Catch Me a Catch Read online

She stalked away, resisting the urge to kick over a pile of old cardboard boxes stacked against the wall. A scrawny cat glanced their direction, and then sniffed hungrily at a half eaten hamburger lying in a discarded fast food container.

  God, he was a complete Neanderthal. Not in any way worthy of the hours spent fantasizing about him last night. He was way out of order.

  She sucked in a lungful of sea damp air. Their kiss was going to be the talk of the village by the time they’d finished lunch. They needed damage limitation, and fast.

  “Right, Jack.” Like a dog worrying a bone, she couldn’t let it be. “Enlighten me. Why the kiss?”

  “You liked it then?” His grin transformed his thundercloud expression as if the sun had suddenly come out. He gazed into her eyes. Her lips tingled as anger evaporated, replaced by a heavy tension. It charged the air between them like the split second before a lightning strike.

  “Whether I liked it or not is totally beside the point.” She spelled it out. Slowly, so there could be no mistake. “I have a reputation here. Everyone knows me. I can’t let people think I’m the town tramp.”

  “You should have thought of it before you chose your outfit this morning.” His gaze started the toes of her boots and glided up her body. “Dominatrix boots and a micro mini. Surely not the average West of Ireland get-up?”

  “Look around, Sailor; you’ve spent too long at sea. What were you expecting, The Quiet Man? Things have moved on. Modern women wear what they want,” she attacked, poking him in the chest with a glossy red fingernail, “when they want, and where they want. How dare you dictate to me what I should or should not wear?”

  “You’re having problems being taken seriously. Half of your clients don’t trust you and the rest are wasting their energies trying to get a date.”

  She opened her mouth to protest, and then snapped it shut. He held up a hand in front of her face—like a grouchy teenager.

  “Let me finish. You’ve had your say.”

  Her eyes blazed, but she remained silent.

  “You can’t blame them, not when you’re dressed like that.” He waved a hand at her outfit dismissively. “And while you’re single, and so obviously available, you’re a distraction. The guys who are interested in meeting someone and having a relationship are going to be distracted trying to impress you.”

  “I…”

  “You should be thanking me,” he growled brutally. “I’ve taken you off the market, sweetheart. At least for the duration of the festival you’re with me, and once everyone in this village understands that, you’ll be able to do your job properly.”

  “What if I don’t want to be with you?”

  “Then pretend. You want to do the best job for your father. Surely a few days faking a relationship with me is worth that?”

  He was right, damn him. If she went back into the pub and told everyone it was all a mistake no one would believe her. Not with the way she’d burst into flames at his kiss. Then walked out the door like a lamb beside him. Her nose wrinkled. If she followed his lead and let this charade continue it would not only put paid to the unwanted male attention she was getting, but also lessen the buzz of female interest he was attracting. Already she’d had to disappoint three women asking if he had signed up for the matchmaking service. If the story got out they were a couple, it would forewarn any lonely hearts looking for love with Sailor Jack. And the story was out, or would be.

  “All right, you win.” He gaped at her sudden capitulation. He wasn’t to know when she was beat Annie replanned and regrouped. “Take me to lunch. I’m going to need something to fortify me. You will too, the minute my mother hears this news.”

  ****

  Conversation stalled when they walked into the pub an hour later. Jack’s arm was casually slung around Annie’s shoulders, and the back of his neck prickled at the curious glances aimed their direction. As the very public head of Miller Advertising, he was always starring in the New York tabloids. But this perusal was a lot more personal. He was the man who’d managed to snare the elusive Annie Devine. That earned him grudging respect, apparently.

  In New York, people avoided eye contact. In Ireland, eye contact was a national sport. Now he’d caught her it looked like the whole town were going to be a hell of a lot more interested in what happened next.

  “Just open up the book, would you Jack? I’m just going to the bathroom.”

  He set the heavy book down on the table, and flicked it open to a new page. Within minutes, a young man with longish brown hair and an earnest expression sank down onto the chair opposite.

  “I’m Noel, Noel McDonagh,” he said.

  “Annie’ll be here to take your details in a minute.”

