DESIGN FOR LOVE Read Free Page A

say?”
    Alison thought for a moment. “Let me think. Oh, yeah, he’s back in town from his assignment and said to watch him on the news tonight - Yuk!”
    Francine smiled tolerantly. “Now, that’s enough, Alison. Roger’s a nice guy, likes both of us,” she grinned, “Almost as much as he likes himself - and besides, he’s cute !”
    “Yeah, in a yucky kind of way.”
    “Okay, that’s enough - let’s have a little respect for your elders, young lady.”
    Alison sighed resignedly. “Okay, I guess.”
    Strangely enough, however, Alison’s doubts concerning Roger were echoed in part by Francine’s own increasing misgivings about their present relationship. After their whirlwind first encounter at a fashion show where Roger had been the guest compere, the mutual physical attraction between them had been quickly consummated between the sheets in Roger’s luxurious penthouse. A passionate, proficient lover, he had filled a void in her life left vacant since her break-up with Steve. Lately, however, Francine could not be sure if it was the demands of her new business or an innate need for a more fulfilling relationship that had made their once energetic, sensuous lovemaking seem suddenly lackluster.
    As if interrupting her thoughts, the phone rang and as she braced herself to speak to Roger, a strong, rich baritone voice came on the line.
    “Miss Dubois?”
    “This is she.”
    “Thank goodness! Miss Dubois, this is Gerard Cinclare speaking.”
    At the mere mention of his name, probably as a knee jerk reaction to the pent-up anger she had felt since his loud, outspoken criticism of her work, Francine found herself almost mechanically putting the phone back in its cradle without a word. Seconds later, the phone rang again. She picked it up.
    “Look…I…”
    He interrupted her. “Feel better now? I must say I don’t blame you!”
    Desperately trying to compose herself, she continued. “Mr. Cinclare…”
    He interrupted her yet again, humor in his voice. “Call me Gerard.”
    She coughed impatiently. “As I was saying, Mr. Cinclare, I don’t wish to be rude, but I have nothing to say to you.”
    The deep rich tones continued. “I fully understand, Miss Dubois, but I have something to say to you.”
    Francine was running out of patience as she replied frostily, “Look, it’s been a long day and the last thing I need…”
    He interrupted her yet again. “Is an apology, right?”
    “Er, well, yes.”
    “Good, because you’re not going to get one - at least not a full one!”
    Francine clenched her teeth, closed her eyes. ‘What a pompous idiot! ’ she mused, adding out loud. “I’m putting the phone down.”
    Gerard continued unabated. “However, I do apologize if by expressing my opinion of your work too loudly in company, you were caused any embarrassment.”
    She fumed at his arrogance, but at least this was a half-hearted start. “Oh, you do, do you?” she added.
    “Yes, I do - but what I don’t retract is my opinion of your creations. I believe in telling things the way they are.”
    “That’s patently obvious, do go on?” she was now moving from anger to fascination as to what this arrogant man would come up with next.
    He didn’t disappoint her as the soothing baritone voice continued. “I run my business by recognizing fashions that will sell at the haute couture level, young lady.”
    ‘Young lady, how dare he?’ s he fumed.
    “ And quite frankly,” he continued, “Your collection lacked depth and creativity, appeared immaturely rushed in its presentation and it really lacked a big finish,” he gave a dry chuckle. “And by that, I don’t mean models diving into the audience!”
    If she could have reached down the phone, she would have ripped out his sexy, golden-toned throat for echoing her very own inner doubts. But biting her lip in frustration, she managed to squeeze out a rather stiff-jawed reply. “That was rather unfortunate, I admit,” and just as she was about