waves now.


    No turning away from this, no turning¡­

 11

    Her whole body was wire-tight with anticipation when his arms slid around her waist. She almost crumbled at the contact, the need for it was so intense. She leaned back against him, revelling in the sense of being epassed and protected by his hard, warm strength, wanting to feel a togetherness that could face anything and survive intact. He rubbed his cheek over her hair and she felt his chest rise and fall as he breathed in its scent, mingled now with the smell of the sea.


    ¡®You should have been called Eve,¡¯ he murmured.


    The beginning of time, she thought, ted that he was in tune with her own feelings. ¡®And you, Adam?¡¯


    ¡®The caveman in me has definitely been stirred tonight.¡¯


    Was it the cavewoman in her responding? It didn¡¯t matter. Having surrendered to whatever it was, she simply wanted to be swept along with it.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    His hands slid up to capture her breasts, fingers softly kneading, savouring their fullness. She closed her eyes, inwardly focusing on his touch and the sensations it aroused, the excited lightening of her nipples, the flow of pressures that seemed to make her flesh swell voluptuously and recede in rhythmic waves. She reached up to pull her hair forward over her shoulders to bare the zipper at the back of her dress, but he didn¡¯t do anything about it. He kissed the nape of her neck and glided his hands down over her stomach, her thighs, and gathered up the hem of her dress, lifting the skirt to her waist so the night air shivered over all he¡¯d exposed to it, naked thighs, naked hips, and his palm moved underneath the G-string she still wore, fingers reaching, stroking, building an almost unbearable excitement.


    It was unbelievably erotic being caressed like this, without seeing theman who was doing it, only feeling his body behind her, hot flesh pressed to hers while in front of her there was nothing but sand and water and air-elemental nature, swirling, changing, sucking, crashing, wafting-while the fire of desire was being stoked inside her in an echo of the same shifting patterns of movement.


    It was wild. And suddenly it was too much for her to keep letting it goon. In a fever of urgency, she dropped her own hands to snatch the flimsy G-string away, pulling it down to step out of it. As she bent over she felt her dress being unzipped, her bra unclipped, and in a few quick seconds, she waspletely naked, too, and spun around to face her partner of the night.


    He grabbed her hands and stepped back, his eyes feasting on the feminine curves he¡¯d only felt. ¡®Look at you¡­¡¯ he said huskily


    The awe in his voice filled her own mind as she looked at him, so tall and big and magnificently made in a mould that was utterly perfect manhood.


    ¡®¡­ like a siren from the sea,e to lure me away from everything else.¡¯


    ¡®Are you a myth?¡¯


    ¡®Do I feel like one?¡¯ He lifted her hands to press the palms against his chest, drawing her into him as he guided them up to his shoulders. The tips of her breasts touched him. Then he released her hands and scooped her into close and intimate contact with all of him.


    ¡®Not a myth,¡¯ he said gruffly. ¡®But we can make a legend of tonight, Jasmine Leire.¡¯


    And he kissed her¡­. Kissed her as though her mouth held the fountain of life and he thirsted for every drop of it. And she kissed him back with all the pent-up passion from waiting for this, waiting and wanting and needing it to be¡­ just like this.


    He swung her off her feet,id her on the rug, loomed over her, his face aze with the fire within, his powerful body dark and taut, rampant male poised to take, primed to take, and a wild tion coursed through Jasmine as she positioned herself to possess him.


    He came into her with shocking, exhrating swiftness, the impact of him arching her body in an instinctive and ecstatic urge to hold the deeply prating fullness, to have it all, the whole glorious shaft ofhim imbedded in the warm silky heart of her, surrounding him, enclosing him, drawing him into the ultimate togetherness.


    And he paused there to kiss her again, to invade her mouth with the passionate intent to link them in a totality that swam with intense sensation. He was spread on top of her, a pulsing nket of heated muscle, pressing onto her breasts, their lower bodies locked, her legs wound around his hips, her hands raking his back, her whole body yearning to be utterly joined with his, exulting in feeling everything possible with him.


    His arms burrowed under her and she was lifted to straddle his thighs as he sat back on his haunches, his mouth leaving hers to fasten on her breasts, subjecting each one to a wild exquisite suction as he rocked her from side to side, moving the pressure of him inside her to an equally exquisite slide along her inner walls. She threw back her head, instinctively thrusting her breasts forward, loving the hot tug onthem, the swirlingsh of his tongue on her nipples, and the arc of sweet pleasure that flowed from these ravishing kisses to the tantalising caresses within.


    The full moon shone on her face. The sea breeze filtered through her swaying hair. The roar of crashing waves filled her ears. But they were outside things and the vibrant inner life of this union with Collins Templeton swamped her awareness of anything else. It was like an ocean of sensation, whipped by a storm of feeling, tidal waves gathering more and more explosive power.


    He surged up andid her back on the rug, his breath a hot wind on her skin as he hovered over her like a dark mountainous wave about to break. She felt the crest of it, poised within her, holding, holding. Then the pounding began, deep, glorious beats that throbbed through her entire body, convulsing it around him, carrying her into intense turbulence-a turbulence that swept her to an incredible peak of ecstatic excitement, and her body seemed to shatter with the fantastic pleasure of it.


    But it wasn¡¯t shattered. It floated on rolls of more pleasure, peaking and ebbing, peaking and ebbing, until the driving force of Collins reached its climax on onest brilliant peak and finished in a flood of deep warmth that slowly gentled them both into the sweet peace of utter fulfilment.

 12

    They hugged. They kissed. They touched. They revelled in the sensual magic of the night, strolling along the wet sand with the dying froth of waves caressing their feet, swimming in the rock, pool, their bodies sliding around each other in the buoyant water, teasing, inviting, savouring the freedom to give and take every pleasure in being together.


    To Jasmine, he was wonderful. She couldn¡¯t have enough of him. And he shared her greed, her lust to have everything possible packed into this one night. Nothing wild was too wild. There was no shame in anything. They loved each other in the water, on the sand, against a rock with the spray of the sea showering over them.


    What words were spoken did not rte to any other time or ce orcircumstance. The past and the future had no bearing on what they shared. There was no breaking of that mutual understanding, no attempt to break it, or change any of the parameters of that one promise¡­ a night to remember.


    They didn¡¯t sleep.


    They left the beach at dawn.


    It was time to part.


    _______


    ¡®If you miss him this much, then why don¡¯t you give him a call?¡¯ Favour asked Jasmine, who turned to her with an eyebrow raised.


    ¡®Me? Miss who?¡¯ she asked. She lifted her hand to her chest. ¡®I have no idea what you mean¡¯


    Favour frowned. ¡®You know exactly what I mean, Jasmine.¡¯ she replied. ¡®Collins Templeton. You miss him. I can see it in your eyes¡­ You even zone out sometimes and I keep acting like I don¡¯t notice. You know, you can just give him a call. You know you want to.¡¯


    ¡®How do you know I¡¯m not thinking about work. What makes you so sure that I¡¯m zoning out because I¡¯m thinking about him?¡¯


    ¡®I can¡¯t believe you expect me to answer that.¡¯ said Favour. ¡®You¡¯re my sister and I know you. You don¡¯t love work that much. Call him¡¯


    Jasmine shrugged. ¡®I can¡¯t. We agreed we didn¡¯t want anything more from each other apart from that night together. I guess that kinda makes it special in some way¡­. And besides, even if I wanted to call, I don¡¯t even have a way to reach him¡¯


    ¡®I could ask Leonard for his number¡¯ Favour piped. ¡®I¡¯m sure he will be d to give it.¡¯


    ¡®Oh there¡¯s no need for that¡¯ said Jasmine hastily as she stood up. ¡®It¡¯s better this way. Trust me. It¡¯s only been one week. I¡¯m sure with time this whole thing will pass. It¡¯s just a little crush¡­ It¡¯s means nothing and I¡¯m sure that whatever it is I¡¯m feeling, it will pass soon¡¯


    Favour stared at her sister for a few seconds. ¡®Well, if you say so. But just know that I¡¯m here¡­ In case you change your mind sometime¡¯


    ______


    Nine monthster¡­


    Jasmine set the crystal tiara carefully over Favour¡¯s topknot of brightblond curls, watching her sister¡¯s reflection in the mirror to position thisst piece of wedding finery with perfect precision.


    ¡®There!¡¯ she said with a satisfied smile, stepping back to fluff out the veil attached to the tiara.


    ¡®You look fabulous! A princess bride if ever I saw one.¡¯


    Favour¡¯s vivid blue eyes sparkled with happy anticipation. ¡®I hope Leonard thinks so.¡¯ she said.


    ¡®How could he not?¡¯ Jasmine¡¯s gaze dropped to take in the heavily beaded and embroidered bodice of the wedding dress. It was moulded to every feminine curve like a second skin. Little cap sleeves led into alow heart-shaped neckline, echoed at her tiny waist with a slight dip from which a manyyered tulle skirt frothed to the floor. It was pure romance and typically Favour , ¡®You¡¯ll take his breath away.¡¯


    They shared a sisterhood smile.


    ¡®You look fabulous, too, Jasmine. That dark red suits you.¡¯ It did. And the simple elegance of the strapless satin sheath was much more her style. Though Favour had stuck her with a flower in her hair, a dark red rose nestled against the topknot of curls which were more unruly than the bride¡¯s but hopefully fastened securely by pins.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    AH four bridesmaids were wearing their hair up like Favour¡¯s. At the moment, the other three, close friends of her sister, were out of the room, checking out the bouquets which had just been delivered. Favour seized on the opportunity for a private chat.


    ¡®You know what would really make me happy?¡¯ she pressed.


    ¡®I thought you were over the moon already, marrying the man you love.¡¯


    Favour simply continued speaking. ¡®if you¡¯d just give Khalid a chance. He¡¯s Leonard¡¯s best man. As my chief bridesmaid, you¡¯ll be partnered with him and¡­¡¯


    ¡®Please¡­¡¯ Jasmine rolled her eyes in exasperation at her sister¡¯s persistent matchmaking, ¡®¡­ don¡¯t start on that again.¡¯


    ¡®But he¡¯s really nice. I¡¯ve met him several times. And he hasn¡¯t picked up with anyone since his divorce.¡¯


    ¡®You want tond me with a man who has a failed marriage behind him?¡¯


    ¡®Now you¡¯re being nit-picky. You¡¯ve got to face it, Jasmine. The field of eligible guys narrows down after you¡¯re thirty and you¡¯ve been manless since you finally had the sense to get rid of Robert.¡¯


    ¡®And quite contentedly so, thank you. I have my goldfish to keep mepany.¡¯ She hadn¡¯t been allowed to have a dog in her apartment but no one objected to goldfish as pets.


    Favour gritted her teeth. ¡®Goldfish cannot take the ce of a man in your life.¡¯


    ¡®You¡¯re right. They¡¯re something else. Goldfish love you unconditionally. They are always there for me. They¡¯re beautiful to look at and they never let me down ¡®


    ¡®Now you¡¯re being cynical.¡¯


    ¡®Not at all. Just telling it how it is.¡¯


    ¡®Goldfishes,¡¯ Favour scoffed. ¡®Whoever heard of fish being called after characters from Gone With the Wind?¡¯


    It seemed apt at the time, since she¡¯d bought them after her night with Collins Templeton¡­ a night that was gone with the wind though she¡¯d always remember it.


    ¡®At least it shows there¡¯s some romance left in your soul,¡¯ Favour reasoned, returning to her pitch. ¡®Khalid could be good for you.¡¯


    Jasmine shrugged, not wanting an argument today of all days. ¡®Well, if he is, he is.¡¯


    ¡®So you will give him a chance.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯ll dance with him at your wedding and hope he doesn¡¯t tread on my toes.¡¯


    Favour rxed into augh which ended in a rueful grimace.


    ¡®A pity Collins Templeton couldn¡¯t make it today. You made such a striking pair when Leonard and [i fixed up that blind date for the two of you.¡¯


    ¡®Mmm¡­¡¯ It was the most nonmittal reply Jasmine coulde up with.

 13

    ¡®You know thest big box-office movie that featured his special effects¡­ it¡¯s been nominated for a Golden Globe,¡¯ Favour rattled on. In my opinion, it¡¯s Collins work that really makes it so dramatic and memorable. Did you go and see it?¡¯This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    ¡®Yes. Stunning stuff.¡¯ She had sat in the movie theatre, enthralled by the mind that could imagine and create such amazing scenes. It had made the night she¡¯d spent with him all the more extraordinary.


    Uniquely special.


    ¡®He might get an Academy Award for that movie,¡¯ Favour rattled on.


    ¡®Leonard says¡­¡¯


    The other bridesmaids erupted into the room, carrying the bouquets and eximing how beautiful they were, and any further talk about Collins Templeton was abruptly dropped, much to Jasmine¡¯s relief. She didn¡¯t want to discuss him or his work. It was easier to keep him tucked away as a private memory.


    Initially he¡¯d been designated as Leonard¡¯s best man, butmitments on the other side of the world had forced him to regretfully decline the honour.


    Which was undoubtedly true, yet Jasmine couldn¡¯t help wondering if that suited him since it neatly avoided meeting her again.


    Though that was probably too personal a nt on his decision. His long friendship with Leonard would surely have taken priority over any sense of awkwardness over partnering her again¡­ for just one night.


    A second night¡­


    Her stomach clenched at the need that suddenly wed through her. Stupid, she fiercely told herself. Magic could never be recaptured. It would be different, a second time around. In fact, it might even spoilt he memory she had of him. Better that he was caught up in other things elsewhere.


    The only problem was, she couldn¡¯t get interested in other men, despite her sister¡¯s best efforts to couple her with quite a few reasonably attractive prospects.


    Favour thought she¡¯d been too scarred by her long rtionship with Robert , but it was actually Collins Templeton who got in the way, making other men seem hopelessly pale inparison.


    She hadn¡¯t even been tempted to pick up with Robert again, despite his abject apologies and begging for another chance. In fact, she¡¯d suddenly seen his charm as totally egocentric, a toot he used in a deliberate y for power over others. Maniption was his game. She¡¯d been blind to it before, or sucked in by feelings he¡¯d known how to y on.


    In the first few months after her night with Collins, Robert had proceeded to target every woman who was professionally associated with Jasmine, focusing all his charismatic energy on them, one by one, until he had them, and then he¡¯d slyly let Jasmine know as though that was supposed to make her feel jealous or possessive, firing up a desire to have him back in her bed and her life.


    It didn¡¯t work.


    Robert couldn¡¯t get to her anymore.


    An ironic little smile hovered on her lips. Collins Templeton had certainly done her a favour there, but had he wrecked any chance of her connecting to someone else who might very well be good for her¡­ like Khalid?


    She wandered over to the window, knowing the vintage cars to transport the wedding party were due to arrive. The cars had been Leonard¡¯s idea, matching up to the old colonial house Livvy had chosen for the reception. Alt very romantic. As it should be on their wedding day.


    The weather had smiled on them. It was a lovely sunny afternoon. The ceremony at the church was scheduled for four o¡¯clock and it was now three-fifteen. Their parents were already dressed and waiting downstairs for their daughters to appear in their wedding finery. They would all leave together from this family home in Lane Cove where Jasmine and Favour had grown up and gone to school.


    A big moment for their mother and father, Jasmine thought, their younger daughter getting married. Both she and Favour had left home years ago, seeking more convenient amodation to their careers and the freedom to lead their lives without too much criticalment from their parents. The independent set-up had freed their parents, too, removing enough of their sense of responsibility and ties to their children for them to really enjoy the travelling they¡¯d always wanted to do. But different lifestyles hadn¡¯t diminished the love and caring they shared as a family and today was a milestone to be cherished.


    ¡®The cars areing up the street now,¡¯ she announced, d they wouldn¡¯t cause any hitch in the arrangements.


    She wanted everything to be perfect for Favour.


    Her sister¡¯s wedding.


    It might be the only one her family would have. She couldn¡¯t see herself ever getting married. For some women there was only ever one man.


    Jasmine suspected hers had been Collins Templeton.


    ______


    Collins nced at his watch as he strode out of the Airport Hilton Hotel.


    Just past three-thirty. He¡¯d flown into Sydney only an hour ago, no luggage to collect since he¡¯d carried his overnight hag and the suit-holder containing his formal clothes for Leonard¡¯s wedding onto the aircraft with him. He¡¯d shaved in flight so he¡¯d only had to shower and change here at the hotel. With any luck, he should get to the church on time.


    The taxi he¡¯d ordered was waiting for him. He climbed into it and gave the driver the address at Chatswood, adding that he had to be there by four o¡¯clock for a wedding.


    ¡®No worries,¡¯ the cabbie cheerfully assured him. ¡®We take the freeway and the harbour tunnel. Being Saturday afternoon, the traffic¡¯s not heavy. In any event, the bride is alwayste.¡¯


    Not Favour, Collins thought, remembering her on-the-dot punctuality in arriving at the Galley restaurant on the night of his blind date with jasmine.


    Jasmine¡­


    He sighed over the frustrating conflicts she raised in his mind. The memory of her had almost stopped him froming to this wedding.


    Leonard¡¯s wedding! As it was, he¡¯d let his old friend down, declining the role of best man because that would have inevitably put him as Jasmine¡¯s partner in the wedding party.


    He shook his head over her lingering and pervasive effect on him. Try as he might, he couldn¡¯t set the memory of that one night with her aside and it had proved unsettling too many times over this past year, distracting him from business, insidiously destroying the attraction that other women would have had in the normal course of events. But he should not have let it get in the way of standing up for Leonard on his wedding day.


    His hands clenched in anger.


    Bad decision!


    When he¡¯d called from Singaporest night to say he wasing, the excitement and pleasure in Leonard¡¯s voice had shamed him.. Letting a woman-any woman-put him off sharing in such an important day.


    Their friendship was worth more than any disturbance Jasmine Leire might give him.


    ¡®I may bete getting there,¡¯ he¡¯d warned.


    ¡®Hey! No problem, man. It¡¯ll be great to see you. I will tell Mum to organise a seat for you at the reception. Where would you like to be? With the young bloods?¡¯

 14

    He should have been sitting beside Leonard. Since he¡¯d given up that ce and weddings were really a family affair, he¡¯d answered, ¡®No. With my mother, if that¡¯s possible. Haven¡¯t seen her for a while.¡¯


    ¡®Done.¡¯C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    And that had made him feel guilty, too. Leonard would oblige him with anything, and he¡¯d¡­ toote to rue it now. Damn Favour¡¯s sister and her power to mess with things that were not rted to her. He hoped seeing her again today would put the memory of that one night with her in some reasonable perspective. Get it out of his system.


    His mother was always goodpany. She would im his attention.


    Now there was one woman he did genuinely love. She¡¯d always stuck up for him against his father who¡¯d relentlessly put him down, jeering over his interest inputer graphics, saying he was wasting his time and would never amount to anything. Too bad he¡¯d died when Collins was only twenty. Though he¡¯d probably even deride what his son had achieved if he was still alive.


    Collins didn¡¯t grieve over the loss of his father, though he would have liked the chance to shove his sess down the old man¡¯s throat.


    Domineering narrow-minded bastard! Why his mother had stayed in that marriage all those years was beyond his understanding. He¡¯d watched his father crush the joy out of her countless times, though she¡¯d stubbornly clung to what she believed in, opposing him when it was important to her.


    Thirteen years she¡¯d been widowed now, and showed no inclination to look for another husband. It was probably a relief to be absolutely free to do as she liked and not have to justify or ount to anyone for what she did. She filled her life with things she enjoyed; running the arts and crafts gallery at Dora Creek, ying bridge with Leonard¡¯s mum twice a week, still doing her own pottery. She was a lovely person with arge circle of friends and she¡¯d always insisted to Collins that she wasn¡¯t lonely.


    ¡®Follow your star wherever it takes you,¡¯ she¡¯d told him many times.


    ¡®Fulfilling what you most want to do is what gives your life meaning. Go for it, Collins. Don¡¯t let anyone stop you.¡¯ He hadn¡¯t.


    But his focus on what he was going for had been knocked slightly awry by Jasmine Leire and he intended to correct that today. It was absurd that one night with her still had the capacity to tie him in knots. He had to get this¡­ aberration¡­ straightened out. No way was he ready to get tied up with any woman.


    The taxi was emerging from the harbour tunnel. Collins checked his watch again. Ten minutes left to get there. He¡¯d probably arrive at the same time as the bride. Which would mean seeing Jasmine as Favour¡¯s bridesmaid. He fell his nerves tightening and willed them to rx.


    She wouldn¡¯t stun him a second time.


    He knew what she looked like. A nod of acknowledgment or a wave as he headed into the church would get him by. More than likely, he¡¯d find she didn¡¯t match up to the memory and this whole thing about her would fade into insignificance.


    They¡¯d shared a great night, but that was all it was¡­ one great night.


    He dismissed it from his mind, determined to concentrate on Leonard and Favour. He hoped they¡¯d have a good marriage and the children they both wanted. Maybe that had been part of the problem with his parents, his mother only able to have one child and Collins hadn¡¯t been the kind of son his father had wanted¡­ no interest in going into boat-building or taking up a useful trade. If there¡¯d been other sons¡­


    Though Leonard had been an only son, too, and his father had been happy to let him go his own way. Maybe having two daughters, as well, had softened him. Collins had always liked going to the Leonard¡¯s home. No-one there had ever criticised his and Leonard¡¯s absorption inputer games.


    Leonard had loved the challenge of winning. Collins had been fascinated by the graphics, wanting to know how they were done and how they could be done better. They were good limes.


    ¡®Churching up,¡¯ the cabbie informed him.


    ¡®And from the look of the three highly polished vintage cars ahead of us, the bridal party is just arriving.¡¯ Collins smiled at the choice of cars-bound to be Leonard¡¯s idea. His first car had been an old rattletrap MG which he¡¯d insisted was a ssic. Collins had bought his first motorbike-secondhand-at about the same time.


    Lots of shared memories with Leonard, and today would be another one, as it should be.


    The vintage ears pulled into a driveway by the side of the church and came to a processional halt. The chauffeurs were hopping out to open the back doors for their passengers as the taxi passed by and pulled inat the street kerb adjacent to the gate which was the public entrance to the churchyard. Collins quickly paid over the fare, adding a generous tip to thank the cabbie for the timely arrival.


    He was out of the taxi and at the gate when a man emerged from the lead car, his age and the flower in thepel of his ck suitcoat marking him as Favour¡¯s father.


    Movement at the opened door of the second car caught his eye. He deliberately kept heading for the vestibule of the church, trying to crush the urge to look. This was Leonard¡¯s day. Jasmine Leire was a side issue.


    ¡®Wait for me to help. Dad.¡¯ The seductive lilt of her voice tempted him.


    ¡®Now, Jasmine, I¡¯m the father of the bride. Don¡¯t do me out of my job.¡¯


    Sheughed.


    That did it.


    He stopped and looked.


    She¡¯d taken a couple of steps towards the lead car and was swinging towards him, looking at the ground to be covered from the bride¡¯s car to the church. Her head jerked in shock at her first sight of him.


    Disbelief chased across her face.


    Now was the time to nod or wave and move right on by, Collins told himself. But his body didn¡¯t obey that dictate. She stared at him and he stared at her, both of them totally immobile. It was as if they were caught in a time-warp where only they existed, bonded together by memories that were uniquely theirs.

 15

    She was vividly, vibrantly, and undeniably stunning¡­ so beautiful hecouldn¡¯t tear his gaze away.


    Her hair was piled on top of her head and he remembered her holding it there like that after they¡¯d been swimming, inadvertently showing offthe long graceful curve of her neck which he¡¯d kissed many times.


    She had a flower in her hair again, dark red this time, not pink. The same dark red as the dress she was wearing, a strapless dress that bared her shoulders and arms, the hollow at the base of her neck, and the slight swell of flesh that hinted at the lush fullness of her breasts.


    His mouth went dry, remembering the tight texture of her nipples, the salty taste of them in the sea. His hands itched to span her provocatively small waist, to run them over the voluptuous curve of her hips, down the long silky line of her thighs. He could feel himself stirring, the desire she evoked zinging through his bloodstream, pumping up an urgent need to have her again.


    ¡®Collins!¡¯ The call of his name snapped the dangerous thrall. It came from Favour, stepping out of her car in a cloud of white. ¡®You came!¡¯ she cried in surprised delight. ¡®Does Leonard know?¡¯


    He nodded. He waved a salute to her. It felt as though he was reacting in slow motion. Words finally came. ¡®See you in the church.¡¯


    He didn¡¯t risk another look at Jasmine. His legs took him where he had to go. A church was supposed to be a safe haven. It felt like a trap but there was no escape from it. He was here for Leonard.


    Jasmine gave herself a mental shake. Collins Templeton was here. It hadn¡¯t been a hallucination. Favour had seen him, too. Spoken to him.


    And he¡¯d answered. He¡¯de for the wedding, was in the church right now, waiting for it to begin.


    The way he¡¯d looked at her¡­ her whole body was still tingling. Despite the most part of a year having passed since their one night together, it had felt as though time had stood still and the intimate connection was just as immediate and powerful as it had been then. No difference at all. And her heart was skittering all over the ce at the thought of having another night with him.


    But he wasn¡¯t her partner tonight.


    She had to be with¡­ what was his name? Khalid.


    Not all the time, she thought fiercely.


    Her mind trembled at the enormity of what she was thinking and feeling. He hadn¡¯t made any contact with her. He¡¯de to the wedding out of friendship with Leonard. Yet given the chance, she would choose to be with Collins Templeton.


    All night.


    _______This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Jasmine ached from the tension of waiting for Collins to make some move on her. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to ept that he wasn¡¯t going to, yet how else could she exin the distance he had kept from her.


    He was with his mother, she kept telling herself, but surely no mother expected her adult son to give her his exclusive attention.


    Besides, it hadn¡¯t been entirely exclusive. After the wedding ceremony, there¡¯d been a photo session outside the church. Collins had emerged from the milling guests, headed straight for the just married couple, shook Leonard¡¯s hand, kissed the bride, a dazzling smile apanying his congrattions, but the smile hadn¡¯t been turned on Jasmine. He hadn¡¯t even looked at her.


    With her heart turning over with disappointment, she¡¯d watched him go to Leonard¡¯s parents and chat to them, then move to the side of a very stylish middle-aged woman whom she now knew to be his mother, though she didn¡¯t look at all like Collins with her flyaway auburn hair, fair skin and green eyes.


    Nevertheless, Leonard had identified her as such, and jasmine had decided it was fair enough for Collins to put his mother first, particrly since her own role as chief bridesmaid had kept her busy; seeing that Favour was posed perfectly for the photographs, then helping her into the car with Leonard, ensuring the billowingyers of tulle didn¡¯t get caught on anything. Collins, she had then argued to herself, was probably waiting until she had some time to herself.


    There¡¯d been another much longer session with the photographer in the lovely garden setting at Wisteria House where the reception had been booked. The two-storeyed Colonial home had wonderful verandas, their supporting columns skirted by ornate whitece ironwork. Guests had been invited onto the upper veranda to watch all the formal posing in the garden while they were served cocktails and hors d¡¯oeuvres.


    Several times Jasmine had felt Collins gaze burning into her, but when she¡¯d nced up at the on-looking crowd, his attention was not focused on her at all.


    Leonard had called him down, insisting he wanted a shot of Collins with himself and Favour. He¡¯d obliged his old friend butughingly declined posing for a foursome with Jasmine.


