Did one clap a choking prince on the back? Was there a rule book for this sort of behavior? Tia was definitely out of her element here.
She patted his back like he had her just a few moments ago and he let out a sort of laugh, which meant he could breathe, thank goodness. What was the penalty for causing a prince’s death? Any way she looked at the situation, she’d be in major trouble.
Because she definitely needed to stop thinking about kissing him. This gorgeous man was a prince. She was a microbiologist, aka Nerd Girl.
Maybe she’d buy a mask, cape, and become a superhero. Since Nerd Girl seemed more feasible than Princess Tia. She shuddered at the very thought. Then she’d be stuck with Gloomy Gracia and that sent cold shivers rushing down her spine. Ugh.
She’d rather handle Ebola.
“Sorry,” he gasped, and stared askance at her.
Since she was rather used to that particular look, it’d been common during her growing up years, Tia shrugged. “I do have a large family.”
“I’ve never heard of so many family members before.”
“And we even like each other.”
“I don’t suppose you all get together for holidays?”
“It’s not uncommon to have between one hundred and two hundred at the lake for the Fourth of July.”
“The lake?”
“That’s where we all have cabins, around a lake.” She grinned when he shook his head in a dazed sort of way. “And we go as often as we can during the summer. It’s fun.”
“That’s your vacation?”
“Yes. We Morrisons own the entire North and West parts of the lake.”
“Meaning?”
“Every cabin is owned by a Morrison. Or a Morrison relly.”
He cocked a brow.
She laughed. “A Morrison relly is a relative or a relative of a relative.”
He stared at the ceiling for a moment. “That means the in-law’s parents and siblings are included in the Morrison family numbers?”
“Essentially, yes.”
“You adopt everyone?”
Tia paused to think about that. “Yes, that sounds about right.”
“So you might or might not be blood related to everyone there?”
“I’m blood related to between one-half to two-thirds of the people present at family functions.”
He nodded but didn’t speak. Maybe he couldn’t.
“I guess all this would be hard for an only child to comprehend,” she ventured.
“I cannot imagine that many relatives. It almost gives me, what’s that American term? The heebie jeebies.”
She laughed. Threw back her head, long pale throat exposed, enticing, and enjoyed the moment. She’d never looked so beautiful to him.
“Having so much family is wonderful, intense, special, and yes, frightening, sometimes.”
“Frightening?”
She sighed. “Well, think about it. I have no idea what it’s like to be alone. It is possible to be lonely in such a large family, because they’re mostly paired off. But it’s impossible to be alone in a large family.”
Aleksi chuckled. “Yes, of course.”
“My family is wonderful. I wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world. Although there are days when I’d like to sell them. Or the Apes at least.” She bit her lip. He wanted to smooth his tongue over it.
“Oh?”
“I tried to sell them to Helena just this morning.”
“She did not purchase them?” For some reason this conversation amused him immensely. He was never bored when in Tia’s company.
“No, the ingrate said she’d wait for the end of the year clearance sale.”
“I see,” he said, as more amusement coursed through him. He wanted to kiss the disgruntlement off her face. “Be kind to her, she only has one sister.”
Tia scowled at him. “Exactly. So she got the better deal. She should be kinder to me.”
His lips twitched.
She crossed her arms. “Now you’re laughing at me.”
“No, never at you. With you, perhaps?”
“Yeah, right.” She sat up abruptly. “I know – I’ll sell them to you. The people of Rurikstan will probably lynch the lot of you, since the Apes will fit right in with you, Emerson, and Maks.”
“No, thank you.”
“Wimp.”
“Yes, as a matter of fact...”
He forked up more of Crumley’s creation, not really tasting it. The company he kept was far more enjoyable than anything they ate.
While he should have realized that, he didn’t. Tia said something, but he missed it. “I’m sorry. What did you say?” Now he looked like an absolute idiot.
“I’ll grant that you’re probably smarter rather than just a normal wimp.” She grinned at him, and he wanted to taste her grin.
He instead inclined his head. “Thank you.”
