Free The Passionate Mistake by Amelia Hart Page B

Which she did.
    He smiled back, desire and anticipation a palpable spark in the depths of his eyes, the curl of his lip.
    She started up the stairs as if she had all the time on the world, knowing his – and other – eyes followed her every move with admiration. Looking neither left nor right she made a beeline for him.
    He never took his eyes off her.
    Oh yes, she loved this. To choose a man and claim him like it was her right. She had never been quite so overt about it before, quite so bold. But then her intention was he should recognize her and in that instant realize his image of Cathy was fatally impoverished, that she was in fact so much more . Not at all that sad, bad-tempered employee he must reject for her own good. Instead a strong woman who knew what she was doing and could choose what she wanted. And be chosen in turn by him.
    I t was crystal clear in her mind. She was certain it would come to pass as she intended, so strong was her faith in herself and her power to win here, now, as her real self.
    Standing over him she surveyed him, letting him see the humor on her face at the intensity of the moment, but more, much more than that the weight of her feminine approval for him, bold and unmistakable.
    He held out his hand , offering to shake as one equal to another. She took it.
    “Mike Summers,” he said, and raised his eyebrows in enquiry.
    It was then she realized he didn’t recognize her. Not even close up.
    She could have laughed out loud. She could have said her own name and confounded him.
    But she didn’t. Seized by that old devil of impulse, she sat down in the vacant seat beside him, opposite the other businessman. “Pleased to meet you. Are you enjoying the party?”
    “Certainly. Renewing old acquaintances.” He tipped his glass in polite acknowledgement of his companion, who nodded and smiled stiffly. Kate read his expression as politeness masking annoyance at the interruption, and dismissed him from her mind. He had had his chance to interest Mike and now it was over.
    “Always delightful. I was somewhat bored, myself. Until just this moment.” The look she gave him was a caress. The other man cleared his throat and then murmured his excuses, standing and walking away. Kate felt again that rush of confidence in herself and her plans, to have Mike so swiftly and decidedly to herself. She smiled at him brilliantly.
    Mike blinked at her. She would have said he looked a little abashed, if she hadn’t seen him command a crowd of a hundred employees and receive unquestioning obedience. A man like that didn’t get flustered because a woman fluttered her eyelashes at him.
    He nodded, cleared his throat. “I’m glad you discovered something to entertain you.”
    “So am I. Do you know our hosts well?”
    “Quite well, yes. Long time clients. My company does some work for them.”
    “They have a lovely house, ” she said, making polite conversation while she weighed up her exact approach. Since he hadn’t recognized her, she had choices to make about how she would frame her suggestion. She sorted through options, trying to guess if subtlety or more boldness was best.
    “I believe they’re very proud of it. How do you know them?”
    “Kate,” interjected a booming voice, and a moist, warm hand came to rest on her shoulder. Inwardly cursing the interruption she found a tight-lipped smile for the man standing over her. That was unfortunate. She would much have preferred to go unrecognized. What bad luck.
    Mr Trentham. One of her father’s best clients, she had spoken with him at work functions and conferences. She didn’t like him – he checked her out like a dog eyeing food on the table – but business was business, as Dad always said. Even here, pursuing her own personal goals, she wasn’t free of the chains of the family business.
    S he gave an inward sigh, shifted gears from sultry to polite and pretended friendliness, setting aside her seductive intensity for a respectful tone. God