But sexual attraction wasn’t always about liking, Natalie was not totally surprised to discover. Nor was it linked to common sense. It had a mind of its own. A powerful and primitive mind, which didn’t listen to logic; which was compelled by base and basic instincts; which reduced a woman to little more than an empty vessel, aching to be filled.

Natalie lay in bed later that night aching to be filled by Mike Stone.

‘What a fool I am,’ she muttered to herself as she tossed and turned.

But the fierceness of her physical frustration served the purpose of changing her mind about the following day. She would not wear grey, but neither would she doll herself up for this man. Her pride would not let her, regardless of what her ego—or her treacherous body—wanted.

Such a transformation could backfire on her, anyway. Mike might look at her very askance, perhaps jumping to the wrong conclusion. He might think she was a closet femme fatale, with designs on making him fall for her and stay married to her.

If he thought that, he’d run a mile.

To risk losing two million dollars for the sake of a moment’s triumph was ridiculous. If she had some chance of actually seducing the man, it might have been worth it. But Mike had been very adamant on the score of the ‘no sex’ clause in their contract.

Which reminded her. Perhaps she should make him actually sign a contract. After all, what guarantee did she have that he would give her the two million? A man like him wouldn’t care if he ever got a legal divorce. Remarrying didn’t interest him. He might just walk away when he got his partnership and give her nothing.

On the other hand, he wouldn’t want a nasty legal fight on his hands. Or bad publicity. From the sounds of things, Chuck Helsinger wouldn’t be impressed.

Still, she would be stupid if she didn’t bring the subject up. Yes, that was how she had to continue dealing with Mike. In a very practical and pragmatic fashion. None of that silly, soft female stuff.

Now if she could only get to sleep…

But Natalie found it very difficult to sleep. She didn’t drop off till well after two, and then it was to dream of a faceless man whom she allowed to use her body in the most shameless fashion. He turned her this way and that, taking her repeatedly, making her cry out with the darkest of possessions. The dreams—and the ravagement—seemed to go on for hours. Then, when she was totally spent, he began to walk away, without a word.

But at the last moment he glanced over his shoulder, and she saw his eyes. They were deeply set, and dark, and horribly hard.

‘Mike,’ she called out in her dream.

But he just kept on walking.

CHAPTER FIVE