The Mistresses: Make-Believe Mistress

The Mistresses: Make-Believe Mistress
Katherine Garbera

A seductive, passionate trilogy by Katherine GarberaMake-Believe MistressSchool headmistress Grace Stephens never thought her fantasies could become public. But millionaire businessman Adam Bowen had read her secret love story that she’d written all about them and he wanted her to act out every word! Leaving Grace no choice but to go from his make-believe mistress to his very real one.Six-Month MistressYears ago, in a desperate move, Belle McNamara had agreed to become millionaire Jeremy Harper’s temporary mistress. He would never know that she’d already fallen madly in love with him. But now, finally, she had six very intimate months to work on her own plan: becoming Jeremy’s beloved wife! High-Society Mistress Refused a promotion by her tycoon father, heiress Tempest Lambert went to his worst enemy, devastatingly handsome Gavin Reynard, who had made millions as a corporate raider. Gavin still had a score to settle; using Tempest as a pawn in his takeover game was tempting. Making her his mistress – that was an offer he couldn’t refuse.

About the Author

KATHERINE GARBERA is the USA TODAY bestselling author of more than forty books. She’s always believed in happy endings and lives in Southern California with her husband, children and their pampered pet, Godiva. Visit Katherine on the web at www.katherinegarbera. com, or catch up with her on Facebook and Twitter.

The Mistresses

Make-Believe Mistress

Six-Month Mistress

High-Society Mistress

Katherine Garbera

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

Make-Believe Mistress

Since I’m now officially an Evelette, I’d like to say thanks to Janet, Roz, Denise and Leonora for welcoming me to the gang. And special thanks to the leader of the Evelette pack … Eve Gaddy!!

One

Adam walked into her office like he owned the place, closing the door behind him and locking it. He brushed his hand along the side of her cheek and tunneled his fingers into her hair, tipping her head back. She shook from the brief contact and bit her lip to keep from asking for more.

Excerpt from “Adam’s Mistress” by Stephanie Grace

Grace Stephens found it hard to think when Adam Bowen turned that intense blue-green stare on her. Her pulse beat loudly in the back of her head. Even though she’d rehearsed what she’d say at this meeting a hundred times, in the presence of her secret crush, she couldn’t talk.

“Ms. Stephens, I asked you what action you think this board should take,” he said.

His voice was deep and slightly gravelly. But it fit him. He was a big man, almost six-foot-two, muscular and totally ripped. She’d never seen him without a healthy tan. However, usually he just glanced over her and moved on. She hadn’t anticipated what effect being the center of his attention would have on her.

“Mr. Bowen,” she said, sorting through her notes on the table. As soon as she looked away from Adam her concentration returned. She was the headmistress of Tremmel-Bowen Preparatory, a very prestigious school in Plano, Texas, she reminded herself. It was an institution that had long been the breeding ground of powerful world politicians and future captains of industry.

Though lately they’d been in the news more for their scandals.

Get it together, girl.

She cleared her throat and pushed to her feet, wishing her five-foot-two frame was just a little bit taller. She walked to the front of the boardroom where her assistant, Bruce, had set up her laptop and a projector. The vice principal, Jose Martinez, rubbed the back of his neck as she fumbled with her presentation. It wasn’t just her job on the line, but the jobs of all her staff. Bruce, Jose and seventy-five teachers and support staff.

“I’m sorry for the delay. I was gathering my thoughts to talk to you and the rest of the board of regents.”

She was incredibly nervous about this meeting. The thought of disgrace and unemployment were enough to make her sweat. She refused to go back to the life she’d struggled so hard to escape. The idea was enough to draw her attention back to the matter at hand.

“Tremmel-Bowen has long been the place where diplomats and world leaders send their children for polishing and training to become future world leaders.”

“In recent years, that reputation has suffered,” Sue-Ellen Hanshaw said. The head of the PTA was a former beauty pageant queen and always made Grace feel like a country mouse. Sue-Ellen’s makeup was flawless, her hair salon perfect and her body, of course, in the best shape money could buy.

“I’m aware of that. We’ve made a lot of changes this year to get the school back on track. But of course, we’ve had this one minor setback.”

“I wouldn’t call it minor,” Malcolm O’Shea said. As the most active regent on the board, Malcolm had the power to influence the others, to keep the school open.

