The Forbidden Innocent by Sharon Kendrick Read Free Book Online Page A

picked up adecanter and poured himself half a glass of claret and sipped it. He
never
drank at lunchtime!
    ‘Is something wrong?’ she ventured eventually.
    His eyes met hers over the rim of the glass. ‘There’s no riding today.’
    ‘Oh? Why’s that?’
    ‘Nero is ill.’
    ‘Oh, dear—not badly, I hope?’
    ‘No. Not badly.’ He shook his head slightly impatiently. ‘The vet’s been over to see him—given him an injection and told the stable-girl to make sure he’s kept warm and dry. He’s supposed to rest for the next few days.’
    ‘Well, that’s all right, then.’ Ashley smiled in what she hoped was a placating manner—because he seemed in a very peculiar mood. ‘He’ll soon be better and then you can start riding him again.’
    ‘Yes.’ He put the crystal glass down heavily on the table. But it wasn’t all right. It was frustrating. Damn it—
everything
was frustrating. He looked forward to his afternoon exercise, revelling in the sense of freedom and power it gave him as he and the animal thundered over the moorland. And Jack was aware that it was more than a love of all things equine which had recently made his daily ride seem more vital than usual. He knew that he was using the exercise to sublimate the growing hunger he felt for Ashley. A sexual hunger which was as inappropriate as it was forbidden.
    His body tense, he stood up, feeling the heavy beat of his heart as he stared down at her. How was it possiblethat this artless little thing should have heated his blood and invaded his imagination so that his eyes wanted to drink her in every time she walked into his study? Had he
misjudged
her innocence? Was she perhaps perfectly aware that she was driving him crazy with desire?
    Ashley met the ebony glitter of his eyes as he loomed over the debris of their meal, wondering why his face had darkened so that he was looking at her almost
angrily.
‘Never mind,’ she said lightly. ‘If you like, we could carry on working. The story’s just reached an interesting part—but you’ve done more than your usual amount of crossing-outs and alterations and it’s probably best if I checked with you as I went along.’
    ‘No,’ he said suddenly. ‘You don’t need to do that. I’m fed up with the damned book. You’ve worked hard all morning and you deserve a break. I need the fresh air and so do you. Let’s go for a walk instead.’
    ‘A walk?’
    ‘There’s no need to sound so shocked, Ashley,’ he grated. ‘You walk every day after lunch, don’t you?’
    ‘Well, yes, I do.’ She looked at him doubtfully—suddenly nervous and wanting to throw obstacles in the way, without being really sure why. ‘But I… I don’t walk very quickly.’
    ‘Then I’ll make allowances for you—and it isn’t some kind of race. Now, go get your coat,’ he said, in the kind of tone which brooked no argument.
    Ashley went into the hall and began tying up the laces of her walking shoes. Why on earth did he want to go walking with her? she wondered, her fingers annoyinglyshaky as she pulled a woollen beanie onto her head, before going outside to find him waiting. And why was he in such a filthy temper?
    He was standing beneath the oak which dominated the far side of the lawn. It was a mighty specimen—he’d told her himself that it was over a century old, with huge, curved branches which looked like powerful limbs. And yet somehow he was more than a match for the magnificent tree—as if nature had suddenly decided to showcase two examples of her finest handiwork, side by side. Ashley found her lips drying as she looked at him, the heavy thunder of her heart hinting at danger.
    ‘Where do you want to go?’ he questioned as she approached.
    ‘I don’t mind,’ she said awkwardly, digging her hands deep into the pockets of her coat. ‘Don’t you have a favourite walk of your own?’
    ‘Of course I do. But I want to know yours.’
    She turned to look up at the smoky grey clouds which were puffing