His After-Hours Mistress: The Rich Man's Reluctant Mistress

‘No!’ Lucinda’s voice came out in something like a panic-ridden shriek and she immediately amended it. ‘I mean, no, I’ll be better off alone. I’ll probably spend hours looking around. You’d be totally bored.’

His eyes told her that he could never be bored in her company, but what he said was, ‘Do you not think I should have a say in what you’re going to do?’

‘Naturally,’ said Lucinda. ‘But not until I’ve developed a few ideas. I need time to myself. Both in your house and when I’m sourcing furniture and materials.’

‘Mmm!’ Zane touched a finger to his lips. ‘That might be difficult.’

Lucinda frowned.

‘You see I’m not very good at spending time by myself. I need company.’ Blue eyes challenged hers, sending shivers of sensation down her spine.

Lucinda shook off the feeling as well as she could. Not easy when the sexiest man in the universe was standing less than a metre away. ‘You more or less told me that this would be a base,’ she declared resentfully. ‘Can’t you go and do some work somewhere?’

‘I could,’ he agreed. ‘But you know what they say about all work and no play making Jack a dull boy. I should hate to appear dull.’

That would be impossible, thought Lucinda. Zane? Dull? Never!

His mouth twitched as he waited for her response.

‘Since I am here to work,’ she told him, ‘I see no reason why you shouldn’t work also. You can’t possibly sit around for days on end.’

‘I don’t intend to do that,’ he told her. ‘This transformation of my house, or whatever you like to call it, is going to be a joint effort. It’s so rare I take time off work that I’m actually looking forward to it.’

Lucinda groaned inwardly. She hadn’t really thought about what Zane would do while she was working; but she most certainly hadn’t imagined he would want to spend much of his time with her—certainly not all of it! It would make her job impossible.

Maybe if he hadn’t kissed her, maybe if she weren’t so very much aware of the way her body reacted to his, then it would work. But already, after only a few hours on the island, she could see the physical impossibility of anything like that happening.

‘How can I think with you around?’ she asked him bluntly.

And how could he act normally when a woman as exceptionally beautiful and desirable as Lucinda was living with him but was taboo? Zane knew he was behaving like a complete moron. It wasn’t usual for him to lust over a member of the opposite sex. It was usually they who came to him.

Women hung around him in droves. And he knew why. Money! Power! It was an aphrodisiac to some of the female population. Lucinda was different. She’d had a bad experience, and a bad role model in her mother apparently, and was well and truly off men.

Although—and it pleased him somewhat to realise this—she hadn’t been entirely averse to his kiss last night. It had eventually sent her running, yes, but she had nevertheless enjoyed it. Indeed her reaction had been far more intense and exciting than he had expected.

‘As a professional woman I’m quite sure you’ll be able to get on with your job,’ he assured her, ‘despite my presence. Now, let’s go up and have some breakfast. I don’t know about you, but that swim’s made me hungry.’

He touched a hand to her elbow and led her to a door in the cliff face. A glass door! He smiled at her surprised expression. ‘The previous owner had a lift installed for his invalid wife. We may as well make use of it; it’s a stiff climb otherwise.’

Zane could see the doubt in Lucinda’s eyes—and quite incredible green eyes they were too. Sometimes they were as dark as the deepest ocean and at others, like now, they were the lightest aquamarine. They enchanted him. But he could see that she wasn’t happy about sharing the lift. Maybe she was thinking about last night’s kiss. That incredible kiss! She had run like a scared rabbit afterwards but he had a feeling that she had enjoyed it as much as he had.

It was so unusual for him to be happy about taking time off from his business affairs that he knew this attractive woman had something to do with it. A lot to do with it, in fact! Everything to do with it! She was totally gorgeous. Although he wasn’t ready for a serious relationship, Lucinda had a lot more going for her than most of the women he dated.

As Lucinda stepped into the lift and the door swished closed behind her she felt a shiver of apprehension. The confined space worried her. She knew what Zane could do to her senses—without even touching her. And here, now, he was so close that she could almost feel the electricity crackling between them.

