Longing and Lies by Donna Hill Page B

She’d felt raw inside. She’d needed comfort and he’d been there. They’d taken it further than they should have, and it was her fault. She acted like a cat in heat, disrobing for him, almost daring him to make love to her.
    She took a sip of her coffee. But he should have seen how vulnerable she was. He should have walked away.
    The more she thought about it, the angrier she grew at herself and at him. She regretted telling him anything about her sister. He’d probably try to use that against her as well. Dammit, she could kick herself.
    â€œMorning.”
    She jumped, sloshing coffee on the table.
    â€œSorry. Didn’t mean to scare you.” He snatched a piece of paper towel from the rack above the sink and wiped up the spill. “Any more coffee?”
    â€œHelp yourself.” She kept her attention riveted on the designs on the mug. Last night they had so much to say to each other. This morning was a series of awkward silences.
    â€œI thought we’d go over the list this morning and start making the rounds,” he said with his back to her.
    â€œFine.” She pushed back from the table and padded off barefoot to her room.
    Elliot felt the air leave his body. He leaned against the sink. This is going to be bad, he thought.
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    Ashley returned to her bedroom to retrieve the files and her laptop then went to the living room. She was in the middle of reviewing one of the clinics on the list, when Elliot appeared in the archway. She kept her attention on the computer screen.
    â€œSince we decided on the upper East side as a starting point, I made a list of the three that we could check out today. I uploaded the information to your PDA.”
    She’d said all of this without casting even a glance in his direction, which was fine with him, he thought, although he was a bit stunned by her obvious indifference. It was usually the other way around. But as he took a seat on the end chair, he realized that there was nothing usual about Ashley Temple.
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    Their alibi was to be that they’d been married for six years and had tried unsuccessfully to have a child. They’d recently moved to New York from Columbus, Mississippi, because some of the best doctors and clinicswere in New York. They were still torn between in vitro or adoption.
    â€œI figured we can take my Navigator,” Elliot said, sliding his arms through his brown leather jacket.
    â€œSure.” She hunted around in her purse to make sure she had everything that she needed. In the event the opportunity presented itself, she would plant some listening and video devices. Satisfied, she zipped her purse, glanced up and was jolted to see Elliot staring intently at her.
    â€œSomething wrong?”
    â€œNo. Nothing.” He gave a short shake of his head. “Ready?”
    She nodded. She draped the strap of her oversized burgundy, leather purse over her shoulder. It was a perfect match to her ankle boots.
    Elliot couldn’t help but notice the perfect picture she made. Her cream-colored cable-knit sweater that topped an open-collared white blouse, paired with fitted black jeans, expertly defined Ashley’s attributes. He may very well notice her, he thought as he pulled the door shut behind him, but she didn’t seem interested in giving him the time of day.
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    Ashley made rocket science out of adjusting her seat and fastening her belt, whatever it took to keep her eyes and mind off of Elliot. This was as close as they’d gotten since he’d left her bed before sunrise. She felt empty and stupid and couldn’t stop chastising herself for heractions. She never lost control like that before. What was wrong with her? She had acted like a…
    â€œYou want to talk…about anything?” Elliot asked breaking into her dark train of thought.
    She stole a quick glance at him. He was staring straight ahead, and the strong line of his jaw was clearly outlined.
    â€œNot