She tries to close the door and it hits something hard. “I’m afraid I don’t believe you,” Alex says. “The gasp I heard just now suggests you’re lying.”
Fuck.
“That’s very rude of you, and so is your foot. Now why don’t you remove both that and yourself—”
“It’s all right, Kirsten,” I say, setting my glass on the side and walking over. “I’ll talk to him.” I give her a smile that hopefully reassures, despite how shaky I feel it is, and she glances at me, then reluctantly opens the door wider.
Alex is in a suit, shirt collar open, like he’s come straight from work. A sleek black sedan waits on the curb behind him, no one at the wheel. A rental car, not a cab. It’s a funny thing to notice in the moment, but it’s just so…him. Excessive, elitist, and carefully avoiding people because he can.
“Are you going to look at me?” he asks.
I drag my gaze from past his shoulder to his face. His eyes meet mine, that stunning gold-rimmed hazel, like what I think a leopard’s might look like. Just before it leaped and closed its jaw around myhead.
“No work today?” I say, flippant.
“Something more important to do.”
I’m more important than his work? Since when?
Kirsten’s listening to every word. Alex shows no sign he cares, but I do. This is about as private as it gets, and I don’t know if he’s going to hug me, apologize to me, or… punish me. For a moment, the image of him bending me over the kitchen counter and spanking me in front of her comes to mind, and it’s vivid and intense.
“Let’s take a walk,” I say.
“There’s no need,” Kirsten interjects quickly. “You can—”
“It’s fine.” I put my hand on her arm. “Chris and the kids will be home soon. It’s better that we…”Aren’t here. “…walk.”
She doesn’t look happy. “All right.”
I give her a nod to tell her it is all right when she’s right and it probably isn’t, then step outside onto the driveway. Alex runs his eyes over me, from head to toe and back again, either checking I’m me or reminding himself what I look like. I’m not sure which.
“Let’s take a drive,” he says as we walk down toward his car.
“A walk will be fine,” I say firmly.
“There’s only so much of this provincial mediocrity that I can stomach,” he says, with a gesture that takes in the suburban street. He opens the door for me. “Getin, Vicky.”
I cross my arms. “Thisprovincial mediocrityhas been warm and welcoming.”
“Whatever. Get in.”
“Or what? You’ll drive off without me?”
His lips twitch, then his eyes go hard. “Get in, or find out.”
The image of the spanking returns, and I both don’t want to get in, and don’t want to find out what happens if I don’t. It leaves me on the sidewalk, hesitating.
“Do I need to count to three?” he asks.
“Screw you, Alex.” I choose getting in, which is probably a damn stupid thing to do.
He closes my door, walks around to his side, and gets in behind the wheel. Starts the car and drives off, and I catch a glimpse of Kirsten in the doorway, watching with her hand over her mouth.
I wonder how much she heard.
“Why are you always such a jerk?” I ask.
“Why do you insist on provoking me, Tink?”
