Millionaire's Society Mistress (8 page)

“Craig is helping to sort out the problems we have been having. He has wonderful ideas and well I guess we just hit it off” seeing as he had given her a grin nodding in agreement.

Giving a gruff snort the older man had regarded both before smiling softly.

“In that case it is a pleasure to meet you Mr Thompson”

Craig nodding back

“And you too Sir. You may not know it, but I have been trying to get in touch with you for several months”

Robert MacKenzie had held his look nodding

“Oh I know you have Mr Thompson…but that was when I thought you were out to destroy Fiona here….and this young girl is like another daughter to me”

Craig had felt the laugh rise up deeply within him. The irony not lost on him. He had gone after Fiona and Scott’s Company as a means to get closer to the man before him, and by doing so had ensured that the man would have no dealings with him, his eyes moving to Fiona who had stared at Robert with disbelief.

“Oh no….please Bob, I hope that this misunderstanding can be put behind us”

The older man regarding her thoughtfully, before smiling broadly as he had turned once more to Craig.

“Perhaps you and I can talk soon Mr Thompson?” Craig nodding

“I would like that Sir” moving off with Fiona as others had moved in to talk with him.

For the next three hours Craig had watched as Fiona had been welcomed by so many people, quickly realising that most had not seen her for many month. He had wondered why that was. Her warm greetings showing that she was well loved. As he had finally managed to pull her onto the dance floor he had asked her, seeing discomfort come to her beautiful features.

“When Donald and I broke up…it seemed best if I just backed away from all contact” giving a sad smile

“It isn’t that I actively avoided people Craig. I just had my work and all that happened with my parents…I guess time just got away”

Giving her a knowing smile he had looked around, cutting right to the truth of the situation.

“So you wanted to make sure that Donald had no chance of catching up with you” he had said softly, Fiona fidgeting nervously, not wanting to talk about her old relationship.

“Seemed better that way” she had said with finality in her voice, as he had pulled her in closer a small scowl on his face suddenly so interested in what had happened in her past.

At midnight Robert MacKenzie had moved over to talk to Craig pulling him to the side as Fiona had once more been dragged into a discussion with friends, her look apologetic a big smile on her lovely face as he had waved her on.

“You have the best girl in the world there Craig…the very best”

Craig nodding, fixing the peer with a curious expression.

“Yes she is amazing. I understand she was nearly part of your family” the older man nodding with a long sigh

“Did she tell you about it? Damn son of mine is an idiot”

Shaking his head he had seen the smile on MacKenzie’s face

“No…I imagine she didn’t” his voice thoughtful.

“It all happened as my knighthood was being discussed. She could have caused a lot of problems…but not Fiona” his voice full of respect

“She came to me and told me that she wished me the best, and that she promised not to talk to any of the press about what had happened”

Looking over at Fiona with a fond expression

“And she never did”

His eyes once more fixing on Craig

“I am having a Ceilidh next week. Perhaps you and Fiona could attend, I have so many people stay over and could put your names on the guest list, perhaps give us a chance to have that talk you have been trying to set up”

Nodding softly Craig had shaken Robert Mackenzie’s hand

“I think that sounds like a plan Sir Robert…look forward to it”

As the two men had looked understandingly at each other he had caught sight of Fiona as she had moved from the laughing group of women, only to be stopped by a good looking man who had obviously had one drink too many.

“Fiona!!!” his arms grabbing her as he had pulled her in for a hug, Craig’s eyes narrowing seeing as his hand had moved to grab her bottom, Fiona taking his arm from around her as she had chastised him good humouredly.

Excusing himself he had quickly moved over to join her, seeing the way the other man was still ogling her even as he had apologised

“Sorry…sorry … didn’t mean anything by it…but you have a smoking body Fiona”

She giving him a frown at his inappropriate comments, jumping as Craig had moved up behind her.

