She also grabbed her favourite camel coat off the coat stand and ran to catch up with Jason.
She could see him making his way from the main house along the gravel pathway.
He saw her approaching and gave her a wave. He was waiting near the arched entrance which led into the walled garden.
“Why do you like to live on site?” he asked casually.
“Actually I’d prefer to be on my farm in Devon,” she explained, “But when I’m working on a project it saves travelling and it cuts costs if I stay on site or nearby. If I’m close I can look at a problem and make a decision there and then. It saves thousands. Labour costs. Man hours. That sort of thing. Paul, my business partner is brilliant. He’s always on top of things and knows what to do. We run the farm as a garden centre and when I’m away he looks after the horticultural side of things. I ought to be getting back to him because now’s our busiest time. We’ve seed orders coming in and then there’s the planting. That’s one of the reason I’m reluctant to accept more work. At the moment, I just don’t have time.”
Jason didn’t know who this Paul partner was; but he didn’t like the sound of Mr Wonderful.
Beth was thinking that they hadn’t chosen the best time of year to view her work.
Winter was fast approaching but her gardens were designs to embrace all seasons and the grounds did look splendid.
She took him to the gully where she’d built a feature lake. The river had been dammed and a lake had formed. It was an impressive sight and on the whole she was proud of what she’d achieved.
She had shown Jason the garden lay-outs and they were strolling back to the main house when she told him about the mix-up.
“When you phoned earlier, I didn’t know you wanted drawings for your garden. I’d no idea you wanted me to work for you,” she explained.
“Well to be honest I didn’t want you,” he said, “What I mean is . . . I wanted Ashton - your non-existent husband, but now that I’ve seen your work I still want you. And I want more,” he told her mysteriously, “Beth . . . I want you to come to Greece with me.”
“What?” she asked, unsure she had heard him properly.
“I mean it. I want you in Greece. You said you prefer to work on site. Well, come to my Island. Make it working holiday.”
What Jason was proposing was impossible.
Totally impossible.
She had responsibilities in England. She couldn’t possibly leave everything here at such short notice. She couldn’t give-up her work here in England just to fly off to Greece with him. There was too much at stake. She had a business to run.
“I can’t,” she said. It was all she could find to say on the spur of the moment.
“Think about it,” he said not pressing her for an answer straight away, “I’d give you scope to develop your own ideas.”
Turning up the collar of his sheepskin jacket he dug his hands into his pockets and together they walked on towards the enclosed walled garden.
When they were passing through the rose covered archway she accidentally stumbled and fell awkwardly against him.
Instinctively he reached out to save her. He caught her and pulled her close holding her rigidly against his chest.
She could feel his strength as his arms encircle her tightly.
Her head was thrown back and she was forced to look up into dark black eyes.
She tried to break free of his gaze but just like the intensity of his stare, he was holding her firmly and she was pressed solidly against the hard wall of his chest.
Slowly he lifted his hand and cupped her face.
Dismayed, she tried to calm the beating of her heart as it pounded painfully against her ribs.
“So at last the lady wants to play. I wondered how long it would take you to change your mind and reveal your true colours,” he said arrogantly.
Jason bent his head slowly and determinedly down towards her.
Then he was capturing and forcing her lips apart. He was crushing their soft tenderness brutally with his.
Unwillingly she felt her arms beginning to rise and circle his neck. She was pulling him desperately towards her hungry mouth. She could only hold on to him and savour his taste as he urgently plunged and devoured the depths of her open lips.
His arms were crushing her body to his and she could feel tension in his muscles.
“Wasn’t Charles man enough for you last night?” he whispered cruelly in her ear.
Beth didn’t have time to reply to his question as once again Jason lips were covering hers mercilessly with his.
She couldn’t break away from him.
He was crushing her with his kisses and he was taking what he wanted.
The air was being sucked from her lungs. She couldn’t breathe and she couldn’t stop him.
His mouth was plunging, grinding roughly against hers.
His lips were pressing down hard against her tender lips and unwillingly she was responding to his touch.
Strong firm hands began moving to the swell of her breasts.
Briefly his hands caressed their full roundness before seeking beneath the folds of her clothes. He was searching for the clasp of her bra.
Deftly he worked the clasp loose.
Her breasts were suddenly released and fell they heavily and fully into his waiting hands.
