Page 28

28

ALEX

A lex lay in a hazy afterglow of happiness, able to ignore the murder attempt for the moment. The bed was big enough for both of them to sprawl comfortably on the smooth cotton sheets. “How’s your rib?” she asked, tracing Orson’s muscled side.

“Mostly healed.”

“Must be nice to have super-powered healing.”

“Are you jealous?” Orson teased, catching her hand and kissing it.

“A little,” Alex admitted. “I’m going to be more jealous next week when I’m still limping and you’re all magically fixed up.”

“I’ll carry you everywhere,” Orson offered. “Piggyback, if you want!”

“That will make a great impression in the office,” she chuckled. Then she sobered. She still wasn’t sure what to do about Sandra.

As if he guessed her thoughts, Orson kissed her knuckles. “Do you still think it might have been Sandra?”

“I don’t have any other suspects,” Alex said quietly. “And…”

“Tell me.” Orson might be a ham, but he had an air of authority that Alex didn’t think he even recognized. He had this sexy, sure-handed confidence when he wasn’t trying to be macho-aggressive that suited her perfectly.

“I wonder, looking back, if she hasn’t been trying to sabotage me all along. I always thought I wasn’t good at making friends, but she’s the one who told me that people didn’t like me. She pushed me to act in ways that were unnatural and, thinking about it now, would only have made things worse. I…trusted her, but now I’m not sure why. She’s not very nice, or bright, and I don’t think she’s a good person .”

“Why were you friends?” Orson wanted to know.

“She made me believe that she was the only friend I would ever have.”

“I think you have more friends than you know,” Orson said gravely. “You said yourself that your people would quit if you got fired. You don’t do that for a boss. You do that for a friend.”

Alex blinked at Orson, surprised by his wisdom.

“Anyway, I’ll be your friend,” he said with a cheeky grin. “Maybe a friend with benefits?”

She punched him gently in the shoulder, but her traitor hand turned it into a caress because she could not get enough of his gorgeous arms. “Definitely with benefits.”

A lingering kiss might have turned into something more, but there were things that needed to be done. “So, how do we prove any of this? Can we catch her in a lie? Trap her when she tries again?”

Orson’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “How good is your acting?”

“Depends on the role,” Alex said. “What do you have in mind?”

“It won’t require giggling,” Orson said, and the devilish smile he gave her lit her up inside.