Taken For His Pleasure

‘Graham didn’t want that from you.’ Maria gave a shocked laugh. ‘Lydia, he adored you—jeans and all!’

‘I thought he did.’ Lydia swallowed. ‘But over the last few weeks he’s been acting weird. When I was on that drug stake-out he kept ringing me up about the most ridiculous things—’

‘He was worried,’ Maria broke in. ‘That was one hell of a dangerous job, Lydia. I was worried about you too!’

‘But you didn’t phone me on the hour every hour,’ Lydia pointed out. ‘You didn’t ring me at two in the morning to ask if I needed someone to feed my goldfish.’

‘Your goldfish died last year!’

‘Exactly,’ Lydia said dryly. ‘And then we were going to his mum’s for dinner one night and he asked me to dress up a bit…’

‘Dress up?’

‘It wasn’t as if I was in jeans or a tracksuit for heaven’s sake. I was wearing a black suit! And then he asked if maybe while we were at his mum’s I could try to refrain from mentioning work…’ Lydia paused as Maria’s lips tightened, watching as her friend struggled to give an objective answer.

‘Lydia, it is a dangerous job, and we do see a lot of the more seamy side of life—it must be hard for any man to put up with, let alone someone who knows the full truth about what we do. I know my father and brothers hate my job, and they don’t know the half of it! I’m the family shame.’ Maria nudged Lydia until finally she managed a glimmer of a smile. ‘So, who finally finished it?’

‘Me,’ Lydia said, chewing on her bottom lip for a moment, not sure whether to reveal her secret—the supposedly good news that had finally brought things between her and Graham to a head. ‘I’m being considered for a promotion.’

Maria’s eyes widened and a smile broke out on her face. Because they really were good friends, as well as colleagues, and because they both knew how tough it could be to climb the ladder in what was still very much a man’s profession, Maria’s smile was completely genuine and her embrace was warm as she hugged her friend. ‘Inspector Lydia Holmes.’

‘It’s not definite,’ Lydia quickly pointed out. ‘But Graham found out, and suddenly all the little niggles, all the little problems we’d been having lately, seemed to magnify.’

‘Is he jealous?’ Maria asked, and Lydia gave a soft, mirthless laugh.

‘Apparently not! He insists that he’s just worried about me. He says that he’s not sure if it’s the sort of job he wants his wife doing. He doesn’t think—’

‘Back up a second.’ Maria was way too sharp to miss a snippet of conversation as juicy as this! ‘So you’ve had an offer of promotion and a proposal?’

‘An offer of promotion or a proposal,’ Lydia corrected. ‘It would seem I can’t have both.’

‘Oh, Lydia.’ Maria’s groan was sympathetic. The problem was all too usual—one that had been pondered by female detectives the world over. As attractive and as sexy as a kick butt detective might sound to a potential lover, the cruel reality was that she didn’t make promising wife material. This didn’t matter a scrap, of course—until you met someone you really cared about. ‘What are you going to do?’

‘I’ve already done it!’ Lydia gave a firm nod as Maria winced. ‘We really are finished.’

‘Then let’s just hope it was worth it. I mean with the promotion coming up and everything—let’s just hope you get it.’

‘It doesn’t matter if I get it or not,’ Lydia said firmly. ‘It would be nice, but it just wasn’t working out between me and Graham. If he can’t take me as I am, then it wasn’t meant to be.’

‘Well, at least you get to lick your wounds in style!’ Maria said. ‘Full access to the beauty salon and you’ve been placed with Anton Santini—you’re a single girl now, Lydia. Who better to have a rebound relationship with?’

‘Anton Santini doesn’t do relationships,’ Lydia said, a smile finally wobbling on her face. She felt so much better for having opened up to her friend. She gave a tiny shocked laugh. ‘You haven’t read what I read last night—his bio’s unbelievable! He’s always been a bit of a rake, but this last year I swear the man’s been on a mission! His list of ex-girlfriends reads like the top one hundred most beautiful people in the world: actresses, European royalty, supermodels, soccer-players’ wives…’

‘Who?’ Maria asked, agog. ‘Anyone I know?’

‘Yep.’ Lydia nodded, but didn’t elaborate. ‘And every last one has ended in tears—for the woman at least.’

‘Is he really that bad?’

‘Worse!’ Lydia nodded. ‘And I’m supposed to be guarding him. God, I hope he behaves himself.’

‘Well, if he doesn’t you can always pass him over to me—I’ll entertain him for you!’

‘You’d be so much better at this than me,’ Lydia happily conceded. ‘You’re way more suited to Anton Santini.’

