Page 40 of Impulse

“What do you know about her family?”Estelle asked.

Lex glanced at his mother and frowned.“Since when do you care about such things?”

His Aunt Vivian, the matriarch of his family, had appointed herself the monitor of the Fitzgerald gene pool.Weeding out undesirables before they became permanent members of their family, she often said.Lex found her attitude ridiculous.Borderline funny.Now he couldn’t bear Jillian being subjected to such scrutiny.

“In other words, you didn’t have Douglas investigate her background.”Estelle grinned as though pleased about something.

That his mother knew about Douglas’ many talents didn’t surprise him.“No.I knew all I need to know about her family.”

“And what is that?”

Instead of answering, Lex watched Jillian leave the house with Chris at her heels.She looked furious.Her quick glance at the gazebo confirmed it, but she didn’t come toward him.Instead, she started around the pool.He wasn’t sure what was going on, but he had a very bad feeling.

“What do you know about her family?”his mother asked again.

Lex removed his mother’s hands from his arm.“They raised one hell of a daughter, Mother, and I’m going to cherish her every second of our lives.Excuse me.”He dropped another kiss on her temple and started out of the gazebo.

Jillian had stopped right next to Margo, the lead actress in the movie, and was whispering something to her.He was moving toward the pool when Margo yelled something he didn’t get.Then everything happened at once.Jillian’s eyes met his as she started toward him, but Margo stepped away from her group of friends and bumped her.

Whether it was intentional or not, they were too close to the pool and Jillian swayed, her arms flailing uselessly before she tipped over.He was racing toward her, pushing people out of his way, when he heard the splash.

Lex stopped at the edge of the pool, squatted, and offered a hand to a drenched Jillian.Eyes flashing, she reached down and removed her shoes.For one brief moment, he was sure she’d hurl them at Margo, who was smiling smugly a few feet away.

Everyone went silent, stared, and waited.The cameraman his mother had hired to take pictures had his forefinger on the button, lens swinging from the actress to Jillian.Lex indicated for him to kill it.Then laughter reached him, and he found the source—Jillian.

It wasn’t hysterical laugh.She looked genuinely amused.She pointed her shoe at Margo.“You need to use your shoulder more and keep your arm closer to your side to make it look like an accident.Otherwise, not bad for a dry run.”

Margo’s frown said she was confused.Then she nodded.The people shook their heads, laughed off the incident, and went back to their conversations.Jillian waded to the edge of the pool and took Lex’s hand.

“Dry run?”Lex asked, not buying it.

“Yep.We have a water scene coming up,” Jillian mumbled through teeth beginning to chatter, and her eyes said she was pissed.It wasn’t until they were inside the house and away from the guests that she added, “That was me improvising.The bitch pushed me.”

CHAPTER 8

Lex took her upstairs to a gigantic gray and black bedroom with an equally huge custom-made bed, and led her into the bathroom.

“There are robes and towels in the closet to your right.I’ll be right back,” he said, sounding calm even though his icy gray eyes were almost silver in their intensity.

Jillian hoped he threw Margo out on her skinny butt.The bitch deserved to be knocked down a peg or two for humiliating her.

“Lex,” Jillian said just as he reached for the doorknob.He stopped and glanced at her.“She’s not worth it.”

“Her behavior was unconscionable and—”

“That of a spoiled celebrity,” Jillian finished.“She’s a product of her industry, and dealing with her is totally beneath you.”

He smiled, but the steely eyes didn’t change.“Sweetheart, you have no idea how low I can sink to protect those under my care.”

Cute, but so not going to work for me.“I don’t recall asking you to be my protector, Alexander.”He turned and sauntered back to her, eyes thawing as he got closer.“I have to work with her, Lex, and she’s more important to this movie than I am.”

“Then quit.”

She bristled.“I signed a contract.That means something to me.”

He hesitated as though debating his next move.“Okay.I’ll smile and be polite, but first thing tomorrow morning, I’m adding a clause in her contract that prohibits her from attacking you.”

Jillian cocked her eyebrows.“Really?”