'Shush, Samson. That's Alexi. She's a...friend. Alexi, this is Emily Rider. Emily, Alexi Jordan. Emily keeps everything in order for me.'
'How do you do,' Alexi said, wishing she could scratch Rex's eyes out. 'I--I cut my foot.'
'Oh,' Emily said in disbelief. She smiled awkwardly, then gasped. 'The Alexi Jordan?'
'There's only one,' Rex said. 'I hope.' 'It's--it's a pleasure,' Emily murmured. 'I didn't mean to interrupt.'
'There's nothing to interrupt!' Alexi said quickly--too quickly, she realized, for a woman who was sitting in her robe on a man's couch.
'Ah, well...have you had breakfast? I make wonderful omelets, Ms. Jordan.'
'Really,' Alexi protested. 'Please don't go to any trouble--'
'No trouble at all!' Emily insisted. It was obvious to Alexi that the woman was dying to escape.
'Thanks, Emily,' Rex called. Samson whined. Rex sat again, watching Alexi as he scratched the dog's head. 'That is a most glorious shade of red,' he told Alexi.
'What?'
'Your skin.'
She whispered an oath to him.
He stood, still smiling. Samson trailed along with him, loyal and loving.
'Emily might need some help,' he said.
Alexi rose carefully on one foot, using the couch for balance.
'Tell her the truth! She thinks that...' 'That what?'
'That I--that we--that we were sleeping together!'
'I suppose she does.'
'Well, set her straight! Do you want her to think that?'
Rex chuckled softly. He cupped her cheek for an instant; the warmth of his breath feathered over her flesh. 'Why not?'
'Why not?' Alexi echoed furiously.
'Doesn't every man fantasize about sleeping with the face that launched a thousand ships?' His brow was arched; he was mocking her, she was certain.
'Rex, damn you--'
'Of course, Alexi, there's much, much more to you than a beautiful face--isn't there?'
Samson barked; Rex walked out. Alexi, trembling, wanted to scream at him.
But she didn't want to scream with Emily there, so she sank weakly back to the sofa.
Chapter 5
Emily was busy cracking eggs when Rex came into the kitchen. He walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out the milk for her, smiling as he set it on the counter. He had seen her watching him covertly as she pretended great interest in the eggs.
'She's cute, huh,' he commented, stealing a strip of green pepper and leaning against the counter.
Emily arched a brow. 'Alexi Jordan? All you have to say about her is 'cute'?'
'Real cute?'
Emily sniffed. 'She's probably the most glamorous woman in the world--'
Rex broke in on her with soft laughter. 'Emily! Glamorous? You just saw her with wet hair in a worn terry robe!'
'She's still glamorous.'
'She's flesh and blood,' Rex said irritably, wondering at the bitterness in his own tone. He wanted her to be real, an ordinary woman, he thought dismally.
'Nice flesh,' Emily commented dryly, pouring the eggs into the frying pan.
'Very nice.' He grinned. 'When did you meet?' 'A few nights ago.' 'Oh.'
Her lips were pursed in silent disapproval, and Rex couldn't help but laugh again and give her a quick hug. 'There's nothing going on, Emily. Alas, and woe is me-- but that's the truth. She called over here this morning because her house was suddenly infested with snakes.' 'Snakes?'
'Just some harmless ringnecks.' 'How many?' 'Five.'
Emily shuddered. 'That poor creature! Well, you were right to bring her over here. I wonder if she should stay the night.'
'I'd just love it,' Rex told her wickedly.
'I'll stay, too, Casanova,' Emily warned him. When she saw that he was about to take another pepper, she rapped him on the hand with her wooden spoon.
'Emily...you're showing no respect to me at all.'
She sniffed again. Emily had a great talent for sniffing, he thought with a smile.
“Well, Mr. Popularity, maybe this is just what you need. The lady is far more renowned than you.'
'Oh, really?'
'She's glamorous. You're merely...notorious.'
Rex laughed good-naturedly.
'And you're usually rude to women,' she went on.
'I am not.'
'You are. You had a bad break with your wife, and you think they're all after something. So you figure you'll just use people first--and not get hurt in the end.'
He was grateful that Emily didn't see that his features had gone taut; she was busy adding ingredients to her omelet. She wouldn't have cared anyway; she loved him like a son and had no qualms about treating him like one.
“Emily, Emily, you should be opening an office instead of cooking and cleaning for me,' he said coolly.
'Well, it's true,' Emily murmured. 'I've seen you do it a million times. Some sexy thing moves in and you're all charm. Then you get what you want--and you're bored silly when the chase is over. But you always win. You've got the looks; you've got the way with women.' She turned, pointing her spoon at him. “But maybe you are in trouble this time. She has tons and tons of her own money, and...' Emily paused to grin. 'She's prettier than you are, too.'
'Thank you, doctor!' Rex retorted. 'What makes you think I'm after her?'
'You're not?'
'I'm not half as black as you paint me,' Rex said flatly. 'I only deal with ladies who know the game--and are willing to play. By my rules.'
'The rule being fun only.'
'Emily, come on! Fine, I've been around; they've been around. What's so wrong?'
'What's wrong is that you're lacking caring and commitment, growing together--love!'
'Love is a four-letter word,' Rex told her flatly. Then he paused, swinging around. He could have sworn he'd heard movement by the kitchen door. He strode toward it and got there just in time to see the figure clad in white hobbling across the hall toward the parlor. He followed, angry. He didn't like being spied upon.
She had almost reached the couch. He didn't let her make it; he caught her elbow. 'Can't I help you, Ms. Jordan?' She spun to look at him, her cheeks flaming. 'I--' 'You were spying on me!'
'Don't be absurd! You're not worth spying on! I was trying to see if I could do something, but I realized that I had stumbled on a personal conversation and I didn't want to hear it!' She jerked her elbow away from him, lost her balance and crashed down onto the couch.
Rex didn't know why he was so enraged at her. He didn't move to help her; he just stared at her. “The thing to do would have been to make your presence known!' 'This is ridiculous!'
Her eyes really were emerald, he mused, especially when they glittered with righteous anger.
She squared her shoulders, undaunted by his wrath or his form, which was rather solidly before her. She managed to stand, shoving by him, limping out of his way. 'This whole thing is ridiculous! Thank you--I really do thank you for picking up the snakes. But I think I'll go home now. The snakes, at least, have better manners!'
She really was going to try to stumble home by herself. She was already heading toward the door. 'Alexi!'
She just kept going.
