Grayson, talking about her grandparents, her childhood, her artistic ambitions – it had brought her back to herself. She remembered what it was like to be that person, and it had felt possible that she could be that person again.
CHAPTER NINE
Lisa felt a mixture of excitement and apprehension the following Saturday evening, as she put the finishing touches to the preparations for dinner. Mark had rung Isabel during the week, and they had arranged for her and Grayson to come over tonight. Her heels clicked on the polished tiles of the floor as she moved around the table, giving a final tweak to the artfully arranged glasses and silverware, making sure everything sparkled. She had spent the past two days planning, shopping, cooking and making both the house and herself beautiful for the occasion. When she wasn’t arranging flowers and planning the menu, she was having manicures and facials, and generally getting herself primped and preened so she wouldn’t look out of place in Mark’s picture-perfect dinner party scene.
She smoothed the pale blue runner that ran down the centre of the table so that it lay perfectly flat, then arranged candles along it. She was placing an arrangement of white roses in the centre when Mark appeared in the doorway.
He crossed the room and pulled her into his arms. “This looks lovely,’ he said, his eyes scanning the table.
‘Thank you,’ she smiled.
He dropped a kiss on her shoulder. ‘And you look amazing.’
He had insisted on buying her a new outfit for the evening. He had taken her shopping, and chose a short black leather skirt and sheer black chiffon top. It was very daring and sophisticated, the sort of thing an A-list star might wear on the red carpet. The top was completely see-through, and Mark had insisted that wearing anything underneath would completely spoil the effect. She tried not to look as uncomfortable and embarrassed as she felt in the gossamer-thin black blouse that clung to her like a second skin, her naked breasts clearly visible through the filmy material.
‘You’re so beautiful,’ he said now, holding her arms out to the sides while his gaze swept over her. ‘I like you wearing clothes that show off your body.’ There was a hunger in his eyes that once would have set her pulses racing.
‘You look very sexy yourself,’ she said, smiling up at him. He was wearing a beautifully cut black suit with a grey silk shirt open at the neck.
‘You’re in a very good mood,’ he said. ‘Excited about seeing Grayson again?’
She hesitated, her smile faltering. Was it that obvious? She liked Grayson and she was looking forward to seeing him, even though she wished she didn’t have to be half naked when she did. But what was the right answer? Did Mark want her to be excited about seeing another man or would it make him angry and suspicious?
‘Don’t worry,’ he said with a teasing smile, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. ‘I won’t be jealous. This was my idea, remember?’
‘I’m only doing this for you, Mark. If it was up to me, I wouldn’t be with anyone but you.’
‘I know. It’s only because I know you feel that way that I can do this. If I felt insecure about you, the thought of you with anyone else would drive me crazy.’ He smoothed her hair, looking into her eyes. ‘You know it’s the same for me, right? You know you have nothing to be jealous of?’
She nodded.
‘This is just a bit of fun ... recreation. It doesn’t mean anything. You’re my life, Lisa.’ He bent and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. ‘But I like to see you letting go of your inhibitions and having fun.’
‘It is fun.’
‘See,’ he said, ‘I know what’s best for you.’
‘Always,’ she replied.
‘So, what are we having for dinner?’
‘There’s crab salad to start, then rack of lamb with spring greens and new potatoes–‘
‘No potatoes for you, though,’ he said with a playful tap on her nose.
‘No.’ She
CHAPTER NINE
Lisa felt a mixture of excitement and apprehension the following Saturday evening, as she put the finishing touches to the preparations for dinner. Mark had rung Isabel during the week, and they had arranged for her and Grayson to come over tonight. Her heels clicked on the polished tiles of the floor as she moved around the table, giving a final tweak to the artfully arranged glasses and silverware, making sure everything sparkled. She had spent the past two days planning, shopping, cooking and making both the house and herself beautiful for the occasion. When she wasn’t arranging flowers and planning the menu, she was having manicures and facials, and generally getting herself primped and preened so she wouldn’t look out of place in Mark’s picture-perfect dinner party scene.
She smoothed the pale blue runner that ran down the centre of the table so that it lay perfectly flat, then arranged candles along it. She was placing an arrangement of white roses in the centre when Mark appeared in the doorway.
He crossed the room and pulled her into his arms. “This looks lovely,’ he said, his eyes scanning the table.
‘Thank you,’ she smiled.
He dropped a kiss on her shoulder. ‘And you look amazing.’
He had insisted on buying her a new outfit for the evening. He had taken her shopping, and chose a short black leather skirt and sheer black chiffon top. It was very daring and sophisticated, the sort of thing an A-list star might wear on the red carpet. The top was completely see-through, and Mark had insisted that wearing anything underneath would completely spoil the effect. She tried not to look as uncomfortable and embarrassed as she felt in the gossamer-thin black blouse that clung to her like a second skin, her naked breasts clearly visible through the filmy material.
‘You’re so beautiful,’ he said now, holding her arms out to the sides while his gaze swept over her. ‘I like you wearing clothes that show off your body.’ There was a hunger in his eyes that once would have set her pulses racing.
‘You look very sexy yourself,’ she said, smiling up at him. He was wearing a beautifully cut black suit with a grey silk shirt open at the neck.
‘You’re in a very good mood,’ he said. ‘Excited about seeing Grayson again?’
She hesitated, her smile faltering. Was it that obvious? She liked Grayson and she was looking forward to seeing him, even though she wished she didn’t have to be half naked when she did. But what was the right answer? Did Mark want her to be excited about seeing another man or would it make him angry and suspicious?
‘Don’t worry,’ he said with a teasing smile, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. ‘I won’t be jealous. This was my idea, remember?’
‘I’m only doing this for you, Mark. If it was up to me, I wouldn’t be with anyone but you.’
‘I know. It’s only because I know you feel that way that I can do this. If I felt insecure about you, the thought of you with anyone else would drive me crazy.’ He smoothed her hair, looking into her eyes. ‘You know it’s the same for me, right? You know you have nothing to be jealous of?’
She nodded.
‘This is just a bit of fun ... recreation. It doesn’t mean anything. You’re my life, Lisa.’ He bent and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. ‘But I like to see you letting go of your inhibitions and having fun.’
‘It is fun.’
‘See,’ he said, ‘I know what’s best for you.’
‘Always,’ she replied.
‘So, what are we having for dinner?’
‘There’s crab salad to start, then rack of lamb with spring greens and new potatoes–‘
‘No potatoes for you, though,’ he said with a playful tap on her nose.
‘No.’ She
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