    ¡®Not my ce,¡¯ he¡¯d excused. ¡®Get the best man for that shot.¡¯ And he was gone again, leaving Jasmine with the feeling he was avoiding any contact with her.


    Yet why would that be so?


    She hadn¡¯t chased him, hadn¡¯t made a nuisance of herself. At the end of the night they¡¯d shared, she hadn¡¯t tried to cling on or press for some further involvement with him. Did he fear she would now? Make some kind of scene he¡¯d hate? Or¡­ her stomach cramped at the thought¡­ had he met some other woman he wanted to keep? It would exin why he¡¯d refused to be linked to her in a photograph.


    The torment of not knowing what he was thinking gued her all through the reception dinner. Despite his stopping by the bridal table a couple of times to chat to Leonard, Collins didn¡¯t once switch his attention toher.


    The only evidence that he hadn¡¯tpletely forgotten their blind date and its intimate aftermath was the one long sizzling look outside the church, and that certainly wasn¡¯t being repeated.


    Jasmine doggedly ate what was put in front of her, assured Favour the food was great without knowing whether it was or not, forced adequate responses to the general chat at the bridal table, smiled when a smile was expected.


    She sat through the speeches without hearing a word, though her gaze remained fixed on each speaker as though she was listening avidly. But She was dying inside, drowning in a sea of painful confusion and frustration. She could only hope no one noticed. It was her sister¡¯s wedding.

 16

    Collins grilled his teeth, fighting the surge of violence that urged him to wipe the smirk off the best man¡¯s face, tear his arm From Jasmine¡¯s waist, and break the fingers that were feeling their way up the erotic curve of her spine.


    ¡®She¡¯s very beautiful.¡¯ His mother¡¯s voice filtered through the battle roar in his ears. He wrenched his gaze from the couple on the dance floor and managed a foggy look.


    ¡®What?¡¯ he asked, not having caught what she was talking about.


    An amused smile teased his loss of rapport with her. ¡®Favour¡¯s sister, jasmine . Don¡¯t tell me you haven¡¯t noticed how striking she is. You¡¯ve been fixated on her all evening.¡¯


    He frowned, not liking to think his obsession with Jasmine Leire was obvious. ¡®She is¡­ very watch-able,¡¯ he said, trying to brush the issue aside.


    ¡®You don¡¯t have to stay with me, Collins. I am with friends and they¡¯ll lookafter me. Feel free to pursue your interest in her.¡¯


    ¡® I don¡¯t have the time for it¡¯ , he stated dismissively.


    Her eyes gently mocked his assertion. ¡®Haven¡¯t you climbed your mountain? Doesn¡¯t it get lonely at the top by yourself.¡¯


    He mocked right back. ¡®Just because Leonard¡¯s got himself married today doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m ready for it.¡¯


    ¡®You make it sound as if it has to be programmed into your schedule.¡¯


    ¡®For the best oue¡­ yes, it does. Nothing works well unless you¡¯ve nned for it.¡¯


    Sheughed. ¡®Do you really think you can n love, Collins? That you can snap your fingers and¡­ hey presto! The woman you want as your partner for life will roll up and present herself just when you want her to?¡¯


    He shrugged. ¡®I¡¯ll put my mind to it when I feel the need.¡¯ It certainly wasn¡¯t love on his mind right now. More a case of lust raging out of control.


    Still looking highly amused, his mother said, ¡®You can¡¯t will it, either. It happens. You can¡¯t order the time, the ce or the person. It simply¡­ happens,¡¯


    ¡®You¡¯re talking chemistry, not love,¡¯ he answered dryly.


    ¡®Am I? Well, let me pose you a question, Collins. Food for thought. How many Jasmine Leire¡¯s have you met?¡¯


    Only one. And one was too many, messing with his life.


    His mother didn¡¯t wait for a reply.


    It was his business, his decision.


    She pushed back her chair and stood up, offhandedly stating, ¡®I think I¡¯ll find the powder room.¡¯


    His gaze instantly targeted the dance floor. Other couples were jigging apart, happily putting their own steps to the beat of the music. Not Jasmine and her partner, who was all too conveniently no taller than she was. The guy had her thighs glued to his, and the hand now spread over the lower slope of the pit of her back was definitely applying pressure.


    A red haze of fury tinged Collins thoughts. He knew dancing wasn¡¯t on that guy¡¯s mind. More like wet dreams. The guy undoubtedly had an erection. Any minute now he¡¯d be dancing Jasmine out the opened French doors, finding a shadowed ce on the veranda¡­


    His chair almost tipped over as Collins erupted onto his feet. It had taken iron control not to make any connection with Jasmine this time around, but be damned if he was going to let some other guy connect with her right under his nose. He barely stopped himself from charging like a bull, head down, nostrils steaming, horns lowered ready to gore.


    It was certainly how he felt.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    ______


    Jasmine knew she should slop what Khalid was doing. She¡¯d slid into a careless passive state, too drained of energy to bother forcing a break away from him. Nevertheless, being nice to him did not include allowing him this frottage on the dance floor. It was getting downright dirty and he was probably nursing ideas she didn¡¯t want to encourage.


    He was not the man for her.


    He never would be.


    And she didn¡¯t care if Favour scolded her for not grabbing what was avable. All too avable, Jasmine thought grimly, screwing up the strength to make a few things clear to Khalid. Just as she was lifting her gaze to his face, she saw a hand mp over his shoulder, a strong darkly toned hand, its fingers bent like lethal ws, digging into Khalid¡¯s suitcoat.


    Her heart instantly skipped a beat.


    ¡®Hey!¡¯ Khalid protested, loosening his grip on her as he half turned to face the threatened assault.


    Collins Templeton glowered at him from his intimidating height, the power of his physique a ready deterrant to any argument, though he didn¡¯t need it. The aggressive energy he emitted was enough to drop Khalid¡¯s jaw and kill any further words he best man might have spoken.


    ¡®Excuse me,¡¯ Collins grated out, his dark eyes zing a challenge that would have shrivelled anyst scrap of foolhardy courage. ¡®This dance with Jasmine is mine.¡¯


    Khalid not only didn¡¯t dispute the im, he didn¡¯t even check with Jasmine if she wanted to be passed over to Collins. He dropped her like a hot coal and back-tracked off the dance floor, gesturing for Collins to take her over. Which he did, with a speed that almost swept her off her feet. Pressed to another male body-a very different male body- Jasmine struggled against the flood of excitement it stirred, a rebellious sense of pride insisting that she shouldn¡¯t surrender to it willy-nilly.


    ¡®You didn¡¯t ask my permission,¡¯ she tired at him, her eyes defying his arrogance in assuming he could keep her wailing for hours and still do whatever he wanted with her.


    ¡®No, I didn¡¯t.¡¯ He returned her challenge with blistering mockery. ¡®You can reject me if you want to.¡¯


    She burned. From head to toe she burned with the need to be with him. To deny it would bepletely self-defeating, but she was mad at him¡­ Mad at herself for missing him so much¡­ For being so affected by him.


    She started to pull away from him.¡¯ Well, maybe I will¡¯ she said stiffly, but his hands tightened around her.


    ¡®Stay¡¯ he said softly.


    She considered moving away again, but although he sounded arrogant, something in his voice and his eyes made her stay it. ¡®I hear you¡¯ve had a good year,¡¯ she said, moving to less contentious ground and being deliberately nd so he wouldn¡¯t know her whole body was a quiver from being in contact with his again.


    ¡®A very good year,¡¯ he answered, his chin tilting belligerently, his eyes zing with self-determination.

 17

    ¡®That must give you a lot of satisfaction,¡¯ she ran on, suddenly hating the fact that she¡¯d had no part in it, hadn¡¯t been invited to take any part in it.


    ¡®Yes,¡¯ he acknowledged, but the mockery was back, deriding this conversation, telling her it had no relevance.


    It goaded her into demanding some recognition of her as a person, not just the object of a desire he could pick up and put down as he liked.


    ¡®Why don¡¯t you ask me about my year?¡¯


    ¡®Because I don¡¯t want to know.¡¯


    Ruthless truth. He only wanted to know her in the biblical sense.


    She averted her gaze from the intensely raw pration of his and writhed through the shame of blushing like a schoolgirl.


    ¡®It¡¯s trivia, Jasmine, and it won¡¯t change anything,¡¯ he stated harshly.


    ¡®Well, my life might be trivia to you but it¡¯s not trivia to me,¡¯ she shed back at him, a fierce resentment surging at his dismissive attitude.


    His eyes narrowed, weighing the strength of her attack and whether it was worth his while to make any concession to it.


    ¡®So what do you want to tell me?¡¯ he demanded. ¡®Give me the important highlights.¡¯


    There were none. Her job had provided a few little triumphs -winning ounts against strongpetition-but they were hardly huge highlights that would make her shine for him. Her personal life was virtually a void, although she had taken up yoga and done a course in Italian cooking, both activities giving her considerable satisfaction. She wasn¡¯t about to admit that her experience with him had put her off other men.


    ¡®I bought two goldfish,¡¯ she tossed out, not caring about his definition of trivia. Rhett and Scarlet had be the one daily constant in her private life since he had left it and she loved having them toe home to.


    He looked startled, then bemused. ¡®Two goldfish,¡¯ he repeated with mock gravity.


    ¡®Yes.¡¯ She tilted her chin to a challenging angle. ¡®And I bought a beautiful bowl for them to swim in.¡¯


    His mouth burst into a wide, dazzling grin. Then he threw back his head andughed, startling her with his wild amusement. He sped her closer, whirling her around, his thighs driving them both across the dance floor in a flurry of steps that carved a path through the crowd of other dancers, out past the opened French doors and onto the veranda.


    The cooler night air did nothing to lessen the heat Collins Templeton generated in her. ¡®That wasn¡¯t meant to be funny,¡¯ she protested, feeling intensely vulnerable now that they weren¡¯tpletely surrounded by people. He had danced her down to the far end of the veranda, away from the other guests who were grouped around the door or leaning against the wrought-iron balustrade nearby.


    His dark eyes twinkled amusement as he answered, ¡®Only you would tell me about goldfish, Jasmine.¡¯ His chest heaved against her breastsand his slowly expelled breath tingled over her upturned face. ¡®Only you¡­¡¯ he repeated, his deep voice lowered to a caressing murmur.


    Thinking of all the high-flying women he surely met while doing international business in the movie world, Jasmine muttered, ¡®I don¡¯t lead your kind of exciting life.¡¯


    He shook his head as though she hadn¡¯t grasped his meaning. He seemed about to say more, stopped, grimaced, then tly answered, ¡®The pace is tough. I¡¯m on a flight back to London in the morning, jasmine. I only came for Leonard¡¯s wedding.¡¯


    Fair warning¡­ likest time¡­ and if she had any sense she would walk away from him right now because it meant-as before-he had no intention of involving himself in an ongoing rtionship with her. It was here now, gone tomorrow, no different to their first night together. Yet even knowing this, Jasmine could not quash the feelings he aroused.


    ¡®It was good of you to make the time. Leonard is so pleased you came,¡¯ she said in an equally t tone, hershes sweeping down to hide the emotional conflict of wanting far more than he was ever likely to give her, yet not wanting to turn away from him.


    She stared at his bow tie sitting neatly at the base of his neck and wished she was a vampire, able to sink her teeth into his jugr vein and get into his bloodstream so powerfully he could never shake free of her.


    Her heart was thumping with the need to hold him to her any way she could. Her hands curled, the urge to w and dig in sweeping through her in a fierce wave, driving her nails into her palms to stop such primitive and futile action.


    ¡®I¡¯m sure your mother is, too,¡¯ she forced herself to add, a biting reminder of the hours of torment she had already suffered on his ount. Collins Templeton was not going to be swayed from his course.


    There was no chance of anything more than another brief encounter with him.


    He hadn¡¯t introduced her to his mother.


    Didn¡¯t that tell her she was nothing but a bit of fluff on the side to him?


    So stop this now. Stop it and do the walking away herself.


    Before she gave her heart and soul to him again. Though weren¡¯t they his already.


    ¡®My mother thinks you¡¯re very beautiful,¡¯ he murmured.


    It jolted her into looking up, meeting the simmering warmth in his eyes. ¡®You talked about me¡­ to her?¡¯


    ¡®She¡¯s right. You are.¡¯ His mouth curved into a sensual little smile.


    ¡®Irresistibly so.¡¯ His head dipped towards hers. A kiss wasing. Her heart catapulted around her chest. Her mind screamed that this was the moment to stop him. But her whole body yearned to feel again how it was with him and when his mouth touched hers there was no thought left of pulling back. Anyst shred of denial was swamped by a rush of blood to the head, blood that sang for all the sensations she craved.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Yes¡­ it was a lilt of exultation as the desire for passionate possession exploded between them.


    Yes¡­ it was a fierce throb of satisfaction as his arms crushed her into an intimate awareness of the power of his need.


    Yes¡­ it was a paean of triumph that all the barriers that had separated them were beingprehensively smashed.


    They kissed and were united in a deep inner world of their own. Feverishly iming all they could while they could-a savage feast of kissing, of touching, of immersing all their senses in each other. But it was never going to be enough out here on a public veranda in open view of anyone who chanced to look their way. That frustration did eventually break into the headlong rush to recapture all they had spent so many months remembering¡­ or trying to forget.

 18

    ¡®I have a room booked at the Airport Hilton Hotel,¡¯ Collins breathed in her ear. ¡®Come with me after the wedding is over¡­ We can be together.¡¯


    A hotel room¡­ Jasmine¡¯s emotional recoil was instant.


    No!


    It would make her feel like a call girl, visiting a totally impersonal room for sex, and an airport hotel hammered home how fleeting that visit would be. Yet she could not bear not to have him for as long as she could.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    ¡®I¡¯m not going to a hotel with you, Collins¡¯ she said.


    He frowned. ¡®Why not?¡¯


    ¡®Because I said so. We can go some other ce¡­ Like¡­ My apartment,¡¯ she swiftly countered, pulling back from him to plead her choice. ¡®It¡¯s at Randwick. Not far from Mascot Airport. We could go there. Then I won¡¯t feel so bad when you have to leave in the morning.¡¯


    He frowned again. ¡®I don¡¯t want to make you feel bad, Jasmine. That¡¯s not my intention.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯d hate waking up alone in a hotel room, Collins,¡¯ she rushed out, panicking at the thought he might withdraw from any further intimacy. Sharing pleasure was his agenda, not giving pain. ¡®I¡¯d rather wake up to my goldfish,¡¯ she quickly added, hoping that would amuse him again.


    The frown cleared as his mouth quirked into a smile. ¡®I could get jealous of those fish.¡¯


    ¡®I don¡¯t kiss them.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m relieved to hear it.¡¯ He kissed her again, a slow sensual promise of what was toe in the hours they would have together. In her home, Jasmine thought with dizzyjoy. Which would make it all the more real, more intimate, more memorable. Taking him there, having him there, grounded him in surroundings that were hers and hers alone.


    ¡®I¡¯ll order a car to be waiting for us,¡¯ Collins murmured, his voice furred with the desire he had to contain for a little while longer. ¡®As soon as Leonard and Favour take their leave¡­¡¯


    ¡®Yes,¡¯ she agreed, and despite knowing he would be gone in the morning, she could not quell the hope in her heart.


    Collins Templeton still wanted her.


    He might always want her.


    ____


    Collins didn¡¯t like the idea of going to Jasmine¡¯s apartment. He cursed himself for not having thought anything through before taking her from Khalid. Now, finally, they were at the farewell stage of the wedding with Favour and Leonard circling the guests before going off on their honeymoon.


    The car he¡¯d ordered was waiting at the gates to Wisteria House, and Collins was faced with taking Catherine Jasmine , to a ce she would have made distinctly her own, and that was getting too close to her.


    He was awake to what it meant when a woman invited him to her home ground. It gave her the sense of having some kind of propriety rights over him. As a general rule he avoided the situation, offering a less personal get-together or making some excuse to be elsewhere.


    The problem was, he¡¯d never wanted a woman as much as he wanted Jasmine Leire. He¡¯d given in to her wish with barely a hesitation, driven by thepulsion to have her under any circumstances, not even caring about consequences.


    It was stupid.


    He¡¯d end up paying dearly for it, too. She¡¯d be etched more deeply in his mind, the memory of her nagging at him when he didn¡¯t want to be nagged. Yet even knowing all this, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to stop what had been arranged between them. She was standing by her mother, right at the doorway which led to the staircase and out of here. Just a few more minutes¡­


    ¡®Collins, old buddy¡­¡¯ Leonard pped his shoulder and shook his hand vigorously. ¡®Thanks foring. Really appreciate it.¡¯


    Leonard looked drunk with happiness. Getting married to Favour was certainly sitting well with him.


    ¡®You¡¯re hooked, man, but I guess the bait was worth taking,¡¯ Collins said, grinning at his old friend.


    ¡®Right on!¡¯ Leonard agreed smugly. ¡®Beat you to it, Collins.¡¯


    A typicallypetitive remark, but there was no race being run here.


    Not in Collins mind. Marriage was way down the track for him, though when he looked back at Jasmine, his mother¡¯s words, did beg the question-how often was a guy struck as hard as this by a woman?


    He was aching to hold her again.


    But that would pass once he¡¯d had his till of her. Just strong chemistry, he told himself. In fact, going to her apartment might be a good thing, reducing their connection to something ordinary. Not like his memories of their intimacy at the beach. That had been such a fantastic experience it wouldn¡¯t be human not to remember it as something special. Tonight would be different. Not that he wanted her any less, but her bedroom was not an evocative setting of sand and sea and moonlight.


    ¡®I guess you¡¯ll be off as soon as Leonard goes,¡¯ his mother said.


    ¡®Yes.¡¯ He tore his gaze from Jasmine to pay his respect to the woman who¡¯d always stood by him through thick and thin. She was literally standing by him now and he gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.


    ¡®It Was good to see you, Mum.¡¯


    ¡®Don¡¯t stay on your mountain too long, Collins,¡¯ she said wistfully. ¡®There¡¯s more of life to live. I¡¯m going to envy Leonard¡¯s mother her grandchildren.¡¯


    He frowned at the sentiment she had never voiced before. It was the wedding, focusing her thoughts on family, he reasoned. Though he was her only child. Had that been a sorrow to her? Did she long for more children through him? Yet she¡¯d always preached he had his own life to live and set him free to do it, as, free as any mother could.


    He shook his head as his gaze swung back to Jasmine . He wasn¡¯t ready for marriage and he wasn¡¯t ready to father children. Both were seriousmitments. He¡¯d give them his best shot when the time came but that wasn¡¯t now. There were industry awardsing up that he could capitalise on big-time. And he would.


    This night with Jasmine was a brief time-out. He wasn¡¯t about to let it be anything more. She knew the score, didn¡¯t she? He didn¡¯t want to leave her feeling bad.


    She was kissing Favour goodbye. The bride moved on to her parents- thest farewell. Jasmine looked at him, her sexy golden-amber eyes gleaming with the same sizzling impatience he felt.


    Mutual desire.


    No question she wanted what he wanted.


    He wasn¡¯t doing any wrong by her. There could be no harm in just one more night. And the pleasure¡­

 19

    Collins sucked in a quick breath¡­


    Hours of it¡­ with Jasmine Leire.


    It wasn¡¯t a taxi waiting for them. It was a chauffeured Mercedes with plush leather seats. Veryfortable, but Jasmine couldn¡¯t rx.


    Since thew demanded they wear seat belts Collins wasn¡¯t about to pounce, yet she half wished he would because she was so painfully tense and she needed her doubts and fears obliterated.


    Arrow signs to the airport kept shing at Jasmine on their way to Randwick, relentlessly reminding her that Collins would be heading there in just a few more hours¡­ and possibly reminding him of the convenience of his hotel room, raising questions about the wisdom of going with her to her apartment, getting further involved with a woman he¡¯d deliberately shunned for most of the wedding.


    What if the impulse to pursue the desire they shared waned before they reached her ce? How strong was it on his side? If he stayed with her for the rest of the night¡­ if it was as incredibly wonderful asst time¡­ would hee back for more of what they felt together¡­ again and again and again? Or was that a hopeless pipedream on her part?


    He was holding her hand, his thumb moving restlessly over her knuckles, back and forth, back and forth. A fine tension held them both silent. A huge wave of relief washed through Jasmine when the car finally diverted from the route to the airport and headed past Centennial Park to where she¡¯d been living sincending her current job five years ago. Almost home now. Her fear that Collins might change his mind about spending the night with her began to ease.


    The urge to babble something that might be of interest to him raised feverish streams of thought. Thepany she worked for, Wavelength Promotions, had its offices at Botany, only a ten-minute drive from her apartment. She could be telling Collins this, rting her own experience withputer graphic designs, the presentations she made to clients.


    It was the normal thing to do. Yet his hard words-I don¡¯t want to know -held her tongue-tied. Perhaps he was right and only the feeling between them was important. Just¡­ let it be.


    The car arrived at her address. Collins spoke to the chauffeur, making arrangements for a car to pick him up here at 6:00 am. giving his mobile phone number for a cross-check with the hirepany.


    Jasmine wasn¡¯t quick enough to memorise the numbers. Not that it would do any good, she told herself. It was up to Collins to make any future contact. Meanwhile, she now knew precisely how long he would stay with her this time. Six o¡¯clock¡­ sunrise¡­


    She desperately wanted to make asting impression on him, something more meaningful than whatever affairs he¡¯d had with other women. Though her mind was helplessly foggy on how to aplish that, especially whenmunication between them was overwhelmingly physical. Even as Collins followed her up the central staircase of the apartment block to her door on the first floor, his footsteps behind her made her heart beat faster and her legs feel tremulous.


    Lucky that she hid a spare door key in the artificial aspidistra that dressed up a corner of the lobby serving the two apartments on her floor. She¡¯d left her handbag at her parents¡¯ home at Lane Cove.


    Having untaped the key from the back of one of the stic leaves, she quickly shoved it into the door lock and opened the way for Collins to enter her private space.


    ¡®Not the safest ce in the world to keep a key,¡¯ he drylymented.


    ¡®Green tape,¡¯ she exined. ¡®Unless you know where to look it¡¯s not easily found.¡¯


    ¡®You let me know.¡¯


    ¡®You¡¯re flying out, Collins,¡¯ she reminded him. ¡®I don¡¯t see you as a danger to me or mine.¡¯


    He frowned at her as he stepped past into the small living room. ¡®Don¡¯t be too free with your trust, Jasmine. You¡¯re at risk¡­ a woman like you living alone in the city.¡¯


    Having extracted the key from the lock, she closed the door and pointedly slotted home the safety chain. ¡®A woman like mekes care of herself,¡¯ she lilted, turning to him with a smile. ¡®But thank you for your concern, Collins.¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t just sex. He cared about her feelings, cared about her safety.


    The secret hope she nursed- that he mighte to love her-danced a lively quickstep.


    Collins thought her self-assurance vastly misced. Didn¡¯t she realize how sexy and desirable she was? Any red-blooded man would feel attracted, excited, simply by the sight of her. She had everything that incited lust, a body that curved so provocatively a guy would have to be dead not to want to touch it, a face that fascinated with its feminine mystique, and hair¡­


    That red rose had been teasing him all night. He wanted to pluck it out, rake his fingers through the cluster of curls, scattering the pins that confined them, and wind whole skeins of her long silky hair around his hands, revelling in the feel of it and binding her to him in an inescapable hold.


    She pushed away from the door in a skittish rush. ¡®Let me introduce you to my fish.¡¯


    Fish! What she needed was a big brute of a dog- a Doberman pinscher or a German shepherd-trained to go for the jugr of anyone who threatened her peace of mind.


    ¡®Why fish?¡¯ he demanded. ¡®Why not a dog? Leonard told me your sister¡¯s got a dog.¡¯


    She had hurried straight past him. The question made her pause, nce back, and he was struck again by the seductive line of her neck and shoulder¡­ soft, bare, vulnerable, asking to be kissed.


    ¡®We¡¯re not allowed dogs in this building.¡¯


    The body corporate wielding rules and regtions. Collins grimaced at the imposed constraints. Not many freedoms left in city living. But at least they now had the freedom ofplete privacy. He moved to close in on Jasmine , determined on soothing the nervous agitation which had suddenly seized her once the door to the outside world had been shut.


    Her head snapped forward and she gestured to the fishbowl in front of her. ¡® The gold one is Rhett, and the red-gold one is Scarlet.¡¯ she said in a breathless flurry.


    He spanned her waist with his hands¨Cintensely satisfying-and smiled at her choice of names. ¡®Are they destined to have an unhappy end as in Gone With the Wind?¡¯This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    ¡®No. They¡­¡¯


    He licked her earlobe. nibbled on it. She wore an enticing musky perfume thai sharply stirred his senses. He tasted her skin¡­

 20

    Jasmine scooped in a quick breath, ¡®¡­ they chase each other endlessly around the bowl. I think Rhett and Scarlet did that, even after the book ended.¡¯


    ¡®Perhaps they simply feel trapped,¡¯ He released her waist and slowly ran his fingertips up her arms, a feather-light touch that gave her the freedom to move if she wanted to. She didn¡¯t. She held herselfpletely still and the tiny little tremors under her skin told him how sensitive she was to his touch.


    Another swift intake of breath. ¡®No. They¡¯re happy fish,¡¯ she insisted.


    ¡®How do you know?¡¯ He trailed his fingers up her neck, over the soft thickness of her pinned-up hair to the dark red rose.


    ¡®Because I watch them y. They like their bowl. Its hexagonal shape is good Feng Shui, promoting peace and harmony. They have fun pushing the pebbles around at the bottom and the aquarium nts offer ready food beyond what I feed them. They¡¯re happy fish.


    ¡® He¡¯d tucked the rose in his breast pocket and was pulling out the hairpins. ¡®Well, I guess they have eight views of the world from their hexagonal bowl, and many of them would be of you, so I¡¯d call them fortunate fish.¡¯


    No reply this time. Absolute stillness.


    ¡®And very exotic. Like their owner,¡¯ he added, feeling her breath-held tension as he loosened the upswept curls and gently massaged her scalp. Her taut submissiveness tempered the fire of need burning through him with a strange flood of tenderness. Instead of hurling the hairpins away and stripping her naked as fast as he could, he tucked them into his pocket behind the rose, then simply enjoyed the spill of her hair, cascading over his hands and arms, brushing her shoulders, tumbling down her back¡­ beautiful, glossy, excitingly sensual¡­


    ¡®You think I¡¯m¡­ exotic?¡¯ The husky lilt suggested that Jasmine¡¯s mind had only just caught on to that word and didn¡¯t know how to process it.


    ¡®Uh-huh¡­ a rare, exquisite creature with glorious hair and golden eyes.¡¯ He stepped around to face her, smiling over the truths he¡¯d just spoken. He lifted her hair up on either side of her face, then let it slide through his fingers to float around her like a living fan. ¡®Perhaps you don¡¯t know how rare you are, Jasmine, but I do. I do,¡¯ he repeated as desire surged again at the soft, hazy wonderment in her eyes¡­ such asensuous look, fringed by the long thickshes that brushed his face when they kissed.


    Her lips were slightly parted, lushly inviting, irresistible. He gathered her in¡­ this woman who struck chords that made him almost a stranger to himself¡­ and kissed her with a sense of exploring new territory, wanting to know what it meant, how it was, where it was taking him, and why it was so different to all he had known before.


