Sandy’s eyes bulged as his features went even paler.
“Now think it over, but don’t take your time. I’ll be back.” With that ominous threat, Simon wrapped an arm around Grace and led her out of the gallery. As soon as they were back in the cool night air, Simon held up a hand to hail a cab.
“That’s it?” she asked. “He looked like he was about to tell us everything we could’ve wanted to know.”
“There’s nothing he could tell us,” he said as a car pulled up.
“What’s the point of even coming out here if he couldn’t tell us anything?” She pulled open the door, not waiting for him to do it for her.
Simon walked around to the other side and climbed in. He quickly gave the cab driver Grace’s address, which he somehow knew off the top of his head, and turned to face her. “What could he give us? Names? Dates? Technique? I already know who he’s scammed, when he scammed them and how he did it. I need to turn him against DuFord. Make him realize they’re in a dangerous business and that it might be best to get out.”
She sighed. “Well, you definitely scared the crap out of him. You know he’s going to call DuFord.”
He shrugged. “It’s not like he didn’t know we were after him. The element of surprise was blown.”
“He’s going to come after you,” she warned. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
He smiled at her. “Let him come after me. He doesn’t scare me.”
Grace looked out the window at the buildings flying by. “He’s dangerous. I know you’re normally right about everything, but your arrogance is going to get you in trouble.”
She jerked at the feel of Simon’s large, warm palm as it settled on her knee. “Don’t worry about me, okay? I have everything under control.”
“I know you do right now.” She turned to look at him. “I’m worried about when Mark blindsides you.”
“What makes you think he will?”
Grace narrowed her eyes. He had to be testing her. He could read people even better than her, and this was obvious. “Because you’re going after his money. Hitting him where it hurts. He won’t take it lightly.”
“Don’t worry.” His thumb caressed the inside of her thigh. “I can handle Mark.”
She looked away again. Sure, he could be wrong, but she desperately wanted him to be right.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Simon opened the door and held a hand out to Grace. She intertwined her fingers with his and he pulled her up. She was so close. Would it really be so bad if he leaned forward and kissed her? She’d probably tell him to get lost and he’d probably regret it later, but for the life of him, it was all he could think about.
“Princess needs to be let out,” she said softly.
He took an abrupt step back. That was obviously his cue to give her some space. “Sure. I’ll do some more research into our artist, and we can regroup later.”
She took a swallow and looked between her apartment entrance and him. “If you want, you can wait down here. Princess and I will be out in a minute.”
He nodded, trying not to let his excitement show. “I’ll wait.”
She gave him a quick grin as she hurried to the door and disappeared into the building. Simon paid the driver and told him not to wait.
He leaned against the building and took a deep breath of cold air. In one sense, they’d made progress tonight, but he couldn’t help but feel as if they were right back where they started. Sandy was terrified of DuFord, and it would take extreme measures to convince him to turn on his benefactor.
The door to the building creaked open and there was Grace. She wore the same white dress, but traded her nude high heels for tennis shoes. Princess seemed happy to be outside, but went full-on ecstatic when she noticed Simon in the shadows. Her tail wagged impossibly faster as she pulled her hardest on the leash until he could lean down and give her a quick scratch on the ears.
“You have a fan for life.” Grace smiled.
“No kidding.” He stood and gave Princess one more pat on the head. “So how far do you normally go when you walk her?”
She shrugged as she moved down the street. “It depends on my mood. Sometimes I make calls while I’m out here and then I might go farther. Sometimes I just have a lot on my mind. And other days I’m exhausted and as soon as she does her business, I get back upstairs and in bed.”
“I vote for option three.” He wanted it to come out as a joke, but couldn’t help the earnestness that slipped out.
Instead of laughing, Grace remained silent. They continued on like that for a few moments. The only sound was the cars on the street and the clacking of Princess’s nails on the concrete.
“Why did you ask me to stay?” asked Simon.
She kept her gaze firmly on the sidewalk. “Because I didn’t want you to go yet.”
“Grace.” He set a hand on her arm to stop her.
She slowly looked into his eyes. “There. I said it. Now you can tell me that I’m an idiot or that all of our make-believe is causing me to imagine things, but I thought you should know, damn it.”
“I don’t think—”
“I know it’s not a good idea, but seeing you again, working with you tonight, we might have something here, you know?”
Simon tried to remind himself of all the reasons they shouldn’t, but it was difficult to keep his thoughts clear when her blue eyes stared up at him with so much hope. “The rumors about me are true,” he warned her. “I’m an ass. I say what I mean and mean it when I say it.”
She raised a brow. “I hate to break it to you, West, but I’m no saint. And I’ve seen you in action. I know what I’m getting into.”
He took a deep breath. This wasn’t some one-night stand or friends with benefits she was offering. “You don’t realize what you’re asking.”
She rolled her eyes and gave Princess a light tug as she turned to walk back to the apartment. “I think you’re the one who doesn’t realize what I’m asking. I’m asking you to come upstairs. After that, maybe we get dinner later this week. Maybe you stay over for a night or two. I’m not looking at next year or next month.”
“No labels?” he asked.
“Oh, you’d totally be my boyfriend.” She smirked at him. “Exclusive and everything. Now is this something you can do?”
He didn’t say anything. Couldn’t. It was his specialty to analyze and predict every possible outcome, and he couldn’t see any way being in a full-blown relationship with Grace would end well. And he didn’t want to end things with her hating him like his few serious lovers in the past. He never wanted Grace to hate him.
Before he knew it, they were back at her apartment. She stared at him expectantly. “Should I call you a cab?”
His mouth went dry. “No.”
A subtle smile curled her lips as she turned to unlock the door and held it for him. He let her and Princess go up the stairs to the second-story apartment. With each step he took, he imagined all the ways she’d hate him when everything was said and done. But he didn’t stop or head back.