Read Online The Silver Fox and the Red-Hot Dove by Deborah Smith - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Deborah Smith
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concentration, even surrounded by ten tons of white goo. Now he watched her eyes narrow in thought. “What is a Barbie, and how do Americans treat it?”
“It’s a classic and beloved doll for children,” Audubon assured her.
“I hope you’re not shy about being stared at in your lacies,” Mr. Rex interjected, squirting a foul-smelling solution on her curlers.
“What are lacies? Clothing that has laces in it?”
“Lingerie,” Audubon explained, and found himself imagining her in ‘lacies’ with a vividness that made the unflattering pink housedress disappear. “But we can certainly get you some kind of lingerie that lacesup, if you’re interested. You might need help getting out of it every night, though.”
“Oh, my,” Mr. Rex said, chortling.
She looked away, undone by Audubon’s counterattack, and laughed. “I’ll have to learn your slang very quickly, so I won’t get into trouble.”
“Well, we have lots of
respectable
underthings for you to try on,” Mr. Rex continued. “And the ladies won’t make you feel like a striptease artist while they help you choose, I promise.”
“I’m used to being examined—I mean, I’m not shy about having people look at me,” she said. Audubon saw the cosmetic mask pucker between her eyes as she frowned. She stared at the cobblestone floor as if lost in memories, unpleasant ones. His stomach twisted with a quiet, deep need to comfort her, though she hadn’t asked for comfort.
“Well, you’re certainly a good sport about sitting here like this,” Mr. Rex said cheerfully, as he covered the curlers with a plastic cap. “Most women would be screaming if dear Mr. Audubon had ventured into this room.”
She shot Audubon a troubled glance, then set her gaze on a white, wrought iron baker’s rack filled with African violets. “I’m sure that Mr. Audubon likes to startle his women.”
There was enough humor in her voice to show she wasn’t too bothered by his scrutiny. She
ought
not to affect him, dammit! And she didn’t seem to care whether she had to parade naked in front of a small army of female strangers who would tamper with her from head to toe in pursuit of fashion perfection.
Audubon loved her sensible lack of discomfort at the same time that it worried him. For some reason he was reminded of Kyle Surprise, a former agent who’d been hurt badly during an assignment. Audubon had visited him during each of his hospital stays for plastic surgery. Kyle had grown so resigned to having his entire body exposed to the scrutiny of medical personnel that by the last hospital stay he had sat in bed naked, chatting unconcernedly withAudubon, while a doctor and several interns studied his scars. It was as if he’d learned to check his dignity at the admissions desk.
Kyle was doing fine now, despite the scars that even surgery couldn’t conquer. His strength of character and the love of his new wife and daughter had pulled him through. Audubon frowned, wondering why Elena’s reaction to this undignified but hardly unpleasant situation would make him think of Kyle’s stoicism.
“Mr. Rex, give me a minute alone with your noble victim, please. She and I have something to discuss. It can’t wait.”
Mr. Rex sighed. “Only a minute. I wouldn’t want her perm to fry.”
“Fry?” Elena repeated, her voice rising.
“You’ll be fine,” Audubon told her. After Mr. Rex and his assistant left, Audubon pulled a wicker chair close to hers. He sat down while she straightened in guarded reaction. Leaning toward her, he put a hand on her arm and squeezed gently as he held her shuttered gaze. “You said you were one of Kriloff’s research subjects.”
She nodded, and her proud shoulders never flinched. “One of many, yes.”
“Since you were five years old?”
“Yes.”
“And you lived at the institute—you had no choice?”
“That’s right. He tries to make his people believe they’re partners in his work, but in effect, they are only
“It’s a classic and beloved doll for children,” Audubon assured her.
“I hope you’re not shy about being stared at in your lacies,” Mr. Rex interjected, squirting a foul-smelling solution on her curlers.
“What are lacies? Clothing that has laces in it?”
“Lingerie,” Audubon explained, and found himself imagining her in ‘lacies’ with a vividness that made the unflattering pink housedress disappear. “But we can certainly get you some kind of lingerie that lacesup, if you’re interested. You might need help getting out of it every night, though.”
“Oh, my,” Mr. Rex said, chortling.
She looked away, undone by Audubon’s counterattack, and laughed. “I’ll have to learn your slang very quickly, so I won’t get into trouble.”
“Well, we have lots of
respectable
underthings for you to try on,” Mr. Rex continued. “And the ladies won’t make you feel like a striptease artist while they help you choose, I promise.”
“I’m used to being examined—I mean, I’m not shy about having people look at me,” she said. Audubon saw the cosmetic mask pucker between her eyes as she frowned. She stared at the cobblestone floor as if lost in memories, unpleasant ones. His stomach twisted with a quiet, deep need to comfort her, though she hadn’t asked for comfort.
“Well, you’re certainly a good sport about sitting here like this,” Mr. Rex said cheerfully, as he covered the curlers with a plastic cap. “Most women would be screaming if dear Mr. Audubon had ventured into this room.”
She shot Audubon a troubled glance, then set her gaze on a white, wrought iron baker’s rack filled with African violets. “I’m sure that Mr. Audubon likes to startle his women.”
There was enough humor in her voice to show she wasn’t too bothered by his scrutiny. She
ought
not to affect him, dammit! And she didn’t seem to care whether she had to parade naked in front of a small army of female strangers who would tamper with her from head to toe in pursuit of fashion perfection.
Audubon loved her sensible lack of discomfort at the same time that it worried him. For some reason he was reminded of Kyle Surprise, a former agent who’d been hurt badly during an assignment. Audubon had visited him during each of his hospital stays for plastic surgery. Kyle had grown so resigned to having his entire body exposed to the scrutiny of medical personnel that by the last hospital stay he had sat in bed naked, chatting unconcernedly withAudubon, while a doctor and several interns studied his scars. It was as if he’d learned to check his dignity at the admissions desk.
Kyle was doing fine now, despite the scars that even surgery couldn’t conquer. His strength of character and the love of his new wife and daughter had pulled him through. Audubon frowned, wondering why Elena’s reaction to this undignified but hardly unpleasant situation would make him think of Kyle’s stoicism.
“Mr. Rex, give me a minute alone with your noble victim, please. She and I have something to discuss. It can’t wait.”
Mr. Rex sighed. “Only a minute. I wouldn’t want her perm to fry.”
“Fry?” Elena repeated, her voice rising.
“You’ll be fine,” Audubon told her. After Mr. Rex and his assistant left, Audubon pulled a wicker chair close to hers. He sat down while she straightened in guarded reaction. Leaning toward her, he put a hand on her arm and squeezed gently as he held her shuttered gaze. “You said you were one of Kriloff’s research subjects.”
She nodded, and her proud shoulders never flinched. “One of many, yes.”
“Since you were five years old?”
“Yes.”
“And you lived at the institute—you had no choice?”
“That’s right. He tries to make his people believe they’re partners in his work, but in effect, they are only
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