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

Zane looked very sorry for himself as he lay in the bath and allowed Lucinda to massage him. But eventually he gave a wry smile. ‘I’m not so ill that I’m unaware of what you’re doing. In fact I rather like it.’ And he thrust out a hand and brought her face close to his. ‘I’ve half a mind to pull you in here with me.’

‘Don’t you dare!’ laughed Lucinda. ‘It’s freezing.’

As she continued to massage him after he’d left the bath and lay on the bed, Zane in turn continued to turn the whole exercise into a sensual experience. She knew that he still wasn’t feeling well, but it didn’t alter the fact that he didn’t want to spoil her time out here and he made a tremendous effort to keep her happy—and excited—and aroused!

Oh, how she loved this man, Lucinda thought. It would break her heart when the day came for them to part company.

By the end of the day Zane was feeling much better—well enough, he said, to lie out on the deck with her and watch the stars. The air had cooled by then and, although she didn’t agree with him being outside, he insisted.

The yacht had dropped anchor and the crew had discreetly disappeared. On a table beside them was a bottle of vintage champagne and some nuts and fruit. ‘The cashew nuts are grown here on the island,’ Zane informed her when he saw her nibbling them. ‘And did you know that they’ve made many films on St Lucia?’

Lucinda didn’t but she could see why. It was such a magical island. So lush! Such gorgeous white beaches! It was really beautiful.

Zane had taken her to the Botanical Gardens one day, where she’d seen incredible plants growing and a Japanese water garden. And they’d been to a lovely warm waterfall where they sat in the pool beneath the falls and drank bubbly. In fact she’d never drank so much champagne in her life, thought Lucinda now as Zane refilled her glass.

He wasn’t touching the stuff himself. All he had beside him was a glass of iced water and Lucinda was fearful that he wasn’t really up to this.

When she’d had enough to eat and drink Lucinda edged herself on to Zane’s lounger and, locked in each other’s arms, they lay back and looked at the stars. It was as though there were only the two of them in the whole universe.

‘I did want to make love to you out here,’ he confessed. ‘It was my initial plan. But I’m not sure now that I have the strength.’

‘And you’d be going against doctor’s orders,’ Lucinda warned him. ‘He says you’re to rest.’

‘And that’s exactly what I’m doing,’ he said. ‘But there’s nothing stopping me touching you.’ His voice had dropped to a low sensual growl.

Lucinda wore a thin cotton shift dress with nothing beneath and when he touched her breasts they reacted immediately. She was unsure how wise it would be to reveal the sensations he was arousing. She was so afraid he would push himself too far. He looked a hundred times better than he had earlier, but even so…

‘You’re a naughty girl dressing like this when you know I haven’t the energy to do anything,’ he admonished.

‘I thought it would give you pleasure.’

He groaned loudly. ‘You’ve no idea how much. I’ve never met a woman quite like you before. You’re ready to try anything at any time, aren’t you?’

She nodded, suddenly shy.

‘I curse this illness that means I can’t take control.’

‘Maybe I ought to take advantage of you,’ she suggested with a cheeky smile.

He groaned loudly. ‘You have a cruel streak, Lucinda Oliver. No woman’s going to seduce me if I can’t do anything about it.’

‘Then we’ll just hold each other,’ she said. And they lay there and he pointed out some of the stars. It was a truly magical night. The sky was so big, the stars so bright—they filled it like glittering diamonds.

How long they lay there she wasn’t sure. At one stage Zane fell asleep, and then she did too. And when she awoke he was gently stroking her breasts. It made a change to be held by him and not make mad passionate love. This was a different kind of lovemaking and if it was all he could manage then she was content.

It was past midnight before he suggested they go to bed and as she helped him down into their cabin Lucinda felt her love flowing fiercely. ‘Thank you for a magical few hours,’ she said.

‘The pleasure was all mine,’ answered Zane, his smile weak. ‘And never fear, I’ll make this up to you.’

He had nothing to make up, thought Lucinda. She would remember this night for the rest of her life.

Early the next morning they headed back to shore, but it was still a few days before Zane was his old self. They spent their time sitting quietly, talking, lighting fires within each other but doing nothing about it, which Lucinda found an incredible experience. She would never have dreamt that they could make love without touching each other—but in some strange way that was what they managed to do.

