The Millionaire's Rebellious Mistress - By Catherine George Page 0,67
taking over one day, so I simply informed my father that the day had come sooner than planned, and there was no room at the top for both of us. When my grandfather weighed in on my side my father caved in and agreed to relocate to London.’
‘And married Maxine?’
‘After the divorce came through, yes.’ Alex’s smile turned Sarah’s blood cold. ‘Maxine thought she’d fallen in the honey pot. My father’s a fit, good-looking man, and wealthy. He bought her a penthouse flat in Chelsea, and—best of all to Maxine—she wasn’t required to ruin her figure with the children I’d wanted. But things haven’t worked out quite as flawlessly for her as she’d hoped. My father is a canny man. He’ll give her anything her heart desires, lets her use her credit card as much as she likes, but he checks the bill and pays it for her. Lack of hard cash is her problem, and right now she needs some in a hurry.’
‘Has she run up some kind of debt?’
‘No.’ His mouth twisted in distaste. ‘She wants the money for a discreet abortion, plus a holiday with her mother afterwards in some spa-type hotel in the sun to recuperate, without my father being any the wiser. Then she’ll return, pampered and massaged and good as new, to the arms of her unsuspecting husband.’
Sarah shook her head in wonder. ‘But if your father doesn’t want children why doesn’t she just ask him for the money?’
Alex smiled evilly. ‘My mother had such a bad time when I was born he had a vasectomy.’
Sarah winced. ‘So Maxine has a lover?’
He shrugged. ‘She went to a friend’s party while my father was away on a business trip. She says she drank too much champagne, can’t remember much about the evening, and now she’s pregnant with no idea who’s responsible.’
‘Do you believe that?’
‘Of course not. The man is probably someone else’s cheating husband, who either refuses to take the blame or can’t put up the money. And whatever Maxine feels—or doesn’t feel—for my father, she’s too much in love with the luxury he wraps her in to risk her marriage.’
Sarah shivered in distaste, and Alex drew her closer.
‘Forget about Maxine. I’ve been looking forward to this weekend too much to let her spoil it for us.’ He kissed her, then eyed her accusingly. ‘You were supposed to bring an overnight bag!’
‘I did. I left it in the car.’
‘Give me your keys and I’ll fetch it for you, then I’ll get cleaned up and we’ll eat.’ He smiled and brushed a hand over her hair. ‘I wasn’t expecting a lunch guest, but I’m sure we can find something.’
Sarah went up to Alex’s bedroom with him to unpack her bag, her eyebrows raised when she saw a new plasma television screen mounted on the wall opposite the bed.
‘Wow!’
Alex grinned as he dumped her bag down. ‘For entertainment on the lonely evenings you won’t spend with me.’
‘How many evenings have you been home alone this week?’ she demanded.
‘None. Because I was in London, working. I had this installed when you dumped me.’
‘You mean when you dumped me because I wouldn’t agree to your terms!’ She glared at him, and he laughed, holding up his hands in surrender.
‘Pax! No fighting before lunch.’
‘All right,’ she sighed, and melted into his arms. ‘I’ve been looking forward to this all week.’
‘So have I.’ Alex kissed her hungrily, then with a sigh let her go. ‘I need a shower, but I’ll only be a minute so don’t go away. Unpack your bag while I get clean.’
Sarah felt utterly happy as she unpacked in Alex’s bedroom while he sang—quite well, she noticed—in the shower. There was an intimacy about it she liked a lot. And Alex’s bedroom had a lot more going for it than her own place when it came to comfort. A thrill of pure delight ran through her at the thought of sharing the bed with Alex.
She smiled at him so radiantly as he emerged from the bathroom that he caught her in his arms.
‘What were you thinking just then?’
‘Just that I’d be sharing that bed with you tonight.’
He hugged her close, burying his face in her hair. ‘If you’re very good it’s just possible I might let you share it with me this afternoon, too. An afternoon nap would do you good.’
‘Would I sleep?’
‘No. Do you want to?’
She pressed her lips against his warm, bare skin, exulting at the feel of his heartbeat against her mouth. ‘No,’ she whispered.