the little girl said in a voice filled with the kind of determination only a single-minded toddler could manage.
“Right. Balloon.” He lifted one hand to the balloon seller, and the guy stepped right up, gently tying the string of a bright pink balloon to the baby’s wrist. While Garrett paid the man, the baby waved her arm, squealing with delight as the balloon danced and jumped to her whim.
“So, I think introductions are in order,” he said. “This demanding female is Mara and I’m Garrett.”
“Alexis, but call me Alex,” she said, holding her right hand out to him.
He took her hand in his and the instant her skin brushed along his, Alex felt ripples of something really intriguing washing throughout her body. Then he let her go and the delightful heat dissipated.
“So, Alex, how’s your day going?”
She laughed a little. “Until that one little moment, it was going great. I love it here. It’s my first time, and I’ve heard so much about this place…”
“Ah,” he said nodding, “that explains it.”
She tensed. “Explains what?”
“If it’s your first time here, you’re having so much fun that all of these crowds don’t bother you.”
“Oh, no. I think it’s wonderful. Everyone seems so nice, well, except for—”
“That one little moment?” he asked, repeating her words to her.
“Yes, exactly.” Alex smiled again and reluctantly took a step back. As lovely as this was, talking to a handsome man who had no idea who she was, it would be better for her if she ended it now and went on her way. “Thank you again for the rescue, but I should really be going…”
He tipped his head to one side and looked at her. “Meeting someone?”
“No, but—”
“Then what’s your hurry?”
Her heartbeat sped up at the invitation in his eyes. He didn’t want her to leave. And how nice that was. He actually liked her.
The darling little girl was still playing with her balloon, paying no attention at all to the two adults with her.
Alex looked up into Garrett’s pale blue eyes and did some fast thinking. She had to keep a low profile, true. But that didn’t mean she had to be a hermit during her…vacation, did it? And what kind of holiday would it be if there were no “romance” included?
“What do you say,” he added, “hang with us today. Rescue me from a day filled with too many kids?”
“You need rescuing?”
She saw the teasing glint in his eyes and responded to it with a smile.
“Trust me. My cousin’s girls all have my number. If you’re not there to protect me, who knows what might happen?”
Tempting, she thought. So very tempting. She’d only been in America for three days and already she was feeling a little isolated. Being on her own was liberating, but, as it turned out, lonely. And it wasn’t as if she could call the few friends she had in the States—the moment she did, word would get back to her family and, just like that, her bid for freedom would end.
What could it hurt to spend the day with a man who made her toes curl and the family he clearly loved? She took a breath and made the leap. “All right, thank you. I would love to rescue you.”
“Excellent. My cousin and his family should be back any minute now. So while we wait, why don’t you tell me where you’re from. I can’t quite place your accent. It’s British, but…not.”
She jolted a little and fought to keep him from seeing it. “You’ve a good ear.”
“So I’ve been told. But that’s not really an answer, is it?”
No, it wasn’t, and how astute of him to notice. She’d been trained in how to answer questions without really answering them from the time she was a child. Her father would have been proud. Never answer a question directly, Alexis. Always be vague. Watch what you say, Alexis. You’ve a responsibility to your family. Your heritage. Your people…
“Hey. Alex.”
At the sound of his concerned voice, she shook her head, coming out of her thoughts with relief. That was the second time Garrett had rescued her today. She didn’t want to think about her duties. Her role in history. She didn’t want to be anything but Alex.
So instead of being evasive again, she said, “Why don’t you try to figure out where I’m from and I’ll let you know when you’ve got it right?”
One dark eyebrow lifted. “Oh, you’re challenging the wrong guy. But you’re on. Five bucks says I’ve got it by the end of the day.”
Oh, she hoped not. If he did, that would ruin everything. But she braved it out and asked, “Five dollars? Not much of a wager.”
He gave her a slow grin that sent new flashes of heat dancing through her system. “I’m open to negotiation.”
She actually felt her blood sizzle and hum.
“No, no. That’s all right.” She backed up quickly. Maybe she wasn’t as prepared for that zing of romance as she had thought. Or maybe Garrett the Gorgeous was just too much for her to handle. Either way, she was nervous enough to try to cool things down between them just a little. “Five dollars will do. It’s a bargain.”
“Agreed,” he said, one corner of his mouth lifting tantalizingly. “But just so you know, you should never bet with me, Alex. I always win.”
“Confident, aren’t you?”
“You have no idea.”
A thrill of something hot and delicious swept through her veins. Nerves or not, she really enjoyed what he was doing to her. What was it about him that affected her so?
“That was fun, Uncle Garrett!”
A tiny whirlwind rushed up to them and threw both arms around Garrett’s knees. The girl gave him a wide smile then shifted suspicious eyes to Alex. “Who are you?”
“This is Alex,” Garrett told her. “Alex, meet Mia.”
She smiled at the child and couldn’t help noticing that the little girl held on to Garrett’s legs just a little more tightly.
“Mia, don’t run from me in these crowds,” a deep male voice shouted.
Alex turned to watch an impossibly attractive couple approach, the man holding on to a smaller version of the still-wary Mia.
“Alex,” Garrett said briskly, “this is my cousin Jackson and his wife, Casey, and that pretty girl with them is Molly.”
“It’s lovely to meet you all.”
Jackson
