Free Heirs Book Two: American Lady by Elleby Harper Page A

TransAtlantic
flight on Pan Am from Idlewild Airport to surprise you. I’m coming
home with you on the SS Constitution tomorrow.”
    The campaign-winning smile was back in place
and he was obviously expecting her response to be an enthusiastic
launch into his arms. But niggling in her mind was the newspaper
clipping Leigh had sent of Alex dining tete-a-tete with his mystery
blond. Cynically, she couldn’t help speculating if this was merely
a stunt, admittedly a highly expensive one given the cost of deluxe
plane tickets, coordinated by Paddy to dampen rumors of Alex’s
extramarital activities. Skeptical about his motives, she wondered
if he had teed up a photo opportunity of them as a loving couple
embarking on their trip home.
    Before she could blurt out any
recriminations, loud knocks rapped on the door between her suite
and Felicity Cadwallader’s. Both Nikki and Alex flinched.
    “Miss Nikki? Miss Nikki, are you awake? I
hear voices.”
    Nikki fled towards the bathroom, thrusting
the roses back into Alex’s arms as she slammed the door, leaving
him to deal with the secretary-cum-chaperone whom he had insisted
travel with her on this trip.
    Quickly she turned the key in the lock and
leant back against the door, her chest rising and falling in rapid
hyperventilation as her nerves skyrocketed in panic. Pure terror
streamlined through her veins and for several minutes she simply
stood quaking against the door. As the panic attack ebbed, so did
her strength and she sank onto the cold tile floor, leaning forward
to rest her forehead against the side of the bathtub. Her heartbeat
was slowing, but her mind remained numb, no coherent plan forming
to fill the void.
    Last night she had wanted Alex to appear.
This morning he was the last person she wished to see. How was she
going to convince him that she was the same woman who had left New
York less than six weeks ago?
    Unbidden, the thought of Leigh popped into
the blank void. What would Leigh do? She would return to her
husband, behaving as though she had not a care in the world. Yes!
That’s exactly what Leigh was doing right now. That’s exactly what
Leigh would tell her to do right now. Pull yourself together,
Devereaux! Room inspection in five! She remembered Leigh’s voice
scolding her at boarding school. Pull yourself together, Devereaux!
Face Alex and act normal!
    She heaved herself to her feet.
    “Nikki, are you okay?” Alex’s voice sounded
more impatient than concerned.
    “Just freshening up!” she called, clinging
to the side of the tub.
    Looking down at herself she noticed a smear
of red on the hem of her negligee. Was that blood? Suddenly she was
overwhelmed by the stink of blood and the visceral, musky scent of
sex that she thought she could detect on her body. Hastily she
stripped off the negligee and stepped into the bathtub, using the
handheld nozzle to wash herself down, concentrating on scrubbing
between her legs as if she could remove Jean-Luc’s imprint.
    Turning off the water she looked around for
a towel. The only one surviving the night’s activities was a
miniscule hand towel that did a barely adequate job. There was
still a bathrobe minus its belt hanging from a hook on the wall,
which she wrapped around herself, feeling like a polar bear who’d
discovered a zipper exposing what lay under its fur jacket. She
would have to venture back into the bedroom to find some clothes.
Time to face Alex.
    He was waiting for her as she re-entered the
bedroom. He had removed his blue flannel suit jacket and slung it
over the Louis XIV chair near the window, along with his silk tie
and his black wingtip shoes and was reclining on the bed, his
suited legs crossed, exposing blue argyle socks, and his arms, in
the less than crisp white shirt, folded under his head. He was
lying on top of the sheets she had lain in with Jean-Luc.
    Keeping maximum distance between them, she
skirted around the room towards the wardrobe. Alex rose from the
bed. She felt his eyes