Once again his arms were behind her and she was being pulled into him.
They were body to body.
And there was no stopping him.
Again she was being forced against him and she was being forced firmly into the solid wall of his body.
She could feel the hungry urgency in him as he rubbed his trembling body against her. She could sense his want and she could feel his hard need of her.
Unwillingly she was beginning to respond and her knees were beginning to buckle.
Shocked at her own reaction, she whimpered and tried to break free.
Pulling her arms from behind his neck she pushed firmly against his shoulders.
At last she was free. And as she was gasping for breath, she felt the cold chill of the air rush into her burning lungs.
“How dare you,” she cried, “How dare you touch me?”
The surprise of the moment was evaporating and she could feel rage beginning to consume her.
“What right do you have to touch me?” she asked.
She was lost for words and she held her trembling hands to her bruised lips.
“Oh come on Beth,” he said, “You’ve been giving me the green light all morning. I know a willing participant when I see one. And you’ve shown yourself to be more than willing.”
He’s wrong, she thought. He has to be. I haven’t been willing.
She had no idea what had made her react to his kisses the way she had, and she was feeling repulsion with herself at how far she had actually gone.
She had very nearly given in to him.
From out of nowhere, desire had surged deep within her and surprisingly it had equalled his.
She was cringing with shame at what had happened, and she was enraged with herself because of what she had almost done.
Clenching her teeth together Beth stared angrily at him.
“You’re mistaken Mr Andre. I’m not a willing participant.”
“You want me Beth. I know you do. Don’t lie to me.”
“You’re mistaken in my willingness and you’re mistaken in my availability. I won’t cater to your needs. And let me tell you Mr Hot Shot Andre . . . it’s not my style to grope about in flower beds making love.”
Her tone was cool.
“Neither do I Beth,” he told her abruptly.
Jason was as shocked as Beth. He was very surprised at what had very nearly happened.
She had made him lose control.
He’d acted like a school boy behind the bicycle sheds.
Jason Andre never lost control. He was always in command, especially with women.
He had almost done exactly
what Beth was accusing him of doing . . . make love in the flower beds.
Jason scratched the back of his neck and decided to call her bluff.
“Shall we continue our activities in the seclusion of my bedroom?”
She was furious.
Beth didn’t know who she was more enraged with, Jason or herself.
How dare he make such a suggestion?
Now all she wanted to do was vent her rage and anger on him.
Somehow she resisted the urge to slap the wide mocking grin from his face and she decided it was best if she totally ignored his last remark.
The red flame of fury in her eyes matched her red hot blistering temper. But as quickly as her temper had flared, it cooled.
“I’ll fax you the plans of your garden when they’re ready,” she told him disdainfully, “But only as a favour to your sister. Other than that . . . if I never see you again Mr Andre it will be too soon.”
She was taking a gamble. He could annihilate her business and she could be destroyed, but he’d left her with no other option.
Angrily she flung the words over her shoulder and she stormed off to the lodge guest house to collect her luggage and leave.
Jason was left in the walled garden staring speechlessly after her.
All he could think about - was that he wanted Beth to landscape his villa in Greece, but more importantly . . . he wanted the tigress in his bed.
CHAPTER FOUR
A few weeks later and it was mid-December and Jason had to fly out to Greece to inspect the sight.
A few major decisions had to be made and as usual Jason was the only one who could make those decisions.
The villa was his brainchild and as he intended to use it as a permanent home everything had to be perfect from the start.
Losing no time and using the company’s jet, Jason had immediately flown out to inspect the site.
When he got to Greece, he was pleased to see that the majority of work had been completed and so far everything seemed to be going to plan. The project was on schedule and it was well within budget.
The only thing missing was Beth’s blueprint plans for the gardens and pools. She hadn’t yet emailed or faxed them through to his office, but he was in no doubt she would keep her word and send in her designs.
Deciding Stephan, the project manager, had everything under control, Jason headed back to his office in England.
As owner of a firm of architects, Jason had more work coming into the business than he could handle.
He lived for his work and thrived on the cut and thrust of its international success.
He’d gone from being an architect with his ideas on paper, into the actual construction and development of buildings.
His designs were being built all over the world, and at the moment they were the only things that got his pulse rate pumping and the adrenaline flowing though his veins.
