Page 35 of Bedding his Innocent Mistress

“Ivy?” He prompted.

“I haven’t even looked.”

“Two more minutes.”

“No, no,” Ivy shook her head. “You order. I’ll think fast.”

And she reached for the menu, swinging it around to face her, so that she could read the options. She chose a chicken pie with mash and gravy – stodge-fest galore –and then turned her attention back to Rafe.

“I have a proposition for you,” he said, once they were alone.

“Aren’t we still in the middle of your last proposition?”

His smile was a flicker of acknowledgement, over so quickly she thought she might have imagined it. “This is a proposition amendment then.”

“I like it. Do we need to have a quorum to vote?”

“Would that mean having Lisette weigh in? Because I think she’s on my side.”

Ivy laughed. “Yeah, me too. So? What is it?”

“I’m sick of you sneaking out in the middle of the night.”

Ivy froze. “I don’t ‘sneak out’. Well, I mean, I did. But only once.”

“Fine. I’m a grown man. You’re a grown woman. It would be normal for you to spend the night when you come to spend the night.”

“No.” She shook her head firmly and her answer was emphatic. “That’s not going to happen?”

His expression showed exasperation. “Why not?”

“Because! That’s not what we are! This is just sex,” she hissed. “Amazing sex! And I really like you. But I’m definitely not looking for a boyfriend.” She said the word as though it would fill her body with cancer; it was risk come to life. It was inconceivable.

“And you’re not looking for a girlfriend,” she continued. “Right?”

He nodded, but he was battling a swell of frustration.

“I don’t have girlfriends,” he said after a moment. “I have lovers. And my lovers stay at my home.”

A frisson of jealousy barbed inside of her. “How many lovers?”

He burst out laughing; but not with humour. With errant disbelief. “You would like a catalogue of my sex life?”

“Just a ballpark number. Give me an idea.”

“Why?” He prompted incredulously.

“Because you have a catalogue of my sex life,” she pointed out logically. “So why don’t I get yours?”

“Your sex life includes two men. I’m one of them.”

“And you’ve slept with half of Spain?”

He laughed. “No. Look, it’s not relevant. I’m trying to make this easier for you. All the late-night commuting must be exhausting.”

She shook her head. Ivy was the most alive she’d been in weeks. “I like it.” She expelled a soft sigh, and tried to explain. “I was in a relationship for a really long time. Steve and I spent so much time together we became a part of each other. I don’t want that. I want this to be casual. Light. Easy. So that when it’s time to walk away, we can both do it without difficulty.”

He nodded, but there was a spark in his eyes that somehow Ivy just knew registered his objection.

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