The Temptress (38 page)

‘Stop, I’m getting visuals,’ I laughed. ‘We
need to look at hiring a few men I think, it’s not fair to send in Henry or
Mike when they’re not fully trained.’

‘Speaking of hiring, Jackson Barrett is in at
quarter to ten to go over the terms of his contract for the IT job and I have
the architect in at eleven-fifteen, after the staff meeting, to walk through
the plans for altering your bedroom and en-suite, to make a smaller guest
cloakroom for you and your clients, then a good sized office and server room
for Jackson, leaving the separate access out to the staff room, to give you
privacy.’

‘Ok,’ I nodded. Jackson had been top of my
shortlist when we’d reviewed the files, before we even put them through a
skills test with Ian and then whittled down for interviews. Ian assured me that
he had all the capabilities to pull off most of what we required and that if
there was ever anything more complex, Ian could step in and work with him.

‘Twelve is Mrs. Ashton.’

‘Husband with crabs?’

‘Yes and no, we were wrong. Turns out he’s been
wearing his wife’s expensive lingerie around the house while she’s out, doing
dusting and hoovering and it appears that he’s allergic to the fabric softener
she uses for her delicates. Pictures and invoice are in the folder.’

‘Wow, I don’t think a pair of my knickers would
even get above Luc’s thighs.’

‘I’d say, he has the build of a rugby player.’

‘He does,’ I nodded, quickly snapping myself
out of the image of him naked that Sunday night we went to his house.

‘Twelve-thirty you have a Mrs. Alexander, new
client. Says her husband is being “too nice,” which has raised her suspicions.’

‘Late hours, last minute excuses?’

‘No, nothing out of the ordinary other than
telling her how beautiful she looks, bringing her more flowers and gifts, taking
her out more often and an improvement in their sex life.’

‘Someone lock him up now, appalling behaviour,’
I commented, with a gentle shake of my head. ‘Maybe he’s just realised how
lucky he is.’

‘That would be nice wouldn’t it? We haven’t had
one of those cases for a while. I’ve left you half an hour for lunch, I’ve
already ordered. I’ve taken a new booking request appointment myself at three,
as the dragon is in at two and I thought you might want to get out of the
office when you’re done with her. I’ve collated all the information you gave me
on Thursday, plus the extras that you emailed in over the weekend. All copied
for our files, paper and computer and I emailed an extra copy to Arthur Finch at
Austin, Turner and Finch this morning, in the event that you need him to issue
an injunction. He’ll be on standby this afternoon if required.’

‘Perfect. Can you book an afternoon out next
week for you and I to meet as well?’

‘Sure, anything in particular, so I know what
to prepare?’

‘I’d like to discuss your advancement.
Excellent as you are as a PA and receptionist, I think your talents aren’t
being fully utilised. I’d like to take someone on to replace you on reception
and to do some of your PA duties, then have you working with me, rather than
just for me.’

‘Are you serious?’ She looked at me wide eyed
with her mouth ajar.

‘I am. It would mean additional
responsibilities, but would come with a substantial raise with extra benefits
and we’d need to revise the plans for the offices. I’d suggest Jackson’s
proposed office becoming yours, leaving the connecting door through to mine,
then converting the loft into a number of additional offices. Jackson could go
up there and we could move HR and Accounts upstairs as there’ll be room enough
to give Sandra some extra help. I’d like you to think about it and jot down any
ideas or concerns you have and we can discuss at our meeting, along with the
package. If you’re not interested, that’s fine, though I really hope you will
be.’

‘I’m interested,’ she confirmed quickly. ‘More
than interested. Lulu, I don’t know what to say, I’m so … damn it,’ she moaned
as she fluttered her hands in front of her eyes, which were tearing up. I
quickly grabbed her a tissue.

‘Violet, you are amazing, you totally deserve
this and I need to start thinking about being home even more for Tristan, I’d
love to be able to clock off at three every day to pick him up from school and
there’s no one I trust more to look after my business.’

‘You’ve no idea what this means to me, Lulu.
Honestly I’m so touched that you think so highly of me.’

‘You’ve earned my trust, Violet and I don’t
just think of you as an employee, you’re a friend,’ I stated sincerely, as I
reached over to squeeze her hand.

