In the Market for Love - By Nina Blake Page 0,12

was another call for her.

Jake walked towards the door. “You go and take your call. I’ll see you later. I’m looking forward to it.”

He left.

Leaving her in a daze. She was going on a date with no idea what had happened or how it came to be.

She hadn’t said she’d go on a date with him. The word ‘yes’ had not passed her lips. Had he tricked her?

Now he’d gone, she wasn’t even able to reprimand him, tease him and tell him she hadn’t accepted.

He made her feel like no other man had before but that didn’t mean she wanted him. Surely her mind was in control of her feelings and actions. She wasn’t weak and wanton, at the mercy of her emotions.

Yet something about him made her nervous as though he was different in kind from other men. As though he had a power over her that no one else did.

Still, it was her life and she was in charge of it. She wouldn’t be duped by Jake Austin’s charm and she also wouldn’t back down.

She would meet him.

It was only a drink, after all.

* * *

Rachel admired Jake’s choice of venue as she walked into the Ebony Bar.

One wall was taken up by a long dark wooden bar behind which bottles had been lit to glitter like jewels on the shelves. The rest of the room was divided into different areas through the clever use of furnishings. There was a standing area, a section filled with tiny tables and chairs and another area decked out with sofas.

Elegant though it was, it was a bar, and she wasn’t sure she was comfortable there. She also didn’t understand how she’d been trapped into going for a drink with Jake. He’d twisted her words and now here she was.

“Hello Rachel.” She heard the soft suede of Jake’s voice behind her. “Let me take your jacket for you.”

His fingertips brushed the back of her neck as he gently slipped the dark linen jacket off her shoulders. A tingle shot up her spine.

He grinned and his whole face lit up. His eyes, normally dark and mysterious, were full of warmth.

“Let’s go over to the sofas,” he suggested.

She was in a quandary over where to seat herself as she didn’t want to sit on a single lounge chair as if she were scared of sharing a seat with him. She decided to sit at one end of the sofa but not at the very end, giving her some room to retreat if needed.

“Nice bar,” she said.

Was that the best she could do? She knew her attempt at small talk was pathetic but she had to do something, say something. She couldn’t just sit there and allow herself to be consumed by this man.

“Yes, I think so too.” Jake draped her linen jacket over a chair before relaxing beside her. “It’s not very nice when it’s crowded. Too many people looking to make an impression or a pick-up or something. Have you been here before?”

“No, not here,”

She hoped he wouldn’t ask her which bars she went to as a conversation on that subject would be extremely brief. She waited anxiously as he went to the bar to order the drinks. He appeared to know the bar staff.

It gave Rachel the chance to admire him from behind. And he did look good from behind. His jeans followed the contours of his firm butt. He’d dressed the jeans up with a navy shirt that stretched across his broad shoulders. He was certainly a fine example of manhood.

“They’ll bring the drinks over,” Jake said when he returned to the sofa. “You look good in red, you know. It suits you. It contrasts beautifully with your hair.”

Rachel had debated what to wear. Not wishing to look overdressed and make herself look too keen, she’d decided on a pair of black boot leg pants and a simple red sleeveless top. The top showed off her toned arms and followed the silhouette of her waist down to her hips without being provocative.

“Thanks. You look good out of your work clothes too.” She shuddered at her poor choice of words. “I mean, you know, in jeans.”

This wasn’t going the way she’d hoped.

Jake grinned, clearly enjoying her embarrassment. “I liked the way you put it better the first time.”

“Perhaps you shouldn’t be so pleased with yourself. It was just a slip of the tongue. Or are you used to having women make saucy comments to you?”

“Maybe they do. But you don’t. Unless you’d