Millionaire's Society Mistress (14 page)

Giving a small sigh she had paused as a flash of pain had moved over her lovely features.

“Then my friend Sarah…one of the women who was going to be a bridesmaid came to me. She was crying…distraught, begging me to forgive her. I had no idea what was going on until she told me that she was pregnant and that Donald was the father”.

Another tear had slid down her face, Craig wordlessly moving it with his finger as she had looked back at him, a shaky half smile momentarily lighting her sad features.

“Well it all came out at that point. For the past six months, even before he had asked me to marry him he had been having an affair with Sarah. I had no idea, I was so stupid”

Taking her hand in his he had squeezed it gently.

“I called everything off…but Bob was being considered for knighthood, and I knew that the scandal would kill his chances…so I stepped back quietly while he married Sarah. Donald begged me to forgive him…to not call off the wedding. Told me he loved me and that he had made a mistake”.

With more anger now in her voice she had shaken her head.

“A mistake! A six month affair and a child on the way. I told him that if he was any man at all he would look after his child and Sarah…and then I made sure that I never saw him again.

Pausing she had looked forlornly at the man sat so silently listening to her.

“The worst thing was that I felt so stupid … Like I had not been enough for him…it tore me apart Craig. How could anybody treat another person that way? I just felt worthless, and I swore never to let him or anybody else ever do that to me again”.

Taking a deep breath she had finally grown silent, as he had gently spoken.

“Do you still love him?”

His voice gentle and questioning, waiting as she had looked down at her hands which had shaken in his before finally giving a tremulous smile.

“No…no I don’t, but it still hurts…what he did”

Nodding softly he had hooked his finger under her chin, raising her head to look deeply into her eyes.

“You deserve so much more Fiona, and for what it is worth…he is unworthy of you”

Giving a shaky laugh she had nodded

“Yes I believe you are right. I even felt sorry for Sarah. I was acceptable as a wife…but she had only been good enough as a mistress…and I know that he would have carried on the affair after we were married”

Giving a small sad sigh she had closed her eyes with pain before raising them to his

“The only reason he married her was because of their child…he never thought her good enough to be his wife…no wonder their marriage was doomed. Poor Sarah and Ewan…he never wanted them”

Her eyes had locked with his as he had taken her face gently into his hands, kissing her so softly his lips hardly touching hers as she had groaned. Passion had instantly ignited between the two as she had deepened the kiss, this time more demanding Fiona clutching at him as his tongue had caressed hers the need for the other overwhelming as they had pulled and pushed off clothes till they lay naked together on the bed. Only then had the two paused both shuddering feeling the naked flesh of the other.

“I want you Fiona” he had whispered into her ear, as she had shivered, nodding softly as her hands had moved along his body.

“I want you too Craig” her voice full of that need, no more words needing to be spoken as he had made love to her, their love making so gentle, so personal, neither needing to speak. Later Laying together in the half light of the room, both clinging to the other she had looked at him, understanding finally falling on her. She didn’t love Donald, a niggling feeling filling her that perhaps she never had, as her feelings for Craig had swamped her.

She was in love with Craig Thompson, this arrogant, imposing, flawed, dominating yet so gentle man, tears once more sliding down her face at the futility of loving a man who could never and would never love her back. Hearing his soft groan beside her, she had looked up as he had turned with her half lying over her.

“Please don’t cry Fiona” he had whispered, kissing her forehead. “I don’t ever want to see you crying”

Looking at him she had shaken her head, giving a smile, one that had make him moan softly at how beautiful she looked, her face still glowing from their lovemaking.

“I’m not crying over him…I just know that I don’t ever have to worry about him ever again Craig. It’s over. You’re right…thank you”

Craig only able to stare at the happiness which had filled her eyes, those wonderful eyes shining and so large, sensing that something so important had changed about her, feeling the small lump in his throat, not understanding the way his insides had flipped so disconcertingly”

Needing to move, his eyes had swept to the nightstand, giving a small frown seeing the time on the old clock sat there.

