As if Zane would shake it.
Birdstrum withdrew his hand, still not perturbed by Zane’s rejection. “Keep up the good work, Masterson.”
And then the SOB walked out the back door and slithered into a waiting car with tinted windows. Avoiding the press. Leaving Toni alone to sink or swim in the tide of Zane’s fury and the press’s dirty pool of curiosity.
To add to his confusion, Birdstrum was leaving Toni high and dry. It shouldn’t irk him so, but it did. To her credit, Toni appeared relieved at the slimeball’s disappearance. Then she turned, cheeks pale, eyes wide, hands trembling, nevertheless squaring her shoulders and lifting her chin to face him.
Zane thought she’d never looked so strong or more vulnerable and had to restrain himself from taking her into his arms. She’d betrayed him—sort of. At the least, lied to him, by omission. Of course, he could hardly hold that against her since he’d done the same. Toni didn’t even know his first name.
Still, his motive for deception was to catch the person trying to harm the family business. Her motive was probably to get away with a crime. Although Zane reminded himself that he still had no hard evidence against her, the circumstantial evidence was damning.
He couldn’t afford to allow his feelings to get in the way of business. Not this time. Still, he stalled, taking out the nonprescription glasses and settling them on his nose. “Why didn’t you tell me Senator Birdstrum’s your fiancé?”
“I already told you that he’s not.” She fisted her hands on her hips. “What is it about testosterone that gives men selective hearing?”
“I can’t hear what you haven’t bothered to explain. Why didn’t you tell me that Birdstrum was the one?”
“He was none of your business.”
“He’s the reason you sought me out,” he countered. “He’s the reason you wanted to create a scandal.”
“If you must know…I feared you’d write his name in the paper and ruin his reputation.”
“You didn’t trust me?”
“Why should I? We’ve just met.”
Most likely she wanted to hide her complicity in sabotage. With her on the inside to tell the senator his every move, the risk of their criminal activity being discovered went way down. He cocked a skeptical brow and folded his arms over his chest. “That was the only reason? You were concerned I’d ruin Birdstrum’s reputation?”
“Bobby’s always seemed infatuated by the senator. I didn’t want to do anything that might inadvertently hurt my sister.”
“How admirable.” He didn’t bother reining in his sarcasm.
She ignored his derision. “My primary concern was for my father. The senator just hired my father, a career move Dad’s hankered to make for years. I didn’t want to hurt his chances.” She huffed in frustration. “And I don’t know why I’m explaining myself to you. What are you doing here?” she asked. “Why did you come?”
He thought quickly. Would she want to see him anymore? She could no longer claim that a scandal would make the senator reject her. Not after he’d increased his ties to Toni’s family by hiring her father. Not after he’d just overheard the idiot Birdstrum telling her that he thought a scandal would enhance his political reputation.
Perhaps the rumors about the man’s sexual orientation were true. Birdstrum might be gay. It would explain his eagerness to capitalize on a scandal with a female. And even if he was a heterosexual, Toni’s association with both men might put the rumors to rest.
On the surface, there was no reason for her to continue their relationship. Unless she was up to no good. She had no idea he thought she and the senator were responsible for the sabotage.
So what was he going to do about it? He needed time to think, to consider, to figure out what he wanted to say.
He shot her his most charming smile. “Come to dinner at my place tonight?”
While he waited for her answer, his mind went through possible scenarios. One of his investigative reporters had tracked down the missing security guard’s new work address. He’d ask Toni to his place for uninterrupted conversation and dinner, then bring her with him to look up the guard. Would she or the guard slip up and admit to knowing one another?
She frowned at him, clearly undecided about his invitation. “Why didn’t you just call before showing up here?”
He had no chance to respond before Bobby ducked her head into the back room, where she’d guarded them from the press and allowed them privacy. She looked from Toni to Zane and back at her sister. “The press is finally gone and I could use a little help out here.”
“Bobby, this is Grey Masterson. Grey, my sister Bobby,” Toni introduced them. Bobby blushed, nodded and ducked back through the curtain.
