Mistress at a Price (8 page)

‘
We
’
re having dinner,
’
she said.
‘
Nothing more than that.
’

He was leaning back in his chair, his face half hidden in the shadows beyond the candlelight.
‘
To you, perhaps,
’
he said.
‘
But not to me. It will take a damned sight more than a meal to satisfy me tonight.
’

She bit back a gasp. She said huskily,
‘
How
—
dare you? Are you mad?
’

‘
No,
’
he said.
‘
I
’
m a risk-taker
—
and an optimist. You said so yourself.
’
She could hear the sensuous huskiness in his voice. Could feel the smoky intensity of his gaze on the roundness of her breasts under the clinging top as acutely as if he
’
d touched them naked, cupping the warm swell of them in his hands.

She felt suddenly breathless, the pounding of her heart like a trip-hammer, as she found herself imagining how his touch would be…

Oh, God, she thought, retreating from the brink. This cannot be happening. Pull yourself together.

Now, if ever, was the time to tell him with flinty emphasis that he
’
d finally overstepped the mark, pick up her bag and leave
—
even if it meant leaving the hotel a blank cheque for her bill.

Only, she realised, dismayed, the first course was arriving and their table was surrounded. Bread was being offered, butter pats placed within reach, and glasses were being topped up. An exit was no longer a simple option
—
if her legs would even carry her so far.

Instead, as if she
’
d been programmed, she found herself picking up her spoon and addressing her soup. Its cool, delicate flavour was just what she needed to ease the dryness in her throat. And maybe food would stop the trembling inside her
—
if anything could…

‘
Good?
’
Liam asked casually, host to guest rather than predator to prey, and she nodded jerkily.

‘
Wonderful,
’
she managed.
‘
The food critics seem to be absolutely right.
’

‘
I
’
ll make sure I tell the chef.
’

‘
Yes, please do.
’
Cat reached for the nearest glass, intending to drink some water, only to find she
’
d taken another gulp of wine.

But if she confined herself to one glassful only there
’
d be no real harm done, she assured herself hastily. Perhaps it would even calm her a little
—
help her to relax and endure the remainder of the meal.

Because that was what it was going to be
—
an endurance test. And she had to be the winner. There could be no other result.

So perhaps it was time she tried to recover a measure of control over the situation.

She took another deliberate sip of wine, then smiled at him with direct charm.
‘
What a good idea this was,
’
she said.
‘
Thank you.
’

‘
My God,
’
he said mockingly.
‘
And I thought you were all set to sprinkle hemlock on my salad.
’

It was an effort, but Cat retained the smile.
‘
On the contrary. I
’
m always excited to try out new restaurants.
’

‘
I was sure you would be,
’
he said gravely.
‘
Although eating in can be fun, too.
’

‘
Possibly,
’
she said.
‘
In the right company.
’

His mouth slanted in wry acknowledgement.
‘
Do you like cooking?
’

‘
That
’
s another personal detail,
’
she said.
‘
Therefore taboo.
’

He considered this for a moment.
‘
Don
’
t you find the maintenance of your defensive shield a little wearing?
’

‘
Not at all.
’

‘
Ah,
’
he said.
‘
Then may I find it tedious on your behalf?
’

The swift bubble of laughter escaped her before she knew it.

She tried to regain lost ground by glancing at her watch.
‘
Well, tedium won
’
t last for much longer. I have to be on the road within the hour.
’

His hand reached across the table and took hers, keeping it in a light clasp, his thumb stroking the slender bare fingers.

He said quietly,
‘
Don
’
t go. Stay here tonight.
’

In an instant the whole atmosphere had changed
—
become electric. Cat felt her throat tighten as she heard the deafening throb of her own blood. Felt the heat begin to build inside her.

She shook her head, not trusting her voice, her entire body awakening to his light, sensuous touch. It shocked her to know how much she
’
d wanted to say yes
—
to abandon herself to whatever the night might bring. She was bewildered and almost frightened by this strange turmoil in her senses.

She looked down almost wonderingly at the hand still holding hers, and stiffened slightly, a faint crease appearing between her brows. His fingers, she saw, were long and lean, and very strong for all their gentleness.

