that morning. But he’d stepped out to do a few errands and found himself standing outside her office, he still wasn’t quite sure how. He was wearing a leather jacket that had plenty of battle scars, and jeans that were worn white at the stress points and frayed at the cuffs.
He had a pretty fair idea what he looked like to a doting father at the moment. A rich, doting father who wore Savile Row as if he’d been born in it.
“I’ve just come back from Hyannis Port. I spent the last two days there designing and discussing an upgrade of a security system for your father’s home.”
Caine’s eyes narrowed and flashed. “Is that so? Interfering old tyrant,” he muttered, striking straight to the core of the matter. “In that case, I imagine you’ve got your work cut out for you. We wouldn’t want to keep you from it.”
“Dad.” Appalled, Laura gaped at him. “There’s no reason to be rude.”
“Yes, there is,” Royce said mildly. “You look just like your mother. He’d know there’s every reason to be rude.”
“Well said,” Caine murmured.
“I’ll be back.” Royce strolled toward the door, pausing when he was toe-to-toe with Caine. “And I’m going to kiss your daughter again, Mr. MacGregor. You’ll have to get used to it.”
“If the two of you think you can stand there and discuss me as if I’m some sort of trophy—”
“We’re done.” Royce cut her off, flicking a glance over his shoulder before he walked out the door. “For the moment.”
“Arrogant son of a bitch.” Caine dug his hands into his own pockets and felt a smile twitch at his mouth. “I like him.”
“Oh, do you?” Running on full steam, Laura stalked from around the desk and, when she was close enough, poked her father in the chest with her finger. “You humiliated me.”
“I did not.”
“You did too. Standing there like a … a …”
“Father,” he finished, and took her chin firmly in his hand. “Do you think I don’t know what he’s got in mind? His hands were—”
“I know exactly where his hands were,” Laura fired back. “They were exactly where I wanted them. I’m not a child, and I’m not going to have the men in my family draw the wagons in a circle around me to protect my virtue. It’s my virtue, and I’ll do with it what I choose, with whom I choose.”
“Not if I beat you and lock you up, you won’t.”
She snorted. “You never laid a hand on me in your life.”
“An obvious oversight which can still be corrected, young lady.”
“Stop it.” Diana rushed in, closing the door firmly behind her. “Stop this shouting. They can hear you all over the building.”
“Let them hear!” Laura and Caine shouted together.
“Lower your voices, or I’m fining you both for contempt of court. Sit down, the pair of you.”
“He’s the one who’s out of order.” Laura tossed her head, but she dropped into a chair. “He embarrassed me in front of Royce, and he was rude. He came in here like some—”
“Father,” Caine interjected, but sat, as well.
“Neanderthal
father.” Laura sniffed, and turned her appeal to her mother. “Mama, I’m twenty-four years old. Does he think I’ve never been kissed before?”
“You’d better not have been kissed like that before,” Caine muttered. “Diana, the man had his hands on her—”
“Enough.” Diana held up her hands, shut her eyes until she could be certain her own temper was under control. “Laura, if you’re a hundred and four, you have no right to speak to your father in that way. And Caine,” she continued, just as he began to look smug, “Laura is an adult, a responsible, intelligent woman, and she can kiss whomever she pleases.”
“Now, just a damn minute—” Caine began.
“Don’t you shout at me,” Diana warned him. “If he was rude to Royce, he’ll apologize.”
“In a pig’s—”
“I’ll see to it,” Diana said between her teeth, searing her husband with a look. “But at the moment,
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