I angled the wall mounted flat screen TV to
ensure it could be seen clearly from the sofas and headed into my en-suite to
check my appearance. I’d teamed a white tuxedo jacket with a pair of skinny fit,
black leather trousers and my highest black leather heels. I’d gone bare
chested under the jacket, showing off my pierced midriff and the diamond
necklace from Luc. My hair was in a smart ponytail, draped over one shoulder
and I’d made sure to keep my makeup natural looking, while enhancing my
cheekbones and eyes. I had on a pair of diamond stud earrings and a large
silver cocktail ring with my favourite chunky bangles from Coco. I wanted Myrtille
to be envious of me. It was ridiculous but I felt jealous. He may only have
slept with her once, while he was drunk, but he’d slept with her. He’d
proposed
to her. I hadn’t been jealous since I’d caught my first boyfriend cheating on
me in that car park. I hadn’t allowed anyone to get close enough to me to get
under my skin. Not even Greg. But Luc had done it and so fast as well. I
gripped the edge of the sink and closed my eyes as I thought of him. He’d hoped
to return from Paris this morning, but I’d not heard from him. I walked back to
my office and halted in my tracks as my heart rate spiked and my stomach
fluttered. He was here, standing with his back to me, looking out at the view
of London, his hands deeply embedded in his suit trouser pockets.

‘Luc,’ I cried, feeling so happy. He spun
around and in a second his face changed from one of serious contemplation to
instant joy, as his smile creased his face.

‘Lulu,’ he breathed, his voice low and husky.
We collided somewhere in the middle of the room, him lifting me up onto his
hips as I clasped his face and we poured seven days of no contact into a fiery
and passionate kiss that sent waves of heat crashing through my body. I knew
I’d missed him, but until I felt his body pressed against mine, his hands clutching
me to him tightly, the strong beat of his excited heart against my chest, I
hadn’t realised quite how much. ‘Ma belle, how I have missed you,’ he moaned
against my lips.

‘Me too. Why are you here? How long are you
staying?’ I asked, searching his beautiful brown eyes for answers.

‘Regrettably only for a few hours, I must
return to Paris. I came only to offer my support, to face her with you, to end
this once and for all.’

‘Thank you,’ I whispered. ‘I really appreciate
you being here.’

‘Is all in order?’ he asked between kisses that
had my lips tingling.

‘Yes, perfectly. You?’

‘Yes, it took some convincing, but both banks
will continue to offer me facilities. They are sick of the Bouchons strong
arming them and stealing their clients and my track record in financial and investment
management speaks for itself. Enough of this, kiss me again,’ he ordered. So I
did, only breaking away when I needed to gasp for air.

‘I can’t believe you’re here,’ I uttered, as I
stroked his prominent cheekbones with my thumbs. He was the most handsome man
I’d ever seen, though he had dark circles under his eyes and a hint of stubble.
‘Are you resting enough? You look tired.’

‘I have been up all night. I arrived in London
early and have been with my solicitor getting the divorce contract drawn up, I’m
sorry I did not have a chance to ring you.’

‘You need to look after yourself. Are you
eating properly?’

‘You are worrying about me?’ he smiled.

‘Yes,’ I blushed. ‘I’m a mother remember, we
fuss.’

‘As long as you do not see me as your child,
because what I feel for you is positively sinful. My cock has been aching to be
inside you again,’ he whispered in a sultry tone. I grinned and shifted on his
hips, feeling his swollen erection rubbing against my suddenly overheated pussy.

‘I’m aching just as badly for you to be there
and trust me, I’m having pretty sinful thoughts too. I have a bedroom back
there,’ I advised with a flick of my head as I bit my lower lip.

‘Then why are we wasting time with idle
chit-chat about me and not in there having crazy hot sex?’

‘I was just thinking the same,’ I laughed,
taking in more oxygen at the look in his eyes, as they ran down my chest to
where the swell of my breasts could be seen through the gaping jacket.

‘Fuck, you look sexy as hell,’ he groaned. ‘If
you knew what thoughts are running through my mind right now.’

‘So tell me,’ I whispered in his ear, biting
his lobe. ‘You know how much it turned me on in Paris when you told me all of
the things that you wanted to do to me. That I was praying you’d do to me.’

‘O, I did so much more and you loved every
second of it, ma belle. I want to …’

‘Lulu, sorry to interrupt but she’s on her way up.
Do I bring her straight in?’ came Violet’s voice.