“Well you will soon have the chance to find out” he had chuckled as she too had looked at the clock, groaning softly before flicking a wicked look at him as she had slid across the bed. Jumping up, her wonderful figure once more making Craig jump with awareness, she had turned, her smile seductive but full of mischief as she had moved across the room.

“Bagsie shower first”

Craig laughing as she had slipped into the small bathroom, throwing a pillow after her as she had laughed loudly.

“Brat” he had cried after her, his voice full of humour as he had reached over to make some important phone calls, his mind full of Fiona Campbell.

Getting ready for the meal that night had taken a lot longer than he was used to, Fiona having to help him put on the kilt and its associated accessories Craig giving a smile as he had told her that he was glad that she was there.

Finally ready wearing the Ghillie shirt instead of the more regal looking jacket he had been surprised at her choice, Fiona giving a small laugh as she had looked patiently at him.

“Trust me Craig….you do not want to be wearing all that during a Ceilidh” he looking at her with interest

“It is just a dance right?”

Fiona laughing as she had giving him a pitying look

“Oh Craig, Craig, Craig…you can never call a Ceilidh ‘just a dance’ and I really hope that you are fit”

He giving a small snort taking pride in staying in shape.

“OK” she had chuckled “We will soon see won’t we”

Craig wondering what she was talking about as he had playfully smacked her bottom

Looking in the mirror, he had to admit that he looked good, the gillie shirt loose around him the black setting off his own dark looks. With a small spin he had turned to her.

“OK tell the truth…how do I look in a skirt?” his voice playful as she had fixed him with a stern expression

“Kilt!” before laughing and nodding her head

“Well I would go for you” Craig inclining his head

“Well thank you ma’am…real kind of you to say” his voice a drawl as she had raised her eyes heavenward pulling her dress out to put on.

Craig had been surprised to not see her wearing a cocktail dress, but a capped sleeve dress, almost 50’s in design. The subtle tartan pattern on the skirt had fitted in well with his outfit and giving a whistle he had admired the way she had allowed her long hair to fall around her. Fitted on the top, the dress had flared out to her knees, showing her wonderful figure to its best, his look slowly flicking down appreciatively.

As he had raised an eyebrow in question she had given him a grin, slipping on heels before putting flat black ballet shoes into her bag.

“You will understand when you have your first dance” lovely green eyes full of laughter “You do not want to be wearing heels doing an eightsome reel”

He had looked at her in confusion, as she had taken his arm, smiling gently “A what?”

Fiona chuckling with a knowing look “Like I said you’ll see…let’s go eat”

As they had made their way down the grand stairway Craig had looked at Fiona with surprise seeing that there was about forty people now gathered in the large living area, pulling her close as he had whispered softly into her ear.

“Now how did we not hear all these people arrive?” Fiona looking down to stop the laugh from leaving her lips.

From the other side of the room Donald MacKenzie had closed his eyes holding back the groan seeing how Fiona had glowed in the tall American’s arms, his eyes narrowing as the man had pulled her in so close, remembering how he used to hold her in the same way.

The meal had been delicious, Craig surprising Fiona with his love of haggis, she scrunching up her nose at it in favour of the fresh salmon. They had been seated beside Bob MacKenzie, and she had smiled at the way the two men had seemed to get along so well. Normally intimidating with a reputation as a bit of a bully, Craig had given as good as he got, Bob finally turning to Fiona in his booming voice

“I like this man Fiona…you keep this one”

She giving a small smile while flitting a nervous look at Craig who had watched her back with an inscrutable expression on his handsome face.

Bob MacKenzie continuing loudly “And thanks for the present….I’m assuming that you picked it Fiona?”

Fiona shaking her head as she had smiled back at the man before her.

“Nope…Craig picked it all by himself” smiling warmly at him as Bob had looked at Craig with renewed admiration

As the meal had finished they had all moved into the castle’s large ballroom, Bob MacKenzie insisting that they be seated at his table, plying Craig with an expensive whiskey, Fiona noticing as he had taken his time finishing, grinning as the peer had tried to pour him another.