    No need for any haste. He had hours to take her all in, sift through the feelings she aroused, define them, understand them. With understanding came control and Collins wanted control over the effect Jasmine Leire had on him.


    Yet even as he kissed her with a conscious seeking in his mind, he could feel his quest For control melting under the sweet taunting heatof her lips and tongue. The addictive possession of her mouth burned his brain cells. His whole body burned to be inside her, enveloped by the velvet heat he knew was waiting for him. Only the most ingrained discipline drove him to check what had to be checked. It took an act of will to withdraw from the intoxicating fusion of desire long enough to breathe out the necessary words.


    ¡®Is it safe, Jasmine?¡¯ he asked.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    She didn¡¯t reply. Her face remained tilted to his, her lips parted enough for a soft waft of breath to escape, her eyes closed as though all hersenses were focused inward, poised to respond to whatever he did.


    She wasn¡¯t listening to anything but the fire raging within, the fire that could so quickly re into a furnace, consuming them both to the exclusion of everything else.


    ¡®Jasmine¡­¡¯ he groaned, his whole body screaming against any pause for precaution. ¡®I didn¡¯t bring any condoms with me. I didn¡¯t n¡­¡¯


    He was admitting her power to draw him beyond any limits he imposed, but right at this moment he didn¡¯t care. ¡®Is it safe?¡¯ he asked raggedly, begging for a yes, because any negative now would be intolerable.


    Impossible to shut down on the blinding urge to take her, have her.


    Safe?


    Her stomach curled a fierce protest at Collins caution as her mind reluctantly came to grips with the question.


    Condoms¡­ contraception¡­ she¡¯d been off the pill for months. No need for it. And Collins hadn¡¯t been expected at the wedding. She hadn¡¯t anticipated being tempted.


    But if she said no¡­.


    Panic and rebellion rolled through her. She couldn¡¯t let him leave her, not when she was only assured of one night with him. It couldn¡¯t stop now. The yearning for some fulfilment of her need screamed at her to lie.


    Though it might not be a lie. Where was she in her monthly cycle? She couldn¡¯t think. It didn¡¯t matter. She could take the morning-after pill tomorrow if there was a risk of pregnancy. She didn¡¯t have to lie.


    ¡®Yes,¡¯ she said on a heady gasp of release from caring about any unwanted consequences. ¡®Safe.¡¯ Yet it was a lie.


    Jasmine knew in her heart there was nothing safe about what she was doing with Collins Templeton tonight. She would give him all she had to offer because he drew that from her as no man ever had before, but he might very well take her body, break her heart, and leave her soul empty.


    Tomorrow he would be gone again.


    Tomorrow she would think about what to risk and what not to risk.


    Relief curbed the aggression that had gripped Collins, virtuallypelling an abandonment of all caution. Safe meant there was nothing to fight.


    Safe meant uninhibited pleasure. Safe meant there would be no shadows on his freedom, once this night was over.


    He forced himself to rx, determined on regaining control. He didn¡¯t want to be swept headlong into the final act of sex within the first few minutes of having Jasmine to himself. Much better to savour the excitement of anticipation, take the time to explore every facet of his fascination with her, know all of her so totally there would be no curiosity left to taunt or haunt him in the future.

 21

    Softly, slowly, he kissed her closed eyes, feeling the slight flutter of her longshes brush his chin, a butterfly touch he fancied on other parts of his body. Was she still nervous about her decision to have him? Her tension in the car had been palpable, and using the fish as an almost frantic distraction from his presence here in her apartment were both signs of uncertainty¡­ or apprehension.


    She could have said no, Collins argued to himself, and her response to his kiss just now was enough assurance that the desire they shared overrode any doubts or fears, but it suddenly niggled that she might not be fully with him. He could take her. She was willing. But he didn¡¯t want any part of her to be withheld from him.


    He lifted his hands and gently cupped her face, studying its unique feminine contours, her marble-smooth forehead, the fine arch of her brows with their winged ends, the deeply set lids that gave her eyes their exotic triangr shape, the high nted cheekbones nking her neat straight nose, the seductive fullness of her perfectly shaped lips¡­


    She opened her eyes, the dark pupils sorge their amber rims looked like rings of gold. Collins felt his heart kick at their luminous concentration on him. They seemed to be scouring his soul, asking questions he had no answers for. Not yet.


    Give me time, he thought, but didn¡¯t say the words. They would sound like a promise and he instinctively shied from making any promises. He smiled to smooth over any angst she felt and spoke a truth that held no sense of danger to either of them.


    ¡®Just looking at you gives me pleasure.¡¯ He said.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Her smile rewarded him, warm sparkles in her eyes softening their dark focus. A daring glint emerged as she answered, ¡®I would like to look at you but you have too many clothes on.¡¯


    Heughed, delighted to oblige her wish, swiftly removing his suitcoat and tossing it on a nearby armchair. ¡®How are you at undoing bow ties?¡¯


    She cocked her head in teasing consideration. ¡®I think I¡¯m up to the challenge.¡¯


    Her hands lifted to the base of his throat and Collins sucked in a quick breath as he felt her fingers go to work, his pulse quickening underneath her touch. He concentrated on removing his cufflinks. His own fingers fell thick and clumsy, impatient to be rid of the task, wanting to roam over her again.


    Control, he fiercely recited, but by the time he¡¯d dropped the cufflinks on the table holding the fish-bowl, the bowtie was gone, half his shirt buttons were undone, and her hands were gliding over his bare flesh, fingers tracing the taut muscles of his neck and shoulders, raising havoc with his determination to move slowly. He found himself tearing at the remaining buttons, almost ripping the shirt in his haste to get it off.


    Her hands were stroking his upper arms as he yanked off the longsleeves and even as the frustrating piece of clothing dropped to the floor, she stepped in and pressed her mouth to the hollow between his shoulder-des, her hot sulent lips firing up his blood, her handscontinuing to stroke down his arms, making the fine hair on them crackle with electricity.


    He didn¡¯t move, didn¡¯t dare to move in case he exploded into action.


    Besides, he¡¯d wanted to register her affect on him, wanted to understand it, and he¡¯d done this to her, hadn¡¯t he, while she stood still? He could stand still, too, and let her touch wash through him, building his awareness of how and why she excited him so much.


    Her hands were at his waist now. Every muscle in his body Hexed as he imagined them moving to unfasten his trousers. But they didn¡¯t. They glided up his rib cage, and her mouth trailed hot sensuous kisses over the breadth of his chest, her teeth lightly tugging on the springy curls at the centre of it, her tongue licking, tasting, and Collins mind was totally jammed by the sensations shooting through him. Thinking of anything else was not an option.


    He¡¯d never considered his nipples erotic zones but when shetched onto them, the bolt of excitement was so sharp and intense, his hands instinctively took defensive action, burrowing through the thick curtain of her hair,pulsively intent on pulling her head away until¡­ Her hand moved down over the Hal of his stomach, making his skin crawl with sensitivity, fingers reaching under the waistband of his trousers, distracting him with her touch on other erogenous areas, and he couldfeel his erection burgeoning. If she took hold of him¡­


    The need for control snapped into action again. He seized her wrists and lifted her arms to his shoulders, automatically raising her head from his chest where she¡¯d heightened his excitement to an almost intolerable level. He kissed her quickly, his head whirling with the urge to be the dominant force, to take and be taken on his terms.


    His tongue punished hers with hard invasive strength, overriding the seductive power of her mouth, yet even her submission was insidiously exciting, conjuring up how it would be when he plunged into her, her hot silky flesh giving way, stretching andpressing voluptuously around him.


    He had to stop this or it would be over in a sh. ¡®Clothes,¡¯ he muttered, remembering her wish to look at him.


    He stepped back, severing all contact, bumping into the chair he¡¯d tossed his suitcoat on. He leaned against it as he whipped off his shoes and socks. Go slow, he raged at himself, taking more time over removing his trousers and briefs, wanting at least a little dignity in getting naked in front of her.


    She didn¡¯t move. He fell her eyes on him, all over him, and when he finally straightened up, he met her gaze with a. challenging pride that denied any self-consciousness in being bared to her sight, though every muscle in his body was taut with intensely male aggression, every nerve strung out from the frustration he¡¯d imposed on himself.


    He was a man and never had he felt his sexuality more keenly.


    Yet the instant he saw her expression-the soft look of wonder on her face, the vulnerable awe in her eyes-he was swept by the urge to be gentle with her, which put him strangely at odds with himself. Most ofthe women he¡¯d met in recent times were ambitious, maniptive.


    They didn¡¯t draw tenderness from him. It was weird feeling the violent pounding of his heart melt into a muted curl of caring, a different formof desire that was intrinsically linked to this woman.

 22

    ¡®Now your clothes,¡¯ he said, his voice gruff with unustomed emotion.


    ¡®Yes,¡¯ she whispered, a soft breathy agreement that tingled in his ears as he moved around behind her, stepping close enough to effect what he wanted without pressing any physical contact.


    He parted her long rippling hair and moved it forward, over her shoulders, baring the nape of her neck and the elegant slope of her upper back, no angr bones, just satin-smooth skin leading down tothe strapless red dress.


    He unhooked the top fastening of the snugly fitted bodice and slowly drew the zipper clown to her waist, exposing the highly feminine indentation of her spine. There was no interruption to it. She wore no bra. And Collins was tempted into stroking his fingers down the intriguing little valley, smiling as the caress raised a convulsive little shiver.


    She was as sensitised to his touch as he was to hers. Which was only right and immensely satisfying.


    The dress gaped further open as he lowered the zipper to its full length, revealing the thin strips of a ck G-string circling her fantastically small waist and erotically bisecting the luscious twin globes of her bottom. He¡¯d never seen a sexier sight. It trapped thebreath in his lungs and shot stabs of urgency to his groin.


    Impatient for a full view of her, he quickly peeled the dress from her hips and it fell to her feet, leaving his hands free to trace every delectable curve, to cupthe lush roundness that jutted so provocatively, he had to fight the urge to move forward.


    Not yet. Not yet.


    He hooked his thumbs under the waistline of her G-string and watched it slide over the soft mounds, down the long lissome thighs. The silky crotch of it caught at her knees. He slid his hand between her legs torelease it, the flimsy fabric warm and moist from her inner excitement, bringing his arousal to shpoint again.


    Barely controlling himself, he raked the incredibly sexy garment downthe taut curves of her calves and lifted her feet, one by one, sliding off her high-heeled sandals at the same time-all ck straps trailing over dark red toenails, another exotic touch that stirred the raging heat in his blood.


    The blinding need for action had him hooking an arm under her knees and hoisting her up against his chest as he came upright. He whirled her away from the fishbowl table, his gaze darting, seeking the door to her bedroom, finding it, his legs surging towards it with powerful purpose. It stood ajar, only needing a shove to open it wide enough to let them through to the bed-a double bed covered by a leopard-skin rug with the sheen of velvet, gold satin pillows.


    The sheer animal sensuality of it tugged deeply at the most primal instincts in Collins. This was the ce. This was the time. This was the woman. And he would not leave until he¡¯d had his fill of her. But he wanted more light, needed to see all of her before plunging into the dark jungle of total intimacy where the beat of their bodies would consume his awareness of anything else.


    He spotted a switch by the door, turned it on. Twomps on either side of her bed-ck and gold-spread a warm glow around the room. It looked right, felt right White light was too harsh. It would have been better with a host of flickering candles-fire burning without and within-but this was a fleeting thought, overtaken by the desire to feast his eyes on all the female lustiness now pressed so close to his chest.


    He stood her on the bed. Themplight gleamed on the living curtain of her hair swishing softly over the voluptuous fullness of her breasts, rose-red nipples peeking through the seductive veil, hard and pointed, provoking him into closing his mouth around them,shing them with his tongue, loving the taste of her arousal, wanting more


    .


    She¡¯d wrapped her arms around his head, holding him to her, but hewouldn¡¯t be held. Not yet. He pulled back to take in this incredibly beautiful frontal view of her, to glide his hands over every inch of her, the smoothly fleshed midriff, the narrowness over her waist, the widecradle of her hips.


    His gaze locked onto the neatly trimmed arrow of dark hair, pointing to the cleft between her thighs. Her skin quivered underneath his fingertips as he traced it down and stroked around the apex. He stooped, pressing his face to the tight springy curls, breathing in the musky scent of her desire for him.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    It wasn¡¯t enough. He scooped her legs out on either side of his andlowered her to the bed, dipping his mouth into the soft lips of her sex, tasting her hot wetness,ving the hidden centre of excitement, a sweetly intimate fondling that arched her body in wild and want on invitation.


    She writhed to the rhythm of his stroking, cried out in frantic pleading, snatched at his hair, fingers scrabbling, curling, tugging, and he exulted in her need for him, pushing it to the edge of shattering before he lifted himself over her.


    Instantly her legs locked around him, her hips rocking, urging him forward. Her hands grabbed and plucked at his shoulders, fingernails digging in, dragging. Her hair spilled over the bedcover in a tumultuous tangle and her eyes zed at him with the animal ferocity of a leopard about to bring down its prey and devour it.


    The long-suppressed violence of his own desire burst into action. He seized her hands and mmed them down above her head, determined on being the possessor, not the possessed. He surged into the slick passage to her innermost being and dropped his head to plunder her mouth in a passionate drive toplete his invasion, to glory in his dominant power to take as he wished.


    Yet she met him with such a feverish fusion of heat, he lost any sense of separate goals, separate identities, separate lives with separate needs. They were immersed in each other, wildly hungering for every fantastic nuance of being joined. Their mouths clung, feeding on the explosion of sensations that savaged any possible denial of togetherness.


    Her breasts pressed into his chest, their hardened nipples rubbing his taut muscles with tantalising sweeps.


    He automatically released her hands, craving every possible touch, uncaring what she did or how she did it, wanting an absolute twining.

 23

    They crashed onto his back, pushing and pulling, egging him into a fastseries of thrusts that she rolled around in an ecstasy of revelling in the hard heated fullness of him, loving every powerful stroke, arching herself to receive the utmost pration, mping around him, moaning with the intense satisfaction of it.


    It goaded him into pleasuring her as long as he could, exulting in her response, feeling like a mountaineer scaling the highest heights andshe was drawing him there from peak to peak. His own screaming need demanded a lift in tempo and thest crescendo was his, raising them both to an exquisite cusp of delight before abandoning themselves tothe sweet free-fall into blissful peace, wrapped in a togetherness that seeped into his soul and happily resided there.


    The rest of the night was spent in a sensual daze of touching, kissing, merging. Collins no longer felt any need for some ascendancy over what they shared. He was awash with all the seductive sensations of intense intimacy, letting it flow as either he or she fancied.


    At times he fell his heart swell with the joy of it, his mind float with the wonder of it, and all he ended up identifying was the undeniable fact that Jasmine Leire was the source of all these incredible feelings.


    Whatever made her the woman she was appealed to him on unfathomable levels and he could not have enough of her.


    She was his mate on every instinctive level. He knew it to the very marrow of his bones. Yet whether she would mesh with his working life was a question he shied from considering, not wanting this all too brief lime with her spoiled by any conflict of interests. It was easier simply to savour the perfection of their deeply mutual desire while itsted.


    In the end, she slipped from the contentednguor of satiation into sleep, and still he took immense pleasure in looking at her, stroking her long silky hair, basking in the warmth of her soft breathing, lovingthe feel of her cuddled close to him. He didn¡¯t ask why was it so. It just was. He didn¡¯t know if it would always be like this with her. He cared only about now.


    There was no ce for her in his immediate future which was already mapped out in his mind. When it was time to go he didn¡¯t wake her, didn¡¯t want to talk, didn¡¯t want to say goodbye. Very carefully he slid his body out of contact with hers, watching her settlefortably without him, though she heaved a sigh that seemed to waft around his heart, silently pleading for him to fill the emptiness again.


    For several moments he stood by the bed, torn between the need to go and the desire to stay with her. But there was no choice. He hadmitments to fulfil. Jasmine knew that. They were here because she hadn¡¯t wanted to wake alone in a hotel room-here in the ce she called home¡­ with her goldfish.


    Thisst thought brought a smile and cased him out of her bedroom.


    His clothes were still where he¡¯d left them in the living room. Hers were, too. He nodded to the fish, mentally greeting them-Hi, Rhett!


    Hi, Scarlet!-and grinned as they darted around the bowl to stare at him, their mouths working very energetically as though in a burst of fish chatter that undoubtedly had meaning if only he was a telepath ontheir wave length.


    Goodpany, Jasmine had said, and he wondered if she made up conversations with them. Happy fish in their Feng Shui bowl. Happiness and harmony¡­ it was what he¡¯d felt with Jasmine Leire these past few hours, once his conflict over her power to drive him beyond control had ceased to matter.


    As he picked up his clothes and dressed, he pondered the quandary she represented. She did have power over him, an addictive power that made him wary of establishing her in his life. A rtionship meant constant ties, limitations to his freedom to be wherever he had to be to fulfil his contractual obligations. Would she drop everything toe with him, be with him?


    Unlikely.


    It was too much to ask anyway. Women had the right to their own lives, their own careers, and he¡¯d seen what long separations did to rtionships in the movie world. Better to leave Jasmine to her own work and friends and family.


    He finished dressing and looked wryly at Rhett and Scarlet.


    Jasmine couldn¡¯t pack goldfish in a suit case. This was her home and Collins knew he didn¡¯t belong here.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    He turned to go.


    On the floor in front of the armchairy the dark red rose he¡¯d taken from her hair. He remembered having tucked it into his breast pocket.


    It must have tipped out when he¡¯d tossed the coat on the chair.


    He bent and picked it up, meaning to set it on the table by the fishbowl.


    It was an artificial rose, perfect, reminding him of many things about Jasmine and how he¡¯d felt with her. He twirled it around in his fingers, telling himself it was stupid to keep such a memento. Yet he still held her rose as he walked to the door, released the safety chain and let himself out. He had no idea what he¡¯d do with it.


    He just wanted it.


    ______

 24

    Jasmine threw her front door open and stepped into her apartment and threw her handbag on the couch. She was tired. She¡¯d been tired a lottely¡­ She noticed. Tired and frustrated.


    Work had been more stressfultely, but at least all that stress had paid off. Herpany had gotten the much needed ount they had been after for months and she was d that now she could have more time to rest.


    That was a good thing.


    . Except for the fact that now that she didn¡¯t have much work to do, she had more time to think¡­ And she had noticed that whenever her mind wandered that way, she ended up thinking about Collins Templeton.


    He hadn¡¯t called since their second night together at her apartment. She remembered waking up the following morning¡­ Alone in bed¡­ With nothing but the memory of their time together. She knew they¡¯d agreed that they were only going to have that night together, but a part of her had hoped¡­ Wanted him to be by her side when she woke up. Instead, the other side of the bed had been cold, indicating that it had been a while since he left.


    She missed him, and as she headed for her bedroom, she wondered if it would be so bad if she gave him a call. Nothing much, maybe just to say hi. She didn¡¯t even have his number, she thought, but she could get it from Leonard.


    Bad idea. She knew that, but she was going to do it anyway. Anything was better than just sitting here thinking about him, and who knew, maybe¡­ Just maybe, he would be delighted to hear from her. She stopped to stare at the fishes swimming around in their tank and smiled, then she pulled her phone out of the purse and called Favour, who picked up at the third ring.


    ¡®Hello¡¯ said Favour cheerfully. ¡®Surprised you¡¯re calling at this time¡¯


    ¡®I know. I¡¯m sorry. Are you busy?¡¯ Jasmine asked.


    ¡®No. Just surprised. That¡¯s all. What¡¯s up?¡¯


    ¡®Okay¡¯ Jasmine began, ¡®I don¡¯t want you to overthink this or blow it out of proportion, but I need you to help me get Collins number from Leonard¡¯


    Favour shrinked excitedly, and Jasmine rolled her eyes. ¡®I said not to overthink it, Favour¡¯ she said, but I feel like I should call him, you know¡­ To say hello to him or something¡¯


    ¡®say no more¡¯ Favour said. ¡®I¡¯ll send it to you right now. Leonard is here anyways¡¯


    ¡®Thank you. Say hello to Leonard for me¡¯ Jasmine replied and hung up, then she began to undress. A nice soak in the bathtub would definitely do her some good.


    __________


    Jasminey in the tub. Soap bubbles surrounded her. She held a ss of wine in her hand and the water was warm and soothing. She was supposed to be rxed, but she wasn¡¯t.


    She picked up her phone and stared at Favour¡¯s text. She had Collins number, which ording to Favour, Leonard had been more than ready to give to her, but she hadn¡¯t been able to bring herself to dail it.


    Finally, she emptied her wine ss and set it down. It was now or never. She had to do this. She dialed the number and when it began to ring, her heart began to beat wildly in her chest. She wondered what his reaction would be.. Especially as they had decided that they weren¡¯t going to keep in touch.


    When he finally picked up and she heard him say ¡®hello¡¯, she could swear that her heart stopped beating..


    ¡®Hello. Collins speaking¡¯ she heard him say again.


    She had to say something. This was her chance, but for some reason, her lips stayed glued together. She sighed, then slowly hung up.


    __________


    Jasmine saw the sparkling excitement in her sister¡¯s vivid blue eyes and knew what she was going to say even as Favour leaned over the table to deliver her news in a confidential whisper.


    ¡®I¡¯m pregnant.¡¯


    So am I, Jasmine thought.


    The words almost spilled out, the desire to share welling up in a rush.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Jasmine only just mped down on them, realising the revtion would totally goggle her sister¡¯s happy eyes and switch the focus of this get-together onto her, which would be grossly unfair. This was Favour¡¯s moment in the sun and she certainly didn¡¯t deserve to have any uneasy shadows falling over it.


    Jasmine stretched her treacherous mouth into a delighted grin.


    ¡®Congrattions! I¡¯m very happy for you and Leonard¡¯ she said.


    Favour sat back, pping her hands in sheer joy as she crowed, ¡®And just two months after our wedding!¡¯


    They¡¯d be having babies together, Jasmine thought in ck irony.


    The difference was her sister had done everything right-married the man she loved, a man who wanted children with her-while she¡­ oh God.


    ¡®I thought it might take ages since I¡¯ve been on the pill for so long,¡¯ Favour rushed on.


    It took only one night.


    Her sister¡¯s eyes twinkled wickedly. ¡®I think Leonard must be very potent.


    Besides which, we¡¯ve certainly been giving it every chance.¡¯ And she had told Collins it was safe.


    ¡®Well, good for you,¡¯ Jasmine said with as much warmth as she could muster.


    ¡®I couldn¡¯t wait to tell you,¡¯ Favour bubbled. ¡®I only found out this morning. So that¡¯s why I called you at work and insisted you meet me for this afternoon tea. You see? It is important family business.


    ¡±Very important,¡¯ Jasmine echoed, and she¡¯d worked through her lunch hour to lit in with Favour¡¯s cavaliermand to take time off inorder to drive from Botany to Circr Quay and meet her at the Intercontinental Hotel for this private get-together. Her boss wasn¡¯t keen on employees skipping out early and Jasmine needed her boss to be onside when she was finally forced to confess to single motherhood.


    ¡®Leonard will be joining us here for drinks after he¡¯s finished work. He¡¯s just as excited as I am. But I wanted to tell you first.¡¯


    ¡®What about Mum and Dad?¡¯ Jasmine asked.


    Who were bound to be disappointed in her for getting herself into this situation. Much less stress to stay silent as long as she could.


    ¡®We¡¯re dropping over to their ce tonight, after Leonard and I have a celebratory dinner.¡¯


    ¡®Better not drink too much then.¡¯


    ¡®Only a ss or two of champagne.


    ¡® Ah¡­¡¯ Favour said as she smiled up at the waiter who had arrived at their table to serve them. ¡®Our cappinos. I ordered for you, Jasmine , since you werete arriving.¡¯

 25

    And she always had a cappino¡­ except she¡¯d gone off coffee, preferring a sweet cup of tea which seemed to settle the queasiness she felt most mornings. Still, at this time of day one cappino should be manageable.


    Unfortunately Favour had also ordered cream cakes and rich pastries that curdled Jasmine¡¯s stomach just looking at them. Cucumber sandwiches would have been infinitely preferable.


    They did serve elegant afternoon teas here in The Cortile, a huge two-storeyed area that had once been part of the old treasury building, nowincorporated in this very ssy hotel. The colonnaded walkways running around it gave it a leisurely atmosphere, as did the cane armchairs in which they sat, and the grand piano being yed by an excellent pianist, providing pleasant background music. It should have been very rxing and would have been if Jasmine didn¡¯t have to guard her tongue.


    ¡®No morning sickness yet?¡¯ she asked once the waiter had gone.


    Favourughed and shook her head. ¡®I guess that¡¯s in front of me. I¡¯ll have to buy some books and read up on all the dos and don¡¯ts,¡¯


    She gave Jasmine an arch look. ¡®Now if you were a proper older sister, you¡¯d be able to advise me on all this. Still no man on your horizon?¡¯


    Pain stabbed her heart. There¡¯d been no contact from Collins since the night of the wedding. Not even after that night she had foolishly called him only to hang up after a few seconds. But what did she expect? He had told her that he wouldn¡¯t reach out to her. Hell, he hadn¡¯t even woken her that morning he left to say goodbye. He had gone¡­ gone with the wind¡­


    She gave her sister a droll look of exasperation to cover up the wretched emptiness in her soul. ¡®You asked me here to talk happy talk so let¡¯s concentrate on you and your baby. Do you fancy a son or a daughter?¡¯


    ¡®One of each would be lovely.¡¯This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    ¡®Twins?¡¯ Jasmine asked.


    Favourughed. ¡®I hope not. Just one at a time but in any order. Boy or girl¡­ it doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯


    Such blissful carefree ns, Jasmine thought. A mountainous wave of envy hit Jasmine and she shrugged to fight through it as her younger sister rattled on about her ideal family. It wasn¡¯t Favour¡¯s fault that her own life was in such a mess. She seemed to get herself embroiled in one bad choice after another; holding on to Robert when he wasn¡¯t worth holding on to, and now Collins¡­ had she no sense of when to let go? Did fantasy have a bigger grip on her than reality?


    The morning after Collins had left, she hadin in the bed he had shared, overwhelmingly aware of the empty ce beside her, feeling bereft and miserably alone, telling herself she should get up and go to a pharmacy, purchase the pill that would keep her safe. It was the sensible thing to do.


    Except she¡¯d turned thirty-two this past year, and she couldn¡¯t imagine falling in love with another man or epting second best just to get married and have a family. If she was ever to have a child, she wanted Collins Templeton to be the father.


    She hadn¡¯t actually decided to get pregnant by him. and there¡¯d been no certainty whatsoever about having conceived-women of her age often took months of trying before falling pregnant. She¡¯d simply kept dallying with the idea that it might have happened-could happen-if she did nothing.


    None of this had been really real to her then. More a romantic fantasy.


    And the more she¡¯d thought about it, the less inclined she¡¯d been towilfully take away the possibility that a new life had been created in the heat of her night with Collins-a life she would love and cherish-a part of him she would always have.


    She¡¯d left the decision to fate.


    If it was meant to be, it was meant to be.


