Strangers in Paradise by Heather Graham Read Free Book Online

coming for her in the darkness or if that same someone had bolted on past.
    â€œPlease, please...!” she whispered to the ancient lock, and then, as if it were a cantankerous old man who needed to be politely placated, it groaned and gave.
    She threw the door open. In the darkness she could just barely make out Rex Morrow’s starkly handsome features. She nearly pitched herself against him, but then she remembered that the man was basically a hostile stranger, even though she knew Gene held him in the highest regard—and even though she had already clung to him once before.
    She stepped back.
    â€œWhy did you scream?”
    â€œThe lights went out and—”
    â€œI thought you were a whiz with electricity.”
    â€œI lied—but that’s not why I screamed. Someone came running down the stairway.”
    â€œWhat?”
    He looked at her so sharply that even in the darkness she felt his probing stare. Did he think that she was lying—or did he believe her all too easily?
    â€œI told you—”
    â€œCome on.”
    He took her hand, his fingers twining tightly around hers, and, with the ease of a cat in the dark, strode toward the parlor. He found the flashlight and cast its beam around. No intruder was there.
    â€œWhere did the...footsteps go?” he whispered huskily.
    â€œI—I don’t know. I screamed and... I don’t know.”
    He brought her back into the hallway and stopped dead. Alexi crashed into his back, banging her nose. She rubbed it, thinking that the man had a nice scent. She remembered it; she would have known him anywhere by it. It was not so much that of an after-shave as that of the simple cleanliness of soap and the sea and the air. He might be hostile, but at least he was clean.
    There was only so much one could expect from neighbors, she decided nervously.
    He walked through the hall to the stairway, paused, then went into the kitchen. The rear door was still tightly locked.
    â€œWell, your intruder didn’t leave that way, and he didn’t exit by the front door,” Rex said. His tone was bland, but she could read his thoughts. He had decided that she was a neurotic who imagined things.
    â€œI tell you—” she began irately.
    â€œRight. You heard footsteps. We’ll check the house.”
    â€œYou think he’s still in the house?”
    â€œNo, but we’ll check.”
    Alexi knew he didn’t believe anyone had been there to begin with. “Rex—”
    â€œAll right, all right. I said we’ll search. If anyone is here, we’ll find him. Or her. Or it.”
    He released her hand. Alexi didn’t know how nervous she was until she realized that her fingers were still clinging to his. She flushed and turned away from him.
    â€œWhy did the lights go, then?” she demanded.
    â€œProbably a fuse. Here, hold the flashlight and hang on a second.”
    She turned back around to take the flashlight from him. He went straight to the small drawer by the refrigerator, then went toward the pantry.
    â€œI need more light.”
    Alexi followed him and let the beam play on the fuse box. A moment later, the kitchen light came on.
    He looked at her. “Stay here. I’ll check out the library and the ballroom and upstairs.”
    â€œWait a minute!” Alexi protested, shivering.
    â€œWhat?”
    Impatiently he stopped at the kitchen door, his hand resting casually against the frame.
    She swallowed and straightened with dignity and tried to walk slowly over to join him.
    â€œI do read your books,” she admitted. “And it’s always the hapless idiot left alone while the other goes off to search who winds up...winds up with her throat slit!”
    â€œAlexi...” he murmured slowly.
    â€œDon’t patronize me!” she commanded him.
    He sighed, looked at her for a moment with a certain incredulity and then started to laugh.
    â€œOkay. We’ll search