The interruption had saved Zane from answering Toni’s question about why he hadn’t called. He couldn’t exactly explain that he wanted to look into her eyes to gauge her honesty, so before she recalled her question, he closed the distance between then and did what he’d been dying to do since he’d first laid eyes on her.
She wore some blue concoction that brought out the color of her eyes and emphasized her curves. With her hair braided and clipped back from her face, she looked different than he’d remembered from the island, more sophisticated.
Her spicy perfume wafted up to him before he claimed her lips. She responded by winding her arms around his neck and parting her lips, leaning into his hardness as if she’d spent the hours since she’d last seen him missing him.
He knew better. But his suspicions couldn’t dull the sharp pull of desire that shot through him or prevent his immediate arousal. She tasted of tangy lip gloss, a hint of toothpaste and orange juice—all wholesome flavors. But there was nothing wholesome about his response to her kiss. Apparently his sexual libido didn’t care that she might have colluded with the senator to ruin his family’s newspaper.
However, he didn’t let the lower half of his anatomy make all his decisions. He told himself he would keep her close—until he could prove her guilt. And if he also enjoyed her body, he would have no feelings of remorse. After all, she’d come to him. And he gave her as much pleasure as he received.
So what if she kissed like a dream? He needed answers. So what if he wanted to drag her into bed and show her that she was on the wrong side? He needed her to be straight with him. They needed to have a serious conversation. The problem was, of course, if she was guilty, he knew better than to expect her to admit it.
Was she treacherous? Dangerous? All the more so because she was good at feigning innocence?
Grey had been taken in by such a woman and Lane Morrow had made public the reputation he preferred to keep private. Luckily Zane had more experience with duplicities. And he never put his heart on the line.
He’d told her that his secretary would phone with an address and directions and then left before he questioned her right then and there. Now was not the time.
He told himself that the reason he needed privacy was for their conversation. That his physical reaction to Toni Maxwell had nothing to do with his need to be alone with her.
He would wine her and dine her, sweeten her up with dinner and then pepper her with the hard questions. If Zane had his way, by the time they spoke to the security guard, she would have admitted all her secrets and revealed her true intentions.
He couldn’t wait.
“YOU’RE IN LOVE WITH HIM, aren’t you?”
Mickey had stopped in at Feminine Touch to say hello before work. Jude had come in after her environmental class, and since Bobby hadn’t left due to the heavy store traffic, her sisters had Toni cornered. They’d pitched in to help and after how hard they’d worked, Toni was feeling grateful that, once again, they’d been there for her.
With the publicity “Hot Scoops” had generated, she’d sold more clothes today than she normally did in a month. She’d already called her supplier to order more fabric and thread and placed an ad in the classified section of the paper looking for additional seam-stresses. With t
he daily receipts counted and tallied for a bank deposit, the last customer long gone, all Toni wanted to do after her harrowing day was go home, kick off her shoes, soak under a hot shower and climb into bed. Being grilled by her sisters didn’t enter into her picture of fun things to do.
“Him? Toni’s in love with Senator Birdstrum?” Jude leaned over the counter to frown with confusion at Mickey, who stood by the window and straightened a gown in the display.
Bobby smoothed her pink tube top in front of a mirror, then spun around to face her sisters. “Senator Birdstrum is gay. Our sister is not in love with him.”
“What?” Toni gaped at Bobby. Gay? But he’d asked her to marry him. Yet, she realized, his homosexuality would account for his coolness toward her. His easy acceptance of another man in her life because he didn’t care. The pieces fit.
Mickey picked a piece of lint off the gown in the window, then carefully pulled one of the deep velvet waiting chairs into the reception area and sat down. Ignoring the conversation about Birdstrum, Mickey wrinkled her forehead, clearly focused on her own thoughts. “Toni’s in love with Masterson. Grey Masterson.”
“Why can’t she marry one man and take the other as a lover?” Jude said calmly, but Toni knew she didn’t mean it.
“I don’t want the senator,” Toni said with exasperation.
