Scandalous by Ward H. M

Author:Ward, H. M. [Ward, H. M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, General Fiction, forbidden love, fifty shades of grey, steel, el james, hm ward, 50 shades, steamy, sexy, Erotica, twilight
ISBN: 9781481999847
Publisher: Laree Bailey Press
Published: 2012-04-29T06:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINETEEN

After the shower, I put on a pair of Jack’s sweats and laid on the couch in the studio. Jack continued to work as I drifted off to sleep. A strange feeling spread over me before that night was over. I didn’t know if it was dread or elation, but somewhere in my gut I knew it was both.

I woke up the next morning to the scent of coffee and Jack’s painting hung on the wall. He stood in front of it, freshly dressed, dark jeans hugging his narrow hips, shirtless. His feet were bare as well. Laying on my side, I stared at what I’d done. It was so different from his other paintings. The oranges and blues were bright, passionate. There was nothing muted about it. Turning, Jack saw my eyes, and smiled.

He walked toward me, with a cup of coffee in his hand, “Good morning,” he said, handing it to me. I sat up, reddish brown hair pressed to the side of my face.

He looked stunning. I forced my eyes to his face and smiled shyly, “Good morning Jack.” I jumped in the shower and put on another pair of his sweats. When I came out, Jack was standing there, waiting for me.

There was a moment of silence as my eyes drifted past him to the canvas. That’s when he asked softly, “Do you regret it?”

I glanced up at him, and shook my head. “No. Necessary evil, I suppose.”

He bristled, “Of course.” Reaching for his shirt, he turned and pulled it over his head. The black tee molded to his body, as he walked away.

It took me a second to figure out what upset him. “Jack,” my voice was sharp. “I’m a minister and I stripped for you. There’s a naked painting of me hanging on your wall.” My voice cracked. The wave of what-have-I-done crashed into me.

He turned back to me, a wounded expression on his face. “It’s not stripping. It’s not hooking. It’s not fucking like that!” The veins in his neck rose as he yelled.

“Maybe for you it wasn’t, but for me it was.” He huffed, and turned, ready to leave, but I grabbed his arm. “Stop, and listen. Damn it, Jack! You don’t listen! Maybe it meant nothing to you, but it did to me. It matters. This is something that was supposed to be with my soulmate, and not strewn across a canvas. I wanted the first man to see me, the first guy that touched me, to be someone who actually loved me. I wanted those things, Jack. This isn’t how I thought things would be. It feels wrong, not because of you, but because of me.” My voice faded as I spoke. I couldn’t look at him. It wasn’t shame; it was disappointment. Somewhere in the back of my mind, it felt like I settled, and it unhinged me.

Jack stood in front of me, his jaw set tight, listening. When I stopped, he breathed deeply, trying to calm himself. “What do you want, Abby?” His voice softened.

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