Free Hollywood Blackmail by Jackie Ashenden Page A

it…
    The longing inside her grew sharper.
    “You like that idea, don’t you?” Ash’s voice was soft, the expression on his face not quite as hard as it had been.
    Oh, Lord, every single thought must have shown on her face. With an effort she composed herself, squashing the relief flat. She couldn’t afford to think things like that. She couldn’t afford to let herself relax. She’d gotten complacent. That wouldn’t happen again.
    “Not really,” she said coolly. “My idea of a proper vacation is a beach with some sand and a good book, not a tasteless mansion in Beverly Hills.”
    Frustration crossed his face and his muscles tensed. But he didn’t move. “You’re a stubborn woman, Lizzie. You always have been.”
    He’d been going to touch her, she knew it. And yet he hadn’t. He’d kept his word. And for some inexplicable reason, she found that disappointing. Almost as though some part of her was longing for him to do so, to overwhelm her as he had back when she’d been seventeen. How completely ridiculous.
    “I prefer to think of myself as not a pushover,” she said crisply. “But you see my problem, don’t you? I’m going to be sitting around twiddling my thumbs.”
    Ash turned around and went back over to the couch, flung himself back down on it, and picked up the magazine. “If you want to sit around and twiddle your thumbs, that’s up to you. But like it or not, you’re mine for the next two weeks so you’d better get used to the idea. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to finish reading about the new difficulties nurses face in a changing hospital environment, while you go and get your stuff.” He glanced at his watch. “You have ten minutes.”
    …
    There was silence for a long moment, but Ash didn’t look up. Then he heard her let out an annoyed breath and stalk off toward her bedroom once more.
    Okay, so she was going to be more of a challenge than he first thought. But he wasn’t unhappy with the idea, oh no. She was like a hedgehog all rolled up into a ball, prickles facing outward to defend herself. Or no, she was more like Iceland. Yeah, Iceland. He’d been there once to film a movie and had found it fascinating. A country full of contrasts, lots of snow and ice but with volcanos and geysers too. Icy on top, burning flames beneath.
    Just like Lizzie. And she was Lizzie because Coco had never been like that. No, Coco had been all flames.
    He flicked over the page, reading but not fully taking in the words. He was actually interested in the article, but not because he was interested in nursing. It was because he was interested in her and thought he might gain a few insights. So far none had jumped out at him other than the fact that nursing appeared to be a difficult and complicated job. What was it like to be at people’s beck and call all day long? Horrible, probably. God, he’d hated it back when he’d been younger, when he’d worked as a security guard. When he’d been fighting. Having to answer to his boss and worse, his lousy, lazy beer-drinking father. Having to hand his wages over every week just so the family could get by. Because he was the only one who’d ever been able to hold down a job. The fights had provided him with some outlet but not a hell of a lot since they’d all been managed by his dad.
    Coco. She was your escape.
    Yeah, she had been. The one bright point in his whole miserable existence until it had all come crashing down.
    Ash grimaced and tossed aside the magazine, suddenly impatient with the direction his thoughts were heading in. Man, he hadn’t thought about the bad stuff in a long time, and he didn’t really want to start now.
    Pushing himself to his feet, he began another restless circuit around her lounge area. The whole place was white and airy, with spots of color here and there in the pillow-type things and blankets she had scattered around. He liked it. It was very restful.
    No photos on the walls or on any of the surfaces, though.