Mistress Minded by Katherine Garbera Page A

warm lit his eyes, and though she knew it wasn’t practical and made no sense, she couldn’t help thinking that Adam had found what he’d been searching for in her.
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    Adam and Jayne dropped anchor in a small cove. He took ashore the picnic lunch that the hotel staffhad provided and then returned to carry Jayne to the beach.
    He should’ve stayed in the boat and continued to survey the island from the sea. He should be checking on neighboring property that might be available for sale. He should be concentrating on work, but he didn’t want to.
    â€œI could have walked.”
    â€œI know,” he said. His arms felt empty without her, but he didn’t tell Jayne that. He had the feeling she saw too much, anyway. He set her on her feet and together they spread out the blanket and food. Because Adam didn’t believe in drinking and driving—even a boat—he didn’t drink any of the wine that was in the cooler.
    Jayne was careful to steer the conversation away from personal topics and onto current events, which they both shared similar views of, and movies, which they didn’t. The sappier the storyline, the more Jayne liked it. And she wasn’t above arguing with him to make a point.
    There was a gleam in her eyes as she asked him about his favorite book. Though he liked true crime and biographies, he didn’t want to debate his personal choices anymore.
    â€œLord of the Rings,” he said.
    â€œFinally. I thought we had nothing in common.”
    â€œI can’t believe you like those books, Jayne. They aren’t sappy enough.”
    â€œYou’re in trouble now, honeybun.”
    â€œI’m scared,” he said.
    She dived for Adam, mercilessly tickling him. They wrestled on the blankets until somehow she ended up under him. Then he couldn’t resist lowering his head and kissing her mouth. The fact that he had rights to her seductive lips pleased him.
    He lifted his head after long moments and then sat up.
    â€œAdam?”
    â€œI want to know more about you,” he murmured.
    â€œWhat do you want to know?” she asked. Jayne sat up in turn, leaning back on her elbows.
    He traced the bottom edge of her tattoo with his finger. “You never told me about this. You said you got it when you were seventeen. Why?” He’d never noticed until now that there was a core of herself that Jayne kept hidden. Adam had the feeling she was dancing just out of his reach, and that no matter how many times he claimed her body, part of her soul remained untouched. But she’d scored him deeply with her presence in his life and he wouldn’t tolerate not affecting her as strongly.
    â€œMy mom has one similar to it. But it’s a fully open flower.”
    â€œWhy isn’t yours?”
    â€œI’ve always wanted to be her opposite.”
    Adam tugged the side of her suit down so that he could see the entire design again. There was something very restrained about Jayne’s tattoo. “Tell me about your mom.”
    â€œShe’s sophisticated and chic. She always has the hottest new car. She’s well traveled and speaks three languages fluently.”
    â€œIs she American?”
    â€œYes, but her father was from Colombia. She started modeling when she was fourteen.”
    â€œDo you look like her?”
    â€œI have her eyes and that’s about it. She towers over me and she’s very voluptuous.”
    â€œThen you get these from her, as well,” he said, cupping her full breasts.
    Jayne batted his hands away playfully. “I guess. We don’t really have that much in common.”
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œShe is a rich man’s mistress.”
    â€œAre you sure it’s not a relationship?”
    â€œVery. She’s living with Hans for six months. It’s her standard arrangement. You have that in common with her.”
    â€œMy arrangements usually don’t have a time limit,” he