Mistress by Agreement

‘I can see I’m going to have to educate you in all manner of things,’ he said softly.

She ignored that; it seemed appropriate when he looked so broodingly sexy. He finally decided on some classical music she’d had for some time, and she was just beginning to relax after he had moved to sit beside her when he said, out of the blue, ‘Did I mention I’m looking for a house in London?’

For a moment she was speechless. ‘You are?’ she managed at last. ‘Why on earth are you doing that?’

He glanced down at her, putting his coffee-cup on the little table at the side of the sofa and slipping an arm comfortably round her shoulders as he said, ‘It seems more sensible than all the inconvenience of hotels.’

‘But you’ll have your own—hotel, I mean. Surely you can have a suite reserved in that for your own use when you’re in England? And your main business is in the States, isn’t it?’

‘At the moment,’ he agreed smoothly. ‘But I want to develop the English project to include at least three more hotel complexes over here.’

‘You do?’ She just didn’t know how to handle that.

She hadn’t realised the tone of her voice until he said, his drawl silky but with an edge to it, ‘I’d have thought you’d be pleased. No doubt Carr and Partners will get the business again, if the job is done right this time, of course.’

Her throat had locked and she had to swallow twice before she could say, ‘Of course it will be done right,’ knowing she was skirting the main issue.

‘In spite of the business I’m in, I’ve never liked staying for any length of time in a hotel,’ he continued, the hardness of his thigh against hers setting up a chain reaction Rosalie could have done without. ‘On the one hand they are impersonal, not like a home, and on the other—with me owning the damn thing—my employees are a sight too nosy about my comings and goings. It’s like living in a goldfish bowl at times.’

And no doubt his love life made interesting observation, she thought testily. She schooled her voice to show no expression. ‘I can understand that.’

‘Me not liking hotels or my staff’s intrusiveness?’

She took a sip of her coffee. ‘Both,’ she said coolly.

She felt the blue gaze searching her face but she kept her eyes focused on the cup in her hands, and after a moment he said, ‘So, any suggestions?’ as he settled back, one knee over the other.

‘Suggestions?’ She raised fine eyebrows in bland enquiry.

‘On property,’ he said patiently.

‘I wouldn’t have a clue on the sort of thing that might interest you,’ she pointed out carefully. ‘Would you want a flat or a house or what?’

‘Not a what.’ He was smiling above her head; she could feel it. ‘Probably a flat. I’ve got the house in New York and a villa in Jamaica, so maybe a flat would be appropriate here.’

A house and a villa? Lucky old him. Rosalie didn’t know why the thought of Kingsley buying a base in London was so unsettling, but it was. Which was crazy when you thought about it. London was more than big enough to take the pair of them and make sure they never bumped into each other for the rest of their lives! She took a deep breath. ‘You’d be better going to an expert,’ she said pleasantly.

‘Do you know, I might just do that.’

Her heart gave an unsteady thud. She should never have agreed to work for him in the first place, that way none of this would be happening. But Mike would have thrown a blue fit if he had learnt she was turning business away, especially the sort of business Kingsley represented.

Her hands tightened on the coffee-cup. No, she’d had no choice, she reassured herself firmly. Since Jamie’s dinner party events had unfurled almost of their own accord—aided and abetted by Kingsley, of course.

She glanced up at him and the blue eyes were waiting for her. ‘I’d better be going. I fly back to the States first thing in the morning,’ he said, the tone lazy.

‘You do?’ She was surprised. ‘But…’

‘Yes?’

‘You only arrived on Friday, didn’t you?’

He nodded, his eyes tight on her puzzled face.

‘But surely the business you came to England about, the hotel…’ She tried to get her thoughts in order. ‘Don’t you need to deal with it?’ she asked.

His thumbs traced patterns along her cheekbones before he kissed her, very thoroughly. ‘Who said I came over on business?’ he murmured huskily, rising to his feet. ‘Sleep tight, Rosie.’

And he left.