Knight's Mistress by C. C. Gibbs Page A

waiting. ‘If you’re going to make a scene,’ he said, opening the back door, ‘do it in the car. It’s not that I’d be embarrassed,’ he added, politely shoving her in, ‘but you might be if I start screaming back.’ Heslammed the door shut, set her bag on the floor. ‘The airport, Chu. Call Max. Tell him to meet us there.’ Then he turned back to Kate and grinned. ‘OK, I’m ready. Scream away.’
    Now was her chance to make her point about going back home. ‘I’d
like
to see Hong Kong,’ she heard herself say. She had no explanation; she wasn’t even looking for one. She just felt happy saying it.
    ‘You would?’
    She enjoyed his startled reflex. It made him human. ‘Why wouldn’t I?’
    It took him a moment to answer, her sudden agreement unnerving.
    She smiled. ‘Do you think I want something? You do, don’t you?’
    ‘The thought crossed my mind. Forgive me if I’m wrong.’
    ‘I do want something.’
    His gaze went shuttered. ‘Tell me what it is,’ he coolly said.
    ‘A night on the town. It sounds like fun.’
    A flint-eyed scrutiny. ‘That’s it?’
    ‘Jesus. You’d think I’d asked for your first-born. Does everyone always want something from you?’
    ‘Mostly.’ He blew out a breath. ‘Yeah, a lot of them do.’
    ‘I don’t.’
Well, maybe a little something. Just maybe.
    His smile slowly unfurled. ‘In that case, consider it a date, Miss Hart. It’s a three and a half hour flight. We should be there for dinner.’
    A date!
She had to stop herself from verbally freaking out. ‘Dinner sounds lovely,’ she said, proud that she’d been able to keep her voice even. In contrast, her brain was practically exploding she was thinking so many things at the same time. First, the classic Cinderella dream that every young girl brought with her into adulthood regardless of the sheer futility of such a scenario. But really Dominic Knight was as much Prince Charming as any fantasy could contrive. Then, after jettisoning the Cinderella myth, she focused on the word ‘date’ like some star-struck teenager. That at least was a marginal reality, and she intended to relish every minute of the evening because she would be the envy of every woman who had eyes to see. And after the soft-focus lens on romance gave way to a more stark reality, she ran through possible fantasies of a more lurid sexual nature. At which point, she abruptly punted and returned to the more pleasing romantic images filling her mind.
    But Kate wasn’t the only one pleased.
    Dominic started making plans.

CHAPTER 7
    Two cars were waiting for them at the airport. Max politely took his leave of Kate, offered her good wishes for her future, told Dominic he’d talk to him next week, then loped towards a waiting car and jumped in.
    ‘He’s impatient to see his family,’ Dominic explained as the car sped away.
    Max has a family?
‘I don’t suppose he gets home often with your schedule.’
    ‘We have a deal. It’s every two weeks – mostly – this time it stretched to three, so he’s in a hurry. Here’s our car.’ He guided her to another shiny black sedan.
    After the evening in Amsterdam, Kate wondered what kind of family. Was he married or did the Roche family live here? If he had a wife, was she Chinese? Not that it was any of her business. Really, it wasn’t. ‘Is Max married?’ The words escaped before she could censure her brain, so there was no further point in being discreet. ‘He doesn’t look like he’d be married. He looks like he should be carrying an AK-47.’
    Dominic gave her a blank stare for half a heartbeat. Then he said, ‘Max is married. He has a young son. Anything else?’
    ‘Sorry. It’s just that I’ve never seen anyone who looks so much like a mercenary.’
    ‘Actually, Max is a physicist.’
    Her eyes widened. ‘Like a physicist who defuses suitcase bombs? Or builds them or trades in nuclear secrets?’
    Dominic smiled faintly. ‘You have a vivid imagination, Miss Hart.’