Mediterranean Boss, Convenient Mistress. Kathryn Ross

lie and tell her that her glasses did suit her because in retrospect it sounded as if she had been fishing for compliments, which certainly wasn’t the case.

      She watched out of the side of her eye as he took the phone from his inside jacket pocket and flipped it open.

      ‘Hi, Sarah; where the heck are you?’ he demanded. ‘Really?’ He smiled. ‘No, Charlie was good enough to drive me in. We’ll be about twenty minutes.’ He listened for a moment to something she had to say. ‘I don’t think that will be a problem because I’ve done the research. The facts speak for themselves.’ Marco’s voice held a dry edge now. He was clearly irritated by something. ‘We’ll talk about it later…OK?’ Then he hung up.

      ‘Problems?’ Charlie asked, overcome with curiosity.

      ‘Yes, the problem is that sometimes Sarah can be very irritating,’ he said tersely.

      Those were Charlie’s sentiments exactly, but she wondered what Sarah had said to aggravate Marco. The pair usually seemed to get on so well, sometimes almost sickeningly so. Many times Charlie had watched as Sarah fawned over him, agreeing with his every word, fluttering her eyelashes coyly and then basking in his attention. There was no doubt in Charlie’s mind that the woman fancied the pants off him, and Marco had never seemed averse to the attention.

      They had left the motorway now and Charlie followed the signs for the city centre. ‘You need to turn left down here,’ Marco said as they approached a busy junction.

      ‘Where is Sarah anyway?’ Charlie asked as she negotiated the traffic.

      ‘She’s had a crisis on her hands. Apparently one of her celebrity clients has confronted her husband’s mistress in the lingerie department of Harrods and has been arrested for making a public disturbance.’

      ‘Really?’

      Marco nodded. ‘Sarah’s had to rush down to the police station to get her out before the Press get wind of it.’

      ‘Never a dull moment in her profession.’

      ‘You can say that again. Yesterday she was trying to talk me into getting married, or at least getting into a monogamous long-term relationship.’

      Charlie shot him a startled look. She was so surprised she nearly ran a red light and just put the brakes on in time.

      ‘It’s her latest business idea apparently.’

      ‘A business idea?’ Charlie was nonplussed.

      ‘Yes. As you know, my book is due to be released in America soon and I’m going on tour to promote it. It’s already getting a lot of coverage; magazines and chat shows are discussing my ideas. So it should shoot in high in the book charts.’

      ‘That’s good. But I still don’t see where Sarah’s idea fits in with this.’

      ‘Sarah thinks that the fact that I am a bachelor will substantially affect sales. And that I might not make the number-one slot because of it.’

      ‘That’s ridiculous. It’s a scientific book, not one written from a personal angle. It uses statistics, case studies and research projects.’

      ‘Exactly. I said all this to Sarah last night. But she still thinks that if I were committed to someone it would give the book vital credence. We had quite a disagreement about it.’

      ‘She’s unbelievable,’ Charlie muttered and at the same time she wondered if there was method in Sarah’s madness. Perhaps she had herself in mind to be on the arm of her darling doctor? ‘It’s just absurd.’

      ‘Well…’ Marco shrugged. ‘I suppose if I did get together with someone I could prove my research that love isn’t the most important prerequisite for a successful relationship. However…’ he grinned ‘…I’m not entirely sure I approve of Sarah’s suggestion and I told her that.’

      Charlie nodded emphatically and enjoyed picturing the disappointment on Sarah Heart’s face as Marco disagreed with her. Sarah was undoubtedly very beautiful but she had all the warmth of the dark side of the moon. It was somehow gratifying to know that the woman didn’t get everything she wanted.

      Marco directed her down some side-streets and a few seconds later they turned through the gates into the radio station. A security guard raised the barrier and allowed them in. ‘Will you park the car, Charlie?’ Marco asked as he looked at his watch. ‘I should go straight in.’

      ‘Yes, of course.’ She pulled to a halt by the front door. ‘Do you want me to wait for you out here?’

      ‘No, come in and get a coffee.’ He reached for the handle and stepped out of the car. ‘I’ll tell the receptionist to expect you.’

      Charlie noticed how a young woman walking towards the building gave him an admiring look. He said something to her and then held the door so that she could precede him into the building. She looked as if she was going to swoon. It was no wonder, because he really was drop-dead gorgeous, Charlie thought dreamily. Everything about him was sexy, from the way he dressed…to the way he just looked at you as if he could unlock the secrets of your soul. It was little wonder that Sarah Heart had designs on him.

      Realising that she was just sitting staring after him, Charlie shook herself out of her contemplation and drove the car around the back of the building to park. Then she collected her bag and walked towards the front entrance.

      As she reached the front door a taxi pulled up. The door of the vehicle opened and a pair of high black stiletto boots and long, shapely legs swung out. As Charlie’s gaze moved upwards she saw a red skirt, and then as the woman uncurled herself from the car completely a long black cashmere coat swirled around her. It was Sarah Heart and as usual she looked very glamorous, her long brunette hair shimmering with cappuccino highlights in the sun, the perfect proportions of her face flawlessly made-up with a light smudging of gold frosted shadow over her dark eyes and a glossy shimmer of ruby-red on the fullness of her lips.

      ‘Hello, Sarah.’ Charlie stood and waited for her.

      ‘Hi.’ The woman gave her what could only be described as a look of dismissal before turning to pay the taxi driver. Charlie was tempted to just walk into the studio without her, but she forced herself to wait.

      ‘Did you manage to spring your celeb client from jail?’ she asked as the woman turned to walk with her into the building.

      ‘Yes, thank you, although it is a confidential matter that I’d rather Marco hadn’t mentioned to you.’

      ‘Well, maybe you shouldn’t have told him in the first place then.’ Charlie couldn’t resist the retort. Really, the woman could be most disagreeable.

      Sarah ignored that. ‘Is Marco already in the building?’ she continued, unperturbed.

      ‘Yes, he went on ahead.’

      ‘Good…well, I suppose there is little point in you hanging around, then, not now that I’m here.’

      ‘Marco has asked me to stay,’ Charlie said firmly. She wasn’t about to be dismissed in such a manner.

      ‘I thought you might have typing to get on with,’ the woman shrugged, ‘or some filing perhaps.’

      Charlie wondered if Sarah practised that condescending tone or if it just came naturally to her. She decided to ignore the remark and followed her towards the front desk.

      Sarah nodded at the receptionist. ‘I’m here with Marco Delmari,’ she said in a crisply confident tone.

      ‘And your name?’ The receptionist looked down at the register in front of her.

      ‘Sarah Heart.’ Sarah drummed one well-manicured hand against the desk as she waited.

      ‘I’m sorry, Ms Heart, but I don’t appear to have your name on my list.’

      ‘I beg your pardon?’ Sarah looked as if she was about to turn an interesting shade