    Not for one moment had she thought the consequences through or considered the practicalities of her situation if she wasced with being a single mother. Reality had only begun to bite when the pregnancy test showed positive. In the past few weeks, more and more frightening realities had been creeping up on her and she didn¡¯t knowhow to handle any of them.


    Here was Favour, chatting on about how she intended to keep working until she was six months into her pregnancy, then put in her resignation because she wanted to be a full-time mother, especially since she and Leonard nned to have their babies in reasonably close session. No worries about ready support for her family dream. Leonard was a dependable bread-winner and dying to take on the fatherhood role.


    Whereas Collins¡­


    Her stomach cramped. If she dared to contact him and confess her pregnancy, he¡¯d probably hate her for it, believing she had deliberately deceived him, trapped him into fatherhood. Her mind shied from evenconsidering taking such a step.


    Quite clearly Collins had not wanted to risk having a child. She couldn¡¯t imagine he¡¯d want a lifelong responsibility loaded onto his shoulders when he hadn¡¯t agreed to it. So it was impossible to ask for any child support from him. She had to go it alone.


    And she would. Because now that the pregnancy was real, she fiercely wanted this baby, regardless of the difficulties and hardships ahead of her. The need for it was as deeply primitive as the feelings Collins had stirred in her.


    More so.


    Collins wasn¡¯t hers to keep but their child was. If nothing else, she¡¯d have this, and already her love for the life she now carried burned in her heart like a beacon that she knew would shine over any dark days she experienced.


    It wasn¡¯t the joy Favour was feeling.


    It was a passion.


    Maybe that was the difference between their two natures.


    Favour was a straight-line kind of person while she was driven by highs and lows. Her sister was never going to understand any of the choices she¡¯d made, especially those rting to Collins. It was definitely best to keep it all to herself until she couldn¡¯t any longer.


    ¡®Jasmine, you haven¡¯t eaten anything and your coffee must be cold by now,¡¯ Favour pointed out.


    ¡®It¡¯s all too rich for me, Favour,¡¯ she excused. ¡®I¡¯m sure Leonard will help you out with it when hees.¡¯


    She quickly picked up her cup¡­ ¡®Still warm.¡¯ ¡­ and sipped before smiling to assure her sister all was well.


    ¡®Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re dieting.¡¯ It was a castigatingment.


    ¡®No. But I did have ate lunch,¡¯ Jasmine lied, hating the necessity to lie, yet needing to excuse herck of appetite so her sister wouldn¡¯t go on and on about it. ¡®I just don¡¯t feel like eating anymore. Sorry¡­¡¯

 26

    Favour shrugged and helped herself to a second pastry. ¡®I feel hungry all the time. Must be my hormones getting out of bnce or something.¡¯


    Again her sister rattled on, leaving Jasmine to wonder how many lies she would end up telling. Deceit did not sitfortably with her. Better to avoid meetings like this until she was ready to confront everyone with the truth.


    It was a relief when Leonard arrived, lilting the onus of a one-on-one conversation with Favour. Though again Jasmine found herself wracked with envy at the love so openly expressed between her sister and brother-inw in their greeting and manner to each other.


    Worse was their mutual exhration in having a baby on the way. Favour preened as Leonard fussed over her, adoring the mother of his child, only too eager to watch over her everyfort and carry out her every pleasure.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    So it should be, Jasmine savagely told herself, and if that was not her lot it was because of the choices she¡¯d made and it was now up to her to get used to not having the whole rosy package. sses of champagne were ordered and brought to their table. She forced herself to make appropriate toasts, to smile andugh in all the right ces, and was doing fine until Leonard brought up Collins name.


    ¡®Hey! Did you hear the news about Collins?¡¯ he tossed out, grinning from ear to ear.


    She shook her head, not trusting herself to speak in a tone of mild interest.


    ¡®He won the BAFTA award for Special Visual Effects in Londonst night. It was in the newspaper this morning. He¡¯s really scooping the pool this year. The film he worked on scored Best Picture Drama in the Golden Globes. Only the Academy Award to go.¡¯


    ¡®He¡¯s bound to win it,¡¯ Favour chimed in. ¡®You know, Leonard, given the bigrush of what¡¯s happening for him, it was really good of Collins to drop everything ande to our wedding.¡¯


    ¡®Sure was,¡¯ he agreed.


    Jasmine loosened her throat enough to ask, ¡®Have you heard from him since then?¡¯


    ¡®No. Don¡¯t expect to until hends back home,¡¯ came the matter-of-fact reply.


    ¡®I thought¡­ as old friends¡­¡¯


    ¡®We¡¯ll chew over it all when we meet up again.¡¯ Leonard grinned. ¡®It¡¯s only women who can¡¯t wait to share everything over the phone.¡¯


    Favourughed and yfully punched him on the arm. ¡®You¡¯re not to go ga-ga over the phone bill again.¡¯


    ¡®It was only the shock of it, sweetheart. I¡¯ll be expecting it next time and won¡¯t even blink. Promise.¡¯


    ¡®So, are you expecting Collins back soon?¡¯ Jasmine pressed, unable to leave the subject alone, craving some personal news of him or a reason to hope¡­


    Leonard shrugged. ¡®The way things are lining up for him, it would only be a flying visit when and if hees. Like for the wedding. In and out.¡¯


    He¡¯d been in and out her life twice. No promises for a third time, yet with Leonard now married to her sister, another connection might happen.


    If it was months from now and he visited Leonard , he could well find out his old friend¡¯s sister-inw was pregnant. A year on and he could hear she¡¯d had a child. Would he put two and two together? And then what?


    If he ignored the news, then there was no hope of any future with him.


    Yet if he came to her¡­ Jasmine¡¯s heart began to quiver at that possibility. His child¡­ would he feel he had to offer financial support?


    Take up visiting rights? The future was suddenly a minefield that could explode in her face if Collins took a terrible negative attitude towards her for what she¡¯d done.


    ¡®Did you call him?¡¯ Favour asked, then added when Jasmine looked at her with raised eyebrows. ¡®I mean Collins. The other night when you called to ask for his number. Did you get to speak to him?¡¯


    Jasmine shook her head.


    ¡®Why not?¡¯


    ¡®I had some work stuff to do and then I forgot about calling¡¯ she lied again. God.. How long could she keep up with this.


    ¡®Jasmine¡­¡¯ Favour called her again. She was eyeing her with concern, a slight frown drawing her brows together. It jolted Jasmine into smoothing out her own expression, hiding any stress she might have inadvertantly shown.


    ¡®Sorry¡­ wool-gathering. Did I miss something?¡¯ she asked brightly.


    ¡®No.¡¯ Favour grimaced. ¡®You just looked a bit lonely and lost. It made me think¡­¡¯


    ¡®Favour , I¡¯m tired. It was a hard day at work and I think the champagne¡¯s gone to my head. If you and Leonard don¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll head off home now and leave you to celebrate together.¡¯ She started to rise from her chair.


    ¡®No¡­ wait! I need to say this.¡¯ Determined purpose in her sister¡¯s voice.


    Stifling a frustrated sigh, Jasmine sank onto the cushioned seat again, hoping not to be held up much longer. Her nerves were frayed from keeping up a happy facade.


    ¡®What¡¯s so pressing?¡¯ she asked, trying for a note of indulgence.


    ¡®Maybe I did wrong by youst year,¡¯ came the worried reply.


    Jasmine looked nkly at her, desperately hiding her inner churning.


    Oh damn. If Favour brought up the blind date with Collins¡­


    ¡®I truly believed Robert was bad for you, bui that was your business and I shouldn¡¯t have interfered, telling you stuff you didn¡¯t want to hear.¡¯


    Jasmine held her breath, not knowing where this was leading.


    ¡®I guess everyone¡¯s different,¡¯ Favour mused. ¡®Maybe we don¡¯t get to pick whom we love. They justplement something in us¡­¡¯ She sighed.


    ¡®Anyhow, I just want to say if there¡¯s any chance of you getting back with Robert, don¡¯t let my opinion stop you. I had no right to¡­¡¯


    ¡®Robert?¡¯ The name burst from Jasmine in almost hysterical relief. ¡®Oh believe me. There¡¯s no way in the world I¡¯d ever want to get back with Robert.¡¯


    ¡®No?¡¯ Favour asked, clearly surprised.


    ¡®No!¡¯ Jasmine replied


    ¡®Then why haven¡¯t you¡­? I mean, you¡¯ve shown no interest in anyone else and I thought¡­ Who am I to judge what suits you best?¡¯


    Jasmine summoned up a rueful smile. ¡®Not Robert, I promise you. Stop worrying about me, Favour. I¡¯ll make my own way.¡¯


    She pushed onto her feet again, shaking her head fondly at the newly wed couple. ¡®Be happy for you. I am.¡¯ This time she made good her escape.


    She collected her car from the opera house car park and with the evening peak-hour traffic well and truly over, it was a hassle-tree drive home to Randwick. It felt good to close her apartment door and shut the rest of the world out.

 27

    She walked across the living room to the goldfish bowl and smiled at Rhett and Scarlet who were responding eagerly to her presence. She didn¡¯t have to hide anything from them. They gave her pleasure and made no demands¡­ except for food. It cost her very little to supply that.


    A baby would cost a great deal more, on many levels. But whatever the price she would pay it¡­ somehow. She would never, never ask Collins for anything. She¡¯d taken the gift of a child from him. He owed her nothing. But the child was not all hers. The big question was¡­ how would he react to it?


    Her phone rang, drawing her away from her thoughts. Any distraction from her thoughts was wee. She didn¡¯t specte on who might be calling. She simply reached for her bag and withdrew her phone. She paused when she looked at the caller ID and saw Collins name.


    She waited two more rings before she could bring herself to pick the call. When he said her name, she held her breath. There was a moment of silence then her name was repeated again at the other end of the line.


    ¡®Jasmine¡­¡¯ The deep timbre of the voice was instantly recognisable, stopping her heart dead and sending prickles down her spine.


    ¡®¡­ it¡¯s Collins Templeton.¡¯


    Oh of course she knew that, but the confirmation did nothing to loosen her tongue which was stuck to the roof of her mouth. The shock of hearing from him held her utterly frozen.


    ¡®I was wondering if you could get a goldfish-sitter?¡¯ he continued.


    The crazy question jolted her into croaking, ¡®What? Why? I don¡¯t understand.¡¯


    ¡®Someone to look after Rhett and Scarlet if you flew to L. A. for a week.¡¯


    ¡®L. A.?¡¯ She knew she was sounding stupid at the moment, but couldn¡¯t snap herself out of the stunned daze.


    ¡®I would like very much if you¡¯d partner me to the Academy Awards ceremony.¡¯ said Collins.


    Partner him. ¡®Oh. When?¡¯ The question tripped off her tongue. ¡®I mean why?¡¯


    Flying to LA would mean flying on Thursday, twenty-first of March.


    ¡®I will book the flight and you can pick up the E-ticket at the Qantas desk. You will be met at LAX airport by a chauffeur and transported to the Regent Beverley Wiltshire Hotel where T have a suite booked. All you have to do is arrange for time off work and find someone to look after the goldfish.¡¯


    The Regent Beverley Wiltshire-it was where they¡¯d made the movie Pretty Woman. Was she to be Collins pretty woman for his big Hollywood night? She quickly checked herself. This was a man who had left without a words, and now he was calling, asking her to catch a flight like everything was okay and they had been in touch ever since. No matter how much she missed him, she felt like she deserved an apology¡­ An exnation¡­. just something.


    ¡®I don¡¯t think I can do that Collins¡¯ she said softly, fighting the urge in her to take the offer. She had missed him so damn much and simply hearing his voice was a lot for her.


    There was a pause, and then he asked. ¡®Why not?¡¯


    Why not? Jasmine wanted to punch something, but she kept herself in check, needing her emotional control. ¡®Why? Because you just can¡¯t call me out of the blue after all this time and make demands to see me. That¡¯s just¡­ Just¡­¡¯


    ¡®Just what, Jasmine?¡¯ Collins asked, and the tone of his voice told her that he wasughing. The nerve of the man.


    ¡®Disrespectful, Collins¡¯ she blurted out, losing a bit of a much needed emotional control. ¡®It¡¯s disrespectful¡¯


    ¡®Oh. I¡¯m sorry¡¯ he said. He did sound remorseful, or maybe that was just what she wanted to hear. She wasn¡¯t sure anymore.


    ¡®I guess I didn¡¯t go about it the right way, but believe me, disrespecting you was thest thing I intended to do. I¡¯m sorry¡¯


    She didn¡¯t say anything¡­. She just couldn¡¯t.


    ¡®Jasmine¡¯ he repeated.


    ¡®Jasmine¡­ will youe?¡¯


    She should have asked, why her? She should have asked dozens of questions. But a wild rush of blood to the head blotted out all of them.


    ¡®Yes,¡¯ she said.


    ¡®Good!¡¯ A wealth of satisfaction in his voice. ¡®Call Qantas tomorrow and they¡¯ll give you the details.¡¯


    ¡®Collins¡­¡¯


    ¡®Mmm?¡¯


    Nothing. She¡¯d just wanted to say his name. ¡®I¡¯ll look forward to seeing you again,¡¯ she rushed out.


    ¡®I want you with me,¡¯ he simply ted.


    And that was the end of it.


    Or the beginning of something Jasmine hadn¡¯t dared to count on.


    It was the end of February now. Three, four weeks¡­ hopefully she still wouldn¡¯t be showing her pregnancy. Whether she would tell him or not depended on¡­ too much for her to even contemte. She would just go. Whatever happened with Collins Templeton in Los Angeles would make the decision for her.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    She was in bed and fast asleep, just as he¡¯d left her three months ago, her glorious hair strewn across the pillows, the seductive curves of her lush body outlined by the sheet that covered her.


    Jasmine¡­


    He didn¡¯t say her name out loud but it rolled through his mind, filling it with pleasure, and all the doubts he¡¯d nursed since calling her toe suddenly seemed totally irrelevant. She was here. And so was he. It felt good¡­ right.


    He moved swiftly to the bathroom, stripped off, got under the shower to freshen himself up after his flight from New York. It was just past two in the afternoon. The desk clerk had told him Jasmine had arrived at seven this morning. She was probably trying to sleep off jeg. It was a killer trip from Sydney to L. A.


    As the water sprayed him in an invigorating burst, he shook his head over the London model who¡¯d apanied him to the BAFTA awards in the U. K. That woman hadn¡¯t known when to stop posing, courting every photographer in sight, puckering up to him as though they were an item, loving all the limelight, thinking she was irresistibly sexy despite her skinny figure and not having half the natural beauty Jasmine had. He¡¯d ended up hating her high screechy voice, hating her busy hands, hating her empty name-dropping chatter.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.

 28

    One night with that female egomaniac and the impulse to call the only woman he really wanted had been too strong to deny. The sweet relief of hearing her simple yes-no scatty questions, no fluffing around, no irritating drama, just yes-had put a smile on his face for days afterwards. He just hoped she hadn¡¯t been reading more into this invitation than there was. A week with her was all he could fit in.


    But what a week it was going to be!


    Jasmine¡­ his heart seemed to lift with the lovely rhythm of her name.


    He was grinning as he towelled himself dry, the excitement of having her here, waiting for him in the next room, was like a fizzy cocktail running through his blood. He strode back to the bed. She hadn¡¯t stirred. The need to touch, to awaken an awareness of him would not wait. He lifted the sheet and slid his body down beside hers, propping himself up on one elbow, wanting to watch for the first flicker of her long eyshes.


    With featherlight fingertips he stroked the wavy hair away from her beautiful face. No make-up, he noticed. She needed none. The fine texture of her skin had no blemishes. Her lips, provocatively pouting in the rxed stale of sleep, were a rosy-brown colour. And he knew her eyes had their own unique attraction that no artifice could improve upon.


    He trailed his fingers down the soft curve of her cheek, then slowly traced her full lower lip. Her tongue licked out, instinctively seeking to reduce the sensitivity he¡¯d aroused. A slight crease appeared between her eyes, disturbance at a subconscious level. He was smiling when hershes lifted, a delicate shift then a sharp flick open, as though consciousness hade in a rash.


    ¡®Hi!¡¯ he said, happy to greet her into his life again.


    ¡®Hi!¡¯ she responded with a sigh that spread into a slow sensual smile, and he saw the amber irises warm to gold, weing him back into her life.


    ¡®Good of you toe.¡¯ he said.


    ¡®Good of you to ask me.¡¯ she replied.


    Heughed, delighted by herid-back attitude. ¡®An act of total selfishness, I¡¯m afraid.¡¯


    ¡®Oh, I don¡¯t know. Seems to me there¡¯s quite a bit of giving in it. The first-ss seat on the flight was much appreciated. The limousine made me feel like a VIP . And this suite¡­¡¯ She gave him an anxious look. ¡®Please tell me it¡¯s some kind of perk rted to your work.¡¯


    Her concern over the cost amused him. Other women he knew would take this for granted. ¡®Definitely a perk rted to my work,¡¯ he assured her and it wasn¡¯t aplete lie. He was raking in millions from the film that was winning him awards-a percentage deal-and he could well afford this extravagance. Besides, the trappings of sess was a power tool in Hollywood. He¡¯d be inviting people here-business under the guise of parties.


    ¡®The penthouse suite,¡¯ she breathed in awe, rolling her eyes. ¡®I almost died when I was shown into it.¡¯


    ¡®Is that why you¡¯re in bed?¡¯ he teased.


    ¡®I thought it had to be a dream and when I woke up¡­¡¯ She reached up and touched his face, ¡®This is real, isn¡¯t it?¡¯


    ¡®It feels real to me.¡¯ He leaned over her, brushing her lips with his, tasting them with light flicks of his tongue. Her arms wound around his neck, inviting more reality, and Collins was only too ready to oblige, to reacquaint himself with the whole intensely desirable package of Jasmine Leire.


    His hands skimmed her beautiful body with possessive eagerness as he deepened the kiss, igniting the passion that red so quickly between them. Her breasts felt firmer than he¡¯d remembered, her waist less emphatically indented. Probably carrying a bit more weight, he thought, and dismissed the minor physical changes, loving the feel of her anyway, the lush curves, the softness of her flesh, the silky smoothness of her skin.


    It was so easy to immerse himself in her. She was instantly receptive, as hot for him as he was for her, shuddering with pleasure as he sank into her creamy depths, locking her legs around him to hold on to the intensely satisfying intimacy, kissing with a hunger that matched his.


    Jasmine wanted it never to be over. All her worries had been reced. There were no awkward kisses or clumsy motions. Everything had been reced by this rush-a rush of sensations, feelings, of Collins sweeping her into this unfamiliar ce where all she was was herself, a better self, an unguarded self, a woman in his arms. And he held her as he filled her, brought from her involuntary noises, and the bliss of him inside her was unsurpassed-until the next moment. For just as she epted the sensation of Collins inside her things changed again. As he moved within her she felt swathed, wrapped, cosseted, and even at her most vulnerable, with him inside her, his skin sliding over hers, his breath harsh and ragged in her ear, even as he took her to a new, dangerous and unfamiliar ce, she felt absolutely secure.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Her thighs ached, her stomach pulled tight, and his cheek was next to hers. All she could hear was his breath as he moved slowly, and though there was no yardstick for her to measure by, there was a need now in Jasmine for Collins to move faster, for him to match the sudden urgency of her body. She felt her hips rising in demand, yet he refused to relent-if anything he moved slower, deeper, as her body pleaded for him to join her.


    Like a kiss to thin air she said his name, pleading when she had never had to beg before. Jasmine hardly recognised her own voice, this sob, this whimper from usually assured lips, but she cried out as a rush of heat red through her body. Her hands dug into his back as she demanded that he join her, and yet he did not, even as she gave in and shuddered beneath him. Her cries went unmatched; he was seemingly impervious to the writhing of her body, and still he moved within¡­

 29

    Triumph coursed through him as he rocked deep within her, as he felt her dissolve beneath him, heard the cries of her assent. And he wanted to join her, to tip into oblivion, but the climb to the summit was wondrous. Here the air was clearer, the sounds more vivid, the colours brighter, and he wanted to linger, to find the answer to what would happen if he stayed, if he lingered, if he ventured on to an uncharted ce¡­ He kissed her for sustenance, took her weary, shocked lips in his and confirmed his intent. And then he told her, stared into the lusty ck of her pupils and showed her a different way.


    ¡®This is how it could be.¡¯


    She had thought her body spent, yet it was nowhere near. Thenguorous, slow lovemaking he had teased her with before was reced, and the urgent, demanding pressure she had sought earlier was given to her now. He was relentless, his arms wrapped around her, his face smothering hers, kissing her eyes, her mouth, her face, her ears, driving deep into her as her hips rose to a rhythm that matched his. And she was crying and pleading, because it was as close to the edge as she ever wanted to venture, yet she wanted to be there all the same. Scared to jump, to fall, she wanted to roll back at thest minute, to save herself-except Collins had just gone, his body moving fast and then stilling as he released, and it ripped through her like lightning. She had an image then, as if he were offering her his hand, and instead of rolling away she took it, jumped with him to a ce of freedom where she could scream out his name as her body spasmed while he emptied into her, her feminine muscles pulsing in perfect time with his. And then he caught her, with soft, deep strokes that brought her slowly back to her senses, that soothed her twitching body to a new state of calm.


    A peaceful calm like one she had never witnessed.


    All the heat was fading, their glistening bodies cooling as he kissed her back to the world, and then he said it again.


    ¡®This is how it could be.¡¯


    Jasmine smiled¡­


    ¡ª¡ª


    ¡®Now that was better than good,¡¯ he said when he¡¯d recovered breath enough to speak.


    ¡®Mmm..,¡¯ she purred against his chest.


    ¡®You¡¯re not to go back to sleep, Jasmine.¡¯


    ¡®I know. Just making sure you¡¯re real,¡¯ she mumbled, gliding a hand towards his groin.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    ¡®Believe it.¡¯ He grabbed her seductive hand and pressed it over his heart, which was still thumping at an elerated rate, very much alive and kicking.


    However, the practical reality was she needed to get out and do some walking after her long flight or her body clock would never catch up to L. A. time. As much as he was tempted to stay right where he was all afternoon, it wouldn¡¯t be good for her. Besides which, he couldpletely sate himself with her tonight. He had a whole week of nights to do what he wanted.


    ¡®Have you been to L. A. before, Jasmine?¡¯


    ¡®No. First time.¡¯ she replied.


    ¡®And you haven¡¯t moved from this suite since you arrived?¡¯


    ¡®I was waiting for you.¡¯


    ¡®Well, now that I¡¯m here, I¡¯ll take you out for some sight-seeing. We¡¯ll go to Santa Monica, walk down the mall, pick up something to eat, watch the buskers, look at the stalls. Maybe stroll along the beach.¡¯


    He grinned as he recalled their first night together at Spoon Bay. She was like a siren from the sea, still calling to him. Even her pets were fish. He wound his other hand through her hair and lightly tugged, feeling the tide of desire rising again and knowing he should stave it off.


    ¡®Okay with you?¡¯ She levered herself up to smile happy agreement at him.


    ¡®Now that you mention it, I am hungry.¡¯ she said.


    ¡®Want something to eat first?¡¯


    ¡®No. I¡¯d rather go out.¡¯


    ¡®Then let¡¯s get dressed and go.¡¯


    She rolled off the bed, picked up a bathrobe and had it on before he could really savour the sight of her naked. But then her arm lifted and hoisted the rippling mass of her hair out from under the cor and he enjoyed watching the long silky tresses float around her shoulders as she headed for the bathroom.


    Jasmine¡­. Jasmine Leire.


    He was fully aroused again. Control was almost a lost cause around her. Cold shower, he dictated, and no looking at her until she presented herself fully dressed. There were three bedrooms and four bathroomsin this suite. He took himself off to the bedroom where he¡¯d directed his luggage be dropped and enforced the necessary discipline, although there was no suppressing the zing of anticipation in his blood.


    There was no other woman like her.


    Not in his experience.


    Maybe spending a week with her would diminish the addictive powers she had over him, show him she wasn¡¯t so attractive when it came to mixing in other areas of his life. What little time they¡¯d spent together had been hyper-time, intensely sexual. He needed to slow that down, explore more of her, get some all-epassing perspective that would let him feel free to move on from here.


    That was a reasonable n of action.


    But as he forced himself to move out into the living room and nt himself in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, which gave a magnificent view of the skyline, he could barely bring himself to wait until she appeared.


    Jasmine was on tenterhooks that Collins might follow her into the bathroom. Her heart was galloping at the prospect, frightened that he would notice the thickening of her waist, which she could do nothing to disguise. He hadn¡¯tmented on it in bed, but touch was different to sight and they¡¯d both been caught up in the urgent need for intimate connection.


    She beat all speed records under the shower and wrapped herself in the bathrobe again before returning to the bedroom to dress. It was a huge relief to find Collins gone from it, but aware that he was somewhere in the suite and could re-join her at any moment, she wasted no time in choosing what to wear. Walking, he¡¯d said.

 30

    Her ck stretch jeans, matching battle jacket, the red top that skimmed rather than hugged her waist, and Reeboks on her feet-that should take her anywhere with reasonable style andfort.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Once fully dressed, she rxed enough toke some time over her hair and a bit of make-up. There was no telling whom they might meet and she wanted Collins to feel proud of her. Fortunately the sleep had done her good. She was no longer feeling like death warmed up, as she hadafter the long flight, and the queasiness had left her stomach.


    But what about tomorrow morning? she asked herself as she brushed the tangles out of her hair. How long could she keep deceiving Collins about her pregnancy? More to the point, did she want to? Apart from subjecting herself to the panic that had just churned through her, she wasn¡¯t ever going to feel right while she kept this secret from him. She could feel herself tensing up at the thought of the next few hours in hispany, pretending she had nothing to worry about.


    But if she didn¡¯t pretend¡­ this was her first real chance to rte to him on other levels beside the sexual, her first chance to see how much he was drawn to her as a person, not just as a pretty woman on hand in his penthouse suite. If she blurted out she was pregnant and told him he¡¯d fathered the baby, she was frightened of precipitating a crisis that would shatter any hopeful harmony she might reach with him, given a few days together.


    Satisfied with her appearance, Jasmine took several deep breaths to calm her jumpy nerves, then walked out to the amazing living room, telling herself not to be overawed by all this spacious luxury. Only Collins response to her counted, not the morous surroundings nor what they signalled about how big a sess he was in his world. Whaty in his heart¡­ that was what she had to learn while she was here.


    The suite was on the top floor of the Beverly Wing with a wrap-around balcony on three sides. Collins stood by one of the floor-to-ceiling windows, gazing out. He had an imperious look about him, the proud cast of his head, the tall, powerful physique, clothed in ck jeans and leather jacket. Jasmine wondered if he had more worlds to conquer in his mind, or would he feel satisfied with reaching the zenith of this one ¡­ an Academy Award¡­ the Hollywood dream?


    ¡®Collins¡­.¡¯ she called, wanting him to turn to her.


    He snapped around, exuding an animal vitality that instantly said he would always have more ces to go. There would never be resting on anyurels for Collins Templeton.


    ¡®Ready¡­¡¯ he said with relish, his eyes eating her up from head to toe with more than warm approval.


    He closed the distance between them with a few quick strides. The maic energy targeting her held Jasmine breathless and tingling and when Collins hooked her arm around his with purposeful possessiveness, her heart swelled with the wild hope that he wouldn¡¯t want to let her go. Not this time.