  “Ah, she has them already.” Noel fidgeted, holding something back.

  Jack flicked back through the book until he found Noel’s picture.

  “Ah yeah, so she does.” He scanned the information written in Annie’s clear, confident handwriting. The skimpy information revealed the bare bones about her subject, with very little meat.

  “So, what’s going on?”

  Noel’s shoulders relaxed from their defensive hunch; a tentative smile played over his lips. “Annie set me up for a date last night, but it was a complete disaster!” His hair stood up at the front as he ran a hand through it. “You know how it is. My date was into cars, fashion, and film stars. I couldn’t talk to her at all. I just froze up. I’m speechless around women.”

  Annie came back into the room. He caught her eye, and shook his head imperceptibly. She raised her eyebrows then joined a couple of girls she obviously knew at a nearby table.

  “I know how that can be, Mate. So, what sort of woman do you think you’d like?”

  Jack noted Noel’s answer, appreciating the other man’s gentleness and sense of humor.

  “What are your favorite things to do?” Jack asked. “What’s your favorite film?” Long years of working in advertising had prepared him perfectly for this. In his business, he had to know a product’s strengths and weaknesses so he could properly sell it in the marketplace.

  In many ways, matchmaking was a lot like advertising.

  Half an hour later, they were finished.

  “We’ll have a look in the book for a suitable girl. I’ll give you a call later on to set up a date for tonight.”

  “I look forward to hearing from you, Jack.” Noel grinned and strolled away; a newly acquired confident swagger attracting a few female glances on the way out.

  Annie was there before Noel’s chair had gone cold.

  “That was amazing,” she breathed, admiration shining in her brown eyes. “I couldn’t get a word out of him when he was here yesterday.”

  “He’s shy around women. He came to report on last night’s date.” Her eyebrows rose in hopeful anticipation. “Total disaster. Sorry.”

  “Win some, lose some.” Her mouth drooped at the corners. She played with the hem of her tee- shirt, disappointment evident in every miniscule movement.

  “Let’s go for win some. We’ve lost enough.” He pointed at the tightly written page of information next to Noel’s picture. A line of people was forming. It was time to leave her to do her stuff.

  “You’re busy, and I have some calls to make. I’m going back to the house. We’ll work on Noel later.”

  Annie reached into her voluminous handbag and dug around for something. “You can take the car if you pick me up later.”

  “Great.” Jack snagged the keys from her upheld fingers. “Knock ‘em dead, sweetheart.” He leaned close to whisper against her mouth, “Remember, we’re supposed to be in love,” before he kissed her softly. “I’ll see you later.”

  Swallows swooped low between the trees, performing complex avian choreography in their hunt for insects. Stares on his back prickled like tiny darts thrown at a dartboard as he strode out of the bar. It was going to be an interesting festival all right.

  Maeve was on her hands and knees pulling weeds out of the flowerbe
d as he strode towards the house. “Hello, Jack.” She wiped the back of her gloved hand over her damp forehead and leant back on her heels. “Would you like a cup of tea? I’m just about to have one.”

  “No thanks, Maeve. I’ve got to do some work.” Although how he could concentrate when all the way back to the house he’d replayed the moments alone with Annie in his head, was beyond him. The feel of her body on his when she’d pushed him against the wall, her breasts so soft against the hardness of his chest had aroused him to fever pitch. He’d barely managed to stop himself plundering her lips. Only her anger held him in check. They had to talk before taking things further. He’d said he was kissing her to help her, but it was a lot more personal. It had become so the moment her arms wove around his neck in the pub. Maeve missed nothing. In his current state, God knows what she might winkle out of him.

  Jack had a presentation to Bateau Rouge to finish. He powered up his video camera, and rewound to the beginning. Endless blue water and even bluer sky filled the tiny screen. The only sound was the steady slap of waves against the yacht’s sides.

