Secret Love (14 page)

“D
id you get all the rest you needed last night, Jake?”

Jake’s smile faded the moment he walked into his kitchen the next morning and found his nephew Clayton sitting at the table, drinking a cup of coffee. He walked over to the counter to pour his own cup. Ignoring Clayton’s question, he drawled teasingly, “I guess it was too much to hope that all of you had left last night.”

“Yep,” Clayton said with a somewhat cocky grin. “Some of us decided to extend our visit for a day or so. It’s every man’s dream to be able to claim that he slept under the same roof as Diamond Swain.”

“Diamond Swain Madaris,” Jake corrected, slanting a glance in his nephew’s direction. “She’s going to start using her married name.”

“And you’re okay with that?” Clayton asked, studying his uncle while he sipped his coffee.

Jake lifted a brow as he walked over to the table and sat down. “Why wouldn’t I be? She’s my wife, and that’s her name.”

Clayton shrugged. “If for no other reason than for simplicity’s sake. She’s been Diamond Swain for so long, how do you think her fans will feel about the change?”

Jake looked pointedly at his nephew. “I’m sure they’ll get over it. I would hope they can. And for those who can’t, tough.”

Clayton shook his head. “With that kind of attitude, it’s good to know you’re very supportive of her career.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“What it means, Uncle dearest, is that the woman you’ve chosen to live the rest of your life with is a woman who happens to bring countless hours of joy to millions of people with her acting abilities, not to mention her heart-stopping beauty.”

“So?” Jake asked, still not understanding where Clayton was coming from and most importantly, just where he was going with this. For some reason, Clayton’s attorney mind was at work. “What’s the big deal, Clayton?”

Clayton took another sip of his coffee before answering. “The big deal may not be just the media. Oh, I think they’ll cause you some problems at first, but I see a bigger problem that neither you nor Diamond have thought about.”

Jake leaned back in his chair and stretched his legs out in front of him, crossing them at the ankle. “Which is?”

Clayton met his uncle’s stare. “Her fans. Her very devoted fans. They can be just as bad with invading your privacy as the media.”

Jake frowned as he leaned forward. “Diamond always had fans. So I’m asking you again, what’s the big deal?”

Clayton sat up straight in his chair. “The big deal is that those same fans will probably want to latch on to you because now you’re an extension of Diamond. Not only will you have the media to worry about, but you’ll have to deal with Diamond’s adoring fans, as well.”

Not all of them are adoring,
Jake thought, remembering the young man who had forced his way into Diamond’s home a few weeks ago. He sighed as he sank back onto his chair. “Is there any reason you’re telling me this?” he asked coolly, narrowing his eyes to slits. He had a feeling he was not going to care for Clayton’s answer.

“The word is out, Jake. I don’t have the slightest idea which one of our family members was so overjoyed at the thought of Diamond becoming a Madaris that they shared the news with friends—who evidently thought nothing of leaking it to the press. Take your pick as to who the culprit might be. You have several of your talkative kinfolk to choose from. But the fact remains that someone did, and news of your marriage to Diamond made the front page in the newspapers this morning across the country.”

Jake shrugged. He and Diamond knew that news of their marriage was bound to leak out once he had told his family. Like he had warned her, there were some Madarises who didn’t know how to keep secrets. “So it made the front page. That’s all?”

“No.”

“No?”

“No. The sheriff called to let you know that he stopped a convoy of reporters and fans who were headed out this way. He told them that Whispering Pines was private property and if they set foot on it uninvited, they could be arrested.”

Clayton chuckled. “Let me rephrase that. He told them that they
would
be arrested.”

Jake nodded. He would definitely have to remember Sheriff McCoy at reelection time. He got up and moved over to the sink to pour out his coffee. He’d suddenly lost the taste for it. “Sounds like everything’s under control then.”

“Not quite.”

Jake turned from the sink and met Clayton’s gaze. “What else is there?”

When Clayton didn’t answer right away, Jake walked back over to the table. “I asked, what else is there?”

Clayton took a deep breath before handing Jake the high-tech digital phone recorder. “You need to get your phone number changed as soon as possible. This call came in early this morning. I thought I’d better save it. It’s up to you as to what you do with it, although I’d be glad to offer suggestions.”

