In the Market for Love

Epilogue



“I’m exhausted!” Rachel flopped back onto the king size bed in their luxurious suite at the Hotel Rouge. “I don’t know how much more of this I can take.”

Jake’s eyes rested on the pale band of flesh below her waist. “All day you’ve been taunting me.”

She’d been constantly pulling down the hem of her top. Now, as she lay back on the enormous bed with her midriff exposed, she didn’t have the energy to cover herself.

He lay down beside her and tickled her bare stomach. “This is just the beginning.”

The soft flesh of her belly went taut as she shrieked with laughter and rolled away from him before he could grab her. Taking what she thought was a fighting stance, she stood by the side of the bed with her hands raised.

Her eyes narrowed. “Watch out or I’ll karate you.”

Jake burst into laughter and grabbed her around the waist. He drew her back onto the bed beside him so they lay together side by side.

He propped his head on one hand. “I hate to disappoint you but karate doesn’t suit you. You’ll have to stick with running multi award winning campaigns.”

“Only one of the awards is mine. The other is yours, Mr Advertising Executive.” She pinched him playfully on the arm.

“Well, Mrs Advertising Executive, was the wedding everything you hoped for? Or did you want something bigger and more glamorous?”

Rachel looked into the deep mahogany of his eyes. “It was perfect. Small and intimate. Everything I ever wanted.”

“You didn’t mind that Marcus used our wedding to announce his engagement to Samantha?”

“You know I didn’t. It was a wonderful surprise.”

“I think he might have surprised himself with that one. He’s really grown up.”

She closed her eyes. The life she was living now was a dream she hadn’t dared to have. She hadn’t believed she could have it all. Only one thing could make her happier.

Jake prodded her shoulder. “So you reckon you know karate? Think you’re ready for one of my judo tackles?”

She sighed. “I’m too tired to go into battle now.”

“Good, I don’t want you to resist.”

His lips brushed hers gently. Then he pressed his mouth against hers. His arms were already around her waist. She ran her fingers along the hard contours of his biceps until both hands were twisted around the back of his neck.

“I wasn’t kidding when I said I was too tired to fight you,” she said. “I don’t know where you get all your energy from.”

“But this is only the beginning of our honeymoon.”

A honeymoon with a difference. They’d brought Connor along as well as the nanny to help take care of him.

“Did I mention Connor and the nanny are going to spend a couple days at EuroDisney?” Jake asked.

“We’re going to EuroDisney?”

“No, you and I are staying right here. It’s only fair. Connor’s got EuroDisney. I’ve got you. Then all the males in the family should be happy.”

“And we’ve got Paris! Boulevards. Cafes. Galleries. Patisseries…”

Jake held her gaze. “You know, the best thing about this hotel is the room service. It’s excellent. Internationally renowned. You won’t find better anywhere else in the world. We need never leave the room. So what are going to choose, Paris or me?”

Rachel smiled. “Are you really happy? Are you as happy as me?”

“Of course.” His hands wandered along the curve of her waist onto the small of her back. “But there is one more thing. I want us to have a child together. We talked about it before. That’s the one thing that would make our lives complete.”

“Yes.”

She pressed her trembling mouth against his and he held her against the wall of his torso. He made her feel secure and safe.

Still kissing him, she slid her fingers inside his collar and began undoing the buttons on his shirt. Something stirred deep inside her. She still found it astounding he had the power to evoke so many emotions in her.

She tried to make her voice sound tough. “So you want a baby? We’d better get a move on. No time like the present.”

“I thought you were tired,” he said.

“Not that tired.”

She rolled him over and looked into his eyes.

Nothing had ever felt so right.