Free Bound To Love by Sally Clements

of the components.’
    ‘Will you come down to the cottage and find them for me? I’ll need all time I can get to get them ready.’
    Impatient, he finished off his chunk of baguette and stood.
    ‘Let’s go.’
    ****
    Tempest worked steadily through the afternoon. It would be a tight fit, but the miniature tracking devices would fit in the lapis, if she could manage to hollow out the centres without breaking the stones. She needed to work, but every molecule of her was aware of Jake, and her fingers shook as she tried to block him out.
    ‘Go talk to Skye. Maybe she’s got something else for you to do.’
    He stopped mid-pace.
    ‘That sounds like you want to get rid of me. Are you sick of me already?’ He grinned, the dimple making another appearance.
    ‘I don’t have much time, and you’re pacing.’ And looking so damn gorgeous all I want to do is kiss you.
    ‘Was I pacing again?’
    ‘You were pacing, and it’s driving me crazy,’ she admitted.
    ‘OK, I’ll go and see if Skye has something for me to do for the next hour. Then I’m heading off.’ An invisible thread seemed to spin between them, tying them together. He walked quickly to her, speared his hand through her hair, and brought her mouth up to his, kissing her hard and quickly. Her hands came up to his chest, but before she could touch him, he took a step away, breathing hard and fast. ‘I’ll see you later.’
    Tempest’s heart thudded in her chest. Battling her body’s urgings, she crossed her arms to stop herself from reaching for him again.
    ‘I’ll wait up for you, so make sure you call if you are going to be late. Otherwise I’m coming to get you.’
    It wasn’t an idle threat. If he was determined to walk into danger alone, she was equally determined to get him back safely. Jake wasn’t a stranger anymore, this was personal.

 
    Chapter Five
     
    Seated behind his antique mahogany desk, Paul Grey stared out of the full-length window overlooking the park, and held down the button on his intercom.
    ‘Allie, ask Carter Wells to come in here, would you? He should be in the board room.’
    The grey water of the artificial lake in the centre of the park glistened in the sunlight. Children and eccentric adults were sailing their model boats, and as he watched, a white sailboat pushed bravely away from the concrete edging, its full sails billowing in the rising wind.
    ‘Carter’s here, Mr. Grey.’
    The disembodied voice from his desk shook Paul out of his reverie, and he pushed the button to answer.
    ‘Send him in Allie, and hold my calls.’
    He walked around the door ready to greet the lanky engineer.
    ‘Hi, Carter, take a seat. Do you want a coffee?’
    He bit down the instinct to snap as the other man’s eyes narrowed in distrust. Carter had never liked him and the feeling was mutual. If the company hadn’t needed Carter’s expertise, Paul would have found some way to get rid of him. Paul forced a tight smile. He couldn’t afford the luxury of sacking the engineer. Not now.
    ‘No thanks, Paul. What can I do you for?’
    Carter slid into the nearest chair, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
    ‘I just wanted to check you have everything set up for the demonstration in the boardroom today.’
    ‘I have a full range of the products ready to demonstrate. I’ve rigged them up the way I always do. Is Jake coming in for this meeting?’ Carter’s gaze pinned Paul’s. ‘Jake was supposed to meet me yesterday, and he didn’t show. I have to talk over the next aspect of the Louvre job with him. He didn’t phone or even email me, have you heard from him?’
    Paul avoided the other man’s eyes; lying was difficult, even though he’d had plenty of practice lately.
    ‘Jake called and asked me to take over for a while. He’s taking some time off. I reckon he’s exhausted, I didn’t question him too much about it, he works too hard anyway.’
    ‘It’s just not like him not to let me know…’ Carter’s plaintive tone