‘I’m not sure if that’s a compliment.’ Maria feigned a hurt expression. ‘If you’re implying that just because I once had Botox…’

‘I’m implying that you’re a born flirt.’ Lydia laughed. ‘I’m implying that you’re so gorgeous no one would turn a hair if you were draped over Santini’s arm. Whereas I’m going to look so awkward and out of place tagging along beside him…’

‘You’ll be wonderful,’ Maria wailed. ‘You’ll look fabulous and you’re going to have an absolute ball. Unlike me. Angelina’s well over sixty, a confirmed spinster, and tops the scales at one hundred kilos. You’d think someone as divine as Anton would hire a gorgeous assistant. I guess this one must help him keep his mind strictly on business…’

‘You’re shocking.’ Lydia laughed again. ‘This is supposed to be work, remember?’

‘I know.’ Maria managed a tiny groan, but it changed into a giggle as she stared down at the very new, very false nails she’d had applied the moment they’d checked into the hotel yesterday. ‘Right, I’m really cooked now.’ Maria stood up. ‘And if we’re going to pull this off, I suppose we ought to hit the beauty parlour. I’ve got to start looking like a chic Italian businesswoman, while you, Lydia Holmes…’ Maria’s voice trailed off as Lydia groaned. ‘It will be fun,’ Maria insisted. ‘It’s going to be like one of those makeovers on the television—watching you turn from a dark-suited detective to a fabulously rich jewellery designer.’

‘A fabulously rich exclusive jewellery designer,’ Lydia corrected with a wry grin. ‘Here in Melbourne to sell my wares!’

‘Well, whatever you are and wherever you’re from, Graham’s going to be kicking himself when he sees what a stunner you are underneath it all!’

‘Underneath what?’ Lydia frowned, but Maria wasn’t going to elaborate.

Glancing at her watch, she grimaced. ‘I’d better get over to the salon—and you’d better get ready to head to the airport. Santini’s plane is just about due in.’

Lydia shook her head. ‘I don’t have to head to the airport—Graham and John are going to pull him out at Customs, to warn him about the security situation and escort him back to the hotel.’

‘So when do you get to meet him?’

‘In the restaurant. They want the initial contact to look completely accidental—I’m accidentally going to spill my drink on him. You’d think they could have come up with a better pick-up move than that! I’m supposed to be about to check out of the hotel, and he’s apparently going to be so bowled over by me that he moves me straight up to his suite…’ She could see Maria’s lips twitching as she tried not to smile. ‘That’s the sort of thing he does, apparently. I’m going to look a right fool.’

‘A gorgeous fool, though. I can’t wait to see what you look like.’ Maria rubbed her hands in delighted glee. ‘Right, I’m going to have a quick shower, and then off to the parlour—are you coming?’

Lydia shook her head. ‘You go ahead. I think I’ll have a swim first, and try to wind down a bit.’

‘Will you be okay?’ asked Maria.

‘I’ll be fine.’ Lydia smiled, and the smile stayed in place until Maria had closed the sauna door behind her.

Finally alone, Lydia allowed herself an indulgent moment. Raking her fingers through her damp hair, she rested her head in her hands, bracing herself for the huge task that lay ahead over the next few days—guarding a VIP with a security threat in situ. She had to push aside her own problems—or lack of them, now that it was over with Graham.

God, it was hot!

Lydia stepped outside the sauna, visibly blanching at the sight of the cool plunge pool and opting instead for the hopefully warmer lap pool.

Popping into a cubicle she pulled on the rather boring navy bathers she used for her daily swim, knowing that if she was going to carry off the part of Anton Santini’s latest girlfriend she’d better head over to the boutique and buy a decent bikini. Folding her clothes and placing them in her bag, she padded out to the pool area, glad to see that it was deserted again, and glad for a few moments of solitude before the rigours of the next few days began.

A wealthy financier, Anton Santini part-owned a vast string of international hotels. According to the detailed brief Lydia had been given, his hotel chain was considering adding this luxury Melbourne hotel to its impressive list of residences. More importantly, down the track he was considering building a vast, brand-new hotel complex in Darwin, which would not only mean more tourists, but would also provide many vital jobs for the locals in the Northern Territory.

Everyone wanted his whirlwind visit to Melbourne to go well—hence the panic that had ensued when a potential security threat towards Anton Santini had been revealed. There had been no time to reschedule the gathering—he was already on his plane and heading for Australia—so instead red panic buttons had been pushed and a massive security operation had been hastily put in place—with no expense spared! And though professionally Lydia relished the opportunity, she was cringing at the prospect of playing the part of Santini’s girlfriend. She knew that no amount of buffing and coiffing was going to bring her up to his exacting standards—she could still hear the sniggers from her colleagues when she had been chosen—but, worse, she could almost see the scorn and incredulity that would surely be visible in Santini’s eyes when they were finally introduced.