He answered on the second ring. “Yes? Yes. No, she’s right here.” He covered the mouthpiece with his palm. “For you,” he whispered. “It’s Jordan.” He handed her the phone, his expression unreadable.
Not now. Reluctantly, she pressed the receiver to her ear. “I don’t want to talk to you, Mark.”
“Darling, what’s wrong? Is your headache worse? Reggie told me about your accident and explained why you left the party early. You should have mentioned it when I stopped by to pick you up. But then, your bodyguard”—he gave the word sarcastic emphasis—“wouldn’t let me drive you to the party.”
“Your T-bird is a two-seater and you refused to ride in his Jeep.”
“Yano could have followed us. We haven’t had five minutes alone together since you hired him.”
“Dixon’s only doing his job.” Anger simmered just below the surface of Alex’s words.
Mark cleared his throat. When he spoke again, all the sarcasm and irritation were gone. “Is something wrong, baby? Do you want me to come over?”
“No.”
“Are you sure? You sound odd, almost angry.”
“Not almost angry, Mark. Totally angry. I saw you in the library with Eileen.”
“Yes?” He seemed puzzled. “She had to talk to me. Ed decided to postpone announcing the partnership, but according to Eileen, I’ve still got the inside track.”
“When I walked into the library, you weren’t talking.”
“What were we … oh! So that’s why you’re upset. Look, Alex, that was nothing. Eileen caught me under the mistletoe and demanded a kiss. That’s all there was to it. Cross my heart.”
“What I saw was no peck on the cheek.”
“Darling, you aren’t jealous of Eileen, are you?” Mark gave a bark of incredulous laughter. “She’s old enough to be my mother. You know me better than that.”
“I thought I did.” Her voice was clipped and cold.
“But darling—” he protested.
“I know what I saw, and that kiss wasn’t as casual as you’re pretending.”
“Okay, listen, honey. Here’s the way it is. Eileen’s a player. Right now she has the hots for me. I admit it. And yes, I play along with her—to a point. She has a lot of influence with Ed. You know how important that promotion is.”
“How far do you intend to go to win a partnership, Mark? All the way to the bedroom?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Ridiculous?”
“Oh, come on, Alex. Get off your high horse. Maybe Eileen and I push the boundaries a little, but I swear I’d never sleep with her. It’s a flirtation, Alex. A harmless flirtation.”
“Obviously we define flirtation somewhat differently.”
“Dammit, I suppose you’ve never looked at another man. What about that so-called bodyguard of yours?”
Guilt washed over Alex. Not only had she looked, she’d touched. “What about him?”
“He’s behind this, isn’t he? What did he tell you?”
“Why? Got a guilty conscience?”
Mark was silent for a moment.
Alex clutched at the afghan trying to slide off her shoulders. She listened to Dixon rummaging through cupboards in the kitchen. Starving, no doubt. He’d missed dinner.
“Alex, I’ve seen the way Yano looks at you. He wants you, and I suspect he’d lie to get you.”
“Lie?”
“About me. Tell you things to turn you against me. He may be working for you, honey, but he has his own agenda. He knows about your trust fund.”
Alex felt cold. “Money? You think money motivates Dixon?”
“Don’t be naive, Alex. Money motivates everyone.”
She chewed at her lower lip. “You too?”
“Hey, I’d have fallen for you even if you were penniless, darling, but the cash is a nice bonus. I never pretended otherwise. It means we’ll be able to start out on the right foot, buy a house in the Loomises’ price range—hell, in the Loomises’ neighborhood. Money is freedom, Alex. It’s vacations on the Riviera and hired help. It’s a Porsche in the garage and caviar whenever you want.”
“I don’t like caviar.”
“That’s not the point. The point is, I love you. Don’t listen to anyone who tries to convince you otherwise.”
“If you love me, then what were you doing with Shelby at Mother’s party?”
Mark swore.
“And with Eileen tonight?”
“Honey, I already explained that. The kiss meant nothing to me. Eileen Loomis means nothing to me. You, on the other hand, mean everything.”
“And Shelby?”
“What about her? You know we can’t stand each other.”
