his fingers into her soft hair.
“I’m not Rick Jones.” How hard was it to just say it?
One snag was that Alex knew him. He’d used the alias partly so he could ask Alicia about Alex and maybe dig up some useful information about him for Mitch and Lance Brody. If he actually did go to El Diablo, Alex would recognize him from the club.
And then there was Alicia herself.
Usually once he told a girl he was actually Justin Dupree, she laughed off the deception and fawned all over him, thrilled to be dating the notorious shipping heir instead of some regular guy.
Alicia though…
He let out a low whistle. He suspected she wouldn’t take the deception lightly. She’d gone to a convent school, for crying out loud. She carried white linen handkerchiefs in her purse. Her French-tipped fingernails did not look like they’d ever been anywhere Mother Superior wouldn’t approve of.
Did he really want to blow his chance of feeling those luscious, manicured nails rake down his back?
No. He didn’t. Which was why he wasn’t going to mention the little name issue just yet. He’d wait until the drama of the fire blew over. Until he’d held her in his arms and whispered sweet nothings in her ear.
Until he’d made hot, wild love to her all night long.
Then he’d tell her.
Chapter Two
Alicia paced under the elegant awning outside the Texas Cattleman’s Club.
Bees buzzed around flowers blooming in the carved-stone planters. Sunlight glistened on the polished-marble walkway and flashed off the brass accents on the door as members came and went, waving hello and stopping to commiserate about the fire.
Alicia tried to act normal, as though she wasn’t about to embark on possibly the biggest “first” in her life.
She’d never spent the night at a man’s house before.
She’d never…
She’d never done a lot of things, and she hoped to rectify that, starting tonight.
The hushed sound of a powerful engine made her glance up. Rick pulled up in front of the awning and leaned out of the driver’s seat of his silver Porsche.
The sun shone in his tousled dark hair. “How do you manage to look more gorgeous every time I see you?” He cocked his head and fixed his bold blue eyes on hers.
Alicia blushed. She had gone to a little extra effort with her appearance today. She wanted everything to be perfect.
She gestured to her luggage. “I tried not to pack too much stuff. Just some clothes for work and a few casual things.”
Like the pretty lingerie she’d bought last week.
He stowed her bags in the trunk. Black tailored slacks clung to his powerful thighs and a well-cut polo shirt emphasized the width of his shoulders. Was it fair for a man to be so dangerously handsome?
She could hardly believe he was interested in her.
“Do you want to go in?” She gestured to the front door. Cara was inside and she’d love to see the look on her friend’s face when she got an eyeful of Rick.
Although she’d met him at the club, she wasn’t sure if he was a member. The couple of times she’d mentioned his name to friends, she’d drawn blank stares.
He hesitated and glanced at the double doors that led into the wood-paneled sanctuary. “I’d actually rather get back to the hotel. I have a business call coming. Nothing major, it won’t take long.”
“Oh, no problem. Let’s go then.” She tried not to let her disappointment show.
Of course he had business to conduct. She wasn’t exactly sure what he did, but judging from the car he drove and the fact that he had a four-bedroom suite at the Houston Omni, it must be pretty darn important. She couldn’t expect him to put his whole life on hold because she needed a place to stay.
At the Omni, the bellhop removed Alicia’s bags from the trunk and she felt strangely weightless as she watched them disappear across the glistening marble floor of the lobby.
No turning back now.
Not that she wanted to. Rick was so thoughtful and sweet. He squeezed her hand as they walked to the bank of elevators.
She squeezed back, trying not to let her nerves show. He had no idea this was new for her. That she’d never spent the night with a man before.
Or, in fact, ever had sex.
At age twenty-six.
How shocked would he be if he knew? At this point, it was such a humiliating secret, she even kept it from her girlfriends. Only Maria—who she’d stayed close to since high school—knew the terrible truth.
When Alicia had asked permission to use her as an alibi for her stay at Rick’s, Maria had been so excited she could barely get words out. “Who is he?” she asked. “Is he cute? I’ll only lie for you if you promise to go all the way!”
Alicia had laughed off Maria’s exhortations, but being a virgin at twenty-six was no laughing matter.
She flashed Rick a smile as he pressed the elevator button.
She wasn’t even quite sure how it had happened. One minute she was a teenager telling boys she wasn’t that kind of girl, the next she was looking in the mirror wondering where her so-called youth went.
Now she’d found the right man to finally initiate her into womanhood. Rick was perfect. Almost too perfect, in fact. She knew Alex would be suspicious of him.
But then Alex was suspicious of everyone.
“Be it ever so humble…” Rick winked as he slid the keycard into the lock.
“Oh, my.” Alicia’s jaw dropped as the door opened to an elegant interior, lush with fine fabrics and gleaming antiques. “This is a hotel room?”
“Not really. It’s more of a furnished apartment with all the amenities. Not too many apartment buildings come with room service, and with all the traveling I do, it’s nice to have everything taken care of.”
“I guess if you don’t have a wife to take care of you, a hotel staff is the next best thing.” She smiled, looking around the luxurious environment.
Rick’s silence made her turn.
Alicia bit her lip. A wife? What on earth was she thinking? Now he’d suspect her of auditioning for the role.
“And I guess you don’t have to worry about mowing your lawn.” She tried to push the conversation forward, to distract from her gaffe. “But you probably wouldn’t anyway.”
Duh! Rick Jones had probably never mowed a lawn in his life. Men who hung
