Chelsea Wives and their Mistresses

Sarah Bramley

Description

Previously published by Quartet, Chelsea Wives and their Mistresses is being re-released in 2014 as a revised and updated second edition, adding greater depth to the story and racier scenes. With hints of Jilly Cooper and Jackie Collins, this is a scintillating read packed with scandal and sex. Cara Brooks, a high-flying property developer, has everything she could possibly desire - apart from passion. Tired of her rocky relationship with husband David, she's overwhelmed upon meeting Sirena, a young, beautiful woman, one evening in a Mayfair hotel bar. Cara knows she has to make life changes, but is unsure whether she can enter into a serious relationship with a woman, particularly when she knows David's family secret - a secret she has promised to never divulge. While battling her conflicting emotions, she lies to those she cares about most. Her desire for true happiness will bring complications into her otherwise carefree life. But does she really know what she truly wants? Can she risk everything for her own pursuit of passion? Meanwhile, Elle Milne-Smith knows only too well that with her sultry beauty she can have anything she wants. She embraces her fulfilling family life with her second husband Makram and her two wonderful children. But she is also secretly involved with gorgeous twenty-something Lyra, who means more to her than she lets on to close friends. Makram and Lyra satisfy all her needs, but when a series of unexpected problems appear, her indulgent lifestyle is turned upside down. Cara and Elle appear to have it all behind the closed doors of London's wealthiest addresses, but when is everything not quite enough? After all, one really does need variety in life...Chelsea Wives and theirMistresses is a gripping adult novel that sheds light on a part of society that generally isn't covered in mainstream media, whilst reflecting today's society and the more relaxed attitude to celebrities coming out. Lesbian relationships are rarely the central focus in mainstream novels - Sarah Bramley is the new face of women's fiction, heralding a new genre.

Informations

• Publié par: Troubador Publishing Ltd
• Date de parution: 28 septembre 2014
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781783065622
• Langue: English

Extrait

Chelsea Wives and their Mistresses
'One needs variety in life'
Sarah Bramley

Copyright © 2014 Sarah Bramley
The moral right of the author has been asserted.
First published by Quartet Books Limited 2012
Reviews taken from first edition
Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study,
or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents
Act 1988, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in
any form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the
publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with
the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency. Enquiries
concerning reproduction outside those terms should be sent to the publishers.
This book is a work of fiction and, except in the case of historical fact, any resemblance
to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
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ISBN 978 1783065 622
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Converted to eBook by EasyEPUB

For a dear friend, who I will always
remember with frustration and love.
Contents