“No one in their right mind would want my brothers. I might have to pay someone to take them.” She tapped a finger against her chin. “My cousin Lainy also tried to sell her brothers.”
“Are they really that bad?”
She stared at him, eyes wide, looking a little shell shocked. She blinked, then with a raised eyebrow and a firm voice said, “Yes. Definitely. Both hers and mine.”
“Surely they have some redeeming qualities?”
“Nick, the oldest one has four kids and a wife. Her name is Macy. She’s wonderful.” She frowned. “Bryan and Josh, no.”
“Nick’s redeeming qualities are his wife and kids? He’s got nothing else that makes him, I don’t know, human?”
“He’s an architect.” She shrugged. “I guess that sort of makes him human.”
“They are your brothers. Would not they be useful in a fight? Surely they would protect you from bullies?”
Her eyebrow shot up in disbelief again. “Aleksi, they’re who I needed protected from. They’re the bullies I had to fight with all my life. So, no.”
“I see. Being an only child is a rather lonely existence,” Aleksi admitted. “I would have enjoyed a sibling, even a bossy sister. Did not your parents correct your brothers?”
“Of course not. Dad thought I needed to grow up tough and Mom had no idea about half the stuff they did.”
“Did you grow up tough?” A smile twitched around his mouth.
Her eyes narrowed. “Try me some time and see,” she purred, in the most flirty voice he’d ever heard. “But only if you don’t mind getting hurt,” she added and he was glad he hadn’t taken another bite. He’d have died for sure.
“I’ll keep that in mind. When I’m looking for some action.” He kept his tone light, too. It was all he could do not to jump the expanse of table between them and pin her to the wall.
Of course, if she was trained in combat, which thanks to her brothers sounded probable, it could be an interesting experience.
Aleksi definitely wanted to know if their training meshed. He wanted to rediscover that he and Tia fit as perfectly together as their previous experience indicated.
“I’ll be waiting,” she said. And the promise in her eyes nearly made him choke again, without having swallowed a thing. Except maybe his desire.
Stop flirting, the rational part of Tia yelled at the unfamiliar side of herself that was causing her to do crazy things.
Oh, no, he’s beautiful, the irrational, and unfortunately, larger part of her oozed.
No, we are not doing this. He doesn’t even like us her rational side reminded the new, unfamiliar, and obviously crazy side.
He likes us, he even kissed us. Several times, and it was fantastic, the irrational, brand new femme fatale part of her drawled.
Where did you come from? Tia yelped to herself. Maybe she’d been watching Starla and Maria closer than was wise.
He not only likes us, he wants us. The newly discovered, unwelcome, unreasonable part of herself purred.
We are not kissing him again, the rational, friendly, loyal side contested.
Oh, yes we are. And we’re going to enjoy every moment, the treacherous, absurd, fickle side of her refuted, confidence flowing from her sensual self.
Tia almost groaned out loud. She had always prided herself on being a normal if geeky individual. Now she had to contend with having a split personality. Would her new split personality throw her into the fire? Try to drown her?
She sneaked a glance at Aleksi, calmly eating the rest of his supper, totally unaware of the war waging on the other side of the table. A war she feared losing.
That one glance scared her more than seeing all three of her brothers converge on her at once. Because staring at him now, she understood.
Half of her new split personality intended her to not only go up in flames but also drown in the liquid warmth of Aleksi’s eyes. Oh no.
The poor man had no idea she’d discovered the sleeping femme fatale. Since this character type was totally new and utterly alien, she might mess up his seduction. Just don’t let me trip and break my nose, she begged.
That disloyal, sexy side of her snorted, making it sound, well...sexy. We don’t trip. We snag our man.
Excuse me, you’re inhabiting my body. This is Tia Morrison. Tia Morrison trips and breaks her nose.
We’ll take care of it, the insane, cool, foreign part of her said. Upon closer inspection it really wasn’t that unfriendly. If that side of her, newly discovered or not, netted her another kiss from Aleksi, she wouldn’t complain.
She would probably purr for him. Or with him. Shoot, what did women normally do in this situation?
“Why are you scowling at me?”
Tia’s eyes snapped wide open. “Oh, nothing. I was just thinking.”
