LITMIR.BIZ

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been forced to let her in. How she’d shoved him hard in the chest in her anger, the force of it pushing him against the wall, and how something inside him had snapped and he’d grabbed her and kissed her hard, sliding his hands into her silky hair and plundering her mouth, wanting to show her what she did to him and how much he hated it.

      That was what he’d actually hated: his inability to control his feelings for her.

      But instead of pushing him away, she’d let out a deep breathy moan that he’d felt all the way down to his toes and kissed him back, just as fiercely.

      It had been as if a dam had broken. They couldn’t get enough of each other’s touch. He’d thought in those seconds that he’d go crazy from the feel of her cool hands on him. He’d wanted her so much, he’d ached for her. Desperate to get closer, he’d tugged at the thin T-shirt she’d been wearing, yanking it over her head until they were skin to skin. It had electrified him. He’d never felt anything like it before. Or since.

      Getting up from the armchair, he went over to the fireplace to prod at a piece of charred wood that had fallen out of the grate, feeling adrenaline buzz through his veins from the intense mix of emotions the memories had conjured up.

      ‘Jack? Are you okay?’ She looked worried now and he mentally shook himself, angry for letting himself think about the past, something he’d been fighting not to do. For so, so long now.

      ‘I’m fine,’ he said tersely.

      She recoiled a little at his sharp tone, looking at him with an expression of such hurt and confusion he had a crazy urge to drag her into his arms and soothe her worries away.

      Fighting past the inappropriate instinct, he went over to the window to peer through a crack in the drawn curtains at the world outside to try and distract himself. The press were still milling around the front of the house, chatting and smoking and laughing as if they didn’t have a care in the world.

      Vultures.

      ‘You know it won’t be long until they find out who I am,’ Emma said behind him. She’d walked over to where he was standing and as he turned to face her the sweet, familiar scent of her overwhelmed him, making his senses reel.

      He struggled past it, taking a couple of paces away from her and folding his arms.

      Obviously a little stung by his withdrawal, she frowned and mirrored his stance, crossing her own arms in front of her.

      ‘You’re right. We should go to see our parents right away. I don’t want to do it all over the phone—it’s too delicate a situation. I’ll call the car and we’ll go to Cambridgeshire to see my parents this afternoon, then we can both go and see your mother together when we get back to London. We owe them that consideration at least.’

      As if the mere mention of them had conjured them up, Jack’s mobile rang and he glanced at the screen to see his parents’ home phone number flash up.

      A heavy feeling sank through his gut. This didn’t bode well. His parents rarely contacted him unless they needed something from him.

      He pressed to receive the call. ‘Father.’

      ‘Jack? What the hell’s going on? Apparently the press have got it into their heads that you’re married to some down-and-out waitress! I’ve had a number of them already call the house this morning asking us to comment on it. Please tell me this ludicrous bit of gossip is unfounded!’

      Judging by the strain in his voice, Jack could tell his father was not a happy man. This was the epitome of a disaster as far as Charles Westwood was concerned.

      Jack took a steadying breath before answering. ‘I am married. To Emma Carmichael. You remember her, she’s Clare’s best friend from school.’

      There was a shocked silence on the other end of the line.

      ‘Is this a joke?’

      ‘No joke, Father. We got married six years ago, just before I moved to the States. We didn’t tell anyone at the time because we thought both you and Emma’s parents might try to stop us, thinking we were too young to know what we wanted.’

      He actually heard his father swallow.

      ‘Well, if she’s Duncan Carmichael’s offspring that makes total sense. That family was always good at wheedling what they needed out of people.’

      Jack felt rage begin to build from the pit of his stomach. ‘Emma can’t be held responsible for her father’s actions.’

      His father let out a grunt of disdainful laughter. ‘I’m surprised at you, Jack. I thought you were more savvy than to be taken in by a gold-digger.’

      ‘I’ll thank you not to speak like that about my wife,’ Jack ground out.

      ‘I’ll speak any way I choose when it comes to the reputation of my family name,’ his father said, his voice full of angry bluster. ‘You need to come to the house today and explain yourself.’

      ‘We were already planning on doing that,’ Jack said coldly, barely hanging onto the last thread of his cool. ‘We’ll be with you just after lunchtime.’

      ‘Good. I hope for everyone’s sake you’re not letting this woman manipulate you. She could take a large part of your fortune if she decides to divorce you and we can’t have our family’s name brought into disrepute by having it dragged through the courts!’ Before Jack could answer there was a click on the line as his father cut the call.

      Jack stuffed his phone back in his pocket and turned to face Emma, who was staring at him with dismay on her face.

      ‘They’re expecting us,’ he said unnecessarily. Clearly she’d heard the whole conversation judging by her expression.

      ‘He thinks I married you for your money and that I’m going to take you for every penny you’ve got in the divorce,’ she whispered, her voice raw with dismay.

      Instinctively, he put a steadying hand on her arm, feeling the heat of her skin warm his palm. ‘It’ll be fine. I’ll deal with him and my mother. They’re just in shock at the moment and don’t know how to handle what little they’ve been told.’

      She blinked and gave her head a little shake as if trying to pull herself together.

      ‘Okay,’ she said on a breathy exhalation, lifting her hands to smooth her already perfect hair down against her head. ‘Well, I guess we’d better get ready to leave pretty soon if we’re going to make it over there for after lunch. I’ll call my friend Sophie now and ask her to bring my bag and coat here, then.’

      Once again he found himself impressed with her cool handling of the situation. He hadn’t expected her to be so composed about it all.

      ‘Okay, you do that. I’ll see you back down here in an hour and we’ll hit the road.’

      She gave him one last assertive nod and turned away.

      He watched her go. Despite her fortitude he was unable to shake the feeling that exposing Emma to his parents was tantamount to taking a lamb to the slaughter.

       CHAPTER FIVE

      THE THOUGHT OF seeing Jack’s parents again fired adrenaline through Emma’s veins as she walked out of the room to get herself ready to face them.

      It had been years since she’d had any contact with the marquess and marchioness. They’d been quick to cut ties with her family the moment the news of her father’s debts had broken, not even sending a card of condolence at his passing, and a little part of her hated them for that.

      They’d known her quite well when she was a child, after all. She’d spent a lot of time at their house visiting Clare, but as soon as there was a hint of scandal attached to her she’d become persona non grata in their eyes.

      And

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