“Which is good, because,” Bobby plucked the pink barrette from her hair, threaded her fingers through her locks, the replaced the barrette and spoke to Jude, “the senator already has a lover.”
“When did you find out the senator has a lover?” Mickey demanded of Bobby.
“I’ve known since I saw him kissing his chauffeur last week,” Bobby admitted, digging into her purse.
“His chauffeur? His male chauffeur?” Mickey frowned. “And you didn’t tell her?”
Bobby reapplied her pink lip gloss. “I liked her plan to create a scandal way too much to spoil her fun.”
“You little devil,” Jude breathed out. “Toni might never have forgiven you if she hadn’t—”
“Fallen in love with Masterson?” Bobby’s cheeks glowed with triumph as if she’d personally engineered the matchmaking.
“Toni could have been hurt,” Jude protested.
“You should have told her.” Mickey glared at Bobby. “Toni thought you were infatuated with the senator.”
Bobby’s eyes glinted. “I know.”
Jude looked from Bobby to Mickey and back. “She didn’t want to marry a man you were interested in.”
“Uh, you guys. You know I’m here, right?” Toni finally called out.
“I was never interested in the senator, only his tactics,” Bobby admitted. “He’s a master at keeping secrets from the public and at keeping his private life…private. We’ve all heard the rumors and never believed them. The man is a master strategist. And…I’ve been thinking about a career in politics.”
Bobby? Toni’s thoughts spun. When had she become so wrapped up in her work and her own personal life that she’d failed to recognize her sister’s ambition? Although she’d never expected Bobby to work as a sales-clerk for the rest of her life, she’d never had a clue about her sister’s interest in politics. However, Bobby always seemed to get exactly what she wanted—in a cute, adorable, very pink way. If she ever hit Washington in her pink suit, those stodgy politicians wouldn’t know what hit them.
Toni’s lips turned into a grin of approval. “Bobby, hon, you’d make a great politician.”
“I can see it now, Bobby Maxwell for President,” Jude agreed.
“Yes, but we’re talking about Toni’s love life right now,” Mickey bullheadedly brought the conversation back round to where she’d started it.
Somehow, Toni had known she wouldn’t get off so easily.
Jude leaned her elbow onto the counter and propped her chin into her hand. “Tell us about your weekend, Toni.”
“Yes, do,” Bobby agreed.
“Was the wildlife as spectacular as—”
“The only wild life I want to hear about,” Mickey interrupted, “is our sister’s.”
Making love with Grey had been wild. First on the horse, then on the trampoline and later on the beach. But how did Mickey know? Did Toni’s satisfaction show on her face? Could her sister see into her dreamy eyes and read her salacious thoughts? Could her sister tell how aware Toni was of her own body, that Grey had teased every inch of her? Her breasts, still tender, hardened at the memory of Grey suckling them. The man had a wicked tongue and she couldn’t wait for their next encounter. At least Birdstrum’s arrival this morning hadn’t caused Grey to back away, but then Grey seemed to adore challenges—which didn’t exactly jive with her image of a conservative businessman.
In fact, she’d expected Grey to hide his playful sexual nature, but he’d been much more open than even Lane Morrow’s book had led her to believe. She’d thought business would be his life. But he’d so easily delegated responsibilities that he hadn’t appeared to be the hardheaded, driven executive that she’d come to expect after reading Lane Morrow’s book. Only once had Grey seemed surprised by her behavior and acted conservatively and that had been during their first encounter in his office when she’d danced in wearing her gorilla suit. But, ever since, he’d been a different man. Caught up in his whirlwind personality, she hadn’t had time to ponder or reflect. And now, from the silent treatment her sisters were now giving her, they clearly expected her to give up her feelings.
But some things shouldn’t be shared. Her memories of Grey on the island were private. “I’m not ready to talk yet. And I don’t have time, either,” she added before any of them could protest. “Grey asked me to dinner tonight.”
“And she said yes,” Bobby exclaimed with satisfaction. “On a weeknight.”