‘Merde,’ muttered Luc, gently lifting me off
him, but retaining his grip around my waist.

‘Yes please Vi and you have free reign to say
what you like,’ I advised, with a wink up at Luc who chuckled, while Violet
burst out laughing.

‘O game on,’ she uttered.

‘Ready?’ I asked him.

‘Oui, bien sûr,’ he confirmed, as he clasped my
face to kiss me again. ‘I want this woman out of my life for good. I should
never have married her, I should have waited for you.’

‘You could have waited forever, we may never
have found each other. We should at least thank her for bringing us together,’
I smiled. ‘Why did you never divorce her?’

‘I had no reason to, until I found you again. I
knew there was a risk of my business being affected if I tried to leave her,
where was the incentive?’

‘I was your incentive?’ I asked, looking up into
his beautiful brown eyes, feeling my stomach fluttering at the thought that I
was so important to him he was prepared to risk everything.

‘I told you, you are my purpose in life, Lulu
McQueen. I came from nothing, I could live with nothing again if I had to. As
long as I have you and my son in my life, I am a rich man.’

‘You never have to worry about me, I’m not
going anywhere, money or no money,’ I reminded him, with a delicate kiss.

‘Thank you, that means a lot. You are wearing
your pendant,’ he observed, his eyes lighting up again as he looked down
between my breasts.

‘I adore it and what it means, I’ve not taken
it off since you gave it to me,’ I whispered and quickly kissed him back, then
pulled out of his embrace, straightened my jacket and ran my hands over my
hair, wondering if I had flushed cheeks from our intense kissing. I looked up
at Luc surprised as he put his arm around my waist, pulling me into his side.

‘You are mine, I do not care who knows it,’ he
shrugged.

‘O I think she’ll know exactly how you feel,’ I
grinned as I flicked my eyes down to where his suit was bulging from his
erection.

‘Well, I am in desperate need of fucking you,
so let’s make this fast,’ he growled. My stomach twisted nervously as there was
a knock at the door. Seconds later Violet appeared, letting Myrtille barge past
her with her nose in the air. She lost her usual poise as she saw Luc standing
at my side and her jaw dropped.

‘I have Mrs. Le Grand and Lurch here for you,
sorry we took so long, they walk at a trot rather than a canter, I felt like
extracting a riding crop and whipping them to go faster.’

‘That’s ok Violet, I’m sure she’ll be back in
the saddle before we know it. She’s obviously feeling a little nervous given
her blackmailing scheme ends one way or another today.’

‘Neigh, I think she’s shocked to see her
stallion here with a thoroughbred instead of a knackered old mare like her,’ Vi
grinned and I felt Luc stifling some laughter, as I did, while Myrtille’s face
went bright red and Raul shifted uneasily on his feet.

‘Shall we get on, I do have the bit between my
teeth ready to proceed,’ I smiled, as I gestured to the sofa.

‘Yes, I’d better leave you to it, it’s unfair
of me to make her the
butt
of my tales,’ Vi giggled.

‘Giddy up then,’ I nodded, as she gave me a
wicked grin and closed the door. Myrtille’s face changed from bright red to
pale in an instant, as her eyes roved back and forth between Luc and I, trying
to work out what was going on and I wondered if she’d realised why we were
playing with her. ‘It appears the cat has your tongue today,’ I suggested as I
took a seat, Luc sitting next to me and immediately putting his arm around me.

‘I find you and your staff highly
unprofessional, not to mention that you sit so … brazenly with
my
husband.’

‘The husband you offered me two million pounds
to sleep with, you don’t appear to value an incredible man who should be
considered your most prized possession,’ I reminded her, Luc squeezed me
tightly and kissed the side of my head, showing his appreciation for my support.
‘I suggest you sit before you pass out, you look nervous, anxious and irritated
all in one go.’

‘I have no intention of staying for any longer
than is necessary,’ she replied, as she perched herself on the edge of the
seat, looking awkward and stiff, Raul sliding into place behind her.

‘You might find side saddle more comfortable,’
I suggested. Luc lost his composure and burst out laughing.

‘You think this is a laughing matter,’ she
spat. ‘I warned you of the consequences. I have the might of the Bouchon bank
behind me, you think you could meet with Crédit Agricole and the Bank of China
without me knowing? You think you and your whore could get away with having an
affair without my knowledge?’