A Lasting Proposal by C.J. Carmichael

Author:C.J. Carmichael
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2002-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

BY FRIDAY MORNING, Jake could no longer deny that his feelings had somehow changed. As the hours leading up to his dinner date with Maureen passed, his anxiety increased. He didn’t want to go.

“Why?” he asked his mirrored image as he fought with the unaccustomed tie around his neck. The blasted thing wouldn’t lie flat. Finally, he tossed it on his bed and undid the top button of his shirt. The release of pressure from around his neck felt great. He wished it could be as simple to ease the fear constricting his heart.

So call and cancel. Tell her you’re feeling sick. She’ll get the picture.

But he didn’t have the nerve to do that. At last, Jake swore and got into his truck. He was convinced he was the biggest chump in the world. That the upcoming evening was going to be the most painful he’d ever spent.

And then he saw Maureen sitting in one of the willow chairs on the front veranda of the B and B. And he was slam-dunk infatuated again. Excitement surged through his veins at the sight of her.

She was talking with Poppy, but when he pulled up she stood and headed in his direction. Her legs seemed to go on forever in a pair of white cotton pants, and her scoop-necked pink sweater allowed a tantalizing peek at her generous cleavage. More than her great figure, he admired the confidence of her stride, her lack of self-consciousness as she pushed her thick blond hair back.

She turned to wave at Poppy and then bent to give Kip, Cathleen’s golden retriever, a farewell pat.

“Have fun!” Poppy called out.

Jake barely heard her. He opened the passenger door for Maureen and wondered what had happened to all the oxygen in the air. There had been plenty just five minutes ago.

“I hope you don’t mind that I was the one who suggested this dinner,” Maureen said as they drove away.

“Of course not,” he lied. Or was it a lie? Suddenly, their dinner struck him as a terrific idea. Only, he could have gladly skipped the restaurant and gone straight to his place.

Jake could hardly string together a proper sentence during the ride into Canmore. Again he attributed it to just hormones out of control, and that it was wrong for him to be acting this way, but he couldn’t help it. Less than an hour ago, he’d thought of a million reasons their relationship wouldn’t work out. And now he was wishing for nothing more than to get this woman into his bed.

Talk about superficial…

“Are you okay, Jake?”

See? She’d already noticed something was different. He’d never make it through the evening. And he didn’t have to. He could claim he was sick or had a serious problem to do with his heli-skiing business. She’d understand. Or at least pretend to.

“I’m fine.” He’d be all right at the restaurant, surely. Once they were surrounded by people, his emotions would settle down. The two of them could enjoy a pleasant meal together and then he’d take her home.

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