“Everything OK?” he had murmured softly, seeing as the young man had looked up at him struggling to focus

“Hey…don’t move in, the lady has pulled”

Fiona groaning softly feeling Craig stiffening beside her as she had looked pleadingly up at him

“Allan I would like you to meet Craig…my boyfriend”

The young man’s face comical as he had taken time for the words to sink in before looking so down-crested, his hands coming up defensively

“Damn…sorry, my bad”

His eyes once more returning to Fiona, his expression sad

“When will it be our time Fiona…when?” Before shuffling away none too steady on his feet.

Looking up at Craig she had seen as his eyes had followed Allan, his lips curled in a grin.

“Time to go” he had whispered in her ear as she had looked enquiringly at him

“Did you get what you needed?” his smile answer enough, as he had placed his hand on the base of her back, the warmth and feel of it sending strange tremors through her.

Once more sitting in the car she had looked across at him.

“Sorry about Allan, he really isn’t normally like that”

Craig looking over at her in surprise, his face holding a hint of confusion

“You Scottish blue bloods confuse me” he had finally bitten out, as with a small irritated sigh at his once more use of the phrase ‘blue bloods’ she had asked why

“During the daylight hours and whenever I need to deal with you, you are polite, kind even, but aloof. It is easier to get into a new restaurant on opening night in New York than to get inside your ivory towers. Yet behind open doors your parties are…not what I was expecting”

Giving him a quick sideways look she had asked

“And what were you expecting?”

Craig had paused, realising that he was so used to the many tedious cocktail parties, in which the settings were muted, polite and meant as venues for business conversations to begin. The party he had left however, had been loud, vibrant with everybody knowing each other, all chatting about their lives, the realisation hitting him that it was personal. Not even Sir Robert MacKenzie, a well known businessman had been prepared to talk business at the party, this confusing him.

“I suppose I expected your party to be more…..polite, sophisticated”

Chuckling softly she had looked back at him with laughing eyes

“I would have thought that the costumes might have prepared you Craig”

Still serious his eyes had once more flicked over Fiona

“You are case in point”

Giving a small smile she had considered her reply before speaking softly

“We are an old country Craig. We trust what and who we know and look at newcomers with suspicion. Given our history we have every right to be that way. Also I suppose that we would prefer to support those that we know, not new brash ‘promise you the world’ types”

Frowning softly he had moved the car out of the estate, his voice questioning

“So I suppose that you consider me brash?” Fiona nodding gently.

“Your reputation proceeds you” he frowning softly

“What does that mean?” Fiona biting her lip gently as she had continued

“You buy companies, strip them down for their assets and move on. Make a quick buck here at the expense of others” seeing as his frown had deepened

“Why do you think we fought you so hard Craig? The people who work for us have worked there in the most part since they left school. We are a nation of builders. We create businesses that run in families for decades and along comes somebody like you threatening that. One thing you should know about Scots is that we go down fighting”.

Giving a dismissive snort he had given her a sideways look

“And look where it got you…it didn’t save your Company. The world has changed Fiona and you and your high class friends are being left behind because of us brash ‘promise you the world’ types and soon you will have nothing”.

Sighing sadly she had looked down at her clasped hands.

“Maybe, you’re right…but we will never have nothing”

Anger letting the words spill from her lips as she had turned in her seat to look closely at him

“In three days time it is Christmas Craig….tell me that there is somebody who will miss you…somebody you will need to phone to tell them you miss them”

She had seen as his fingers had clenched the steering wheel so tightly they had been white

“My family…” he had began as she had interrupted him, her voice softer

“I know about your family, that is not what I meant. Friends, close friends who expect you to be with them” an almost pitying note coming to her voice “You are 33 and have no wife, children or girlfriend to share holidays with…that is sad”

His silence saying volumes as she had once more turned to stare at the darkness and the road hugged by trees.

“I will always have people and friends who will look out for me Craig. I might not have “things” but I have the most important thing in life…people who care about me”

For several minutes there had been silence in the car, Craig feeling the seething heat of anger at her comments, before the realisation that she spoke the truth. His fortune, vast as it was had indeed been made by asset stripping, his reputation formidable. The truth had sat uncomfortably with him not quite sure why as he had concentrated on the road ahead, his lips set in a grim line. The comment about being along the most disturbing thing he had realised. The sudden realisation hitting him of the real difference between the New York and Scottish party scene, one being all about closeness, the other actively avoiding any real contact.