Of course he wouldn’t. It had been his wife—Dawn—whose photo, in a torrid embrace with another teacher, had been splashed across the Internet. Scuttlebutt said that Malcolm and Dawn were currently in mediation preparing for their divorce.

But Adam was still staring at her and his eyes held more than their usual hint of boredom. They held anger, too. She couldn’t blame him. After all, she was ultimately responsible for two of her teachers getting caught having sex by her students. She might have been able to manage the students if a picture of the incident hadn’t been made public on the school’s Web site. Stupid cell-phone cameras.

She felt flames of embarrassment sweep up her neck. Dawn had tried to explain that she’d gotten caught up in the moment and forgotten where she was, but Grace hadn’t bought it. She’d kissed her share of guys—okay, maybe fewer than her share—and not once had she forgotten where she was.

Adam cleared his throat and Grace swallowed hard. His eyes held determination; she knew he and the other regents were here to deliver bad news.

The prep school that bore his name, which at one time enjoyed a reputation for being one of the most prestigious in the world, was now mired in scandal and debt. Not at all what his great-grandfather and Angus Tremmel had envisioned when the school was founded more than one hundred years ago. And as headmistress she was ultimately the one to blame. But she had a plan—a plan that had absolutely nothing to do with staring into Adam’s deep-blue eyes.

She took a breath and moved to the front of the room. “I want to thank you all for agreeing to this meeting today. I understand your position on closing the school. However, I think once you see the plan that we have ready to implement, you’ll give us a second chance.”

She skimmed her gaze over the regents, parents and student council, who were also in attendance, keeping a determined and confident smile fixed to her face. Most of them didn’t exactly looked inspired by her speech. And Malcolm didn’t look close to even listening to any kind of save-the-school plan.

“We’ve terminated the contracts of Dawn O’Shea and Vernon Balder. The fraternization policy at the school is very clear. They both understood the reasons for their dismissal. I’ve made it clear to the staff that there are no exceptions to any of our rules.”

“That’s a good course of action, but it’s not enough to change the board’s decision, Ms. Stephens,” Malcolm said.

Grace was disappointed by his comment but had expected nothing less. Malcolm had to have been humiliated when the pictures of Dawn were published first on the Internet and then in the local paper. He was out for blood.

“What Malcolm means is that we’re also concerned with the school’s financial state. As you know, the incident caused many families to withdraw their students and we had to refund tuition, which affected the operating budget for the remainder of the school year,” Adam said.

Grace took a deep breath. It was January and the start of the second semester—enrollment had dropped by half. Parents didn’t want their future leaders touched by any kind of scandal. She was painfully aware that the school was barely going to cover operating expenses until the school year ended in May.

This was the first conversation she’d had with Adam that had involved more than one- or two-word answers. “I know that. I’ve been working with our school accountant and I think we have a plan that will keep us under budget until the end of the year.”

“Even if we keep the school open until the end of the semester, we’ll be back here discussing the same situation in the fall.”

Grace felt her heart drop. Though the board had agreed to this meeting, they’d already made up their minds and there seemed to be nothing she could say to change them. But giving up without a fight wasn’t her style.

“I don’t agree with that point of view, Mr. Bowen,” she said. “Our remaining student body wants to return next year and, together with the student council, we’ve started an aggressive recruiting campaign.”

She’d spent her entire life in pursuit of this one goal—living a proper life and working at this school. She wanted the conservative reputation she now had. She’d wanted to be anything other than the sinful daughter of the Preacher Reverend Stephens.

She forced that to the back of her mind. She definitely wasn’t going to dwell on the terribly clichéd fact that her mother had run off with a traveling salesman. Jenny Stephens had left long before Grace had been old enough to ask to go with her, and the reverend had made sure Jenny had little time with Grace thereafter. Although he’d taken her to her mother’s funeral after Jenny’s death from an aneurysm.

She rubbed the back of her neck and tried to concentrate, but the smell of Adam’s cologne distracted her. It was earthy, woodsy, a scent that titillated her senses.

“I’d like the chance to show you our entire presentation before the board votes,” she said.

“That’s why we’re here, Ms. Stephens.”

Adam’s BlackBerry twittered and he pulled the unit closer to him. His hands were large, his fingers long and his nails nicer looking than hers, which were chewed to the quick.