The Seduction Scheme

‘What? Oh, tomorrow if you like.’

‘Good girl; get it over with as soon as possible. I bet you always ate your greens before the good bits. Good strategy. Are you looking for these?’ Swinging his legs to the floor, he held out a pair of lacy pants at arm’s length.

She lunged automatically and he withdrew his hand. ‘That was tomorrow, was it? Eight o’clock?’

‘Yes, yes!’ she replied as he dangled the scrap of material just out of her reach. She gave a sigh of relief as he released his grip.

‘Our first date,’ he said, raising an invisible glass to his lips. ‘I’ll return this at a later date,’ he added, audaciously tucking her bra into his pocket. ‘You look much better without it. I’ll let you put it on so that I can have the pleasure of taking it off.’

‘Our only date,’ she choked defiantly.

CHAPTER SIX

‘I NEED to go to the ladies’ room.’ Charlie laid her napkin to one side. ‘Don’t let them take that away,’ she added, frowning suspiciously at one of the zealous waiters. ‘I haven’t finished yet.’

‘It continually amazes me how much you can pack away,’ Rachel said, getting to her feet.

‘I’m not a baby. I’m quite capable of going on my own.’

‘Pardon me…’ Rachel kept her expression grave, to avoid giving any impression that she was laughing. A ten-year-old’s pride was a delicate thing.

‘Besides, you’ll have to talk to Ben if I’m not here.’

And look who’s laughing now, Rachel thought, staring after her daughter’s retreating back.

‘Out of the mouths of babes…’ Benedict drawled, leaning back in his seat and enjoying the expression of discomfiture that spread across Rachel’s face.

‘Are you suggesting I brought Charlie along as a…a…?’

‘Shield? Perish the thought.’ His dark brows lifted in sardonic assurance. ‘I’m sure it just slipped your mind when you issued the invitation to mention that we weren’t going to be alone.’

‘I owed you dinner…this is dinner.’ Even if he’d seen through her somewhat transparent ruse he might have tactfully not said so.

‘Was I complaining?’ He grinned and reached across the table and took hold of her hand. ‘Relax,’ he advised as she stiffened. ‘I’m having a great time. Charlie’s great.’ He shrugged and his ironic smile deepened. ‘She hogs the conversation, but the same has been said of me. We have a surprising amount in common, you know; I was a so-called “gifted” child too. I’ve been through the whole hothouse thing.’

That explained the rapport. ‘What hothouse thing?’ she asked, ultra-sensitive to implied criticism.

‘You know, skipping the bud stage and going straight into full bloom. That’s the system these schools who cater for the crème de la crème specialise in.’ He cast a knowledgeable glance at the militant light that had entered her eyes. ’And lower those prickles, darling; I don’t want to fight.’

‘You’ve got a funny way of showing it.’ She had enough insecurities about her decision over Charlie’s education without him making her feel even less sure about her move to the city.

‘I know how it must be; on one hand you don’t want to be a pushy mother, on the other you don’t want to stifle her potential. It’s a classic no-win situation so relax and play it by ear. Right now,’ he confided, ‘there’s only one thing I want to ask you about Charlie. What time will she be safely in bed?’

Rachel recognised a leading question when she heard one. ‘On weekends her bedtime’s flexible.’

‘You could always prop her up in the corner if she dozes off.’ His sarcasm stung.

She snatched her hand away. His thumb had been inscribing slow, sensuous circles over the palm of her hand; her nerve-endings were jangling and she found it impossible to concentrate on anything above the clamour.

How, she pondered bleakly, was it possible for this man to do more damage to her nervous system with such an innocuous caress than anyone else could manage with a full-scale seduction?

‘You’ll be gone long before then,’ she said pointedly.

‘Are you trying to tell me something, Rachel? It couldn’t be you’re scared of being alone with me, could it?’

Rachel gritted her teeth and displayed them in a brilliant smile. His smug confidence really got under her skin—especially as she had a sinking feeling it could well be justified.

‘I am alone with you and see—’ she held out her hand for his inspection ‘—not even a tremor.’