Alveus (ABC's Inc. Romance #1)

by Lara Earlman

  “You’re still here,” she observed with a husky sleep-laden voice. She reached out to stroke the contours of his chest.

  “Mmm, Mmmm,” Dane groaned, shifting his body closer. “I have no inclination to ever move from this spot,” he said. Pulling his eyes off of her, his gaze turned south. Observing the clear indication of his arousal, he revised the last statement. “After I’ve procured additional protection, that is. You don’t suppose Fani might have left some in her room?”

  Lexi kissed her way to his nipple and took a swipe at it with her tongue. She received a satisfying tightening of his gripe around her waist, and he pulled her on top of him. With a mischievous grin, Lexi’s hand slid lower.

  “It’s worth a check,” she teased, “but if I have to get up I’m going to want breakfast. I’m starving.” Dane growled and stopped her hand’s exploration.

  “Do you give out rainchecks?” he asked.

  “Just so happens there’s a special going on today,” she answered, “two for the price of one.” He rolled her over onto her back and looked down from his perch above her.

  “And what would that price be?” he enquired, his voice low and sensual. She gasped as he ground against her, emphasizing his sacrifice.

  “Uh… a kiss?” Her voice came out breathless. He smiled – a beautiful dimpled smile which caught her breath once again. His eyes carried a roguish glint as he lowered his lips to hers. At the last minute, he veered away and landed his kiss on her neck. His whiskers tickled, as he placed kiss after kiss along the sensitive points he’d discovered the night before. She giggled and squirmed until his lips finally found hers, lingering to convey a promise of future delights. He pulled back, their eyes locked, and they both grinned happily with understanding. The silent communication they’d shared as children had surfaced once again.

  »ɞ»ɞ«ɞ«

  Dane was… happy. Almost giddy. He hadn’t seen that coming. Actually, he never would have believed it was possible. Shit, he never thought he was unhappy – but this, this was euphoric. Lexi was so… Dane scraped around in his brain to find words that could encompass the entity that was Lexi. He came up lacking. There just were no words. When they made love, she matched him perfectly. She was innocent, but she knew instinctively how to please him, and pleasuring her was addictive. He couldn’t get enough of the sweet sounds she made. Never before had he… wow! And her giggles – a whole different kind of addiction. They were the cherry on the top of his happy. A small niggling down deep inside of him, (sounding suspiciously like Keith Ingram,) taunted that he had it bad. Well, if that was true, he wanted no part in a cure. The reminder that he’d once referred to her as the ice queen made Dane laugh out loud. How wrong could a bloke be?

  Lexi paused on the staircase to give him a questioning look. She wanted to know what he was laughing about. He knew now why she had been cool toward him, causing him to dub her with the nickname, but he’d prefer to have her in bed when he pointed out the absurdity of it.

  “Later,” he promised, squeezing her hand. She raised one seductive eyebrow in response, causing him to laugh, again. God, he wished that they could stop time and just bask in each other.

  Rounding the corner at the bottom of the stairs, they entered the dining room hand-in-hand. Edith was just putting the finishing touches to a breakfast buffet located on the sideboard. She turned and smiled broadly at them.

  “It’s about time,” she said in an insightful tone.

  Both he and Lexi understood that she wasn’t referring to the lateness of their arrival. Dane realized that there were a lot of people close to them that would gloat in the knowledge of their intimacy, as if they’d had something to do with it. Even so, the happiness he carried seemed to be infectious and he saw nothing wrong with that.

  “I believe I remembered your favorites,” Edith told him. “Although, I wasn’t sure if you’d prefer coffee or tea, so I’ve included a pot of hot water along with an herbal selection. I know Miss Lexi can’t face the day without her coffee,” she added, maternally.

  Dane caught her manner when she spoke of Lexi, a gentle warning, and appreciated her protectiveness. Although she was fond of him, she’d helped to raise Pips and would not tolerate anyone hurting her. He nodded his head and told her that coffee would be fine. Lifting the lid off of the heated pan she’d motioned to, he smiled gleefully.

