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“A lesson,” he repeated.
“Yes, about that snooty attitude of yours.”
“Snooty?”
“Yes, snooty.”
Alex’s frown deepened. “Go on. We’ll debate your assessment of my attitude another time. Right now why don’t you explain just how you misled me.”
“I let you think that Kevin and I are engaged, when we’re not. The truth is, he and I are just good friends.”
Alex clapped his hands in mock approval. “Very good, Ms. Mason. That was a nice little performance and delivered with such sincerity. The wringing of your hands and halted speech was especially convincing. I can see why you chose acting as a profession. You’re quite good at it. Unfortunately for you, I happen to know you’re lying through your pretty, white teeth.”
“What?” Desiree shrieked, shocked that despite her confession the man still didn’t believe her.
“You heard me. I don’t believe a word of that garbage you just gave me.”
“But it’s the truth!”
Alex made a snorting sound and began to pace in front of her desk. “Sure it is. That’s why every time I’ve spoken to Kevin in the past few months, your name has been the one that keeps coming up.” He stopped directly in front of her and glared. “Hell, he as much as told me two weeks ago that he was going to propose marriage to you.”
Stunned, Desiree sank to her chair. “Kevin told you he was going to ask me to marry him?”
“No, not in those words precisely. But I realized once I got here and took stock of the situation that that’s what he’d been trying to tell me.”
“Why? What did he say?”
“It’s not so much any one thing that he said, but several things he said. Add to that the reflective mood he was in and how his thoughts seemed to wander. Now I can see where he was heading with all that talk he was spouting about the importance of following one’s dreams, of setting goals for the future and seeing them through.”
Which explained why Kevin had upped and dashed off to Chicago the way he had, leaving her short one actor for her play and a weak promise to return in time for the opening. Kevin had gone in pursuit of his dreams—a deeper relationship with his girlfriend and a career on the stage.
Alex jammed his fingers through his hair, mussing the model-perfect cut and making him somehow more handsome because of it. “Fool that I am, at the time I thought he was talking about joining me at the firm.”
Poor Alex. She could have told him that Kevin didn’t have the least bit of interest in becoming an attorney or in joining the family-owned firm to run their megabusinesses.
“Of course, now I realize he was talking about you and his intention to marry you.”
“What!” Desiree did a double take.
“Come off it, Ms. Mason. It all makes perfect sense now. Kevin was trying to tell me he wanted to marry you.”
“And I’m beginning to think you’re one beignet short of a dozen. Either that, or that Boston brain of yours can’t handle the sky-high humidity down here. How on earth did you arrive at that ridiculous conclusion?”
“Quite easily, when you consider all the facts. First there’s—”
“Stop!” Desiree raised her hand. “I don’t even want to hear it. Kevin was not talking about marrying me. The dream he was referring to is his acting. He wants to be an actor, not an attorney.” For now, she decided, it might be best to leave out the little detail of his dancer girlfriend.
“Don’t be absurd. Kevin’s not interested in acting. He’s always wanted to be a lawyer.”
“Then how do you explain the fact that he has a role in my play and that I met him while we were both working at another dinner theater?”
“If Kevin’s shown any interest in acting recently, I’d say it’s because of his involvement with you.” Alex began to pace. “You’re the one who’s responsible for his quitting school.”
“Now, wait a minute—”
“Damn.” Alex slapped his palm with his fist. “I should have realized something was wrong when he came home a few weeks ago. He was quiet to the point of being somber. And Kevin is never somber.”
No, he wasn’t, Desiree admitted. Kevin was as happy-go-lucky as his brother was obviously serious.
“I should have known there was something behind all those crazy questions he was asking me.”
“What crazy questions?”
Alex pinned her with his dark gaze. “Ridiculous questions like whether or not I’d ever been in love or if I’d ever thought about getting married.”
Before she could check her reaction, Desiree asked, “What did you tell him?”
“No.”
Of course, his answer would be no, Desiree decided. She didn’t doubt for a minute that while Alexander Stone would probably be a generous lover, he would never give any woman his heart. For some reason she found that thought oddly depressing. “Well, I still don’t see how Kevin’s reflective mood and questions about your love life made you come to the conclusion that he was talking about marrying me.”
Alex planted his hands on her desk and leaned forward, bringing his face eye level with hers. “It was simple. Because when I told Kevin that if he had any crazy ideas in his head about getting married he should forget them, he gave me that choirboy grin of his and told me not to worry. He said he’d already proposed to you and you had turned him down, claimed you were too old for him.” Alex sneered. “But I guess once you found out about his trust fund, a few years difference in age wasn’t such a big problem anymore.”
