Tempted In Texas. HEATHER MACALLISTER

Why, she didn’t know. She hadn’t been kidding when she’d told Laurie that the pickings were slim among her parents’ New Year’s Eve crowd.

      As the thought occurred to her, Alec knocked on her door. She knew it was Alec because he was the only one knocking on her door these days. And she suddenly knew why she was wrestling with lip liner.

      Alec came from a background where the women wore lip liner. They didn’t just buy it with good intentions, then leave it in their bathroom drawers until it dried out and crumbled when they got around to using it on New Year’s Eve to impress him.

      Not that she was trying to impress him. He knocked again. Gwen threw down the lip liner, slashed at her mouth with lipstick and hurried to the door, then slowed when she realized he wasn’t going anywhere—she had the car keys, after all.

      Speaking of…where had she put her purse? Right, back in the bedroom so she could exchange her leather carryall for a petite evening bag that was basically useless. She was just going to her mother’s, but Alec would see her and Gwen had some pride, misplaced though it was.

      He knocked again.

      “All right! I heard you the first time you banged on the door!” He must be eager to see Stephanie.

      Irritated, Gwen flung open the door. “You’re just going to have to wait until I get my purse and a jack—”

      Hands shoved in his pockets, Alec lounged against the iron railing at the top of the stairs outside her door. He looked…he looked…well, certainly worthy of lip liner.

      He’d done the slicked-back thing with his hair, only on him it looked good. And the tux was…was black and shawl-collared with a shirt so white it hurt to look at it. He wore the traditional black bow tie and his shirt studs had to be a studly onyx and not plastic.

      Gwen hung on to the doorknob with a death grip and tried to remember what she’d been saying. It would help if he’d give her a clue, but Alec wasn’t even looking at her. No, judging by the direction of his gaze, he was looking at her…bubbles.

      “Nice sweater.” Grinning, Alec raised his eyes to hers. “Very…effervescent.”

      “Ha ha.” Gwen straightened. “You have cat hair on your tux.”

      “Damn cat.” He spoke with resignation and brushed at his arms.

      “Pant leg,” Gwen pointed. “Come in and I’ll get you some masking tape.”

      “Why?” He followed her in and shut the door.

      Gwen ignored her wobbly legs and took off for the kitchen. “For the cat hair.”

      She rummaged around in her kitchen drawer and brought him the roll of tape. “Wrap it around your hand sticky side out.”

      “Wouldn’t it make sense to invest in a lint brush?”

      “I have a lint brush, but I don’t want cat hair in it.”

      Alec smiled in a worldly amused way and wrapped his hand in the tape.

      It was so not fair. He looked fabulous and she could only aspire to cute with slightly risqué bubbles. And then only if she slouched.

      While Alec removed all traces of Armageddon, Gwen went back to the bedroom, packed the tiny purse and found her trench coat. It was khaki and didn’t go with her outfit. Why was she only thinking of that now? On the other hand, was it really cold enough for a jacket? What had she worn last year? Probably the trench coat.

      Her car had a heater. She’d just ditch the coat.

      Then she remembered that she needed an overnight bag which would really spoil her look, but she no longer cared. If she took too much more time, then Alec would come looking for her and the thought of Alec in her bedroom… She refused to entertain thoughts of Alec in her bedroom.

      Alec was still in her kitchen disposing of the makeshift lint brush in the trash can under the sink. “So how do I look? Any more cat hair?” He held out his arms and turned around.

      Gwen stuck her nose in the air. “Absolutely fab, dahling. Seriously, you look great—like you’re wearing Armani.”

      A beat went by. Something about the expression on his face… Gwen cringed inwardly. “You are wearing Armani, aren’t you?”

      “I got a great deal.” Alec took her overnight satchel from her. “I paid fifteen bucks for it yesterday afternoon. Got it from a guy who found it hanging in the back of his closet.” He held open the door for her.

      “What luck.” Without meeting his eyes, Gwen waited until he was outside, locked the door and handed him the keys.

      Alec stood staring at them as they lay in his palm reflecting the multicolored blinking from her neighbor’s Christmas lights.

      Maybe she should have taken the Scooby-Doo in a Santa hat off the key ring. Gwen wondered if Stephanie liked Scooby-Doo. “Sorry, my Rolls is in the shop. It needed an oil change.”

      He didn’t even crack a smile. “I appreciate this, Gwen.” Gesturing for her to precede him down the stairs, he muttered something that sounded like, “I hope Stephanie does,” but Gwen couldn’t be sure.

      Alec was in a strange mood. As he drove her to her parents’ house, he smiled and joked back at her, but there wasn’t any zing to it.