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“What’s your point, Luc?” There was an edge to her voice.
His eyes narrowed. “Are you? Interested in starting your own business?”
She couldn’t lie. She’d told him enough of those already without making it any worse. Looking directly at him, she said, “Yes. I’m interested in someday starting my own business. In the meantime, working for you is good experience.”
He settled Toni in the crook of his arm and propped a shoulder against the doorjamb. “And has it been? Has working for me been good?”
She turned back to her packing. They continued to tread on dangerous ground. Different ground, perhaps, but dangerous, nonetheless. “Yes. It’s been good,” she agreed shortly. In fact, it had been more than good. Working for Luc had been surprisingly enjoyable. She’d thrived on the challenges, appreciated the fast pace. She’d even relished their heated arguments. She frowned. She’d miss all that when she left.
“What sort of business do you plan to open?” he asked.
She glanced hesitantly at him. Would he laugh when she told him? “It’ll be a toy store. One that specializes in babies. All the toys will be unique, handcrafted by local artisans, educational and safe.” Her mother had always insisted on that.
He glanced down at Toni, a smile curving the corner of his mouth. “Seems we picked the perfect woman to help us, after all.” He approached, his movements lithe and graceful. “Here. Take the kid.”
She obeyed without thought. Not until he turned and began rummaging through her suitcase, did she realize his motives for handing her the baby. “Cut that out, Luc! You have no right going through my things.”
“I just want to make sure what you pack is practical.” He yanked out the skirt and blouse she’d just shoved in. “Which this is not,” he decided, and reached for the next garment. “Nor is this.”
“Stop that! Those are eminently practical and you know it.”
“Practical for the office, not for taking care of a baby.” He glanced at a skirt label. “This has to be dry-cleaned. One good burp and it’s history.”
“Luc!” Toni’s little face screwed into a frown and Grace quickly moderated her tone to reflect sweetness and light. “Let me put it this way. You take one more item out of my suitcase, and I’ll kill you.” Too bad her glasses hid the glare she shot in his direction. Not that he was looking anyway.
“As long as we’re dispensing with the impractical, I think we’ll dispense with the ugly, as well,” he said, ignoring her threat. Clothes flew through the air and landed on the bed. “Ugly. Impractical. Ugly. Ugly. And very ugly. Don’t you get depressed wearing this stuff?”
“No, I don’t.” At least, not often. Dom’s promised reward offered more than adequate compensation. She scowled in impotent fury. “And what difference does it make if they’re ugly? They don’t belong to you.”
He glanced up, a dangerous glitter in his golden eyes. “They may not belong to me, but I have to look at them. And so does Toni. I won’t have you around my niece day and night, displaying such a lack of fashion taste. It’ll warp her. Hell, it’s already warped me.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“Want to bet?” he asked derisively. “It’s gotten so bad, I’ve begun to think brown is pretty. At least on you.” Finished with the suitcase, he headed for her closet.
She looked about, desperate for a safe place to deposit the baby so she could stop him. Physically, if necessary. “What are you doing now? Get out of there.”
“Hello. What’s this?” He yanked free a mint green dress. “Ah, much better. Do you save this for when Will-William’s here?” He lifted an eyebrow, his expression turning wicked. “Or perhaps it’s to wear when William isn’t around.”
“William loves that dress!” she protested, then blinked. What the devil was she saying?
“Sure he does. That’s why he has you running around looking like a bag lady most of the time. That’s one sick relationship you have going there.”
“My relationship with Will... William is none of your concern.” How she wished she could get that name past her lips without stammering. Unfortunately, nine times out of ten it wouldn’t come.
“Your relationship with him isn’t my concern... yet. But, give it time.”
Grace stared in alarm. What did he mean? That at some point her relationship with William would become his concern? And precisely what did he have in mind, once it did? Confronting her nonexistent fiancé? A tightness settled in her chest. Matters grew more complicated by the minute.
Rummaging through what she privately referred to as her off-duty clothing, he stripped a pair of soft rose colored slacks, a short black skirt with a flirty hem, and several brightly patterned cashmere sweaters from their hangers. He dropped them into her suitcase. After a moment’s consideration, he added a totally impractical white slip dress with a bolero jacket to the pile.
“What’s that for?” she demanded.
“For the hell of it.”
Clearly, nothing she could say would stop him. She hugged Toni to her breast. “Are you quite through?”
“No. Where are your cosmetics?” He crossed to her dresser. “Never mind. I’ve found them.”
