Page 25 of Bedding his Innocent Mistress

“Oh, well, you know,” Ivy shook her head. “I think we need… a rule about this stuff.”

“A rule?” He arched his brows enquiringly.

“Yeah, a rule. Sort of like a privilege rule, that what we talk about here doesn’t affect what happens out there.” She nodded vaguely towards the window, indicating the broader contexts of their lives.

“I bought the station because of its potential, not its performance. Changes are inevitable.”

She nodded, myriad questions firing through her brain.

“What is it?” He asked after a moment.

“What’s what?” She ate another piece of pork.

“You look puzzled.”

Her smile was instinctive. “Yeah. What else do you own?”

He sipped his wine. “Other businesses, you mean?”

“No. Shoes.” She rolled her eyes. “Oh, that reminds me. I forgot your shirt.”

“Keep it,” he shrugged. “Wear it. I like to think of it on your skin.”

A shiver of anticipation danced down her body. How did he know just what to say for maximum sexiness at any given time? “I’ll bring it another time.”

His eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.

“So?” She reached for a spring roll, crunching down on it appreciatively.

“I’ll answer your questions if you answer mine.”

“Sure,” she shrugged, knowing she had nothing to hide. In any event, her life was pretty darned droll. “But I asked first.”

“I own various corporate enterprises. But by far my favourite investment is the least profitable.”

She was quiet, waiting for him to continue.

“I have a winery in Spain. Near my home. The vines run from the side of a mountain all the way to the sea, making for a dramatic contrast in grape flavour. I don’t produce a lot, and most of what I do I sell in-house to my own businesses.”

“Mmm,” she smiled, as an image of Rafe in dusty jeans and a white singlet came to her from nowhere. “I like the idea of you tending vines, getting all sweaty and dusty.”

“Me too.” He grimaced. “That’s not really what I do though.”

“What a shame,” she murmured. “You’d suit it.”

“Perhaps. My turn.”

“Sure,” she nodded. “Ask away.”

“I frightened you last night?”

She froze, midway through lifting the spring roll back to her mouth. “When?”

“Tying you up?”

“Oh.” She pulled a face and shook her head. “No. Not even a bit.”

“You were in such a hurry to leave…”

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