Free Crave by Marina Anderson Page A

slim. Martin, who we need to cast, is short, stocky and useful in a fight. Mark Lewis looks as though he’d fall over in a strong wind! Get a grip, Grace.”
    Slowly Grace was drawn back into the world of work, a world that had previously consumed almost every waking moment of her time, but try as she might memories of her weekend at the Dining Club still flickered in the background of her mind, like an old film on a projector screen.
    * * *
    At the same time as Grace was struggling to concentrate on work, Amber and Andrew were sitting in the study of the Dining Club. They were working on scenarios for the next month’s meeting, and Amber wasn’t happy. She had a bad feeling about Grace, who’d done far better than most people did at their first trial, and could clearly prove to be more of a challenge than she’d expected.
    The two of them had left Grace’s next trial until last, and when Andrew handed Amber the blank form she knew exactly what she’d like to put on it, but knew too that it wouldn’t be allowed for only the second trial.
    “No ideas?” asked Andrew.
    “Plenty, but none of them will be of any use yet,” she replied.
    “What’s the matter?”
    “I’m worried, that’s what’s the matter,” she retorted.
    “In what way?”
    Sometimes, thought Amber irritably, being handsome and nice didn’t make up for being unobservant. “Because she could be a threat to me and my position here, of course.”
    Andrew laughed. “I rather doubt it. She found her first trial difficult; she’s not likely to want to take you on even if she does complete all five trials successfully.”
    “I wish I shared your confidence, but I don’t. She’s very determined, in work as well as play from what I read when I Googled her. That’s what will drive her on. She’ll push herself to the limit rather than fail, and I think David wants her to succeed.”
    “Of course he does. He’s falling in love with her.”
    Amber looked at him in astonishment. “David doesn’t fall in love, he falls in lust.”
    “That’s not true. He’s fallen in love twice before, which is why he’s brought two other women here. Admittedly he doesn’t fall in love easily, but it does happen. He doesn’t like to admit it though. I agree that he really wants Grace to succeed, but that’s because he loves her. He still won’t break the rules.”
    “That would be stupid of him, since he made them up,” said Amber. “But you’re wrong about him. I know him better than any woman, and love isn’t in his nature. All the same, the sooner Grace fails the happier I’ll be. I think she’ll struggle next time. Bondage and submission aren’t going to make her happy, especially as I’m going to use Will rather than you, Andrew. Will is brilliant at bondage. I’ll save Amy for the third weekend, in case Grace does get through next time.”
    “Be careful, Amber. Remember, David will be there again, and he’ll probably take part as well because he likes that theme. If you go too far you’ll damage your own cause.”
    “I’ll run the scenario past him next weekend. He wants a meeting then, and Laura has to be disciplined.”
    “I thought you’d done that.”
    Amber gave a slow smile. “David wants to make quite sure she’s learned her lesson. He doesn’t want to have to train up another pair of twins. He’ll stay overnight, and that will give me a chance to please him in ways little Miss Grace would never think of.”
    “He’s staying over despite Grace?” Andrew’s voice showed his surprise.
    “Yes, so as you can tell he’s not intending to give me up for love!”
    Andrew put a hand on Amber’s left wrist. “He’s never going to love you, Amber. You have to accept that.”
    Furious, she snatched her arm away. “I know that. I’ve just told you that he’ll never love anyone.”
    “Then what’s the point in you falling in love with him?”
    “I’m not,” she lied. “But I do like this life, my work here and the