The Temptress (13 page)

‘What card?’

‘His business card, the one I left by the
phone.’

‘O shit,’ she uttered as her face fell. ‘I thought
you’d taken it.’

‘No, that’s why I’m asking you where it is.’

‘O God, Lu, I’m so sorry, I was in a rush. I
grabbed your moisturisers and then packed your stuff from the wardrobe. It must
still have been on the bedside table.’

‘No,’ I groaned, as I looked at her feeling
unbelievably upset. I’d finally plucked up the courage to ring him and now I
didn’t have his number?

‘We can get a taxi to his place,’ she suggested.

‘I have no idea where it is,’ I sighed.

‘I’ll ring The Domville, maybe it’s still on the
bedside table,’ she offered.

‘You’ve got no chance,’ said Phoebe with a
shake of her head. ‘I asked if we could keep the room instead of moving here
and they apologised and said it was already booked. The maid will have thrown
it out and there’ll already be new people in there.’

‘O, Lulu,’ uttered Coco, as she saw tears
rolling down my cheeks. ‘You really liked this guy, didn’t you?’

‘I think he could have been the one,’ I nodded,
as my bottom lip wobbled and she quickly came to wrap her arms around me, as I
started to sob on her shoulder.

Lulu

The
Present

‘Wow, you look amazing, Miss McQueen,’ whistled Mike,
as I walked into his basement workshop.

‘Thank you, but tonight we’re back to my field
name, Isabelle.’

‘Isabelle, got it,’ he nodded, as he pulled on
his suit jacket lapels, obviously uncomfortable not to be in his jeans or
coveralls. He held the door open for me to get into the Merc. I waited until we
set off to talk to him.

‘Have you got this?’ I asked, concerned at his
lack of field experience. ‘You’ll need to be on the lookout for my signal when
I’ve swiped the room card, head up to his suite, plant the recording devices,
preferably trained on the bed, the lounge area and the shower. If he has a
laptop up there, use the USB device from Henry to hack the password if it’s
encrypted and copy the files. It will load software that he’ll be unaware of,
that means that we can track his email and monitor any documents or photos he
uses. The same with his mobile, if he leaves it up there. When you give me back
the card, if he has his mobile on him, I’ll get that for you as well, but
you’ll have to do that in the bar and return it to me fast, just in case.’

‘Got it,’ he confirmed, though his voice didn’t
seem that confident.

‘You’ve studied the schematics for where all
the cameras are in the hotel, from the bar to his suite?’ I asked, not wanting
to leave anything to chance.

‘Yes, Henry went over and over it, but he’s
offered to stay back in op-tech to monitor us. He’ll talk me through it and
warn me if anything goes wrong and Mr. Le Grand prepares to return to his suite
while I’m in there.’

‘Great, as soon as we pull up, earpieces in and
we’ll do a check, make sure we can hear each other and Henry too, ok?’

‘Got it, Miss McQueen.’

‘Isabelle,’ I reminded him with a sigh. This is
why I hated last minute jobs. There was so much potential for something to go
wrong. Mike pulled up into the hotel car park and Henry assured us that our
communication devices were working fine. I checked my watch, we were late, just
after seven-thirty, which meant if he was as regimented as his wife said, he
should be at the bar already. ‘Henry, has no email come through from Ian or his
intern with the photo of the mark?’

‘Sorry, Lulu. Nothing.’

‘Damn it,’ I sighed. It seemed I was going to
have to find someone of Ian’s calibre to work directly for me, or have him
ensure that if an intern was assigned to me, he was fully versed in the
requirements of a background check for me. This was unacceptable. ‘I’ll go into
the bar first, give me a few minutes before you follow, so it’s not obvious
we’re together. Order a drink, non-alcoholic and sit facing the bar to watch
for my signal. Clear?’

