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That discussion they’d just had about happiness was already taking on a deeper significance that he wanted to explore.
Depositing his glass of wine on the small wrought-iron table in front of them, he suddenly pushed to his feet. ‘What makes you think I wouldn’t keep my promise?’ he asked, irked that she would doubt him.
‘My son’s been let down by people breaking their promises to him before, and I don’t want him building up his hopes only to have them dashed again.’
‘Not everyone breaks their promises. Maybe you need to learn to trust a little bit more?’
‘Trust you, you mean? I barely know you.’
‘But that can be remedied, right?’
THE POWERFUL AND THE PURE
When Beauty tames the brooding Beast …
From Mr Darcy to Heathcliff, the best romantic heroes have always been tall, dark and dangerously irresistible.
This year indulge yourself as Mills & Boon® brings you a contemporary take on our favourite classic romances.
Formidable men—the ultimate heroes—untamable … or so they think!
This month one of the Brontës’ most brooding and passionate novels is given the Mills & Boon® Modern™ Romance twist in:
DISTRACTED BY HER VIRTUE by Maggie Cox
Look out for more timeless love stories retold for the 21st Century
THE FORBIDDEN WIFE by Sharon Kendrick
THE MATCHMAKER BRIDE by Kate Hewitt
IN WANT OF A WIFE? by Cathy Williams
THE RETURN OF THE STRANGER by Kate Walker
A WICKED PERSUASION by Catherine George
About the Author
The day MAGGIE COX saw the film version of Wuthering Heights, with a beautiful Merle Oberon and a very handsome Laurence Olivier, was the day she became hooked on romance. From that day onwards she spent a lot of time dreaming up her own romances, secretly hoping that one day she might become published and get paid for doing what she loved most! Now that her dream is being realised, she wakes up every morning and counts her blessings. She is married to a gorgeous man, and is the mother of two wonderful sons. Her two other great passions in life—besides her family and reading/writing—are music and films.
Recent titles by the same author:
A DEVILISHLY DARK DEAL
THE LOST WIFE
THE BROODING STRANGER
Did you know these are also available as eBooks?
Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk
Distracted
by her Virtue
Maggie Cox
To Lesley, who never fails to make me laugh
and see the funny side of things!
You are such a blessing
and I’m so glad that we’re friends.
CHAPTER ONE
AS JARRETT picked his way carefully down the steep grassy bank that was made potentially treacherous by the odd jagged stone hidden amongst the greenery the chocolate-brown Lab accompanying him passed him with a swift, much more sure-footed tread. He lifted his head to follow the dog’s enthusiastic trail, and his gaze was suddenly captured by an unexpected sight. At the foot of the valley just ahead, down by the familiar babbling brook that the dog usually made a beeline for, he spied the unfamiliar figure of a lithe young woman dressed in jeans and a khaki-coloured weatherproof jacket. Her hands held a camera, and as he observed her she dropped to her haunches to photograph something.
At this distance it was hard to see what it was, but it crossed Jarrett’s mind that the woman might be one of those horticulturists who occasionally visited the area, cataloguing some rare plant or flower. It was a fine spring day and, having just closed the deal on a prime parcel of land not twenty miles from here, Jarrett was predisposed to be sociable.
‘Hello there!’ he called out as he drew nearer, and the woman lifted her head and glanced round at him, startled. As he drew nearer, the beauty of her face literally stopped him in his tracks. Who was she? Inside his chest his heart thumped hard—as though he’d sprinted down that treacherous hillside. He’d never come across eyes of such a light green hue before … like the softest summer grass. And the silky mantle of chestnut hair that flowed down over her shoulders was the perfect foil to bring out the colour, he thought with pleasure as his lips formed an appreciative smile. ‘It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?’
‘Charlie? Charlie, come over here to me right now!’
He hadn’t seen the child, but at the woman’s urgent-voiced command, like an arrow expertly released from its bow to fly towards its target, he appeared out of a distant clump of trees and threw himself into her lap, almost knocking her over. Was she his mother? Jarrett wondered. She looked almost too young.
Though she might just be a passing stranger, the need to know who she was wouldn’t leave him alone. ‘I didn’t mean to startle you,’ he apologised, holding out his hand, ‘My name’s Jarrett Gaskill. I live on the other side of that rise up there.’
If he’d been expecting her to reciprocate with similar information then he was doomed to disappointment. Glancing at his outstretched hand, the green-eyed beauty made no move to take it. Instead she laid down her camera, sat back on the grass and tenderly patted the small boy on his back, as if to reassure him that everything was all right. The child’s riot of dark curls was tucked beneath her chin as if he wanted to hide.
‘I know it may not look like it, but I’m not taking pictures purely for my own amusement. I’m actually working.’
The bewitching green eyes flashed, but for a moment Jarrett’s attention was more captivated by her voice. There was such resolve and firmness in its husky tones—a warning too—that it took him aback. Did she think he presented some kind of threat to her and the child?
The thought made him retreat a couple of steps, and he let his hand drop uselessly down by his side. As if to remind him of his presence, the chocolate Lab that he was dog-sitting for his sister Beth nudged his muzzle into his palm and gave him a lick. The creature had done his usual trick of galloping joyfully through the water, and as a result was now sopping wet from head to tail. ‘It’s all right, boy … we’ll be on our way in just a minute.’
‘Was there something else?’
The woman appeared almost affronted that he might be contemplating staying for even a second longer when she’d clearly demonstrated that his presence wasn’t welcome. Swallowing down the disagreeable sense of rejection that curdled briefly in the pit of his stomach, Jarrett met her unflinching glare with an equally unwavering one of his own. His lip even curled a little mockingly. ‘No … I was simply passing the time of day. Nothing more sinister than that.’
‘Don’t be offended. It’s just that when I’m working I have to give my full attention to my subject. If I allow myself to get distracted then the photograph turns out to be useless.’
‘In that case I won’t distract or disturb you any longer. Enjoy the rest of