Under Her Skin. Сьюзен Мэллери

you need to meet.”

      “Here?” he asked as he stayed in his seat.

      She stood and put her hands on her hips. “Get up now, Cruz. Don’t make me fight dirty.”

      He grinned. “You gonna wrestle me into submission?”

      “You wish. I was thinking of pretending to cry.”

      That got him to his feet.

      He followed her to a table in the back. Lexi waited until the man there looked up from his newspaper and smiled.

      “Morning, Congressman. Good to see you.”

      “Lexi. How are you, darlin’?”

      “Great.” She grabbed Cruz’s hand, ignoring the inevitable tingle, and drew him next to her. “Congressman Vantage, this is Cruz Rodriquez.”

      The congressman looked Cruz over and nodded curtly. “You tell your daddy I send him my best,” he said to Lexi, basically ignoring the introduction.

      Lexi didn’t understand. Was it a new-money thing? A Mexican-American thing? Did it matter?

      She held out her left hand so the diamond ring was clearly visible. “We’re engaged.”

      The older man’s face changed. He stood and held out his hand to Cruz. “Are you, now? Congratulations. You’re a lucky man, winning a Titan girl. Especially Lexi. Do you golf?”

      “Sure,” Cruz told him.

      Vantage handed over a business card. “Give me a call. We’ll go spoil a good walk, as my wife likes to say about my golfing. What kind of business are you in, son?”

      “Cars. Everything from racing to dealerships.”

      “Good. Good. I know some people you need to meet.” The congressman’s cell phone rang. “I need to get that. You two take care, you hear?”

      They returned to their table. Lexi didn’t know what to think.

      “He wasn’t subtle,” she grumbled. “I don’t get him blowing you off. What if you wanted to contribute to his campaign?”

      “He doesn’t need the money. His seat is assured for as long as he wants it.”

      Which was true, but still. Apparently she didn’t have to wonder if Cruz really needed her connections to make his way into Texas society.

      “Why do you want to be a part of all this?” she asked.

      “I’m taking the game to the next level.”

      “You won’t like it.”

      He stared into her eyes. “I want to have the choice. Thanks for that.” He jerked his head toward the rear table.

      “Just fulfilling my part of the bargain.”

      “Is your sister still angry with you?” he asked. “About the announcement?”

      “She’ll get over it.”

      “You have a second sister.”

      She sipped her coffee, then nodded. “I’m the oldest of three. My parents divorced when I was barely three. Not that I remember a lot about my mom spending time with me or anything. That wasn’t her way.” She grimaced. “I know, I know. Poor little rich girl.”

      “Divorce is never easy on a young child.”

      “Jed remarried very quickly. Prudence Lightly.”

      Cruz raised his eyebrows. “Why do I know that name?”

      “She was a famous actress in her day. Very beautiful. She was married when Jed strolled in and swept her off her feet. Apparently there was quite the scandal. I didn’t know about any of that. I found out later. All I knew was that when Pru moved into the house, everything was different. She was funny and liked me. I don’t remember anyone liking me before that. Not enough to pay attention.”

      What she remembered about being very young was how quiet her world had been. The silence of being by herself. The muffled footsteps of her various nannies. The hush of loneliness.

      “Pru had Skye right away. She was probably pregnant when she married Jed. Once Skye was born, Pru didn’t have as much time for me, but I didn’t care. It was enough to have a baby sister. I spent every minute with her and when she started walking and talking, it was a miracle. My first friend.”

      She smiled at the memory. “Then Izzy came along and everything was perfect. There were three of us. Growing up in a town that had the same name as we did could have been daunting if any of us had been alone, but we always had each other. Anyone who messed with one of us had to deal with all three of us.” She looked at him over her coffee cup. “Even you.”

      “I can handle it.”

      “You say that now. We’ll see what happens after you have to deal with my sisters.” Would they like Cruz? Lexi thought they might, then reminded herself it didn’t matter if they didn’t. Six months from now, Cruz would be gone.

      “What happened to your stepmother?”

      Her humor faded, taking her good mood with it. She didn’t want to think about Pru—about that time. She shivered slightly. “She died when I was fourteen. It was difficult for all of us.”

      “I’m sorry.”

      She nodded because there was nothing to say. Nothing that could ever explain why Pru had killed herself and left Skye to find her body.

      “Jed never remarried?” Cruz said.

      “No. He’s had plenty of women, but no other wives. I don’t know why. I doubt he was so desperately in love with Pru that he couldn’t imagine replacing her.” That would require more emotion than he was capable of feeling.

      “People marry for different reasons.”

      “Social status and standing in the community?” she asked.

      “Isn’t that why Jed married your mother?”

      “That doesn’t make it right.”

      “You think people should marry for love?”

      “It’s traditional,” she said lightly. “Not every relationship has to be a business transaction. There are more important things in life than winning.”

      “Name one.”

      Being loved, she thought, as the waitress arrived with their breakfasts. She set Cruz’s stuffed omelet in front of him, then served Lexi her cinnamon French toast.

      Lexi waited while he took a bite, then grinned as his eyes widened slightly.

      “See,” she told him. “It was worth it. Admit it.”

      “It was,” he said when he’d chewed and swallowed. “You were right.”

      “Magic words,” she said with a sigh.

      “So it is about winning.”

      “Not in the way you mean it.”

      “You’re a lot more like me than you want to admit,” he said.

      Instead of answering, she took a bite of her breakfast.

      Cruz was wrong about her, but she wasn’t going to tell him that. Better that he think she was as determined and emotionless as he was. He wouldn’t guess that behind her cool facade lurked the heart of a romantic. Not that he would care if he knew—the more she learned about Cruz, the more he reminded her of her father. A man who had never experienced a soft emotion in his life and didn’t see the point of ever giving his heart.

      WHEN THEY ARRIVED back at her town house, Cruz pointed to the boxes.

      “I could help you pack.”

      “That’s okay. I can handle