“Then what were the two of you doing locked inside my mother’s bedroom?”
“I don’t know what the hell Yano told you, but I swear I wasn’t anywhere near Shelby.”
“I’d like to believe you, Mark.” She stared at her ring.
“Then believe me, darling. Look, we need to talk face-to-face. I’m coming over.”
“No!” Her protest was instinctive.
“Why not?”
“It’s late. I was just about to go to bed.”
“Sounds like a great idea to me. I’ll spend the night at your place, and you can give your bodyguard the night off.”
“Mark, no. I’m confused. I need time to think.”
He fell silent again. “All right,” he said at length. “I understand. But I want you to think about this: I love you, Alex. I love you with all my heart. You’re the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. Think about that, will you?”
Was she wrong about Mark? His version of the truth was plausible, if not totally convincing. She sighed. “I’ll think about it.”
Dixon looked up as she entered the kitchen. “Sandwich?” He held a plate out to her. “Tuna salad. My specialty.”
She shook her head and moved to the refrigerator. Pulling out the orange juice, she poured herself a glass.
“What did Jordan want?” It was none of his business, but he had to ask. She looked sick, even worse than she had after discovering her fiancé with another woman.
“He called to see how my headache was.” She paused, staring down at the diamond on her left hand. When she looked up, her expression was tortured. “Dixon, what happened tonight … what almost happened …” She dropped her gaze, flushing painfully. “I … there’s no excuse for what I did. All I can say is I’m sorry and it won’t happen again.”
“Alexandra—” he started, but she cut him off.
“No, don’t say anything. God, this is embarrassing! I’m so ashamed of myself.” She bit her lip. “What I did tonight was unforgivable. I used you, Dixon.”
“There was more to it than that,” he said quietly. And if she thought any differently, she was lying to herself. He stared at her, willing her to look at him, but she kept her eyes carefully averted.
Alexandra sipped her juice. “Tomorrow, it might be better if you moved your stuff back downstairs to the break room.”
“You’re the boss.” He took a bite of his sandwich, chewed, and swallowed. The tuna and bread might as well have been sawdust and cardboard. “What shall I do about the crank calls?”
“Report them to the police in the morning.” She set her half-empty glass on the counter. “I’m going to bed.”
Alone. She didn’t say the word, but he heard it in the tone of her voice. So it was over before it began, and Dixon wasn’t sure of anything except the fact that he was in desperate need of another cold shower.
Business finally slacked off about two. Alex cornered Mandy in the break room, where her twin was systematically picking all the blueberries from a muffin.
“If you don’t like blueberries, why don’t you eat the plain muffins?”
“I like the blueberry flavor,” Mandy explained, licking her fingers one by one. “I just don’t like the berries themselves.”
“You’re making a mess.”<
br />
“So? I’ll clean it up. I always do. What’s eating you?”
“I need some advice.”
Mandy perked up. “Oh, yeah? What about?”
“Dixon.”
Mandy paused in mid-chew, staring at Alex wideeyed. “Whaddabout’m?”
“Don’t talk with your mouth full. It’s disgusting.”
Mandy swallowed. “What about him?” she repeated, more clearly this time.
“I kissed him last night.”
“Way to go, Alex!” Mandy grinned from ear to ear.
Alex frowned. “I thought Mark was cheating on me.”
“So seeking to assuage your wounded ego, you made a move on Dixon. Very sensible.” After examining a portion of muffin for stray blueberries, Mandy stuffed it in her mouth.
Alex sighed. “Very stupid, you mean.”
“What happened? Did he get all noble and spurn you?”
“No, he … well, never mind that. The thing is, I liked what I felt with Dixon. It was different. Special.”
“So far, this doesn’t sound like a problem, Alex. Dump Mark and go after Dixon. Where’s the downside?”
“Well, after Dixon and I had kissed and …”
“Whatever,” Mandy supplied.
“We didn’t go all the way,” Alex said quickly.
“Bummer.” Mandy nibbled at another section of muffin.
Alex could feel her cheeks flushing. “We probably would have, but the phone rang.”