  “Caramel cinnamon pancakes! You remembered correctly, Mrs. Jensen.” He leaned over to give the elderly woman a kiss on the cheek.

  “Get your own girl, that one’s taken,” announced a gruff voice from behind him. Dane turned, put on a teasing grin and held out his hand.

  “Mr. Jensen,” he greeted, shaking the old man’s hand. “Don’t you think you’ve kept her to yourself long enough? No doubt she’s grown tired of you by now.” The white headed man slapped him on the shoulder.

  “Miracle of miracles, she still puts up with me,” he replied. “It’s good to see you here again, Son.”

  Dane’s eyes threatened to mist. The whole scene brought fond memories crashing down upon him. There had been many visits to the Alberton estate when the Carstens hadn’t been in residence. Harold Jensen had taken the time to hold conversations with the young boy – had made himself approachable to the inquisitive youth. Dane’s grandfather was a good man and affectionate in his own way, but Harold was down to earth, and easy to talk to. When Pips was off with the women, Dane would search out Mr. Jensen and assist him with his chores as they conversed. The elderly man had taught him much about honest work and humble respect. Dane realized that what he felt for the Jensens was a familial love. He examined the room and its occupants with the fresh revelation that he was returning home and had missed it terribly. The expressions on the elderly couple’s faces reiterated that he belonged there. Lexi’s eyes were damp – she had correctly read each of his thoughts as they’d traveled through his mind. Carrying a heavily laden plate, he set it down on the table and slipped into the chair beside her. She reached over to clasp his hand in hers.

  Edith nodded approvingly at Lexi’s plate, piled high with sausage, scrambled eggs with mushroom and onions, and a slice of homemade bread with honey. Giving her a meaningful glance, she looked affectionately at Dane, while refilling her coffee mug.

  “Pure ambrosia,” Dane announced after swallowing his first forkful of pancake. His eyes closed in ecstasy. The flavors unlocked deeply buried memories which surfaced and wrapped him in a contented cocoon. “I could definitely get used to this pampering,” he told the elderly housekeeper. Edith blushed, pleased at his approval, and led her husband out of the room. “I could also gain a hundred pounds,” he added wryly. Still, it didn’t deter him from shoveling in the delectable treat.

  “I may have a suggestion as to how you can work it off,” Lexi said, taking a dainty bite out of her honey laden bread. Dane’s eyes lit on a small drop of the sweet syrup which remained on the side of her mouth. Deciding not to resist the urge, he leaned in and licked it off with a swipe of his tongue.

  “And what kind suggestion have you in mind, little minx,” he inquired, helping himself to another taste of her lips. He felt her smile, even before he looked up to catch the mischievous glint in her eye. It required every ounce of strength he had to resist taking her in his arms and making love to her right there in the dining room.

  “Well, remember the rumpus room set up for us to play in when the weather was bad?” she asked.

  “Ye…es,” he answered sensually. Trying to picture the room in his mind, Dane wondered what kind of play she was thinking of doing in there. His body came alive with anticipation. He watched as she stabbed a piece of link sausage with her fork, brought it to her mouth and closed her luscious lips around it before biting a small piece off and slowly, contemplatively, chewed. His innocent girl was a master seductress, and he was a mesmerized fly willingly caught in her sweet web of paradise – waiting.

  She looked at him with childlike honesty and said, “We turned it into a home gym.
” Reacting to his perplexed expression, the unwary siren continued, “What? It’s really state of the art; I think you will find it quite suitable.”

  He stared at her, incredulous. Was she truly that unaware of her sensuality? But… but, the mischievous glint he’d caught in her eye… He was sure he hadn’t been mistaken… There! It flashed in again! He narrowed his eyes. Okay, I’ll play her game. His body took up the challenge, warming in contemplation of the conqueror’s reward.

  “Is that your way of inviting me to move in here with you?” he asked.

  “Of course,” she replied, still playing coy. “I’ll have Edith prepare your old room.”

