Free The Emperor's New Clothes by Victoria Alexander Page B

the scrutiny of eyes that seemed even darker in the light of day than at night.
    â€œWhat’s your hurry, Countess?” The drawled wordsshivered through her blood, and she stopped short. There was a challenge in his tone that she couldn’t ignore. Even if she wanted to.
    She turned slowly back to him. A teasing smile played about his lips, and there was a gleam in his eye. She’d seen that gleam before. Always in the eyes of men who didn’t seem to realize that just because a girl knew how to play a good hand of poker, it didn’t mean she was willing to indulge in other forms of entertainment as well. Games with stakes far higher than she’d ever cared to risk. Her spine stiffened and she stared with as regal an attitude as she could muster.
    â€œYou’re quite mistaken, Mayor. I am in no particular hurry whatsoever.” She lifted a shoulder in a casual shrug. “I would assume, however, that the myriad responsibilities of your office would demand your attention elsewhere.”
    He raised an amused brow. “But Countess, you are one of my responsibilities. Duty demands I help escort you around the ranch.”
    â€œThat scarcely seems necessary.” She forced a light-hearted note. “I’m quite certain your uncle is more than capable of showing me the sights. So you see, your presence is really not needed at all.” She cast him a condescending smile. “Surely, the mayor of a community such as yours would have more pressing demands upon his time than playing the part of…tour guide.”
    His grin didn’t waver, but a speculative glint appeared in his eye. Good. She’d rather have him curious than lecherous. His suspicion she could handle. His lust she wasn’t quite sure about.
    â€œWell, Countess…” He pulled his hat off thoughtfully and slapped it against a firm, muscular thigh. A cloud of dust puffed outward, and she resisted the impulse to sneeze. “When I was on the Continent…”
    â€œEurope?” Her voice jumped with astonishment.
    â€œUm-hum. That’s the continent in question.” He replaced his hat. “I’ve surprised you again, haven’t I?”
    â€œOh, no.” Her words came out in a rush. “I’ve always considered Europe to be the Continent too.”
    Confusion crossed his face, and the tension within her eased slightly. She’d been right last night. The best way to keep this man off guard was to keep him as confused as possible. And the surest method to accomplish that was to imitate the scatterbrained charm of his aunt. She smiled innocently. “You were saying?”
    â€œI was, wasn’t I?” He shook his head and cast her a bemused smile that quirked up the corners of his lips and stabbed at something deep inside her. “Oh, yeah, I was talking about the tour guides. You could spot them a mile off, leading tourists around like a herd of stupid, confused woollies.” He chuckled. “Funniest thing I ever saw, especially amidst the ruins in Rome and Pompeii. Don’t you agree?”
    She laughed lightly. She’d never seen a tour guide in her life. “Oh, indeed. It does seem quite ludicrous at times.”
    â€œI guess it’s all part of the experience.” He shook his head in amused disbelief. “My aunt and uncle insisted on my taking the grand tour. Lorelie said it would be broadening.”
    â€œTravel is extremely broadening,” she said in a superior manner as if she knew what she was talking about. She had indeed traveled her entire life, but only from one theater to another. Her father had been gradually working his way to California when he’d died, and he used to talk about getting to Europe one day. Ophelia hadn’t even seen the big cities of the East since she was very young, and she’d never been outside America.
    He raised a brow. “I imagine people in your kind ofsocial circle do a great deal of