Free The Reluctant Beauty by Laurie LeClair Page B

Priscilla added. “And he’s not snarling, well, too much, today. I brought Ruby to keep him calm.”
    “Between you and the baby, you two have kept him under wraps. Thank all that is holy and good for that,” Peg said, scanning the list on her clipboard. Everything was set up yesterday afternoon, checked, double-checked, and closed for the night. But who knew what her family had done to the setup overnight? She grabbed for the pencil attached to the top of the board and began to scribble in the margins of her lists. “Triple check.”
    “Peg.” Austin’s voice brought her up short.
    Looking over her shoulder, she saw him walking to her, all good-looking and smiling. For crying out loud, he didn’t have to do anything, just stand there, for her to tremble. This was not good. Not by a long shot.
    She heard her family’s voices before she saw them storming down the hall.
    “Break up,” Peg said. “One hour. Downstairs. In front of everyone.” End it now .
    “Do you always order everyone around?” His smile took the bite out of his words.
    “Yep. Works for me.”
    The elevator doors dinged open. Rico and Priscilla hustled her inside and joined her. When she turned around, she found Austin gazing at her. His eyes, intense and searing, held her stare. This time she shivered.
    “Bye, Peg.”
    Gulping hard, she nodded. “Roger and out,” she whispered.
    No more kisses. No more close calls. No more hottie.
    Oh, Jiminy Cricket. She swore her heart just cracked open, leaving a Grand Canyon of an ache behind.

 
     
     
Chapter 9
     
     
    Back to all business, Peg got the group organized and assigned each family a personal King’s shopper. She handed out a copy of the already filled-out family’s wish list to them and waved them off.
    “Good choices,” Griff said, nodding to the handpicked employees who seemed to enjoy the adventure just as much as the families did.
    “You may not have a way with people, Boss, but you do know who does and you put them together.”
    “Leave it to you to call it like it is,” he muttered.
    “You grumpier than usual, Boss?” She checked off the personal shopper event and moved down to focus on the next thing on her list. “Prissy said she brought Ruby. Where’s that baby of yours? She’ll sweeten you up in no time flat.”
    “What? You run out of sugar, Peg? On what’s his name? Rhoades?”
    “Now you’re asking for it, buster,” she said, putting her hand on her hip and tapping her foot.
    Griff glanced at her. “Never seen you in heels like that before. Don’t think in shorts, either.”
    She hadn’t worked with him this long to know he was trying to joke with her. Maybe in another couple dozen years, he’d get it down pat. “Watch out or I’ll sic my family on you.” Smiling, she turned and walked away.
    His soft chuckle reached her.
    People stared as she went by. Men looked at her. Some even did a double take. Peg tried to brush it aside, but she got a tiny thrill at their reaction. For one day, she’d take it all in. Then tomorrow she’d be right back to her old self again.
    She caught a glimpse of his hotness, his stare locked on her as a group of teenagers surrounded him. He looked downright uncomfortable with all the attention.
    But just his look did the strangest things to her.
    Gulping hard, she wondered, after spending the weekend with Austin, would she ever be able to go back to her old self ever again? Would she want to?
     
    ***
     
    Austin Rhoades stayed as far away physically from Peg as he possibly could. But, he did watch her. She was everywhere, keeping people on track, helping wherever anyone needed it, and buzzing like a bee around the store.
    Peg Newbury, self-assured and in charge, loved what she did. She did it with humor and grace. Why couldn’t her family see this?
    Whenever she came in close proximity to him, he stared.
    Lusted was more like it .
    She was adorable with those big brown eyes, her ready smile, that cute little chin, and