The Mistresses: Make-Believe Mistress

“Excuse me,” Adam said. “I need to see Ms. Stephens outside for a minute.”

“Of course, that will give Bruce and me time to set up the presentation for our fiscal reconstruction plan. Will fifteen minutes be enough?” Jose asked.

“Perfect,” Adam said.

He gestured for her to lead the way. She was conscious of him walking close behind her until they were outside the boardroom and in the relative privacy of the hallway in the administrative building. He had his hand on the small of her back. She felt the heat of his touch through the layers of her clothing.

She hoped that none of what she’d thought earlier showed on her face. She tried to keep her breathing even and told herself that she was at work, not a place for desire.

“What can I do for you, Mr. Bowen?” she asked, trying to keep her mind on business and not the way his suit jacket fit his broad shoulders.

“I’ve asked you to call me Adam when we’re not in the presence of the other regents,” he said.

“It wouldn’t be proper,” she said, trying not to notice that the dark-blue shirt he wore made his eyes even brighter and more penetrating than usual.

“And are you always proper, Grace?”

Yes, sadly she was. She nodded. Too bad other members of her staff weren’t as vigilant. “I think maybe that’s a good thing, considering the problems our school is facing.”

He gave her a wry grin. “I need to use your office computer to print an e-mail that I just received and fax back a response.”

She led him down the hall to her office. She logged on to her computer and then left him to his work. “I’ll be right outside if you need anything.”

Adam accessed the Internet and read the e-mail Lana, his assistant, had sent him. Every business had its headaches, but lately running AXIOM was no longer just a fun adventure, especially where Viper was concerned.

Viper had been one of the first bands he’d signed to his label and he felt a sense of loyalty to them. And the last year and a half had been hard on both the band and the label. Lead singer Stevie Taylor’s mother had been sick and dying of cancer. Stevie had reacted to his grief by partying harder, and when Stevie drank he got violent. The latest episode involved three staff members at a Paris hotel and the authorities.

Adam rubbed his brow as the list of people he had to talk to lengthened. He needed a conference call with Mitch Hollaran, Stevie’s attorney, and Nico DeTrio, AXIOM’S attorney.

He picked up the phone and called Lana, giving her specific instructions for dealing with Stevie, who was more trouble than he was worth as far as the bottom line was concerned. But since Viper had made Adam his first million independent of his inheritance, he would put up with more crap from them than any other band he had. He hit the print icon and waited for his document.

As he turned back from the printer, he bumped into Grace’s desk. Her office was a decent size, but not really big enough for the large oak desk. Two file folders fell to the floor and papers spilled out of both of them.

He dropped to one knee to pick them up, glancing at the papers for a second. The words breast and mouth caught his eye, and he pulled that page farther from the folder, reading it. He was surprised to see a very racy story that opened with the boss and secretary engaged in a steamy embrace on an office conference table. It was titled “Adam’s Mistress,” by Stephanie Grace. Not much of a stretch to conclude that this was Grace’s pen name.

But even more intriguing was the fact that “Adam” bore a startling resemblance, both physically and financially, to him. And the heroine’s name was Grace.

He finished reading that first scene, feeling more than a little aroused by the sexy images he assumed Grace had created. There were almost five pages of first-person fantasy there.

There was a knock on the door. Adam stuffed the scene back into the folder and covered it with his own papers. “Come in.”

Grace stood in the doorway, looking the same as she always had. But for the first time, he really noticed her. Not as a school administrator but as a woman. He couldn’t help but see that the silky shirt she wore matched the one her heroine had on. Grace’s real blouse was covered with a boxy jacket.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but Mr. O’Shea is anxious to continue the meeting. Will you need just a few more minutes, or should we reconvene after lunch?”

He was in no hurry to return to the meeting until he had a chance to think about the contents of the folder, but he knew the situation with the school needed to be resolved. Adam followed Grace back down the hall, trying not to dwell on what he’d read. He still saw the professional front she presented to him and the board, but his image of her was shifting. He saw more.

There was a hint of vulnerability in her eyes as she stood at the front of the room, knotting her fingers together as she waited for everyone’s attention to return to her. When she spoke her voice was soft but firm. Not loud, not booming. There were layers to this woman he’d never realized were there.

She glanced at the student-council president and her entire demeanor changed. A fire lit in her eyes.

“We’re not willing to let one mistake close our school. I’ve spent the entire weekend meeting with our teachers and staff and then with the student council, and we are all committed to keeping Tremmel-Bowen open. The plan that we’ve devised is multipronged.”

“That’s admirable, Ms. Stephens, but—”

“Let her finish, Malcolm,” Adam said. “Then we can analyze her plan.”

“It’s not really my plan, we’ve all had a say in it.”

“Even the PTA?” Malcolm asked.

“We’ve negotiated a few things with the PTA to get them to buy into this plan, Malcolm.”

“Let Sue-Ellen answer for the PTA.”

“Yes, we are willing to work with the teachers on this new plan,” Sue-Ellen said a bit reluctantly.

Adam leaned back in his chair, listening as Grace talked about fiscal responsibility, community service and new teacher standards and guidelines. She sparkled when she talked about the school, her passion coming to the fore.

“Thank you, Grace,” Adam said as she finished her presentation.

“Yes, thank you. I do feel, though, that this is too little too late,” Malcolm said.

“Malcolm, why don’t we table this discussion until the next meeting?” Adam suggested.

“Sounds like a great idea,” Grace said.

Adam called for a vote and Malcolm was the only one to vote against taking a break. Slowly the conference room emptied. Adam held back, waiting until only he and Grace were left in the room.

“I’ll see you later,” she said, brushing past him and heading back to her office.

Adam knew he should just let her go. That reading the rest of the story he’d found in her office was a bad idea. Pursuing her was an even worse one, but she’d caught his attention. And not just with her passion for getting the school back on track.

She turned to walk out of the room, and for the first time he really watched her. Saw the feminine body beneath the dull clothes that were really too big for her body. Observed the curve of her calf and the sway of her hips. It was pure temptation. Her stride was slow and measured; she moved teasingly with each step she took. She favored skirts that ended at her knee and two-inch heels.

He followed her into her office and found her chatting with her assistant, Bruce.

“Grace, can I have a minute?”

She bit her lower lip and then nodded, closing the door as her assistant left.

“What’s the matter?”

She took a seat in one of the guest chairs. As she crossed her legs, the hem of her skirt rose over her knee. He realized for the first time that her legs were bare. Her skin looked satiny smooth.

Adam wasn’t sure how to bring up the sexy story he’d read earlier. The fantasy revealed a vulnerability in the woman sitting across from him. One he didn’t want anyone else to see.

Her fantasy story was racy, but also very sweet, revealing more of the woman than he’d bet she’d be comfortable knowing she exposed in her writing.