  Dane lunged for her. I’ll teach her to play with the big leaguers, he promised. She squealed as he grabbed hold and threw her over his shoulder. Giving her a gentle slap on her perfect little behind, he turned with the intention of carrying her back up to the bedroom, and then paused at the sight of his nemesis casually leaning against the doorframe.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Dane set Lexi down and released his hold on her. Talk about a mood killer. His first instinct was to pull her against him possessively, but he didn’t. He waited, needing to know the true relationship between Lexi and the man who had escorted her to the formal dinner the other week. Hurt and anger mingled in his gut. Maybe she’s not as naive and innocent as he’d come to believe. The bloke just stood there, he didn’t even have the decency to be shocked at Dane’s presence. Actually, he seemed amused. Was he that confident of his position in Lexi’s life? Who the hell is he! When no one spoke, Dane threw Lexi an angry glare and stormed into the foyer leading to the exit.

  “Wait!” she shouted after him. Pausing with his hand on the door, he resisted the urge to look at her, couldn’t bear the thought of seeing the guilt on her face.

  “Look, it was my fault,” he told her, staring at the door. “I needed to explain things to you and I did. No doubt I misunderstood the… uh… your… feelings.” He opened the door.

  “No, you didn’t,” she grabbed his arm. “Look at me Dane. You didn’t misread my feelings for you.” He did turn to face her, then.

  “Who the hell is he, Lexi?”

  “Reggie Mangus, my father’s personal assistant – mine now.”

  Dane’s lips curled into a snide grin. “Convenient,” he observed drolly. Lexi put her hands on her hips impudently and pushed her face up to his.

  “And just what are you implying?” she hissed.

  “I’m not a fool, Pips,” Dane purposely emphasized her nickname, knowing it would incite her. “It’s obvious that you two are close – I’ve seen the way he looks at you.” She stared at him, eyes shooting flames.

  “Oh yeah, and have you noticed the way he looks at you?” she asked.

  He met her stare and glowered back. What the hell was she talking about? Of course the bloke… I mean anyone worth their salt, would… Dane sensed someone watching them and re-adjusted his gaze to glide beyond Lexi’s shoulder. Reggie smiled and waved his fingers in greeting. What? He looked back down at Lexi who had an eyebrow raised, a glint of humor reflected in her beautiful pale blue eyes.

  “He’s?”

  “Not interested in me,” she finished for him. “Other than brotherly,” she corrected.

  “Oh, then…” Dane looked back and forth between the two, both were grinning at him like he was an idiot – well, maybe he was. “I’ll just go to the hotel and pack my things?” he offered.

  “Sounds like a good idea,” Lexi said as she rose on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on his lips. He put his arms around her and sighed.

  “I hope you realize there will be repercussions for your behavior this morning,” he warned, as he turned to leave. She smiled at him challengingly and swatted him on the tush.

  “Go,” she said, “And hurry up!”

  »ɞ»ɞ«ɞ«

  “Oh, my God!” Reggie fanned his face with his hand. “You two are hot, hot, hot! I know you sizzled the night of the IMS dinner, but I thought it was passion born from antagonism. Knowing his reputation, I figured he was just using his overpowering sex appeal to secure a business deal. Every time I tried to ask you about it you conveniently changed the subject. You have got to open up, girl, and tell me everything. How did you manage to reel in Europe’s most eligible playboy? How did you meet? Is he really moving in here?”

  Lexi laughed and put her hand out to ward off his copious inquiries. “Slow down,” she pled. “I can only answer one question at a time.”

  “Where did you meet; was it love at first sight?” That was two.

  “Here – and, yes,” she replied, intentionally vague. “Right now, I have to get properly dressed. Dill will be showing up here for our meeting, pretty soon.” With one foot on the staircase, Lexi turned back to face Reg, knowing she was wicked for leaving him hanging. It was just too tempting to mess with him and then watch his reaction. Sure enough, he was bouncing from one foot to the other like a toddler who needed to use the bathroom!

  “Why don’t you go ahead and pull up the stats we need to review with him. I’ll be down in a jiffy.” She bounced up the stairs and chuckled at the groan that floated up behind her. The sensations Dane brought out in her were just too new and fresh to share. Lexi needed some private time to sort through them, and yes, savor them.

