Read Online The Forbidden Innocent by Sharon Kendrick - Free Book Online
Authors: Sharon Kendrick
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was going to have my wicked way with you out there on the hilltop, whether you liked it or not?’
Steadily, she lifted her eyes. ‘It was wrong, Jack. You know it was wrong. We both do.’
Jack shook his head. How dared she—
she
—tell him what was right and what was wrong? Yet the irony was that she was speaking the truth—it
was
wrong—though she didn’t have a clue why. And maybe he should listen to her. Turn his back and walk away while he still could—before he did something he might regret and broughta whole pile of repercussions crashing down around him. Instinct told him to go while he still could and that instinct was strong—but the siren call of his body was even stronger. ‘Why was it wrong?’ he demanded.
‘Because… because I work for you. Because of who I am and who
you
are. We’re worlds apart. Or rather, I don’t come from your sort of world.’ Her voice quietened. ‘But you’re an intelligent man, Jack—and you certainly don’t need me to spell it out for you.’
His lips curved. ‘So you’re inhibited by old-fashioned ideas about social status, is that it? About your place in society and mine? Why, I’m disappointed in you, Ashley.’
‘Well, don’t be—it’s the truth, and you know it.’
‘Is it? Even if it was—I wasn’t proposing we spend a lifetime together,’ he added cuttingly. ‘I just thought we could enjoy something which we have both been wanting for some time.’
It was the best thing he could have said—even if it was also the most hurtful. Because it reinforced what Ashley already suspected. That to Jack, she was just a commodity. Like a bottle of wine or a new shirt—she was something which he would use, enjoy and then ultimately discard. And where would that leave her? Creeping away from here shamefaced when the job ended—with him probably feeling disgusted at himself, maybe even giving her a lukewarm reference as a consequence, and jeopardising future job prospects into the bargain.
‘Do you know why they say you should never mixbusiness and pleasure?’ she returned hotly, his arrogance giving her the strength to fight her corner. ‘Because it happens to be true.’ She drew a deep breath as she struggled to convince herself. ‘And it mustn’t happen again, Jack. It mustn’t. Do you understand?’
There was silence for a moment as he saw the determination written on her now-pale features and the exquisite irony of the situation didn’t escape him. Quiet little Ashley Jones who had been on fire in his arms was now primly telling him that it was a no-go. Did she think he was going to fight to change her mind? Sweep her into his arms and make her rethink? Well, in that case—she was going to be very disappointed.
His mouth tightened. ‘Very well, Ashley,’ he said, his voice low. ‘If that’s what you want, then that’s exactly what you’ll get.’ And, with a finality which took her breath away, he turned swiftly on his heel and walked away, leaving her staring at his retreating back as tears began to well in her eyes. Hotly, they pricked at her eyes as she sank down on the bed, burying her face in her hands and wondering how she could have let him go like that. Turned away the only man she had ever really wanted.
Because it was the right thing to do. The only thing to do. And if she was going to carry on working for him—then they had both better forget that it had ever happened.
It took a strange kind of courage to go and face him again, but Jack wasn’t in the study when she went downstairs. In fact, there was no sign of him anywhere in thehouse—only a rather disconsolate-looking Casey sniffing around the place and looking as lost as he always did when his master wasn’t around. And when Christine arrived later that day, carrying a whole load of shopping and provisions, unusually, she didn’t ask where Jack was.
It was only when Ashley mentioned his name in a studiedly casual way that she received yet another
Steadily, she lifted her eyes. ‘It was wrong, Jack. You know it was wrong. We both do.’
Jack shook his head. How dared she—
she
—tell him what was right and what was wrong? Yet the irony was that she was speaking the truth—it
was
wrong—though she didn’t have a clue why. And maybe he should listen to her. Turn his back and walk away while he still could—before he did something he might regret and broughta whole pile of repercussions crashing down around him. Instinct told him to go while he still could and that instinct was strong—but the siren call of his body was even stronger. ‘Why was it wrong?’ he demanded.
‘Because… because I work for you. Because of who I am and who
you
are. We’re worlds apart. Or rather, I don’t come from your sort of world.’ Her voice quietened. ‘But you’re an intelligent man, Jack—and you certainly don’t need me to spell it out for you.’
His lips curved. ‘So you’re inhibited by old-fashioned ideas about social status, is that it? About your place in society and mine? Why, I’m disappointed in you, Ashley.’
‘Well, don’t be—it’s the truth, and you know it.’
‘Is it? Even if it was—I wasn’t proposing we spend a lifetime together,’ he added cuttingly. ‘I just thought we could enjoy something which we have both been wanting for some time.’
It was the best thing he could have said—even if it was also the most hurtful. Because it reinforced what Ashley already suspected. That to Jack, she was just a commodity. Like a bottle of wine or a new shirt—she was something which he would use, enjoy and then ultimately discard. And where would that leave her? Creeping away from here shamefaced when the job ended—with him probably feeling disgusted at himself, maybe even giving her a lukewarm reference as a consequence, and jeopardising future job prospects into the bargain.
‘Do you know why they say you should never mixbusiness and pleasure?’ she returned hotly, his arrogance giving her the strength to fight her corner. ‘Because it happens to be true.’ She drew a deep breath as she struggled to convince herself. ‘And it mustn’t happen again, Jack. It mustn’t. Do you understand?’
There was silence for a moment as he saw the determination written on her now-pale features and the exquisite irony of the situation didn’t escape him. Quiet little Ashley Jones who had been on fire in his arms was now primly telling him that it was a no-go. Did she think he was going to fight to change her mind? Sweep her into his arms and make her rethink? Well, in that case—she was going to be very disappointed.
His mouth tightened. ‘Very well, Ashley,’ he said, his voice low. ‘If that’s what you want, then that’s exactly what you’ll get.’ And, with a finality which took her breath away, he turned swiftly on his heel and walked away, leaving her staring at his retreating back as tears began to well in her eyes. Hotly, they pricked at her eyes as she sank down on the bed, burying her face in her hands and wondering how she could have let him go like that. Turned away the only man she had ever really wanted.
Because it was the right thing to do. The only thing to do. And if she was going to carry on working for him—then they had both better forget that it had ever happened.
It took a strange kind of courage to go and face him again, but Jack wasn’t in the study when she went downstairs. In fact, there was no sign of him anywhere in thehouse—only a rather disconsolate-looking Casey sniffing around the place and looking as lost as he always did when his master wasn’t around. And when Christine arrived later that day, carrying a whole load of shopping and provisions, unusually, she didn’t ask where Jack was.
It was only when Ashley mentioned his name in a studiedly casual way that she received yet another
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