The Rich Man's Blackmailed Mistress. Robyn Donald

of the publicity for Maire.’

      Far too conscious of his strength against her, she felt herself stiffen. The chatter of the crowd dulled; inwardly cringing, she sensed avid eyes on them both.

      ‘Smile,’ he commanded quietly, the handsome face amused.

      Her brows lifted. ‘Why?’

      ‘Because if you don’t everyone who sees this is going to think you’re besotted.’ And when she responded with a haughty glare he bent his head to say even more softly, ‘Perhaps I should kiss you.’

      CHAPTER TWO

      ‘DON’T you dare,’ Sable hissed, but some wild emotion leapt into shocking life inside her. Kain’s arctic eyes narrowed, and she froze, her heart hammering.

      The photographer’s voice jarred her back into reality. ‘Hey, that’s great! Thank you.’

      The moment Kain’s arm relaxed Sable twisted away. Summoning a smile took all of her concentration, but there was no way to hide the lingering heat that burned her cheeks.

      What the hell did Kain Gerard think he was playing at?

      And why did he cause such novel turmoil inside her?

      ‘Maire should be pleased with that,’ he said with no visible sign of emotion.

      Sable suppressed the urge to say that for someone who’d denied seeking publicity he’d almost courted it for the older woman. Instead she murmured, ‘You’re very kind to her.’

      His mouth twisted. ‘She was a friend of my mother’s and I admire her entrepreneurial spirit.’

      Well, she knew only too well how strong and tight the circle of influential people could be.

      Maire came up, her slightly perplexed gaze going from one face to the other. ‘Thank you, Kain,’ she said swiftly. ‘You’ve been great. Are you ready to leave, Sable?’

      ‘Yes.’ Sable kept her voice level, hoping neither realised she felt as though she’d just been thrown a lifeline. Without letting her smile reach her eyes, she turned to Kain and said formally, ‘Thank you for an interesting experience.’

      ‘My pleasure entirely.’

      His smooth, amused voice infuriated her.

      Kain watched her walk gracefully away, only a certain rigidity to her slender body indicating that she was angry. She was looking down at the woman beside her with what seemed genuine interest.

      Nice going, he thought, although threatening to kiss her in front of thousands of people and a media audience might not have been a good move.

      But it had been worth it for that moment when she’d let her guard slip and he’d seen the heat kindle in her dark eyes. Like it or not—and he suspected she didn’t—she was very definitely aware of him.

      So things were going his way. And he was, he thought with cold, controlled satisfaction, a much tougher challenge than Brent.

      After changing into her own clothes, Sable refused Maire’s offer of a lift and walked off to catch a bus, her feet in their flat sandals fervently thanking her with each step. Smiling at the thought, she promised them that when she got home she’d soak them in something warm and soothing.

      ‘I think I like this look even more,’ Kain Gerard said from behind her.

      She froze, her heart rate increasing madly. He smiled lazily down, but his grey eyes were hooded against the sun, and the smile held something she distrusted.

      He commented, ‘Very cool, very…innocent.’

      The cynical intonation to the last word made her angry.White happened to suit her and the dress was a favourite of hers. ‘That’s long out of date,’ she said, infusing the words with a faint scorn.

      ‘The dress?’ He swung into place beside her.

      Sable thought seriously of telling him she didn’t want his company, only to give a mental shrug. The bus queue was no place for billionaires; he’d leave soon enough.

      She replied, ‘The connection of white with chastity.’

      Kain gave her an amused glance. Furious with herself, Sable pretended to examine a large purple car that was proceeding with stately dignity down the road. Stupid! Why hadn’t she just ignored his provocative remark?

      Because he unnerved her so much it scrambled her brain, that’s why.

      Kain said thoughtfully, ‘Perhaps I am old-fashioned.’

      Her glance probably told him more than she wanted it to, for he sent her a bland smile.

      ‘That sounds rather sweet,’ she said kindly, then nodded in the direction of the buses. ‘I’m going this way, so goodbye.’

      ‘Aren’t you using Brent’s car?’

      She felt a tightness in her chest. ‘No,’ she said shortly.

      It had been a mistake to move into Brent’s apartment. But his offer of a place to stay while she found a new home had seemed a lifesaver. However, it hadn’t taken her long to realise he’d seen it as a step forwards in a relationship she’d been at pains to keep at a friendly level.

      So she had to find new lodgings by the time he got back from his unexpected holiday.

      Kain’s voice broke into her thoughts. ‘I’ll give you a lift back.’

      Turning her face away from his too-keen scrutiny, she shook her head firmly. ‘No, thank you,’ she said, and strode towards the waiting bus.

      Kain watched the sun gleam across the ebony satin of her hair, its sleek chignon setting off her fine features and that wanton mouth, now firmly under control.

      Playing it cool. Well, he’d expected that; she’d be stupid to ditch one prospect until she had the next one—the richer one—hooked and reeled in. A humourless smile curved his mouth as he walked towards the members’car park. He knew how this game went, and he’d enjoy playing it for a while.

      ‘Sable, who is that? Oh—my—God, he’s faaaabulous.’

      ‘Hang on,’ Sable said absently without taking her eyes from the computer screen. The boss’s daughter habitually spoke in italics, and fell in love with a new man every couple of days.

      ‘He’s coming here!’

      ‘Well, this is the reception area.’

      Poppy’s voice dropped to a low whisper. ‘Oh, oh, oh, I know who he is.’

      ‘Hush, he might hear y—’ The word dried on her tongue when she looked up and saw Kain Gerard strolling towards her, breathtakingly masculine in a formal city suit.

      Literally breathtaking; she had to force her lungs to drag in some air, and beneath her ribs her heart set up a wayward rhythm that echoed in her ears.

      ‘Sable,’ he said with a devastating half-smile. ‘How are you?’

      Hearing Poppy take a swift indrawn breath, Sable hastily said, ‘Hello, Kain. Can I help you?’

      ‘You can show me the pictures that will be sold in the charity auction.’

      The Russell Foundation held an annual art auction, and because one day she planned to work as an events manager, Sable always volunteered her services to organise the evening. This year it was to be held in the ballroom of a huge modern mansion, the perfect place to show off the avant-garde pictures and sculptures now waiting in the Foundation’s warehouse.

      Her first impulse was to hand Kain over to Poppy, but the slight emphasis on the first word of his answer made her hesitate and look up at him. The moment her eyes met his warning gaze she realised he understood what she intended to do—and was warning her against it.

      Poppy was young