But, she realised, they were also smooth, and without calluses, and his nails were immaculately clean and neatly trimmed.

She said shakily, pulling her hand from his grasp,
‘
You
’
re not a gardener at all, are you? Or any other kind of manual worker?
’

His voice was quiet.
‘
I never said I was.
’

‘
No, but you let me think so.
’
Cat paused, vexed, as the waiters returned to clear the plates and serve the next course. She drank some wine, the stem of her glass gripped tensely, as she watched them bone the fish and place the fillets on to plates. A bowl of tossed green salad was set on the table, with a dish of tartar sauce, and a platter of tiny sauté potatoes was offered.

All of which gave her a chance to think
—
to regroup and regain her composure. But also prompted her to start wondering about him all over again.

She
’
d already noted, of course, that his change of clothes was expensive, but there were few other clues. He wore a watch on a plain black leather strap, and no rings, which could mean anything or nothing.

When they were alone again, and had begun to eat, she said, striving for lightness,
‘
It seems I really must stop jumping to conclusions.
’
She paused.
‘
So, if you
’
re not the gardener, what
’
s your real connection with this place?
’

Liam tutted reprovingly.
‘
You
’
re breaking your own rule, sweetheart. The embargo on personal details works both ways.
’

Cat stared expressionlessly down at her plate. Caught, she told herself, without humour, in my own trap. Why didn
’
t I see that coming?

Because he
’
s knocked you sideways, said a small mocking voice in her head. And you
’
re not thinking

properly. He
’
s awoken all your senses except common sense.

She forced a smile.
‘
Maybe I should rethink my position.
’

‘
On the contrary.
’
His answering grin was totally relaxed.
‘
I
’
m starting to enjoy this enforced anonymity.
’
He began to count off on his fingers.
‘
No searching for common ground. No discovery of mutual friends or wincing over tastes in books and music. No mobile phone numbers or e-mail addresses.
’
He paused, adding softly,
‘
No past and no future. Simply
—
the pleasure of the present.
’

Which is exactly what I spent most of the afternoon telling myself I wanted, Cat thought startled. So I can hardly complain now that it
’
s here.

She said crisply,
‘
Pleasure is something of an exaggeration.
’

‘
Ah,
’
Liam said gently.
‘
But the night is still young.
’
His eyes met hers, then moved down slowly to absorb the quiver of her parted lips.

She drank some more wine, her mind whirling again. There
’
d been hunger in his gaze, and purpose too, and her body had warmed under the overt suggestion.

Oh, God, she thought, what am I getting into? Am I actually contemplating making love with someone I didn
’
t know existed when I woke up this morning? Am I seriously that crazy?

Because it was one thing to declare her own sexual independence in the mid-afternoon under a blazing June sun, and quite another to go from theory to reality by plunging into intimacy with a stranger in the warm shadows of the night.

That would be a huge
—
maybe an irrevocable step for her. And she wasn
’
t sure whether she had the courage
—
or the sheer bravado
—
to take it.

She lifted her chin.
‘
Why, yes,
’
she said lightly.
‘
And there could even be chocolate for dessert.
’

‘
I can guarantee it,
’
he said. He paused.
‘
And after dessert?
’

Cat tensed.
‘
What do you mean?
’
She tried not to sound breathless, but wasn
’
t convinced she
’
d succeeded.

‘
I thought
—
coffee,
’
he said.
‘
And armagnac, perhaps? After all, I suspect you
’
re already over the driving limit.
’

She looked at her empty wine glass
—
at the upturned bottle in the ice bucket. So much, she thought, for good intentions.

‘
Yes,
’
she said.
‘
I
—
I suppose I am.
’
She swallowed.
‘
Well
—
that sounds
—
good.
’

The chocolate torte, when it came, was good too
—
sublimely rich and totally delicious
—
and she ate every crumb, her concentration on the food masking the fact that her mind was churning.

There were things about him she really needed to know, she told herself as the coffee and brandies arrived. And first and foremost among those was his marital status. After all, he already knew she was single. She wanted the same assurance about him.

He might be sending her body wild, but there was no room in her life or ethos for other women
’
s bored husbands.

And there was no way of finding out except by direct questioning, which, as she
’
d already seen, would get her nowhere.