‘Perfectly,’ Mike nodded. He hung back as I
walked around to the main entrance, smiling at the doorman who quickly allowed
me entry through one of the glass doors to the side of the slowly moving
revolving one. I flexed my neck as I headed across the grand marble lobby,
making my way towards the bar entrance and blew out a gentle calming breath. I
could do this, I’d been born to do this. It had just been a while. I entered
the bar and sure enough, just as she said, a man was sitting in the far left
corner, talking to the barman. All I could see was the back of him, but where
I’d expected that she’d exaggerated his appeal and had envisioned someone along
the lines of the creepy Raul’s build, Mr. Le Grand was tall and muscular,
dressed in a navy pinstriped suit with brown Oxfords. He had the shape of a seriously
well-toned athlete. I was surprised and intrigued. I took a seat not too far
behind him, facing his back so I could observe for a while. When the waiter
came over I ordered a glass of champagne and put my modern art book on the
table, ready to use as a conversational tool, if required. I watched as he was
served with a cognac, then appeared to reach for his wallet from his inner
jacket pocket. Damn it, that made it harder to access, physical contact would
be required. He slipped the barman his room card and tucked his wallet back in
his jacket. I flicked a glance over at the bar entrance to see Mike walk in. He
took a seat in the far corner, where he could observe myself and Mr. Le Grand,
then picked up the drinks menu. I drew my attention back to the bar, where that
room card key went was crucial.

‘Your champagne, madam,’ advised a young barmen,
as he lifted it off his full silver tray and gently placed it in front of me,
with a small bowl of stuffed olives. I smiled and handed him a note.

‘Keep the change,’ I advised.

‘Thank you,’ he beamed.

‘Why do you get to drink champagne and I have
to stick to soft drinks?’ came Mike’s low voice in my ear.

‘Because I’m the boss and you’re driving,’ I
replied quietly, with a smile as I took a sip. The head barman returned with
Mr. Le Grand’s card and my eyes followed it to his right jacket pocket. It
seemed he planned on getting it out again later, which made life an awful lot
easier. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat as I observed him, there was
something about the way he held himself that was affecting me, not to mention
those elegant long fingers attached to an overtly masculine hand that I’d seen
tucking that card away. His hair was very dark, almost black and I’d spotted
the cuffs of a white shirt under that immaculately tailored suit, with a pair
of silver cufflinks, as he’d reached for his cognac. I couldn’t get over how
impressive his body was from the back, I could well be back in Paris, looking
in my makeup mirror, at the back of my very own hot Frenchman. Even if he
turned around and had a face like a slapped arse, he was still so not what I’d
expected after meeting his wife. I looked over to catch Mike’s eye and rubbed
the back of my neck, giving him the signal that I was going in. I stood up and
smoothed my dress down. Just as I was about to pick up my champagne and make my
way to the bar there was an almighty commotion behind me, the clattering of
metal on the marble floor and the sound of breaking glass. I looked around to
see the young barman had dropped his tray of drinks, I gave him a sympathetic
smile as he crouched down, red faced, trying to pick up the worst of the mess.
When I looked back around, my heart leapt into my mouth, my stomach doing nervous
somersaults. Mr. Le Grand had looked around too, but instead of looking at the
clumsy barman, he was looking right at me, with a puzzled look on his face,
almost a look of recognition. I however, was certain who I was looking at, as
my eyes roved over Lucas Le Grand’s stunningly handsome face. A face I saw in
my dreams every night. A face I knew only too well. Lucas Le Grand was none
other than Luc, my Parisian fling that had ruined my sex life and changed my
life forever. O crap!

We stood staring at each other for a moment, as
I tried to gather my scattered wits off the floor. Six years hadn’t been unkind
to him, if anything he looked even more handsome and toned, more manly and
broad. Those beautiful chocolate eyes of his seemed sad though, his shoulders
were in the kind of pose of a man who felt as if he had the weight of the world
on them. Had he recognised me? Was that why he was looking at me strangely like
that? He straightened up a little as his eyes ran down my body, mine doing the
same to his, as I forced myself to remember to breathe. Time hadn’t been a
healer, all I could feel was my body reacting instantaneously to him again, the
swell of my nipples, the sudden ache blossoming between my thighs, the feeling
of my mouth going dry and my heart beating loudly in my chest. One look, one
damn
look and I was right back in Paris. I was kneeling on his bed, restrained with
chains, his large cock filling me as we fucked like savages and I screamed
myself hoarse. His eyes moved back up to my face and I immediately saw the
change in them, it may not have been the unmistakable flaming need I’d seen in
them the first time we’d locked eyes all those years ago, but he’d definitely
reacted favourably to my presence. All of a sudden I couldn’t breathe, there
was a crushing weight on my chest and my hands had started to tremble. My
desire for him was undeniable, six long years and it hadn’t faded at all. I
quickly grabbed my bag, turned and had to force myself not to run for the exit.
I faked striding calmly, until I was out of the bar, out of sight, then ran to
the safety of the toilets. It was déjà vu all over again.

