Page 19 of Sharing Forever in Hope Creek (Hope Creek #2)

‘This has been such a wonderful wedding.’ Callie savoured the closeness of dancing with Jack and the feel of her right hand encased in his as they moved to a sweet, slow number being performed by the four-piece jazz band that had travelled up from Melbourne especially for the occasion.

Jack’s hand was warm on her back, his touch sending threads of longing through her.

‘It’s the best wedding I’ve been to,’ he agreed. ‘Mitch and Stella’s marriage will last.’

Looking over at her sister and new brother-in-law as they danced together, Callie’s heart swelled with happiness.

Mitch and Stella’s love for each other was tangible.

‘I loved in their wedding vows how they pledged to talk to each other about any worry or uncertainty and how they won’t waste this second chance they’ve been given,’ she told Jack.

‘After losing each other once and then Stella being in an accident that could easily have claimed her life, they’re going to treasure every day together. ’

‘Their breakup was unfair, but it reinforces the importance of communication,’ Jack agreed.

She let the fingers of her left hand smooth out the crisp, white linen of Jack’s shirt. All the men in the bridal party had looked debonair in their dark suits, but neither Mitch nor Phil made her heart pump faster.

Immediately after the ceremony, the men had shed their coats and ties and Callie had been teased by the tanned V of skin below Jack’s neck ever since.

Now, as she breathed in the scent of his aftershave, she yearned to let her lips kiss him there—let her tongue tip play at the sensitive spot she’d discovered above his collarbone.

Looking up into his eyes, she saw her longing mirrored there.

Both of them stopped moving and the next second Margaret bumped into them as Jim twirled her around.

‘Sorry!’ Margaret’s eyes sparkled and her cheeks were flushed as she apologised.

‘Don’t be,’ Callie said. Margaret and Jim were so obviously still in love and it was wonderful to see. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen you two on the dance floor before. I love your moves, Jim.’

‘I’m a bit rusty, but it’s coming back.’ Jim laughed. ‘It’s getting a bit crowded here.’

‘A sign everyone’s enjoying themselves,’ Jack said.

A large wooden dance floor had been hired from a place in Melbourne and transported up for the barn.

Long, wide bolts of white satin had been hung from the rafters, which gave the place a tent-like ceiling.

Eucalyptus branches had been cut, suspended above each table and decked out with fairy lights adding to the magical atmosphere.

And the table centrepieces that Liz and June had worked so hard on were absolute masterpieces of country craft.

‘I saw Mavis chatting you up earlier, Jack,’ Margaret said as the couples danced side by side.

‘You sure about that?’ Jim put in. ‘I caught her giving Blue the once-over several times.’

‘Oh no!’ Callie giggled as she looked over at Blue and saw that Mavis—the community gossip—did have him cornered. ‘Poor Blue! It does look as though she’s flirting with him!’

‘She was with Blue earlier and he managed to escape. I ribbed him about it and he told me with his usual lack of reverence that, and I quote, “Mavis has no chance. I wouldn’t be able to stand her chewing my ear off all day and I’ve seen better legs on a piano!

”’ As Jim, Margaret and Callie almost doubled over with laughter, Jack shook his head at Callie.

‘You could’ve warned me about Mavis—or come to my rescue. ’

‘Hey,’ Callie defended herself. ‘I was busy on the dance floor rocking my moves with Kade.’

‘Kade had me up dancing before, too.’ Margaret laughed merrily. ‘He’s going to be quite the heart-stopper when he grows up.’

‘Back to Mavis … No doubt she’s got your life story and it’ll be all over Hope Creek in no time flat.’ Jim’s words were uttered with certainty and accompanied by a smirk.

‘Well, she told me I seemed like a “decent-enough” guy,’ Jack said, ‘so can I take it she’ll be painting a positive picture of me?’

‘Of course she will. Morgan’s promised to play nice now, so if Mavis says a bad word against you, she’ll have Morgan to deal with,’ Callie teased.

The slow music came to an end and the band swung into a famous Australian piece of music from the seventies, ‘Love is in the Air’.

‘John Paul Young.’ Margaret named the pop icon who’d made the song famous. ‘Oh, this was always one of my favourites.’

Jack started singing in his sexy baritone voice close to Callie’s ear and his voice sent a whoosh of longing through her.

‘You must’ve had dance lessons.’ Callie marvelled as he proceeded to lead her through a series of rocking and twirling movements that seemed to be a mix of jive, ballroom and swing.

‘I went to Ceroc classes once,’ he confessed.

‘Ceroc?’

‘Mm. It’s a style of dance that originated in France.’

Dancing had never been so much fun. ‘I’m definitely a fan,’ she told him breathlessly as he swung her away then reeled her back against his body again.

As they danced, he had her in fits of laughter as he winked at her or moved his eyebrows up and down comically in outrageously flirtatious behaviour, alternating with a sexily smouldering expression. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d loosened up so much on the dance floor.

When the band swung into a song that was a much faster tempo, Callie placed her hand over her heart. ‘I think I’ll sit this one out.’

Jack led her off the dance floor as Jim and Margaret ramped up the pace and started to jive.

Callie heard Morgan’s laughter and looked over to see her sister’s head thrown back in merriment at something Phil must’ve said to her as they danced together.

Morgan and Phil?