Jake frowned as he took the tape player from Clayton. He pushed the button and a husky, somewhat muffled, male voice filled with anger began talking.
“If you’re the Jacob Madaris who married Diamond, you’ll be sorry. I stood by and let her make a mistake by marrying that race-car driver but I won’t risk her being hurt. Get out of her life and leave her alone, or you’ll pay a price that could cost you your life.”

The message ended, and Jake turned off the tape player.

“Well?” Clayton asked as he strained to watch the emotions that crossed Jake’s face. There weren’t any. Like Dex he was an expert at hiding them.

“Well, what?” Jake responded, taking the microchip out of the phone recorder and slipping it into the pocket of his jeans.

“What are you going to do about that call?”

“Nothing.”

Clayton frowned. “If that’s your position, then I think you’re making a mistake. A big one. That caller sounded pretty serious. At least to be on the safe side, you should report that call to the police.”

“Why? So the media can have a field day with it? Just because one lovesick fan of Diamond’s threatens my life? The man’s a quack. He had something to get off his chest, and he did.”

Clayton shook his head. He refused to dismiss the call as easily as Jake wanted to do. “You need to be careful, Jake,” he said, looking up at his uncle over the rim of his coffee cup. “That guy evidently took your marrying Diamond as something personal.”

Jake looked annoyed. “Since you’ve gotten married, you worry too much, Clayton. You’re becoming a pain in the—”

“Jake,” Clayton interrupted. “In my profession you learn not to take everything with a grain of salt. Some things are worth worrying about. Just humor me and be careful. That episode with Trevor in South America took years off my life. I don’t think I could handle anything major like that again.”

Jake nodded slowly. Trevor Grant was a very close
childhood friend of his nephews, and the entire Madaris clan considered him as family. He had gone out of the country on a business trip several months ago and had ended up escaping into the jungle to elude terrorists. The only good thing that had come out of Trevor’s adventure was the fact was he had escaped into the jungle with a woman—a woman he had ended up falling in love with and marrying. And now they were expecting their first child.

“All right,” Jake finally said. “If it makes you happy, then I’ll be careful.”

“Thanks. I’d appreciate that.” Clayton stared long and hard at his uncle before asking, “Are you going to tell Diamond about that call?”

“No.” Jake stood. “She doesn’t need to know. Like I said, the man probably just wanted to get some things off his chest. He’ll get over it. Now if you don’t mind, I have work to do.”

“You should tell Diamond about that call, Jake. You know what they say about keeping secrets. Nothing is safe as a secret forever.”

Jake frowned. Diamond had once told him that very same thing. “I am not telling her, Clayton, so forget it,” he said firmly.

He turned and walked out of the kitchen.

Sunlight, in all its radiant glory, came pouring into Jake’s bedroom window.

In a semiconscious state, Diamond stretched her naked body before cuddling up under the covers once more. The bed seemed larger, colder and emptier. Opening her eyes just a little, she stared at the vacant spot next to her. Deciding that if she couldn’t have the
real thing, then she would gladly settle for a substitute, she pulled Jake’s pillow to her, burying her face in the richness of the scent of his masculinity that was entrenched there.

She didn’t want to get up and wasn’t sure she could even if she wanted to. Her body was sore and aching something fierce. Jacob’s lovemaking last night had been hot, hungry and hard. She was grateful that his bedroom was off to itself, on a different wing away from all the other bedrooms. That had given them total and complete privacy.

She would not have been able to face any of his relatives again if she thought for one minute that they heard the primal moans, some louder than others, that had escaped her lips. She had not been able to stop herself from becoming wanton, desperate and wild in Jacob’s arms last night, surrendering all to him. Nor could she stop herself from letting the heat and need pour out while he made love to her with everything that he had and then some. Their need for each other had been raw, rough and rippling.

Diamond sighed deeply as she lifted one hand to cover her eyes from the golden splash of sunlight propelling its way into the room. Instantly her mind flashed back to the party when Jake had introduced her to his family—and later when she had spent some time trying to get to know most of them, and enjoying every minute that she had done so. They had been more than understanding when she and Jacob had explained the reason they had kept their marriage a secret for a year and a half.

