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

‘I asked you here to look after Tim. If you’ve put any other connotations on it then it’s your fault.’

Lucinda felt her skin burning. He really knew how to turn the knife. ‘At least we know where we stand,’ she declared fiercely. ‘I don’t think I want this drink. I’m going to bed.’

‘Lucinda!’

She turned halfway across the room and glared at him. She had never felt so humiliated in her whole life.

‘Don’t run away.’

‘I’m not running,’ she snapped. ‘I’m tired.’

‘Then relax here with me.’

‘It’s impossible.’

‘Is it?’ An eyebrow rose. ‘Or is it that you don’t like the way the conversation is going? We could change it. We could talk about the project. We could talk about Tim. We could talk about anything you like.’

Lucinda drew in a deep breath and struggled with her conscience. This whole uncomfortable issue was her fault and she didn’t want to be anywhere near Zane for the time being. She needed space; she needed to get her head round things. She needed to ask herself what the real reason was that she had come here today.

CHAPTER NINE (#ulink_8184d4b4-39e6-5825-b646-4d642462ad10)

DID you find your office?’

Lucinda looked at Zane across the breakfast table and frowned.

‘Yesterday, when you came,’ he enlarged. ‘Did you see it? Is there everything you need?’

‘I didn’t know that you’d already set up a room for me,’ she answered. ‘I was busy with Tim.’ And she didn’t really see how she could work at her job with a five-year-old to look after. Actually, she hadn’t thought it through very well at all. And the main reason being? She had wanted to see Zane! It was stupid; it was irrational and totally unlike her. And, after last night’s fiasco, she wished that she had never come.

She had lain awake most of the night berating herself for letting Zane get through to her, for even mentioning their affair. It had been stupid of her, irrational, and she felt all kinds of a fool.

Tim had come into her room early and snuggled down in bed with her and then she had washed and dressed him and given him his breakfast. At the moment he was helping in the kitchen. And later she had promised to take him to the hospital to see his beloved Nanna. How she had thought she could do her job as well as look after Zane’s nephew she had no idea. It was another case of her heart ruling her head.

‘Then I’ll show you afterwards,’ declared Zane. ‘Did you sleep well?’

She hadn’t stayed and talked when he’d asked her to; she had run away like a scared rabbit. ‘As well as could be expected in a strange house,’ she answered.

‘I’m afraid I’ll be away tonight but I’ll give you my mobile number in case there’s an emergency.’

Lucinda nodded but didn’t answer. The only thought that ran through her mind was—whose bed would he be sharing?

‘Lucinda, do you regret what happened between us?’

The question was unexpected and she looked at him with shocked eyes. ‘Didn’t I make myself clear yesterday? Of course I regret it. I’m only here because of Tim, so don’t dare go getting any other ideas. Have your flings with whomever you like, but don’t count me on your list of conquests.’

She missed the shadow that darkened his brow, heard only the harshness in his voice. ‘Well, I’m off, then.’ He threw a card down in front of her. ‘Here’s my number. Have a good day.’ At the door he turned. ‘If there’s anything else you need for your office ring my PA. He will see to it.’

He? Lucinda stared after Zane’s retreating back. He had a male assistant? Unbelievable! Men like him usually surrounded themselves with pretty women.

After breakfast, curious to find out what he had provided in the way of an office, Lucinda pushed open doors until she found the room. It had a desk in front of the window with very fine views over sweeping lawns, a tennis court and a corner of the swimming pool.

The massive desk held a computer, with a little note attached to it saying that Zane had had it networked with her system at the office. Thoughtful of him, she felt, but he had taken a liberty, one that she wasn’t sure she approved of.

On another table was a printer and scanner and copier. There was a stock of stationery and a couple of easy chairs as well as a very fine black leather executive chair. She tried it out for size, twisting around with her feet in the air. Perfect!

Zane had thought of everything.

At that moment Tim came running into the room and all thoughts of Zane were forgotten.

She let him swing on the chair while she phoned her secretary and then got someone to bring in a desk and chair for Tim out of his bedroom. He played there happily while she made a few phone calls and checked the correspondence that Amanda had scanned on to the computer for her.

She even managed to do some work on a new project before it was time to take Tim to the hospital. Perhaps the arrangement was going to work after all, she thought. Tim was a good child and, although she had no intention of keeping him cooped up in her office the whole time, he had proved that for short periods he was more than happy to sit with her.

Tim’s grandmother, Helen, didn’t look at all well. She was more than pleased to see Lucinda and her darling grandson—and he was delighted to see her, hugging her and hugging her as though he never wanted to let her go—but she was clearly exhausted after only a few minutes. ‘It’s my heart,’ she explained. ‘It’s giving up, I’m afraid.’

She was much older than Lucinda had expected, probably in her mid-seventies, and far too old to be looking after a child as young as Timothy. Lucinda couldn’t believe that Zane had let her do it. Surely the duty should have fallen on his shoulders?

But of course business always came first with Zane. That was why she had been totally surprised when he’d taken so much time off in St Lucia. And how disastrous the outcome of that had been! Lucinda returned to his house with her heart both heavy and angry.

After she had put Tim to bed that evening Lucinda went to her newly acquired office and worked until almost midnight. She needed the mental challenge to take her mind off Zane. It wasn’t easy. She kept seeing twinkling blue eyes and a sexy smile and her body remembered the way he had taken her to the top of the universe and back.

She really oughtn’t to think of him like this any more. It had been but a brief interlude and was not likely to be repeated. Not if she had anything to do with it. She wouldn’t put it past Zane to try while she was here, but forewarned was forearmed, wasn’t that what they said? And she certainly knew all there was to know about Zane Alexander.

The next day Tim wanted to go swimming. It was an almost Olympic-sized pool and Lucinda was nervous, but he told her that his uncle Zane took him swimming there. She had noticed yesterday that Zane had had a fence erected around the whole pool area, which had pleased her enormously, and now as they let themselves in she was startled when Tim ran over to the shallow end and jumped in.

She needn’t have feared. Even at five years old he could swim like a fish. ‘I used to swim with my daddy,’ he said matter-of-factly when Lucinda congratulated him on his prowess. ‘I miss my daddy.’

‘Of course you do,’ she said sympathetically, marvelling that he could remember so well.

‘And my mummy! Will they ever come back?’

Lucinda winced inside. ‘I’m afraid not, sweetie. But they’re up there watching you and thinking about you all the time. That’s why you must be good.’

‘I am good,’ he said importantly.

Lucinda hugged him. ‘You’re the best boy I know. And the best swimmer I know. Let’s have a race.’

After all his swimming Tim was tired out and once lunch was over Lucinda put him in bed. ‘I’m going to do some work in my office, sweetheart. If you wake up, come and find me.’

Tim nodded and yawned and in seconds he was asleep.

Lucinda had showered and changed into jeans and a knitted top and was so busy on her new computer that she didn’t hear Zane enter the room. She didn’t even know that he had come home. ‘You’re early,’ she said, looking round in surprise when he spoke her name.

‘I thought I owed you some of my time. Where’s Tim?’

‘In bed,’ announced Lucinda.

‘He’s not ill?’