Jude grinned. “With work tomorrow?”
“Shut up,” Toni ordered affectionately, then headed toward a clothing rack. “Unless you all have something constructive to say, I don’t want to hear it.”
Even Mickey’s eyes twinkled with glee. “The French lingerie you ordered last spring arrived this afternoon while you were waiting on Ms. Carson. Perhaps you might want to sample some of your new stock?”
Ms. Carson had always been one of Feminine Touch’s best customers. A celebrity in her own right, a famous comedienne who worked the late-night show at the riverfront casino, she’d maxed out her credit card, complaining that with Feminine Touch’s new celebrity, the stock was already thinning. Mickey had assured Ms. Carson that she’d always have enough stock, even if she had to spend her nights sewing her fingers to the bone. Ms. Carson had chuckled and told her that nights in New Orleans were for partying and love.
The late-afternoon hours had turned even more hectic and Toni had totally forgotten the new shipment until Mickey had mentioned it. Sinfully sexy French lingerie might be just what she needed to perk up her spirits. She didn’t even feel tired anymore and practically floated her way into the back room.
With her sisters’ help, they opened the cartons and unpacked the expensive goodies from Aubade, Chantal Thomas, Alternate Plaisir, and pure silk handmade lingerie from De Pledge. After her long day, the idea of showering then pampering herself in luxurious elegance, indulging in the crème de la crème of lingerie, appealed to her.
“Oh my,” Bobby squealed at a soft, barely pink baby doll in a floral design with delicate underwire cups.
Toni handed it to her. “It’s yours.”
Bobby took one look at the price on the itemized inventory and shook her head. “I couldn’t.”
“You can and you will,” Toni insisted.
When Jude seemed partial to a soft beige lace bustier with an attached sheer skirt lavishly trimmed with the finest lace ruffles, Toni gave it to her. Aware that Mickey would never knowingly reveal her preference, Toni watched her eyes carefully. And when her younger sister studiously ignored a classic-style button-front tailored charmeuse and chiffon shadow-stripe sleepshirt, Toni plucked it from the pile and han
ded it over, enjoying the feel of the expensive and beautiful material.
Mickey shook her head. “I appreciate the thought, really. But keep it for inventory—I’ll never wear it.”
“Mickey, you may not admit to a softer side, but you’re just as romantic as the rest of us.” Toni shooed her away. “You just haven’t found the right man yet.”
Mickey looked over her shoulder and raised an inquiring brow. “And you have?”
She tossed aside delicate silk stockings to dig through the pile for exactly the right lingerie. “I know. I know. It seems like madness. But I’m in love.”
“And does he return your feelings?” her sister asked wisely.
“He doesn’t have a clue.” She sighed, plucking a sheer demi-bra and matching panties from the bottom of the box. “The challenge will be getting him to see me not just as a lover but as someone he needs in his life for the long-term.”
“And if he doesn’t see the light?” Mickey’s voice deepened in concern.
Her heart skittered and slid with worry that Grey might never change, but she held her sister’s gaze. “A man who doesn’t want me isn’t worth having.”
ZANE HAD A CHEF FROM one of the best New Orleans restaurants cook them a meal and deliver it by taxi to Grey’s apartment. He showered as delicious scents of garlic and peppers scented the air in the kitchen. He’d set the table with Grey’s fine china and had a bottle of wine on ice. Soft music, instrumental, played out of surround-sound speakers, and he’d pulled the drapes closed to give the glass room a feeling of intimacy.
Whistling as he soaped his hair and rinsed in the shower, Zane contemplated his evening. Eager to see Toni again, eager to confront her with his suspicions, he was ready to forgive her to find out the truth.
Senator Birdstrum could wield powerful strings. Toni might have been used without her knowledge. Maybe blackmailed. Zane wouldn’t put anything past the ambitious senator.
He’d just padded out of the shower when the doorbell rang. Slinging a towel around his hips, he padded barefoot to the front door. He opened it to Toni’s smiling face, and his breath hitched in his chest.
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