his face turned just the slightest shade of pink. “I’ve heard of Kmart.”
“But you’ve never been to one, right?”
“Snob,” he said.
“Me?”
He nodded. “Yeah, you. Now where’s the dustpan?”
She walked to the utility closet and got out the broom. “You know, maybe it wouldn’t do you any harm to stop by our local Kmart tomorrow. It just might broaden your horizons.”
She went to sweep up the glass, but he took the broom and dustpan from her hand. When he bent, she caught a glimpse of his back, the muscles bunching beneath his white shirt. Wow.
“I’m not so terrible,” he said as he swept. “It’s not like I don’t know any poor people.”
“Some of your best friends are poor, right?”
He stood, and she pointed him to the trash. Once he’d dumped the mess, he turned to her again. “I like to think that I value people for who they are, not their gross income.”
She took in a deep breath. “Okay, uncle. I’m not being fair, am I?”
He shook his head. “Not all rich folks are slime. Some of us are even pretty decent.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“Okay then.”
She could tell he wasn’t really upset, although she was. It wasn’t like her to stereotype people. But with Alex it was difficult. He just exemplified so much of what she’d learned to distrust and dislike. But she didn’t dislike him, did she? He was much nicer than she’d ever anticipated. Which didn’t mean she was going to let down her guard. Randy had been nice at first, too.
She remembered the scent distance edict, and moved toward the open dishwasher. Alex had loaded the dishes in somewhat proper order, but he’d also put them in just as they’d come off the tables. He hadn’t rinsed them at all. There were even two napkins in the lower shelf. “Do many dishes at your place, Alex?”
“Why? Did I do something wrong?”
“Well, yes and no. You got everything in the right place, but you left the food on them.”
“What do you mean?”
“You have to rinse the dishes, first,” she said, turning on the water in the sink.
“That doesn’t seem right. It’s a dishwasher. Why should you have to wash the dishes before you put them in?”
“I don’t know why. I just know that this way, they won’t end up clean.”
“Seems a waste of time.”
“So much of life is.”
“Is that another shot at me?”
She turned to him as she started to unload the plates. “No. Just commentary. For someone like me, there’s a lot of little things to do. Make beds. Do laundry. Shop for food. Cook dinner. With the clinic, and with Chloe, it doesn’t leave much time for the rest of life.”
“I could help. While I’m here, I mean.”
She laughed. “I appreciate the offer, but I don’t think you’d make a very good maid.”
“Hey, I’m a quick study. And I’m not helpless. As long as I’m here, I see no reason not to pitch in. I know this isn’t a hotel. I’d like to do my share.”
Her first instinct was to say no. She couldn’t for the life of her imagine Alex Bradley doing a load of laundry. But she hesitated. Maybe the best thing for the Sexiest Man in the World to do was exactly that. He wanted real life? She’d give him real life.
She turned to him and stuck out a wet hand. “Okay. I accept your offer.”
He grasped her palm, and the jolt came back. Uh-oh. It wasn’t enough to keep scent distance apart. She must remember not to touch.
“Just tell me what to do.”
The doorbell rang then. “Let Mimi in for starters,” she said.
Alex nodded, but he didn’t drop her hand just yet. He held it gently. Carefully. Then she felt his thumb move over her skin. It was a delicate move, almost imperceptible. Yet she felt herself go all goose bumps.
She pulled away. Funny, though. It didn’t help much. She could still feel his touch even as he walked out of the room.
Chapter Five
A lex closed the door behind Dani, and walked with her down the path to the sidewalk. The night air felt
“But you’ve never been to one, right?”
“Snob,” he said.
“Me?”
He nodded. “Yeah, you. Now where’s the dustpan?”
She walked to the utility closet and got out the broom. “You know, maybe it wouldn’t do you any harm to stop by our local Kmart tomorrow. It just might broaden your horizons.”
She went to sweep up the glass, but he took the broom and dustpan from her hand. When he bent, she caught a glimpse of his back, the muscles bunching beneath his white shirt. Wow.
“I’m not so terrible,” he said as he swept. “It’s not like I don’t know any poor people.”
“Some of your best friends are poor, right?”
He stood, and she pointed him to the trash. Once he’d dumped the mess, he turned to her again. “I like to think that I value people for who they are, not their gross income.”
She took in a deep breath. “Okay, uncle. I’m not being fair, am I?”
He shook his head. “Not all rich folks are slime. Some of us are even pretty decent.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“Okay then.”
She could tell he wasn’t really upset, although she was. It wasn’t like her to stereotype people. But with Alex it was difficult. He just exemplified so much of what she’d learned to distrust and dislike. But she didn’t dislike him, did she? He was much nicer than she’d ever anticipated. Which didn’t mean she was going to let down her guard. Randy had been nice at first, too.
She remembered the scent distance edict, and moved toward the open dishwasher. Alex had loaded the dishes in somewhat proper order, but he’d also put them in just as they’d come off the tables. He hadn’t rinsed them at all. There were even two napkins in the lower shelf. “Do many dishes at your place, Alex?”
“Why? Did I do something wrong?”
“Well, yes and no. You got everything in the right place, but you left the food on them.”
“What do you mean?”
“You have to rinse the dishes, first,” she said, turning on the water in the sink.
“That doesn’t seem right. It’s a dishwasher. Why should you have to wash the dishes before you put them in?”
“I don’t know why. I just know that this way, they won’t end up clean.”
“Seems a waste of time.”
“So much of life is.”
“Is that another shot at me?”
She turned to him as she started to unload the plates. “No. Just commentary. For someone like me, there’s a lot of little things to do. Make beds. Do laundry. Shop for food. Cook dinner. With the clinic, and with Chloe, it doesn’t leave much time for the rest of life.”
“I could help. While I’m here, I mean.”
She laughed. “I appreciate the offer, but I don’t think you’d make a very good maid.”
“Hey, I’m a quick study. And I’m not helpless. As long as I’m here, I see no reason not to pitch in. I know this isn’t a hotel. I’d like to do my share.”
Her first instinct was to say no. She couldn’t for the life of her imagine Alex Bradley doing a load of laundry. But she hesitated. Maybe the best thing for the Sexiest Man in the World to do was exactly that. He wanted real life? She’d give him real life.
She turned to him and stuck out a wet hand. “Okay. I accept your offer.”
He grasped her palm, and the jolt came back. Uh-oh. It wasn’t enough to keep scent distance apart. She must remember not to touch.
“Just tell me what to do.”
The doorbell rang then. “Let Mimi in for starters,” she said.
Alex nodded, but he didn’t drop her hand just yet. He held it gently. Carefully. Then she felt his thumb move over her skin. It was a delicate move, almost imperceptible. Yet she felt herself go all goose bumps.
She pulled away. Funny, though. It didn’t help much. She could still feel his touch even as he walked out of the room.
Chapter Five
A lex closed the door behind Dani, and walked with her down the path to the sidewalk. The night air felt
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