Page 47 of The Boss's Baby Affair

Even now he caught the scent of her perfume as the wind lifted tendrils of her hair off her nape. He was intensely conscious that only one layer of cotton fabric separated the fingers resting on her back from her bare flesh beneath. And the idea that Desmond had spotted what Nick was so determined to conceal turned his stomach.

He dropped his hand from where it rested.

“Was that your sister who rushed past me?” asked Desmond.

Nick’s hackles rose. He was sure that Desmond knew it had been Alison. “Why? Did you want an update on how her husband is progressing on finding new premises?”

It was a shot in the dark. But the slight widening of Desmond’s eyes gave him away even before he blustered, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“I’m sure you do.” Nick lowered his voice. “Leave Alison and Richard out of it. This is our fight.”

Desmond glanced away, then back. “I see someone I need to talk to—I’m sure you’d agree with me that people would line up to buy an apartment on the lake’s edge.”

“It’s not going to happen,” Nick said, “and that’s a promise.”

Desmond glared at him, and the rush of anger that his father-in-law so often provoked rose fast and hard in Nick. He stepped forward.

“Nick,” said Candace, “let’s move on. I’d like to wheel Jennie around to keep her from waking.”

Nick suspected that Candace’s timely concern had more to do with stopping him from flattening Desmond than from worry about Jennie’s waking. His initial surge of annoyance ebbed to be replaced by a more complicated emotion as he glanced across to Candace.

An unspoken connection leaped between them.

“I found my boys,” Alison said from behind them, bringing Nick abruptly back to earth, and then she added, “Oh, hello Desmond.”

Muttering a greeting, Desmond gave Nick an ugly look and stalked away.

“What did I just interrupt?” Alison let go of her sons’ hands.

For a moment Nick thought his sister had spotted that instant of electric intensity between him and Candace. How could he explain something he didn’t understand himself?

Then Alison grabbed her younger son as he drifted away. “Don’t you disappear again. Your dad is coming any minute.” She rolled her eyes as both boys grumbled and she shot Candace an apologetic smile. “They’re little rogues.” Turning to Nick, she asked, “Now, what’s Desmond doing here?”

Relief filled Nick. Alison’s sharp eyes had missed that moment of secret connection he’d shared with Candace. “I suspect he’s responsible for much of the misery you and Richard are experiencing at present.”

“But why?” asked Alison.

From the corner of his eye Nick caught the flicker of shock on Candace’s face. “He wants to hurt me—and hurting you is a very good way of accomplishing that.”

“You know what?” Alison stuck her hands on her hips. “I’m going to drum up support to have that jerk be the one to have to kiss Princess Piggy today. I’m going to get a jar with Desmond’s name in big bold black letters started.”

Alison’s vehemence was enough to assure Nick that today Desmond would be the one kissing the pig.

“Don’t do anything foolish,” he warned. “We’re going to win this battle against Desmond.” Then, turning to Candace, he said ruefully, “Sorry we’re dragging you into something you don’t deserve to be part of. But take note that my sister may be the most dangerous woman in the whole world.”

Then he realized that was totally true. It had been Alison who had engineered his date with Candace tonight—and, given the connection that was growing between them, that was going to be a truly risky occasion.

Eleven

The restaurant Nick chose for dinner was located in Auckland’s highly fashionable Viaduct Basin.

A valet had taken the Ferrari away to park it. And, despite the restaurant’s being heavily booked, the manager had found them a table on the edge of the terrace outside, overlooking the water where the reflection of the evening sun shimmered in shades of rose, orange and gold between berthed luxury yachts.

The beauty of the scene tugged at Candace’s heart. “This is glorious.”

“Isn’t it?”

Nick pulled his chair up around so that he could sit beside her and they both could look out over the water. Instantly, Candace’s senses started to sing with subtle tension. He was so big, so overpowering in a black long-sleeved shirt and black trousers. To distract herself from the effect he was having on her, she smoothed the simple ivory cotton sundress that was the only thing in her wardrobe remotely suitable for tonight’s outing.

---