Immortal in Death (In Death #3)(5)

“A train?”

“No.” He only smiled, flicking a glance up at her. “You wouldn’t. A headdress. Your hair.”

Used to derogatory comments, Eve ran her fingers through it. “I can cover it up if I have to.”

“No, no, no. It suits you.”

Her hand dropped in shock. “It does?”

“Indeed. You need a bit of shaping. I know someone — ” He flicked that aside. “But the color, all those tones of brown and gold, and the short, not quite tamed style is very good on you. A couple of snips.” Eyes narrowed, he studied her. “No, no headdress, no veil. Your face is enough. Now, color and material. It must be silk, of a good weight.” He grimaced a little. “Mavis tells me Roarke will not be paying.”

Eve’s back went up. “It’s my dress.”

“She’s dug in on this one,” Mavis commented. “Like Roarke would notice a few thousand credits.”

“That’s not the point — “

“No, indeed not.” Leonardo smiled again. “Well, we’ll manage. Color? I don’t think white, too stark for your skin tone.”

Pursing his lips, he went to his palette key and experimented. Fascinated despite herself, Eve watched the sketch turn from snowy white to cream, to pale blue, to vivid green and a rainbow between. Though Mavis oohed and ahed over several choices, he only shook his head.

He settled on bronze.

“This. Yes, oh yes. Your skin, your eyes, your hair. You’ll be radiant, majestic. A goddess. With it you’ll need a necklace, at least thirty-inch length. Better yet, two lengths, twenty-four and thirty inches. Copper, I think, with colored stones. Rubies, citrine, onyx. Yes, yes, and carnelian, perhaps some tourmaline. You’ll speak to Roarke about the accessories.”

Clothes never meant a damn to her, but Eve caught herself yearning. “It’s beautiful,” she said cautiously and began to calculate her credit situation. “I’m just not sure. You know, silk… It’s a little out of my range.”

“You’ll have the dress at my cost, and for a promise.” He enjoyed watching the wariness come into her eyes. “That I will be allowed to design Mavis’s dress as your attendant, and you will use my designs for your trousseau.”

“I haven’t thought about a trousseau. I’ve got clothes.”

“Lieutenant Dallas has clothes,” he corrected. “Roarke’s partner in marriage will need others.”

“Maybe we can make a deal.” She wanted that damn dress, she realized. She could feel it on her.

“Wonderful. Take off your clothes.”

She snapped back like a spring. “Okay, ass**le — “

“For the measurements,” Leonardo said quickly. The look in her eye had him rising, stepping back. He was a man who adored women, and understood their wrath. In other words, he feared them. “You must consider me as you would your health provider. I can’t design the dress properly until I know your body. I’m an artist, and a gentleman,” he said with dignity. “But Mavis can stay if you feel uneasy.”

Eve tilted her head. “I can handle you, pal. If you get out of line, even think about it, you’ll find out for yourself.”

“I’m sure of it.” Cautiously he picked up a device. “My scanner,” he explained. “It will measure you very accurately. But you have to be naked for a true reading.”

“Stop snickering, Mavis. Go get us some more of that tea.”

“Sure. I’ve already seen you naked, anyway.” Blowing kisses to Leonardo, she headed off.

“I have other ideas… about clothes,” Leonardo said when Eve narrowed her eyes. “The underfoundation for the dress, of course. Evening and day wear, the formal, the casual. Your honeymoon is where?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it.” Resigned, she took off her shoes, unhitched her jeans.

“Roarke will surprise you then. Computer, create file, Dallas, first doc, measurements, coloring, height, and weight.” After she’d tossed her shirt aside, he stepped forward with the scanner. “Feet together please. Height, five foot nine inches, weight, one hundred and twenty.”

“How long have you been sleeping with Mavis?”

He rattled off more data. “About two weeks. She’s very dear to me. Waist twenty-six point two inches.”

“Did you start sleeping with her before or after she told you her best friend was marrying Roarke?”

He stopped cold, and his brilliant gold eyes glittered with temper. “I am not using Mavis for a commission, and you insult her by thinking it.”

“Just checking. She’s very dear to me, too. If we’re going to deal on this, I want to make sure all the cards are faceup, that’s all. So — “

The interruption came in fast, and came in furious. A woman in skintight, unadorned black burst in like a comet, perfect teeth bared, lethal red nails curled into talons.

“You two-timing, back-stabbing, mother-f*cking son of a bitch.” She made her leap, rather like a gorgeous mortar locked on target, and with a speed and grace brought on by pure fear, Leonardo evaded. “Pandora, I can explain — “

“Explain this.” Turning her wrath on Eve, she swiped out, barely missing scooping Eve’s eyes out of their sockets.