LITMIR.BIZ

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escape into slumberland came back to her with the force of a blow. She’d practically thrown herself into Alex’s arms. The flight attendant had believed them to be married. The mistake had embarrassed Alex. She’d seen that as clearly as the blush on his cheeks.

      Now, he was looking at her with such uncertainty it made her heart ache with regret.

      The plane bumped to a stop, throwing her off kilter. Passengers stood, gathering their belongings. Alex rose to his feet. Lindsey followed at a slower pace, giving herself a moment to recover her balance.

      He stepped into the aisle, waiting for her to join him. His hand pressed lightly against the small of her back, guiding her as she moved into the aisle. The gesture sent tingles along her spine. It felt too intimate, reminding her too clearly of the stirring sensation that being close to him earlier had caused in the pit of her stomach.

      Lindsey bit back a moan. Agreeing to this vacation with Alex had been a mistake. She felt unbalanced. Her emotions were too close to the surface. Who knew what might happen when she was in such a confused state?

      An hour passed by the time they gathered their bags and paid for a rental car. It was dark when they stepped outside. The air felt warm, moist against her skin. In St. Louis, it had been thirty degrees. Here, in Florida, the temperature hovered in the sixties. Her sweater and wool skirt felt heavy and uncomfortable. She longed to change into something cooler.

      Obviously, Alex felt the same way. He loaded their bags into the trunk. Then, with a grunt of satisfaction, he stripped out of his suit jacket, tossing it onto the back seat before he started the car. His tie quickly followed.

      “Comfy?” she asked with an amused smile.

      He grinned.

      “Hey, it’s a vacation, remember?”

      Lindsey relaxed at his teasing tone, feeling as though they were regaining the footing of their old friendship.

      Alex drove confidently through the night-darkened streets. It was seven o‘clock, St. Louis time—eight o’clock in Florida. The traffic was light, the streets dark and glistening from an earlier rain. Lindsey sat back and enjoyed the ride.

      His parents lived in a beachside estate on Whisper Key, one of the many islands that dappled the Gulf coastline of Florida. Their white stucco house was large and luxurious. As soon as they pulled into the circle drive, Lindsey was struck with a sharp reminder of the differences between her and Alex’s backgrounds.

      She’d grown up the daughter of a St. Louis policeman. Until her marriage to Danny, she’d lived with her father in a two-family flat in south St. Louis. By no stretch of the imagination could she have considered her family wealthy. But they were rich in other ways, love being just one of those.

      Alex, on the other hand, grew up in a palatial home in Ladue. It was only after his graduation from college that his parents had moved to Florida. He was born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth, never wanting for anything. Despite his family’s affluence, he was the most unassuming man she’d ever met.

      Alex and his brother worked hard building their own company. For them, money was an afterthought, not a constant worry. Success seemed to be their main goal. Sometimes it was easy for her to forget that they came from such differing backgrounds.

      “Relax,” he said as he helped her from the car. “My parents know you’re coming. They’ve promised to be on their best behavior.”

      “Your parents,” Lindsey murmured thoughtfully.

      Alex disappeared around the back of the car to unload their bags from the trunk.

      Frowning, she followed him, asking, “Alex, exactly what did you tell them about... well, about my coming with you?”

      He shrugged. “Just that you were looking forward to some time away from St. Louis.”

      “Yes, but—”

      She never had a chance to finish. The front door flew open and a tawny-haired young woman raced down the stairs toward them. Before Alex could say hello, she threw herself into his arms.

      “Alex! I can’t believe you’re finally here.”

      “Hey, sis,” Alex chuckled as he hauled the woman into a bear hug. “It’s good to see you, too.”

      “Why didn’t you call when you got in?” she demanded when her toes were once again touching the ground. Graceful and fit, blond and beautiful, she reminded Lindsey of a feminine version of Alex. The Trent family resemblance was unmistakable. “I would have picked you up at the airport.”

      He tugged on a strand of blond hair. “I didn’t want to bother you. Besides, I’ll need a car while I’m here.” He caught Lindsey’s curious gaze. “Lindsey, I don’t know if you’ve ever met my sister. Stephanie, this is Lindsey, Rick’s sister.”

      “Rick’s sister, eh?” Stephanie raised a brow. Then, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, she extended a hand and said, “I promise not to hold it against you.”

      Lindsey stared at her, uncertain what to say.

      “Ignore her, Lindsey,” Alex said, looking amused.

      “She remembers Rick from when she was in junior high. He used to pull her ponytail and call her brat.”

      “Well, in that case, you have my fullest empathy. He calls me by that awful nickname, too,” Lindsey said, accepting the proffered hand.

      “Stephanie, Alex, where are your manners? Stop chattering and bring our guest inside,” an older woman scolded from the doorway.

      “Yes, Mother,” Alex and Stephanie chorused, chagrined looks on their faces.

      Alex slammed the trunk lid, startling her. Lindsey jumped, uncertain why she should suddenly feel ill at ease. It wasn’t until Alex rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder that she forced herself to move.

      His mother was a petite woman. Her silvery-blond hair had faded slightly with age. Her face was kind and beautiful. It was easy to see where Alex had gotten his good looks. After giving her son a hug and a fond buss on the cheek, she turned her attention to Lindsey. She seemed inordinately pleased by her presence.

      “I’m so glad you could come, my dear,” she said, taking Lindsey by the arm, speaking gently as she led her up a stairway of marble. “Have you eaten dinner, yet?”

      “Um—no,” Lindsey said, trying not to ogle the house’s rich furnishings. “But I’m really not that hungry.”

      With the walls painted white and the windows placed with an optimum view of the ocean in mind, the house had a light, airy feel about it. It was large and spacious, with an eclectic mix of contemporary and traditional furnishings. Yet it had a comfortable, lived-in quality. It was a place where anyone could feel at home.

      “Well, perhaps you’d like a sandwich later. Right now, I’ll show you to your rooms. I thought you and Alex might like to freshen up after your trip.”

      “Thank you, that would be wonderful,” Lindsey said, glancing back at Alex. He followed behind, deep in a conversation with his sister.

      “I do hope you’ll enjoy your visit,” Mrs. Trent continued. “I was so pleased when Alex called to say you were coming.”

      “Thank you,” Lindsey repeated, wondering what else Alex might have mentioned about her. Since Jamie’s birthday party, they hadn’t discussed the details of her role in this weekend’s festivities. As far as she knew, Alex might still be expecting her to play the part of his “girlfriend.”

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