AKA Lexi Frost (Lexi Frost Series) Read Free Page B

She showed no inclination toward dating again and changed the subject whenever he suggested a social life for her might be nice.
    Personally , he hoped Lovett was interested. Teri needed to get out. Besides, it wouldn’t hurt her finances to marry a multi-millionaire. Not that he would admit that to her. After a moment’s thought, Nicholas opted to come clean with Teri. She needed to know and get the panicking out of the way.
    “ Are you meeting them again?” Nicholas asked. She didn’t usually meet her clients more than once, but maybe Lovett already made his move.
    “ Not that I’m aware of,” Teri shrugged. “If they want something different from the suggested enhancements they can email me.”
    “ All right then, the reason I ask is I got the impression Paul Lovett’s interested.”
    Teri gave him a wary look. He wanted to bang his head against a wall at how utterly clueless she was.
    “I couldn’t hear your conversation, but he smiled winningly and his body language was very open. Prior to that, his boredom took an unexpected turn toward interest and curiosity and I can’t see that being for the process or his girlfriend.”
    “ Why not?” Teri argued. “Kayley’s a model. And she’s more than a girlfriend, she’s a mistress . I didn’t even know people did that anymore. She has her own apartment, allowance, and everything. An actual kept woman. He lives alone.”
    “ Living arrangements aside, Teri, Lovett wasn’t interested in the beginning, even when you did something to make him – ah, perk up.”
    “ I was rubbing shimmer gel on Kayley. That usually gets a reaction, nothing new there.”
    “ No, but his reaction turned to intellectual. That is new. Honey, he was watching you intently.”
    “ Or Kayley.”
    “ I’ll grant the possibility. Just be aware.”
    “ He has a model for a mistress, Nicholas. I’m not a model and I’m not a mistress.” Teri’s face fell. “And I’m not Lexi Frost. Shit.”
    “ Don’t worry about it. As I said, it’s business. If he looks deep enough he’ll see through your cover. He’ll also see you have two kids and it’s understandable you want to protect them. He’ll understand and he’ll keep your secret.”
    Teri bordered on tears. Nicholas reached into the bottom drawer of his desk and pulled out two small glasses , a bottle of scotch, and a bottle of butterscotch schnapps. He poured a scotch for himself, schnapps for Teri, and passed her a glass.
    “ To life’s little dramas that keep things interesting,” he toasted.
    “ Damn your bright outlook,” Teri responded, but she smiled and raised her glass to meet his. They sat in silence for a moment while they sipped their drinks. Finally Teri put hers down. “I need to go look at those shots.”
    “ Here or at home?”
    “ At home where I won’t be disturbed. Are you coming for dinner?”
    “ I’ll pick up something on the way, you focus on those pictures,” Nicholas waved Teri out the door.
     
    An email from Paul was waiting when Teri turned on her computer at home. At Kayley’s insistence, Paul agreed to stay in Seattle for a few days. The email was to advise her of Kayley’s unrelenting excitement and anxiety. Teri promised to put a rush on the project, as long as they promised not to tell anyone, since Kayley was such a good model to work with. She figured little favors couldn’t hurt to encourage his goodwill.
    Nicholas brought dinner over after work. He stayed to police the kids and make sure the house was more or less quiet while Teri worked. Nicholas would have kicked them out and made them camp in the backyard , except the spring weather was too cold and wet. Instead, he sent Cassie to spend the night with her best friend, Tiffany, and Devin to stay with Bryan, the drummer in the band Dev belonged to.
    The boys long ago took over Teri ’s basement and practiced nearly every night, so they whined about Nicholas putting a stop to their nightly session. That ended when