Dishonourable Proposal

He frowned down at her 'No need to thank me. I haven't done anything... yet.'

The threat in his tone was explicit. She forced herself to look at him. She was a mature woman. Jake believed she was sexually experienced, and to appear as a blushing child this morning simply because they had slept in the same bed was ridiculous, but that was how she felt.

She bit her lip, her hands clenched under the covers, as she fought to present a sophisticated image. Jake, by his restraint last night, had proved he was not exactly desperate for her body. Her assumption that he was after revenge was obviously correct. If she had any hope of retaining her pride when she eventually escaped him he must never know how truly vulnerable she really was.

Her mouth dropped open in shock as, without a shred of embarrassment, Jake dropped the towels and moved around the room, picking up and putting on his scattered clothing. She couldn't tear her hungry gaze away from him. He moved with a lithe grace, even when doing such a mundane chore as dressing. His legs long and muscular, his hips taut... and so very much a man. Ashamed of her erotic thoughts, she felt a scarlet tide of embarrassment burn from her head to her toes.

He paused as he zipped up his trousers, and glanced around the room as though he were seeing it for the first time, which in a way he was. A disdainful grimace pulled down the corners of his mouth and, sitting down on the bed to pull on his socks, he remarked, 'This place is too small, Katy.' He turned his head, his dark eyes impersonal as he noted her hands firmly gripping the covers under her chin. 'You still look tired; beautiful, but tired,' he amended, his glance lingering on her face, the dark circles under her wary green eyes. 'Stay in bed this morning and then spend the rest of the day packing. I have a lot of business to catch up on; yesterday was pretty much a wasted day. So I'll send the car round for you about four. Introduce yourself to my housekeeper, and with luck I will be finished at work about seven. Say, dinner seven-thirty. Mrs Charles knows what to expect— she has looked after me for years.' He rattled off his orders as though he were speaking to his secretary.

Katy could not believe her ears. Yesterday had been the most traumatic day of her life and for him 'a wasted day'. The nerve of the swine! He was all hard-headed businessman. He dismissed her beloved apartment as though it were a slum. Anger bubbled up inside her, overriding her intense awareness of the man.

'Now wait a damn minute!' There was no way she was going to follow his orders like some mindless bimbo.

'For God's sake, Katy, don't start being difficult. I'm going to be late for my nine o'clock appointment as it is.'

'You are?' she squeaked, and with a brief glance at the bedside clock she registered it was eight-thirty. 'And what about me? I also have to go to work, and as for moving in with you—forget it.' And, flinging her legs over the opposite side of the bed, she grabbed her robe off the chair and slipped it on.

A hard hand spun her around as she made for the bathroom, Jake's fingers firm around her upper arm. Dark eyes glittered sardonically down at her.

'The whole point of keeping a mistress is that the said lady will always be available to wait on the pleasure of her master, not the other way around, my dear Katy. You no longer need to work. So toddle off back to bed and I will see you later.' And with a mocking grin he propelled her towards the bed. 'You need your beauty sleep. I will take care of the business.'

'No! You're crazy if you think I will give up work just for the dubious pleasure of sharing your bed,' she flung back at him contemptuously.

'I can assure you there will be nothing dubious about the pleasure" you find in my bed, Katy, darling,' Jake promised silkily, while his fingers bit into her flesh, drawing her slowly and inexorably closer into the warmth and power of his tall frame.

The tension sizzled in the air. They stood like two protagonists in a judo match, neither one prepared to back down. Jake's dark head swooped, and his mouth covered hers in a hard, demanding kiss. By the time he lifted his head Katy was sagging against him, all resistance gone.

'I'm sorry I don't have time now, but tonight will be different. Now be sensible, Katy; do as I say, and I will see you later. I will settle everything with your father; you have nothing to worry about.' And before she could respond he had swung on his heel and left...

CHAPTER SIX

Katy dipped a lavish handful of scented crystals into the water, and, shrugging off her robe, stepped into the bath. She sank gratefully down beneath the fragrant foam, her head resting lightly against the inbuilt soft-cushioned rest.

She was a teeming mass of quivering nerves and her brain seemed to have taken a holiday. It was all Jake's fault. He had walked out earlier without a backward glance, convinced she would obey him, and unfortunately, now she had time to think, she was fast reaching the conclusion that he was right.

She loved her apartment; it was the first place she had owned, and the thought of sharing it with Jake was abhorrent. When they parted, which was a foregone conclusion, she would still have to live here. There was no way she could sell it—her lips twisted in an ironic smile-that was for sure...

Already Jake had ruined the master bedroom for her; she would never be able to sleep there on her own without thinking of him, not after last night. She would have to use the second bedroom, and if he stayed here in no time at all his presence would permeate the whole place. Perhaps moving to his apartment was the best idea. At least then she could walk away from him when the end came...

It never occurred to her to question her own acceptance of his proposal. Instead she told herself, it's a job like any other. She had made a success of modelling, gone on to make a success at designing. Being a mistress should be simple in comparison. As for her work, she had every intention of staying on at Meldenton, and there was

not a damn thing Jake could do about it. He might be able to arouse her sexually. Might? Who was she kidding?

Jake had been devious. He had deliberately allowed her to sleep, and her body, relaxed at last, had recovered somewhat from the shocks of the previous day. He was clever, very clever. But when he had kissed her this morning she had been like putty in his arms, even while she hated and despised him as a manipulating pig of a man.

With a disgusted snort she picked up the soap and washed herself all over, rubbing vigorously, as if by some magic she could rub away his touch, the lingering scent of him on her skin. Finally satisfied, she stood up and stepped out of the bath, her decisions made.

Briskly drying herself with a large fluffy towel, she draped it back over the towel-rail and walked naked into the bedroom. She would move in with Jake. It might only be for a couple of weeks, she told herself as with brisk efficiency she withdrew underclothes from a , drawer, and an elegant black and taupe patterned wool shirt-dress from the wardrobe. Ignoring the tiny devil inside her that whispered that he was what she had always wanted, she quickly donned her clothes and applied the minimum of make-up.

She was going to work and the meeting this morning, whether Jake liked it or not. She wasn't such a fool as to take him at his word. Katy fully intended to make sure he kept to his part of the deal, and she would not believe it until she saw it down in black and white, before witnesses.

Finally she was getting some business sense. She smiled bitterly at her reflection in the mirror. While Jake was getting probably one of the most expensive mistresses in the world...

There was no sign of her nemesis as she joined her father and John in the boardroom. She did not know whether she was relieved or disappointed. She hid her flustered thoughts by greeting her father effusively.

'Daddy, darling, you're all right after yesterday? No hangover, hmm?' And, leaning over where he sat, she pressed a soft kiss on his round cheek.

'Good morning, Katy, love, and no, I don't have a hangover. In fact, I feel better than I have in months. Jake was on the phone earlier, and our troubles are over. He will be along in a minute, but I can tell you the gist of the deal. Jake is buying the apartment blocks. So I can concentrate on what I do best—making fine china— and I promise you now, Katy, I will never again branch out into something I know nothing about.' Pushing his chair back, her father stood up and pulled her into his arms. Under the cover of giving her a big hug, he lowered his head and murmured, 'And please, Katy, forget my drunken rambling about your mother. She was a wonderful lady.'