Page 38 of Courting Claudia
Her father had just given her permission to make herself physically available for Richard’s pleasure. She couldn’t even begin to imagine how she could seduce a man, much less one who didn’t even want to kiss her. What would her father say if he knew that?
Her entire life, she’d dreamed of a man like Derrick courting her, and the very night that dream had become a reality, her father callously ripped it from her hands.
Chapter 8
“A Miss Prattley here to see you, sir.”
“Send her in.” Derrick stood and waited for her to enter his office. She came a moment later in a flurry of pale green. “I wasn’t expecting a visit today.”
She straightened slightly, looking anywhere but in his eyes. “I can only take one more assignment.”
“I thought we agreed you would work until you married.”
“We did. And that might be happening sooner than we had expected.”
“Claudia, what’s going on? What happened between last night and this morning? Because I know you weren’t engaged last night.”
“Nothing happened.” She was hiding something.
“Why won’t you look at me?” He walked to her and turned her face to him. “Look at me, Claudia.”
She met his gaze. “Nothing happened.”
Something was different in her eyes today, a resolve that hadn’t been there before. She was serious this time. She’d tried to walk away from the paper before, but he’d been able to convince her to stay. Today he wasn’t so certain he’d be able to do that. “You’re lying.”
“That’s not very kind.”
“But it’s the truth. Did Richard come over this morning and propose?”
She took a step away from him.
“I take that as a no. Then why the sudden change?”
She didn’t answer.
“Is this about last night?”
A blush crept up her neck and settled in her cheeks.
They stood a few steps apart, yet it seemed as if a great chasm separated them.
“Claudia, I didn’t plan for that to happen either, but there’s nothing wrong with our desire.”
“I’m not allowed to see you socially anymore, Derrick. I’m sorry. Since we can’t seem to separate business and personal, this will be my final assignment. I have no other option, so there can be no further discussion.”
“Not allowed? You’re seven and twenty. Who decides who you are and aren’t allowed to see?”
She squared her shoulders and said firmly, “My father.”
“I haven’t made my intentions for you public. How does he even know we’ve been involved?”
“It doesn’t matter how he knows. The point is he knows, and he doesn’t want me to see you anymore. He wants me to marry Richard, and that is what I intend to do.”
“Are you marrying Richard only because your father wants you to?”
“I don’t have to answer that.”
“I suppose that means yes. You could stand up to your father.”