Free His Convenient Mistress by Cathy Williams

live even if it meant building a house for her. He had enough money to compensate her in any way she chose, financially. Then he met her and for a while he saw himself as simply a shrewd businessman who was prepared to get to know his quarry, find out exactly whether her plans to live at the Rectory were long-term, discover the weakness that would provide him with what he wanted.
    But he hadn’t kicked off with his plan to denigrate the house, had he? And now he acknowledged that he just wanted her. Wanted to take her to his bed and make love to her, watch her closed, defensive face open up before his eyes like a flower blooming under the rays of the sun. He wanted to hear her moan aloud with desire, desire for him , he wanted to watch her writhe on his bed and lose all her inhibitions. All thoughts of buying the Rectory had temporarily taken a back seat to urges that were stronger and far, far more irresistible.
    So the accusation burning in her eyes now was hardly a shock to his system.
    â€˜I was under the impression that you had urgent work to attend to in London!’
    James shrugged and gave her a helplessly apologetic grimace that did nothing to erase the dismay she felt at seeing him again. And every pulse in her body was racing. She looked around a little desperately for Simon and called him, turning away so that she didn’t have to look at the man lounging in front of her.
    He was dressed in pale cream chinos that accentuated the lithe narrowness of his hips and the length of his legs,and a dark grey short-sleeved shirt. Both reeked of immaculate and very pricey tailoring and neither did much to lessen the predatorial impact of his darkly handsome face and whipcord-lean body.
    Now she felt hugely self-conscious in her get-up. She had dressed to make a positive statement when she confronted the people who were her neighbours, at least for the moment. If you’re whispering about me behind my back, she wanted to imply, then you don’t frighten me.
    Instead, with those riveting dark blue eyes broodingly looking at her, all she could feel was the straining of the fine material of her dress against her breasts and the over-exposure of her legs, which weren’t even protected with tights because the night was so balmy and she had predicted that it would be positively hot in the village hall.
    She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard Simon’s little feet pattering towards the kitchen.
    â€˜Did your mother send you to fetch me?’ Sara asked in a stilted voice, clutching at the last straw that he might not actually be going to the wretched dance. She bent down to adjust her son’s pyjama top and then ran her fingers through his fine hair. ‘Because there was no need. I’m pretty sure I could find your house if it’s next door to mine. In fact,’ she continued, standing up and clutching Simon’s hand in hers, ‘it might be a good idea for me to follow you in my car. I want to have my own transport.’ In the face of his silence, which was accompanied by a patient tilt of his head, as if he was listening carefully to what she was saying but not really paying a great deal of notice, Sara felt herself chattering on witlessly. She gave a nervous laugh. ‘I wouldn’t want to find that I had to walk home if I was having a rotten time! All this isolation stretching into infinity! I would get hopelessly lost!’ Hervoice faltered into silence and the silence continued for a few awkward seconds longer.
    â€˜I wouldn’t dream of allowing you to go on your own,’ James drawled, turning towards his car and expecting her to follow him.
    â€˜Don’t be ridiculous!’ She hesitated in front of the door, which he was holding open for her. ‘I’m perfectly capable of getting myself to the town and finding where I should be going!’
    â€˜Nonsense.’ He smiled implacably and, while she felt inclined to stand her ground and argue the