Free A Kept Woman by Louise Bagshawe Page A

spending the time with you,’ Michael added. Her tone was extremely cold. Stuck-up little madam. He guessed it wouldn’t do to tell her to grow up and get a life.
    ‘What a relief.’ Diana arched her back a little, like a cat. ‘But I’m in no hurry. I missed several appointments to be here and rushing out of the door won’t change anything,”
    ‘That’s bad. Really.’ He was apologetic. ‘It must have been something important.’
    ‘It was vital, actually. It takes for ever to get an appointment with Marcus Walker,’ Diana informed him, frowning lightly.
    ‘He’s your doctor?’
    ‘My manicurist,’ Diana said, pouting.
    Michael laughed. He couldn’t help it. He squared his shoulders and looked at her. ‘For pity’s sake, girl, listen to yourself.’
    ‘What do you mean?’ Diana dmanded, stung.
    ‘Your manicurist is hardly vital. Air’s vital. Water’s
    vital. You need to get your priorities sorted out, lady.’ ‘My priority is to look good.’
    ‘I’d say you’ve already achieved that.’ Michael gave her a lazy grin. ‘Why don’t you do something with your brain?’
    ‘I used my brain to make Marcus squeeze me into his
     
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    client list,’ Diana snapped, ‘and thank you for the career advice, but I think I’ve done just fine on my own.’
    Cicero tried to make himself shut up, but he couldn’t. ‘Well, you’ve married a rich man. So I guess that’s mission accomplished.’
    ‘You are an extremely rude person,’ she said, drawing herself up. Partly to frighten him with her superiority, and partly because when he leaned forwards, she caught the masculine scent of him, and those dark eyes were fixed on her. He was disturbingly unreconstructed. Over the top button of his shirt she could see the thick wiry hairs of his chest, curling up. Ernie was smooth as a baby down there.
    ‘I get that a lot.’ Michael stood, his dark eyes still boring down at her. He was angry at himself for losing his temper, and angrier at her for being such a goddamn bimbo. No woman was perfect; when you found one with a decent body and a little elegance, she turned out to be grasping and as dumb as a rock.
    Maybe he’d even blown the deal. Cicero suddenly wanted to get it signed before Ernie Foxton talked to his wife. ‘Here, allow me.’ He pulled out his wallet and slapped down a hundred.
    Diana looked at the bill like it was something nasty she’d found stuck to the sole of her shoe. She lifted it in her long fingers and handed it back to him.
    ‘I don’t think so. I’m sure this place is a little rich for your blood. Ernie would want me to settle up.’ Flushing, Michael took his-money back and left her without another word.
    What a stuck-up little bitch, he thought.
     
    He hailed a cab on the street. Fifteen minutes later, he was back in his office, and Susan greeted him with an expectant look.
    ‘Mr Cicero, welcome back. How did it …’
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    He turned to face her and her voice trailed off. He had the slightly reddened face he got when he was truly angry
    - and that was a real bad time to be around him. ‘Not well.’
    Susan didn’t press the point. Timidly, she handed him over the thick package that had been sitting on her desk for an hour.
    ‘Blakely’s had this messengered over. They said it was your contract.’
    Michael ripped open the envelope and took out about eighty pages of densely printed legalese. He fished the embossed vellum card out of his pocket and tossed it to his assistant.
    ‘Get me Jack Fineman on the phone,’ he said. ‘Quick as you can. We may not have much time.’
    Once Diana Foxton went bitching to her husband, she would blow this deal for him. Blakely’s was offering a partnership. Michael wanted to kick himself. Why couldn’t he just have kept his mouth shut around the selfish, spoiled little princess?
     
    Fineman was brisk and businesslike. ‘I would love to represent you in the matter, but I can’t. Conflict of interest.’
    ‘Fair enough.