Page 24 of One Hot Deal

"What are you doing?"Diana says."You're making a bloody racket down there."

"I'm trying to find a frying pan."

"Look up," Pippa says.

When I glance back at her, she's pointing toward the ceiling.That's when I see it.Pots and pans hang from hooks up there."Oh, yeah.Now I get it.Thanks, kiddo."

As we collect everything we'll need, I tell dumb jokes to make Pippa laugh.At first, Diana ignores the fun we're having, but eventually, she stops pretending that she doesn't want to joke around with us and starts teasing me and Pippa.God, she's beautiful when she's like this.Relaxed, open, free, full of life.I get why she feels like she needs to be tough at work, but she even acts that way around me and Hugh and Avery outside of the office.

I'm glad I get to see something in her that few people do.

When I toss a "banger" into the frying pan and then slap a big old pat of butter in there too, Diana smirks at me.I'm sure she's flashing back to what I whispered in her ear on the sofa earlier.

And I can't resist smirking right back at her.

"You two have to be dating," Pippa says."My friend Melora says when people look at each other while smiling, it means they have a crush.And that word means they like each other."

"I know what a crush is," Diana says."Derek is a good man, a colleague and a friend."

Now Pippa is smirking."I meant youlikelike each other."

I flip the sausage over and smear more butter in the pan."Should we start singing the K-I-S-S-I-N-G song?"

"Ooh, yes!"Pippa almost shrieks."I knew you were Diana's boyfriend."

I raise my hands while still holding the spatula."No, hey, I didn't mean that.I was just teasing Diana."

The woman in question has gone stoic, which means she's pissed at me, I think.Either that, or she's terrified.Not sure which is worse.

"The sausage is ready," I say."If you girls have the potatoes finished, then we can eat."

Pippa holds up a bowl of mashed potatoes."Aren't these beautiful?I've never seen Diana whip anything as fast as she did these."

Yeah, she was probably a whipping maniac because she's freaked out about this whole situation.The woman who guards her privacy like it's the Hope Diamond just got smacked in the face with her private life.Honestly, I don't understand why she felt the need to hide Pippa from anybody.She's a sweet kid.

After dinner, we hang out in the living room.I offered to leave, but Pippa fake pouted and said "please, please, please" in a fake whiny voice until Diana agreed that I should stay.Pippa wanted to play the British version of Monopoly, and that sounded like fun to me.Diana bowed out of the game to watch the news on TV.Business news, naturally.An hour of hearing about boring stock market stuff and mind-numbing chatter about currency trading or something makes my brain hurt even when I'm only subconsciously absorbing it.

While Diana stares at the TV, Pippa and I have a great time.When the kiddo buys her fourth hotel, she throws her arms up and shouts "woo-hoo."And I swear Diana smiles the tiniest bit, though she keeps her gaze aimed at the TV.

"Come and join us, Diana," I say."The more the merrier."

"I don't indulge in merriment."

Pippa's brows furrow."Of course you do.At Christmas, you always dress up as Lady Santa Claus and do your comedy routine."

I gape at Diana."You do comedy?"

"Oh yeah," Pippa says."Diana is so funny.You should see her in a white beard and with a pillow under the Santa suit to give her a big belly.Then she says 'ho-ho-ho' and grabs the plate of cookies I made for her and she—"

"Enough, Pippa," Diana says."Derek does not want to hear about that."

I grin."Oh yes I do.Bring out the Santa suit, Ms.Sangster."

Pippa slumps against the sofa."She won't do it.Diana is uptight most of the time.Maybe you could tell a joke to make her laugh."

"Let's cut her some slack."

"All right.But it's a great story."

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