Secret Love - Brenda Jackson [109]
Chapter 18
Chapter 19 W hen Jake awoke the next morning, he was surprised to find Diamond was already up and moving about. Lifting himself up on one elbow, he watched her move around the room, getting dressed. “Good morning. Going someplace?” Diamond looked up from slipping into her shoes and smiled. “Jacob, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you. I wanted to let you sleep for a while longer,” she said, putting on her jacket. “Robin and I are meeting downstairs in the coffee shop to work on the press release that will be going out later today. I was going to leave a note on the dresser.” Jake nodded as he eased out of bed. Every muscle in his body ached. Because of his height, he and hotel beds did not always get along. He stretched his body to work some kinks out of it. “What time do you think you’ll be ready to fly out of here today?” Diamond heard Jake’s words, but her mind and her gaze were focused on his body, which was clad only in a pair of briefs. No man, she thought, should be that well pu
Chapter 19
Chapter 20 J ake and Kyle sat on opposite ends of the sofa as Sterling Hamilton paced back and forth across his immaculate office. “Do you have to pace while you think?” Kyle asked him. “I’m getting a disjointed neck just watching you wear down the carpeting.” Sterling stopped and smiled. “Oh. Sorry.” He eased into a nearby chair. After a few moments of silence, he said, “I’ve been wracking my brains but I can’t recall Diamond ever mentioning Samuel being threatened by anyone. And as for me, I know for a fact that I never received any threats.” He frowned. “However, come to think of it, I do remember two incidents of Samuel’s car catching fire during a race. The officials ruled it as mechanical failure, although they could never find the cause.” Sterling shook his head. “Samuel was pretty hot about it.” Jake stood. “But you don’t know for certain that his car was tampered with.” “No,” Sterling agreed. “Samuel never mentioned that he thought his car had been tampered with, so he must no
Chapter 20
Chapter 21 “B laylock wanted me to let you know that Alex is at the big house to see you, boss.” “Thanks, Ray.” Pulling off his work gloves, Jake tossed them down on the twenty-pound bale of hay he had just moved into the stall. Shading his eyes against the dazzling morning sunshine, he walked out of the barn and glanced in the direction of the ranch house. Jake suddenly felt uncomfortable about the meeting he was having with Alexander Maxwell. Sterling and Kyle had convinced him the meeting was needed. He understood that. But he still didn’t like it. It bothered him that there was a possibility that someone he didn’t know had such a problem with him being married to Diamond that he’d made threats against him. When Jake entered the house he heard movement upstairs, the sound of furniture scraping across the pine floors. He shook his head, smiling. With Blaylock’s help Diamond was determined to add a feminine touch to his bedroom—which she had reminded him three times since they had ret
Chapter 21
Chapter 22 J ake looked across the table at Diamond. He had not been able to take his eyes off her all through dinner. She had that type of effect on people. He smiled when he remembered introducing her to Alex that day. For the first time ever, Alexander Maxwell had been at a loss for words. He understood. Even after almost two years, she still had a profound effect on him. Besides her stunning beauty, both inside and out, she was simply irresistible, fascinating and intelligent. There was also a controlled calm about her, one he could always break through once he had her in bed. Then he could turn her into