then the words caught in her throat.
It wasn’t Zach. Rose’s eyes widened as Michael Wharton stepped before her. Clad immaculately in white linen and black trousers, his jacket lightly powdered with dust as if from a sifter, he was even more handsome—and more furious—than he had appeared the previous night. Admiration shone from her face, and she quickly squelched it. She hadn’t expected him to track her down this quickly or efficiently. Apparently, there was more to him than his ledger books and pencils.
“It seems to me that we had a misunderstanding.” He spoke coldly, and his eyes glittered, impaling her where she sat. “I understood that you and I had a deal.”
Rosemary scrambled to her feet. “We did! I mean, we do.”
He advanced toward her, and Rosemary scuttled backward. Zach stood a short distance away, watching with an amused smirk. He didn’t bother to come to her aid, nor did he send for anyone else. No one ever talked back to Sean Carney’s daughter or questioned her authority. As much as he cared for her, it didn’t entirely displease him now to see her challenged, and by a man who wouldn’t easily back down.
When Zach continued to ignore her, Rosemary had no choice but to face the consequences alone. Forcing herself to remain where she was, she faced Michael defiantly, her mind working quickly.
“I see,” said Michael. “Does your part of the bargain mean sneaking out in the middle of the night like some gypsy band?”
“I thought—” Rose struggled to come up with something plausible. “You see, we always leave early—”
“Yes, I’d say four A.M. is early.” He continued in the same conversational tones. “Or was it three?”
“Two,” Rose said truthfully, then regretted the words a moment later. She was forced to step back, and the circus wagon touched her spine.
“Ah, two. I believe you were supposed to introduce me as manager and see to my accommodations?”
These questions…how was she to answer them? She glanced up and grinned, hoping to pass it all off as a joke. “I thought you might think it funny if…” He wasn’t laughing, and she suddenly realized she’d made it worse. His eyes blazed, and when she glanced toward Zach, Michael braced his hands on either side of her, effectively preventing her escape.
“I didn’t think it was funny, and I don’t now. Did you forget our agreement?” He glanced back toward the circusmen. “I can foreclose and be done with the whole thing, but your friends would find themselves out of a job.”
“You wouldn’t! Not Griggs and Zach and Biddle and Leonardo…”
“I can and I will.” He removed one hand from the wall and lifted her chin. “We either have an agreement or we don’t. If you can’t keep your word, there is no reason for me to stay and try to make this work. I’ll cut my losses and move on.”
Rosemary gasped. He had her there, and he knew it. The circus was her family, and she’d do anything to protect it. Her eyes filled, but she fought back tears, determined not to ever let him know he’d beaten her. This was her life he was fooling with, and if she didn’t keep her nerve, he’d trample it to shreds.
Nodding, she held out her hand. He took one long look at the slender fingers extended toward him, then clasped it in the classic gesture of agreement and continued to stare at her gravely, waiting. Rosemary sighed and forced a smile.
“All right, I give in. You are manager, and I will back you up.”
He stared at her suspiciously. Her face seemed somber enough, her head dipped in submission. Her hand felt warm and soft between his and he released it quickly, remembering all too vividly how she felt in his arms. She glanced up at his gesture, and her eyes twinkled. Close, he could barely make out her features beneath the greasepaint, but her eyes, emerald green framed by sooty lashes, were enormous in her small face and teased him with the memory of a young girl laughing at him.
“I am
It wasn’t Zach. Rose’s eyes widened as Michael Wharton stepped before her. Clad immaculately in white linen and black trousers, his jacket lightly powdered with dust as if from a sifter, he was even more handsome—and more furious—than he had appeared the previous night. Admiration shone from her face, and she quickly squelched it. She hadn’t expected him to track her down this quickly or efficiently. Apparently, there was more to him than his ledger books and pencils.
“It seems to me that we had a misunderstanding.” He spoke coldly, and his eyes glittered, impaling her where she sat. “I understood that you and I had a deal.”
Rosemary scrambled to her feet. “We did! I mean, we do.”
He advanced toward her, and Rosemary scuttled backward. Zach stood a short distance away, watching with an amused smirk. He didn’t bother to come to her aid, nor did he send for anyone else. No one ever talked back to Sean Carney’s daughter or questioned her authority. As much as he cared for her, it didn’t entirely displease him now to see her challenged, and by a man who wouldn’t easily back down.
When Zach continued to ignore her, Rosemary had no choice but to face the consequences alone. Forcing herself to remain where she was, she faced Michael defiantly, her mind working quickly.
“I see,” said Michael. “Does your part of the bargain mean sneaking out in the middle of the night like some gypsy band?”
“I thought—” Rose struggled to come up with something plausible. “You see, we always leave early—”
“Yes, I’d say four A.M. is early.” He continued in the same conversational tones. “Or was it three?”
“Two,” Rose said truthfully, then regretted the words a moment later. She was forced to step back, and the circus wagon touched her spine.
“Ah, two. I believe you were supposed to introduce me as manager and see to my accommodations?”
These questions…how was she to answer them? She glanced up and grinned, hoping to pass it all off as a joke. “I thought you might think it funny if…” He wasn’t laughing, and she suddenly realized she’d made it worse. His eyes blazed, and when she glanced toward Zach, Michael braced his hands on either side of her, effectively preventing her escape.
“I didn’t think it was funny, and I don’t now. Did you forget our agreement?” He glanced back toward the circusmen. “I can foreclose and be done with the whole thing, but your friends would find themselves out of a job.”
“You wouldn’t! Not Griggs and Zach and Biddle and Leonardo…”
“I can and I will.” He removed one hand from the wall and lifted her chin. “We either have an agreement or we don’t. If you can’t keep your word, there is no reason for me to stay and try to make this work. I’ll cut my losses and move on.”
Rosemary gasped. He had her there, and he knew it. The circus was her family, and she’d do anything to protect it. Her eyes filled, but she fought back tears, determined not to ever let him know he’d beaten her. This was her life he was fooling with, and if she didn’t keep her nerve, he’d trample it to shreds.
Nodding, she held out her hand. He took one long look at the slender fingers extended toward him, then clasped it in the classic gesture of agreement and continued to stare at her gravely, waiting. Rosemary sighed and forced a smile.
“All right, I give in. You are manager, and I will back you up.”
He stared at her suspiciously. Her face seemed somber enough, her head dipped in submission. Her hand felt warm and soft between his and he released it quickly, remembering all too vividly how she felt in his arms. She glanced up at his gesture, and her eyes twinkled. Close, he could barely make out her features beneath the greasepaint, but her eyes, emerald green framed by sooty lashes, were enormous in her small face and teased him with the memory of a young girl laughing at him.
“I am
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