Affairs & Atonements by Clarissa Cartharn Page A

stifled her. And she never really could think clearly knowing that each time he’d touch her, she’d lose all control of herself. She palmed her forehead, her temples pulsing fast against it. “Ashton, you’re engaged. Isn’t that why you came to find me?”
    He stared at her, slightly muddled. She had thrown a bucket of reality over him and he was still trying to emerge from it without looking like a sex-crazed idiot.
    “I… yes.” He flustered. How could he have forgotten about Naomi? He ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m… sorry.”
    “When are you leaving?”
    He cocked his head with disbelief. “What?” They had almost been on the verge of making love a second ago and now suddenly she was eager to have him leave? “You want me to go?”
    “No! I didn’t mean to sound like that.” She shook her head with confusion. “I don’t know what I’m trying to say anymore. I should go.”
    She strode quickly towards the door but he caught her by the elbow and swung her to him. He stood there briefly, holding her in his arms, relishing the feel of her body against him. His hand cupped her face, his cock stirring at the mere touch of her. He wasn’t ready to let her walk away.
    But then he dropped his hand and stepped back from her. His life was in Philadelphia. He had a fiancée. This was nothing but a dream, a fantasy.

CHAPTER 8
     
    She stood at her dresser, shaking uncontrollably. She pursed her lips tightly, trying to stifle her sobs.
    How could he do this to her? How could he just reappear in her life and stay to cause such havoc? He should have left them as they were. She was fine without him. She and Ash would have been fine without him.
     
    *****
     
    He took off his shirt and wiped the sweat dripping down the side of his face as he studied the newly painted balcony rails above him.
    “That looks very good.” Margaret nodded with approval. “Not bad for a man who spends much of his working hours in an air-conditioned office.”
    Ashton grinned. “Thanks. Is that for me?” He pointed at the glass of juice she niftily balanced on a tray.
    She smiled and handed it over to him. “Thought I’d show you a little appreciation after seeing you slave at those rails all morning.”
    He clasped the glass gratefully, loving the feel of the cold drink against the palm of his hand. “Thanks.”
    She shrugged her shoulders and glanced over at him cheekily. “You know, you can’t walk around bare-chested like that. This is a very family oriented place. We don’t want the women drooling over a half-naked man roaming the grounds and leaving their husbands in a very jealous fit.”
    He chuckled. “I need to get some decent clothes to continue with work around here. I never actually had planned to get my hands dirty.”
    “You’re intending to stay a little longer?”
    “I can take an extra week off. I saw you needed your garden fence mended. The edges of the raised beds are also falling apart. I’ll head into town later in the day and get the materials needed. I’ll probably get some decent work wear while I am at it.”
    She grew quiet, staring up at the balcony rails again. “It has taken a lot for Christy to turn around and become the person she is now. I remember she was so vulnerable when she first arrived at Lily Grove. She didn’t trust anyone at all. She was this frail thing who was always looking over her shoulders in case someone tried to hurt her.”  She pulled in a deep sigh.
    “I won’t hurt her, Margaret,” he said slowly.
    She nodded and gently rubbed his arm. “I know. I know. But it’s not me you should be convincing.” She pointed at the rails. “You’ve done a good job on those rails. Why don’t you sit with me and help me design a new garden?”
    He smiled. “I’d love to. Let me clean up this site first. Meet you in the kitchen in two hours?”
    “I’ll see you then. In the meanwhile, I could chase Jane on the laundry.”
    Ashton recalled the young, blonde girl