Desiree lost it. She pushed to her feet and smacked her hands down on the desk. She leaned in, brought her face close to his, employing the same intimidation tactic he’d tried to use on her. Glaring at him, she said, “You fool, I didn’t even know Kevin had a trust fund. But if I did, it wouldn’t have mattered a lick to me if I’d wanted to marry him. But I didn’t. And I still don’t. Kevin and I are friends. That’s it. Just friends.”
“Then you don’t deny that Kevin asked you to marry him?”
“No.” Why should she? Kevin was a born flirt. He’d proposed to her and half of the females in the cast on a regular basis. No one took him seriously. No on except Alex, evidently.
The look Alex shot her could have withered a rock. “Tell me, Ms. Mason, do all of your ‘friends’ go around asking you to marry them?”
She straightened her spine, tipped up her chin and did her best to look down her nose at him. “No, not all of them,” she replied sweetly, marveling at how she managed to sound so calm when inside she was spitting mad. She took pleasure in seeing the wariness creep into his eyes. “Usually the only ones who propose marriage are the men.”
Three
Alex gritted his teeth. The woman was baiting him, and he knew it. He didn’t doubt for a second that she had any number of men after her. Trouble was, he was hard-pressed not to join their ranks, because right now he wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss that sassy mouth of hers himself.
“But don’t worry, Alex. If I ever decide to take Kevin up on his marriage proposal, you’ll be among the first to know—right after we say ‘I do.’” Tipping her chin up a notch, she gave him a chilly smile. “Now, you really will have to excuse me. I’ve got a dinner theater opening in just over a month, and I’m still short one cast member.” She reached for the stack of business cards she’d been playing with a few minutes earlier. Sitting down in the chair behind the desk, she swiveled around and gave him her back.
Maybe it was several days of too little sleep. Maybe it was the frustration of the morning’s discoveries and being unable to locate Kevin. Or maybe it was just the simple fact that he’d been suffering with a bad case of lust from the moment he’d walked into that ballroom and seen this green-eyed siren about to marry a man he’d thought was his brother. Whatever the reason, her cool dismissal had done what few people, and certainly no woman, had had the power to do before. She’d destroyed the last of his control.
He didn’t stop to think about how out of character his reactions to this woman were. He didn’t stop to think how heavy-handed he was being. He didn’t think period. Instead, he reacted.
In the space of a heartbeat, Alex was behind the desk, spinning her chair around so that she faced him. Grabbing the arms of the chair, he shoved it backward until the wheels hit the wall.
“Alex!”
He leaned forward, bringing his face so close to hers that he could see the black centers of her eyes widen in surprise, smell that damn flowered scent on her skin. “Maybe that duchess-to-peasant routine works on those college boys you’re used to dealing with, but it doesn’t work on me.”
He heard her breath catch, watched the shock in her eyes fade and darken with awareness. The air hummed between them like an electrical wire that had snapped and was dangling dangerously during a storm. Her tongue slipped out to moisten her bottom lip. Alex’s body hardened; blood rushed to his groin as he followed the movement.
“Tell me, Alexander Stone. Just what does work on you?”
Her husky, honeyed drawl set off images in his head of satin sheets, soft skin and hot sex. His brain shut down as his body tightened with renewed desire. He stared at her slightly parted lips and gripped the arms of the chair even tighter. The need to taste that luscious mouth again hit him with the force of a prizefighter’s fist As though she could read his thoughts, her breath hitched. Her eyes fluttered closed.
Alex gave up and stopped fighting himself. He leaned a fraction closer, already anticipating the feel of her mouth beneath his, when suddenly something brushed against the back of his legs. He jerked away, nearly tumbled to the floor as he felt that “something” wind itself around his feet and legs. “What the—”
“Meow.”
Alex glanced down at his feet where a black ball of fur was rubbing itself against his ankles, weaving its body in and out of his legs.
“Meow.” The cat looked up at him and gave him another rub. Then it started to purr.
Alex wasn’t sure whether he should curse the fur ball or thank it. He didn’t have time to do either because his eyes began to water. Damn, he thought, blinking in reaction to the animal fur. But his allergy kicking in was a small price to pay, Alex told himself. If not for the cat’s intervention, in another five seconds he would have been kissing Desiree.
That realization brought him up short. Alex scrubbed a hand over his face and shifted uncomfortably at the ache still present in his lower body. Lord, he’d been only a breath away from kissing her—a breath away from betraying his brother.