  At first, the lack of people and sound had been disorientating, but after a few days, it became normality. His view had extended to the blank horizon, while his life contracted to the tight confines of the cabin. He peered at the picture on the screen. Sounds faded away until he was almost back at the helm again. Guiding the little boat through the rough waves of the Atlantic Ocean. His fingers flew over the keyboard, catching the elusive memories and weaving them into his presentation. The final pieces found their places and clicked home like a jigsaw puzzle. He pressed save and leaned back on the chair. He’d nailed it. Now all he had to worry about was the meeting on Monday.

  ****

  None of the men who sat opposite Annie during the afternoon were as interesting as Jack. Not one of them came close. Even when they talked so earnestly about what they were looking for and what they felt they could offer. They smiled and flirted but made no impact. Like a woman behind a Plexiglas screen, she was shielded from the charms of any man but Jack.

  “Come outside, and I’ll take your picture.”

  She flicked through the photos on her digital camera. A smile teased her lips at the one up Jack’s nostril. She pulled in a deep breath at the picture where he’d stopped glaring, and turned the full wattage of his devastating smile her direction instead.

  “Do I smile or should I try looking sexy?” The tall surfer was gazing at her. Jack had effortlessly managed to do both.

  “Just smile.” She thumbed the camera into photo mode, and clicked the button.

  “That’s great, thanks.” It was a good picture. The surfer looked smiling and handsome. Her fingers burned to flick back to Jack’s face again. She pushed her hair back from her face then smoothed it with rapid fingers behind her ear. “Let’s go back inside and finish up.”

  Jack Miller had taken up residence in her head. She had the funny feeling he’d permeated her bloodstream too, drawn inexorably by the pumping of her inner muscle closer and closer towards her heart.

  The golden sun was sinking in the sky and her stomach rumbled. It must be dinnertime. She stuffed the book into her bag and waited outside. After a moment, her car drew up.

  “Sorry, I was talking to your mum,” Jack explained.

  That sounded ominous. She clambered into the passenger seat, holding down the hem of her skirt to keep from revealing all.

  “I’ve only just come out.”

  His gaze flickered to her legs, and then he leaned over and kissed her quickly. “For our audience,” he muttered against her lips before he pulled back. Her heart was racing mile a minute. God, how was she going to bear this if he kissed her every time they met? She couldn’t care about an audience; she wanted to kiss him for real.

  “Was she giving you the third degree?”

  “No. I don’t think she’s heard anything yet. We were talking about dinner. I told her I’d like to take you out tonight. Let you show me the sights.” He glanced at her thighs again, and she angled her knees towards him.

  “Okay, that sounds good.” A lot better than sitting with her parents again, anyway. They were going to be curious when they found out, and she couldn’t cope with the third degree, not until she’d got her feelings under control.

  Jack obviously had a need for speed. He drove with masculine assurance through the cowslip fringed lanes, tanned hands flexing on the wheel he fed through long fingers. She closed her eyes to block out the image, but it was no use. What would those hands feel like sliding over her body? Her nipples formed hard peaks inside the lace of her bra at the mere thought. If he could do this to her without even touching her, she was in real trouble. Her unruly imagination was having a field day.

  Annie’s nostrils flared with the scent of warm man and hot sun. A delicious combination. She clamped her knees together, willing her treacherous body to behave. Her lungs ached as if she was swimming underwater, desperate to break the surface for air. She clenched her teeth. Crossed her arms over her chest in an attempt to disguise her body’s response to him. It wasn’t working. If anything, the feel of her arms against her oversensitive breasts heightened her arousal. She wound down the window and looked out at the ocean. A gentle sea breeze played across the tops of the cerulean waves. She breathed it in deeply. Eventually, her breathing returned to normal.

  “How was your afternoon?” He was making small talk. She puffed out a breath, relieved.

  “Great, actually. A couple I matched last night came in to tell me that their date was a success. They’re going out again tonight.”

  “That’s fantastic.”

  Warmth flooded her, and the tension streamed out of her stiff shoulders.

  “Yes. It’s a miracle.” It had been one small victory in an ocean of defeats. Hardly up to Bull’s standards, but better than nothing. The happy couple had left with their arms around each other, and if she hadn’t been so tired, she would have done a happy dance.

