And Emma realized she probably should not have said that about being kinky, even in a tease.
Kon just smiled though, his chocolate gaze filled with humor. “I’m pretty sure it takes more than wanting to see my lover try on her new clothes to make me kinky.”
“You should be careful what you say,” the oldest designer rep admonished Emma repressively. “Comments like that could give rise to all sorts of speculation in the media.”
Kon turned a frown on the older woman. “But everyone in this room has signed nondisclosure agreements, have they not? Any leak will be dealt with punitively and quickly, I assure you,” he said in freezing tones.
Then Kon leveled his gaze on each designer rep and model in turn. To a one, they all gave nods of assent.
Kon nodded his own head, like he was satisfied, and turned his attention back on Emma with a charming smile. “You have no need to censor yourself with me.”
While the sentiment was lovely, Emma didn’t agree. She didn’t apologize for her words, instinctively knowing that would have invited Kon’s wrath on the woman who had corrected Emma. However, she did think about what the older woman had said and determined to be more circumspect in her speech around others.
NDA signed, or not, things had a way of getting out. It was why Emma had been so careful in her wording of emails and messages when trying to get a hold of Kon to tell him about Mickey’s imminent birth.
While she was sure both she and her Prince would always regret that he had not been part of Mickey’s life from the beginning, she could not regret protecting Kon and his family from the media circus that knowledge of her pregnancy at that time would have created.
So far, they’d been left alone, but it suddenly struck Emma that once Mickey’s existence was announced to the world in relation to him being Kon’s son, that media circus would be inevitable.
“What?” Kon asked her, his expression concerned.
“I don’t... What do you mean, what?”
“What were you just thinking that made your lovely face grow so pensive and not in a happy-contemplation way?” he asked, showing a perspicacity she wished he had not developed sometimes.
Emma looked around at everyone and then back at Kon. “Later.”
He jerked his head in acknowledgment and then the fashion show recommenced.
Emma was judicious in her selections, but Kon was not. For every item she picked out, he added two to her growing closet.
Finally, Emma just said, “Stop. That’s enough for three women who like to dress up and change at least once a day.”
“But you may not keep them all,” he reminded her.
Like Emma had any intention of keeping even half of the clothes. “I can pretty much guarantee it.” She rolled her eyes. “We could fund free lunches for at-risk children for two years with what you want to spend on clothes for me, I’m certain of it.”
Even if she didn’t know exactly how much each article cost, Emma knew the clothes they’d set aside already would cover more than her wages for the year. Or two.
“I’ll make a deal with you.”
“A deal?” Emma asked warily.
“Whatever I spend on your new wardrobe I will match as a donation to any charity of your choice.”
Emma heard a couple of gasps, but her eyes were only for Kon. “You want me to spend more money?”
“We haven’t gotten to the lingerie yet,” he said with that look.
The one that turned her knees to water and sent sensations spiking through her core.
“And if I want to split the donations up?”
“Anything you like.”
“Bring on the lingerie,” Emma said with renewed enthusiasm.
Kon’s laughter had her gaze sliding back to him.