Lee Wilkinson - Stand-In Mistress

And one who was willing to be his bed-companion, no doubt, Joanne thought sourly.

Hoping to give him as much trouble as possible, she assured him, ‘I’m quite sure Milly won’t want to let you down.’

Recklessly, she added, ‘And if by any chance she can’t come, I might even volunteer for the post myself!’

A devilish gleam in his eye, he refilled her glass and said, ‘I might hold you to that. But you’d need to come prepared. The nights can get pretty chilly.’

‘Oh, I’m sure I could cope.’

‘Have you much experience?’

Loathing both him and the double entendre, she gave him a come-hither look and cooed, ‘Oh, yes, lots.’

‘Where are you working now?’ 23

Reluctant to provide too much personal information, she said briefly, ‘Optima Business Services.’

‘Owned by Steven Winslow.’

It was a statement not a question, but she answered, ‘That’s right.’

Brad Lancing seemed to know a great deal. But perhaps Milly had told him?

‘So you act as your brother’s secretary?’ he pursued evenly.

‘I’ve been Steve’s personal assistant for over five years.’

Reacting to her tone, he said, ‘I see.’ Then, a challenge in his voice, ‘And are you a good PA?’

‘If I wasn’t I wouldn’t have kept the job. Neither of us believes in nepotism.’

As soon as the words were out it struck her that she had been replying as herself, rather than the kind of woman she was pretending to be.

Giving him a flirtatious glance, she said in her best girly voice, ‘But I’m not very interesting…I’d much rather talk about you, Mr Lancing.’

His firm mouth twitched. ‘Won’t you call me Brad?’

‘I’d love to, if you call me Joanne.’

‘It will be my pleasure.’

Taking a sip of her champagne, she smiled at him over the rim of the glass. Then, recalling something Milly had once said, she leaned towards him and murmured in a husky voice, ‘I’ve always found handsome, powerful men like you a real turn-on.’

The ‘like you’ was her own contribution.

An expression that might have been amusement flitted across his face, making her wonder if she was overdoing it, but it was gone in an instant, and she decided it must have been self-satisfaction.

Someone as vain and egotistical as he undoubtedly was would lap up any amount of flattery.

He must have been looking forward to a romantic evening with a girl who thought he was wonderful, and being a womaniser, he would no doubt have seduction on his mind.

Well, let him believe she was a pushover. The shock would be all the greater when he discovered that instead of the sex kitten he was hoping for, she was a cat with claws.

For the next hour or so, while they ate what turned out to be a very good meal, Joanne flirted with him shamelessly. Hanging on his every word, she touched his sleeve from time to time and occasionally let her foot nudge his under the table.

Avoiding questions about herself as much as possible, she made an effort to keep the conversation centred on him.

It proved to be harder than she had anticipated.

Most men, even the nicest ones, were usually happy to keep their egos inflated by talking about themselves, but Brad Lancing, while prepared to discuss the business scene, seemed unwilling to divulge anything remotely personal.

Perhaps he was married after all?

If he was, she pitied his poor wife.

‘I suppose you must travel an awful lot?’ Joanne enquired as the waiter brought the liqueur coffees Brad had ordered.

‘Not as much as I used to. These days I only travel if I believe my presence is really essential.’

‘Your wife must be pleased about that,’ she remarked idly, taking a sip of her coffee.

Those green eyes pinned her, making her go oddly fluttery. ‘I’m not married,’ he told her coolly, ‘nor have I ever been remotely tempted to put my head in the silken noose.’

‘Oh…’

With a gleam of mockery, he added, ‘Who was it said, “Love all and marry none”?’

‘Whoever it was, I understand you follow their advice to the letter?’ The sharp words were out before she could prevent them.

‘I have until now,’ he admitted easily. Then with a sidelong glance, ‘You sound as if you disapprove?’

She answered the question with another. ‘Who was it said, “Gather ye rosebuds while ye may”?’

‘Now, that one I can answer. Herrick.’

His voice, as well as being attractive, was educated, but, not having put him down as a man who would take much interest in poetry, she was surprised by his knowledge.

‘Do you agree with the sentiment?’ he pursued.

‘I suppose so,’ she admitted, ‘though I haven’t had much time for gathering rosebuds.’

‘Why not?’

She replied briefly, ‘When our parents died in a train crash I left college to take over the running of the house.’

‘How old were you then?’

‘Nineteen.’

‘And you went to work for your brother at the same time?’

‘Yes.’

‘How many were there in the family?’

‘Just three. Steve, who’s the eldest, myself, and Milly, who was only a schoolgirl.’

‘So you’ve been a mother to your younger sister?’

‘You could say that.’

Seeing he was about to probe further, she forced a bright smile, and changed the subject. ‘I understand that you’ll be in Norway for six weeks or so?’

‘That’s right.’

‘It seems a long time for a business trip. Are you planning a new project?’

‘No. Just sorting out a family business that’s been in existence for generations.’

‘A family business?’ she echoed in surprise. ‘Surely Lancing isn’t a Norwegian name?’

‘No, it was my mother who came from Norway. Her father was Norwegian and her mother English. An only child, she lived with her parents in Bergen until she met and married my father.

‘After that she only returned to Norway for holidays, though the family remained close until she was killed in an accident just over a year ago.

‘When my grandfather died shortly afterwards he left me the Dragon Shipping Line and hotel business he’d spent his entire life running.

‘Since then there have been quite a few problems, and a while ago I sent one of my best men over there to deal with them.

‘Paul was fairly sure he was well on his way to sorting them out without needing me, but during the last couple of months things have started to go wrong again.

‘Then this morning something more serious happened that made up his mind that he needed my help, and he contacted me to say he thinks I should go after all.

‘If the problems had been resolved I would probably have left my trip until the spring. But as it is, I can’t let things drift until then.’

Starting to feel more than a little woozy, she asked, ‘Why spring?’

‘Because, though September is a wonderful time to hike in the hills, Norway is particularly beautiful in the spring when the ice is breaking up and the rivers are in spate…

‘You see, as well as dealing with the business side, it’s my intention to take some time off and have a break.

‘Due to pressure of work I haven’t had a proper holiday for a couple of years, and I haven’t been to Norway for more than a few days at a time on business.

‘I’m very fond of my mother’s homeland, so the thought of taking a real holiday there is an enticing prospect…’

Enticing enough to almost make Milly leave her husband, Joanne thought bitterly.

He raised a winged brow. ‘Judging by your expression, you don’t think so?’

‘Not at all,’ she disagreed hastily. ‘I’ve always thought Norway must be wonderful. Which part are you going to?’