His lips slid to the side. “Do you always scowl when you are thinking?”
Her new side took over. A knowing smile curled her lips and her head tipped to the side in a come-hither manner. “I’ve never seen myself thinking, so I wouldn’t know the answer to that question, would I?” Her voice sounded husky and flirty. Oh goodness.
Tia wrestled with this crazy half of herself, trying to reclaim the real Tia Morrison. She had to be rational about this. All would be lost otherwise. If the femme fatale won, she’d be in big trouble.
Visions of pink, high heels, and makeup all danced threateningly in her mind and she used that fear to subdue the femme fatale. Sort of.
“I suppose you never have. But I have,” he said, and leaned forward.
Rational or irrational, it was like a thread connected them, and pulled her forward as well. Oh no. Hershey, we have a problem. This man was too dangerous by half.
“You have?” At least this conversation made sense to her, so she hoped she could conduct her end in an intelligent manner.
“Yes. During class. You don’t scowl, but your face is very serious.” He slid his face into a serious mien that must depict what she looked like in class and Tia couldn’t quell the peals of laughter.
“I do not do that!”
He grinned. “Yes, you do. I have witnessed it, and you have not. So I’m right.” Aleksi forked up more of his dinner and wiggled his brows at her.
She scowled at him. “Quit that.”
“What?” Now his features smoothed into innocence.
Her lip curled up in disgust. “Innocence and you do not work well together.”
He tried to affect a hurt countenance but she shook her head. “Nope, sorry, not working either.” She smiled.
This man was the limit.
Limits she’d like to push.
He interrupted her unwelcome thoughts by removing her dinner plate and offered her an empty dessert one. Tia had no recollection of anything she ate. She took the new plate, more out of habit than anything else.
When he removed the lid of the last dish on the cart, Tia began to drool. “Oh, chocolate cheesecake.” She moaned.
“You like?”
“I do,” she purred, and blinked at herself. Stop that, she reprimanded. She got no response, but when she glanced at Aleksi she saw a pained look on his face.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” he said, but his voice sounded tight.
Alarmed, Tia burst to her feet and raced around the table to place a hand on his forehead. If he was ill, she’d better make certain she found him help.
He did feel hot, but his hand reached up and latched around her wrist. With one tug, he tumbled her into his lap. She gasped and by the time she righted her spinning senses, the sneaky man had already plunged a hand into her hair, and taken her lips in a kiss that made one of her shoes drop to the floor.
“Oh,” she moaned again. The femme fatale part of her new split personality kissed him back with vigor and feminine might. Tia couldn’t believe herself.
She even heard a moan escape his throat and knew the femme fatale was satisfied. That’s how we do it, the crazy, helpful part of her said sagely.
Tia wrapped her arms around his neck and plunged into that fire, uncaring that the rational part of her shrieked about consequences and repercussions.
She wanted the fire, and ice, and passion flowing between them. There was a symphony playing somewhere in the background, with cymbals crashing and horns trumpeting. The passion nearly drowned her.
Tia yanked him closer.
Something kept buzzing and Aleksi tried to shove the annoying sound away. He had Tia Morrison in his arms again, on his lap, in fact, kissing her, with her kissing him back like tomorrow might not dawn. Not now, he demanded in the back of his mind.
Whatever the annoyance was quit, and Aleksi returned his full attention to exploring her mouth. Even that wasn’t enough. Their mouths separated and she kissed his cheeks, his chin, and down his throat. Just like he was doing to her. He couldn’t kiss enough of her.
Her fervor and passion fueled his and Aleksi... The buzzing returned. She stiffened and in desperation he tried to reclaim her lips. But she avoided his lips and frowned at his side.
“You’re ringing,” she announced through thoroughly kissed lips and stared at him in bemusement. He really liked the disappointment he read on her face.
“We must ignore this.”
“No, it doesn’t sound like whoever is phoning wants to be ignored,” she responded, regret echoing through her tone. He liked how she stared at his lips. Like she wanted to kiss them again.
Anytime she wished...
