The Deserving Mistress

‘But—’

‘That is the end of the matter as far as I’m concerned,’ May cut in decisively. ‘You’ve been very kind.’ Her voice softened slightly as she saw how hurt and confused David now looked. He was hurt and confused! ‘But my answer is still no.’

David looked troubled. ‘If you would just talk to April you would see—’

‘No!’ May cut in sharply, drawing in a deeply controlling breath as David looked stunned by her vehemence. ‘I’m sorry—’ she frowned ‘—but I really don’t want this.’

There was no way she could tell him how much she didn’t want it! But he at least had to believe how strongly she felt about all this. Without her actually having to spell the situation out in black and white…

Something she had no intention of doing. To anybody.

But David was perfectly correct in his assessment as to when her attitude to appearing in his film had changed. And it had nothing to do with Dan Howard!

David looked decidedly uncomfortable now. ‘April really is a very charming woman.’

‘I’m sure she is,’ May bit out evenly.

‘May—’

‘David, I do apologize for being late,’ interrupted a huskily breathless voice. ‘We left in good time, but we had a little difficulty in finding the place.’ The woman gave a ruefully dismissive laugh.

May had frozen into immobility at the first sound of that voice, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move, certainly couldn’t turn and look at the woman who had just joined them.

But she knew who it was, that huskily attractive voice unmistakable.

April Robine…

May had no doubts that David had set her up, had deliberately arranged for the actress to meet them here—in fact, the other woman’s words confirmed that he had. No wonder David had looked so stricken seconds ago at May’s vehement refusal to meet the famous actress.

May shot David an accusing glare as he looked at her concernedly be

fore standing up to greet the other woman, every muscle in May’s body tensed, all the air seeming to have been knocked out of her lungs as she shook badly.

This couldn’t be happening!

It just couldn’t be happening!

Her worst nightmare—but it was all too real!

May had thought, with her refusal of the part in David’s film, that she had avoided this ever happening, that she could put it all from her mind once again. And, instead, she now found herself confronted with a woman she had no desire to meet—ever!

‘May,’ Jude Marshall greeted mockingly.

Now she did move, turning sharply in her seat to see Jude standing next to April Robine, his expression one of taunting challenge. Answering the ‘we’ in April Robine’s initial statement…

But at least while May was looking at Jude she didn’t have to look at the actress who stood at his side.

She was nevertheless completely aware of the other woman, could hear her talking softly to David, could smell the perfume she wore. A perfume that made May’s head spin!

‘Are you okay, May?’ The mockery left Jude’s face as he looked down at her concernedly.

‘Of course I’m okay,’ she replied brittlely as she stood up, willing the dizziness to dissipate; she was not going to faint. She was not! ‘I didn’t expect to see you here,’ she added with husky rebuke.

He could so easily have told her earlier that he knew she wasn’t lunching alone with David, that he and April Robine were to join them—giving May the opportunity not to appear!

But, then, maybe Jude had realised that? If not the actual reason for it…

‘I didn’t want to ruin the surprise for you,’ Jude came back mockingly.