Mistress For Hire

Lisa choked with laughter.

‘Of course not!’ she retorted.

‘Yet you live with him?’ demanded Matt sternly.

All the hostility between them seemed to come bubbling to the surface as the implication of his words sank in.

‘So you assume—’ cried Lisa hotly and then bit off the words.

‘I’ve seen for myself that you lie around naked on the dining table inviting his attentions,’ continued Matt in a hushed, rapid tone so that she had to strain her ears to catch the words. ‘So I assume that you’re having an affair with him. Is that unreasonable?’

Lisa flushed scarlet and glanced uneasily around her, but the other guests in the restaurant seemed quite unconscious of what they were discussing. Her mind raced as she tried to gather her thoughts. She could have told Matt Lansdon the simple truth, every bit of it, including the bargain about the art lessons. But why should she? What business was it of his?

‘It’s nothing to do with you,’ she flared.

‘I see,’ he replied mockingly. ‘Then I’ll simply have to go on making my assumptions, won’t I? But if you’re not in love with Tim, are you at least fond of him?’

‘As a matter of fact, I am!’

‘Then leave him alone, Lisa,’ urged Matt, leaning forward across the table and seizing her wrist. ‘Move out of that flat and give him a chance to grow up. He doesn’t need a woman like you in his life when he’s barely out of school and still wet behind the ears.’

‘A woman like me?’ echoed Lisa. ‘And what exactly is that supposed to mean?’

‘You know damned well what it’s supposed to mean. You’re a sensual, ambitious little schemer and you’re using your considerable charm and physical attraction to lure him into your nets.’

‘I’m flattered that you think I have charm and physical attraction,’ jeered Lisa.

‘Don’t be. It’s a simple statement of fact, not a compliment. What baffles me is why you bother. Is the money really worth it?’

‘What money?’ demanded Lisa contemptuously.

‘The money you hope to get when Tim marries you,’ snapped Matt.

Lisa’s mouth fell open. ‘Is that what I’m supposed to be after? Marriage to Tim?’

‘Oh, I love the bewildered innocence, sweetheart! But you’re wasting your time trying to fool me. Sonia’s already told me you and Tim are planning to get married.’

Lisa very nearly picked up the champagne bottle and emptied it over Matt’s head. Then she took a long, deep breath and exhaled slowly. She had disliked Tim’s mother from the moment she met her, considering her snobbish, patronizing and extremely silly, but even Sonia was incapable of such a pearl of fantasy without at least a grain of truth to get her started. Tim must have said something to set this whole tale in motion!

‘Where did you hear this?’ she asked.

‘Tim told her. She says she’s found you in the house twice when she went to visit him. The first time she suspected you were living with him, so the second time she arrived unannounced, found a wild party in progress and Tim draped all over you.’

‘It wasn’t a wild party!’ protested Lisa. ‘It was just a few of Tim’s friends at the end of third term. We’ve had much wilder parties than that.’

‘Have you?’ demanded Matt in an ominous tone. ‘As your landlord, I hardly find that reassuring. Anyway, be that as it may, Sonia tackled Tim about it afterwards and demanded to know what you were doing there. At first he told her a lot of implausible stories and then finally blurted out the truth—that he had fallen in love with you and was planning to marry you.’

Lisa gave a low gasp of indignation.

‘That idiot,’ she muttered. ‘I might have known he’d go to pieces once Sonia started interrogating him. He’s nothing but a big, silly kid.’

‘Exactly,’ growled Matt. ‘So why are you wasting your time on him? You don’t need a boy, you need a grown man, and a powerful one at that, to keep you occupied, young lady.’

‘Oh, so you’re offering your services, are you?’ demanded Lisa sarcastically.

Matt’s hold on her wrist tightened.

‘I might be, I just might be,’ he growled. ‘Not marriage, Lisa. I’ve no intention of marrying a woman who’s available to the highest bidder, but a love affair, that’s something else.’ He leaned forward and his voice was so low that she could scarcely catch the words, but when she did they made her quiver with rage and something else. ‘I can make you tingle and ache with sexual passion in a way that boy hasn’t even discovered yet. You’re a gambler and a deeply sensual woman, Lisa, and I’m a man of considerable experience. Why don’t you try your luck with me?’

CHAPTER TWO

LISA was so outraged by this question that for a moment she was completely speechless. Yet if she was honest, it was not only outrage that she felt. A strange, throbbing warmth began to pulsate deep inside her at Matt’s words, and the intense, stormy look in his eyes made her feel breathless. Feeling almost as angry with herself as with him, she jerked her hand out of his grip and gave him a cold, challenging stare.

‘What exactly are you suggesting?’ she demanded.

Matt smiled lazily as if he was enjoying the situation.

‘I’m a wealthy man,’ he said in a low voice. ‘I could set you up in style with a luxury flat and a studio. I already come to Melbourne quite frequently on business and I could come even more frequently for pleasure.’

Lisa felt the taste of rage in her mouth, as pure and toxic as neat alcohol.

‘You make me sound like a fast food outlet,’ she hissed. ‘Juicy steaks, medium rare, prepared to perfection while you wait! And our money back guarantee if we fail to satisfy.’

Matt looked at her from under half-closed lids.

‘Oh, I don’t think you’d fail to satisfy,’ he murmured.

She leapt to her feet with an inarticulate gasp of rage.

‘I’ve never been so insulted in my life!’ she cried.

Matt seized her wrist again. Gently, tenderly, as if this was nothing more than a playful disagreement between them. Yet there was something merciless in that grip.

‘Sit down,’ he invited. ‘I haven’t finished with you.’

‘Well, I’ve finished with you!’ she flared and turned as if to flee.

His grip tightened. There was a latent physical force in that warm, hard, masculine hand that enthralled and alarmed her. He wasn’t actually hurting her, she couldn’t say that, but he was making her aware in the most blatant possible way of his virility and strength. With a sense of disbelief, she realized that the only way she could escape would be to shout for help and knock over a few wineglasses. For one wild moment she seriously contemplated the prospect. But Matt’s wordless, lingering smile made her decide against it. He might seem conservative on the surface, but with a sudden flash of insight she guessed that he was really totally indifferent to the opinion of others. If she made a scene, he was probably perfectly capable of swinging her over his shoulder and marching out of the restaurant. Shuddering inwardly at the image, Lisa subsided into her seat and glared at him.

‘Am I to take it that your answer is no?’ he asked mildly.

‘Yes,’ said Lisa between her teeth.

‘Your answer is yes?’ marvelled Matt, deliberately misunderstanding her. ‘What an unexpected pleasure! I’m sure we’ll get along brilliantly together.’

‘I didn’t mean that!’ flared Lisa, losing all patience. ‘I meant yes, my answer is no. Oh, stop trying to make me sound stupid! I wouldn’t have an affair with you if you were the last man on earth.’

‘And yet you’re prepared to do it with Tim?’ he challenged.