The Mistress Scandal

‘Neither do I … normally.’ Gabriel had never felt less casual in his life.

‘I have a son.’

‘Keep this quiet, only mothers have been known to have sex,’ he told her in sarcastic hushed undertones.

‘Not this one,’ she responded unthinkingly, with such feeling that he gave a deep growl of laughter. ‘I didn’t mean it like …’ she faltered, biting her lips in vexation. What a time to be spontaneous!

‘Then how did you mean it?’

Gabriel watched as she opened her mouth several times—he could think of worse things to look at than the full soft outline—in an attempt to place a less controversial interpretation on her words before eventually lapsing into a pink-cheeked resentful silence.

‘Your last time was with me, wasn’t it?’ He wasn’t a vain man, but he couldn’t repress a strong surge of complacency.

‘I’m not in the market for an affair.’

‘After three years?’

He made it sound extraordinary that she’d lasted three minutes. What did he think she was—a sex junkie? Taking into account how she’d behaved that night, Alice realised as a fresh wave of horror submerged her that that was exactly what he was likely to think.

‘Celibacy seems remarkably attractive when the alternative is sex with you!’

‘A challenge?’ he enquired silkily, looking in no way disturbed by her rash declaration.

He sounded as though he’d enjoy making her retract her claim. The bad part was she knew that he could.

‘No, it wasn’t,’ she admitted stiltedly, already regretting her reckless response.

‘You lashed out—I make you panic.’ The air of benevolent understanding didn’t sit easily with the prowling hunger in his eyes. ‘I wonder why?’

Alice exhaled noisily. ‘You can ask that? You calmly say you’re going to take me to bed for a week and I’m supposed to be calm. Panic!’ she squeaked indignantly. ‘Anyone would panic.’ She paused and drew breath into her hungry lungs.

‘I can think of several people of the female variety who would be flattered, at the very least.’

‘You’re so full of yourself,’ she jeered, examining the complacency of his thin-lipped smile with growing dislike. He was the sort of man to whom things—including women—especially women—had always come far too easily.

And I didn’t exactly break the trend, did I?

The slow smile that that spread across his face was devilish. She couldn’t understand why she hadn’t noticed his similarity to the guy with the pointy tail before.

‘I think I’d prefer it if you were full of me. I think you would too.’

It was a full twenty seconds before the scandalous imagery of this crude, shocking statement hit her. ‘I … you …’ she choked.

The desire that ran through her veins was hot and thick. She had obviously lost all sense of decency, she concluded, horrified by the tingling currents of excitement created by the abrupt hormonal overload. Her breasts were straining against her thin bra; her body was almost audibly humming with mindless desire.

The thick veils of dark lashes brushed against the high crest of his cheekbones and Gabriel’s nostrils flared.

‘As one,’ he agreed throatily, looking directly at her.

She cleared her throat noisily. If she fell in heap now he’d think she made a habit of it. It wasn’t easy to remain upright.

‘I suppose you think talking like that is a turn-on!’ she sneered.

‘I can only speak for myself. And you can probably see for yourself how turned on I am.’

Alice gave a mortified little moan. ‘You’re the most vulgar man I’ve ever met!’ It was a struggle after what he’d said to keep her eyes on his face.