The Accidental Mistress by Portia Da Costa Read Free Book Online Page B

slender and graceful. She had the nimblest touch, as befitted a seamstress, but those fingertips could wreak magic on his flesh with their tricky, delicate ways. His cock throbbed, as if subject to that fantasy caress.
    ‘I know … and you know what I’m like. I wouldn’t be able to resist you, and then we’d both end up knackered in the morning, when
you
didn’t have to be.’ God, he wasn’t putting this very well, was he? Where was the killer negotiator when he needed him?
    Her face was pinker than ever.‘It’s not that I don’t want you, John, because I do … but, well, you’re a very rich and lavish diet for a girl who’s not … um … not used to overindulging. I’ve been living on plainer fare until now.’
    A knife of jealousy sliced through him. He didn’t like to think about her prior sexual diet at all. Was she still thinking about Brent? Damn it, he’d told himself he must draw a lineunder any thoughts of the men Lizzie had been with before him. Especially her house-mate. But still that atavistic savage inside him growled.
    ‘You’re a delicious dish for me too, Lizzie. But I know what you mean and you’re right. We need to do this a tad slower … at a pace where we can enjoy the process like grown-ups.’ Her hand still rested in his. Had she trembled? Maybe it was him? Wanting her so badly yet trying to contain himself. ‘And
I
need stop acting like a selfish, greedy sex addict. You’ve got so much more sense than me, love. I need you to keep me in line.’ Her eyes twinkled, and he knew she was thinking of that time back at the mansion sex party, where she had indeed kept him in line. Her instinctive dominatrix skills had taken his breath away. ‘Well, some of the time … occasionally … You know what I mean.’
    She smiled. ‘Indeed I do, indeed I do. Sometimes it’s nice to mix things up.’
    ‘Seriously though. You
are
right. We both need to sleep tonight. Especially …’ He took a deep breath, hating what he had to tell her. This lightning visit up north had been shoehorned into a murderous schedule; he hadn’t thought of anything but seeing her. ‘Well, I have to be in New York the day after tomorrow, love. Something fairly important. I’d put it off, but the negotiations are on a knife edge, and success could lead to a lot of new jobs being created.’
    Still the smile, but somehow not as bright. He could see her fighting to be sensible. ‘Jobs where?’
    ‘Oh, UK jobs … quite a lot of them. Some of them could be in this area, and I know there’s a lot of unemployment,’ he said, impressed by her sharp judgement.
    ‘Well, that’s excellent. I hope it goes well. It’s a good thing.’ She twisted her hand again, gripping his and bringingit to her lips, briefly but fiercely. ‘And you should be rested and at your sharpest.’ She released him. ‘Perhaps I’d better be on my way now. Shelley will be expecting me home. I still feel bad about disappearing without telling her.’
    ‘Let’s finish our drinks, eh?’ He glanced at his gin, and her G&T, finding both unappealing.
    Why did he suddenly feel he’d let Lizzie down? Why did he keep on wanting stupid things he knew he simply shouldn’t have?
    Why did he suddenly want to take everything about her life, and make it
his
?
    ‘Do you have nosy neighbours?’
    John was walking beside her down St Patrick’s Road, carrying all the bags containing her new goodies, just as if he was a perfectly normal boyfriend walking his perfectly normal girlfriend home after a day at the shops. He’d told the driver of the chauffeured hire car to drop them at the end of the road, and circle round, so they could cover the last bit of the way together on foot. Though he hadn’t mentioned it, or made anything of it, Lizzie wondered about the sudden appearance of a hired driver. She suspected that John never drove himself anywhere now if he’d had a drink.
    ‘Some of them are a bit like that, though not too bad. They’d