Read Online Strangers in Paradise by Heather Graham - Free Book Online Page A

You’re what—? All of thirty-five now? They made a movie out of Cat in the Night ten years ago, so you weren’t eating rice and potatoes all that long! And for your information, having money does not equate to sloth or stupidity or—”
    â€œI never implied that you were stupid—”
    â€œOr incapable or inept! I’ve damn well seen spiders before, and roaches and rats and—”
    â€œHey!” He came to his feet before her. A pity, she thought—it had been easier to rant and rave righteously when he had been sitting and she had been able to look down her nose at him. But now his hands were on her shoulders and he was smiling as he stared down at her and she knew that he was silently laughing again.
    â€œNo one likes things crawling on her—or him. And let’s face it—you can’t be accustomed to such shabby conditions,” he said.
    His smile faded suddenly.
    â€œOr,” he added softly, “a different kind of creepy-crawly. Intruders in the place.”
    â€œOh!” She had forgotten all about the footsteps. Forgotten that someone had been in the house. That he or she or they had escaped when the lights had gone out and blackness had descended.
    She backed away from Rex. “What...what do you think was...going on?”
    Rex shrugged and grimaced. “Alexi, if—and I’m sorry, I do mean if—someone was in the house, I don’t know. A tramp, a derelict, a burglar—”
    â€œAll the way out here?”
    â€œHey, they deliver pizza, don’t they?”
    â€œDo they? The pizza hasn’t even gotten here yet!”
    â€œWell, I’m sorry! It is a drive for the delivery man, you know. He isn’t a block away on Madison Avenue.”
    â€œOh, would you please stop it? We are not in the Amazon wilds.”
    â€œNo, but close enough,” Rex promised her good-naturedly. She stared at him with a good dose of malice. Then she nearly jumped, and she did let out a gasp, because the night was suddenly filled with an obnoxious sound, loud and blaring.
    â€œJoe’s boy’s horn.” Rex lifted his hands palm up. “It plays Dixie.”
    It did, indeed. Loudly.
    â€œI’ll get the pizza,” he told her.
    Still smiling—with his annoying superiority—Rex went out. Alexi followed him.
    Joe’s boy drove a large pickup. He was a cute, long-haired kid, tall and lanky. By the time Alexi came down the walkway, Rex was already holding the pizza and involved in a casual conversation.
    â€œOh, here she is.”
    â€œWow!” the boy said. He straightened, pushed back his long blond hair and put out his hand to shake her hand soundly. “The Helen of Troy lady! Boy, oh, boy, ma’am, when I see that ad with your hair all wild and your eyes all sexy and your arms going out while you’re smiling that smile, I just get...well, I get—”
    â€œUm, thanks,” Alexi said dryly. She felt Rex staring at her. Maybe he had expected her to be like the woman in the ad. He was probably disappointed to discover she was quite ordinary. “The magic of cameras,” she murmured.
    â€œOh, no, ma’am, you’re better in the flesh!” He blushed furiously. “Well, I didn’t mean flesh—” he stammered.
    â€œI don’t think she took any offense, Dusty,” Rex drawled. “Well, thanks again for coming out. Oh, Alexi, Dusty wants your autograph.”
    â€œMine?”
    He lifted his hands innocently. “He already has mine.”
    She gave Dusty a brilliant smile—with only a hint of malice toward Rex.
    â€œDusty, if you don’t mind waiting a day or two, I’ll get my agent to send down some pictures and I’ll autograph one to you.”
    â€œWould you? Wow. Oh, wow. Could you write something...kind of personal on it? The guys would sure be impressed!”
    â€œWith pleasure,” she promised sweetly.
    â€œWow.