Page 47 of Zane

"All right. In the meantime..." Hauling her up, he settled her firmly on top of him, eyes going dark as she sheathed him. "I think we've talked enough."

"I agree," she told him huskily.

*****

Her pleasure ended abruptly in the afternoon. The rain had ceased, leaving the foliage green and dripping moisture. She insisted on making them lunch, and he went ahead and ordered supper from a Chinese restaurant.

They were in the middle of having the meal at the dining table tucked beneath the window in the kitchen when she saw the headlights piercing through the gloom.

Thinking it was William, she started up, sitting back down when she recognized the vehicle.

Her mother! The woman had been calling since yesterday, and Kara had chosen not to answer. Oh God! She should have known Katherine Saunders would take it upon herself to come and find out why she was being ignored. And here she was, with a man who had obviously spent the night. She was wearing a slinky wine-red robe with nothing under it, and her hair was mussed.

Zane had on his T-shirt and jeans, clothing that had been carelessly dragged on after they had spent the time making love by the light of the fire in the living room, just minutes before the food arrived. She smelled of sex, and a quick glimpse in the mirror in the hallway showed a woman well and thoroughly loved.

"Who is it?" Putting away his chopsticks, he stared at her with a frown as he picked up the anxiety on her face.

"My mother. Just-" Taking a deep breath, she rose shakily and gestured him back down. "Please. I'll deal with her and hopefully send her on her way."

"Kara-"

"No." She shook her head hastily.

He could see the nerves crawling all over her. From the little she had told him during their conversations, he knew her mother was a piece of work.

"Please excuse me." She hurried from the room, leaving him staring after her.

Pushing to his feet, he went to the doorway where he could see what was going on and heard her unlock the door to let the woman in.

Katherine Saunders had passed on her exceptional good looks to her only child, he mused. But Kara was more beautiful and softer around the edges. The woman walking in looked rigid and had a pinched look around her eyes and lips. Disapproval was stamped on her face as soon as she took a look at her daughter.

"Well?" Her cultured tone was strident. "Are we going to have this discussion on the threshold?"

"Now is not a good time-"

"If you had answered your phone, I wouldn't have to tear myself away from the ministers' retreat to come traipsing over here." Katherine simply brushed past her. "So, William was right. What on earth have you done to your hair?"

Leaning against the doorjamb, Zane crossed his arms over his chest and felt the anger shimmering inside him. He would allow her to handle this, but he was on high alert.

"It's my hair, and William had no right-" Kara's voice petered off when she noticed Zane standing in full view. Before she could say anything, Katherine also noticed him and went as still as stone.

He figured the woman wouldn't have seen his motorcycle because it was parked inside the garage.

"Who's this?" Katherine's voice could have sliced through glass. She already recognized him, of course, but wanted confirmation. From what she could see of his disheveled appearance and her daughter's outfit, she could put two and two together and come up with the correct answer.

"This is Zane Stanhope. Zane, this is-"

"You left William to shack up with- with-" She gestured with one hand, her eyes widening as she took in his neck tattoo. "Oh, my dear God!" Pressing a hand to her chest, she leaned on the wall. "Have you completely lost your mind?"

She whirled around to face her daughter. "Is this the way I brought you up? You're having sexual relations with this man? Kara, how could you disappoint me this way? Where did you meet him? How could you-"

"Mrs. Saunders." Zane was straining for patience and striving desperately to keep his anger at bay. He could see what her words were doing to Kara, and he wanted to lash out.

"We haven't been formally introduced." He held out a hand as he approached and tried for a polite smile. "I am Zane Stanhope, and your daughter and I met when her vehicle broke down a few weeks ago."

The hand he extended was ignored, and so was the attempt at civility.

"I would like you to leave right now," Katherine said. "I need to talk to my daughter in private."