Mistress Minded Read Online Free PDF Page B

woman, and nothing mattered but that.
    Her mouth was opened on a sigh and he knew she felt something when he touched her. He leaned toward her, needing that mouth under his. Needing it as he’d needed nothing else since he’d decided that life was better lived alone.
    Alone… He pulled back abruptly, dropping his hand. A sheen of tears appeared in Jayne’s eyes for a second, then she blinked and wrapped her arms around her waist. He’d been called a ruthless bastard more times than he wanted to admit, but this was the first time he’d really felt like one.
    He cursed under his breath and pivoted to face the ocean, staring at the endless water. If he were a different man he’d take Jayne out on a yacht and disappear with her. Forget about the hotel business and promises made when he’d been too young to understand that passion and emotion weren’t easily controlled by even the strongest men.
    The silence between them felt tense and Adam knew he was to blame, but he didn’t know what tosay to Jayne. She was so much more vulnerable than he’d have guessed. God, he’d screwed this up royally.
    He should apologize but couldn’t find the words. “We have to get past this.”
    â€œI’m willing to do my job.”
    â€œIt has to be more than a job or we’ll never pull it off.”
    â€œIt can never be more than a job, Adam. Never. ”
    â€œWhy not? I’m very good at acting the part. The Angelinis will never imagine I’m not the most devoted of lovers.”
    â€œI don’t want you to pretend to be interested in me. I might forget the ruse and then we’d both be in trouble.”
    Jayne walked away, and he stood there watching her solitary figure. Instincts he didn’t know he had rose in him. He wanted to protect her.
    Even from himself?
    He ignored the question. It wasn’t his intent to hurt her. He just wanted…the same damn thing his father had wanted when he’d come here with Martha all those years ago.
    Cursing, Adam deliberately turned away. For the first time he understood a little of what had motivated his father, and he didn’t like it.
    He’d been toying earlier with asking Jayne to really be his mistress, but he knew now he couldn’t. What kind of man took what he wanted at the cost of the innocents in the world? Adam had no doubt thatJayne was one of the innocents. There had been something in her eyes that had made him feel every inch the cynical bastard he’d known he was from the moment they’d met.
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    Adam wasn’t in their suite when she returned, and Jayne was honest enough to admit she was relieved. She took a shower, dried her hair and then gazed at her face for a minute. She’d made some important decisions on her walk.
    Realizing at age twenty-eight that she’d spent most of her life running and hiding wasn’t a very comfortable discovery, but it was the truth.
    There were two times in her life when she’d wanted to act on her feelings and hadn’t. The first had been the one occasion when she’d met her father. She’d been twelve and she’d wanted to ask him if she could call him dad. But she’d hidden in her room and refused to talk to the tall dark stranger who had given her half her genes. He’d never visited her again, and she still felt regret.
    The second time had been with Ben, when she’d felt him slipping away from her. She’d wanted to ask him if he had doubts about marrying her, but in the end had kept silent.
    This time she’d decided that hiding wasn’t an option. She wanted Adam as more than a two-week lover. And she knew the risks involved with the leapshe was about to take. During her shower she’d put together a rough plan.
    She knew she’d have to start looking for another job right away. Because working together would be…difficult if things didn’t pan out.
    She put on the plush