  “So you live in Dublin, most of the time.” His gaze remained on the road as he took a corner at breakneck speed.

  “Yes. I’ve lived there for the last couple of years. I prefer it. I want to make my own way in life away from the village. I’ve always dreamed of opening a chocolate shop in Dublin. If I win the Chocolate Oscar, I’ll be able to. The prizewinner gets a year’s free rent at an artisan chocolate shop on Dublin’s main shopping street. It’s an opportunity of a lifetime and the publicity will be really good for business.”

  “Don’t you miss being at home?” He glanced at her.

  “No. I love it. Here, everyone knows my business. In Dublin, I’m just a person in a crowd. I like the anonymity.” Her nerves skittered. She changed the subject. “What have you been up to all afternoon?”

  “I was working. I have a meeting on Monday in Dublin.”

  “We’ll have to talk to my parents. You need to prepare yourself for the third degree.”

  She twisted her hands in her lap. Bull and Maeve were so overprotective they’d want to know everything. She was so confused about Jack she didn’t want to discuss him with anyone, least of all her parents. The engine slowed. Jack pulled in to a lay-by and turned off the engine.

  “You’re nervous,” he stated flatly. “I don’t understand why. You’re not a teenager bringing home your first boyfriend.” Curious eyes flickered over her. Her heart sank. She had to explain.

  “Oh, no. Don’t tell me I’m your first boyfriend.”

  “Of course you’re not my first boyfriend. I’m twenty-four, for goodness sake!” What kind of sad creature did he think she was? “You are, however, the first man who’s taken me out since the big disaster.” Silence stretched between them. His gaze was patiently penetrating. She pulled in a deep breath that expanded her chest then puffed it out slowly before continuing.

  “Every aspect of my life when I was growing up was an open book. There’s no such thing as privacy in such a small village.” She worried her lip with her teeth,
hating that no matter how she told it she would sound like a victim.

  “I fell in love with a boy from the village. Steve Jackson,” she admitted flatly. “My father didn’t like him. He told me I was making a mistake, but I didn’t listen.”

  It was a hateful story. Even two years later, the betrayal stung.

  “He left me at the altar. It was a scandal, especially when we discovered he ran off with another girl from the village.” The pain in her chest eased at the understanding and compassion in his azure eyes. Jack wasn’t judging her. Unlike the entire village, who acted as though somehow Steve’s abandonment was her fault.

  “I’m sorry that happened to you. Your fiancé should have been man enough to tell you before…” He frowned.

  “Before our wedding day,” she added quietly. “Yes, he should have. I think he just couldn’t face telling me. All the preparations were underway, and both our families were so excited.” The news had devastated his parents, too. They were the first to console her in the days after.

  “Anyway, as a result my parents are justifiably overprotective. By kissing me in the pub today, you’ve put the entire village on alert. The net curtains are going to be twitching for the next few days, with half the town on dump watch.” She rubbed damp palms over her skirt.

  “I’m sick and tired of being the focus for gossip,” she explained. “Everyone will have an opinion. Just you wait and see.”

  Jack mulled over her words silently, his face a study in concentration. “So, you believe everyone in this town is going to care about how I treat you. To me that sounds like there’s a warm and loving community who give a damn about you. I grew up alone, Annie. There are worse things than having people care about you.” He reached across the seat and hooked a hand behind her head, pulling her closer.

  “Kiss me.” His lips moved closer and her heart hammered. “I’ve been thinking about you all afternoon.”

  Chapter Five

  Annie’s smooth lips parted, allowing him access. Jack dimly registered the taste of lemons as he plundered her mouth hungrily. He angled himself closer in the squashed confines of the car, wishing he could pull her over the space between them into his lap. This was no kiss for spectators. It was all about the two of them. His heart beat a rapid tattoo as he shoved his fingers through her hair, caressing the soft curve of her neck. Her breath was coming as fast as his and things were rapidly getting out of control. He wanted her with an urgency that pole-axed him. His knees banged against the gearshift. They should be somewhere else. Somewhere where they could explore each other’s bodies completely. Anywhere but in her tiny car on the way to her family home.