Page 40 of Temptation at His Door

Her past was over, she was no longer a child and she didn’t want to think about it anymore.

“Igrewup,” Joa replied, her voice tight.

“Where are your parents? Do you have siblings?” Ronan asked.

Joa tensed. “I grew up in the foster system,” she reluctantly admitted, hoping he didn’t press her for more information.

Ronan’s expression held empathy but no pity. Thank God. “You don’t like talking about your past, do you?”

“Do you?” Joa countered. “You lost your parents when you were young. Do you like talking about them?”

“I don’t mind, actually. My parents were great, and it was a long time ago.”

Good for him. Joa wanted to know more about them, but if she pried into his past, that would give him the excuse to pry into hers. Not happening.

Needing to change the subject, she returned to the subject of the Romanovs. “I’m not good at art and furniture but I have read quite a few books about Carl Fabergé.” The imperial jeweler was an incredible goldsmith and produced some amazing works in gold and jewels. “He was so talented.”

“That he was,” Ronan agreed. “My father sold a Fabergé egg once.”

“Really?”

Ronan looked at his monkey mask and handed it over. Joa handed it straight back. “Cut out the eyes, the mouth and the nose.”

Ronan pulled a face and picked up the scissors again.

“What egg was it?” Joa asked.

“The Bay Tree egg. Nephrite leaves, white enamel flowers, diamonds, rubies, pearls. Lots and lots of diamonds. The surprise is a feathered bird that appears, flaps its wings and sings.”

“Did you see it?” Joa asked, fascinated.

“It was before my time.” Ronan looked regretful. “I saw photos of it.”

“Wow. How does it feel to have had all these wonderful treasures pass through your hands?”

“Privileged, I guess, is the best word. Blessed.”

Joa turned her head to the right and looked at the framed photograph of Thandi and her boys. “Do you see Sam and Aron going into the business, as well?”

“Carrick, Finn and I discussed this, just the other day, actually. We were talking about Carrick’s baby and we agreed that if our kids want to join the business, if they are passionate about what we do, then we’ll let them, agreeing that they would start at the bottom and work their way up. Kind of like we did. Well, not Carrick, but only because he was the oldest and someone had to jump right in when our parents died, but Finn and I had to prove our worth. But if our kids want to become lawyers or doctors or pilots, that’s their choice.”

Joa thought back to earlier when she’d caught Aron climbing up the double-door fridge to get into the snack cupboard. “I think Aron might become a stuntman.”

“I think he might end up in jail,” Ronan muttered. “He’s his uncle all over again. Always chasing the next thrill, the next challenge.”

“Carrick or Finn?”

“Finn.” Ronan slid off the sofa to sit on the carpet, stretching his long legs and leaning back against the sofa. “Finn is going ice climbing!”

“Like waterfalls and stuff?”

“Yeah, that. Have you ever heard of anything that crazy?” Ronan demanded, looking completely irritated.

“Base jumping? Spelunking?”

Ronan reached over and tugged the strand of hair that had fallen out of her messy knot. “Don’t be facetious. And he’s done both.”

Joa attached the last strand of wire to the plate—whiskers for the tiger—and looked at her creation. It would have to do. “Why are you so against Finn ice climbing?”

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