The Refuge by Jasmine Cresswell

Author:Jasmine Cresswell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: MIRA Books
Published: 2013-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

Twelve

Stuart enjoyed his dinner at the Alpine Lodge with the board members of the Wainscott Foundation. After so many years spent bullshitting the bureaucrats of the United Nations in order to keep funds flowing and refugees eating, his ass-kissing skills were well-honed. By contrast to the hard-nosed and frequently corrupt bastards who ran the U.N. refugee supply centers, the Wainscott trustees were a bunch of naive do-gooders, endearing in their own gullible way. Keeping them happy was easy enough to be amusing. From doddery old Bishop Jefferson, who had marched alongside Martin Luther King in the glory days of the civil rights movement, to Leonora Cassidy of the Gay Women’s Adoption Coalition, the trustees were so busy pursuing their own narrow agendas that he could drive a Mack truck through the gaps they left in their oversight duties.

Aside from the satisfaction of manipulating the trustees, the dinner offered the earthier satisfaction of eating a good meal. The Lodge had a talented new chef, and Stuart had seen enough starvation to appreciate gourmet food when it was put in front of him. However, it had been a long, difficult day, and by the time the meal ended, he was ready for bed.

Unfortunately, so was Helen, and the fluttery breathlessness of her manner indicated that there would be no reprieve tonight from his duties as in-house stud. The subtle but unmistakable signals she was sending indicated to him that she was bound and determined they would spend the night together.

Having sex with Helen brought back uncomfortable memories, but keeping her happy was the most important way to safeguard his fund-raising activities, and Stuart prided himself on being too smart to fight the inevitable—so he waited for the other board members to go to their rooms, then turned to her with a small, intimate smile. In the interests of keeping his African clinics operational, the least he could do was fake desire.

“Alone, at last,” he murmured. “Are you ready for a nightcap?”

“That would be nice.” She blushed. “But the bar is so crowded, don’t you think?”

It was his cue to suggest retiring to her room. Jesus H. Christ! They’d been having sex regularly for the past two years, ever since her divorce from Senator John Crow-land became final. He wondered why in hell she still needed to be seduced every damn time. As far as he was concerned, the ritual foreplay had gotten old a long time ago.

Still, he might as well try to enjoy it. He dropped his voice to a husky purr. “There are a lot of people at the Lodge for this time of year, aren’t there? Your suite would be more private—if you don’t mind inviting me up.”

Her blush deepened. “Well, since you suggested it…Shall we go up now?”

“Yes, let’s. Having a nightcap with you would be the perfect end to a very long day.” He voiced the lie with smooth charm. Thank God, she’d succumbed quickly. With luck, this wouldn’t be one of those nights when Helen played

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