‘What just happened?’ came Mike’s voice.

‘I just a need a minute,’ I uttered, as my mind
tried to process what the hell had just happened.

‘Lulu, are you ok?’ came Henry’s voice.

‘I just need a minute, please,’ I replied, as I
leaned against the wall and covered my face with my hands. Both of them spoke
at once, it was too much, my body was on fire, my mind was racing, my heart was
beating so fast it felt like it might explode. I’d always imagined if I ever
went back to Paris again, that we’d have some freak accidental meeting, that
sparks would fly and we’d spend another perfect night together. It had been the
most amazing fantasy, because I knew it would never happen, but he was here.
Right
here
. I could have walked over and touched him. I’d just never expected it,
I was in complete shock. ‘I need a
god damn
minute
,’ I bit, as
the voices in my ear piece continued questioning me at the same time. I
breathed out as they went quiet and tried to get my head around what I was
going to do. I had two million pounds riding on this, but it was
him.
Even if he didn’t recognise me, with my brown eyes and my blonde hair, it was
him.
Could I really stand there and flirt with him? What if he realised it was
me? My lack of resolve to resist Luc was already well and truly documented.

‘Lulu, you need to talk to me, tell me what the
hell’s going on, I can’t help if I’m in the dark,’ came Henry’s firm voice.

‘We need to abort,’ I replied. ‘I know the
mark, we have history.’

‘History?’ he queried.

‘Personal history.’

‘In what way?’ he asked.

‘Do I have to spell it out?’

‘O,’ came his and Mike’s voice at the same
time.

‘Yes,’ I sighed. ‘Exactly.’

‘Did he recognise you?’ Henry asked.

‘I … I’m not sure,’ I replied in all honesty.
‘It’s been a few years, it was one night, and I’m not exactly looking like me.’

‘Then I think you should proceed, if it becomes
apparent that he
has
recognised you, we can always abandon and strategize
in the morning.’

‘I agree,’ muttered Mike. ‘He’s still at the
bar. He keeps looking around at the entrance though, as if he’s waiting for you
to return. Either he’s realised he knows you, or he’d like to get to know you.
Either way it’s the perfect opportunity to do the job. You can get close. He
knocked back his first drink and ordered another, his key is back in his right
jacket pocket.’

‘You don’t know what you’re asking of me,’ I
exclaimed, as I started to pace the cloakroom floor. ‘You couldn’t possibly
understand how difficult I’d find this.’

‘So explain it, obviously not the ins and outs
or that would be a bit … inappropriate for a boss to tell her employees, though
I’m sure we’re both ears if you’d like to,’ offered Henry, Mike letting out a
chuckle.

‘No,’ I retorted. ‘We had a very passionate
fling some years back and I’m … I can’t believe that I’m having to share
something
very
personal with you two, but I’m … I’m not sure I’ve got
over him.’

‘Wow,’ whistled Henry. ‘He must have been good.’

‘Seriously?
Years
and you still think
about him? After one night together?’ exclaimed Mike.

‘Yes, it’s ridiculous I know, but there you
are. That’s why I think we need to abort, I’m not going to have my head in the
right place.’ I grimaced as they both chuckled.

‘Having your head in the right place sure would
resolve this fast,’ Henry laughed.

‘Will you stop it! This is
serious
. I’m
being paid a lot of money here for a result,’ I lamented.

‘So do your job, if anything it should be
easier, you already know he’ll respond favourably to you, you can get this done
in one night and if you never want to see him again you don’t have to. All you
have to do is get the card, keep him occupied while Mike sets up the room, then
put it back. I can capture stills off the camera that’s trained on the bar,
you’ll have a recording of him flirting with you so we have evidence of intent,
which is a great start. If he’s actually having an affair we’ve got him if he
uses his room. If he’s not and we need more on him, we send in Frankie to close
the case, she’s the closest in looks and body type to you.’

‘I’m just not sure,’ I sighed, clutching my
hands tightly together to stop them from trembling. All those memories had been
released on seeing his face again, six years’ worth of arousal was hitting my
body at once. Just like that I wanted him again, I
needed
him again.
He’d said that we were destined to mate when we first met, I’d assumed a one
night stand would satisfy both of us, sate that inexplicable attraction we’d
had. But it hadn’t satisfied me. I was craving more with him. I’d always craved
more with him. Each of those four guys I’d slept with since him had been
benchmarked against Luc and had come up severely lacking.