Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Chapter 47

Clara had barely settled in for a half-hour rest when a knock interrupted her quiet time.

She opened the door and found Aiden standing there. His tone was as formal as ever. "Ms. Clara, Mr. Dylan has invited you for dinner."

Clara, having only snacked on apples earlier, was more than ready for a proper

meal.

As she stepped into Dylan's room, the lights were glowing brightly, showcasing a lavish dinner spread. Dylan sat at the table, engrossed in a book. He heard her enter, looked up slowly, and said, "Please, take a seat."

Clara felt her stomach rumble and sat down without fuss. "Thank you, Mr. Dylan."

The table was filled with at least fifteen different dishes-a showcase of culinary delights from land, sea, and air. Clara was taken aback by the luxurious spread, impressed by the effort Dylan had gone to.

She picked up her cutlery and started eating at a leisurely pace. Dylan put his book aside and began slicing into the steak on his plate.

Clara was nearly full when she noticed Dylan had hardly touched his food. She was surprised, expecting a man of his stature to have a bigger appetite.

Just then, a knock echoed through the room, but it wasn't Dylan's door-it was hers.

voice called, probably about the

hand instinctively grabbed the tablecloth, pulling it just enough to send a bowl of butternut

clean up the mess. The soup had spilled onto a rather embarrassing spot, and it took

He reached out, gently taking her wrist. His eyes were filled with an intensity.

straight. "I'm really sorry, Mr. Dylan. My knee just gave

continued to throb

held onto her wrist for a few moments longer, then asked, "Is

Ashford tonight. It's a bit of a drive from South Ashford, and I won't be back until late. There are apple orchards there, too, and I plan to talk to the farmers about

been neglected by the government in favor of South Ashford's more

a warm sensation. He let go and said, "The farmers in North Ashford can be tough to deal with. They've got a lot of grudges from being overlooked." Clara was surprised he knew so much. Had he thought about North Ashford, too? "I know. I'll make sure they see

but then Dylan's phone rang, the screen

Talk about bad timing.

What did Simon want

Simon's voice blared through. "Uncle Dylan, where's Clara staying? I just got to

who looked less than pleased. It either meant delivering a luxury purse to his aunt or apologizing to Quinn.

his tone neutral, "Why do you

they're going after Quinn. Quinn's been crying, and I want Clara to apologize. She's her older