Mandy ran her eyebrows up and down. “Next time, unplug the stupid phone.”
“I don’t think there’s going to be a next time.”
“I’m confused. Why not? I thought you said you liked it.”
“I did. It was wonderful. He was wonderful.” Alex felt her color rise again.
Mandy’s mouth fell open. “Oh, my God. This isn’t just a sexual thing, is it? You’re falling in love, aren’t you?”
“Don’t be absurd. How can I be in love with Dixon when I’m engaged to Mark?”
Mandy frowned. “I thought you said Mark cheated on you.”
“No, I said I thought Mark had cheated on me, only I may have been wrong.”
Mandy stirred the pile of rejected blueberries with one sticky finger. “Or maybe not. I’ve heard things. Mark’s former mother-in-law is on the library board with me.” She paused. “But Mark seemed so devoted to you, I dismissed her comments as gossip. After all, he’d have to be a moron to risk losing that trust fund.”
Alex’s stomach muscles clenched. “You think Mark’s only after my money?”
Mandy stuffed another chunk of muffin in her mouth and chewed thoughtfully, studying her sister the whole time. “I didn’t say the money was the only attraction. You have plenty of wonderful attributes, though it would sound like bragging if I enumerated them all.” She grinned. “Hey, except for our weird eyes, we’re a couple of babes.”
“Mark says he loves my eyes.”
“Tom says he loves my eyes too. Of course, it’s more believable coming from a color-blind man.” She popped the last bit of muffin in her mouth.
“You’re not helping, Mandy. You know how self-conscious I am about them.”
Mandy gave her a nasty look. “Oh, puh-leeze. You’re talking about a slight genetic aberration. Emphasis on the slight. There’s nothing wrong with your looks. You’re not exactly a carnival sideshow, you know. In fact, your eyes lend a little character to that otherwise insipidly beautiful face.”
“Quoting Tom again?”
Mandy licked her fingers. “Nah. Mother.”
Drago felt his manhood stiffen as he watched the naked girl cavort under the waterfall. Though other native women were as lithe and lovely as this one, he’d never before seen a Tahitian with such fair hair. It hung in heavy golden waves, falling nearly to her waist. A stray lock fell forward to caress one voluptuous sun-kissed breast … just as he longed to do himself.
Why not indulge his longing? He hadn’t had a woman in months, and this one stirred his fancy. She had the body of a temptress and the face of an angel. And all that hair, looking just as he’d fantasized Lady Arabella’s would look en déshabille. Not that this girl was in any way the equal of the aristocratic Lady Spencer, despite her golden hair. No doubt the luxuriant blonde tresses were the legacy of some passing sailor. English or perhaps Scandinavian. The females in this part of the world were known to be remarkably free with their favors, regardless of the male’s nationality.
He stepped from the shadows and watched the girl’s eyes change as she took in the details of his appearance. Smiling, she extended her arms in welcome. Remarkably free, he thought. And he was remarkably needy.…
Alex tossed the book across the room. Drago’s Woman landed faceup on the hearth, where Drago himself, bare-chested and swashbuckling as all get-out, stared boldly up at her from the cover.
“Bored?” Dixon, who was channel-surfing from the sofa, the remote in one hand and a can of Coors in the other, glanced at her, looking too damn much like Captain Drago for Alex’s peace of mind.
She uncurled herself from the big armchair, stood, and stretched. “Excruciatingly. What’s on TV?”
He set the beer on the coffee table and consulted the TV Guide. “News, news, and more news, infomercial on a sensational breakthrough skin-care formula, the last twenty minutes of Holiday Inn, pro wrestling, Lifestyles, or America’s Most Wanted. What’s your pleasure?”
“None of the above.” Alex chewed at her lower lip. She hated to go to bed. It was only a little after ten and she didn’t feel the least bit sleepy.
“We could play games.” Dixon’s suggestion sounded innocent enough, but his eyes sparkled with mischief.
“I don’t think so.”
“How ’bout I stick in a video?”
“Which one?”
His smile did weird things to her insides. “I noticed earlier you have my favorite Christmas movie on tape.”
