Mistress & a Million Dollars / Satin & A Scandalous Affair: Mistress & a Million Dollars. Jan Colley

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СКАЧАТЬ inner poise restored, she headed toward the elevator. “Where are we having lunch?”

      “Southbank.”

      She inclined her head. “Lovely.” Lunch at a riverside restaurant would at least surround them with a multitude of people and would take an hour or two out of their day. She dare not think beyond that.

      Only, once he’d parked his BMW Coupe in an underground car park in the city center and they rode up the elevator, she realized he was taking her to one of the top hotel restaurants, rather than one of the many places alongside the Yarra River.

      Pity it wasn’t as crowded as she wanted, she mused as the waiter walked them through luxurious surroundings and seated them at a table for two overlooking the river.

      The picturesque city views beyond the glass gave a feeling of spaciousness that would have been delightful if she’d been with anyone else. In Jarrod’s company, not even watching the slow-moving riverboats and the strolling couples along the promenade below could put her at ease. The world was still out there but it was hard to notice when she was seated intimately with a man who was now her lover and who intended to remain her lover for three more weeks.

      “So,” he said, leaning back in his chair once the waiter had departed after taking their order, “tell me about Briana Davenport.”

      “Read my bio,” she quipped, leaning back in her chair, too, pretending to be relaxed.

      A corner of his mouth twitched upward. “I want to know about Briana Davenport, the person. Not Briana, the model.”

      She shrugged her shoulders. “Same thing.”

      “No, different.” He tilted his head, considering her with a slight frown. “I’m just not sure how yet.”

      “Don’t tax yourself thinking about it.”

      His eyes suddenly narrowed. “So you think I’m only interested in you for your looks?”

      She kept her gaze steady. “You mean you aren’t?”

      A muscle tightened at the edge of his jaw. “No.”

      Oddly enough, she believed him. But it probably wasn’t a good thing to delve too deeply. It would mean having to consider why he was sleeping with her.

      “It’s a bit late asking me about myself, don’t you think?”

      He offered her a smile. “I knew enough to sleep with you.”

      “Hey, don’t say that too loud,” she whispered, straightening and looking around but seeing there was no danger of anyone’s hearing. Thank goodness, she thought, her gaze returning to Jarrod’s.

      A smile reached his eyes, then was banked. “Okay, let’s start again. What do I know about Briana Davenport?” He gave her a silent appraisal. “Hmm. You don’t snore.”

      “I’m pleased.”

      “You like to snuggle up against a man.”

      “A natural reaction.”

      “And you like to be kissed all over.”

      “Shhh,” she hissed.

      “It’s all true.”

      “So is the million dollars.”

      The amusement left his eyes and his gaze hardened, but just as quickly he arched a brow at her. “You don’t want to know about me?”

      She looked at him long and hard. “I know all there is to know.”

      “Really?”

      She assumed a thoughtful expression. “You have no hesitation in taking what you want.”

      “True.”

      “You’ll go to any means to get it.”

      “True.”

      “You’re suspicious of beautiful women.”

      “True.”

      “Oh, I forgot. They have to be beautiful and greedy.”

      “Now you’re getting there,” he said in a dry tone, just as the waiter brought over their first course.

      But Jarrod didn’t seem fazed by her comment, and after that they ate in silence for a while. She used the time to recover from the constant barrage of awareness Jarrod’s presence caused. In her job she was used to being constantly “on,” but this was different. Being with Jarrod was being turned on.

      They had just finished their appetizer when the waiter brought over a bottle of wine.

      Jarrod frowned. “I didn’t order this.”

      “No, sir, you didn’t. It’s compliments of the gentleman over there.” The waiter’s gaze went across the room to the gray-haired man sitting at a small table by himself, watching them. “For Briana,” the waiter added as the older man raised his glass at her.

      “Send it back,” Jarrod snapped.

      “No!” Briana exclaimed, horrified. She speared Jarrod a dark look then smiled at the waiter. “Please pour me a glass,” she told him as she got to her feet. “I’ll be back in a moment.”

      “Briana,” Jarrod said through gritted teeth.

      “Pour him one, too,” she instructed the waiter, turning away but not before she saw the glint of humor in the waiter’s eyes.

      Laughter bubbling within her, her steps were light as she walked across the room with a natural smile on her lips. She couldn’t help but feel good that she was winning this battle against Jarrod.

      Then she thanked the older man and spent a few minutes talking to him. He turned out to be a fan of hers and was a thorough gentleman.

      When she returned to the table, Jarrod’s eyes burned through her. “Made an arrangement to meet later?” he snarled.

      She shot him a dark glance. This was going too far. “No, but I can go back and ask him, if you like.”

      “How much did he offer you? One million or two?”

      She sucked in a sharp breath. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

      “Isn’t that why you went to thank him?”

      He sounded jealous, and the thought sent a weird thrill through her. Then she realized this wasn’t about jealousy. This was about belonging to Jarrod Hammond, as temporary as that was.

      “He was just being nice,” she said firmly. “He’s a gentleman.”

      “He wants to take you to bed.”

      “So does most of the male population, I imagine, including yourself.”

      A second ticked СКАЧАТЬ