A Daring Deception. AMANDA BROWNING

plentiful attributes we’re interested in. They’re certainly all Luther Ames will see. Speaking of which, the more he sees, the quicker he’ll take the bait, so remember to pack your sexiest clothes,’ Nathan ordered.

      Rachel knew that if she possessed any blatantly sexy clothes it was by accident, not design. She tended to wear more trendily casual clothes, not the designer dresses and evening wear he clearly expected. She would have to do some hasty shopping, though it would go very much against the grain. She didn’t much care for the idea of dressing solely to invite men to ogle her, and was beginning to see where her anger had taken her. However, she was committed, and never let it be said that Rachel Shaw ran away from anything!

      ‘I should be able to find something suitable,’ she confirmed.

      ‘We can always go shopping in Tahoe,’ Nathan offered, and her nerves jolted.

      ‘No!’ she refused quickly. ‘That won’t be necessary.’ The last thing she wanted was for him to buy her clothes. That would be going altogether too far.

      Nathan shot her a mocking look. ‘I’d pay. You don’t have to worry about any of the bills,’ he said dryly, and the embers of her wrath flared up again.

      Her smile was a gem of fake sincerity. ‘Oh, I wasn’t, but, since you’re offering, I’ll supply the clothes, you provide the diamonds.’

      As she had hoped, his amusement died instantly. ‘Diamonds?’

      This time her smile was entirely natural as she realised he didn’t like the implication. ‘You’re a wealthy man, and if I’m your lover you surely must have given me jewellery. I always think a woman looks naked without diamonds. Oh, but you don’t have to worry, I promise to give them back afterwards. I wouldn’t want to appear greedy.’

      Blue eyes narrowed to icy chips. ‘Very generous of you. Is there anything else I should provide?’

      Enjoying his irritation, Rachel’s shrug was casual. ‘I’ll let you know if I think of anything.’

      A muscle ticked at the corner of his tantalising mouth. ‘I’m sure you will,’ he said frostily, and she had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. Perhaps this whole situation would have its amusing side after all.

      ‘Nothing cheap, mind. I have expensive tastes.’ A calm smile tilted her lips as the lie was uttered. ‘Oh, and I really don’t care for rubies.’

      A steely glint flickered in his eyes. ‘No rubies. You have no objection to emeralds or sapphires?’

      ‘None at all,’ she retorted brightly.

      ‘I’m glad to hear it. Now, if that’s the end of the shopping list, we’d better get on,’ Nathan urged, turning his attention back to Linus’s list of travel plans and thereby missing her grin of delight at having soured his mood. ‘Our flight leaves at midday tomorrow. I’ll swing by your place about ten to pick you up.’

      The suggestion had instant alarm shooting through her. She couldn’t have him turning up at the apartment. If he saw Emma he was bound to recognise her, and that would never do. She wanted her pound of flesh before she hit him with the truth.

      ‘That won’t be necessary,’ she refused politely. ‘My…cousin will drive me,’ she explained, hoping her hesitation would make him assume her ‘cousin’ was male, and no relative at all. It worked like a charm and had his lip curling cynically.

      ‘OK, we’ll meet at the airport. Just make sure your “cousin” lets you get some sleep tonight,’ Nathan responded. Tucking the envelope into his jacket pocket, he took a quick glance at his wristwatch. ‘I have to leave. This business will make a mess of my calendar, and I’ll have some important meetings to rearrange. Heaven alone knows how long this is going to take.’

      ‘Surely a weekend should be long enough?’ Rachel put forward hopefully. She had no wish to prolong the affair either.

      Nathan smiled wryly. ‘If I were Ames, I wouldn’t leave those letters anywhere they could be found too easily. We may have to search the whole damned house. You’d better just hope and pray he doesn’t have some state-of-the-art security system, or we’ll be screwed before we start. We could both end up in jail yet,’ he declared by way of a parting shot, and Rachel was left staring at the empty doorway.

      She knew he wasn’t joking. Getting caught in the act was a distinct possibility, and it was a sobering thought. They were going to have to be very, very careful. Yet no matter the possibility of dire consequences, the thought of backing out never entered her head. She was going to see this through to the end for the sheer pleasure of throwing the truth back in Nathan Wade’s face.