Mistress on Demand

by Maggie Cox

  And before Dominic could gather his wits and try and reason with her Sophie had joined the throng of passers-by travelling in the opposite direction. She was hurrying away from him, her expression determined, as if she couldn’t escape quickly enough.

  What had Sophie meant when she’d suggested that he wouldn’t be without female company for long?

  Pacing the large, some would say intimidating room that was his personal office, Dominic glanced out at the teeming rain that fell past his window and strove hard to will his misery away.

  He’d been dissecting every part of their last conversation. From her accusation that he thought of a relationship between them as ‘purely pragmatic,’ to fulfil a need, to her confession that, in spite of being hurt in the past, she’d never given up hope of falling in love and spending the rest of her life with someone.Rich or poor.

  He’d had sleepless nights because of that last part. Dominic wanted Sophie to fall in love with nobody buthim. That desire had also come as a revelation. To realise that what he’d actually been craving all along was Sophie’s love. He’d never wanted that from any woman before. He hadn’t even believed in it. ‘Emotions are notoriously unreliable,’ his father had always taught him, and so Dominic had steered clear of emotional involvement ever since. Now he saw whatbad advice he’d been given. He was tired of being alone. Hewanted emotional involvement. He wanted it with Sophie.

  Sighing, he remembered that Sophie had actually said thatDiana had intimated that he wouldn’t be without female company for long. If that was the case, then his assistant must have been discussing him with Sophie—and not in a good way, either.

  Before he gave himself time to consider the thought further, he pulled open the adjoining door that separated his own office from his personal assistant’s and marched straight over to her desk. In the middle of a phone call, Diana mimed,Just a minute , as Dominic leant over her, and was completely taken aback when he grabbed the receiver from her hand and slammed it down on its rest.

  ‘What have you been saying to Sophie?’ he demanded, his eyes glittering hard. At the sight of the swift colour that invaded the blonde’s otherwise pale cheeks Dominic instinctively knew she had not been painting him in the best of lights to her friend.

  ‘I don’t know what you mean, Dominic.’

  Her hazel eyes slightly panicked, Diana strove hard to retain her usually famous composure. Dominic blew hot and cold, she knew that. He could lose his temper with her one minute, then buy her a gift or treat her to lunch the next, in gratitude for all her hard work.

  ‘Did you suggest to her that I might be seeing other women?’ He came straight to the point, his chest constricted with fury that his own PA might have soured things for him with the woman he wanted to be with.

  Dominic knew he’d played his part in driving Sophie away. He was quite aware that he’d tried to steamroller her into moving in with him, scarcely taking her wants and needs into consideration at all. But two days had gone by since she’d left him standing outside the jeweller’s in Grafton Street

  , and he’d had plenty of time for reflection about what had happened, since.He hadn’t liked what he’d discovered about himself, that much was certain. But he didn’t like being lied about either.

  It was true he had many female friends, but he certainly wasn’t having sexual relations with any of them. Other than the odd one-night stand, to meet the most basic of functions, he’d steered clear of personal involvement until he’d met Sophie!

  ‘I said that sometimes other women rang you at work,’ Diana admitted, reddening even more. ‘But when I said that I wasn’t trying to suggest that you were having relationships with those women, Dominic.’

  ‘And if you were in Sophie’s shoes, and a friend said that to you, what wouldyou think she meant?’

  Before she could answer his question, Dominic swung away from the desk and paced to the other side of the room and back. ‘I have a feeling that you have been saying other things to Sophie, Diana…perhaps not very complimentary things about me? Is that right?’

  Feeling herself pushed into a corner, Diana sighed in exasperation. ‘What you must understand about Sophie, Dominic, is that although she’s a teacher, she’s actually quite naïve in many respects. Sadly, she has some ridiculous idea that you want her to move in with you! Naturally I had to help her come to her senses.’

  ‘Naturally.’

  Dominic didn’t know how he held onto his temper as he stared at the ice-cool blonde whose secretarial and organisational abilities had, up until now, always impressed him. ‘If Sophie told you that that was what I wanted, why didn’t you believe her? Is your friend accustomed to telling you lies?’

  Seeing Diana flinch at that, Dominic was even more furious with the woman for letting Sophie down than himself. Knowing the kind of warm, generous person Sophie was, he concluded that she deserved farbetter friends than Diana.

  ‘Anyway, she told me she didn’t want to get involved with another man for a long time! Her previous boyfriend went to bed with his best friend’s girlfriend, and Sophie was devastated. She’s totally cynical about relationships. I even had to practically blackmail her into coming to my wedding, she disapproves of them so much! And then she turned up covered in mud, looking like she’d been on an assault course with the army!’

  Out of pure frustration and annoyance with Sophie, for putting her in such an awkward position with her boss, Diana was resorting to plain vindictiveness to protect herself. It made Dominic see his personal assistant in an entirely different light from the one he’d seen her in before, and he didn’tlike what he saw. No matter how busy or in demand he was, he’d always prided himself in choosing good staff. He liked to think that he had reasonably good intuition, as well as first-class interviewing skills when it came to the selection process. Now he realised that he might have made a mistake where Diana was concerned.

