The Costarella Conquest. Emma Darcy

to play with, yet the idea of drawing her away from her father made her all the more tempting. It was fair justice for Costarella to feel the loss of someone dear to him as well as the loss of the business that gave him the power to wreck people’s lives.

      He was acutely aware of Laura watching him as her father performed the introductions, weighing up how he responded to her family.

      ‘Alicia, my wife …’

      ‘Delighted to meet you,’ Jake rolled out with a smile.

      She returned it but there was a wary look in her eyes as she replied, ‘Welcome to our home.’

      ‘And my son, Eddie, who obviously didn’t bother to shave this morning, not even for his mother.’

      The acid criticism was brushed off with a nonchalant grin. ‘Couldn’t do it, Dad. We’re shooting tomorrow. Got to stay in character.’ He turned the grin to Jake as he offered his hand. ‘I guess you’re the son my father should have had, Jake. Happy days, man!’

      Jake laughed and took his hand, shaking his head as he replied, ‘Don’t know about that but thanks for the good wishes, Eddie.’

      ‘You’re welcome.’

      ‘Eddie is an actor,’ Laura put in proudly. ‘He plays the bad boy in The Wild and the Wonderful.’

      Jake frowned apologetically. ‘I’m sorry. I don’t know the show.’

      Her father snorted. ‘It’s rubbish. A TV soapie.’

      ‘Rubbish or not, I enjoy doing it,’ Eddie declared, totally unabashed. ‘How about you, Jake? Do you enjoy doing what you do?’

      ‘It’s challenging. I guess acting is, too,’ he said, careful to be even-handed in his reply.

      ‘Totally absurd la-la-land,’ Costarella jeered. ‘Jake and I deal with the real world, Eddie.’

      ‘Well, Dad, lots of people like to have a break from the real world and I help give it to them.’ He deftly turned attention back to the guest. ‘How do you relax from the pressure-cooker of work, Jake?’

      Jake found himself liking Laura’s brother. He stood up for himself and was clearly his own man. ‘Something physical does the trick for me,’ he answered.

      ‘Yeah, got to say sex does it for me, too,’ Eddie drawled, eyes twinkling with reckless mischief.

      ‘Eddie!’

      The shocked cry from his mother brought a swift apology. ‘Sorry, Mum. It’s all Laura’s fault, saying Jake was sexy.’

      ‘Did she now?’ Costarella said with satisfaction.

      ‘Eddie!’ Laura cried in exasperation. ‘I told you to watch your mouth.’

      Jake turned to her, curious to see the reaction to her brother’s claim. Her eyes were flashing furious sparks and her cheeks were flushed with embarrassment. As she met his gaze, her chin tilted defiantly and her own tongue let loose.

      ‘Don’t look at me as though you haven’t heard that about yourself before because I bet you have. It’s purely an observation, not an invitation.’

      ‘Laura!’ Another shocked protest from the mother.

      She threw up her hands. ‘Sorry, Mum. I’m off to bring out refreshments. Iced water coming up.’

      Jake couldn’t help grinning as she turned tail—a very sexy tail—and left the rest of them to patch a conversation together.

      ‘I did try to bring my children up with good manners,’ Alicia stated with a heavy sigh.

      ‘No harm done,’ her husband declared cheerfully.

      ‘Actually, I like working out at a gym,’ Jake said to remove sex from everyone’s minds.

      ‘‘Course you do,’ Eddie chimed in. ‘Can’t get those muscles from sitting at a desk.’

      ‘I do a yoga class,’ Alicia offered, anxious to promote non-contentious chat as she gestured for everyone to sit down, tidying the newspapers on the table before sitting down herself.

      Jake hadn’t expected to find himself interested in Costarella’s family. Even less had he expected to like any of them. In fact, the only one he’d given any thought to was Laura, whom he’d imagined to be a pampered princess, revelling in the role of Daddy’s little girl.

      The family dynamics were certainly intriguing and Jake was not averse to exploring them further … watching, listening, gathering information … and maybe, maybe, he might go after what he wanted with Laura Costarella, satisfying himself on several levels.

      Laura cursed Eddie for being provocative, cursed herself for reacting so wildly, cursed Jake Freedman for making her feel stuff that completely rocked any sensible composure. Her escape to the kitchen should have settled her nerves but they were still jumping all over the place even after she’d loaded the traymobile with the preferred drinks and the platter of hors d’oeuvres.

      There was no hiding from the man. He had to be faced again. She could only hope he wouldn’t try capitalising on her remark or she’d be severely tempted to pour the jug of iced water over his head. Which just went to show how out of control she was and that just wouldn’t do. Better to freeze him off with good manners. She had to keep remembering that Jake Freedman was her father’s man and any close connection with him could not lead anywhere good.

      Not emotionally.

      No matter how good he might be in bed.

      And she had to stop thinking of that, too.

      Having taken several deep breaths and gritting her teeth with determination to behave as she should, Laura wheeled the traymobile out to the patio. It was a relief to find the four of them chatting amicably about relaxation techniques; meditation, Tai Chi, massage and flotation tanks. Even her father appeared to be in good humour. She noted glumly that the only empty chair left for her at the round table was between Jake Freedman and her mother so she couldn’t avoid being physically close to the man.

      She set the platter on the table for everyone to help themselves, handed the ice-bucket containing a bottle of her mother’s favourite white wine to Eddie and told him to open it, placed the jug of iced water and a crystal tumbler in front of Jake, served her father his Scotch on the rocks, and supplied the wineglasses before bowing to the inevitable of taking the designated chair and addressing the gaffe she’d made.

      ‘I’m sorry for blowing my stack with you, Jake. I was annoyed with Eddie. And embarrassed.’

      The riveting brown eyes sparkled with amusement, making her stomach flutter again. ‘No offence taken, Laura. I dare say Eddie hears that said about himself so often, it’s lost any currency with him. And I doubt he thought it had any currency with me, either.’

      Letting her know he didn’t have tickets on himself, not on that score anyway. Though Laura wasn’t sure she believed him.

      Her father snorted in rank disbelief. ‘If it didn’t have any currency with Eddie, he’d be out of a job. It’s only because all the teeny-boppers think he’s sexy that he’s built up a fan base.’

      ‘Lucky for me!’ Eddie said flippantly. ‘Though I do work at it, Dad.’

      ‘Some people just have it,’ her mother said, trying to divert a clash. ‘I always thought Sean Connery …’

      ‘Back to James Bond,’ Eddie cut in, grinning at Laura.

      She bared her teeth at him in warning.

      He stood up to pour the wine, cheerfully saying, ‘Mum’s a great movie buff, Jake. I bet no one could beat her on that topic in a quiz show. And she’s a champion Mum, too. Let’s drink a toast to her.’ He lifted his glass. ‘Mother’s Day!’

      They all echoed the toast.

      Having