idea has merit.” His hand landed on her knee and skirted upward in an impudent manner.
“It’s not decent. Proper women do not go about without underwear.” And they shouldn’t leave a trail behind them either . Charlotte fought the instinct to spread her legs and give him full access to her pussy. A sharp intake of breath did nothing to clear her lust-filled brain. Resistance is futile . Holy Hannah. She was not letting a rich man rescue her from drudgery. It was too…too Cinderellish.
Traffic was light, and Ash soon pulled up in front of Elizabeth’s house. He undid his seat belt and she stopped him.
“Stay. I can see myself inside.”
“I was hoping I’d get a good night kiss.”
A smile curled her mouth. “You can have one of those.”
His lips against hers drew a sigh, the seductive flicker of his tongue an enticement to sink back under his spell. A revealing groan squeezed past her lips, the kiss taking on an air of desperation. The outside light switched on without warning, the bright beam intruding on their private world.
The front door opened, and Elizabeth stood there. One glimpse of her posture brought a wince in Charlotte. The brewing storm was clear, even from this distance. “I’d better go.” Charlotte opened the door.
“Wait. Give me your cell phone number.”
Charlotte shot a quick glance at Elizabeth, her stomach doing a double pike and spinning into freefall. Bloody hell. She rattled off the number, her hand going to the door.
“You’re going to accept the job with Marlborough Media?”
Somehow. “I promised Gran I would.”
“Good. Can you start on Monday?”
“Okay,” Charlotte said, and she jumped out of the car. Swallowing the nerves buffeting her, she walked toward Elizabeth. Behind her, Ash pulled out of the driveway, the low purr of his vehicle indicating she was alone to face the dragon. Which was what she’d wanted, she reminded herself. Her problem. Her battle.
“You’re late,” Elizabeth snapped.
Charlotte glanced at her watch. “It’s half ten.” Jenny and Rachel stayed out much later. Sometimes they didn’t come home.
“The dishes need doing and the kitchen requires a tidy. Make sure you do it before you go to bed.”
Charlotte nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
“You smell of sex,” Elizabeth snapped.
Bother. She’d hoped Elizabeth wouldn’t notice her crumpled appearance, blindingly obvious in the unforgiving hall light. “I’ll go and do the dishes.” A strategic retreat. Make sure she lived to fight another day.
Charlotte rose at six the next morning, even though it had taken her a good hour to return the kitchen to the pristine condition in which she’d left it. No point complaining because Elizabeth would tell her if she didn’t like the way things were done, she could leave.
Breakfast was ready when Elizabeth walked into the kitchen. She inclined her head and actually thanked her for the coffee.
Foreboding rose in Charlotte.
“Come and sit down, Charlotte. We need to talk.”
Charlotte forced herself to walk over to the breakfast table—one foot after the other. The wooden chair scraped across the floor tiles when she pulled it out. Someone had spilt something on the floor. She’d need to mop today. The mundane thoughts helped to keep her panic at bay.
“I talked to Mum after you left and also to the doctors.” Elizabeth’s voice trembled a fraction before steadying. “The doctors say there’s nothing much they can do, except make Mum comfortable. The lupus has compromised her other organs, and she doesn’t have much time left.” She gulped and picked up her coffee with a shaky hand. After one sip, she set the mug down. “The doctors said they’d give her drugs to alleviate the pain. Mum wants to come home, but she requires a nurse or companion.” Elizabeth’s voice broke, her eyes taking on a distinct sheen.
Charlotte interpreted everything Elizabeth didn’t say. Wincing, she weighed the job of her
“It’s not decent. Proper women do not go about without underwear.” And they shouldn’t leave a trail behind them either . Charlotte fought the instinct to spread her legs and give him full access to her pussy. A sharp intake of breath did nothing to clear her lust-filled brain. Resistance is futile . Holy Hannah. She was not letting a rich man rescue her from drudgery. It was too…too Cinderellish.
Traffic was light, and Ash soon pulled up in front of Elizabeth’s house. He undid his seat belt and she stopped him.
“Stay. I can see myself inside.”
“I was hoping I’d get a good night kiss.”
A smile curled her mouth. “You can have one of those.”
His lips against hers drew a sigh, the seductive flicker of his tongue an enticement to sink back under his spell. A revealing groan squeezed past her lips, the kiss taking on an air of desperation. The outside light switched on without warning, the bright beam intruding on their private world.
The front door opened, and Elizabeth stood there. One glimpse of her posture brought a wince in Charlotte. The brewing storm was clear, even from this distance. “I’d better go.” Charlotte opened the door.
“Wait. Give me your cell phone number.”
Charlotte shot a quick glance at Elizabeth, her stomach doing a double pike and spinning into freefall. Bloody hell. She rattled off the number, her hand going to the door.
“You’re going to accept the job with Marlborough Media?”
Somehow. “I promised Gran I would.”
“Good. Can you start on Monday?”
“Okay,” Charlotte said, and she jumped out of the car. Swallowing the nerves buffeting her, she walked toward Elizabeth. Behind her, Ash pulled out of the driveway, the low purr of his vehicle indicating she was alone to face the dragon. Which was what she’d wanted, she reminded herself. Her problem. Her battle.
“You’re late,” Elizabeth snapped.
Charlotte glanced at her watch. “It’s half ten.” Jenny and Rachel stayed out much later. Sometimes they didn’t come home.
“The dishes need doing and the kitchen requires a tidy. Make sure you do it before you go to bed.”
Charlotte nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
“You smell of sex,” Elizabeth snapped.
Bother. She’d hoped Elizabeth wouldn’t notice her crumpled appearance, blindingly obvious in the unforgiving hall light. “I’ll go and do the dishes.” A strategic retreat. Make sure she lived to fight another day.
Charlotte rose at six the next morning, even though it had taken her a good hour to return the kitchen to the pristine condition in which she’d left it. No point complaining because Elizabeth would tell her if she didn’t like the way things were done, she could leave.
Breakfast was ready when Elizabeth walked into the kitchen. She inclined her head and actually thanked her for the coffee.
Foreboding rose in Charlotte.
“Come and sit down, Charlotte. We need to talk.”
Charlotte forced herself to walk over to the breakfast table—one foot after the other. The wooden chair scraped across the floor tiles when she pulled it out. Someone had spilt something on the floor. She’d need to mop today. The mundane thoughts helped to keep her panic at bay.
“I talked to Mum after you left and also to the doctors.” Elizabeth’s voice trembled a fraction before steadying. “The doctors say there’s nothing much they can do, except make Mum comfortable. The lupus has compromised her other organs, and she doesn’t have much time left.” She gulped and picked up her coffee with a shaky hand. After one sip, she set the mug down. “The doctors said they’d give her drugs to alleviate the pain. Mum wants to come home, but she requires a nurse or companion.” Elizabeth’s voice broke, her eyes taking on a distinct sheen.
Charlotte interpreted everything Elizabeth didn’t say. Wincing, she weighed the job of her
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