    ¡®I¡¯ve called for a car. You¡¯ll like Santa Monica. It¡¯s fun,¡¯ he informed her.


    And so it proved to be. A whole street was blocked to traffic, an open mall where the most amazingly colourful people strolled along, wearing way-out clothes and incredible hairdos. A jazz band was selling soul at one end of it. At the other was a string quartet offering ssical music.


    There were buskers in between, offering other forms of entertainment, like the balloon blower who created stic animals for the children.


    Restaurants with hugely varied cuisines extended out onto the pavements. Street stalls sold a fascinating array of fashion essories.


    A disy of wonderful hats tempted Jasmine into trying some on. Collins happily encouraged her, offering criticalment on how well or not each one suited her, enjoying the role of arbiter. A soft reversible hat caught her eye. It felt like velvet and it could be worn as mainly ck with a turned up tiger-print rim or the other way around.


    ¡®Yes, that one!¡¯ Collins said emphatically when she modelled it for him.


    ¡®Why this one?¡¯ She liked it but didn¡¯t see it as extra special.


    ¡®Because it¡¯s you.¡¯ he dered without a moment¡¯s hesitation.


    ¡®Me?¡¯


    ¡®Leopard, tiger¡­ a powerful cat. Beautiful, graceful, lethal.¡¯


    She was stunned by this description. ¡®Is that how you see me?¡¯


    He cocked his head in teasing consideration. ¡®Lethal might be overstating it. Definitely dangerous.¡¯ he said.


    ¡®A cat?¡¯ She looked her incredulity. ¡®Have I ever shown you ws?¡¯


    His smile was very wry. ¡®You keep digging into my mind, Jasmine Leire.¡¯


    What about your heart? She wanted to ask, but she held her tongue and returned the smile instead. ¡®You do quite a bit of that to me, Collins Templeton.¡¯


    ¡®Good! I¡¯d hate to think you had all the power.¡¯ he replied.


    She shook her head, never having thought she had any power, but his admission did indicate there was more than just physical lust on his side. He thought about her. But was it anywhere as much as she thought about him?


    ¡®We¡¯ll take this hat,¡¯ he said, turning to the salesman and whipping out a twenty dor note while Jasmine was still bemused by his responses.


    ¡®I¡¯ll pay for it,¡¯ she protested.


    ¡®It¡¯s done,¡¯ He grinned as he took her arm and led her on. ¡®You look great in it.¡¯


    ¡®Thank you.¡¯ It was still on her head. She left it there. ¡®My goldfish wouldn¡¯t like me as a cat,¡¯ she dryly observed.


    Heughed. ¡®They don¡¯t get to stroke you and hear you purr.¡¯


    The simmering look in his eyes sent a wave of heat through Jasmine. The desire he stirred red between them, choking off any further banter.


    ¡®Let¡¯s choose a ce to eat,¡¯ Collins said gruffly, steering her towards the closest restaurant.


    Neither of them attempted conversation until they were safely seated with a table between them. Jasmine found herself fixating on Collins hands as he perused a menu, thinking of how seductively his long sensual fingers teased and caressed and aroused. She had to tear her gaze off them and concentrate on ordering a meal. She was hungry, desperately hungry for many things beside food.

 31

    When Collins stroked her stomach, would their baby feel his touch as she did, deep in her womb? Would he love it if he knew it was there? Would hee to love her? She needed so much from this week with him.


    The waiter came to take their orders. Jasmine decided on what she hoped was a nd chicken dish, not wanting anything to upset her stomach tonight. Collins ordered steak and a bottle of wine, which she knew she wouldn¡¯t share. Maybe a ss of it wouldn¡¯t hurt, but she was d water was served without her even asking for it.


    After the waiter had gone, Collins sat back and eyed her with a rueful twinkle . ¡®I really want to race you back to the hotel. Why do you suppose you have this effect on me?¡¯


    It was another chance to probe his feelings and Jasmine seized it.


    ¡®Favour says¡­ maybe we don¡¯t get to pick whom we love. They justplement something in us.¡¯ she said.


    ¡®Love¡­¡¯ Collins repeated. He frowned over the word, a dark rejection of it in his eyesas he tersely asked, ¡®You¡¯ve discussed me with your sister?¡¯


    ¡®No, I consider what we¡¯ve had together very private,¡¯ she said slowly, the urge to hurt him as he¡¯d just hurt her welling from the cramp in her heart.


    ¡®She was trying to exin away my attachment to another man. A guy she doesn¡¯t particrly like.¡¯


    The frown deepened over a savage glower. ¡®You¡¯re here with me being unfaithful to some other gay?¡¯ He asked. He certainly didn¡¯t like that idea but whether it was jealousy or contempt for such behaviour she wasn¡¯t quite sure.


    ¡®No. That rtionship was over before I ever met you, Collins.¡¯ She gave him an ironic smile as she delivered the truth. ¡®In fact, there hasn¡¯t been anyone else since I met you. I haven¡¯t wanted anyone else.¡¯


    Her eyes zed a challenge. She¡¯did out his effect on her. Let him speak now. For several long nerve-racking moments he seemed to weigh what she¡¯d said, then to her intense disappointment, the waiter arrived with the bottle of wine, breaking up the intimate flow between them.


    After the wine had been poured and they were left alone again, Collins changed the subject, casually asking, ¡®So how are Leonard and Favour? Still blissful newly weds?¡¯


    ¡®Very blissful,¡¯ Jasmine almost snapped, then bluntly stated, ¡®They¡¯re expecting a baby.¡¯


    His eyebrows rose in surprise. ¡®Straight off?¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s what they both want.¡¯ said Jasmine.


    ¡®Well, good luck to them.¡¯ His mouth twitched into a whimsical little smile. ¡®Leonard will make a very proud Dad.¡¯


    The highly sensitive question shot out before she could stop it. ¡®Do you ever think of having children yourself, Collins?¡¯


    He shrugged. ¡®One day.¡¯ He picked up his ss of wine and swirled it around, watching the movement of the liquid, not looking at her.


    Deliberately not looking at her?


    Tell him, her mind screamed. Cut through all this andy it on the line.


    ¡®Leonard¡¯s father is a good dad,¡¯ Collins remarked musingly. ¡®He always let his children be. Leonard will be like that, too.¡¯


    His gaze snapped to hers, hard and searing. ¡®My father wanted to order my life as he saw lit. I had to fight against his edicts all through my teenage years. I wouldn¡¯t let him own me. No one owns me.¡¯


    Her heart sank at hisst words.


    Freedom was like a religion to him, the zeal for it in his eyes telling her he would never be tied down by anyone. Unless he chose it And he¡¯d been given no choice over her pregnancy.


    The scream in her mind dropped to a wail of despair. She said nothing.


    She picked up her ss of wine and sipped it, barely stopping herself from grimacing over its sour taste.


    ¡®He died when I was twenty-one,¡¯ Collins went on. ¡®For me it was a release. For my mother, too, I think. No more conflict.¡¯


    If he¡¯d witnessed a difficult marriage all through his childhood, what hope was there of him wanting marriage at all?


    ¡®I guess I¡¯m lucky,¡¯ she muttered. ¡®My parents really do love each other and Favour and I have always felt their warm caring for us. We¡¯re a very close-knit family.¡¯


    ¡®Yet you live apart from them,¡¯ he pointed out.


    ¡®I think every adult has a right to their own space. That doesn¡¯t mean the connection isn¡¯t there to be touched whenever it¡¯s wanted or needed.¡¯C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡®Yes.¡¯ he said. Satisfaction glinted in his eyes and Jasmine realised she¡¯d just described what he fancied with her- a connection when the desire for it urred.


    But that wasn¡¯t how it was with a baby¡­ a child.


    She felt sick.


    Their food arrived and she picked at it, feeling sicker and sicker. Her womb ached, as though it, too, was being drained of hope. Eventually she had to excuse herself and head for thedies¡¯ room. Something was wrong, too wrong for her to ignore. Her hands were trembling as she locked herself in a cubicle. A few fumbling momentster she understood what she¡¯d been feeling and her heart was gripped by a wrenching fear. She was bleeding.


    _____


    Collins put down his knife and fork, giving up on the half-eaten steak.


    He¡¯d been forcing himself to eat it, any appetite he¡¯d hadpletely killed by the guilt he felt at having used Jasmine to satisfy himself. He hadn¡¯t promised her anything, hadn¡¯t led her to believe in a continuing rtionship, but¡­ telling him there hadn¡¯t been any other man¡­ talking of love¡­ even children.


    It was obvious now that she¡¯de to L. A. hoping for something more from him than a protracted tumble in bed, and he¡¯d just swept that mat out from under her feel with brutal efficiency. Which had hurt her. Hurt badly. The meal on her te was barely touched. She¡¯d looked sick when she¡¯d left the table and she¡¯d been gone now¡­ what? Five, ten minutes?


    He hoped she wasn¡¯t crying.


    His chest tightened at the thought of causing her to shed tears. Damn it! He¡¯d meant to deliver a warning, notpletely gut her. She¡¯d been so¡­ epting of the situation on their previous two limes together. He¡¯d thought¡­ no harm done.

 32

    Just pleasure on both sides. But that clearly wasn¡¯t the case at all. Not even for him, he thought with savage self-mockery. No other woman had got to him since Jasmine. He¡¯d tried to put her out of his mind, dating women who¡¯d be considered prizes by most men, but they¡¯d all left him cold in the end. He knew exactly what Jasmine meant. Nothing else measured up to their experience. And the bottom line was, he didn¡¯t want to give it up.


    So what to do now? Apologise? Exin his position? What if she came back to the table and ended it right here? Walked away from him without so much as a backward nce? How would he feel?


    Collins didn¡¯t have time to analyse the impact such an action would have on him. Jasmine was on her way back, a set determination on her face and not the slightest bit of warmth or pleasure in her eyes. She didn¡¯t move to sit on her chair, She remained standing by the table, a bleak decision in the eyes that met his with unwavering resolution.


    Collins found himself rising to his feet, bracing himself for action, adrenalin shooting through his blood at the instinctive urge to light.


    ¡®What is it?¡¯ he rapped out, forcing the issue, wanting to deal with it.


    ¡®I need your help, Collins.¡¯ she said. A t, bare statement.


    ¡®Whatever I can do,¡¯ he promised quickly, not having anticipated an appeal for help.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know anyone here except you. I don¡¯t know where to go or what to do. Please¡­ you must help, no matter how you feel about it.¡¯


    Her voice cracked over the entreaty and despair welled into a him over her eyes. rmed by her intense distress, Collins automatically reached out and closed his hands reassuringly around her shoulders, which were held too stiffly.


    ¡®I¡¯m here for you,¡¯ he strongly asserted. ¡®Tell me how I can help.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m pregnant. I¡¯m bleeding. I think I¡¯m having a miscarriage.¡¯ she said.


    Three body blows that took his breath away, blew his mind, and contracted every muscle in his body.


    ¡®I have to get to a hospital. I don¡¯t even know one in Los Angeles. And I¡¯m frightened of¡­ of passing out.¡¯ she continued.


    He fought off the shock. She looked like death. He had to act and act fast.


    ¡®Sit down until I get the information we need,¡¯ hemanded, forcibly seating her on the chair she¡¯d vacated. His mind zapped into overdrive as he whipped out his mobile telephone from the pocket of his leather jacket.


    The hotel would have the contacts. Money would buy the quickest and best treatment. He kept his brain clear to make the necessary moves. Time for questionster.


    Once Collins took charge, everything passed in a blur to Jasmine. While one part of her mind recognised and was intensely grateful for his efficient participation in getting her to emergency treatment, another part shut him out, focusing entirely on keeping still, keeping calm, willing her baby to hold on.


    There were questions to be answered when she arrived at the hospital, distracting forms to be filled out. She hadn¡¯t thought to take out medical insurance for this trip. Collins stepped in and cut through the red tape, insisting he would take care of everything. Which didn¡¯t feel right but she didn¡¯t have the energy to argue. She needed all of it to concentrate on holding the fear at bay and doing whatever she could to keep her baby safe.


    A doctor examined her. She hadn¡¯t lost the baby yet. It was still there.


    She was to rest quietly tonight and they¡¯d run a scan on her tomorrow to check the situation. A nurse introduced herself and exined the hospital system, showed the button to press if she required attention, saw to all her immediate needs. Finally she was left alone to sleep the night away.


    Except she wasn¡¯t alone. Collins was still with her in the private room he had arranged. He¡¯d supervised everything, remaining on hand to facilitate whatever he could. He was sitting on a chair beside her bed, and now there was no more to be done, Jasmine could no longer shut his presence out of her mind.


    He hadn¡¯t asked her any questions.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    She didn¡¯t want to answer any. No point. He¡¯d made his position clear.


    Marriage and children were not on his agenda. What had been-a week of pleasure with her¨Chad now lost all viability. To his credit, he had risen to her desperate appeal for help, despite the shock it must have been to him, and it was up to her now to cut him free of an involvement that was totally devoid of pleasure.


    ¡®Thank you, Collins.¡¯ she said quietly, forcing herself to look at him face to face. He deserved, that acknowledgment for all he¡¯d done, though it pained her to see the darkly clouded eyes of the man on whom she¡¯d pinned so many futile hopes.


    ¡®Please don¡¯t feel you have to stay,¡¯ she went on. ¡®I¡¯ll manage on my own now.¡¯


    The cloud instantly lifted. The sharply prating look he gave her pierced Jasmine¡¯s soul.


    ¡®It¡¯s my child, isn¡¯t it,¡¯ he stated more than asked. No doubt in his mind.


    There was no denying it, no evading it. He¡¯d heard her tell the medical staff she was three months¡¯ pregnant.


    ¡®Yes,¡¯ she said tly, then gathered breath enough to add, ¡®I lied. I lied to you. It wasn¡¯t safe. So it¡¯s not your fault, Collins. I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s responsible for this child.¡¯


    That let him off the hook. He could go with a clear conscience. It hadn¡¯t been an ident. There¡¯d been no failure of any contraceptive device. This oue could be directly attributed to a choice she had made-a choice she¡¯d been prepared to live by. Without him.


    She half expected a tirade of usation but it didn¡¯te. Even so, the long drawn-out silence stretched her nerves,


    ¡®Did you want to fall pregnant, Jasmine?¡¯ he asked her


    His voice was carefully void of any criticism. Yet s he read into the question the suggestion she¡¯d nned to trap him into fatherhood and she couldn¡¯t bear him to think that of her.

 33

    ¡®I just wanted you that night, Collins. I¡¯d gone off the pill months previously. No need for it. When I told you it was safe, I meant to gel a morning-after pill the next day.¡¯ She sighed, doubtful he could understand how she¡¯d thought and felt afterwards.


    ¡®But you didn¡¯t,¡¯ he quietly prompted.


    ¡®No. You were gone without a word to me. Call it madness if you like, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to do it.¡¯ She managed an ironic little smile.


    ¡®If a new life had been conceived by us, I felt it was meant to be. And I guess if I miscarry now, that¡¯s meant to be, too.¡¯ she added.


    Tears welled up. She quickly rolled her head across the pillow, turning her face away from him, swallowing hard to hold in the wave of grief.


    He would probably be relieved if she lost the baby, relieved to have no permanent tie on his te. It was only she who wanted the child, loved knowing it was growing inside her, cherished the life she and Collins had made together.


    ¡®Please go¡­please¡­¡¯ she choked out, fiercely telling herself not to weep. It would knot up her muscles and she had to stay rxed, think of the baby.


    She¡¯d answered the critical questions, freed him of all responsibility.


    She heard the scrape of his chair and the squeeze on her heart grew even tighter. He was leaving. A sense of utter destion swept through her. A fool¡¯s dream¡­ to think he might love her.


    Then she felt warm fingers stroking down the hand lying closest to where he¡¯d been sitting, strong fingers spreading hers apart, intecing, gripping. ¡®I left you in the past. Jasmine. I won¡¯t leave you alone tonight,¡¯ he said gruffly. ¡®You just rest now. I¡¯ll watch over you. Make sure nothing more goes wrong and I¡¯ll help in any way that I can¡¯


    She shut her eyes tight, but the tears spilled through hershes and trickled down her cheeks. If he was angry with her, he wasn¡¯t showing it. Caring flowed from the heat of the hand holding hers and she was too weak to reject it. Caring might not be love but somehow it eased the emptiness that dragged at her, the fear of what she might be told tomorrow.


    He stroked her hair with his other hand-gentle, soothing caresses.


    Rest now, he¡¯d said, and his uncritical eptance of her situation helped. Even his silentpany helped. She felt no judgment in it, orher mind was too stressed out to sense any judgment. It was simply good to be assured she was not alone in a strange hospital, in a foreign country. Collins was here, looking after her.


    ¡ª¡ª-


    She was fast asleep. The hand Collins still held had ckened into limp passivity some time ago. He¡¯d been reluctant to let it go in case she stirred again and panicked at the sense of being on her own. Jasmine was in L. A.- a huge distance away from her family and friends-because he¡¯d called her. She hadn¡¯t contacted him about her pregnancy. It was his call that had brought her here. He fell his responsibility for taking care of her very keenly.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Her breathing was slow and even. Assured she was unlikely to awake for a while, Collins slowly slid his hand from hers and stood up, needing to stretch his stiff muscles, walk around the room a bit. A nurse had dropped by to check on Jasmine and switched on a night-light when she saw the patient was settled. Everything was dimly visible. He could walk without bumping into furniture, and keep an eye on Jasmine for any slight disturbance.


    His mind was hopelessly clogged with the idea of her carrying his child -a tiny life inside her, which was under threat of ending before it had the chance to grow into what it could be. A son. A daughter. His son or daughter. He was stunned at how possessive he wasing to feel about it now that the initial shock had worn off.


    Shades of his father?


    Wanting himself immortalised by having a child with his genes step into his shoes?


    Collins fiercely rejected the reflection. He would never be like his father in that respect. It was wrong. But what he¡¯d done to Jasmine was wrong, too¡­ taking all she¡¯d give then leaving her without a word. That stark little statement had really stung him. It hadn¡¯t been an usation, just the simple truth.


    Like everything else she said.


    Simple truths.


    She was too direct and honest to try to trap him.


    And the one lie she had told-the safe lie-the truth was he hadn¡¯t wanted that night stopped any more than she did. If she¡¯d told him she had no contraception, would he have left her to buy a packet of condoms? He shook his head, not sure of the answer, recalling how he had pressed her to absolve him of such a necessity.


    So he could walk away afterwards without any concern. Oh, he¡¯d done a truly excellent job of that. Not a word to her¡­ until two monthster when he¡¯d wanted her again.


    He suspected his call had thrown her into one hell of a dilemma- whether to tell him or not. He hadn¡¯t given her much chance to do so over the telephone. And he certainly hadn¡¯t been encouraging down at Santa Monica. But for the threatened miscarriage¡­ would she have told him at all?


    Had she told anyone?


    He stood at her bedside, scrutinising the face that looked so peaceful and innocent in sleep, hiding her secrets. What did he really know of her? Only that she got to him as no other woman ever had. Was that enough tomit himself to a lifetime partnership?


    If this pregnancy ended in a miscarriage¡­ did he want to let Jasmine go?


    Should the baby be saved¡­? A primitive possessiveness surged over any reasonable train of thought. No way was he going to walk out of the life of his child. He had to secure his rights as a father. If that meant marriage¡­ well, he wasn¡¯t averse to the idea of having Jasmine as his wife. At least the sex was great, though sex wasn¡¯t everything in a marriage. Adjustments would have to be made.


    Whatever arrangeme nt they came to, he would take care of her¡­ take care of both her and their child, make sure they wanted for nothing.

 34

    His course was clear, provided there was no miscarriage.


    If the baby was lost¡­


    His mind instinctively shied from even considering that oue.


    Tomorrow, after the scan¡­ he would think about it then¡­ if he had to.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ¡®There is no heartbeat.¡¯


    No heartbeat¡­


    Jasmine felt her own heart stop. She closed her eyes. The doctor¡¯s words kept on ringing in her mind-a death knell for her baby,


    ¡®Are you sure?¡¯ Collins demanded harshly. ¡®Can you check again?¡¯


    ¡®I have been trying to find it for some time. Mr. Freeman. There¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m sorry, but there¡¯s no point in holding out any hope. Given the amount of bleeding, it was highly unlikely that¡­¡¯


    ¡®All right!¡¯ Collins snapped.


    Silence. Jasmine floated in a sea of nothingness. No hope. No baby to love. Her heart had started beating again, sluggishly reluctant to bother with this life. She wanted to die, too.


    ¡®Miss Trent,..¡¯ The sympathetic tone in the doctor¡¯s voice forced her to open her eyelids and acknowledge him. Not his fault that her baby was dead.


    Fate had decided she couldn¡¯t have it after all.


    ¡®It¡¯s best you have a curette now.¡¯


    ¡®Yes,¡¯ she agreed. Time to turn over another page. She wasn¡¯t pregnant with a new life anymore.


    Collins came off his chair, clearly hating this oue, wanting to fight it, helplessly conflicted because he couldn¡¯t. ¡®Was it the flight?¡¯ he demanded. ¡®I called Jasmine toe here. It¡¯s a long flight from Sydney to L. A. The cabin pressure¡­¡¯


    ¡®No. It should not cause a miscarriage,¡¯ the doctor assured him.


    Collins looked wildly distraught. ¡®We had sex. Just hours before the bleeding started.¡¯


    The doctor sighed ¡®Pregnancy does not preclude sex, Mr. Templeton. If everything was normal¡­¡¯


    ¡®What do you mean¡­ normal?¡¯ it urred to Jasmine that Collins felt he had caused this and was racked with guilt over it. Through the haze of her own deep inner grief, she wondered why he cared so much. Had he decided he wanted their child? He¡¯d stayed with her all night, all morning. She hadn¡¯t asked why, needing thefort of some familiar presence and he¡¯d provided it, but if he¡¯d been silently making a im on their child¡­


    Gone now.


    Beyond iming.


    No im on Collins, either.


    All gone.


    ¡®I mean a miscarriage urs when something is wrong,¡¯ the doctor exined. ¡®That¡¯s not to say Miss Leire won¡¯t carry a pregnancy to full term another time around, just that this one wasn¡¯t right. Nature has its own way of correcting its mistakes.¡¯


    A mistake¡­


    She shouldn¡¯t have let it happen, shouldn¡¯t have pinned so much on it¡­ nning a life around a child she loved, a child she¡¯d stolen from Collins without his knowledge. That was wrong from the start. Not like Favour and Leonard . They had done it right.


    Collins kept on talking, expending a crackling energy that felt wrong, too.


    Futile. Out of ce. It was finished, nothing left to argue over.


    ¡®Please¡­¡¯ It was an anguished croak. She looked hard at the doctor, appealing for finality .¡¯¡­ let¡¯s get on with it. Do what has to be done.¡¯


    Collins didn¡¯t know what to do. He couldn¡¯t help Jasmine through thisst grim procedure. It was out of his hands. The medical staff had wheeled her away. But he couldn¡¯t bring himself to leave the hospital.


    It was Friday. He should be contacting people or letting them contact him. He took out his phone. He¡¯d switched the power offst night. His finger hovered over the button.


    No.


    Impossible to even think of business when Jasmine ¡­ no life in her eyes¡­ as dead as the child that might have been.


    She¡¯d wanted it.


    And God help him, so had he.


    Gut-wrenching disappointment that it wasn¡¯t to be.


    He wandered around the hospital, had coffee in the canteen, found a ce to shave and freshen up. They¡¯d already brought Jasmine back to her room when he returned to it. She was sleeping. Probably didn¡¯t want to wake up. Merciful oblivion. He could do with some of that himself. But he knew what had happened wasn¡¯t going to go away. It was a scar on his soul¡­ the lost child.


    Collins wasn¡¯t used to emotional turmoil. He made a n and stuck to it, refining it as opportunities presented themselves, though always retaining his vision of where he wanted to go. The end goal.


    Where Jasmine Leire was concerned, his vision was very muddy. She kept knocking him off his straight-line thinking. The liming for a serious rtionship was wrong, yet he had the sinking feeling that if he let her go now, he¡¯d never get her back. And the wanting wasn¡¯t even sexual anymore.


    He couldn¡¯t dismiss it on that basis. There was more to it. Difficult to define. Maybe it was the miscarriage messing him up, but it felt as though she was attached to some integral part of him and without her, there would be a very hollow ce in his life that no one else would ever fill.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    He picked up her hand, weighing it in his own¨C a light delicate hand, fine-boned slender fingers, neatly shaped nails. They weren¡¯t ws. He doubted she would have scratched him for child maintenance, let alone anything Use. It was a soft, giving hand. She¡¯d given him everything he¡¯d wanted from her and made no demands on him. How many women were like that?


    A memory from their first night together sprang into his mind-the blind date-Jasminesaying she¡¯d agreed to it to please her sister, him saying¡­


    Then you have a giving nature. That¡¯s a trap in itself, Jasmine.


    Her answer- Oh, the giving only goes so far.


    Him, curious- What would you take, given the chance?


    That¡¯s a big question


    .


    And you don¡¯t intend to answer it yet?


    That would spoil the game


    .


    He¡¯dughed, thinking it was a flirtatious game, but none of it had been a game to her. She¡¯d given twice.


    Unreservedly. And then she¡¯d taken what she¡¯d wanted-the chance of having a child from their union. And now she was left with nothing. Unless he could supply her with something she considered worth having.


    Her fingers fluttered, subconsciously protesting their imprisonment.


    She was waking up. His heart kicked, speeding up his pulse rate, shooting much-needed oxygen to his overworked brain. He had to establish some kind of positive rapport with Jasmine. Whatever it was they had together¡­ he didn¡¯t want it to end here.

 35

    A frown creased her brow. She moaned and turned on her side away from him, drawing her legs up to scrunch herself into a protective ball.


    She hadn¡¯t opened her eyes, wasn¡¯t aware of his presence, and Collins suddenly felt like a voyeur to deeply private grief. Yet it might also be physical pain.


    ¡®Jasmine¡¯ he called urgently. ¡®Should I get a nurse or doctor?¡¯


    Her head whipped around on the pillow. Startled eyes. Puzzlement.


    ¡®You¡¯re still here?¡¯ she asked, surprised.


    ¡®Are you okay?¡¯ he replied instead.


    She sighed and carefully shifted her body to face him. ¡®I¡¯ll cope with it. Collins, You don¡¯t have to stay and nursemaid me.¡¯


    ¡®I brought you to L. A., Jasmine.¡¯


    ¡®I made the choice. I don¡¯t hold you or me you for anything. And you¡¯ve been more than generous, fixing all this for me. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡¯


    ¡®Don¡¯t apologise. I¡¯m the one who should be apologising.¡¯


    She looked bewildered. ¡®What for?¡¯


    ¡®Because I¡­¡¯ He gestured an appeal for some stay of judgment as he struggled for words to exin his feelings.


    ¡®Because I did this to you,¡¯ he finally got out.


    ¡®No, Collins. I did this to myself,¡¯ she said with firm rity, then grimaced.


    ¡®Though not the miscarriage.¡¯


    Her face started to crumple and she fought forposure. Collins stood up and paced around the room, wanting toke her in his arms andfort her, yet sensing such a move would be unwee. Possibly hurtful. He wanted to reach out to her but he didn¡¯t know how to.


    Never in his whole life had he felt so¡­ inadequate, mentally floundering, and deeply frustrated by his inability to resolve what should be done with Jasmine.