No. She hadn’t picked up on any chemistry between the two of them and besides, Phil would be heading back to the USA in a couple of days. She dismissed the thought that there may be a developing attraction between the pair but was pleased to see Morgan enjoying herself.

‘I want to kiss you, Callie,’ Jack whispered, his voice low and husky next to her ear. ‘Do you think we’d be missed if we slipped away?’

Callie stifled a groan and tried to stop her heart from going into overdrive. She hoped he’d do far more than kiss her. Surely it was time to end this self-imposed ban they’d agreed to? ‘I’d love to leave with you but I’m not sure I’d want to come back.’

He closed his eyes. ‘I lose all my resolve when I’m with you.’

‘Then let’s wait until Stella and Mitch leave because I’m quite happy for you to lose your resolve.’

His lips twitched before he adopted a completely innocent expression. ‘But they could be hours yet, and you’re pregnant and you need your rest.’

Her legs were tired and she had been feeling the need to shut her eyes for a short time—until Jack had taken her hand in his and led her to the dance floor. Being held so closely against him had energised every cell.

‘I’m sure you should be tucked up in bed by this hour.’ Everything in his voice suggested he’d like to be the one to tuck her up and she felt hot arrows of longing shooting downwards and lodging sharply at the juncture of her thighs.

‘I should be in bed, but if we left together now, everyone would know that whilst I might be in bed, I wouldn’t be resting!’

Her heart somersaulted as he shot her an attractive smile.

‘What about a stroll outside in the moonlight instead?’

‘I think we could get away with that,’ she agreed.

Hand in hand they left the barn, guided by the moonlight as they made their way back to the seats under the gum tree that had borne witness to Stella and Mitch’s wedding vows.

When they reached the seats, Callie settled on Jack’s lap and they hugged for a moment before he dipped her back in his arms to gain access to her mouth. She thrilled when her lips were captured in a searing kiss.

His kisses were becoming wonderfully familiar. They might have agreed not to sleep together again for a while, but they’d seized every opportunity over the last few days to kiss each other. Morgan had even joked to Stella that Callie was almost living in Jack’s arms.

God, but it had been hard to stop short of taking it further.

Now Callie thrilled as she melted against him. Their kisses grew more urgent, hands roaming over each other with a hunger that grew increasingly ravenous.

Jack shifted her a little on his lap. ‘You’re so beautiful,’ he murmured, his fingers tracing the line of her jaw. ‘Especially in this moonlight.’

‘If I wasn’t pregnant, we’d already be lovers again, wouldn’t we?’

He cleared his throat. ‘Yes, but—’

‘But nothing, Jack. This holding back is killing me.’ She heard the desperation in her voice but she’d decided enough was enough. ‘This is what we both want. It’s what we both need.’

‘We agreed to wait.’

‘To hell with that,’ she told him vehemently. ‘We’ve spent a lot of time together this last week—’

‘Not quite a week, really.’

‘—and the waiting is tying me up in knots of anticipation.’

He sat very still and she wanted to hit him to loosen up his self-restraint. Their desire—their need—was mutual and all-consuming. Although she thought his motivation behind this restraint was admirable, it was pointless trying to pretend they could resist this for much longer.

Moments stretched as she waited for his decision.

A barking owl’s ‘wook-wook’ call sounded from a tree close by, louder than the music that carried from the barn.

‘It’s not easy for me either, Callie,’ Jack said at last.

‘Then reconsider.’

Jack closed his eyes and let out a long breath. ‘You’re right,’ he told her on a low growl before claiming her lips with increased urgency. In between hot kisses he rasped, ‘Let’s not deny this any longer.’

They were the most welcome words Callie had ever heard.

‘Tonight,’ she breathed against his mouth.

‘Tonight,’ he promised. ‘We can go back to the guest cottage and I’ll try to undress you with slightly more finesse than I did on our first night together.’

For all that she’d spoken openly about her need for them to become lovers again, Callie felt the heat sweep up from her chest to her cheeks as she remembered the impatient way they’d almost ripped off each other’s clothes in Jack’s hotel suite.

‘Good luck with that!’ She flirted to cover up her sudden shyness. ‘You can try to go slowly, but I won’t be answerable for any buttons that come off your shirt.’

‘The shirt’s replaceable.’

She trailed her finger over one of those buttons before she got to her feet. ‘I think I’m going to walk back into the barn and demand the bride and groom leave the reception right now!’

Her declaration earned her a smile. ‘If they were leaving on their honeymoon tonight, you might have more success,’ Jack said. ‘But as they don’t fly out to their secret honeymoon destination until next Saturday morning, I doubt they’re going to be in a hurry to leave the party.’

Stella and Mitch had decided to postpone their honeymoon so they could spend some time catching up with all the international guests who’d flown in for the wedding.

There were breakfasts, picnics, barbecues and all sorts of events planned for the next week—even a trip to Hope Creek Vineyard for a wine tasting and tour.

Callie tilted her head and smiled as she heard the guests singing ‘Home Among the Gum Trees’. ‘Sounds as though the locals are teaching the international guests some Aussie songs.’

‘That’s definitely a classic.’

She reached out her hand to Jack. ‘Shall we go back in and join the party?’

‘I think we’d better,’ he said with a lopsided grin. ‘I could do with the distraction otherwise I won’t be responsible for my actions.’