He winced at that sobering fact. Desiree Mason was by no means the first woman he’d ever wanted physically. There’d been several in his thirty-four years, and he’d enjoyed a number of satisfying sexual relationships with several of those women. But not one of those women had ever made him forget rhyme or reason. Not one of them had ever made him forget to put his brother’s interests first.
Guilt slapped at him. What in heaven’s name had he been thinking of? She was Kevin’s girlfriend for Pete’s sake! The woman Kevin thought he loved and wanted to marry.
And he wanted her for himself.
Disgusted with himself, Alex cut a glance to Desiree. He took in the sight of those tempting lips. She’d wanted him to kiss her, still wanted him to kiss her, judging by the dazed heat that lingered in her eyes. And heaven help him, he’d almost given in to the urge to do so, and would have, in fact, had it not been for the cat.
Alex clenched his jaw. For both his sake and Kevin’s, he couldn’t let his brother marry this woman, he told himself again. To do so would be a disaster. Somehow he had to find a way to prevent that from happening, because, despite her denials, he suspected her sights were set on his brother.
He could use himself as bait, a voice inside him whispered. He was rich, decent looking and wasn’t without charm when the occasion called for it. Over the years he’d become adept at engaging in mutually satisfying relationships with women that never led to marriage. Why not do the same with Desiree? If he did, surely Kevin would see how wrong the woman was for him.
Alex frowned. The danger was he hadn’t been thinking of Kevin or of saving his brother from Desiree’s clutches when he’d almost kissed her. The truth was he hadn’t been thinking at all.
The cat abandoned her dance around his legs and jumped up to the credenza beside him, where it proceeded to nuzzle his arm, leaving a trail of black fur along the sleeve of his gray suit jacket. “Friend of yours?” Alex asked as he returned the cat to the floor only to have it promptly resume its perch beside him. Giving up, Alex moved out of the creature’s path as his eyes started to fill again.
“That’s Maggie,” Desiree told him. Abandoning the chair, she walked over to the credenza and stooped down to face the cat. “Where have you been, you naughty girl? I was worried about you. I looked everywhere for you last night.”
The cat meowed in response and licked at Desiree’s outstretched fingers a moment before jumping down to the floor and heading straight for him. Alex’s nose started to twitch as she brushed against his pant leg again.
“Maggie, what a shameless little flirt you are. Leave Alex alone and come back here.”
The cat ignored Desiree and started in on the other leg of his suit trousers. Her silky black fur clung to the Armani like a magnet. Stepping over the cat, he removed himself as her rubbing post by walking over to the desk. The stubborn little fur ball trotted right behind him. The stinging in his eyes worsened. Alex blinked several times and reached for the handkerchief in his back pocket to wipe at his tearing eyes. “What’s with this cat, anyway?”
“She likes men,” Desiree offered by way of explanation.
Like mistress, like cat, Alex thought silently as his eyes continued to water and burn. His nose twitched again. Despite his efforts to control it, Alex gave in to the inevitable and sneezed.
“Bless you,” Desiree said. Walking over to the desk, she pulled open a drawer and withdrew a box of tissues. She shoved the box toward him.
“Thanks.” Alex stuffed his handkerchief back into his pocket and snatched a handful of the tissues just before the next round of sneezing hit him.
After several moments the worst of the allergy attack was over. He wiped at his eyes again and watched as Desiree stooped down and retrieved Maggie. “Come on, sweetie. I think you’re making poor Alex sneeze.” She nuzzled the furry creature, heedless of the black fur it left clinging to her white shorts and blouse.
Alex stared at those long, slender fingers as she stroked the cat. Silently cursing himself, he tried to block out thoughts of what it would be like to have her fingers stroking him the same way.
Her hand went still at the sound of a tap on the door, and Alex breathed a prayer of thanks.
The tap sounded a second time. “Hey, Des. You in there?” The minister—minus his collar and robe—stuck his head in the door.
“Right here, Charlie.”
The fellow stepped inside, then he looked from Desiree to him and back to Desiree again. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to interrupt anything.”
“You weren’t. Mr. Stone and I were already finished our discussion. What’s up?”
“That real estate lady, Miss Marilee, you know, the one with the fancy hats? She just called and said she’s on her way over. She wants to pick up the key to the cottage. Says she’s got a real hot prospect coming with her who might rent the place from you.”
Alex didn’t miss the look of hope that came into Desiree’s eyes as she slid open a desk drawer and removed a ring with a gold-colored key.
“Well, let’s hope Miss Marilee’s right.”
“Want me to wait out front for her and give her the key?” Charlie offered.