“A whiskey as fine as this should be savoured Bob”

Making the older man laugh once more “A rare thing to find an American with taste Craig”

Lifting his glass in a toast “To Scottish, American relations”

Both men drinking, Fiona knowing that whatever had been so important to him had become a sealed deal.

For the next hour more guests had slowly trickled into the area until finally the music had began. The band striking up Scottish tunes that the guests had all seemed familiar with. Almost as one the guests had moved to the dance floor, Fiona pulling him with her as she had like all the others seemed to know exactly where she needed to stand. Leaning in she had chuckled.

“Now I will try and keep you right …just follow my lead”

He raising an eyebrow as his lips had quirked “I thought you liked me to lead” she giving him a mock look of shock.

From the stage one of the band members seemed to be directing the people congregated around him as he had called for a dashing white sergeant to start the night, the room clapping with approval.

As the music had began, the guests had started to move, everybody but him seeming to know exactly what they should do as she had flashed him a happy smile, grabbing the hand of another man quickly introducing him to Craig. Another group of three had joined them and they were soon holding hands in circles of six, the same repeated throughout the room. As the music had started, as one, the circle had moved eight steps to the left before stopping suddenly and doing eight to the right. He had followed as best he could, feeling the kilt swishing alarmingly around his legs as he moved. As they had moved into sets of three with Fiona in the middle he had admired how gracefully she had moved between himself and the other man, her long hair flowing around her body as she had smiled and winked encouragingly at him. Soon they had moved forward creating another circle with a new group and the process had repeated itself.

The song had gone on for what seemed an age, with Craig quickly finding himself out of breath, admiring the way Fiona had seemed to be so light on her feet, hardly panting as she had been sometimes none too gently pulled around by some of the men, Craig giving her sympathetic looks as she had laughed her features so happy.

Finally however the music had stopped, and ready to have a much needed rest she had grabbed his arm to keep him on the dance floor, her eyes sparkling.

“What’s wrong Craig….not enough stamina?” mischief in her whole face as he had promised to make her pay for that later, smiling at her as the band had declared the next to be a gay Gordon, secretly relieved to find it a couples dance. Looking down he had smiled, seeing that she had at some point after they entered the ballroom changed her shoes into the ballet pumps, now knowing why, seeing as many other women had done the same or where dancing barefoot.

After the dance he had pulled her to the table for a drink, throwing up his arms in defeat

“OK you win…I’m not as fit as I thought” swiping at her skirt as she had given him a humorous smug grin.

So the night had gone, with him being introduced to new dances, finding that the friendly crowd had been only too happy to teach a newcomer the steps, everybody so open as they had first introduced themselves, Craig realising how much fun he was having. He had danced with many of the women at their table as had Fiona with the men.

As he had sat back from one such dance Donald had moved to sit beside him, Craig instantly feeling the prickling of unease as both men had watched Fiona, who at that point was being twirled violently around on the crook of a tall man’s arm, seeming to almost fly yet amazingly staying on her feet.

“She is beautiful”

Donald had mused softly beside him, as Craig had flicked a look at him

“Yes…yes she is”

He had agreed, not making any further comment hoping that the other man would take the hint.

However, he had seemed to sit up more rigid as his voice had become hard

“She will see through you eventually Craig…she might not see you for the player you are yet, but she will or you will grow bored of her. You are a user and I just want you to know that when you break up…and you will, that I will be there waiting for her”

Frowning softly he had kept watching the woman they were now talking about, his finger lazily running along the top of his crystal glass, his voice a lazy drawl.

“Good to know Donald. Although” his eyes finally turning to the other man, a steel hardness in them

“I’m not sure that that will do you much good. She told me what happened and it seems to me that I am not the one who used her…so ask yourself Donald…do you really think that she would go back to you?”