    ¡®I want to go home, Collins.¡¯ she said.


    The t statement pulled him up at the end of her bed. He stared at her¨Cthis woman who tugged so strongly on him. He didn¡¯t see her beauty, her desirability. He saw the distance yawning between them, the determination in her eyes to break away from him.


    ¡®I¡¯m to stay here overnight,¡¯ she ran on matter-of-factly.


    ¡®But after the doctor sees me in the morning¡­ if there¡¯s no problem¡­ I¡¯ll contact Qantas and¡­¡¯


    ¡®No. It¡¯s too soon. You should give yourself more time to recover. I¡¯d take you back to the hotel and look after you, Jasmine . At least stay the full week,¡¯ he argued forcefully.


    Her head rolled in a pained negative. ¡®You only wanted me with you for the sex, Collins.¡¯ Her eyes mocked anything else he might say. ¡®I can¡¯t deliver.¡¯ she said tly. ¡®And my staying would only make us both miserable, continually reminding us..-¡®


    She swallowed hard and closed her eyes.


    ¡®I don¡¯t want to let you go like this,¡¯ he burst out.


    ¡®Please¡­¡¯ Her throat moved convulsively, ¡®¡­ it would be¡­ a kindness.¡¯


    Kindness¡­ Collins waspletely torn by that word. It forced him to examine his behaviour towards her-Everything on his terms. Certainly he¡¯d given her choices but there¡¯d been no consideration for her feelings behind them. No kindness.


    You were gone without a word to me.


    He couldn¡¯t justify that. It was an indictment of how totally selfish he had been. All he¡¯d ever thought about was what he wanted.


    It was her right to have thest word now.


    ¡®Leave it to me,¡¯ he said with grim decisiveness. ¡®I¡¯ll call and line up a return flight for you. Ensure you¡¯ll get a seat.¡¯


    She visibly sagged with relief. ¡®Thank you.¡¯ Her gaze dropped from his.


    Her fingers plucked at the bedcover. ¡®I¡¯m sorry about¡­ I know the Academy Awards is a big night for you¡­¡¯


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry about it. Right now I couldn¡¯t care less.¡¯ It was the truth.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡¯ she began¡­


    ¡®Jasmine, please¡­¡¯ The anguish in his voice flicked her gaze back to his, a pained wondering in her eyes.


    ¡®You¡¯ve been so good about all this, Collins.¡¯ she continued. ¡®I promise I¡¯ll pay you back. The hospital costs and. ¡®


    ¡®Stop!¡¯ He red at her, fury boiling up at being so pointedly counted out of what should have been shared. ¡®It was my child, too. I would have paid anything to save it. At least grant me that right, Jasmine.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m so sorry.¡¯ T ears filmed her eyes. ¡®I didn¡¯t think¡­ didn¡¯t know¡­¡¯


    ¡®That I would care?¡¯ he cut in savagely.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    She nodded, biting her lips.


    The anger that had so quickly surged, drowned just as quickly in the swimming vulnerability of her eyes. How could he rail at her judgment of him? He¡¯d given her no reason to believe he would care. He sucked in a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself.


    ¡®Responsibility for the medical expenses is all mine.¡¯ he growled. ¡®No argument. And I¡¯ll get you on a flight home as soon as it¡¯s feasible. Okay?¡¯


    ¡®Thank you.¡¯ It was a husky little whisper. Her head was bent,shes lowered, hiding her eyes.


    There was no triumph for him in her submission to his will. She looked defeated. He felt defeated. It might be a kindness to let her go, but every muscle in his body ached to fight her decision. The whole room seemed to pulse with the tension of things unsaid on both sides. Which couldn¡¯t be good for her after all she¡¯d been through.


    ¡®Well, now that¡¯s settled, I¡¯ll leave you to rest,¡¯ he said bruskly. ¡®Don¡¯t worry about anything. I¡¯ll let you know what I¡¯ve organised when it¡¯s done. Okay?¡¯


    ¡®Yes.¡¯ She raised eyes that looked deathly weary. ¡®I would have told you about our child in the end, Collins. Then it would have been your choice, whether you wanted to be a father or not. I would have told you eventually. It¡¯s probably for the best¡­ that you don¡¯t have to make that choice now. No ties¡­. ¡®


    Her attempt at a smile wobbled. ¡®That¡¯s good for you, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ she asked. It was like a punch to the heart-all the more lethal because it was what he¡¯d told himself countless times since he¡¯d first met Jasmine.


    Ties held you down. Ties prevented you from going after opportunities that closed too quickly if you weren¡¯t on the spot, all primed to take them up. Yet faced with that argument from her, he wanted to disown it. Vehemently.


    ¡®You can put all this behind you and move on,¡¯ she pressed. ¡®It¡¯s easier than.¨C¡®

 36

    She took a deep breath and released it in a shuddering sigh.


    ¡®You know what I mean. You can have my things sent here from the hotel. I¡¯ll get to the airport by myself. There¡¯s no need.,.¡¯


    ¡®You want me to say goodbye now?¡¯ he asked.


    Her gaze wavered from his. ¡®You probably should be meeting with other people¡­¡¯


    ¡®Don¡¯t make my decisions for me, Jasmine. I know what I want to do, and I understand if you want to get rid of me now. I don¡¯t me you if that¡¯s what you want. If you¡¯d prefer not to see me anymore, say so. Otherwise I¡¯ll be back to visit you tonight. And tomorrow. If you must go home, I intend to make sure you¡¯re fit enough to fly out before you do and I¡¯ll apany you to the airport and see you into the care of the flight attendants.¡¯


    She stared at him, not understanding his motivation. Which was fair enough, because he didn¡¯t understand it himself. All he knew-and knew with absolute certainly-was he needed time to sort this inner turmoil through before any final line was drawn. Since she didn¡¯t rush to reject the n, Collins pressed it as a confirmed fact.


    ¡®I¡¯ll be back,¡¯ he stated decisively and left the room before she could make some bted protest.


    Jasmine stared at the closed door. She had invited Collins to close it, expected him to close it, but he wasing back to open it again. Or so he said.


    But why would he?


    Her mind jammed with jumbled-up emotions. They hurt.


    Everything hurt.


    She curled herself up under the bedcover, buried her face in the pillow and wept for all her lost dreams.


    ¡ª¡ª-This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    They sat in the first-ss lounge at LAX, waiting for the flight to Sydney to be called. Jasmine nced at Collins who¡¯d fallen silent, withdrawing into himself, a tense brooding look on his face. She had no idea what he was thinking, or what purpose had been served for him in keeping herpany until she left for home. All she knew was the departure lime was very close now and the past hour with him had stretched her nerves to breaking point.


    It had only ever been sex for him and that was patently over. Ever since she¡¯d made the decision to get out of his life as fast as possible, he¡¯d made no reference to the intimacy they¡¯d shared, gave no indication that he might want it resumed at ater date. No doubt he knew, as she did, it couldn¡¯t ever be the same as before. So why had he bothered with the courtesy of treating her like a valued visitor?


    Last night and most of today he had been questioning her about her life and her job, whether she considered her work a career worth pursuing or simply the means to a good ie, what she liked doing, what she disliked. It was as though he was finally assessing her as a fully rounded person, not just seeing her as a sexually desirable woman -a strange bittersweet experience for Jasmine,ing toote to mean he might want a serious rtionship with her.


    Most likely their conversations had been about keeping her mind-and his ¨C off the pregnancy that had been so traumatically terminated. She had to concede they had helped in that regard, more so when he talked about his work and the kind of things he nned to try in thefuture- animated films he wanted his ownpany to produce. That had given her a glimpse of the visions he nursed, what drove him to keep moving on.


    Collins Templeton was never going to stand still. It was amazing that he¡¯d actually taken these few days out to be with her, holding her hand through the worst of it. Maybe he had felt some obligation towards her, dragged into it because she¡¯d revealed so much of her own feelings in getting pregnant to him. Guilt¡­ kindness¡­ giving her lime he hadn¡¯tgiven before. He was probably champing at the bit now, thinking of what he¡¯d do the moment . she was gone.


    ¡®Boarding call for flight QF12 to Sydney. Will passengers please proceed to gate one-two-two?¡¯ Jasmine picked up her bag and rose quickly from the armchair, relieved that the strain of thisst togetherness with Collins was over.


    He was slower to react to the announcement, unfolding himself from his chair rather than springing up. It focused her attention on his height and the powerful physique that made him so male, and everything inside her quivered at thisst farewell.


    This was the man she had chosen to father her child.


    This was the man she had recklessly loved.


    Forcing herself to face the inevitable end, she thrust out a hand and lifted her gaze to his. ¡®Goodbye¡­¡¯


    ¡®No!¡¯ The word exploded from him. Her hand was caught in both of his, the doubly possessive grip preventing her from pulling it free. His dark eyes probed hers with searing intensity, making her heart skitter even more painfully at this sudden impasse.


    ¡®Jasmine¡­ I don¡¯t want you to leave, Jasmine.¡¯ he said.


    Sheer anguish voiced her reply. ¡®Collins, it won¡¯t work¡­¡¯


    ¡®I don¡¯t mean the week I¡¯d nned to spend with you,¡¯ he rapped out dismissively. ¡®This is something else.¡¯


    ¡®I have to go,¡¯ she cried in panic, not believing that anything he suggested, could be anything but painful in those circumstances. ¡®The flight has been called.¡¯


    ¡®We could fly to Las Vegas¡­ and get married.¡¯


    She stared incredulously at the zing conviction in his eyes.


    ¡®Get¡­ married?¡¯ Had she heard right?


    ¡®Yes. There¡¯s nothing to stop us, is there? It won¡¯t be the end of the world if you resigned from your job, stayed with me.¡¯


    Her job meant nothing. Staying with him meant everything. Yet to ask her to marry him now¡­


    All those questions yesterday and today¡­ had he been considering this proposal all along? Seeing if she would fit the role of his wife?


    Jasmine was utterly dumbfounded by this move. No way had she seen iting. It was too big a leap from the freewheeling position he¡¯d stated just two days ago.

 37

    ¡®Jasmine, we can have other children,¡¯ he pressed, as though that was the ultimate persuasion.


    She instantly recoiled from it-mentally, emotionally and physically- her stomach cramping over the empty space that had been left by the miscarriage. This wasn¡¯t right. His mind was somehow stuck on their lost child. This proposal could be nothing more than an aberrational moment that would be regretted within hours or days.


    ¡®No¡­¡¯ She had to choke the word out. Her throat had tightened up. Her chest, too. She shook her head vehemently to get the message across.


    ¡®You wanted a baby,¡¯ he argued. ¡®You wanted me to be the father. So let¡¯s do it properly. Get married. Set up a home¡­¡¯


    ¡®Stop! Please¡­ stop!¡¯ she said. Her mind was spinning. He was offering the biggest temptation of all. Her heart was thumping a wild yes to it, not caring why it was being offered, responding instinctively to the things she¡¯d yearned to hear-married to Collins Templeton , having a family¡­


    He frowned at her resistance, ¡®I swear I¡¯ll look after you. I always live up to mymitments, Jasmine.¡¯ he sounded almost desperate.


    Yes, he did, butmitments sounded so cold. Where was the passion for her, the love she craved?


    ¡®Once I give my word¡­¡¯ he went on.


    Like a contract, not the love of a lifetime. He wasn¡¯t talking of love. Her need to hear more from him burst into speech.


    ¡®Your word is not enough,¡¯ she cried, desperate to reach into the heart of the man.


    ¡®Why not?¡¯ he challenged fiercely. ¡®What more do you want¡¯?¡¯


    ¡®I want¡­¡¯ Was she mad to push for more? But how could she bear to be his wife if she was just one of many women he found desirable? It made her too vulnerable. If she plunged into this marriage and then found¡­ no¡­ no¡­. Words spilled out, begging for the right response from him.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    ¡®I want the man I marry to love me.¡¯ she blurted out.


    ¡®Love¡­¡¯ he repeated.


    He shook his head as though it was some irrelevant concept, a vexatious sidetrack to be quickly bypassed. Only the end goal mattered and he had that in his sights.


    ¡®Of course you¡¯re very special to me,¡¯ he dered impatiently. ¡®Do you think I¡¯d ask any woman to marry me?¡¯


    ¡®How special, Collins?¡¯ she challenged, needing to nail it down. ¡®So special you don¡¯t want to spend your life without me? No other woman will do?¡¯


    ¡®Yes. Thai¡¯s it. That¡¯s precisely it.¡¯ It sounded too glib, like he was quickly feeding back what she wanted to hear, no pause to express something more deeply personal to him in his own words. And she remembered the sting of neglect, the me of jealousy. using words tumbled out of the torment of loving a man who could not possibly love her.


    ¡®Then howe you had another woman on your arm at the Golden Globes night, very soon after you¡¯d been with me three months ago? And a different woman again at the BAFTA Awards night, just beforeyou called me to join you for the Academy Awards. I saw shots of you on news programs¡­¡¯


    ¡®Those women were simply¡­ handy,¡¯ he said with a grimace, disliking being put on that highly ambivalent spot.


    It didn¡¯t soothe the hurt of all the silence from him, the hurt that he found other women attractive enough to share important asions in his life with them, not her.


    And only two days ago hade the warning that this third asion together was only another one-off-a longer time but to be ended in the same way, no promise of more. It didn¡¯t add up to love in Jasmine¡¯s mind. It didn¡¯t even add up to extra special.


    The only difference was he knew she¡¯d fallen pregnant to him and she¡¯d lost the child that might have been. His child. Their child.


    Obviously the whole thing had be very personal to him, linking this proposal to having other children, but it was the wrong time, thewrong ce, the wrong sentiment.


    It didn¡¯t fill her soul with joy.


    She needed her love to be returned, not used.


    Her baby would have loved her back.


    But Collins¡­ the hand of harsh reality squeezed her heart, forcing out the temptation it had nursed. She couldn¡¯t ept his proposal. Being married to him would be a hell of uncertainty and fear. That was the truth of it and as much as she might want to overlook it, how could she?


    She looked at him with all the emptiness she felt andid her position on the line. ¡®I don¡¯t want to be a handy wife, Collins. I need my husband to think of me as irreceable. The one woman he wants above all others. I don¡¯t believe you can honestly say that, so please¡­ let me go now.¡¯


    ¡®Jasmine¡­¡¯ His hands gripped more tightly.


    ¡®No.¡¯ It took every scrap of her will to fight the zing determination in his eyes. ¡®You¡¯ll think better of this tomorrow. Or the next day. Or the next.¡¯ She gave him a savagely ironic smile. ¡®This, too, will pass.¡¯


    A battle light gleamed. ¡®And if it doesn¡¯t?¡¯ he asked.


    That was his problem. She was sure he¡¯d find some handy solution to it.


    ¡®I¡¯m going home,¡¯ she threw at him, unable to take any more argument with her heart and soul aching so badly. She wrenched her hand from his and held it up to ward off any further attempt to dy her.


    ¡®Goodbye, Collins. Thank you for seeing me off.¡¯ She left him without a backward nce, desperately certain in her own mind she was right to go. She was through with making rash decisions where Collins Templeton was concerned. If he¡¯d truly cared for her. he would have shown it by considering her feelings, asking her what she wanted.


    A quickie marriage in Las Vegas.


    On his terms.


    That was what he¡¯d offered.


    Where was there any love for her in that? No family wedding like Favour and Leonard¡¯s. A shoddy affair, telling her she wasn¡¯t worth much time to him. Just a convenience. And a baby machine.

 38

    She didn¡¯t care that he could well afford to look after his wife and family. Not all the money in the world could buy her into that situation.


    So she told herself in a rage of pain and pride as she made herself march towards the designated departure gate. Yet every step of the way, her body was begging for Collins to follow her, stop her, convince her she was wrong, heal the hurts and make everything better so she could believe a marriage between them could and would work.


    But he didn¡¯te after her.


    Didn¡¯t stop her.


    She joined the line of passengers boarding the aerone. She was so tense and tremulous she dropped her ticket when it was her turn to put it through the processing machine. Every second was an agony of waiting for a shout or a hand to mp on her shoulder.


    But nothing stopped her from entering the boarding tunnel. No call came for her to disembark before the flight took off. Once the big jet started rolling down the tarmac. Jasmine sagged into a huge ck hole of hopelessness.


    It was over.


    The baby¡­


    The chance of marrying Collins Templeton¡­


    She¡¯d lost both of them¡­


    Forever.


    ¡ª¡ª¨C


    For the full week she was supposed to be away, Jasmine left her answering machine on, not wanting to speak to anyone. She listened to the messages. Nothing from Collins. Which was only to be expected. It was stupid to feel tense every time the telephone rang. Clearly he had epted her rejection and was probably grateful for it before she¡¯d even left Los Angeles.


    Mostly the calls were from Favour, increasingly impatient with her sister¡¯s absence.


    ¡®Where are you?¡¯ she demanded on one message.


    On herst call came an exasperated, ¡®Okay, Mum tells me you¡¯ve gone off on a week¡¯s vacation. You could have told me, too. So call me as soon as you¡¯re back.¡¯


    Favour¡­ whom she was sure was still happily pregnant. Jasmine didn¡¯t want to hear baby news. The grief over her own loss could be too easily tapped. But she couldn¡¯t block her sister out of her life because Favour had what she would never have now. That was too mean and miserable. Within a reasonable response time, Jasmine steeled herself to chat as normally as she could to her very voluble sister.


    ¡®Atst!¡¯ Favour greeted with emphatic satisfaction. ¡®Where have you been?¡¯


    ¡®Oh, just up to the Blue Mountains,muning with nature,¡¯ she answered. It wasn¡¯t aplete lie. She had driven up there yesterday to get herself out of the apartment and memories that crowded in on her at home. ¡®Is everything okay with you? Why all the calls?¡¯


    ¡®Everything¡¯s fine. Wonderful! Did you watch the Academy Awards on TV?¡¯ Favour pressed eagerly.


    Jasmine¡¯s heart turned over. This had to be about Collins . ¡®No,¡¯ she said tly. The flight home crossed the dateline, losing a day. If Collins had won an award he would have been presented with it while she was still flying over the ocean. Not that she would have watched the ceremony anyway. Why torture herself with might-have-beens?


    ¡®Collins won for achievement in visual effects,¡¯ Favour announced as though it was a triumph that she and Leonard were still celebrating.


    ¡®Well, good for him!¡¯ Jasmine responded, trying to inject some enthusiasm into her voice.


    ¡®And you¡¯ll never know what¡­¡¯ Favour ran on excitedly.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡®What?¡¯ Jasmine obliged.


    ¡®He mentioned me and Leonard in his eptance speech.¡¯


    ¡®Well, that must have been a nice surprise.¡¯ It surprised her, too.


    ¡®And the fact we¡¯re having a baby.¡¯ Favour added.


    Jasmine¡¯s stomach contracted.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know how he knew. Leonard hadn¡¯t told him. He must have got the news from his mother who¡¯s very friendly with Leonard¡¯s mother.¡¯


    I told him, Jasmine thought.


    ¡®Anyhow, there he was, up on stage receiving an Oscar, and Leonard and I were expecting him to rave on about the movie and thank all the people who¡¯d helped to bring his vision to life, which he did, very briefly. Then he said. .. I know the words off by heart because we videoed it¡­ so listen to this, Jasmine.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m listening,¡¯ she said, her nerves in a total mess again.


    ¡®I quote¡­ ¡®I guess it could be said this is a pinnacle of achievement for me. Creative achievement. But the far greater creation is a beautiful new life. I have just heard that my oldest bestfriend here in Australia, Leonard, and his lovely wife, Favour, are expecting a baby. Their first child. I think that¡¯s worth more than a thousand Oscars. Congrattions, Leonard.¡¯


    Their first child¡­


    Had her miscarriage still been preying on his mind, above and beyond the crowning recognition of his work? Was he finding it much more difficult to set aside than it had been to set her aside? Her heart ached unbearably as Favour rattled on.


    ¡®Wasn¡¯t that great? Leonard was so thrilled. I couldn¡¯t believe it, being named like that on an internationally televised show. And the apuse was terrific. The camera followed Collins back to his seat in the auditorium. Leonard was saying it would give the woman he was with ideas, but the odd thing was, he didn¡¯t have anyone with him. The seat beside him was empty.¡¯


    Her seat.


    Had she been¡­ irreceable?


    An overwhelming sadness clogged her mind. It was like pulling words out through quicksand to make adequate replies to Favour¡¯ s happy carry-on. Eventually she managed to end the call, desperately fending off an invitation to view the video, saying she was heavily booked up with activities for the next few weeks. In fact, she was runningte for an appointment now.


    It was a lie.


    She hated telling lies.


    But it had been the only defence she coulde up with. The hurt was too raw to share with anyone, especially if¡­ Had she been wrong to reject Collins proposal.¡¯ Had she misunderstood his motives, misinterpreted his words and actions? Maybe he would have been faithful to their marriage, cleaving only to her¡­


    Stop it, stop it, stop it! she savagely berated herself.


    It was done.


    Finished. Toote to take back.

 39

    So he was deeply affected by the loss of their child. It didn¡¯t mean he loved her. The empty seat was just an empty seat. It couldn¡¯t be concluded that he couldn¡¯t bear to be with anyone else. There was no point in tormenting herself with such thoughts. If he¡¯d loved her, everything would have been different.


    Jasmine kept telling herself this, day after day, week after week. She worked hard at her job, avoided meeting Favour in person, held endless one-sided conversations with her goldfish who listened sympathetically to her emotional outpourings and her best attempts at logical reasoning. In this regard, Rhett and Scarlet were her perfectpanions.


    She told herself she was managing okay¡­ until the parcel came. It was a box-a box sent from London-and the sender¡¯s name was Collins Templeton.


    ¡ª¡ª¨C


    Collins felt uncharacteristically tense as he belted himself into his seat for take off on the long flight from London to Sydney. He¡¯d failed with Jasminest time-had deserved to fail-and it was impossible to forecast her response to his message. Had enough time gone by? Had he waited too long?


    He vividly recalled the bitter irony of her words¡­ This, too, will pass.


    But it hadn¡¯t. And it never would. He¡¯d been trying to block Jasmine Leire out of his mind for over a year. It had proved impossible. And .. now he couldn¡¯t block her out of his heart. Nor did he want to.


    She was his woman. Somehow he had to undo the damage he¡¯d done so she would ept him back into her life.


    Had the rose started that process for him?This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    It had been a risky gamble, sending it to her. She¡¯d remember him taking it out of her hair the night of Leonard¡¯s wedding-a prelude to the intimacy they¡¯d shared, after which he¡¯ll left her without a word. Would it mean anything to her that he¡¯d taken the rose with him? She might think it had represented a crass souvenir of a great night of sex. He couldn¡¯t me her if she did. Yet it wasn¡¯t true.


    He¡¯d kept the rose because instinctively he¡¯d wanted to keep her. At the time he wouldn¡¯t let himself go down that track. Not until he knew about the baby-how much it had meant to her-how much it had suddenly meant to him.


    Their child. His and Jasmine¡¯s. It had gradually seeped into his soul- the lightness of their being together.


    He¡¯d been so blindly stubborn not to recognise it before.


    Bad move-his proposal of marriage at LAX. Too quick. Totally inappropriate after the miscarriage. Andcking in credibility in the light of all he¡¯d done and not done.


    Her walking away from him had been one hell of a wake-up call, underlining how she had read his behaviour-every action totally self-centred, not even pausing to consider where she had beening from, nor asking where she wanted to go. It had to be different this time. Very different. He was extremely conscious of the thin line he¡¯d be treading. Any mistake¡­


    The airline steward offered a tray of drinks. He took a ss of orange juice. No champagne for him. Champagne was for celebrating and he had nothing to celebrate on this trip.


    ¡®Are we runningte?¡¯ he asked, impatient to get on his way to Jasmine.


    ¡®No, sir. We¡¯ll be taking off on schedule in ten minutes,¡¯ came the confident assurance.


    Ten minutes¡­ plus over twenty hours in the air¡­ more time waiting through the stopover in Singapore, it was a long haul to Sydney¡­ and he wasn¡¯t even sure Jasmine would meet him. Had the note he¡¯d put in the box with the rose said enough to win him another chance with her?


    Once again he weighed the words he¡¯d written-words he¡¯d formted and reformted dozens of times during the weeks he¡¯d already waited¡­. He¡¯d wanted to send it in a text at first, but he wanted to send the flower too and a note seemed more¡­ Personal for some reason. The note read:


    Jasmine ¨C It¡¯s long past the next day and the next and the next. No amount of time will wear away the connection I feel with you. Can we meet again? I will be in Sydney on the first day of May. There¡¯s a rose garden in the botanical gardens, just down from the Macquarie Street entrance. From twelve noon I¡¯ll be there waiting for you.


    Collins.


    If she didn¡¯te¡­ every primitive male instinct pushed to go to her apartment and break down the door if necessary, smash any barrier she put up, take her in his arms, make wild passionate love to her, force her to respond.


    But would such action work?


    In the end, the choice was hers.


    What did Jasmine want? That was the critical question. This meeting had to be based on giving, not taking-persuasion, not force.


    The steward came and collected his ss. The jet started rolling down the runway. The die was cast.


    ¡ª¨C


    It was 12. 30pm, and Collins was sitting in the garden he¡¯d told Jasmine toe to. He¡¯d arrived at 11;45, not wanting to be a secondte. The one thing he didn¡¯t want was to arrivete and keep Jasmine waiting. That would only give her a reason to think that he wasn¡¯t serious and he was damn serious about her. He had screwed up many times and he didn¡¯t expect her to just forget everything that had happened, but he hoped¡­ That was all he had left now. Hope.


    He¡¯d ordered a champagne, but he was so nervous and anxious that he¡¯d barely touched his drink. Hell, he couldn¡¯t even remember if he had ever felt this way about any woman, and he hated that it had taken him this long to realize how he felt about Jasmine.


    Minutes passed, and he tapped his foot and checked his wrist watch. Almost 1pm and she still wasn¡¯t here. He began to lose hope.. What if she didn¡¯te? He couldn¡¯t me her. He¡¯d done nothing to earn her trust. In fact, he had done the opposite of everything he was supposed to do.

 40

    All he could do at this point was to pray that she would give him a chance.


    By 2pm. He knew something was up and he had to call her. He called twice before she finally picked up and he swallowed hard at the sound of her voice.


    ¡®Hello¡¯ she said. Her voice was soft and low, and Collins felt his heart tighten. Was she alright?


    ¡®Yeah, hello¡¯ he said, ¡®Jasmine¡­ It¡¯s me. Collins¡¯


    ¡®I know that¡¯ came her reply. ¡®I have your number¡¯


    He almost smiled at her reply. For some reason, he thought she didn¡¯t have it anymore. And with the way he had behaved, she had every reason to want to cut him off.


    ¡®Did you get my message, Jasmine¡¯ he asked, forcing out the question.


    There was a pause.


    ¡®Hello¡¯ he said. ¡®Can you hear me, Jasmine?¡¯


    ¡®Yes I can hear you¡­ And I did get your message¡¯ Jasmine replied. There was another pause before she added. ¡®But I won¡¯t being¡¯


    Collins shut his eyes and held his phone tighter, as if the gesture would somehow make her understand just how much he wanted her back. He knew why she wasn¡¯ting, but still he found himself asking, ¡®Why not? Are you busy or something? I can wait if you want..¡¯All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡®No I¡¯m not busy.. And you don¡¯t have to wait for me¡¯ came her reply. ¡®I just don¡¯t think that it would do the both of us any good. A lot has happened, and it happened really fast. I think it would be best for the both of us if we just stay away from each other.¡¯


    He couldn¡¯t just let it go. Not after all that had happened. He had hurt her deeply, and he had to find a way to make it right.