She shook her head. Jacob’s family definitely had been more understanding than her father had been
when she’d called him early yesterday morning to tell him about it. She knew he was upset about her marriage because it had effectively terminated any chance of her and Samuel ever getting back together. Not that there had been any chance of that anyway, but her father had felt that she should have forgiven Samuel for his one time of infidelity, but she hadn’t agreed with his way of thinking. As far as she was concerned, by having that affair Samuel had destroyed the very essence of their marriage vows.

Diamond glanced down at the third finger of her left hand and the ring she now proudly wore. Finally, after eighteen months, she could wear the beautiful diamond ring Jacob had placed there on their wedding day.

Last night when she had stood on the top stair and looked down at him, he had stood tall and looked gorgeous dressed in his dark slacks and white dress shirt. Dressed much too formal for a family gathering, the sight of him had sent a rush of simmering need up her spine and had literally weakened her knees. But it wasn’t just his physical appearance that she totally appreciated, it was his sense of honor that she loved and admired the most. Unlike Samuel, Jake would keep the vows they shared.

Her hand dropped to her stomach. A warm sensation settled there at the thought that even now she could be carrying Jacob’s baby. They had not used any sort of protection since she had returned to Whispering Pines. She smiled to herself at the thought of being pregnant. More than anything, she wanted to give him a son or a daughter. In fact, she wanted at least three children if he was willing. There was no doubt in her mind that he would make a wonderful father.

That one night long ago, the night they had confessed their love for each other and had had unprotected sex, Jacob had wanted her pregnant, and he had hoped that she had gotten so. But she’d had mixed feelings about it. She had not been ready to settle down to a full-time life on his ranch. She had still been chasing her dream.

But now the life she knew didn’t hold that appeal and excitement it once had. She was getting tired of jet-setting all across the country, filming movies, living out of a trailer with a dozen or so people hovering over her all at once. There were the makeup artist, the hairstylist, the manicurist, her script coach and the photographer, just to think of a few. All of them had a job to do on the movie set and contributed to the outcome of the movie.

She sighed. After talking with her father and having to deal with his unpleasant attitude, she had realized she had nothing to prove to him or anyone. The only person that mattered in her life was Jacob, the man who loved her and believed in her. He had unselfishly given her so much love and trust and now added to that was the family he had given her—a big wonderful family. She felt that she was a truly blessed woman.

Diamond heard the sound of the knob turning on the bedroom door and didn’t have to wonder who was entering the room. She felt Jacob’s presence in every cell of her body. His vibes flowed through every artery.

She lifted her head and fixed her gaze on her husband the moment he entered and closed the door behind him. He looked wonderful dressed just as he had been the first time she had seen him. He was wearing a Western shirt that covered his muscular
chest and shoulders, and a pair of snug-fitting blue jeans that stretched neatly across every physical attribute he had. She tried not to notice the curvy firmness of his backside when he turned to lock the door behind him. He turned back around and gave her a heart-stopping and appealing smile.

“Good morning, sweetheart.”

The husky rasp in his voice made Diamond’s skin tingle. She smiled as she boldly stretched her body. Doing so made the covers slip off her breasts and down to her waist. She didn’t bother to recover herself. “Good morning to you, Jacob. I’m convinced that I’d like this bed a whole lot more if you were in it with me.”

Jake inwardly groaned at the sensation that seeing her breasts was doing to him. He remembered all the attention he had lavished on the twin peaks the night before. His breathing quickened as he remembered every little detail about last night. Every nerve in his body had sizzled with an inner fire that had subsequently blazed out of control.

He thought about the number of times during the course of the night that he had made love to her. Each time he had entered her body, pushing himself deep into her warmth, had nearly blown his mind with desire. His body had repeatedly rocked against her, desperately claiming her, completely possessing her, over and over again. And she had been just as wild and out of control as he had been, matching him move for move, stroke for stroke. They had thrashed about on the bed as their pace had grown faster and faster, and their mating had become harder and harder.