“Thanks, but I’ll do it. You go on home.”With the cat in her arms, Desiree started for the door.
“Ms. Mason. Desiree—” Alex began, only to sneeze again when she walked past him with the cat.
“Bless you.”
“You getting sick?” Charlie asked. “Nothing worse than a summer cold.”
“I don’t believe that’s a cold he’s suffering from, Charlie,” she said, pausing as the other man opened the door for her. “I have a strong suspicion that Mr. Stone here is allergic to cats,” she said as she cuddled the ball of black fur in her arms.
“Pets,” he corrected before sneezing again. “I’m allergic to pets period. It’s the animal fur. And quit calling me Mr. Stone. My name’s Alex.”
The corners of her lips curved upward. “Well in that case, Alex, I’m sure you really don’t want to spend any more time at Magnolia House than you already have.”
Alex narrowed his still-tearing eyes. “I think I can manage to survive one little cat.” That is, he could if he got some antihistamine tablets.
“Oh, but I wasn’t referring to Maggie. I meant the rest of my little four-legged family.”
“The rest?” he asked suspiciously, not liking the Cheshire Cat grin spreading across her lips.
“Uh-hmm. At last count, I believe there were thirteen of them.”
“Thirteen! Nobody has thirteen cats!”
“Oh, but they’re not all cats. Although I admit, several of them are Maggie’s adorable siblings. I also have three dogs, a squirrel, a rabbit and—”
“Stop!” Alex held up his hand, his eyes filling again at just the thought of being subjected to all those animals—and the resulting bout of sneezing and weeping eyes.
She released a squirming Maggie, and the cat scooted out the door. “When you get back to Boston, you might want to see an allergist about some medication. Looks like you’ve got a bit of a rash starting on the side of your face.”
Alex’s hand went up to the right side of his face instinctively. He hadn’t broken out with hives since he was a kid. At the twitch of her lips, he let his hand fall back to his side.
“And don’t you worry. When Kevin gets back, I’ll be sure to tell him that you came by.” With a smug look on her face, she slipped out the door.
Frowning, Alex noted the seductive sway of her hips as she made her way down the hall with Maggie trotting at her heels.
“She’s not kidding, you know.”
Alex jerked his attention back to Charlie, the minister, who leaned against the doorway, an intent look on his face. “What was that?”
The older man folded his arms across his chest and gave him a measuring look. “I said she’s not kidding about all those pets, so if you are allergic, you might want to take her advice and put some distance between you and this place.”
“I’ll keep it in mind.”
The other guy shrugged. “Suit yourself. But if you hang around here you’re liable to run into more than a few of Desiree’s critters. She’s got herself a whole mess of them. Cats, dogs, even a squirrel just like she said. Doesn’t matter what it is, if the creature shows up here on her property, the next thing you know, she’s given the thing a name and made it a part of her family.”
“She sounds like a veterinarian’s dream.”
Charlie’s lips kicked up in a half smile. “Yeah. I suspect she is.”
Which was one more reason Kevin and his trust fund would be attractive to her. He had friends who claimed to spend a fortune on only one pet; he could imagine the tab for thirteen. With the cat gone, his breathing was becoming somewhat easier, Alex realized. Now he just had to get rid of the fur Maggie had left behind. Tossing the soiled tissues into the trash, he began brushing at the black hair on his jacket and pants.
“So, you planning to stick around?” Charlie asked.
Alex looked up at the other man. “I might be. You have a problem with that?”
“Depends on your reason for sticking around. That Desiree, she’s a real sweet kid. Sometimes too sweet for her own good. She’s got this tendency to take in strays—both the two-legged and four-legged variety, if you know what I mean.”
He understood all right. “You mean she’s a soft touch.” Which surprised him, given her profession as an actress and her latching onto his brother.
Charlie rubbed at his jaw, looking less and less like a minister and more and more like a papa bear guarding his cub. “I guess that’s how some people would see her. Me? I see a beautiful woman with a generous heart. Sometimes that big heart of hers gets her into trouble.”
“I bet.” If Charlie was to be believed, the woman was a cross between a saint and Mother Teresa. But he didn’t recall any of the nuns from his grade-school days looking like Desiree Mason. He thought of that heart-shaped mole on her shoulder, the way she’d trembled when he had touched her. He had a hard time tagging Desiree as the naive woman Charlie described when just looking at her had his brain shutting down and his body aching for her in his bed.
Irritated with himself, Alex gave up on getting rid of the cat hair and started for the door. He stopped when Charlie put his short, round body in his path. “Was there something else?” Alex asked.
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