And then came a phone call which changed everything.

‘Tim’s grandmother’s been taken into hospital,’ Zane told her. ‘I have to go home.’

‘What do you want me to do?’ asked Lucinda. ‘My work here’s not finished.’ Spending all her time with Zane, she’d done precious little during the last few days.

‘You should come back with me. There’s no point in you staying,’ he said. ‘I’m sure you have done everything you need to for the time being. In fact I don’t think you’ll even need my approval because you know me better than anyone else does. And I certainly trust you.’

Lucinda’s eyes widened. ‘That’s quite a compliment.’

During the flight back Zane asked himself whether he was falling for Lucinda. He had never felt quite like this about any woman before—but, dammit, he didn’t want to fall in love. Love had no part to play in his life. The best thing he could do when they got home was to not see her again.

It might even be best to forget the interior design project. He’d get someone else to do it—someone in St Lucia! Serafine would help him find someone.

It was going to be hard walking away from Lucinda. But he daren’t give way to the feelings burning inside him. It was far too dangerous. He didn’t want to believe that Lucinda was like other women, but how could he tell?

His lifelong friend had had a bad experience—his marriage had broken down and his wife had all but ruined him with her demands. And yet she’d seemed like a lovely woman. No one would have expected it of her.

Prenuptial agreements were the way to go these days, but that was being cold and calculating and, although he could be both of these things in his business affairs, it didn’t seem right to bring it into the realms of love. Best not to love than be hurt.

He enjoyed his playboy image, though he didn’t date half as many women as had been suggested by the press. And Lucinda was the first one to really get through to him. He had to ask himself why. How was she different?

Maybe because she’d shown no interest in him initially. It was something that had never happened to him before. Once she had let herself go, though, the world had rocked. Lucinda was incredible.

Perhaps she wouldn’t expect to continue the relationship once they were back in England? Her ex had put the fear of hell into her where commitment was concerned. Perhaps she’d decided on a good time, knowing that she could leave it behind when her job was finished.

The thought should have pleased him but, for some reason, it didn’t and when they eventually landed his mood was black.

CHAPTER EIGHT (#ulink_7265cf48-fe2a-5f3b-80cb-257a599aed2d)

LUCINDA couldn’t work out why Zane’s mood had changed so dramatically. Unless he was telling her that their affair was over. That it had been good while it lasted but now it was goodbye. He’d hardly spoken during the flight, shutting himself in his on-board office for most of the time.

It should have been a relief, so why wasn’t it? It was clearly back to business for him and it should be the same for her. But women weren’t programmed the same as men. It wasn’t so easy to shut out what had happened between them during the last couple of weeks. But by the time they touched down in England she’d accepted that this was what she’d have to do.

She felt utterly miserable and when he put her into a separate car at the airport and didn’t even say whether he would see her again, Lucinda felt like breaking down in tears. Of course she didn’t; she lifted her chin and pretended that she wasn’t hurt.

It could be that he was worried about his little nephew’s grandmother, but somehow she didn’t think so. It was something she had said or done. Perhaps he’d been afraid that she was the clinging type, that she wouldn’t want to let go? Which was ridiculous, because she’d known from the beginning that there was no future in their relationship. Even if that really was the case, he needn’t have cut her out of his life quite so abruptly.

During the next few days Lucinda threw herself into her work. There was a lot to catch up on and she pushed Zane Alexander to the back of her mind. Or at least she tried to. It was practically impossible, especially when she lay alone in her bed at night. They’d had so many nights of passion that it killed her. She wanted Zane with her for ever more.

Then her secretary put a call through. ‘It’s Mr Alexander,’ she declared in a hushed voice.

Lucinda was aware that Amanda had been curious about her visit to the Caribbean, but she’d kept deliberately quiet, saying only that the project hadn’t materialised, not wanting to tell anyone what had happened. She hadn’t even told her mother, even though Ruth had questioned her time and time again.

Now her heart raced erratically. ‘Lucinda Oliver,’ she announced, keeping her tone brisk and businesslike. ‘How may I help you?’