Mistress On Demand. Maggie Cox

flooding through him.

      Her senses hijacked by surprise and shock, Sophie bit down on her lip. ‘Bring it to your house?’ she repeated, not sure that she’d heard him correctly.

      ‘Tomorrow—after work. You have the address on my card?’

      ‘Why are you doing this, Dominic?’

      ‘I would like to talk to you about Diana,’ he replied.

      ‘Diana?’ Drawing her brows together in confusion, Sophie glanced down at the floor. Some of the maroon carpet tiles were curling at the edges and needed replacing. A sudden wave of irritation and uncharacteristic despondency briefly descended. She totally loved her job—teaching for Sophie was a vocation—but she wished not for the first time that it paid better and allowed her to maintain a slightly better standard of living.

      ‘I want to buy her a wedding present…something special. I thought perhaps you could advise me.’

      Taken aback, Sophie really didn’t know what to say.

      ‘Well?’ Dominic prompted into the heavy silence that ensued.

      ‘Aren’t you supposed to buy a present in time for the actual event?’

      ‘I was away in Singapore on a business trip the week leading up to her wedding, so I did not get a chance to arrange a suitable gift for her.’

      But he’d paid for her wedding breakfast just the same, Sophie reluctantly recalled. Diana had said he was generous. She immediately discarded the thought with irritation.

      ‘I’m sure you don’t need me to advise you what to buy Diana.’ She shrugged, wondering why he should suggest such a surprising thing when she had already professed herself insulted by his gift of the coat. She would have thought he’d be glad not to get himself further entangled with Diana’s ‘unsuitable’ friend.

      ‘You are her close friend. You know her tastes, her preferences. That information could help me a lot in choosing a gift she would really like.’ His voice was almost hypnotically persuasive, and Sophie couldn’t believe she was actually hesitating over her natural instinct to refuse.

      She’d told herself that Friday night had probably meant nothing very much to a man like Dominic, other than sexual gratification with an available, attractive woman. She’d told herself she could handle it, despite feeling somehow ‘used’ when she received that beautiful coat as a gift. Now her feelings were all mixed up, and even more confused.

      ‘Isn’t there anyone else you could ask?’ Even as she uttered the question Sophie knew she was clutching at straws. Dammit! She was nervous about going to Dominic’s house. Who wouldn’t be? It wasn’t every day that an ordinary girl like her got invited to a billionaire’s home! Especially one she’d had a hot one-night stand with! She’d be nervous even if they hadn’t slept together.

      ‘Is it too much to ask that you might do this for your friend?’ Deftly and without remorse, Dominic slid home his advantage.

      ‘No. No, of course not. I’ll come, then. What time?’

      ‘I will send Louis to collect you at about eight o’clock. I will see you then, Sophie.’