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Inside a fully enclosed booth was a pink pig sporting a strapped-on glitzy rhinestone crown and a passion-pink satin sash. Nick grimaced and his sister giggled.
“Look at Nick’s face,” she whispered to Candace loudly enough for Nick to hear.
He watched as Candace glanced up at him and her gray eyes started to smile. Nick fought to keep his face impassive and not give away the effect she had on him. “The funds we raise today will be donated to charity,” Nick explained. “Princess Piggy’s stall is often one of the most successful.”
“People pay to kiss a pig?” The doubtful look Candace cast the Kiss-the-Princess banner above the stall told Nick what she thought of the idea.
Nick pointed to a row of glass jars with names written on the front in black marker, each containing money. “See those jars? People pay for someone else to kiss the pig. Around midday the contents are tallied up, and the person with the most monetary ‘votes’ in his jar is tracked down and forced to kiss the Princess.” Nick gave the porker a sour look.
“I take it you’ve had to do that in years past?”
“My staff seem to think it’s extremely amusing.”
“The proceeds go to charity and Nick’s a good sport.” Alison pointed at the first jar. “I think I see your name there again this year.”
Nick groaned.
Beside him he heard Candace laugh, which almost made the prospect of kissing Princess palatable today.
“And here I imagined everyone was queuing up to kiss the prettiest woman at the fair.” Amusement lingered in Candace’s voice.
Had she been jealous? Nick found the notion curiously heartening. But Candace bent forward over the railing, preventing him from reading the expression on her face.
“Princess Piggy’s quite cute,” said Candace.
“Sure,” said Nick unenthusiastically. “Alison certainly thinks so.” He gave his sister a mock frown.
“Hey,” said Alison. “To make up for the fact that I’m certain you’ll have to kiss the darling again today, I’ll babysit for you tonight…if you want to take Candace out for dinner?”
Nick’s heart flipped. But Candace was flushing as she said quickly, “No, no, that’s not—”
Before she could turn down the offer, Nick cut in. “That’s a great idea. Thanks, Ally.” He touched Candace’s arm. “Don’t forget, Bertha told us to have fun.”
Candace’s bottom lip jutted out endearingly, causing Nick to fight the impulse to kiss it.
“I’m sure you’ll both enjoy some time out,” said Alison, looking around her. “Speaking of which, I’ve been left alone far too long. I’d better go and check where those boys of mine have gotten to.”
Before Nick could ask his sister to wait so they could finalize Jennie’s sleepover arrangements for the night, he spied a familiar snowy head in the approaching throng.
Putting an arm around Candace, he braced himself for the inevitable clash of wills with his father-in-law. “I didn’t expect to see you here, Desmond.”
“As a future stockholder in Valentine’s, I wanted to investigate my investment. What better time than today?” The grim smile didn’t light up his glacial eyes. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your woman?”
Nick felt Candace tense.
Resisting what was rapidly becoming a familiar urge to land his fist in Desmond’s stomach, he said, “This is my father-in-law. Desmond, this is Jennie’s nanny, Candace.” He chose the explanation she’d offered Bertha, and thankfully Candace didn’t contradict him.
“I see.”
Without sparing the sleeping baby in the stroller a glance, Desmond looked Candace up and down, making his opinion of what he saw very clear. Nick resisted the urge to let his hand fall from where he’d rested it protectively in the small of her back.
“I doubt it,” said Nick levelly.
“I see a pretty woman living in your home—”
Candace tensed under Nick’s touch. “A woman my sister employed while I was overseas on business.” Nick spoke from between gritted teeth, furious with his father-in-law’s implication, and even more furious because he couldn’t in clear conscience tell Desmond to get his mind out the gutter.
Because the irrefutable truth was that Nick was lusting after Candace. The spark of attraction that had flared that first night had raged out of control. Now that he’d discovered they’d created a daughter together, Nick couldn’t get the picture of making love to Candace—the real, passionate way, not the clinical IVF way—out of his mind. It was driving him crazy. She was driving him crazy.