    ¡®I know that a lot has happened, Jasmine. You don¡¯t have to tell me that. Believe me, that¡¯s exactly why I want to see you¡¯ he said desperately, standing from his chair and hurrying out of the garden towards the his car. If it meant showing up at her house so he could talk to her, then that was what he was going to do. ¡®Where are you? Are you home? I coulde over and see you. You don¡¯t have toe over here if you don¡¯t want to¡¯


    He got to his car and got in, but he didn¡¯t start it. He just sat with one hand on the steering wheel and the other holding on tightly to his phone. He didn¡¯t want to push her. If she was going to get back with him, it had to be her decision. It had to be because she wanted to. Ever since he met her, things had gone his way. It had always been about what he wanted and how he wanted it. But now, things had to be different.


    ¡®I just want to talk to you¡¯ he said softly. ¡®I just want to see you¡­ I need to. I want you to know how sorry I am, and I want to fix it. I want to fix our rtionship and make things right. You just have to give a chance but I don¡¯t want to be selfish anymore¡­ and if you say you don¡¯t want to see me, then I will keep my distance¡¯


    There was silence on the other end. Collins said nothing either. He just sat down there and hoped she¡¯d say yes.


    ¡®I think this is the best¡¯ Jasmine repeated. ¡®I got your message, and it was really sweet, but I have to do this for myself. I should have called and told you instead of keeping you waiting and I¡¯m sorry about that. I just couldn¡¯t bring myself to pick up the phone.¡¯


    ¡®I understand.¡¯ said Collins. ¡®I understand because I have been really crappy to you so I get why you wouldn¡¯t want to be involved with me any more. I understand and I¡¯m sorry.¡¯


    ¡®Take care, Collins¡¯ Jasmine said and hung up.


    ¡ª¨C


    Back in her apartment, Jasmine dropped her phone on the bed beside her. Since she had received his message, she had been unable to think straight. Finding it so difficult to make a decision. She picked up the flower that her had sent along with the note and gently brushed it with her fingers.


    She couldn¡¯t believe that he had kept it¡­ She didn¡¯t even know that he took it. Hadn¡¯t even noticed that it was gone. To her, it had been just a flower to decorate her hair, but it had meant much more to him that he had saved it¡­. All this while.


    She had almost dressed up to meet him, but then she thought about the roller coaster of emotions that came with him. Ever since she met him, her feelings had been all over the ce. Always wondering what she meant to him. If he felt the same way she felt¡­ If he could ever care about for her as she did for him. And although the moments she spent with him had been great and memorable, they had alsoe with torture¡­ Emotional torture.


    And then the baby. Oh, anytime she thought about their child, the pain seemed toe rushing back. Reopening wounds that she was trying so hard to heal and she couldn¡¯t live the rest of her life wondering what could have been. She just wanted the pain to go away, and there was no way that could happen if she continued to let her feelings for Collins get in the way.


    She should have called to tell him that she wouldn¡¯t being, but she had been so scared that she would hear his voice and lose her nerve. The disappointment in his voice minutes ago when she told him she wasn¡¯t going toe was torture too. Oh, how was it possible that she still felt this way about him. Would she ever be able to get over him? She hoped so.. Because this way no way to live.


    She stared at the flower in her hands again, and this time she let her feelings overwhelm her.


    Jasmine buried her face in her hands and cried.

 41

    THREE WEEKS LATER


    Jasmine stared at her phone which was ringing for the fourth time that evening and sighed. It was Favour, and she knew that her sister wasn¡¯t going to stop calling her until she picked the call. Heaven knew that she loved her sister and was willing to do anything for her, but sometimes Favour was just too much to handle, and this period, all she wanted was some time to herself, but Favour just wasn¡¯t going to allow that to happen. Her sister always thought that all of her problems existed because she was lonely and needed a man, but that wasn¡¯t true.


    Okay¡­ Maybe it was a little bit true, but honestly sometimes it was just about work and right now, she really didn¡¯t want any man. Not that she was even attracted to anyone, because she wasn¡¯t. Not since Collins. Who had tried many times to reach her since that day she¡¯d turned down his offer to meet him at the garden. He hadn¡¯t reached out for a week now, and Jasmine didn¡¯t know if she should be happy or sad about it.


    Maybe he had finally decided to forget about her and move on, she thought, and maybe it was a good thing for the both of them.


    The phone stopped ringing for a few seconds and Jasmine sighed with relief, only for it to start ringing again. What did Favour want? Maybe another baby talk. She felt guilty thinking like this. In fact she hated it. Of course she was happy about Favour¡¯s baby. She was going to have a little niece or nephew and she would try to be the best aunt she could be, but she could not change the fact that talking about Favour¡¯s pregnancy always reminded her of the baby she lost, and it hurt like hell.


    She finally picked up the phone and Favour immediately began to scold, making no effort to hide her displeasure at having to call repeatedly.


    ¡®I have been calling you for God knows how long, Jasmine¡¯ she said, ¡®Where the hell have you been and why haven¡¯t you been answering your phone¡¯


    Jasmine sighed. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Favour. I was busy¡¯ she said, hoping that Favour would just drop it instead of asking more questions.


    ¡®That doesn¡¯t answer my question¡¯ Favour continued, much to Jasmine¡¯s dismay. ¡®What have you been doing, sis? You are always too busy to pick my calls or talk to me these days. What¡¯s going on? I miss you. Did I do something wrong?¡¯


    Jasmine immediately felt sorry. Of course Favour had done nothing wrong, and she felt bad that she was making her sister feel this way. She had contemted telling Favour about the miscarriage, but she just felt that it would ruin her sister¡¯s excitement about her baby, and that was thest thing she wanted.


    ¡®You didn¡¯t do anything wrong, Favour. Believe me¡¯ she managed to say.


    ¡®Then why have you been avoiding me? Don¡¯t think that I haven¡¯t noticed the changes in you. You seemed so¡­ Reserved. You don¡¯t tell me anything anymore¡­ And most times when I¡¯m talking to you I get this feeling that your mind is wandering and you¡¯re not actually listening to me.. I have been wanting to bring it up but I just can¡¯t hold it in any longer. Something is up¡­ I know it and you can¡¯t tell me otherwise¡¯Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®It¡¯s not about you¡¯ said Jasmine.


    ¡®Oh okay¡¯ Favour replied. ¡®It¡¯s not about me. At least you admit that I¡¯m right. So something is up¡­ Tell me what it is¡¯


    ¡®I can¡¯t¡¯


    ¡®Why not?¡¯


    ¡®Because I just can¡¯t, okay?¡¯ Jasmine snapped, before she could control herself. The silence on the other end was enough to make her sorry for her reaction. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Favour. I shouldn¡¯t have snapped at you like that, but I assure you that this has nothing to do with you and you definitely didn¡¯t do anything wrong to me or offend me


    I¡¯m just going through some personal stuff.¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s alright¡¯ said Favour quietly. ¡®I¡¯m sorry if I have been a bit pushy, but I was just worried about what¡¯s going on with you¡­ And I miss you so much. You seem distant and I miss our talks. I just want things to be like before. I miss how close we used to be¡¯


    Jasmine sighed. ¡®I miss that too, Favour. I really do, and I promise that when I feel much better, we can talk about it¡¯


    ¡®Alright. Well, I called because Leonard and I were hoping you¡¯d join us for dinner tomorrow. It was Leonard¡¯s idea. I guess he too noticed the distance between us, but from the looks of things, maybe you won¡¯t be able toe and I understand. Maybe we can move it to another time that¡¯s convenient for all of us¡¯


    Jasmine gave it some thought. She didn¡¯t want to hurt her sister¡¯s feelings again. Favour had done nothing wrong. She was just a woman excited about her pregnancy and wanting to share every experience with her sister. Just had they had always done. There was no way Favour could know about the miscarriage since she had not told her about it. If there was anyone to me here, it was herself.


    ¡®No, of course I cane over for dinner tomorrow¡¯ Jasmine said, ¡®We don¡¯t have to move it. Tell Leonard I¡¯ll be there.¡¯


    ¡®Really?¡¯ Favour shrieked excitedly. ¡®oh, thank you. Thank you, Jasmine. I can¡¯t wait to see you¡¯


    ¡®Same here¡¯ Jasmine replied, d that she could at least do something to make her sister happy. ¡®I will see you guys tomorrow¡¯


    ¡ª¡ª


    ¡®Well, that did not go as I thought it would¡¯ Jasmine said to herself when she hung up


    One minute, she didn¡¯t want to pick up the phone, and the next, she had agreed to have dinner with Favour and Leonard. Maybe it was a good thing, she thought. No matter how hard and painful the past months had been for her, maybe it was time for her to start getting out there again. Maybe it was time to put the past behind her and move on to other things. Maybe she would feel better, and then she would be able to talk to her sister about Collins and the child she had lost.


    And maybe¡­ Just maybe¡­ She¡¯d be happy again.

 42

    It was a twenty minutes drive to Favour and Leonard¡¯s house, and Jasmine realized that she was actually looking forward to seeing her sister. All things aside, she had actually missed Favour. She had missed their talks andughter and she honestly wished Favour had known about her the pregnancy and miscarriage. Maybe if she hadn¡¯t been so secretive about it in the first ce, she wouldn¡¯t have had to go through all of that pain on her own.


    Tonight was not about that, she reminded herself, and pushed the bad thoughts away. Tonight she would forget about everything else and just be happy with her sister.


    Jasmine parked her car in the drive way, grabbed the bottle of wine she¡¯d bought and got out of the car. The wine was just gonna be for her and Leonard since Favour couldn¡¯t drink. She had also bought these cute overalls for the baby that she was sure Favour would absolutely love. She hadn¡¯t been a good sistertely, and she wanted to make it up to Favour.


    When she knocked on the front door, Leonard opened it and weed her heartily. He looked so happy to see her and Jasmine couldn¡¯t help but smile at him. When Favour came forward to hug her, she melted. Oh, it was nice to see them and she was d that she¡¯d agreed to have dinner with them.


    They headed to the dining room and Leonard took the wine bottle from her. When Favour saw the overalls for the baby, her eyes became wet with tears and so did Jasmine¡¯s.


    ¡®You didn¡¯t have to¡¯ Favour said, sniffing quietly and giving Jasmine another hug. ¡®It¡¯s so cute. You are just the best sister ever.¡¯


    ¡®Please don¡¯t cry¡¯ Jasmine replied, smiling at her. ¡®I wanted to get something for the baby¡­ And I know you can¡¯t drink the wine. Don¡¯t cry please because if you don¡¯t stop I¡¯m going to start crying too and dinner will be ruined. I¡¯m sure that¡¯s not what you want¡¯


    ¡®No. No it¡¯s not¡¯ said Favour hurriedly as she wiped out her eyes with the back of her hands. She returned the overall back into the bag and ced it on one of the empty chairs. ¡®Please sit down. Leonard made dinner, and I can assure you that he¡¯s an excellent cook¡­¡¯


    ¡®Ignore her¡¯ Leonard said, although Jasmine could tell by the look on his face that he was ttered. ¡®I try my best in the kitchen, but I don¡¯t think.¡¯excellent¡¯ is the best word to describe my cooking¡¯


    ¡®Don¡¯t mind him¡¯ Favour retorted and Leonard grinned at her.


    Jasmine smiled as she watched Leonard begin to dish out the food. She could see that Leonard loved her sister very much just by the way he stared at her. With love and adoration in his eyes. The both of them looked so happy and Jasmine was d that at least one of them got to be happy.


    The stew had a wonderful smell, and Jasmine couldn¡¯t wait to dig in. Now that she was here, she realized how hungry as she didn¡¯t have lunch that afternoon. As Leonard set a te in front of her, Jasmine heard a car pull up in front of the house. She lifted an eyebrow and stared at Favour.


    ¡®Expecting morepany?¡¯ she asked jokingly. ¡®Just how many people did you invite to dinner? All your neighbors?¡¯


    Favour smiled at her. ¡®Actually, I forgot to tell you¡­ Collins will be joining us tonight¡¯


    Jasmine involuntarily dropped the spoon she had just picked up. Unable to believe her eyes as she stared wide eyed at sister. Wondering why she was just telling her this now.


    ¡®You are kidding¡¯ she said, hoping that it was a joke, but the look on Favour¡¯s didn¡¯t suggest that she was joking.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡®No I¡¯m not.¡¯ said Favour, who exchanged nces with Leonard.


    ¡®Then why didn¡¯t you tell me that he wasing here tonight?¡¯ Jasmine inquired, not knowing if she should get pissed at her sister or just act like she wasn¡¯t concerned. Toote, she was already going into panic mode.


    ¡®Oh, he called today and told me that he was in town¡¯ Leonard spoke up, ¡®Well then I invited him to dinner and he agreed toe.¡¯ Seeing the expression on her face, he added. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, I thought you two would be d to see each other¡­¡¯


    ¡®Is something wrong with the two of you? You look so worried¡¯ Favour said.


    Jasmine shook her head. ¡®Don¡¯t worry about it¡¯ she said, pulling herself together. ¡®I¡¯m fine¡¯


    Favour didn¡¯t look convinced, and Jasmine was sure she was going to ask another question when there was a knock on the front door.


    ¡®I¡¯ll get it¡¯ said Leonard as he stood and headed for the door.


    The silence between Favour and Jasmine after Leonard left was deafening. Jasmine didn¡¯t know if she should get mad at her sister or just leave through the back door so she wouldn¡¯t have to deal with seeing Collins again. Just when she was beginning to feel like herself again, he was back in her life, sending all the progress she¡¯d made to hell.


    She noticed her sister staring at her and looked away. The appetite she felt was gone now and all she wanted to do was go home.


    ¡®Are you going to tell me what¡¯s going on now.. Or should I ask Collins myself?¡¯ Favour asked.


    ¡®Just forget about it¡¯ Jasmine replied.


    They didn¡¯t have time to talk further because Leonard and Collins came into the dining room that minute. Collins and Favour exchanged pleasantries and he asked her how she was feeling. Favour replied that all was well with the baby and that she couldn¡¯t wait to meet it.


    Collins took his seat before he shifted his nce to Jasmine, who simply returned his stare.


    ¡®Hello, Jasmine. It¡¯s really good to see you again¡¯


    Was it? Jasmine thought, but she stopped herself from asking him that. Instead, she gave him a small smile and replied that it was good to see him again too.


    The air was so tense and they all knew it. Favour brought up the award and the speech just so they could have something to talk about, much to Jasmine¡¯s relief.


    ¡®Leonard and I were ttered that you included us in your speech. That was really nice of you, Collins¡¯

 43

    He shrugged.


    ¡®Oh its nothing.¡¯ Collins replied. ¡®The both of you have been such amazing friends to me, and I have known Leonard all my life, and now you guys are having a baby¡­. My speech wouldn¡¯t have beenplete if I hadn¡¯t mentioned the both of you¡¯


    Favour smiled at him, while Jasmine said nothing. She concentrated on the te in front of her, although she was barely eating anything from it. Collins mentioning Favour and Leonard¡¯s baby seemed to hurt her even more. Clearly he had not mentioned her miscarriage to Leonard, and even if she was d that he didn¡¯t, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if it was to protect her privacy or his. Damn, she was a mess.


    ¡®Enjoying the meal, Jasmine?¡¯ Favour asked suddenly, bringing Jasmine back to reality.


    She raised her head to find everyone staring at her and managed a smile and a nod while carefully avoiding Collins gaze. ¡®Yes I am¡¯ she replied, ¡®The food is great, Leonard. Favour was right. You are a great cook¡¯


    ¡®But you have barely touched it¡¯ Favour insisted.


    ¡®I¡¯m eating, Favour¡¯ Jasmine said, not liking the attention of everyone at the table being at her. ¡®Maybe I¡¯m not just in a hurry to finish up¡¯


    Favour wasn¡¯t backing down. ¡®No. You are not eating at all. You are bringing an attitude just like you have been doingtely and bringing the atmosphere down¡¯


    Jasmine stared disapprovingly at her sister. ¡®Stop it, Favour¡¯ she said.


    ¡®Honey, maybe we should let this go right now.¡¯ Leonard said and reached for Favour¡¯s hand. She pushed it away.


    ¡®No I won¡¯t stop. I¡¯m tired of all this and I¡¯m going to get it all out right now.¡¯ She turned back to Jasmine. ¡®What exactly is your problem? If you are mad at me, why can¡¯t you just talk to me? You have been avoiding me for so long. Do you think that I don¡¯t notice the changes in you? Now I invited you over here for dinner just to see if we could iron whatever it is out, but now I can see that you are just intentionally being a jerk and I¡¯m so angry with you¡¯


    Collins decided to interfere.


    ¡®Maybe we should all just calm down, take a deep breath and you guys can talk about thister¡¯


    Jasmine red at him. She wasn¡¯t thinking straight and she didn¡¯t care any more. All she knew was that she was tired. Tired of holding back on her feelings. Tired of lying. Tired of hiding the truth, and frustrated that she could never have the one thing she wanted the most.


    ¡®Oh really?¡¯ she asked him. ¡®Talk about itter like you usually do? You know what? Why don¡¯t you just stay out of this because it¡¯s none of your business¡¯.


    Collins stared at her for a few seconds. He seemed shocked my her outburst, but then he shrugged, as if he understood her. ¡®I¡¯m sorry if I struck a nerve. I was just trying to help, that¡¯s all¡¯


    ¡®Well we don¡¯t need your help. Don¡¯t you think that you have helped enough?¡¯


    Favour and Leonard exchanged confused nces, and Jasmine suddenly let it go as she turned to her sister. ¡®If you really want to know, I¡¯ve been avoiding talking to you or hanging out with you because all we seem to talk abouttely is your pregnancy, and believe me, I¡¯m extremely happy for you and I can¡¯t wait to meet the baby too, but it¡¯s been hard for me because¡­. I had a miscarriage.¡¯


    She didn¡¯t let the look on their faces stop her. Although this wasn¡¯t the way she wanted the truth toe out, she felt relieved that it was finally out. No matter the way it came out, it felt like a huge burden had been lifted from her shoulders.


    ¡®You were pregnant?¡¯ Favour asked her.


    ¡®Yes¡¯ Jasmine replied. ¡®Around the same time that you found out that you were pregnant, I was too, but I kept it to myself because you didn¡¯t know about I and Collins. It happened so unexpectedly and I was overwhelmed. I also saw how happy you were and I didn¡¯t want to steal your thunder or anything like that. When I lost the baby, I was even more broken and hurt so I just shut down because I didn¡¯t know how to handle it¡¯C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Favour was almost in tears now. ¡®But why did you feel that way?¡¯ she asked. ¡®We have always been close since we were kids and we told each other everything. I know that I can be a bit pushy sometimes, but it¡¯s only because I love you and I worry about you and I just want you to be happy. I set you up on a date with Collins so I obviously wanted you guys to be together. Why did you feel the need to hide things from me?¡¯


    ¡®I just wasn¡¯t ready. Everything happened so fast. When I thought about meeting someone, falling in love and having kids, this wasn¡¯t the way I wanted it to go. I don¡¯t expect you to understand, and I¡¯m sorry you had to find out about it this way¡¯


    Jasmine looked around. Everyone was staring at her. Dinner was officially ruined. Her life was in chaos and now her rtionship with her sister and best friend had also hit the rocks. Everything just seemed to get worse no matter how hard she tried. Favour was crying now and Leonard was holding her.


    She stood up slowly, knowing It was time to leave. ¡®I have to go¡¯ she said. ¡®I¡¯m sorry about this. I know I should have kept my cool but I¡¯m kinda d it¡¯s all out now. It¡¯s been hard keeping it myself¡¯


    ¡®I don¡¯t think you should be driving in this condition, Jasmine¡¯ Collins said. ¡®Please let me take you home¡¯


    Jasmine shook her head. ¡®No please¡¯ she said, trying so hard to keep her voice from cracking as she was also close to tears herself. ¡®I think I can drive home by myself. Thank you for offering¡¯


    Collins nodded, although he didn¡¯t believe her. He knew that his presence had obviously triggered her, and he med himself for everything. He stared at Leonard and Favour, then rose to his feet.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry guys¡¯ he said.


    ¡®It¡¯s alright¡¯ Leonard replied. ¡®I totally understand, but I think you should talk to her. She needs you¡¯


    Collins knew that. Hell, he needed her too. ¡®I¡¯ll make sure she gets home safe¡¯ he said. ¡®Good night¡¯

 44

    Jasmine got home and rushed out of her car, almost blinded my the tears pouring out of her eyes. She wondered if she would ever be able to get over this. Would she ever get over Collins and the loss of her child? Maybe the pain would never go away, because every time she started to feel like she was getting better, something just happened and then she was back to square one.


    She shut her door and threw herself on the couch, then she let herself go. Her sobs grew louder and she let it all out. The good thing about crying was that it helped.. Somehow it helped her get rid of the bad energy and she wanted it all out. Soon her sobs turned to sniffs as she didn¡¯t even have the energy to cry anymore.


    It was when she stopped crying that she realized that someone was knocking¡­ Not loudly, but consistently. She sat up and listened to make sure that she wasn¡¯t mistaken, but there was really someone out there knocking on her door. She wiped her eyes quickly and got up. When she got to the door and looked through the peep hole and saw Collins, she took a step back.


    He stopped knocking for a while and she thought that he was leaving. She hoped he would leave. She was a mess. Her eyes would be very swollen after all that crying and her make up would be so messed up and that would make her look even worse, and she didn¡¯t want him to see her like that. Didn¡¯t want him to know just how much he affected her. Didn¡¯t want to give him any more control over her life.


    She gasped a little when she heard him speak.


    ¡®Jasmine, please open up¡¯ he said


    He sounded so¡­ Hurt. Like he was in pain just as she was.. Or maybe that was just what she wanted to hear. That was the thing with her.. When it came to him, she seemed to only hear what she wanted and really good at believing only what she wanted to believe.


    ¡®Jasmine please¡¯ he pleaded. ¡®I know that you hate me and you have every reason to¡­¡¯


    Wrong, she thought. She didn¡¯t hate him. She couldn¡¯t.


    ¡®¡­. But you don¡¯t have to be alone in this¡¯ he continued. ¡®I know you are hurting. I am too, believe it or not, but we can be in this together. Please just open up¡­ Please Jasmine¡­ Just open up¡¯


    Jasmine hesitated, but he still didn¡¯t leave so she unlocked the door and opened it. Standing face to face with him, they both stared at each other for a while before she said, ¡®There was no need to follow me home, Collins. As you can see, I got home safely.¡¯


    ¡®Are you alright?¡¯ he asked. ¡®You have been crying¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m fine¡¯


    He didn¡¯t look like he believed her and she didn¡¯t me him. No one would believe that she was okay because she clearly didn¡¯t look alright, but she was stubborn so she wouldn¡¯t admit it.


    ¡®Can Ie in?¡¯


    Jasmine hesitated. He looked different¡­ He was still very handsome and attractive, but he wasn¡¯t as sure of himself as before. Definitely lessmanding and he looked like he truly cared. Like he was hurting like she was.


    ¡®Please Jasmine¡¯ he added when she made no effort to move away from the door.


    Jasmine sighed and moved away so he coulde in. When he did she shut the door and turned to face him.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Collins stared back. For so long all he had wanted was to see her and now that he was, he didn¡¯t know how to begin, but he had to start somewhere.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry about tonight¡¯ he said softly. ¡®I didn¡¯t mean to show up to upset you. When I told Leonard that I was in town and he invited me to join him for dinner, I wanted to decline, but when he told me that you wereing, I epted the invite because I wanted to see you. Thest thing I wanted to do was ruin dinner with your sister, and I know you I shouldn¡¯t have followed you home, but I couldn¡¯t go home without checking to see if you were alright.¡¯


    Jasmine sniffed. ¡®It¡¯s not your fault, Collins¡¯ she replied, ¡®Regardless of everything that has happened between us, Leonard is still your friend and you have every right to have dinner with him if you want to. I should be the one apologizing. I made a scene and yelled at Favour. I was unable to control my feelings and I ended up ming her for things that were not her fault.¡¯


    ¡® I¡¯m sure that once you guys talk, you¡¯ll be able to straighten things out with her. She¡¯s your sister and you¡¯re close to each other. I¡¯m sure she wille to understand once you both calm down¡¯


    His words helped, she had to admit that, but him being in her apartment by this time wasn¡¯t going to help her move on, so she decided to hit the nail on the head.


    ¡®Why are you here, Collins?¡¯ she asked bluntly.


    He gave her an answer as straight forward as her question


    ¡®To check on you like I said¡­ And to see if there is a chance that you and I can straighten out our own issues¡¯ he said, then added after a pause. ¡®If you want to. I don¡¯t want to make you do anything you don¡¯t want to, but you are important to me and what we both had was important to me, although it took me so long to realize that, I don¡¯t want to let you go. I want you fix things between us¡­ If you let me, Jasmine¡¯


    ¡®And just how are we supposed to do that¡¯ Jasmine asked.


    He smiled and moved closer to her, and Jasmine fought the urge to take a step backwards. ¡®We could start by you allowing me to take you out on a date so we can talk. I don¡¯t know if you still have that note I sent you, but you can meet me there tomorrow. The rose garden in the botanical gardens, down from the Macquarie Street entrance. By twelve noon, I¡¯ll be there waiting for you.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m worried¡­¡¯


    ¡®Please Jasmine.¡¯ he begged, reaching forward before she could move away and taking her hands in his. ¡®Just meet me, and we¡¯ll talk¡¯

 45

    Jasmine nodded. ¡®I¡¯lle¡¯ she replied.


    He smiled, relief and happiness written all over his face. ¡®Thank you¡¯ he said, then reached forward and kissed her forehead. ¡®I¡¯ll see you tomorrow¡¯


    When he left Jasmine just stood and stared at the door. She could be making another mistake.. Or not, but she¡¯d never know if she didn¡¯t take the chance.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Jasmine stood on the corner of Macquarie Street where the big iron gates to the botanical gardens were wide open, inviting the public to wander in and enjoy the ambience of beautiful trees and flowers. She doubted such pleasantries would even impinge on her consciousness if she entered these grounds.


    It was past noon. A steely pride had overridden her usual passion for punctuality. No way would she be found waiting for Collins Templeton. Not after all the disappointments.


    She¡¯d allowed an extra half hour in case he¡¯d run into unavoidable dys, but if his word meant anything, he should be in the rose garden by now.


    Still the question hovered in her mind-to meet him or not? It would open everything up again. To what end? More pain? He was in Sydney today. Where tomorrow? Was this meeting with her being fitted into a business trip? What if he just wanted small bites of her life, reconnecting at his convenience? She¡¯d die if mat were the case, die of humiliation that she¡¯d turned up to his call.


    Yet¡­ the rose he¡¯d kept and sent to her¡­ meeting in a public rose garden in the middle of the day.. Coming to her to apologize and to ask her out¡­ surely it had to mean more than just sex on his mind. If she didn¡¯t go and find out, the torment of wondering what she might have missed would haunt her for the rest of her life.