By his side Fiona had felt bad, not being somebody who took pleasure in insulting or upsetting another person, even if the words were the truth as she had given a soft sigh

“I’m sorry Craig…that was cruel of me” He giving a dismissive wave of his hand

“I’ve heard worse” still not looking at her as once more the car had grown silent.

Eventually with the need to try and fix things she had softly spoken

“My friends liked you”

Craig giving a small smile at her side, not sure why that had meant anything to him, not usually one for sentimentality or what others thought of him.

“Well Allan really seemed to like you” Fiona giving a small groan

“He was drunk…he would really never do that normally”

“He was not the only one looking at you like you were the main entree”

Fiona frowning softly at the accusing note in his voice.

“Hardly surprising the way you are dressed. Men are men, you look like that and men are going to look at you that way”

Giving a small snort she had shaken her head

“Scottish men are civilized and respectful Craig, they would never try something if they didn’t think that you were interested” her dig at the previous evening clear as he had laughed, a laugh devoid of humour

“You really believe that? You think that those men are any more civilized than me?”

Fiona raising her chin her expression haughty

“You wouldn’t understand how to be civilized” she had bitten back, Craig giving a small mirthless laugh

“Men are all the same Fiona…just some have learnt to hide their more base instincts” his eyes moving to slide down her body pausing at the short skirt which rode high on her thighs as she sat down, the stocking top visible against her creamy flesh.

“Do you really believe dressed like that the men in that party were not all imagining you naked?”

With a shake of his head he had moved the car through the Scottish countryside with ease.

“Do not paint everybody with the same brush as yourself Craig” she had thrown back haughtily

“The gentlemen I know are respectful and would never behave the way you do…they have standards”

His loud laugh had made her frown not liking the fact he was mocking her

“You strip down all of the politeness and society expectations, men are men interested only in the chase and the winning of that chase. A gentleman is just a patient wolf. You look down on me because I am more honest than those men we just left but there is not one who would not like to do this”

With that his hand had moved to her thigh, Fiona gasping with surprise and shock, his fingers moving slowly under the small miniskirt. Grabbing his wrist she had tried to pull his hand from her, her eyes flicking to his in stunned shock.

“What the hell do you think you are doing?” she had cried in panic, her fingers unable to move him, his hold tightening painfully as she had finally let go staring in complete disbelief at his impassive features as he had continued to drive the car.

“I bet that all your boyfriends have treated you with kid gloves Fiona. Waited the appropriate two weeks before even daring to kiss you and God knows how long before even hoping to get you into bed”

She had remained silent so aware as his fingers had continued creeping further up her thigh pushing the skirt aside as he spoke

“How very boring for you”

By now her words had come out in small gasps as she had shaken her head fervently

“Stop…please…just stop”

Craig ignoring her words as his hand had finally reached the heat of her one finger pushing aside the skimpy panty material as it had started to gently stroke her. Biting her lip she had once more grabbed his arm to pull him from her feeling as the car had jerked on the road, his voice soft

“I wouldn’t do that, hard enough to concentrate on the road right now…I could always pull over if you would rather” the implied threat not lost on her as she had released him her hands gripping the edges of the seat.

Fiona had wanted to remain still, to not react to show him how much contempt she had for him, but her body a traitor of the worst kind was already reacting to the most intimate actions of his fingers. As wetness had gushed between her legs she had heard the small laugh of triumph from him. Opening her mouth to round on him the sound had turned to a moan as one long finger had entered her, Fiona’s body tensing at his penetration of her. As he had continued to rub and tease she had bit her lip unable to stop the small moans and whimpers from leaving her mouth, her body starting to move involuntarily against him to her eternal shame, knowing how she should have been rigid showing him that his actions had no effect on her.