  In Dominic’s opinion, although he didn’t ever particularly strive to be liked by anyone, he viewed loyalty to one’s friends as paramount—unless it was proved in some way that that loyalty was misplaced. Diana had more than demonstrated that she felt no loyalty towards Sophie whatsoever. If she had badmouthed Dominic in any way to her, then clearly she didnot have Sophie’s interests at heart. Yes, Dominic had female friends that he occasionally liked to wine and dine, but true to his word he had mostly avoided more intimate associations because all they did was leave him feeling soulless.Until Sophie…

  ‘I think you owe your friend Sophie an apology.’ His voice was level, but his blazing green eyes nonetheless spoke volumes as he settled them on Diana. ‘Knowing the kind of person she is, no doubt she will accept it. But I truly hope, for her sake, that she has nothing whatsoever to do with you again after that. In light of the current situation, we need to have a very serious talk Carmichael. Ten o’clock tomorrow morning in my office. Don’t be late.’

  Before Diana could even blink in astonishment, Dominic had stalked back into his office and slammed the door.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  ‘SOPHIE…might I have a word?’

  Victor Edwards’s calm tones cut through the fog that had descended on her mind, and Sophie glanced up from the text on childcare she’d been only half reading. Still in a daze, she pushed to her feet.

  ‘Of course.’

  Following him out of the staffroom and along the echoing tiled corridor to the headmaster’s office, Sophie was glad that Victor was mainly silent, because she really didn’t feel like talking much. In his office he offered her a chair and a cup of coffee, and while he attended to the pouring of the coffee she tried hard to will her expression into one of composure. Unfortunately she knew that right now her emotions were precariously poised on a cliff-edge, and she hoped that whatever he had to say wasn’t going to open the floodgates and tip her over.

  It had been a week since she’d left Dominic standing outside the jeweller’s and walked away.A whole week and since then…nothing. No letter or phone call. Not even
to acknowledge that what they had had between them was over. And each day that passed seemed like a lifetime…

  ‘There you are. White, one sugar—just as you like it.’

  Beaming at her like some kind of fond uncle, Victor carefully placed the cup and saucer on the desk between them. Retrieving his own drink, he sat in the somewhat tired-looking leather chair that had been an integral part of his office for years, and linked his hands together in front of him.

  ‘How long have you been with us, Sophie? I think it’s three years now, isn’t it?’

  Where was this leading?Looking across at him, her attention suddenly switching to full alertness, Sophie blinked. ‘I can hardly believe it myself but, yes…it is three years.’

  ‘And you have enjoyed your time with us?’

  Shifting uncomfortably in her seat, Sophie’s spine prickled in anxiety at what might be coming next.

  ‘I’ve enjoyed it very much. Is there something wrong, Headmaster? Is it something to do with my work?’

  She really hoped not. No matter how she was feeling—good or bad—Sophie always strove to give of her best once she was in the classroom with the children. They might come from all kinds of family backgrounds, each with their own attendant problems, but the kids wouldn’t ever receive negative vibes from her.

  ‘There’s nothing wrong, Sophie, and especially not concerning your work. No, my dear, I am sorry if I’ve alarmed you unwittingly. It’s just that I know how dedicated you are, and how eager you are to progress, and a post has come up in another school that I think you might well be interested in. As much as I would hate to lose you, I thought it was only right to bring it to your attention.’

  Victor paused for a moment to glean Sophie’s reaction. Momentarily mesmerised by the startling cornflower-blue of her pretty eyes, he quickly glanced away to rifle through some papers on the desk in front of him. Then, regaining his composure, he gave Sophie a brief smile. ‘Now, the position won’t actually be available for another six months, but in the meantime they are interviewing prospective candidates, and if you are interested I would be very happy to arrange an interview on your behalf.’

  Her interest definitely captured, Sophie leaned forward in her seat, her gloom put determinedly aside as she listened to Victor outline the very appealing benefits of this new post in another school…

  Immersed in stripping wallpaper off the walls in the living room, in a bid to spring-clean her life, Sophie cursed beneath her breath when someone rang on the doorbell. She hated being interrupted when she had the bit between her teeth, but she wiped her wet hands down the front of her faded jeans and baggy overshirt and went to see who’d had the audacity to disturb her.

  ‘Diana!’

  All kinds of emotions clamoured inside Sophie at the sight of her friend, but the one most prevalent was sadness. They’d been friends for about four years now, since Sophie had temped as a secretary in the summer holidays leading up to her final exams. They were very different people, but somehow they had hit it off. Diana had introduced Sophie to lots of new and exciting experiences, and the two women had had fun together. Now, Sophie was shocked to find her at her door, a not-so-confident smile on her attractive face, and holding out a bouquet of spring flowers.

