Free Housebound by Anne Stuart Page A

enough. You got to me. I give in. Choose some other helpless victim, will you?”
    â€œBesides, I probably will have my children out of wedlock,” Holly interrupted saucily. “I don’t know if there’s a man I could bear to put up with for even nine months.” She cast a sneaky glance at Wilson to gauge his reaction.
    Wilson didn’t disappoint her. “You may think that kind of pertness is appealing, brat,” he said heavily, “but there are some of us who find it in extremely bad taste. Don’t we, Anne?”
    Anne was aware of Noah’s curious eyes on her. “Wilson, you should know by now that Holly doesn’t mean half of what she says. She likes to shock people, so she says outrageous things for effect, and I’m afraid that over the years you’ve proven to be one of her favorite victims. You shouldn’t rise to the bait.”
    Wilson seemed to be listening to her with only half an ear, his brown eyes disapproving, with some other hidden emotion in their depths. “Her favorite victim, am I?” he murmured. “I think I’ll have to teach you respect for your elders, brat.”
    â€œTry it.” Holly stuck out her tongue at him.
    â€œI think I’ll get the dessert before you resort to throwing food at each other,” Anne said lightly, pushing back her chair and refusing all offers of help. She needed a moment or two alone, and for more than one reason. She needed to get over the shock Ashley’s malicious words had given her, and she needed time to ponder the startling possibility that Noah had hinted at and suddenly seemed all too likely. That hidden emotion in Wilson’s usually bland brown eyes when he surveyed Holly was a great deal warmer and livelier than when they surveyed her. Impossible as it might seem, Annehad the sudden suspicion that his feelings for Holly might be just a trifle more heated than that of a disapproving older-brother type.
    And Holly’s pertness had reminded her of nothing so much as adolescent flirting. If you couldn’t get the boy’s attention by being sweet, the next best thing was being a brat. Even if he scolded you, at least he knew you were there.
    But heavens, what an absurd mismatch that would be, Anne thought, fetching the strawberry Bavarian cream from the refrigerator. Neither of them would be likely to change for the other, and they’d doubtless fight like cats and dogs. And anyway, it was probably all a figment of her imagination. Nothing would have been quite so neat and comfortable as having her fiancé and Noah’s pursuer fall in love. It was just too convenient to be remotely possible.
    â€œDo you need any help?” Speak of the devil, Anne thought with a sigh of acceptance.
    â€œNo,” she said resignedly. “But now that you’re here you can carry the liqueur glasses; I forgot to put them on the table earlier.”
    â€œI knew I’d come in handy for something,” Noah said with an engaging grin. “Your sister and fiancé have an interesting relationship, don’t they?”
    So he’d noticed it, too. She smiled blandly. “Do they? They’ve known each other forever, of course. And they’ve always fought like cats and dogs, I’m afraid. Not very comfortable at the dinner table, but then, we’re used to it. And anything’s better than Ashley’s tongue.” A sudden shadow darkened her usually pale face. “Actually, Wilson and Holly are just like brother and sister. Despite her teasing she was delighted when we got engaged.”
    â€œEighteen months ago,” he said impishly. “About the timeyou said she started acting jealous. Well, they don’t look like any brother and sister I’ve ever seen. I’d be willing to bet she wasn’t as delighted as she said she was.”
    â€œAnd I’m willing to bet you that you’re just hoping she’ll be distracted enough to