The Abby Green Modern Collection. ABBY GREEN

my love.’

      Her insides quivered, her lower body on fire with need. He had proved with little more than a look just how, if he’d wanted to, he could have had her last night, over and over. He knew it and she knew it.

      In one fluid movement he stood up from the bed, his expression unreadable. ‘I’ll be back for you at eleven to go to Monte Carlo, so be ready.’

      And he was gone.

      Maggie shut her eyes fiercely. She would do this. She had to. How hard could it be?

      

      At the designated time Maggie was waiting with a bag, ready to go. She’d rung her mother, had explained that as Caleb’s ‘assistant’ she had to accompany him on a short trip. Having packed away all of her own clothes and dressed in the new ones, she felt a little more like the actress she was trying to be. A simple linen skirt, silk camisole and matching jacket. Her hair twisted back and up in a smart chignon. The phone rang. It was Caleb informing her that he was downstairs in the car. This was it.

      Outside, Maggie stood on the steps for a moment. Caleb was watching from the shadows in the back of the car. When she appeared at the door, looking fresh and bright and so sweetly sexy, he had to restrain himself from jumping out to go over and touch her. Almost to see if she was real.

      With her bag deposited in the boot seconds later, about to get in Maggie suddenly remembered something and stepped back.

      Caleb’s voice from the interior was terse. ‘What’s wrong?’

      ‘I just want to make sure my car is locked…’ She hurried over to the car, which was close by, and checked quickly. When she turned to go back, Caleb was standing by the car, shades on against the sun.

      ‘That thing is your car?’

      ‘Yes,’ she replied defensively.

      ‘It’s a health hazard.’

      Maggie fought against the protective urge that kicked in. She’d bought that car with her first savings, from the family gardener. She’d learnt to drive in it, lovingly cared for it. She realised then that Caleb, of course, would have expected her to be driving something much more ostentatious. She picked her words carefully, hoping she sounded breezy and unconcerned. ‘Oh…it’s just something I borrow from the house when I’m home. It used to belong to the gardener. It gets me from A to B.’

      She slid into his car and hoped he’d forget about it. The driver turned around in his seat to face Maggie, introducing himself as John. She was surprised to hear an English accent. ‘Great cars, aren’t they? My first was a Mini too. I know how attached you can get to them.’ He winked back at her and, with the first genuine human warmth in days, Maggie smiled effervescently back. Then flicked a glance to where Caleb was lounging on the other side of the car.

      He was looking at her with a strange expression on his face. She hurriedly schooled her features and looked out of the window. She could see from the corner of her eye when he buried himself in a paper. Without his eyes on her, Maggie breathed slowly and her thoughts for the first time flew ahead to where they were going.

      Somewhere warm…and glamorous…and exotic…and foreign. Where the inevitable would happen. Within hours. By the time they got back to Dublin, they were going to be lovers. Her loose top felt constrictive all of a sudden. Could she make love to him and cut herself off from her emotions?

      She’d have to.

      

      Maggie lifted her face to the sun. Bliss. If you didn’t count the fact that she was here more or less under duress, for which she only had herself to blame, and that her stomach was in a constant knot since Caleb had walked back into her life just three days ago. Her mind reeled at that thought. Three days…and now she was about to start the life of a kept woman with someone who despised her…yet desired her enough to look past it.

      She opened her eyes and shaded them against the sun. She was sitting out on the terrace of their hotel suite, on a balcony that overlooked a small idyllic square. Flowers everywhere burst in a colourful profusion so bright that it almost hurt the eye. She got up and leant against the wall. The sea glinted and sparkled in the distance. How many other women had had this treatment? Whisked away at a moment’s notice to luxurious hotels, fantastic locations…there purely for his pleasure. The thought hurt like a knife edge in her heart and she angrily pushed herself away from the wall.

      She gave a startled gasp when she saw Caleb lounging against the French window that led back into the suite. His eyes were shaded.

      ‘How long have you been there…? What happened to your meeting?’ She felt absurdly exposed, as though he’d known exactly what she’d been thinking about.

      He pushed himself away from the door and walked over. ‘You should be careful…you’ll burn in this sun.’ He could already see that more freckles had appeared on her face and shoulders, making her look ridiculously young.

      She stiffened under his finger as it trailed over the smooth skin of her shoulder, hoping he wouldn’t see how she was responding to the light touch. ‘Don’t worry,’ she said breezily, belying her tense body. ‘Many painful past experiences have made sure that I never go out unless I’ve got factor thirty on. I gave up trying to tan years ago.’

      He was still caressing her hot skin. ‘Still…you should watch out.’

      ‘If you’re not careful, I might think you are concerned for my welfare,’ she mocked.

      Caleb’s mouth thinned. ‘Hardly. You come with an expensive price tag. And I don’t intend waiting for you to recover from sunstroke tonight.’

      Her mouth went dry. Despite his blatant insult, she couldn’t halt the images that invaded her head at the thought of tonight. She searched for words, something to negate the awful liquid heat that was winding its way through her blood, glad that his eyes were covered so she couldn’t see into the blue depths, where she could well imagine his contempt laid bare.

      He spoke before she could articulate a word. ‘My first meeting was quicker than I thought. I haven’t eaten yet; have you?’

      She shook her head.

      ‘I’ve got a table in a bistro just around the corner; let’s get something light, I have another meeting in about an hour.’

      ‘Okay…’ Maggie picked up her bag and followed him out of the suite. A short stroll from the hotel and tucked down a small cobbled side street, Caleb gestured to a restaurant artfully hidden by plants and flowering baskets. Inside, it was cool and airy. The waiter led them to an intimate table in the corner beside an open window.

      It was romantic and glamorous beyond belief. Heady stuff, with Caleb across the small table, long legs stretched out alongside hers. When she realised that, she tucked hers primly under her chair. He noted her movement with a mocking lift of one brow. She ignored it.

      He handed her a menu. The waiter came back and they gave their order, Caleb asking for some sparkling water. When the waiter left the water and had gone again, Caleb lifted his glass. ‘In the absence of wine…can we drink to a truce, Maggie?’

      A fluttery feeling hit her belly. She couldn’t avoid his eyes, the blue hypnotising her. She lifted her glass too, dampening the feeling ruthlessly. He was doing this just to make things easier for himself. No one wanted a reluctant mistress. And she had to stop her wayward thoughts…‘To a truce, then…’

      He smiled. She took a sip and the rogue fluttery feeling came back a thousandfold. When he trained that smile on her…she couldn’t think straight. Danger.

      He’s turning on the charm, just to get what he wants—you… a little sing-song voice warned. Maggie ignored it. She knew exactly what he was doing.

      ‘Let’s not forget why we’re here though…’

      ‘Enlighten me, Maggie, please.’ A hard glitter entered his eyes.

      ‘The house, of course.’