Mistress Minded by Katherine Garbera Read Free Book Online

expression to reveal no emotion as he set her on her feet. He left her side, glanced at his PalmPilot, and picked up the phone, his gaze never leaving hers and still filled with that tenderness she didn’t really understand.
    Then he glanced away and reached for his notepad. He turned from her and sank down on the bed, jotting notes and speaking into the phone in that rapid-fire way that meant he was angry. She knew in an instant that he was scarcely aware of her presence anymore.
    She’d been dismissed. Finally she felt like a mistress, and it wasn’t a feeling she particularly liked.
    She felt used and cheap. She felt…aching and angry, and only her own self-control allowed her to turn away from him at that moment when she wanted instead to confront him.
    She took the clothing she’d removed from the wardrobe and entered the bathroom. The woman she saw in the mirror was one she didn’t recognize.
    Her lips were full and flushed from his kisses. Herhair fell around her face in disarray. Her nipples were still hard and her skin was exquisitely sensitive.
    She ignored the urge to go back into the bedroom and rail at Adam. Instead, she calmly refastened her bra and dropped the robe to the floor. She donned her skirt, which ended at midcalf, and then put on the blouse. Other than being cut a little lower in front it was almost something she’d wear.
    She fixed her hair, touched up her lipstick and hung up her robe before leaving the bathroom. Adam was still on the phone when she emerged. He didn’t glance up from the notes he was making, and Jayne told herself it was nothing personal. Nothing that a pretend mistress should get angry about, but it didn’t change the fact that she was riled up.
    She found the shoes that matched her outfit and stalked out of the bedroom. She didn’t know what to do now. Was she supposed to sit around and wait for him? Her mom would know, but Jayne wasn’t calling her mom.
    Instead, she explored the room in hopes of finding the treasure map.
    There was a laminated notecard with typed instructions. She read the note, went to the reproduction print hanging on the wall and pulled on the frame carefully. It swung out from the left side and the map was in the pocket on the back of the frame. She read the legend again. And though Didi had done a nicejob with the storytelling, the one on the map was more elaborate. Something out of a pirate romance novel.
    The promise of finding your heart’s desire was quixotic. How many people really knew their hearts and themselves well enough to find what they desired more than anything else? Jayne knew that if she were honest with herself she desired two things at this moment—Adam’s head on a platter and a repeat of what had just happened, but with a different conclusion.
    She couldn’t stop the wild race of emotions through her body and she bounced between sexual frustration and a deep feeling of rage that she didn’t know how to restrain.
    The light on the extension blinked out and she knew he was off the phone. She waited for him to come to her, but he didn’t. She heard the rush of water in the bathroom and realized he was getting ready for dinner.
    She put the map down and entered the bedroom, skimming his notes. They were neatly written and had several instructions on them for her. Either what had happened between them was so commonplace in his world that it had no effect on him, or he had better mastery of his emotions than she did.
    She hoped for the latter, but life had taught her that just because she wanted something to be true didn’t always mean it would be.
    â€œGood, you found my notes. I need you to send a few e-mails. I think we have time before we have to meet the Angelinis for dinner for you to do that.”
    He had buttoned his shirt and turned away from her to tuck it in. She felt as if she’d just dreamed the sensual encounter they’d had less than thirty minutes