  Upon spotting her bed, still rumpled from their intimacy, Lexi’s body heated with memories. It seemed as if Dane’s goal had been to find how many new pleasures he could introduce her to. One, most enjoyable for her, was exploring the curvatures and ridges of his beautiful hard body. Feeling it respond to her touch. The sounds she could evoke from him, and his scent – all his own. She quickly pulled the covers up over the pillows, warding off the urge to hug the one he’d slept upon, to revisit his fragrance. He’ll be back tonight. The thought drew a smile to her lips.

  The smile was still there when Lexi exited the shower and selected some lingerie from her bureau. Thankfully, she loved sexy feminine under clothes and the drawer was full of tiny bits of silk and lace. The thought of Dane seeing them on her refueled the grin. Spying the jewelry chest atop the dresser, another memory was brought to surface, leading her to rifle through its copious drawers and cubbies in a frantic search.

  She was aware that her uncle had already ransacked it looking for anything of value, pilfering her gold chains and earrings, her pearls… but there was no way he would have been interested in the trinket she was now seeking. Luckily, all of the family’s valuable jewelry had been safely tucked away in her father’s safe, and out of Richard’s grasp. There! Reaching to the back of a drawer, Lexi pulled out a clear plastic box revealing a cute, novel, ladybug necklace. She knew he would have been deceived by its childish appearance!

  A gift from her mother, the innocent bauble held precious sentimental value for Lexi. Releasing the necklace from its cheap plastic confines, she marveled at the ignorance of her uncle’s self-indulgence. One of a kind, Alicia had made it herself out of precious metals – gold, silver, platinum – so in truth it was priceless. The chain was gold mixed with copper to give it a pink tint. An expert with micro circuitry, her mother interwove and fused the metals to form texture and color resembling a simple, beautiful, lady bug. Alicia had presented it to her daughter at the beginning of her womanhood, stating that she was now a lady. Today the gift had new meaning. The piece of jewelry held a secret.

  Expertly, Lexi grasped the lady bug and pressed her finger down on its antennae. The head popped up. By pulling up on its head, the metal insect’s wings swung out and up, clicking into place to form a heart. The necklace now held a romantic locket. Turning once on the filigree that had been the insect’s antennae, and again pushing down on it, the locket opened to reveal space enough to hold a small treasure or picture. In this case, it already held a photo of an adolescent Dane. With her smile still in place, Lexi closed the locket and attached the necklace, still in its heart shape, around her neck. She looked into the mirror and gave it a satisfied pat. Th
ank you, Mommy.

  Lexi skipped down the stairs, with a light heart. Her spirit felt free and strong, able to tackle any challenge. Time reversed back to before her mother’s diagnosis, when life was an open door filled with possibilities. Before things had changed, Lexi never gave up, would have never stopped believing in her dreams. That same power infused her again. Confidence! Lexi gots her mojo back, sang the voice inside of her!

  Al-Tech’s new whiz CPA was just arriving as Lexi swung down the hall passing by the entrance foyer.

  “Hold on, I was just on my way there,” she told Edith, who was getting ready to escort him to the office. “Could you do me a favor and have one of the girls make up Dane’s old room? We can’t have him staying in a hotel when he’s in town, now can we?”

  “No, we certainly cannot,” the housekeeper agreed. “Harold and I will enjoy having him around again; he was always such a nice boy.”

  “Well then, I guess you’ll want to stock up on all of his favorite goodies, too.”

  Edith smiled. “I don’t think that will be a problem. When you two were children you would only eat what he ate. I haven’t noticed much change in your preferences since then, so I’m fairly certain we have it covered.” She gave Lexi a wink and then her eyes lowered to the necklace.

  “I remember this,” she said, fingering it. “Funny, it reminds me of something similar…” Shaking her head, she continued, “I can’t for the life of me remember where I saw it, though.”

  “You know, I felt the same déjà vu, myself.” Lexi shrugged, “Oh, well, I’m just happy that Uncle Richard didn’t filch it.”