The excitement of seeing his designs on paper actually become bricks and mortar and knowing it was all his doing, gave him a buzz.
“Mrs Jarvis,” Jason shouted, not bothering with the office intercom system.
His voice roared out from the open office door calling to his secretary.
“. . . Mrs Jarvis.”
“Coming Sir. . .”
Mrs Jarvis hurried across reception and into Jason’s office.
“Yes Sir?”
“Check the meeting is still on for Monday, will you? . . . And tonight I’ll go straight from here to the airport. You’d better book the company jet to Manchester. I’ve got to be there for seven.”
Mrs Jarvis had the office agenda with her and started pencilling in his requests.
Today was Friday and the weekend lay ahead.
Seeing Jason had another engagement booked Mrs Jarvis looked at her employer and said, “And what shall I do about Miss Ridgeway?”
Jason was reminded he’d been planning an evening out with Trudy.
Briefly he looked at Mrs Jarvis who was standing at the ready with a pen and note pad in hand, and without any hesitation he made a decision.
“Cancel the table for tonight at Chester’s Restaurant and order Trudy another dozen red roses.”
Jason had spoken decisively and without regret.
He had cancelled an evening with Trudy Ridgeway and it seemed to have caused him no disappointment or regret.
During the last four months Trudy Ridgeway had been Jason’s latest dating partner.
Being seen on the front page of newspapers and on the arm of the successful Jason Andre was a career boost to any budding model-actress, and Trudy was taking full advantage of her opportunities.
“She’s lasting longer than the others,” thought Mrs Jarvis, “But for how much longer?”
Jason got through women like a man with a cold got through Kleenex tissues.
He was arrogant to the extent that he was sure of his good looks, and he knew he could have any woman . . . just for the asking.
At six foot two, dark haired and in top physically condition, Jason had women beating down his door to get to him, and yet he’d reached the age of thirty-five without having walked down the matrimonial aisle.
“Would you like me to have anything written on Miss Ridgeway’s card?” Mrs Jarvis asked him.
“Put the usual and say I’ll call her during the weekend,” he said, “And if you could get me some tickets for the theatre and reserve a table at Patterson’s for Wednesday, that would be great. Now if he’s still available . . . I’d like a word with Graham before I leave.”
Jason finished barking out his demands and returned to the paper work in front of him.
His secretary returned to her office and got Graham Chandler, one of the firm’s partners on the phone and patched him through to Jason’s Office.
Then the ever diplomatic Mrs Jarvis went on-line to the florists and placed an order for twelve long stemmed red roses to be sent - same day delivery - to Miss Ridgeway’s apartment.
Jason came out of his office and stood in front of his secretary’s desk.
“It’s a full board meeting on Monday,” he said, “And all the partners will be attending, so I want you to take the minutes. And I’ve another problem. These plans are for the villa and they have to be sent to Stephan in Greece. They came through this morning.”
He was pointing to the lap-top on his desk.
“They’re Elizabeth Ashton’s garden layout for the villa.”
“Would you like me to send them now?” Mrs Jarvis asked him.
“No. I’d like a hard copy before they go. If you could print them off I’ll have another look at them when I’m on the plane - that would be great. What’s happening about the flight to Manchester?”
Jason had to fly to Manchester that evening to attend a briefing. One of his construction firms had landed a mega contract.
“The company jet’s out,” Mrs Jarvis told him, “It’s having a service check or something and the up-date is that it’s been grounded until tomorrow. The only alternative is a city hopper flight, which doesn’t get into Manchester until ten o’clock this evening, or . . . you can charter a light aircraft.” Mrs Jarvis was looking expectantly at Jason and waited for a reply.
“You’d better book the charter. I’ve got to be in Manchester for seven. Meal while I’ll be in Graham’s office and you can let me know when you’ve booked the flight.”
At six o’clock Jason Andre was boarding the light aircraft that was to take him to Manchester.
* * * * *
When Beth had finished the work she’d been doing for Sophie at Clifton Hall, she returned to her farm in Devon where she soon slipped back into the routine of village life.
Four years ago she bought a farm and several acres of land situated on the outskirts of Exeter. Together with her business partner Paul, they ran Evergreen Garden Centre. They supplied plants and garden equipment to the surrounding communities and they were making quite a good living from the business.
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