“No, I suppose not, but even if I wasn’t, youareMr. Moran’s friend, and heismy employer. He might not take kindly to us having an affair beneath his nose.” Except it was none of Moran’s business, but my reasons ran deeper than that. Ash’s profession was the biggest obstacle—and my virginity—which I had resigned myself to never losing. That was before I met Ash. My pussy vibrated nonetheless with the notion of touching hishard body and kissing those tempting lips. Had he been an accountant like my fake husband, I might have thrown caution to the wind. “Not to mention the fundamental fact that you admitted to me that you are in love with another woman.”
“Hypothetically speaking, if all obstacles were removed, would you say yes?” His finger continued to move in sensual sweeps along my thumb. Although he kept the smile in play, heartache rested in his eyes. He was putting on a brave face for my benefit and perhaps his own.
I chose my answer with care, having built my current life on a lie. I abhorred dishonesty until I’d been forced to be dishonest myself. Self-survival trumped morals, and I carried the shame with me every day. “I think it best if we don’t speak in the hypothetical since it won’t change anything. Wishing a different outcome doesn’t change our current situation. Life’s choices are what brought us here.”
He lifted one brow and tilted his head, a flirtatious moue on his lips. His mood noticeably changed, excitement replacing his earlier unhappiness. “I rather like that line. Can I use it in my work in progress?”
“You mentioned that you were a writer.” I glanced down at the manuscript I was supposed to be working on. Common sense said to cut our conversation short. He was distracting me from my duties. Moran had given me a deadline, and I didn’t wish to disappoint him. However, I was more interested in Ash at the moment, which was madness itself. “If I had to hazard a guess, I would think you are a poet.”
“Sadly, poetry is not my preferred genre.” Ash dropped his stare and removed his hand from mine, a faint flush to his cheeks. He was embarrassed, but why? “Is that MH Roth’s manuscript?”
“Yes, Moran has given me the opportunity to copy-edit it. I am beyond thrilled.” I debated whether to push Ash for ananswer to my writing question or merely let the matter drop. It was my understanding that artists were notorious for their secrecy. Having never truly met an artist before, I wasn’t sure if that was true or not. By the way, he avoided my question, and my assumption seemed valid.
Ash lifted his head, eyebrows shooting up in shock. He glanced at the closed door before he met my gaze once more. A huge smile bloomed across his mouth. “Moran is letting you copy edit one of his precious manuscripts? I guess miracles will never cease.”
“It quite surprised me, given the fact that I have not worked here for very long.” From Ash’s expression, Moran’s behavior was out of character. For him to trust me was very flattering. “He is very overwhelmed, and I mentioned that he should hire someone to assist. I never thought he’d ask me.”
“I have been after him for ages to hire another editor. He works too much, as you have probably already noticed. Even when his father was alive, they struggled to keep up.” Ash stood from where he perched on the side of my desk. He rested his hands on his hips and stared at the closed door.
I glanced at the clock. The amount of time Moran had specified had come and gone without me noticing. While I wanted to continue my conversation with Ash, I had work to do. “If you wish to see Moran, I can announce you. The hour is up.”
“You needn’t bother, I can see myself in.” He walked to the door and paused with his hand on the knob. Turning his head, he said, “Did Moran make arrangements for someone to see you home?”
“Yes, he has been paying Timmy to escort me home.” I still had a hard time accepting help. However, Moran and Ash were right on that score. “Thank you for bringing it to his attention.”
“You’re welcome.” He opened the door and the steady thump thump still sounded before he shut it behind him.
Moran was still behind that door, stripped to the waist, and Ash was with him now. Of course, two men seeing each other unclothed wasn’t scandalous. I flipped over the title page and tried to keep my mind from imagining both of them in a state of dishabille. The tips of my ears burned at my unladylike imaginings. I rubbed at my forehead and tried to clear my head. I had a task to fulfill, and if I was successful, it might open up a path I had never thought of going down.
Chapter Eighteen
Lord Tobias Moran
Left, right, left, right.The cadence of my hands hitting the boxing bag continued to ground my mind. The clock on my desk had already chimed the hour I had told Mrs. Worth to afford me. I was still apprehensive about giving her the manuscript, but I knew I would benefit from it. I wasn’t sure how I had come to trust her after such a short time, but I did.
The door to my office opened, and my head snapped around. I should have known better than to push myself past the hour. Mrs. Worth was nothing if not prompt. Thus, we were back to the exact situation in which we had found ourselves that first day.
My shoulders relaxed when I saw Ash close the door behind him. His intense regard locking on me, he twisted the lock. I probably should have done that before I came in. My nipples hardened at his perusal, and I lowered my arms. “I am glad to see you are still alive.”
“Some parts more alive than others.” By the husky timbre of his voice, he had passion on his mind. He approached with long, purposeful strides. Desire tightened the skin around his mouth. “Mrs. Worth said you hadn’t wished to be disturbed. She never said why.”
I removed my boxing gloves, my hands tight from the exercise. “The morning has been a challenge, thus I needed something to take the edge off.”
With a strong fingertip, he drew it along the vein running along my biceps. “I can help with that,” he offered.
