She smirked knowingly. “Hmm, maybe this will change
your mind. I overheard you talking to my sister about how you’re Joseph Quinlan’s brother. I also heard you confess your shameful secret. You killed your friend – what a terrible thing to do.”
Jake suppressed his guilt. “What do you want?”
“I want a night of passion with Joseph. If you can arrange that, I won’t tell anyone your secret.”
Jake burst into laughter. “A night of passion with Joseph? Who the hell do you think you are?”
She tossed back her head and chuckled sinisterly. “I just know what I want.”
Emma stepped forward and pressed herself against him, but Jake decided he’d had enough of this now. He pushed her away forcefully enough to get her off of him. She yelped in pain – as if he’d hit her – which he most definitely hadn’t. She looked up and he saw her eyes welling with tears… shit. He definitely hadn’t pushed her that hard… why was she putting this on?
Jake heard a voice from the other side of the street. Morag – the local busybody – was walking past, returning from the dance. “Are you okay, Emma? I saw that. Did he hurt you?”
Emma upped the little girl act. “He hit me, Morag. You saw what happened, right? I think he should leave town. Don’t you?”
Morag nodded curtly. “Yes I do.”
Jake turned away, refusing to be drawn into this bullshit. “Don’t worry; I’m leaving first thing.”
He marched back into the hotel, vowing to make love to Astrid once more, then head back for the anonymity of the city as soon as he could.
Chapter Fourteen
Astrid awoke the next morning and stretched snoozily, snuggly nestled in Jake’s arms. She opened her eyes and saw the autumn sunshine streaming in through the gap in the drapes... It was going to be a good day.
She eased her warm body out of his embrace and gazed at him. He looked so peaceful, sleeping. She knew he had issues that he needed to work through, and she had no idea where this was going – possibly nowhere – but right now she liked him, and he liked her.
She smiled as she concocted a plan to wake him up with some coffee – and then perhaps some loving. She wrapped herself up in his discarded shirt, then padded over to open the drapes and let in some light.
Surprise pinned her to the carpet, as her sleepy gaze fell on a group of journalists milling around outside. She quickly shut the drapes and tried to calm her thrashing heart. Who the hell were the press here for? Surely not Jake? His brother was the sought-after famous one, not this Quinlan.
She pried open a small gap in the drapes and peeked out. The journalists had seen her, and they were trailing into the hotel – presumably on their way up here.
She glanced at Jake. He was now awake and grinning. “Hey, beautiful.”
Astrid winced. “Er… We’ve got a problem…”
Jake’s expression surged to concern. “What’s wrong?”
“The press are outside. What have you been up to? Something else you haven’t told me?”
He sat up. “No, course not.”
There was a knock at the door. “Mr. Quinlan, news has just broken about your reunion with your brothers. How did you find them again? Is it true you were adopted?”
“Oh fucking great,” Jake said.
Astrid frowned. “How did they find out about that?”
“Your sister threatened to tell them if I didn’t fix her up with Joseph.”
Reality warped around Astrid. “What!”
“Yeah. She was there when I went out for a smoke. I was gonna tell you, but I got a bit distracted.”
Astrid’s body flushed with lust as she remembered all the amazing things they’d done together last night – and all the gorgeous orgasms he’d given her.