Wife in Public Read Online Free PDF Page A

intimate places.
    Missing out on that…no.
    He had to win her over.
    ‘Never say never, Ivy. Things can change,’ he said mildly, hoping to undermine her hard stance.
    ‘I can’t see that happening.’ The fascinating green eyes flashed scepticism, but the tone of her voice was not so fierce.
    ‘It was crass of me to link buying your mother’spaintings to my invitation to dinner and I apologise for the offence given,’ he went on, projecting absolute sincerity. ‘Please take it as a measure of how much I wanted you to accept, how much I wanted to spend more time with you.’
    She frowned. After a few moments of cogitation, she gave him a narrow look that telegraphed he was on shaky ground, but her words granted him a second chance. ‘Well, if you still want to accompany me around the gallery, I’ll go that far with you.’
    Triumph zinged through his mind. He only just managed to keep his smile appealingly rueful. ‘I shall monitor my conversation with rigid regard to your sensibilities.’
    It drew a laugh. ‘I don’t think you can hide your true colours, Jordan. Getting your own way must be habitual. You have all the tools to do it. Wealth, looks and charm to boot.’
    He affected a helpless expression. ‘None of which appear to carry any weight with you.’
    She laughed again, shaking her head at him. ‘I can’t deny you’re entertaining.’
    He grinned. ‘So are you, Ivy. I’ve just found a masochistic streak in myself. You can put me down as much as you like and I’ll pop up for more.’
    The green eyes sparkled. ‘I might test that.’
    He suddenly saw her in a black leather corselet, high-heeled boots laced up to her thighs, a whip in her hand. With her white skin and red hair, it made a fantastic vision. ‘Are you a dominatrix?’ he asked, seized by an irrepressible curiosity. He wasn’t into that kind of kinky sex, but with Ivy he might give it a try.
    ‘A what?’ She looked aghast.
    ‘I thought you could have been suggesting it withyour “test” remark. Sorry. Had to ask. I do like to get my bearings with people, and you’ve completely knocked me off them.’
    Her cheeks flamed again, the heat glow making her green eyes even greener. Her colouring was so entrancing, Jordan felt a considerable flow of heat himself though it was concentrated below the belt, not above it.
    ‘I’m certainly not a dominatrix,’ she stated emphatically.
    ‘Good! Because I’m not really a masochist.’ And he much preferred the idea of controlling the sexual games he played with Ivy, not the other way around.
    She planted her hands on her hips. ‘And just how did this conversation get to the bedroom? Do you have sex on your mind all the time?’
    ‘Most men have sex on their minds most of the time,’ he informed her with an ironic grimace.
    ‘Do you think you can lift yours off it while we look at paintings?’
    ‘Difficult with you dressed as you are, but I’ll do my best.’
    ‘Try hard.’
    ‘I shall.’ He whipped the brochure out of her hand, checked the number of the next painting and directed her attention to it. ‘This one is called Waterlilies. Much more to my liking. Reminds me of Monet’s great works. Have you ever been to Monet’s garden at Giverny, Ivy?’
    ‘No.’
    ‘It’s marvellous. Inspirational. After seeing what he created there, I was determined to bring something like it to every one of the retirement villages I’ve had constructed. There’s nothing like a wonderful garden in bloom to make people feel good. Best environment you can have.’
     
    The leap from sex to gardens was diverting but for Ivy the damage was done. She couldn’t lift her own mind from thoughts of how he might be in the bedroom. He had wonderful hands, long and elegant, and she couldn’t help imagining that their touch would be sensitive. Ben’s had never really been gentle enough. With him she had often wished…though their relationship had been very companionable and she might have married