Murdoch followed, wearing only his trousers.
"Jesus Christ!" he said when he saw the bleeding scratches on Alex's back.
Sylvie's eyes widened in horror. "Genesis, what have you done?"
"I didn't do it!" she protested. "It was Napoleon. For some reason, he attacked Alex."
Sylvie began to clean the wounds. "Maybe he's jealous of him."
"He didn't scratch
me
when we were together," Graham pointed out.
A secretive smile played across Sylvie's face. "No, he didn't. Perhaps now he has a reason to feel jealous."
"You're talking nonsense," said Genesis. "The cat is obviously insane. That's all there is to it."
Alex grimaced in pain. "When I said I wanted pussy, this is not what I had in mind."
Chapter 11
"Lord Alexander, please accept my apologies for what that naughty cat did to you." Madame Colette's voice was quiet and conciliatory.
He sat across from her in the beautifully furnished office lined with bookshelves.
"I'm sure I'll be fine." Alex leaned forward and winced, as if the pain was excruciating and unbearable. He saw the concern in her dark eyes and knew he had her where he wanted her. The queen was in check.
"How can I possibly make this up to you?" She spoke the words he had waited to hear.
"Perhaps I might enjoy a week in Genesis's company?" He raised an eyebrow. "Exclusively, with no other men allowed to see her."
Colette's eyes sharpened as she studied him. "That might be arranged. It seems Captain Murdoch has transferred his affections to Sylvie, therefore, I see no problem with your request."
He moved in for the kill. "On the house, of course."
"On the house? Surely, you're joking." Her eyes widened in shock. "Do you realize how much money I'll lose? I must still pay Genesis for her time while receiving nothing in return."
Alex narrowed his gaze. "I needed three stitches to close one of the deeper cuts. The pain is a constant reminder of my encounter with
your
cat. Would you care to look at my back again?"
Madame held up her hand. "Please, no."
She sighed deeply as she studied him. "All right, a week on the house. And it's only because I value your business."
"As I value a certain lady in your employ."
She gave him a tight smile. "My instincts told me there would be trouble with this girl. For once I didn't listen to the inner voice and now I'm paying for it."
"You're not the only one, madame." Alex gave her a mocking smile. "I started paying the moment I saw her beautiful face."
* * * *
Alex stood next to the bed and watched her sleep. There was no longer the urgency he felt when he knew he only had one night with her. Now he could take his time and court her properly. The information Gregory discovered would come in useful toward that end. He sat the lovely vase of roses on the dresser alongside the books he had purchased at a local bookstore. There were volumes on archaeology and ancient Greek legends, which he hoped she hadn't read yet. He had also found the English toffees she loved so much, at least according to Sylvie. They were wrapped in a pink and white striped box, and he couldn't wait until she awoke and saw the gifts.
His heart melted as he gazed at her. Genesis looked as innocent as a child in the simple, cotton nightdress she wore.
Innocent and sweet like the first dew on the morning flowers. She smelled of lilacs and desire. Later he would tear the soft, white gown from her body and feast upon her luscious flesh. But for now, he was content to study the lines of her exquisite face and dream about the future they might have together. A few stolen moments watching her, desiring her, loving her. His heart was ensnared as surely as if it were caught on a lure. There was no escape for him unless he tore the organ from his chest.
His memories were drawn back to a time when he owned a particularly wild, untamed mare. Headstrong and skittish, the horse was determined to remain free and not submit to the saddle. Alex had slowly tamed the beautiful animal by gaining its trust day by
"Jesus Christ!" he said when he saw the bleeding scratches on Alex's back.
Sylvie's eyes widened in horror. "Genesis, what have you done?"
"I didn't do it!" she protested. "It was Napoleon. For some reason, he attacked Alex."
Sylvie began to clean the wounds. "Maybe he's jealous of him."
"He didn't scratch
me
when we were together," Graham pointed out.
A secretive smile played across Sylvie's face. "No, he didn't. Perhaps now he has a reason to feel jealous."
"You're talking nonsense," said Genesis. "The cat is obviously insane. That's all there is to it."
Alex grimaced in pain. "When I said I wanted pussy, this is not what I had in mind."
Chapter 11
"Lord Alexander, please accept my apologies for what that naughty cat did to you." Madame Colette's voice was quiet and conciliatory.
He sat across from her in the beautifully furnished office lined with bookshelves.
"I'm sure I'll be fine." Alex leaned forward and winced, as if the pain was excruciating and unbearable. He saw the concern in her dark eyes and knew he had her where he wanted her. The queen was in check.
"How can I possibly make this up to you?" She spoke the words he had waited to hear.
"Perhaps I might enjoy a week in Genesis's company?" He raised an eyebrow. "Exclusively, with no other men allowed to see her."
Colette's eyes sharpened as she studied him. "That might be arranged. It seems Captain Murdoch has transferred his affections to Sylvie, therefore, I see no problem with your request."
He moved in for the kill. "On the house, of course."
"On the house? Surely, you're joking." Her eyes widened in shock. "Do you realize how much money I'll lose? I must still pay Genesis for her time while receiving nothing in return."
Alex narrowed his gaze. "I needed three stitches to close one of the deeper cuts. The pain is a constant reminder of my encounter with
your
cat. Would you care to look at my back again?"
Madame held up her hand. "Please, no."
She sighed deeply as she studied him. "All right, a week on the house. And it's only because I value your business."
"As I value a certain lady in your employ."
She gave him a tight smile. "My instincts told me there would be trouble with this girl. For once I didn't listen to the inner voice and now I'm paying for it."
"You're not the only one, madame." Alex gave her a mocking smile. "I started paying the moment I saw her beautiful face."
* * * *
Alex stood next to the bed and watched her sleep. There was no longer the urgency he felt when he knew he only had one night with her. Now he could take his time and court her properly. The information Gregory discovered would come in useful toward that end. He sat the lovely vase of roses on the dresser alongside the books he had purchased at a local bookstore. There were volumes on archaeology and ancient Greek legends, which he hoped she hadn't read yet. He had also found the English toffees she loved so much, at least according to Sylvie. They were wrapped in a pink and white striped box, and he couldn't wait until she awoke and saw the gifts.
His heart melted as he gazed at her. Genesis looked as innocent as a child in the simple, cotton nightdress she wore.
Innocent and sweet like the first dew on the morning flowers. She smelled of lilacs and desire. Later he would tear the soft, white gown from her body and feast upon her luscious flesh. But for now, he was content to study the lines of her exquisite face and dream about the future they might have together. A few stolen moments watching her, desiring her, loving her. His heart was ensnared as surely as if it were caught on a lure. There was no escape for him unless he tore the organ from his chest.
His memories were drawn back to a time when he owned a particularly wild, untamed mare. Headstrong and skittish, the horse was determined to remain free and not submit to the saddle. Alex had slowly tamed the beautiful animal by gaining its trust day by
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