The Cherished Wife

Chapter 14

“Ms. Shaw, don’t fight it. If you can’t avoid something, then just try to enjoy it. Makes sense, right?” Charles’s gaze held a hint of mystery as he spoke. Noe bit her lip, her fight fading. away.

When Charles felt Noelle’s resistance ease up, he let go of her hand. “Hop in, Ms. Shaw.”

Noelle shot Charles a reluctant look but followed him into the car anyway. Charles flashed a grin. “Buckle up!”

Noelle had barely settled into the car seat when she rattled off her address to Charles, then. clammed up, only piping up to correct his driving once or twice. Charles was not clueless and picked up on Noelle’s cold shoulder. Pulling up to her place, he shot her a look. “Remember what I said before? The offer is still valid, Ms. Shaw. Call me if you’re thinking about it again.”

Noelle bit her lip, “Look at you, Mr. Hoffman. You’re successful, loaded, and the town’s most eligible bachelor. You could snap your fingers and have the ladies of Brookville lining up from here to kingdom come. Why bother with plain old me?”

it all wrong, Charles tapped a steady beat on the steering wheel, then clicked the doors open. “We’ve

ever. He always knew when to push and when to back off, as patient as a cat with a mouse, calculating the perfect moment to pounce or let

stepping out. “Thanks for the lift, Mr. Hoffman, but it’s a hard no from me. I just clawed my way out of a mess,

say it’ll be a mess when you haven’t even given it a shot?” Charles’s smile was easy.

breath, her face a mask of calm, until

gentleman. A sharp pang squeezed Noelle’s chest, her face

palms, though she hardly noticed. She stared straight ahead, her lower

stepped out of that black Cayenne, and he had

all sorts of awkwardness between them after what had happened and even thought she might resent him. He had not