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His smile.
His dark laugh.
The way he gestured with his hands when he was giving orders.
The way his brow twitched when he was angry.
And the passionate look in his eyes as if he was going to devour me with a single kiss.
I brushed my hand down the side of my neck, trying to concentrate on the vibrant hues of tangerine and violet. But all the while I was worried about Francois.
He’d told me little about where he was going, other than he had to handle some business. I had the distinct feeling it was all about me, his rage at finding the roses something that floored me. It seemed as if he’d burn the world down to find the culprit.
And that thrilled me even more.
I managed to turn my full attention to the stunning sky, taking shallow breaths, rolling my index finger back and forth across my bottom lip. The last kiss had terrified me that he was doing so in case something happened to him. It was crazy what I was thinking. What I was feeling, but that’s what the powerful man did to me. Every inch of my body was tingling including my toes.
Damn it.
Skies.
Flowers.
Dogs.
Anything to get him off my mind.
The colors were magnificent, the flowers and shrubs blooming outside on his patio and pool deck masking the reality of what we’d faced and would continue to do. I had no idea what to think any longer, except that I wasn’t unhappy with the fact Quince had fired me. My life in LA had grown old. While New Orleans wasn’t a small town by any means, it had more of my quirky personality, the darkness and excitement of the city nightlife, the ancient cultures and the gloriously spontaneous people exactly what my psyche needed.
Maybe I could work with my father. Or start a nonprofit business.
Sadie whining behind me reminded me that she was very much a part of Francois’ life. “Come here, girl. Daddy will be home soon.” I crouched down, rubbing her behind the ears. “Do you see how beautiful it is outside? Hopefully soon we can run and play. Catch balls and Frisbees. I did notice your daddy must love you an awful lot. You have lots and lots of toys.” And she did. At least four or five dozen of them strewn in various places throughout the house, nestled in toy boxes alongside one of a half dozen fluffy beds.
What was it I’d heard before? You could tell a lot about a man’s character by the way he treats animals? Woofing once, Sadie started licking my face, making me laugh in a way I hadn’t ina long time. “You are such a wittle baby, aren’t you?” Now I’d taken to baby talk. It kept the laughter flowing as well as the kisses from the furry pup, the latest becoming forceful enough I was pushed off my haunches onto my butt, which made me giggle like a little girl.
“You’re a natural.” The deep voice resonated all throughout my system, sliding straight into my core. How could a few words said by the man in his intense, rich baritone have such a strong effect on me? The shivers were heated, even my fingers tingling. The truth was that I was happy, relieved he was home.
Home.
I had to remind myself this wasn’t my home, but I felt more comfortable here than I had at my father’s house. Why in God’s name was that?
I tried to look around Sadie, but she was having none of it, demanding all my attention by planting her paws on my shoulders. I allowed her to push me all the way to the floor. Now she stood over me, panting and wiggling, holding me down as if saying, ‘Look what I caught, Dad.’ And for some crazy reason, I didn’t mind in the least.
He walked closer, his hands in his pockets, peering down at me with sheer amusement on his face. “Now I know how to keep you from escaping.”
“You still think I’d going to escape?”
“Oh, I wouldn’t anything past you, beautiful doll. Sadie, girl. Can you give Miss Delaney and me a couple minutes?” He patted her on the head and Sadie thumped her tail back and forth, giving me one last long lick down the length of my face before scurryingaway. He held out his hand, lifting a single eyebrow as he helped me to my feet, using enough force I was tossed against him.
Goddamn that man. His scent. His clenched jaw with delicious dark stubble covering it. I wanted to run my fingers through it, enjoying the sensations. I could feel additional explosive heat and did what I could to push my mind out of the gutter.
He chuckled as if he knew exactly what I was thinking. “Did you miss me, sweetheart?”
“Said the spider to the fly.”
“Perhaps.”
When he started to turn away, I stopped him, noticing something on his face. “Are you hurt? Did something happen?” He noticed the urgency in my voice and seemed surprised.
