Page 63 of Close Pursuit

“It’s convenient. And it makes a statement.”

“To whom?”

He stared out the window as if he hadn’t heard her question, but his lips were pressed together tightly. He’d heard her, all right.

Did he feel obliged to remind the staff at Doctors Unlimited that he was a wealthy guy and didn’t need them? Or was it a statement of independence? A display of personal power? Or was Alex just thumbing his nose at everyone, silently declaring he didn’t anyone?

“Who all’s going to be at this party?” she asked.

He finally glanced over at her. “Worried you’ll be under-dressed?”

She raised one eyebrow at him. “I’m perfectly satisfied with my dress, thank you very much. I just wanted to get an idea of who to expect to meet.”

The fire in his eyes flared momentarily and then settled once more. “Most of D.U.’s senior staff should be there. Probably a bunch of diplomatic types. Their parties are usually quite the United Nations.”

It made sense. D.U. needed to stay on good terms with as many countries as possible so its doctors would be allowed to enter and treat patients.

The car pulled up in front of the converted mansion that housed Doctors Unlimited. The driver opened the back door and Alex got out first then held a hand out to her.

She laid her hand in his palm, and the contact was electric. No matter how anti-social Alex was being with her, the spark between them was still alive and kicking.

Dangerous darkness came over him as he ushered her into the mansion. He stopped in the foyer and reached for her coat. She held her breath nervously.

He lifted her coat off her shoulders and took a moment to look her over from neck to toes. “You do like to play with fire, don’t you?” he said low and rough.

“The hotter the better,” she shot back.

He handed off her coat to an attendant and turned back to her. “Careful, little girl. I can burn you bad enough you’ll never recover.”

“I dare you,” she murmured.

His eyelids dropped to half-mast and one corner of his mouth turned up. He said lightly, “You really shouldn’t have said that.”

“Oh yeah?” she challenged. “So far, I’ve heard a lot of big talk about of you, but I haven’t seen a whole lot of action.”

“I’m not one of your brothers, and I’m not ten years old. I don’t indulge in childish dares.”

“What do you indulge in? Why won’t you show me?”

He placed a hand on her waist and guided her toward the large reception area. “All in good time, little lamb.”

The threat simmering in his words sent shivers rippling down her spine. “About damn time,” she breathed mostly to herself.

Alex’s eyes went a little blacker and his hand gripped her waist a little bit tighter as he led her into the party. Good. She would hate to think she was the only one having trouble breathing normally or concentrating on saying hello to the tuxedoed member of D.U.’s board of directors who stepped forward to meet them in concern.

She dredged up his name: Edgar Covington.

“Are you two all right? We were appalled to hear about the massacre,” Covington declared.

“Massacre?” Katie echoed, startled.

“Almost everybody in that village you were serving—Karshan, was it? —was killed in a rebel attack the same night you fled.”

She stared, aghast.

“By the by, in the future, we’d appreciate it if you two contacted us sooner to let us know you’re alive. There was quite a panic around the offices while we tried to find out your status.”

Alex replied dryly, “We were a little occupied avoiding being killed. I called as soon as I felt we were actually safe.”

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