  Sophie kept her hands deliberately down by her sides. ‘What can I do for you?’

  ‘I’ve been a bitch. I know it. I’ve come round to apologise and to tell you that I would like to be your friend again. Any chance?’ Grimacing, Diana held out the flowers again.

  Sophie accepted them…albeit reluctantly. It didn’t mean, however, that she was going to run full-tilt back into a full-on friendship with Diana again. Diana had said some dreadful things, that had really hurt, and Sophie realised that though she was willing to forgive, it wouldn’t be so easy to forget. Pushing her fringe out of her eyes, she briefly sniffed the perfume emanating from the flowers and tried to get a handle on her emotions. Since she’d broken up with Dominic she’d turned into a real water fountain—crying at the drop of a hat at the slightest thing. Even though she’d told herself it was pathetic, she couldn’t seem to help herself.

  ‘I need some time to think about that, Diana,’ she said quietly.

  The blonde frowned. ‘Can’t I come in for just a minute? I can’t talk to you properly out here on the doorstep.’

  ‘I’m decorating, and everywhere is in a mess.’

  ‘I don’t care. It’s you I’ve come to see, not your house!’

  ‘Just for a minute, then. I really need to get on.’

  Her chest feeling hollow, Sophie turned and walked back down the corridor, then turned off into the kitchen. She put the flowers in the sink and ran some water into the basin around the stems. Hearing Diana come in behind her, she turned slowly and folded her arms across her chest. Diana appeared as immaculate as usual—her make-up perfect, looking slim and elegant in an understated black trouser suit with a cream camisole. In comparison, dressed in her old jeans and shirt, with vestiges of dust in her hair, Sophie knew she must look a fright.

  ‘What did you want to talk about?’

  ‘Apart from telling you again that I’m truly sorry for the abominable way I behaved?Dominic.’

  ‘What about Dominic?’ Striving to keep her voice level, not to let the other woman see how his name alone could unravel her, Sophie stared.

  ‘He loves you.’

  ‘What did you say?’

  ‘I said he loves you! All those things I said to you, I said because I was jealous. You’re pretty as a peach, you’ve got a great figure, and a career you love—and then someone like Dominic comes along and snaps you up! Notthat many women ring him up at work, Sophie, and the ones who do are only friends. I promise. I’ve been his PA for three and a bit years now. If he was having a relationship with any of them don’t you think I’d know?’

  All Sophie had really heard was what Diana had said first.Why was she taunting her with such lies? Hadn’t she done enough damage already? Of course Dominic didn’t love her! As far as Sophie was able to conclude, he wasincapable of loving anyone. Such a tender and strong emotion was just not part of the man’s make-up. Whatever he’d learned as a child, it wasn’t how to love…

  ‘I don’t want to hear any more, Diana. Please, just go, will you? I need to pop out to the hardware shop before it closes, and I don’t have time to stand around and chat!’

  Striding to the door, Sophie was totally taken aback when Diana caught her by the arm and pulled her back into the room.

  ‘What do you think you’re doing?’ Shaking her arm free, she felt her cheeks go pink with indignation.

  ‘You idiot!’

  ‘What did you call me?’ Hands on her hips, Sophie stared at the other woman as if she’d gone quite mad.

  ‘You’re not listening to me, Sophie! Dominic loves you! Doesn’t that mean anything to you?’

  A week ago it would have meant the whole world…if it were true. But, wherever Diana had got her information from, Sophie knew it was clearly a lie. The man hadn’t even phoned her to see if she was all right. Was that an example of someone wholoved her?

  ‘And how do you come to such a blatantly untrue conclusion?’

  ‘Because I’ve seen how he’s been during the past week since you walked away and left him! He’s not the most even-tempered guy at the best of times, but in the past week he’s been hell on wheels! Do you know I’ve just about held onto my job by the skin of my teeth?’

  Diana shook her head from side to side, remembering the scalding interview she’d had with Dominic where he’d read her the Riot Act and warned her that if she ever interfered in his personal business again she would be looking for another job. He’d told her the only reason he was keeping her on at all was because of her past exemplary record—but one step out of line and that would be it.

  ‘He was furious with me for telling you about other women ringing him up at the office. Since then not a day has passed without him asking me if I’ve heard from you. Go
and see him, Sophie. Put the both of you out of your misery!’

  Could what Diana was saying be true?Sophie hardly dared hope. Butif it were true she still couldn’t understand why Dominic had not contacted her first. Then a stunning thought came to her.Was stubborn pride getting in his way?

  Nobody liked being rejected, and Sophie had walked out on him when he’d been intent on buying her something nice—a piece of jewellery to cement their decision about living together. Even if her reasons had been sound ones, her actionsmust have caused him hurt. She remembered the lone birthday card from his parents on the mantel, the curt, minimalist greeting which was no loving greeting at all, and her heart just about turned over inside her chest with dismay.