Nothing Changes Love. JACQUELINE BAIRD

down for all Lexi cared; for the first time in her life she was in love. Hopelessly, helplessly in love. Her gaze lingered on his striking features as he set out his ideas for the conversion; he looked years younger as, with a sheepish grin, he ended with, ‘Sorry, I can get quite boring when I start discussing business.’

      ‘No, you’re fascinating,’ she said softly, and the deepening gleam in his dark eyes set her heart ablaze. Jake was everything she had ever dreamed of in a man, and best of all he appeared to feel the same way, if the goodnight kiss he pressed on her lips when they parted at her door was anything to go by, and his promise to return the next day.

      The only slight hiccup in her headlong flight into love was her solicitor. On Monday morning she called Mr Travis and told him what had happened and that she did not want anyone else viewing the house for a while. Mr Travis was not convinced it was the right thing to do, and insisted he had friends in the city and a few discreet enquiries were called for. Taylor Holdings was not a company he was familiar with, nor did he know much about Jake Taylor; the sensible course was to check out Jake’s financial position—after all there were a lot of time-wasters in the housing market. Lexi reluctantly bowed to his superior judgement, while not for one moment doubting Jake.

      How could she, when they had spent a wonderful Sunday together and she was expecting him back again on Monday?

      At the sound of the car drawing up Lexi dashed out of the front door to welcome Jake. Her step faltered when she saw he was not alone. A stunning brunette was hanging on to his arm. He introduced her as Lorraine, his PA and right-hand man, but Lexi saw the possessive gleam in the other woman’s eyes, and her heart plummeted in her breast. But she need not have worried...

      Jake, accurately reading her mind, shrugged off Lorraine’s hand and, stepping forward, pulled Lexi into his arms and kissed her thoroughly, then whispered, a hint of laughter in his deep voice, ‘Strictly an employee, little one; you’re the only woman for me, understand?’ And she did...

      Lexi turned a beaming smile on the other woman, and quite happily fell in with Jake’s suggestion that she show Lorraine around while he made a couple of phone calls; he would catch them up in a few minutes.

      Leading Lorraine from one room to the next, Lexi, her jealous fear dispelled, chattered on quite freely, virtually giving Lorraine her life history, and learning in return that the other woman had known Jake from school and had worked for him almost six years. By the time they were viewing the bedrooms, Lexi was feeling quite at ease with the other woman.

      ‘This is a lovely house, and I can see why Jake is interested. But I’m surprised you want to sell it.’ Lorraine offered a question in her tone.

      ‘I don’t, not really.’ Lexi grinned back at her. ‘But unless I marry a millionaire real quick I have no choice,’ she joked, but she did not see the contemptuous glint in Lorraine’s eyes as she led her back out into the hall and down the grand staircase.

      ‘You never considered working, but then your sort never do, born with a silver spoon in your mouth.’

      Lexi’s head swung around in surprise at the sneering resentment in Lorraine’s voice, but before she could answer Jake was with them. The conversation became general, and she put the unsettling comment from her mind.

      She was reminded of it abruptly a week later. The next weekend Jake asked her to marry him and Lexi ecstatically accepted. Only to have Lorraine telephone her on the Monday as soon as she heard the news.

      ‘You think you’re clever Miss Laughton. “Marry a millionaire real quick,” you said. But I’ve heard of your solicitor Mr Travis’s enquiries, and when I tell Jake everything he will be far from pleased. No one has ever questioned Jake Taylor’s financial viability; the last thing he needs is his merchant bank asking questions because some gold-digging little hick from the sticks is looking for a wealthy husband. I wouldn’t count on marrying him if I were you.’

      Lexi did not know what she said in reply—she was too shocked at the other woman’s allegations. But she could not deny she had jokingly made the comment about marrying a millionaire. Later, when Lexi repeated the conversation to Jake and explained about her teasing comment, he dismissed her fear, saying that he understood Lorraine! She had a chip on her shoulder due to her upbringing along with a suspicious nature, but there was no way she would ever convince him that Lexi was anything other than a beautiful, pure young woman who had agreed to be his wife. After reinforcing his opinion with a long, sweet kiss he added that Lorraine was a great PA—loyal to a fault, but a bit over-protective where his business interests were concerned. As for Mr Travis checking his credit rating, it was no more than any efficient lawyer would do for his client, and she was not to worry; nothing could prevent their marriage.

      They were married in a civil ceremony at the register office in York, three weeks from the day they met, and flew off to Paris for a brief honeymoon.

      Lexi stirred restlessly in the narrow hospital bed. It had been so beautiful. August in Paris—sparkling blue skies, and by night, dinner at Maxim’s and back to an exquisite little hotel overlooking the river Seine and Notre-Dame.

      Jake laughingly carried her over the threshold of the suite and slid her gently to her feet. ‘Ready for our dirty weekend, Miss Laughton?’ he teased, as he kicked the door closed behind him. Lexi smiled and laughed with him.

      They had arrived at Heathrow airport and Jake had presented the tickets to the check-in clerk, to be informed that Lexi’s passport was in the name of Miss Laughton, while the tickets were in the names of Mrs and Mrs Taylor. The only way she had been allowed on the plane was by Jake changing her ticket back into her maiden name. Jake had thought it was a huge joke, but Lexi had cringed with embarrassment, even more so when Jake had handed the passports to the hotel receptionist, while taking the key for the honeymoon suite. She was sure everyone must think she was a woman of easy virtue. Jake had howled with laughter and called her old-fashioned.

      ‘The first thing I’m going to do when we get back is change my passport,’ Lexi said with a chuckle. Later she was to be glad she didn’t...

      Jake gathered her into his arms, and with a husky growl declared, ‘At last you are mine, and mine alone for always, my beautiful, gorgeous girl. My wife.’ She knew no document could bind her more surely to her husband than the love she felt for him.

      With gentle hands he removed the turquoise silk dress she wore, sliding it down over her hips to pool in a pale cloud at her feet, all the while pressing tiny kisses to her eyes, her face, her throat.

      Sighing, she wrapped her slender arms around his broad shoulders, quivers of sensation darting through her body as she melted helplessly in his hold. He was her husband, her love, and she wanted him with every fibre of her being.

      Tenderly, he swung her into his arms and carried her from the sitting-room to the bedroom and carefully laid her down on the huge, old-fashioned four-poster bed. She stared up at him, her love and longing highlighting the pure beauty of her fine features.

      Jake, his blue eyes darkened to almost black, reverently bent over her and removed the slight wisps of lace that passed as her underwear and she felt her whole body blush, suddenly overcome with shyness and an unexpected, virginal fear.

      ‘You’re my wife, my love; I will never hurt you, I promise,’ Jake said throatily, while he quickly divested himself of his clothes.

      A gasp of sheer female appreciation escaped Lexi’s softly parted lips. Jake was magnificent; she couldn’t help staring. His broad shoulders gleamed like polished mahogany in the dim light of the bedside lamp, the musculature of his chest was somehow exaggerated by the downy covering of black hair that arrowed down over his flat stomach to brush out at the apex of his thighs. Her blush deepened as she realised he was fully aroused. She closed her eyes, and felt his lips brush across her mouth.

      ‘Don’t be afraid.’ He kissed her long and slow. ‘Trust me, my darling.’ And she did, as his long body covered hers.

      When he finally took possession of her pulsating form with one quick thrust, a brief pain was swiftly overtaken by sheer ecstasy. ‘Jake.’ She cried