The buzzing began anew, growing louder and louder in the small space of her office. With a jerk, Aleksi yanked his phone from the holster and took the call. He failed to glance at the screen to see who called.
Risky.
“Aleksi, what took you so long to answer your mobile?” his mother demanded.
He all but groaned. Tia must have heard his mother’s voice because with a sigh of what he hoped was regret she slid off his lap and landed awkwardly. He frowned until he saw her coax her shoe back on. Then she straightened and glided back to the other side of the table.
She plunked into the chair, propped her chin on a fist, and stared at him with puppy dog blue-green eyes. I understand, my love, he wanted to reassure her. Instead, he had to listen to his mother’s ramblings and orders. He was pretty sure he hadn’t said a word other than his greeting since answering.
He used his head to indicate the cheesecake and she brightened. She scooped up a slice for him, her movements graceful and delicate, and then a slice for herself.
Figuring they might as well eat, he picked up his fork. His mother wouldn’t know he was eating since she was too busy prattling on about London. It was nice to hear she was enjoying herself. He had been a minute ago, right here in Rurikstan.
When he lifted his eyes from his plate it was to catch Tia lift a forkful of cheesecake to her mouth. Her eyes fluttered as her lips closed over the dessert. “Mmm,” she moaned, and she licked the rest of the chocolate confection from the tongs.
He nearly lost it. His composure, his senses, his common sense all overloaded. Then he had to wait for his brain to reboot because the surge of power shut down his circuits. All of them. That had never happened before.
“Is that American still there?” the venom in his mother’s voice caught his attention and something in Aleksi snapped. She spoke in their native tongue, but out of courtesy for Tia, he responded in English.
“Mother, your manners are deplorable. Since you obviously have not remembered how to treat people, especially our guests, I intend to hang up now.” And Aleksi disconnected the call, despite her protests. He didn’t need his mother’s nasty comments poisoning his brain.
Not after such a fantastic kiss from that American. He looked down at the cheesecake still on his plate, but got sidetracked when Tia forked up another mouthful. Watching her could become his new favorite pastime. After kissing her.
He’d never seen a woman enjoy food more. “Do you fancy the cheesecake?” he asked, already knowing the answer.
But he wanted what he got. Her eyes opened languidly and she stared at him with heavy, satisfied eyes. “Mm-hmm.” She smiled at him. A sensual, mysterious smile all women seem to know how to use to their best advantage.
His hormones kicked up a fuss and he shushed them, trying to be a gentleman. It was too early to explain his plans to her. She was only just beginning to relax in his presence.
The phone buzzed again, and Aleksi frowned at it. He had the good sense to glance at the screen this time. A smiling picture of his Aunt Loletta popped up.
“I must take this call,” he said, in regret.
“That’s okay. If your cheesecake is gone, don’t be surprised,” she warned in a husky purr that made him want to drop the phone and smother her with more kisses.
The summons of the phone reminded him he needed to answer the device or his aunt would contact Emerson. Who would come searching for him... Emerson here... not a good idea.
Aleksi left the room and answered his ringing phone.
“Did you just hang up on your mother?” Loletta’s voice didn’t exactly sound accusing. She also spoke in their native tongue, which he reverted to, since Tia couldn’t hear him.
“Yes. I despise her venom. She sounded so nasty, and I’m tired of it. She’s in London, she’s having a good time. There is no need for her to act like that.”
“No, there isn’t, and I told her I would have done the same thing. She doesn’t need to act like a spoiled child, but she does.”
“Is she still behaving like that regularly with you?”
“Yes,” his aunt sighed. “I’ve never seen her like this.”
“What did the therapist say?”
“That’s just it. We’ve seen her twice now. And she says she thinks your mother is hiding something.”
“Oh?” Aleksi went on alert. “My theory...”
“I did mention that there were some family fears about that.”
“Great, now she thinks I’m paranoid,” he groused.
“I’m her family as well.”
He sighed. “But I’m the paranoid one.”
“True. And I’m not saying she isn’t capable of murder. Because I believe she is. I just want to be certain we keep all avenues opened.”
“And what did the therapist say?”