Cover


Prologue


ONE


TWO


THREE


FOUR


FIVE


SIX


SEVEN


EIGHT


NINE


TEN


ELEVEN


TWELVE


THIRTEEN


FOURTEEN


FIFTEEN


SIXTEEN


SEVENTEEN


EIGHTEEN


NINETEEN


TWENTY


TWENTY-ONE


TWENTY-TWO


TWENTY-THREE


TWENTY-FOUR


TWENTY-FIVE


TWENTY-SIX


TWENTY-SEVEN


TWENTY-EIGHT


TWENTY-NINE


THIRTY


THIRTY-ONE


THIRTY-TWO


THIRTY-THREE


THIRTY-FOUR


THIRTY-FIVE


THIRTY-SIX


THIRTY-SEVEN


THIRTY-EIGHT


THIRTY-NINE


FORTY


FORTY-ONE


FORTY-TWO


FORTY-THREE


FORTY-FOUR


FORTY-FIVE


FORTY-SIX


FORTY-SEVEN


FORTY-EIGHT


FORTY-NINE


FIFTY


FIFTY-ONE


FIFTY-TWO
Prologue

Cara Brooks waited anxiously in her silent drawing room at Wellington Square, Chelsea. She glanced at her watch, encrusted with round brilliant cut diamonds. It was 11.10pm. ‘For goodness’ sake,’ she muttered wispily, slipping the watch off her slim wrist. She lightly threw it to the other side of the leather sofa, utterly fed up with watching the mocking minutes go by. Moving uncomfortably on the sofa, she loosened her silk bronze robe, which her husband, David, had bought for her thirty-fifth birthday the previous year.
David and her son Giles were at the Lech ski resort in Austria, so she had the house to herself for a week, which she often appreciated. She picked up her phone, which rested beside her, and checked again for any possible missed calls or messages – but still nothing. She sighed loudly, holding back from sending another demanding message. She had an image to uphold and she never liked to chase anyone, regardless of how much she desired them. After massaging her tense right shoulder for a few hopeful minutes, she lifted herself heavily from the sofa to retreat back to her bedroom. She assumed that Alessandra was caught up with friends at the dinner party in Mayfair so she would either be arriving much later or, quite possibly, not at all. That was the problem with Alessandra and indeed herself – they had their own separate lives to manage as well as attending to each other.
She turned off the lights in the drawing room and walked out sulkily into the wide corridor, although her mood was slightly lifted by the row of original works by a well-known fashion illustrator, which she had recently bought. The gold framed illustrations looked just immaculate against the pure white walls, each lit by slim picture lights, which made her feel as if she were in one of her favourite art galleries. Barefoot, she stepped onto the stairs leading to the second floor, wishing she had made other plans for that night. She would’ve liked to have caught up with some friends who apparently had some rather humorous stories to tell from their trip to the town of Juan-les-Pins; no doubt involving a friend who’d set his sights on the female host of a rather flamboyant party in nearby Monaco. They were all out that night, clearly having a great time in some club or restaurant, she thought rather jealously. The video entry phone suddenly rang, startling her.
‘Alessandra!’
With pent-up excitement, she quickly walked back down the stairs, brushing her hands through her golden brown hair to give it more volume after she had been playing carelessly with it on the sofa. She skimmed along the corridor to the spiral staircase, lightly holding onto the banister to the ground floor. Her landline phone began to ring but she delighted in ignoring it as she walked towards the front door with simply just one person in mind. She smoothed down her silk robe in the mirror in the entrance hall to ensure that she still looked pristine after being curled up on the sofa for over an hour, and then gazed eagerly at the video screen mounted on the wall. She smiled affectionately and composed herself again before opening the door to a young woman who was displaying an apologetic expression.
‘ Alessandra .’ Cara tightened her classic features to express her frustration, allowing her tousled hair to fall forward – partially covering her warming brown eyes, which couldn’t remain tensed for long. ‘Come in – you should have called or messaged me,’ she scolded, suppressing a grin with the deepening of her sensuous voice in a bid to further signal her seriousness. Standing to the side, she held the door open to the tall slim woman, noticing the embroidered jersey dress she’d seen her in before, which was under her long cream coat; both of which partially hid her shapely tanned legs as she walked in. ‘Did you just not get my messages?’
‘Cara I did get them – but late ,’ Alessandra winced slightly, turning to face Cara as the front door was shut behind her. ‘Darling I’m so sorry I’m late but my friend didn’t prepare the food till much later than planned and then he drove us to my friend’s birthday party…’ Alessandra continued in a flustered state, ‘I had to see her – but I got here as soon as I could!’
Cara exhaled heavily at the adorable face opposite her, which could quite easily be within the pages of one of her favourite fashion or healthy living magazines. Oh how she wished she could put a photo of her up on the wall of her home. ‘Well… you could have let me know what was going on instead of leaving me to worry…’ She crossed her arms, trying to contain herself from just throwing them around Alessandra during the lecture. The fiery glow in Alessandra’s prominent, hazel eyes simply ignited her passion whenever they were together, regardless of circumstances.
‘Sorry, I was just so caught up with the evening and it all seemed so rushed!’ Alessandra exclaimed, flinging her arms in the air. ‘I did try calling you a few times but for some annoying reason I didn’t have any reception so I only got your messages about fifteen minutes ago…’
Cara maintained her angry stance as she fought a mix of joy and upset, waiting for Alessandra to make more effort in revitalising her excitement, which had faded during the wait.
‘Cara you know I’ve been looking forward to seeing you? For goodness’ sake my darling!’ Alessandra groaned and broke eye-contact as she started to pull off her coat, tensing her freshly glossed lips.
Cara faltered, fleetingly casting her eyes along the young woman’s tantalising physique. ‘Well that’s been made perfectly clear, don’t you think?’
‘Oh for goodness … are we going to be standing here all night?’ Four seconds of stubborn silence followed and Alessandra slipped into her coat again, fully covering her back and shoulders. ‘Well maybe I should just go home so you can calm down then… I mean, I didn’t come here after a good night out to be met with moodiness …’
With a surrendering sigh, Cara softened her expression and uncrossed her slender arms playfully. ‘ Oh just come here Alessandra, will you!’
Pursing her flushed lips, Cara held out her hand and drew Alessandra into her, feeling instantly warmed up inside with the soft and floral scented brown wavy hair flowing around her cheek. Groaning in slight exasperation, she tenderly massaged her lips with Alessandra’s. ‘Don’t be silly now! You know I can’t resist you my darling – I want you here! But next time do try harder to let me know if you’re going to be so late, OK?’ She clasped her hand gently around Alessandra’s defined jawline, deepening the affection in her eyes. ‘So did you have a fun night then?’
‘I did actually, great wine, food – and conversation about our partners who had stayed at home, keeping our beds warm…’ Alessandra replied, tensing her eyes seductively. ‘I nearly mentioned you…’ Smiling more cheekily, she pulled slightly away from Cara and took her bag off her shoulder.
‘Oh did you?’ Cara said tightly, looking at Alessandra in earnest.
‘Well it was hard to not mention you darling but I managed it…’ Alessandra slipped off her coat. ‘Now, I bought you something from my break in Rome so maybe this will make up for tonight. It was going to be a gift of love but now it feels like a gift of apology – not so romantic now huh?’
‘Oh be quiet – now you’ve made me feel guilty. You shouldn’t have bought me anything,’ Cara stepped back, giving Alessandra space. ‘You’re very sweet,’ she added, containing an excited smile. She was used to exchanging gifts with Alessandra, however.
Alessandra rested her coat onto a contemporary console table and reached into her bag for a white gift box, which she held out to Cara. Both