She tried to think of what Christmas movies she had: Home Alone, The Santa Clause, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Miracle on 34th Street. Not a huge selection. She shrugged. “Whatever appeals to you.”
As Dixon dug through the cabinet in the TV stand, a buzzer sounded. “What’s that?” He stiffened.
“Someone’s at the back door.”
“I’ll get it.” He sprang to his feet in one sinuous movement, grabbing up the snub-nosed .38 from the coffee table. “Lock the door after me and don’t open it unless you hear my voice.”
“What? No password?” she teased.
Dixon raised an eyebrow. “I’m just trying to do my job.”
She dropped her gaze. “I know. Joking is my way of coping with a terrifying situation.” She spoke calmly, but her hands were balled into fists. “Anyway, it’s probably just Mandy or my mother. I don’t think the bad guys bother to ring the bell.”
He grinned crookedly. “Yeah, no doubt you’re right, but better safe than sorry.” He passed her a tape, then hefted the revolver thoughtfully. “Why don’t you start the movie?”
Alex glanced down at the tape. “Die Hard? Die Hard is your favorite Christmas movie?”
Dixon didn’t hear her. He’d already disappeared down the stairs.
He reappeared moments later, a frown on his face. “I thought I told you to lock the door after me.”
“I was going to—” She broke off as another man followed Dixon into the room. Officer Rios was out of uniform and for a minute Alex didn’t recognize him.
“I was in the neighborhood,” he said in answer to her questioning look. “Thought I’d see how you were doing.”
Alex gave him a warm smile. “How kind of you.”
“Yeah, real kind.” Dixon spat the words out as if they tasted bad.
Cesar grinned at his friend. “Hey, man. What can I say? To serve and protect is my motto. Besides, my date terminated a little earlier than planned.”
“Headache?” asked Dixon with a knowing smile.
Cesar shook his head
. “Husband. Showed up unexpectedly.”
“Big guy?”
Cesar grunted. “Long-haul trucker about six-four and three hundred pounds. Swear to God, I had no idea she was married. The lady forgot to mention it, and dumb me, I forgot to ask.”
“Tough.” Dixon didn’t sound overly sympathetic.
“Have a seat.” Alex waved toward the sofa. “We were just about to stick in a video.”
Cesar tossed his jacket over a chair back, then made himself comfortable in the center of the sofa. He picked up the movie Alex had laid on the coffee table. “Die Hard. Yes! My favorite Christmas movie.”
“What a coincidence. It’s Dixon’s favorite too.”
Dixon shot her an imploring look.
She knew what he wanted. He wanted her to get rid of his friend. Too bad. She shoved the movie into the VCR, then sat down on one side of Cesar. She had no intention of discouraging Officer Rios. With him there, she felt much safer.
Not, she admitted to herself, that she doubted Dixon’s ability to protect her from an outside threat. She had every confidence in his competence. What she doubted was her own ability to keep her hands to herself. With Cesar there, she wasn’t likely to embarrass herself by doing anything silly—like throwing herself on Drago’s—no, Dixon’s—manly chest.
“By the way, Dix, we got the ballistics report on the slug we dug out of the back wall of your office.”
“Yeah?”
“A .357 Magnum.”
“What?” Alex stared. “You mean it was a handgun?”
“Probably. Why?”
She took a deep breath. “Because I own one. Half shares anyway. A stainless-steel Ruger Security Six, a present from Mother when Mandy and I opened the store. Protection in case anyone tried to rob us.”
“Where do you keep it?” Suddenly Cesar was all business.
“The drawer under the cash register. Come on. I’ll show you.” They all trooped down to the office. The drawer was empty.
Cesar narrowed his eyes. “Who knew you kept a gun?”
“Who didn’t? It was hardly a secret.” Alex fought the panic that threatened to overwhelm her. Her own gun. Someone had tried to kill her with her own gun.
EIGHT
A shrill keening woke Dixon. He fumbled for the alarm button in the dark until it dawned on him that the sound wasn’t coming from the clock. Three-forty. Too damn early for the alarm to go off. So what the hell was making that racket?
Upon a Midnight Clear Page 9