Christmas Star (Contemporary, Romance) by Roz Denny Fox Page B

to his Western-cut suit, white shirt and tie. He looked impeccable—and very handsome, she admitted grudgingly.
    A spark of vanity made her feel a bit embarrassed about how she compared in her rumpled state.
    “How did you get into the building?” she demanded, transferring her anger to its rightful place.
    Barclay McLeod again stepped uninvited into her home. “In answer to your first question, I seem to have misplaced my wallet. I thought perhaps I’d dropped it here. The answers to question two seems obvious, but I’ll explain in case it slipped by you. As property owner, I have a master key.” He seemed amused by her attempt to hide behind the door.
    Starr held on to her temper by a thread. “There is such a thing as a tenant’s right to privacy. Since you’ve already invaded mine, by all means, retrace your steps. Look for your stupid wallet. You won’t find it here.”
    “Thanks, I will. It contained a fair amount of cash. Enough for someone needing a quick getaway,” he said pointedly.
    “Good. When you find it you can get out of Dodge.” Why was he still here, instead of heading south as Harrison had said? Starr thought it was ironic that a man so drop-dead good-looking could be such a jerk. Today he looked civilized, too. Yesterday he’d been more appropriately dressed in satanic black.
    She lingered by the door while he knelt and looked beneath her couch and both chairs. Her gaze was caught by the sprinkle of dark hair on the wrist of the arm reaching to feel beneath the furniture. Suddenly very warm, Starr shifted from one slippered foot to the other and nervously retied her robe. Why, the two times he’d shown up, did she have to look as if she was heading for bed? Especially since he thought she made her living there.
    When he rose and glared at her, she willed her features to remain passive. Instinct warned her not to let him see how nervous he made her. “You obviously left your wallet someplace else. Did you check under your sister-in-law’s bed?” she asked sweetly.
    Before he could react, the doorbell rang. No doubt Darcy’s twins this time.
    “Hi, fellas.” She waved the pair in and the man out. “If you don’t mind,” she said to her unwanted guest, “I have a busy morning ahead.”
    Mistakenly she’d thought he would leave. Instead, he introduced himself to the twins.
    “Excuse me,” she said, “I’m going to check on SeLi’s progress. I won’t object if you’re gone when I come back.”
    Staring at her coolly, he turned back to the boys. “Do you kids go to a neighborhood school?”
    Mike, the more outspoken twin, answered as Starr hastened into the kitchen. “Nah,” he said. “We go to a private school, ‘cause our mom thinks we’ll learn more. Why? You got kids?”
    “No. But my nephew moved in upstairs last night. He’s been home-schooled. But I think it’d be good for him to have friends his own age.”
    Starr had returned with SeLi in tow just as Clay made his big revelation. Did Harrison know? she wondered, unable to hide her dismay. She was startled by SeLi’s squawk. The girl stopped right in the middle of thanking her for the family pictures. “What’s he doin’ here, Mom? You said we’d never see him again!”
    “He lost something, honey,” Starr said absently. In the next breath she asked Clay, “Do you mean the senator’s son, Morgan?”
    He smirked. “Yes. Cozy isn’t it? Luckily I noticed a vacancy when I checked the books. Perfect for Morgan and his mom. But then, I’m sure his parents breakup isn’t news to you.”
    It wasn’t of course. But obviously the estrangement was more permanent than Senator McLeod realized. Or at least more than he wanted to think.
    SeLi sidled past both Starr and Clay, then ran for the door. “C’mon guys, the van’s waiting. Mom, you’re still gonna go see Wicked Wanda, aren’t you?”
    In the process of digesting Clay’s news, Starr glanced up and nodded at the departing child. “This morning,”