She tried to concentrate on the view instead. It was totally magical being whisked silently upwards with the whole panorama opening out in front of them. The yachts grew smaller, the ocean wider, the sky immense. And inside their little space the walls were padded with ocean coloured leather. It was out of this world.

Except that it was a tiny world holding just her and Zane. She could feel the heat of his body, inhale the fresh scent of him, and her fingers curled into fists at her sides.

‘Is something wrong?’

She hadn’t realised that Zane had observed her tension.

‘Are you scared of heights?’ The shore was a long way below them now.

Lucinda grabbed the excuse. ‘Yes,’ she lied faintly. But it was entirely the wrong thing to have said. The next second Zane’s arms were wrapped protectively around her, her head held firmly against his chest, her eyes shaded from the view outside.

‘A few more moments,’ he told her.

More like a lifetime, she thought, fighting to control the sensations that were whizzing through her veins. And when he, oh so gently, stroked damp strands of hair from her face such was her surge of feelings that she wanted to press herself even closer to him.

Fortunately, before she had time to give herself away, the lift came to a halt and the doors opened. Zane immediately released her and Lucinda stepped out. They were at the side of the pump house, near the pool. It was no wonder that she hadn’t seen the lift before.

‘I’ll go and get showered,’ she said at once.

Zane nodded. ‘We’ll meet at breakfast and afterwards we’ll make that trip into Castries.’

Lucinda did not want him to accompany her, but she knew without a shadow of doubt that he wouldn’t take no for an answer so she smiled bravely.

Their en suite bathrooms were back to back and when Lucinda finished her shower she could hear Zane’s water still running and above it she could hear him humming. It depressed her. He was clearly happy with the situation even though she wasn’t. But if it was in his mind to start an affair then he would need to think again. There was no way she was going to take part in anything like that. No way!

This job was unlike any other she had worked on. She had thought, initially, that it would be a good experience. And it would be, if it weren’t for Zane. Had she known they would be spending so much time together, she would most certainly not have taken the job. How did he expect her to do what he was paying her for if he insisted on commandeering her attention? He had told her that he had business interests here in St Lucia, so why wasn’t he out there working?

Lucinda took her time dressing and Zane was already sitting at the breakfast table when she walked out to the sun deck. The air was warmer now but the mountain breeze ruffled her hair and was very welcome, although not all of the heat in her body was due to the weather.

On the table was a huge dish of fresh fruit, already peeled and sliced; there were bread rolls and butter and cheeses and ham, a selection of juices and cereals. ‘I wasn’t sure whether you’d like a cooked breakfast?’ he asked.

Lucinda shook her head. She didn’t feel that she could eat a thing.

‘Likewise. I always eat continental when I’m in a hot country. At least we have something in common.’

Not quite sure how to answer that, Lucinda let it go and poured herself a glass of mango juice.

‘Tell me more about this guy who let you down,’ said Zane conversationally when she had selected a bread roll and buttered it carefully. So carefully in fact that it took her ages and she hadn’t noticed that Zane was watching her. ‘He’s really affected you, hasn’t he?’

Lucinda frowned. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Isn’t it obvious?’ he asked. ‘You seem extremely wary of men—unless it’s just me?’

‘It’s not you,’ she lied, ‘although it was definitely a mistake letting you kiss me. Rest assured it won’t happen again. This is a business trip, neither of us must forget that.’ She felt sudden heat flood her cheeks as she reminded him of the kiss and hoped he would put it down to the warmth of the day.

‘So in future you’re Miss Prim, is that it?’ His smoky blue eyes teased her. ‘Or would it be Miss Untouchable?’

‘I happen to take my work seriously,’ she reminded him fiercely. ‘I wouldn’t have got where I am quite so quickly if I didn’t.’

‘Tell me about your ex-fiancé. I’m interested in him.’

Lucinda sighed and leaned back in her chair. ‘There’s not much to tell.’