Page 12

Lovely. This reunion was off to a great start.

His Grace approached Theo’s desk and dropped the papers before her. “A contract for you to review.”

She frowned and fingered the top page. A contract for what…

“Review and let me know if you believe any terms need correcting.”

She peered up at him. Those unnerving grey eyes locked on hers.

“If it is not to your liking.” He raised his brows meaningfully. “It will be amended.”

Then he strode from her office, not deigning to look in Bash’s direction. She blinked at the empty doorway.

Bash leaned against Theo’s desk, and she startled. She hadn’t even noticed him moving. “He’s a friendly sort.”

“Perry was astounded by his charm,” Theo said absently, turning the cover of the contract. And immediately slapping it shut.

Bash’s stare whipped to hers, blond brows pinching. “What was that all about?”

“Nothing,” she said quickly. “Where is Perry anyhow? What good is having a clerk if he’s never around?”

“We both know he’s in the kitchen gossiping with Cook. Stop trying to redirect. What’s in those papers?”

Theo straightened her shoulders. “That is none of your business, Bash. The contract is His Grace’s. It is not in my authority to reveal that information.”

He let out a beleaguered sigh. “Fine.”

He stepped away, and Theo dropped into her chair. And Bash turned right around and stole the papers off her desk.

She jumped up. “Sebastian,” she hissed.

He hurried away from her, a boyish grin on his face. “That’s Lord Sebastian to you, Miss Dawson. Don’t forget your place.”

She sent him a glare she really hoped promised murder. “I will wallop you, Bash,” she growled.

He ignored her. He flipped open the first page. Scanned the paper. And his jaw dropped. His gaze shot to hers. “Pardon me? Miss Dawson. What. Is. This?” He slid back up to her desk and dropped the document in front of her.

“I don’t know.” She looked everywhere but at Bash. “I haven’t had a chance to look because someone stole it from me like he’s still twelve years old.”

“This is a sex contract, Theo,” Bash said in a hushed voice, glancing back at the open doorway. “What is the meaning of this? I won’t tolerate him taking advantage of you. Duke or not. I won’t have it.”

And then his eyes lit up with understanding. “Oh my God. This was what that stand-off was about, wasn’t it? He thought we were involved.”

“I do believe he was a mite jealous,” Theo said weakly.

Bash dissolved into laughter. “Bloody hell. This is madness. He must be very interested in you. You’ve known him for, what? A day? He’s a duke. He could have anyone. Well, besides you, apparently. But he wants you.”

Theo dropped her head in her hands and groaned. “I don’t understand what’s going on either. He essentially stomped in here and staked his claim like I was the fair maiden of his castle.”

Bash snorted and started shuffling through the papers again. “You are anything but a fair maiden.”

She ignored that. “I told him in no uncertain terms that that is not happening. And now I have a…contract…on my desk. He cannot just walk in here and demand whoever he sets his eyes on must sleep with him. It would be an absolute scandal if it were to get out. Puts my job at risk. And I do not care how large and how broody and how man he is. Absolutely not.”

Absolutely not. Absolutely not. Absolutely not.

Silence blanketed the room. She looked back at Bash. He was frowning down at the contract, eyes moving quickly as he absorbed its contents.

“I think…you should do it,” he said slowly, still reading.