Page 59 of The Dueling Duchess

The slight, infuriating smile on his sinful lips told her that he knew she was lying.

He knew she always lapsed into her native tongue when she was emotional.

And nobody made her more emotional than Guy.

“If you’re not angry . . . or hurt, then why not hire me? What difference could it make to you if you’re not angry?” He smirked. “Or hurt.”

“Quit saying that,” she ordered.

“Unless you’re lying about that—are you lying about that?”

She reined in her temper and forced herself to speak in a level, un-angry, un-hurt tone. “I wanted to hire an assistant to train. You may be a convenient beast of burden when it comes to mindless drudgery—”

He barked a laugh, his eyes shining with amusement.

Cecile scowled. Really, there was something wrong with a man who reveled in being insulted.

She gritted her teeth and continued. “But you are not a female and I remind you, yet again, this is a female circus.”

He shrugged, momentarily distracting her with the sight of his muscular shoulders flexing and stretching the seams of his tightly fitted coat.

“If you hire me to do all your mindless drudgery, then your assistant can concentrate on learning the important duties—like shooting well enough not to injure anyone.”

“I can’t afford to hire two new employees.”

“Jemmy is quittin’ and movin’ back ’ome at the end of this month, Miss Tremblay.”

She whipped around to find Richie leaning against the door. “I thought you left!”

Which just went to show how much Guy had scrambled her wits already.

Richie straightened up and swallowed hard enough that she could hear his gulp.

“What are you doing in here?”

“Er—” His wide blue eyes slid beseechingly to Guy.

“You took money to allow him in here, didn’t you?” Cecile accused, her eyes narrowing. “Perhaps I might have a job opening for a stagehand.”

Richie’s Adam’s apple bobbed frantically. “I’m sorry, Miss T. I didn’t—”

“He was just trying to be helpful.”

Cecile whirled on Guy. “You have not even been here ten minutes and already you are subverting my authority.”

“I didn’t—”

“You think you can just waltz in here and charm my employees into disobeying me?”

“No, I wouldn’t—”

“If you work for me, then you must take my orders. You must obey me.” She wanted to scream when she realized what she’d just said.

A tiny smile curved his lips. “If I worked for you, I could do that.” His eyelids drooped. “Obey you in every way.”

The suggestive words and heated glance sent desire arrowing through her body.

Cecile could not believe this was happening.