Free A Kept Woman by Louise Bagshawe

talk to.’
    Michael stared at her. He knew he was staring, but he found it hard to stop. There was something so wonderfully, vibrantly beautiful about the girl.., was it the arch of her slightly thick brows, the daring comfort of the tiny, perfect little sweater that draped over those stunningly sexy breasts, that tilted upwards at him, almost aggressively … or could it be the sweet blue eyes and lusciously shining platinum hair, that he longed to dive into, just breathing in the clean scent of her shampoo? She smelled of baby powder layered over the sweet breath of perfume from her skin.
    ‘Delighted, Mr Cicero. Or can I call you Michael?’ Diana smiled charmingly at the rude boy who was staring at her. Honestly, did Americans have no manners at all? She extended one hand in a delicate, wellbred gesture.
    Cicero shook it. His handshake was firm and dry. Thee was a lot of power in his grip. He was a big, coarse sort of man, Diana decided. Look at those muscles; he must lift an awful lot of weights. She rarely met men of this sort; they made her edgy. Cicero’s dark eyes and fighter’s nose were too much, altogether. He was bristling with testosterone. It was strange to see a man with a body like that in a suit. Surely his natural job would be as an extra in some Hollywood action flick, possibly starring Sylvester Stallone or Arnold Schwarzenegger? He was shorter than Ernie, but so much stockier. And why were his eyes raking over her tights and shoes? Was there a run in them, or something?
    Diana resisted the urge to look down and Check. Why give him the satisfaction? Anyway, who cared what he thought? A man like this would not appreciate the finer points of fashion.
     
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    ‘Michael, please, Mrs Foxton,’ he said.
    The voice was deep, too, Diana thought, and coarse. He was probably another working-class boy made good, much like her husband. Oh, well, it didn’t do to be snobby. But he was so young for Ernie to be applying a full court press.
    ‘Then you must call me Diana, and that’s settled,’ she said, bestowing a radiant smile on him.
    They sat down to drinks for Diana and Michael, and a light lunch for Ernie. He ordered beluga, and wolfed it down like it was a hummus dip. Meanwhile, Michael nursed an espresso and watched Diana while he talked business to Foxton. He tried not to drool all over his saucer, but keeping his control got a little easier as the minutes passed. Michael didn’t think he had ever met a more beautiful and stylish girl, but, on the other hand, he’d neer met a more vapid, stupid, spoiled little princess, either. Listen to her. She was discussing landscape gardeners and bitching about her so-called friends’ masseuses. The prices she was flinging around would have paid the rent on his shitty little apartment for a month.
    ‘Excuse me.’ Ernie stood up. ‘My beeper has just gone. I have to get back to the office. Here, Michael.’ He fished in his well-cut laocket and handed over a business card; it was stiff vellum, embossed with tiny gold letters. ‘This is Jack Fineman, my lawyer. He’ll be able to help you out, go through the figures and such like. I’ll get a copy of the contract messengered to you.’
    ‘Thanks,’ Michael said. He pocketed it, stood and shook Ernie’s hand. ‘I’ll be in touch.’
    ‘Like I said, don’t be too long. The chairman is breaking my back to get a deal with somebody. We really want it to be you.’
    ‘I hear you.’ Michael grinned at him, and then Foxton was gone.
     
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    He looked across at Diana Foxton. She didn’t seem particularly thrilled to be stuck with him.
    ‘I’ll drink up and you can get going,’ Michael said. Diana arched a brow. She could, could she? Who did this man think he was? Ernie had asked for the dog-and pony show, and he’d got it - and surely she wasn’t required to lay it on any thicker. She felt a small wave of resentment wash over her.
    ‘Thank you. Very kind,’ she said.
    ‘Not that I mind