"It will take a little time."

"If it's an entertaining story, I suppose I can make the time," he said with

a hint of irony. He gestured towards the chair facing the desk, inviting her

wordlessly to sit down.

Kate did. He sat down opposite her on the other side of the desk. He looked as tough and intimidating sitting down as he had standing up, as if he could squash her entire future with a phone call.

That thought gave her the courage to begin."You have, perhaps, heard of Eugene DeMornay?"She saw a nicker of surprise in Damon's eyes at the start of her story."I've met him," he acknowledged. "He's a barracuda.""Takes one to know one," Kate muttered."He's also my father."This time there was no concealing the surprise in his expression. He scowled and leaned forward to look at her ring less hand.

"McKee an a.s.sumed name?"

"I'm a widow. My husband died four years ago in an accident."

He looked momentarily taken aback.

"I'm sorry."

"I've recovered now."

"Obviously."

"By throwing myself into my work," Kate said firmly through gritted teeth.

It wasn't entirely the truth, but she wasn't detailing her disastrous

marriage to Bryce for Damon Alexakis. "After Bryce died, I needed something to keep me busy. I was an earlychildhood education major in college. I have a graduate degree inpsychology. I decided to start Kid Kare because I believe very strongly that with so many families in which both parents work, it is essential for parents to have loving, caring people to entrust with their children."

"Like you?" His sarcasm was clear.

"Exactly like me," Kate said.

"And like Tracy Everson, and Stacy Jerome and the three other girls whom I

sent to take care of your nieces. But trust is a two-way street, MrAlexakis. And your brother-in-law violated it in every case."He stared at her."You're telling me Stephanos was after all of them?"

"That's exactly what I'm telling you."He didn't say a word. A line appeared between his brows as he continuedstaring at her. Kate stared back, determined not to look away.

Finally he shrugged."Go on."She blinked, then coloured."Go on? With what? You want me to tell you what he did?"A faint smile touched Damon's mouth."If you like. Or you could tell me why you were after him.""I was not " after him"," Kate said sharply.He steepled his fingers and looked at her over the tops of them.

"Then suppose you tell me what you were doing."

Kate sighed.

"I had just finished having lunch with my father and his a.s.sociate, JeffreyHardesty. We were having a slight. . difference of opinion, and I. . well, I. . needed an excuse to get away. I looked up and saw Stephanos. I don't know why he was there. But I went up to him and I she stopped for amoment, gathering courage, then plunged on I acted more enthusiastic aboutseeing him than I felt."

"Linked arms with him? Kissed him? That sort of thing?" The sarcasm was evident in every word.

"I didn't kiss him. He he kissed me," she muttered, looking down at her fingers for a moment before lifting her gaze and staring at him, defying him to dispute it.

"And if I believe that, you're going to sell me the Acropolis, right?""Oh, forget it!" Kate got to her feet."I don't know why I'm bothering. You've already decided what sort of person I am. And given that, no doubt you'll convince Sophia to fire me. Well,fine. I'll save you the trouble. I quit." She turned and started for thedoor.

"Ms McKee!" His voice cracked through the air like a whip. "Sit down."She barely glanced over her shoulder."No, thank you." She reached for the doork.n.o.b.A second later, she was nudged aside and Damon Alexakis had positioned himself between her and the door."I said, sit down." The words were measured and menacing.Kate didn't budge."I'm not one of your employees, Mr Alexakis. I don't have to obey you." She met his gaze defiantly.

He was standing so close now that she could count the breaths he took, could

see the tautness around his mouth and could even notice the way a muscleticked in his jaw. She wanted to take a step back.She stood her ground."We teach children politeness, Mr Alexakis.Did no one teach you? "She saw his mouth tighten even further."Please, Ms McKee," he said after a long moment."Sit down."There was no sarcasm in his tone this time, but no friendliness either. He had given an inch, but no more.

"I won't sit here listening to y^u throw accusations at me."

"But I should sit here and listen to you throw them at Stephanos?"

"You accused him first."A corner of his mouth twisted when he caught her point."So I did.""Then do my accusations seem entirely unreasonable?"He shoved a hand through his black hair."I don't know. I suppose not," he said reluctantly."But some of those girls were no more than sixteen!""They were at least eighteen, all of them. I only place adults. Not that that excuses your brother-in- law," Kate added quickly.

"Why do you keep sending them, if he's such a lecher?"

"I'm not sending them for him! Your sister needs someone to help with the

girls. And--' Kate gave a tiny shrug '--placing a mother's helper in such a

prestigious family would be a coup for the agency. The business is only

three years old. We need all the recommendations we can get. Besides, it

was a matter of pride."

"No job too dirty?"

Kate flushed.

"Something like that."

"So you took it on yourself?"

"I thought perhaps he was attracted because the girls were relatively young."

"And you're so old."

"I'm twenty-eight."

"A veritable ancient," he mocked.

"Old enough to handle your brother-in-law."

"Apparently not. He doesn't seem to be able to keep his hands off you,

according to Alice."

Alice was the cook. Kate wondered how many other spies Damon had in hisnetwork."He will. I'll make sure of it. I hadn't intended to be there long anyway.

I have a perfect woman for the job, Mrs Partridge. She's nearly sixty. A

delightful

grandmotherly type. Unfortunately she's finishing up a temporarya.s.signment at the moment and so I was filling in."Damon didn't comment on that. He c.o.c.ked his head."Tell me more about this disagreement with your father."Kate groaned inwardly, having hoped he'd forgotten about that."It wasn't important.""Liar."Kate bristled.

"What makes you say that?"

"Either you're having an affair with Stephanos or you're using him as a decoy to get away from Daddy. Which is it?"

"He had just suggested that Jeffrey and I get married," she admitted.

"What did Jeffrey have to say?"

"He didn't. Not then. But I suppose he was willing."

She was crimson,

embarra.s.sed as usual at the cra.s.sness of her father's tactics.

"And you weren't?"

"No!"

"Not in love with Jeffrey?"

"Certainly not. Besides, I'm not interested in marrying again. I don't want

any husband."

He considered that. She knew what he was concluding--that she had loved Bryce too much, that she was" sure she'd never love again and be able to

replace hiiBt

It was what everyone thought, and Kate was quit willing to let them think it.