“She doesn’t believe it’s out of the realm that your mother could have killed your father, but she doesn’t believe that’s true.”
“That’s a relief.”
“Yes. Before you relax, remember, she says she doesn’t think it’s impossible. She’s simply not sure at this point what’s going on in your mother’s brain.”
“What about the physical tests?”
“We haven’t gotten all of those results back, and all Dr. Cleary is saying is that we might need further tests.”
Aleksi dropped onto a lab stool. “So there could be a problem physically?”
“Yes. I believe...” she started, but broke off.
“What, Aunt Loletta?”
“I think we might be dealing with a physical problem and a secret.”
His eyebrows rose as his stomach sank. “A secret?”
“Yes. I think she kept something from your father, and never told him, even when he was dying.”
“Why would she do so?”
“I don’t know. I do believe she loved him very much, and I just wonder if whatever secret she held might have hurt him rather than aided him, so that’s why she never said anything.”
“She wouldn’t have said something to hurt him. They were very careful of each other’s feelings,” Aleksi said, thinking of his childhood. His parents had enjoyed a close, loving, respectful relationship. Maybe not as loving as say Graham and Maria, but a good marriage, nonetheless.
“No, she wouldn’t have. That is why I believe she’s held this secret so long. I wonder if she’s torturing herself with this and everyone else around her is suffering right along with her.”
“Always a possibility. She’s been embarrassingly hostile. Especially to Tia,” he said.
“Yes. I’ve heard some pretty rude comments on that quarter, and I can’t imagine anyone being as bad as she makes your Tia to be.”
“Mother doesn’t even know her. Tia, who is an American, showed better manners and more grace than my own mother who is supposed to be a princess.”
“I know. Gracia never gave her a chance. That is also unlike your mother.”
Aleksi heaved a calming breath and shoved a hand through his hair. “I don’t understand her these days.”
“No, but I’m starting to suspect that your father didn’t die from natural circumstances.”
“What?”
“I don’t think he was murdered, but I am wondering if, like you’ve feared, there was something in your wells that affected him badly enough, or poisoned him, if you will, and that’s what killed him. And has changed your mother into someone we don’t recognize.”
“You think the problem with our wells effected Father enough that he died?”
“I suspect. I don’t know. We might never know. But your mother’s behavior is decidedly odd.”
“Yes. I thought she was experiencing menopause.”
“She is nearly through that. But it’s not entirely to blame.”
“I see.” He didn’t want to, but he did understand. Aleksi remembered Tia’s media plate from well twenty-six as his eyes rested on one of the incubators in the lab.
“I’ll see what Tia says about the wells maybe contributing to Father’s death. See if there is a bacterium on one of the plates that could have killed someone.”
“You’re not intending to give her the details are you?” His aunt sounded alarmed.
“Of course not.”
“I thought...”
“You thought I’d tell her family secrets? That would be a good idea, Aunt Loletta. ‘Tia, let me tell you how messed up my family is.’” He heard the exasperation in his voice.
“Sorry, love. I lost my head for a moment there.”
“I want this woman to marry me, why would I tell her things that would make her run in the opposite direction?”
“An excellent question, of course. You wouldn’t.”
“I should think not,” he muttered and rubbed a hand over his face. “Will you phone me as soon as you have these test results?”
“Of course.”
“Let’s hope the doctors there can figure out what’s ailing Mother. I’d really like for Tia to meet the real her.”
“There is a possibility she’s lost, you do know that?”
His aunt’s voice sounded as melancholy as he had ever heard.
“Yes, I do. But I’m willing to believe the doctors there can help her.”
“I am hoping for the same. If anyone can help her, these folks can.”
“Short of sending her to the Mayo Clinic in America—” Aleksi started but his aunt’s snort cut into his statement.
“Like that’s going to ever happen.”
“That’s what I thought.”
“The Americans have excellent doctors, but your mother isn’t about to set foot in that country.”
“Think an American might have something to do with her secret?”
Silence.
“I don’t know.”
Something in her voice made him frown. “What?”
“I’ve been toying with the notion that you have something to do with her secret.”