Bound by Their Love by Nicole Flockton Page A

standing in the doorway. ‘Yes, why wouldn’t I be?’
    Luc gave a negligent shrug of his shoulder. ‘You tell me. You’ve been different through this whole meeting. Why?’
    â€˜No reason, I like her ideas.’
    â€˜Hmmm, I think there’s more to it.’ Luc put on his take-no-prisoners look. ‘This is an important venture for the Morelli Corporation, I don’t want anything to jeopardise it.’
    Jeffrey had been friends with Luc for years. He didn’t appreciate the threatening undertone of his words. ‘Yes, and just remember whose collection it is. It’s mine, Luc, not yours. I can decide to show it, or let you sell it in your hotels. Not you.’
    Luc laughed. ‘Point taken. I’m glad to see your eye is still on business.’
    â€˜Always.’ Jeffrey collected the boxes. ‘Right, I think we’ve kept them waiting long enough. Let’s go.’
    He brushed past his friend and walked back into the room. Greta turned to look at him, and for an instant he saw the undisguised desire shining in her eyes. It was masked quickly with a blink of her eyes. It didn’t matter to him. He’d seen it and that’s all that mattered.
    â€˜I think there’s way more than business going on here.’ Luc murmured as he made his way back to his seat at the table. Jeffrey chose to ignore the jibe.
    He walked up to the table, placing the boxes on the table. He was standing close to Greta. He closed his eyes for a moment, savouring the feeling of her being in his orbit again.
    â€˜May I?’ She almost whispered the words in his ears.
    He turned his head. If he wanted to, he could lean forward and take her lips with his. As if reading his mind her tongue darted out, moistening her lips. He swallowed a groan. The need to taste her again threatened to unravel him. However, conscious of the people in the room, he took a step back. He reached down and handed the box containing the ankle cuff to her.
    Their fingertips touched as she took it from him. He waited to see her reaction as she opened the box. Hoping against hope she liked what she saw. Usually he never saw people’s reactions to his pieces. He was commissioned to design and make them. The designs went back and forth between him and his agent and the clients. He knew that whenever they received their pieces, they didn’t dare complain. They wanted to own a Jeffrey Courteux design and flaunt the piece among their friends.
    â€˜Oh, this is exquisite.’
    Seeing Greta caress the piece in the box had his body tightening in memory of her fingers stroking him.
    â€˜Thank you.’ What he really itched to do was take the piece out of the box and place it around her ankle. The ankle he’d designed it for.
    â€˜These pieces need to be worn by models when the collection is launched. There’s no way people can appreciate the beauty and craftsmanship when these pieces are locked away behind glasses cases.’
    â€˜No, it would be security a nightmare.’ Luc immediately responded to Greta’s idea.
    â€˜How so, Mr Morelli? Bodyguards dressed in tuxedos trailing the models? Are you telling me the people invited to the opening night are the sort of people who would steal the pieces?’
    Jeffrey couldn’t help but laugh. ‘She’s got you there, Luc. I like the idea. I think it could work.’
    Greta inclined her head, acknowledging his support. ‘Thank you. Now, here are some other ideas.’
    As Greta outlined more of what she could do for the collection, the more Jeffrey was convinced she was the right person to handle the account. Convincing Luc might be a different story. Jeffrey shifted his gaze to Nick, his other good friend, to see what his reaction was. Nick’s attention was fixed on his assistant, Pamela, sitting beside him. There was something in Nick’s look. Something he’d only seen once before. On the man who flanked him