    Her legs felt like jelly. It was a fine sunny day but it didn¡¯t warm the chill in her heart. She forced her feet forward, determined now on her course. Signs directed her to the path she had to follow. It wouldn¡¯tke long, she told herself, to know the oue of this meeting.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    The sheer physical impact of going out with him again caught herpletely unprepared. Emotional turmoil had clouded her memory of how it was with him. Her feet came to a dead halt as she took in the shock of his effect on her; the instant quickening of her pulse, the maic pull on every muscle of her body, the frightening awareness of her sexuality and her vulnerability to the power of his.


    And he wasn¡¯t even looking at her!


    He was seated on a bench seat under a tree at the other end of the rose garden. His body was hunched forward, head bent, elbows resting on his knees, hands linked, obviously deep in thought. Despite this tightly contained pose, he radiated an intense energy which she knew would engulf her the moment he was alerted to her presence.


    A sense of panic jangled her nerves. It was dangerous, letting Collins getclose again. She couldn¡¯t trust herself not to respond to him. Before she could decide what to do about it, his head jerked up and his dark riveting gaze held her locked into his personal force-field. No retreat possible.


    He stood in one swift fluid action, then seemed toe towards her in stow motion, dominating her vision, dominating her mind, dominating her heart. She had no control over any of them, and in her stomach grew the sickening sense that nothing was ever going to change how she felt with Collins Templeton. She was too deeply connected to him.


    ¡®What do you want with me?¡¯ she blurted out, fighting for a defensive foothold that would guard her against falling into some disastrous decision.


    The direct challenge halted him an arm¡¯s length away, not far enough for her to feel safe, but at least giving her some space. His eyes scoured hers, undoubtedly looking for chinks of weakness. She stood her ground and stared back unflinchingly, resolved on getting answers before he touched her.


    ¡®What do you want with me, Jasmine?¡¯ he returned quietly, skewering her with her own question.


    ¡®You speak first,¡¯ she demanded, refusing to take that bait. It would leave her with no pride at all. ¡®It was you who asked for this meeting, Collins. Not me.¡¯


    He nodded. A wisp of a smile curved his lips and his eyes softened with a caressing warmth. ¡®I¡¯m d you came.¡¯


    ¡®I can go just as easily,¡¯ she shed back, feeling herself start to melt inside and stiffening her spine to counter any crumbling


    ¡®I know.¡¯ He gestured to the bench seat. ¡®Would you like to sit or stroll? A family group ising down the path and we¡¯re blocking it here.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯ll sit for a while,¡¯ she decided, d there were other people around. Being alone with Collins was not a good idea.


    He turned aside to let her fall into step with him and made no attempt to take her hand or arm as they walked along to the bench seat he¡¯d vacated. He was dressed in ck casual clothes: jeans, T-shirt, leather jacket. She had defiantly dressed in yellow.


    At least her sweater was yellow. Her skirt was mostly ck with a zigzag pattern of white and yellow. She had wanted to look bright, on top of her world without him.


    It was a lie. Amazing how good she was getting at lies when it came to her involvement with Collins Templeton.


    Terrible, Desperate, protective lies.


    ¡®Leonard said you just arrived in Sydney yesterday?¡¯ she asked, probing for his current circumstances.


    ¡®Yeah that¡¯s right. Yesterday.¡¯ he confirmed.


    ¡®Is this a business trip?¡¯


    ¡®It was when I came, but right now, you are my only business here, Jasmine. I was supposed to leave today if not for this meeting.¡¯


    ¡®So right now you¡¯re here just because of me?¡¯


    ¡®Yes.¡¯ he replied.


    ¡®No other purpose? No wedding, no award, no deal waiting in the wings that you have to hurry off to?¡¯ she tossed out flippantly.¡¯


    ¡®Not this time,¡¯ he answered grimly.


    A fierce satisfaction red through Jasmine. At least she wasn¡¯t a secondary item on this time. There was no other agenda. He was here for her. Yet that begged the question,


    :What if I hadn¡¯t turned up like before, Collins?¡¯ She sneaked a quick look at him, wary of taking too much for granted.

 46

    He caught her nce and shed a wry little smile. ¡®I was considering that situation when you arrived. Should I respect your wishes or should I storm the barricades? I¡¯m relieved not to have to make that decision.¡¯


    Storm the barricades¡­ Her heart fluttered at the passion inherent in those words. Could she resist him? Did she want to? They reached the seat and she was careful to keep some distance between them as they sat. There were many questions to be answered and the desire he stirred in her could well be ttened by his replies.


    ¡®Okay, here I am. Tell me what this is about for you,¡¯ she invited, deliberately evading eye contact with him, fixing her gaze on the nearest rose bed. She could feel his tension vibrating around her, a harnessed aggression that burned under the surface of his control. It increased her own tension and she clung to a calm facade, determinedly hiding her inner turbulence.


    She was aware of him leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees again. ¡®I¡¯ll start at the beginning. Our blind date. I wasn¡¯t expecting to meet a woman who¡¯d gel under my skin.¡¯ His deep voice carried a liberal dash of irony.


    ¡®A one-night wonder for you,¡¯ she muttered mockingly.


    It made him pause, reflect. ¡®I guess I¡¯ve given you no reason to think it was any more,¡¯ he said ruefully.


    ¡®You want me to believe it was?¡¯ She shot him a derisive look. ¡®No contact with me for nine months. And then I was only an incidental on the night of Favour and Leonard¡¯s wedding. You hadn¡¯te for me. You barely acknowledged my presence until you decided you wanted to have sex with me again.¡¯


    He grimaced and shook his head. ¡®It wasn¡¯t like that. I realise it must look that way to you, but it wasn¡¯t like that.¡¯


    ¡®No?¡¯


    ¡®No!¡¯ It was a vehement denial, his eyes burning through her scorn, projecting intense conviction.


    She wrenched her gaze from his and returned it to the rose garden, frightened of letting his maic energy sweep away all reason. ¡®Then how was it, Collins?¡¯ she demanded coldly, not letting the heat from him influence her.


    He sucked in a deep breath. She didn¡¯t care if she was pulling him through some mental wringer. Her need to know the truth of his feelings for her was paramount.


    ¡®When I first met you I had a three-year n,¡¯ he stated, obviously deciding to give her the big picture. ¡®All work,¡¯ he said significantly. ¡®I didn¡¯t want to put the effort into building and maintaining a rtionship with any woman. It was easy enough to pick up apanion for a social function if needed.¡¯


    ¡®With a night of sex thrown in for good measure.¡¯ The hitter littlement spilled out. She gritted her teeth against saying any more, hating the fact that he¡¯d put her in the same category as other casual sex partners.


    ¡®You were different, Jasmine,¡¯ he quickly asserted.


    Inwardly she bristled. He certainly hadn¡¯t treated her any differently to the others who had passed through his life.


    ¡®What we shared that night on the beach¡­ I tried to dismiss it as a sexual fantasy but you remained too real in my mind, I resented the continual intrusion of the memory, tried to downy it, reason it away, took other women to bed to blot it out. I won¡¯t deny that. Won¡¯t lie about it, either. Though I did it less and less because it was you I wanted and every other woman was a frustration because she wasn¡¯t you.¡¯


    Was that supposed to he apliment? It was certainly a backhander if it was-the unforgettable woman he¡¯d do anything to forget. He made her sound like a curse-a blight on his life.


    ¡®It messed me up to such an extent I decided not to go to Leonard¡¯s wedding because you would be there, and I didn¡¯t want what I thought of as my obsession with you aggravated.¡¯


    ¡®Obsession?¡¯ It shocked her into looking at him again.


    He raised his hands in a kind of exasperated appeal. ¡®What would you call it? There I was. not even prepared to be Leonard¡¯s best man because you were sure to be Favour¡¯s chief bridesmaid and if I had to partner you all throughout the wedding¡­ it would get me in deeper with you and mess me around even more.¡¯


    ¡®But you dide¡­ And then you avoided me like the gue for most of the wedding.¡¯ Jasmine cut in


    ¡®I was angry with myself for letting Leonard down. My oldest friend. And I was angry at investing you with so much power over my life. In the end, I had toe, not only for Leonard, but to prove to myself that what I felt about you was more fantasy than reality. I wanted you to be¡­¡¯ He hesitated, grimacing over the truth before admitting it. ¡®¡­ something I could finally dismiss.¡¯


    It did make sense, Jasmine slowly conceded, fitting his thoughts to how he had acted at the wedding.


    ¡®But I found myself wanting you so badly¡­ I couldn¡¯t stand watching that guy dance with you. Touching you¡­¡¯ The aggression-fiercely possessive aggression. Yes, it did make sense.


    She frowned, dropping her gaze from his, wondering how much more she hadn¡¯t understood¡­ from his viewpoint.


    ¡®I had to have you again.¡¯ The throb of passion in his voice echoed through her own heart. She¡¯d felt the same way, despite theck of anymunication from him.


    Thepulsion to take what she could have of Collins Templeton had been overwhelming, even to letting herself get pregnant so she could have his child.


    ¡®And still I resented the power you had to do this to me, Jasmine . I tried to exercise control over it. Then control didn¡¯t seem to matter. Only you mattered. I didn¡¯t want to wake you when I had to leave because if I did¡­¡¯ He sighed. ¡®It was easier to go while you were asleep. I took the rose. I wanted to keep something of you.¡¯C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Like she¡¯d wanted to keep part of him. She realized.

 47

    ¡®I had workmitments and I couldn¡¯t see a ce for you in the schedule I had nned. But it was worse this time. I couldn¡¯t keep you out of my mind. You haunted my nights.¡¯


    Days and nights for me, she recalled, especially after learning a baby had been conceived.


    ¡®Jasmine¡­ look at me!¡¯ hemanded.


    Her head snapped up. The angst in his eyes begged her belief.


    ¡®The women I took to the award ceremonies¡­ they were just window-dressing. I didn¡¯t have sex with them. Didn¡¯t want to. In fact, it was after barely tolerating the model I was with at the BAFTA Awards that I called you to meet me in L. A. You were the one I wanted to be with.¡¯


    A wave of sadness rolled through her at the memory of her miscarriagein Los Angeles. It had thrown a ck cloud over everything. Though before she¡¯d told him she was pregnant¡­


    ¡®You still didn¡¯t see a ce in your life for me, Collins. It was just for a week.¡¯


    ¡®That was the n,¡¯ he conceded heavily. ¡®I don¡¯t know that it would have stuck, given a whole week together.¡¯ He fell silent.


    Jasmine knew instinctively he was remembering-mourning¨Ctheir lost child. As she did.


    He heaved another deep sigh. ¡®I¡¯m sorry I¡­¡¯ he began


    ¡®You did everything you could,¡¯ she rushed out, not wanting the grief of that time recalled. When she¡¯d needed his help, he¡¯d given it unstintingly. That was the important thing to remember. And what Collins had been telling her rang true. But what it would mean for her in the future, she still didn¡¯t know.


    ¡®I was wrong not to make a ce for you, Jasmine,¡¯ he said gruffly. ¡®I don¡¯t know if you can forgive all I haven¡¯t done where you are concerned, but I swear I¡¯ll do my best to make it up to you, if you¡¯ll give me the chance.¡¯


    She understood the vision he had for his work. It was a big part of him. He¡¯d never rest, never feel satisfied, until it had alle alive. The conflict she¡¯d represented in Collins mind had been real and enduring. There was no longer any basis for the bitterness she¡¯d nursed. It ebbed away.


    ¡®Where would I fit, Collins ?¡¯ she asked, looking at him now with very clear eyes.


    The murk of the past had been dissipated by his honesty, but the same honesty showed her that any path ahead for them was crowded with other factors that could take their toll on any rtionship.


    His mouth quirked into an appealing little smile. ¡®I thought we could create our own fishbowl.¡¯


    She shook her head, notprehending what he meant.


    ¡®There¡¯d be a very busy world going on outside it, Jasmine, but it needn¡¯t touch what we have together. If you¡¯re willing to be Scarlet to my Rhett, we could swim around, side by side¡­¡¯


    ¡®All the time?¡¯ she asked incredulously, not having dared to hope for so much.


    ¡®That¡¯s what I¡¯d like.¡¯ He searched her eyes for any objections. ¡®But you must tell me what you want. I¡¯ll try to amodate¡­¡¯


    Her hand lifted, pressing soft, silencing fingers to his mouth. ¡®I want to be with you wherever you go,¡¯ she said, letting him see the truth of her heart shining in her eyes.


    He covered her hand with his, pressed a long, lingering kiss of warm promise on her palm. Jasmine¡¯s heart turned over.


    Before she dared think it, he said, ¡®I love you Jasmine Leire,¡¯ Then¡­ ¡®Will you be my wife?¡¯


    ¡®Yes,¡¯ she whispered.


    His smile was dazzling¨Crelief, joy, intense pleasure in her. Still holding her left hand, he reached into the pocket of his jacket and drew out a small jeweller¡¯s box. Jasmine stared in utter amazement as he flicked it open to reveal a huge diamond solitaire ring.


    ¡®Diamonds are forever,¡¯ he said with relish, and slid it onto the third finger of her left hand.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡®We¡¯re going to do this right,¡¯ he stated, determined purpose pouring from him as he swept on. ¡®We¡¯ll visit your family tonight, announce our engagement, n a wedding¡­¡¯


    ¡®A wedding?¡¯ Jasmine repeated dazedly.


    ¡®You¡¯d like Favour to stand by you and I¡¯ll ask Leonard to be my best man.


    Tomorrow we¡¯ll visit my mother. She¡¯ll want to be in the thick of things, too. In fact. .¡¯


    ¡®Collins¡­¡¯


    ¡®Have I said something wrong?¡¯ he asked anxiously.


    ¡®No¡­¡¯ Sheughed, bubbling over with so many happy emotions she couldn¡¯t begin to express them. ¡®You really were going to storm the barricades,¡¯ she finally spluttered out.


    He grinned. ¡®I certainly didn¡¯t n to leave without you this time, Jasmine¡¯ She sobered, remembering thest time he¡¯d proposed marriage..


    ¡®I¡¯m thirty-two, Collins. If we¡¯re going to have¡­ other children¡­¡¯


    The twinkle left his eyes, too. He gently stroked her cheek. ¡®No waiting. And when you do fall pregnant again I¡¯ll be right beside you all the way, looking after you as best I can.¡¯


    Neither of them would forget the one they¡¯d lost, yet perhaps its brief innocent life had bonded them more deeply together.


    ¡®I can promise you I won¡¯t make the same mistakes with our children that my father made with me,¡¯ Collins said with considerable feeling, then made a wry little grimace. ¡®But I¡¯ll probably make others. It¡¯ll be your job to correct me, Jasmine. And I¡¯ll listen. If Dad had ever listened to my mother¡­¡¯


    He shook his head. ¡®My mother¡¯s a great person. You¡¯ll like her.¡¯


    ¡®I hope she likes me.¡¯ Jasmine said


    ¡®I know she will. You¡¯re both great people.¡¯ Collins rose from the bench seat, drawing Jasmine to her feet and wrapping her in a tender embrace. ¡®Let¡¯s make this a new start,¡¯ he murmured.


    ¡®Yes,¡¯ she agreed, her heart swelling with the same need to get it right this time. ¡®I love you, too, Collins . That¡¯s a good ce to start.¡¯


    They kissed.


    And the connection between them went soul-deep.


    There¡­ in a garden full or roses.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Jasmine slowly knocked on Favour and Leonard¡¯s door and patiently waited for it to be open. She was happy. She was with the man she loved and she was engaged to him, but her joy couldn¡¯t beplete until she talked to her sister.

 48

    Favour opened the door and they stared at each other for a while until Jasmine spoke.


    ¡®Can Ie in?¡¯ she asked.


    ¡®Sure¡¯ Favour replied and stepped out of the way.


    ¡®How are you?¡¯ Jasmine asked her.


    ¡®Doing good¡¯


    ¡®And the baby and Leonard.¡¯


    ¡®They are both fine, and Leonard is out¡¯ replied Favour, walking slowly to take a seat on the couch. ¡®It¡¯s one of the things that I don¡¯t like about pregnancy¡­ Sometimes I¡¯m just too tired to move around¡¯


    Jasmine smiled at her and sat down too beside her. ¡®You are doing great¡¯ she said, ¡®And it will be over soon¡¯


    There was a brief hesitation before she added, ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Favour. I behaved so horrible towards you that night. I was frustrated, but it was still no reason to say the things that I said to you. I hope that you can forgive me¡¯.


    Favour began to cry. ¡®I¡¯m so sorry¡¯ she said. ¡®About your baby¡­ I can¡¯t believe that I didn¡¯t know, and every time I saw you, I just rambled on and on about mine. And you had to sit there and listen¡¯


    Jasmine took her hand. ¡®It¡¯s not your fault, dear. How could you have known when I didn¡¯t say anything to you.¡¯


    ¡®I should have known that something was wrong instead of getting mad at you¡­ And your baby¡­ You lost your child. I can¡¯t even imagine how you must have felt because if I¡¯ she hesitated and rubbed her stomach, ¡®if I lost my baby, I¡¯d be so¡­ I¡¯m so sorry, Jasmine¡¯


    Jasmine held her hand. ¡®it¡¯s alright, I promise. I just want us to let this go please. I want to focus on the future and be happy¡¯


    ¡®About Collins¡¯ Favour began. ¡®Are you guys alright? Things seemed so bad between you that night¡¯


    Jasmine smiled. ¡®Well, speaking of Collins¡¯. She held up her hand and shed the ring at Favour, who couldn¡¯t help but scream excitedly.


    Jasmineughed and hugged her. ¡®Calm down¡¯ she said.


    ¡®Calm down? Calm down? I¡¯m about to go nuts¡¯ said Favour, grabbing Jasmine¡¯s hand and inspecting the ring. ¡®He proposed? When?¡¯


    ¡®Yesterday¡¯ Jasmine replied. ¡®I was so happy and I couldn¡¯t wait to tell you. I get to be with the man I love¡¯


    ¡®Leonard is going to be so happy¡¯ said Favour. ¡®And so am I. I love you, sis¡¯


    ¡®I love you more, Favour, and thank you for introducing us¡¯


    Favour smirked. ¡®Yeah, am I a match maker or what?¡¯ she bragged then added when Jasmine raised an eyebrow. ¡®Maybe it didn¡¯t go exactly as I nned, but the point is that it finally worked.¡¯


    ¡®Yeah right¡¯ said Jasmine.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    September. .. The first month of Spring in Australia¡­ and the day was bright and sunny, perfect for the wedding.


    ¡®The flowers have arrived!¡¯ Favour yelled from downstairs. ¡®I¡¯m bringing ours up.¡¯


    Jasmine stepped into the dress she¡¯d chosen to wear and pulled it up, carefully sliding her arms through the armholes. She was positioning the bodice properly on her shoulders as Favour sailed into the bedroom.


    ¡®I need help with the back fastening.¡¯ she appealed to her sister.


    ¡®Oh, wow!¡¯ Favour breathed at first sight of the dress on Jasmine.


    She quicklyid the flowers on the bed and moved toplete the fitting. When it was done, they both stared at the reflection in the mirror.


    ¡®That is fabulous!¡¯ Favour dered in absolute awe.


    It wasn¡¯t a traditional bridal gown. It was a Collette Dinnigan creation that Jasmine had bought-rashly almost emptying her bank ount ¨C to wear at the Academy Awards night, desperately wanting Collins to see her as the woman he always wanted at his side. She¡¯d never worn it. The dress was the kind of dress that dreams were made of. It finally felt right to wear it today. It was made of opalescent sequins, sleeveless, the front bodice providing graceful movement with a longcowl neckline that dropped to below her waist, also showing quite a tantalising amount of cleavage. The slim-line style red into a swinging skirt below the knees, allowing room to walk freely, though with a decidedly seductive swish.


    ¡®With your hair fluffed out over your shoulders and down your back, plus all those millions of glittering sequins, you kind of look like a mermaid, Jasmine,¡¯ Favour remarked assessingly, thenughed as she gestured to her own appearance. ¡®And I look like a whale.¡¯


    ¡®No, you don¡¯t. You look absolutely beautiful, Favour, and I¡¯m sure Leonard will tell you so.¡¯


    ¡®Just as well you chose midnight-blue for me. It helps to minimise the lump.¡¯ She sighed. ¡®You could have waited another two months until after I¡¯d had the baby. Having a matron of honour this pregnant is not fashionable.¡¯


    Jasmine shook her head, smiling at the grumble. ¡®Babies are always fashionable, before and after they¡¯re born.¡¯


    ¡®I can¡¯t see my feet anymore.¡¯


    ¡®What¡¯s so great about your feet?¡¯


    ¡®They¡¯re about the only part of me that hasn¡¯t swelled up. Which is just as well because I¡¯ll have you know I¡¯ve done a lot of running around, getting this wedding right for you and Collins while you two did your jet-setting thing.¡¯


    ¡®I know, Favour .¡¯ Jasmine kissed her cheek. ¡®Thank you so much for everything you¡¯ve done for us.¡¯


    ¡®Well it wasn¡¯t just me. Mum and Collins mother were wild to get in on the act, very eager to get the two of you married. I¡¯m sure Mum thought it was a miracle that you finally found someone.¡¯ Favour raised a wagging finger.


    ¡®And she wasn¡¯t alone in that sentiment.¡¯ Jasmine grinned, recalling all her sister¡¯s matchmaking efforts. ¡®I didn¡¯t find Collins. It was a blind date, remember?¡¯


    Favour rolled her eyes. ¡®And is Leonard going to make capital out of that in his best man speech! He is so wrapped that we¡¯re all going to be connected by marriage. And so am I, Jasmine.¡¯ She gave her a hug. ¡®it¡¯s great!¡¯


    ¡®Yes, it is.¡¯ With heartfelt pleasure beaming between them, Jasmine couldn¡¯t keep the secret to herself any longer. It had to be safe now. The doctor had assured her all was well, and just this past week the scan had actually showed their baby sucking its thumb-so endearing it had brought tears to her eyes.


    Collins, as well.


    ¡®We¡¯ll be sharing more than being inws, Favour. I¡¯m pregnant, too,¡¯ she happily announced.


    ¡®You¡¯re not!¡¯ It was a squeal of delight.


    Jasmine nodded.


    Favour pped her hands. ¡®Oh, this is marvellous! How far along?¡¯


    ¡®Almost four months.¡¯


    Sheer astonishment. ¡®You can¡¯t be! You¡¯re not even showing.¡¯ Her gaze dropped critically to Jasmine¡¯s stomach.


    ¡®Luckily the long cowl on this dress hides a very definite mound.¡¯ She lifted it. ¡®See?¡¯


    Favour pointedly examined the vital area. ¡®That¡¯s a very small four months. Trust you to keep nice and slim. I had a positive pot belly by then.¡¯ She frowned. ¡®Howe you haven¡¯t told any of us before this?¡¯


    ¡®I am older than you, as you¡¯ve frequently mentioned,¡¯ Jasmine answered carefully. ¡®I wanted to make it through the danger period first before letting anyone know there¡¯s a baby on the way.¡¯


    Favour shook her head chidingly. ¡®You¡¯ve got a very secretive nature. No doubt about it. Honestly. Jasmine, you could be a bit more forting.¡¯


    ¡®Oh, I don¡¯t know.¡¯ Her eyes were deliberately leasing. ¡®You do have a habit of telling me how to live my life, little sister.¡¯


    Favour humphed and nted her hands challengingly on her hips. ¡®Well, Leonard and I got it right putting you and Collins together, didn¡¯t we?¡¯


    Jasmineughed and hugged her. ¡®Yes, you did. Beautifully, wonderfully right.¡¯


    ¡® The cars are here!¡¯ Their father yelled up the stairs. ¡®Are you girls ready?¡¯


    ¡®Yes, Dad,¡¯ they chorused.


    Favour quickly pounced on the flowers she¡¯d put on the bed. ¡®I¡¯m d I¡¯ve got a bouquet to hold over my mountainous mound,¡¯ she dered.


    ¡®Why did you choose to carry just a single red rose, Jasmine?¡¯ She smiled, picking it out of the florist¡¯s box.


    ¡®It has its meaning.¡¯ Jasmine replied.


    Favour arched her eyebrows. ¡®I suppose that means you¡¯re not going to tell me.¡¯


    ¡®Remember the red rose I wore in my hair as your bridesmaid?¡¯


    ¡®Ah! You and Collins got together at my wedding!¡¯ Favour cried triumphantly. ¡®Oh, I can¡¯t wait to tell Leonard that!¡¯ She sailed off, smugly proud of having fixed her older sister¡¯s life for her.


    Jasmine lifted the perfect velvety bloom to smell its glorious scent.


    Not an artificial rose¡­ a real one¡­ as real as the love she and Collins had for each other.


    The wedding guests were milling around the garden at Jonah¡¯s, the highly fashionable restaurant/reception centre Jasmine and Collins had chosen, mostly because of its site on top of Sydney¡¯s northern penins, overlooking the ocean.


    Everyone was clearly in a festive mood, enjoying the spectacr views as they waited for the bridal party to arrive. Collins and Leonard stood closer to the clifftop above Whale Beach, watching the height of the waves rolling in as they¡¯d done together hundreds of times throughout their long friendship.


    ¡®Not as good a surf as at Forresters,¡¯ Leonardmented.


    Collins smiled, remembering the night he and Jasmine had shared at Spoon Bay. ¡®If a housees up for sale close to yours, Leonard, let me know.¡¯


    ¡®Great idea!¡¯ ¡®Our kids could y together during vacations.¡¯This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    ¡®Yeah¡­¡¯ A cocked eyebrow. ¡®You and Jasmine thinking of starting a family soon?¡¯


    Collins grinned. ¡®One already on the way.¡¯ he said.


    Leonard punched his arm. ¡®You sly dog, you. Does your mother know?¡¯


    ¡®Only just now. I whispered in her ear and her face lit up like a Christmas tree.¡¯


    ¡®I can imagine. She¡¯s over the moon about your marrying Jasmine.¡¯ Leonard raised a scoring finger. ¡®And just you remember, I did tell you right from the start she was a knockout.¡¯


    ¡®You did,¡¯ Collins happily conceded. ¡®And punctual.¡¯ He checked his watch. ¡®Five minutes to go. We¡¯d better line up with the celebrant¡¯ He watched here to him down the makeshift aisle, sunshine gleaming on her glorious hair, a light sea breeze rippling the long wavy tresses. Far below them the beat of the ocean on the sand echoed the beat of his heart, a rhythm that pounded to the name that swam in his mind ¡­. Jasmine¡­ Jasmine¡­


    Her dress glittered like brilliant light on water. She seemed to flow towards him like some ethereal primeval goddess who would bestowupon him all the blessings of life. This was his wife to be, the woman who carried his child¡­ the scan had revealed a boy¡­ their son.


    She smiled at him, her beautiful eyes glowing golden with love. He smiled back, knowing beyond any shadow of doubt this woman was utterly unique and irreceable, the one and only woman he would ever love. He saw she carried a single red rose and knew it represented her love for him-the giving and taking that was not a game, but an essential part of the marriage they both wanted.


    He held out his hand to her. She slid hers over his palm and he closed his fingers around it.


    Together, he thought.


    It had felt right at the very beginning.


    He knew it was right now, and would be so for the rest of their lives.


    THE END.


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