A Calculated Seduction(44)

She stepped back and slammed the door in his face. No way would she let another man walk all over her.

* * * *

Ethan collapsed on the bed and waited for Dulcy. How did everything go so wrong? Anderson was gay? Good Lord, how had they missed that?

Somehow, he had to make her believe him. He never thought of the company when he slept with her. Hell, the only thing he could think of was getting her into bed and keeping her there.

The sound of a car in his driveway pulled him out of his thoughts. He glanced at the clock and noticed it was just after eight on a Sunday morning. He threw off his towel and grabbed a pair of jeans, donning them. After throwing on a sweatshirt, he walked to the front door just as it chimed.

He opened the door to find Maude and Uncle Bill standing on his doorstep. Both of them were smiling as if they knew some secret joke.

“What are you two doing here?”

“Not wanting to be disturbed,” Bill said with a knowing chuckle. “I understand but it’s cold out here, Ethan.”

He hesitated and then stepped back. Of all the worst possible moments for these two to show up. Now Dulcy had a getaway car. He led them into his living room, trying to come up with a reason for them to leave.

“Maude called me this morning and told me Dulcy wasn’t home. We figured she was here.”

He flushed at the calculated look the older woman was giving him. “She’s here, but we’ve had a bit of a lover’s spat. I’m trying to make up with her.” There. Maybe that would get rid of them.

“Calling your lover a thief is more than a little lover’s spat, Ethan,” Dulcy said.

He whipped around and realized she must have listened to most of the conversation from the irritated look on her face. She had dressed in her clothes. Even though they were rumpled, she was beautiful. And angry. She was very, very angry. Her hair still held the ‘just out of bed mussed’ look, her lips were still swollen from his kisses.

Would she believe him if he told her she was beautiful when she was angry? Her eyes still sparked with fury and pain. Not a chance.

“Ethan,” Bill said, “what’s this about?”

“It’s about some missing money at the company and how your nephew thinks I stole it. My lover, Pete Anderson, and I embezzled the money.”

Both Bill and Maude’s eyes widened as they looked from Dulcy to him and back to Dulcy. Maude, ever the mothering type, rushed to Dulcy’s side and pulled her into an embrace. Bill, shoved his hands in his pockets, fumbled with his change. Then pulled one hand out and fiddled with his ear lobe. Ethan’s senses jumped. That was a sure sign Bill had something to say, but he didn’t know how to say it.

“Spit it out, Bill.”

He finally lifted his eyes from the ground. They shone with regret and apology.

“I’m so sorry, Ethan. I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

“I told you it wouldn’t work,” Maude said.

“Yes, you did, but I knew...I just thought—”

“Bill, what are you talking about?” Ethan asked.

“There was no embezzling.”

Of all the things Bill could have said, that was one Ethan never would have guessed. No embezzling, but...

“I saw the transfers, they were from Dulcy’s computer.”

Bill shook his head. “No. I did them.”

“But—”

“No, Ethan. Don’t you remember that morning when I was in the office fiddling with Dulcy’s computer? I did it.”

“You embezzled from yourself? That makes no sense. Why would you do that?”

“Because he wanted you to come and take over the company and didn’t know how to get you here,” Dulcy said.

Her betrayal chilled his blood. “So you knew about this all along?”

She rolled her eyes. “Of course I didn’t.”

“Really, then how did you know he wanted me here for that reason?”

“Any idiot could figure that out, Ethan. You’re the only family he has left. You wouldn’t come all the other times, so he concocted this whole thing to get you here. Right, Bill?”

Her voice softened when she asked his uncle the question. You’ d think she’ d show him some gentleness. She really had no reason to be mad at him. All he’d done is accuse her of stealing from the company.

He glanced at his uncle. His lips twitched. “Yeah. See what I mean, Ethan? Smart as a whip.”