Page 12 of The Rogue and His Flower

“Sit down, Daisy. I’m not finished with you yet,” I command.

“Don’t tell me what to do, Dalton Gunn. Just because you’re myfakefiance–”

“I think you’ll find this is very real, Daisy. Youaremy fiance and wearegetting married. There’s nothing fake about that,” I remind her.

“On paper, yes, but not in any way that counts,” she counters, anger suffusing her words as her eyes gleam with hatred, whichonly serves to rile me up further. “And that doesn’t give you the right to demand anything from me!”

“Right now, I’m still your boss. So sit your peachy arse back on that seat before I do something we’ll both regret!” I grind out. God, she’s pissing me off.

“Threatening me now are we? Do I need to addprickto that long list of terrible attributes?”

We glare at each other for long moments before I wind my neck in and heave out a sigh. “Please, Daisy. Will you just stay a moment longer? I did have a valid reason for wanting to see you.”

“You’ve got one minute,” she agrees reluctantly, planting her arse back on the seat.

“I wanted to give you this,” I say, reaching for the gift bag on the floor beside me and placing it on the table.

“I can’t be bought,” she says, glancing at the bag warily.

“We both know that’s a lie,” I reply, lifting a brow.

“Signing a contract agreeing to marry you, to release Drix from his debt, is not the same as being bought. I would call that an act ofkindness, Dalton. Which is a concept you clearly have no idea about.”

“Just open the damn gift,” I snap, pushing the bag across the table towards her.

The right thing to do in this instant would be to apologise, but I’ve never done the right thing in my life, and I’m not about to start now just to appease a woman who clearly hates my guts.

“Fine!”

She reaches for the bag and pulls out a large white box. Across the lid in swirly gold lettering is the name of the store I bought the items from this morning.Joliis an upmarket boutique frequented by the wealthy women who live in Princetown.

“If you’ve bought me lingerie, I might just strangle you with it!” she says, glaring at me.

“Sounds positively erotic,” I counter, trying and failing to keep a straight face.

“Oh, shut up.”

“Did you need new lingerie? I mean, I’m more than happy to buy you some,” I add, hitching a brow and loving the way her cheeks heat.

“I do not. And for the record, I buy my own lingerie.”

“You might want to reconsider because I know a thing or two about quality lingerie, Daisy. I also happen to be an expert at removing it.”

“Number one, that was the first and last time you’ll ever get to see me in my underwear, and number two, you’ll never have the opportunity to remove my lingerie. Just so we’re clear.”

My lips twitch with another smile as she glares at me. “Go on, open it.”

Dropping her gaze from me to the gift box, she lifts the lid, her fingers parting the lavender scented tissue paper. When she pulls out the first of three silk blouses that I bought for her to replace the one that was ruined last night, I can’t help but feel a glimmer of satisfaction at the look of shock in her eyes.

“You bought me a replacement?” she questions in disbelief, frowning as she pulls out the pale blue silk blouse that I thought would match the shade of her eyes perfectly.

“Three, actually. They didn’t have the same exact colour as the one you wore last night so I picked out the ones I’d thought you’d like. If they’re not suitable I can have them returned,” I offer with a shrug.

“No, they’re… fine,” she replies with a shake of her head as she folds the tissue paper back around the pale blue blouse, and rests it on the table before looking at the next two. One is a duskypink, a colour I’ve noticed her wearing a lot, and the last is a deep red, my favourite.

“Good. Well, that was all, really,” I say, feeling a strange mix of satisfaction and unease. I had hoped my gesture would soften her towards me but now I see she’s still guarded.

“Thank you, Dalton,” she finally says, tucking the blouses back into the box, and the box back into the gift bag.

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