Her Christmas Surprise. Kristin Hardy

apartment that’s been torn apart, thanks to your brother. I could give a hang what you believe.” Jaw clamped, she snatched up the scissors and began chopping off hanks of red ribbon to bind the mistletoe. “Now, either buy something or get out of this store.”

      Lex studied her for a minute, arms folded. “All right, let’s say you didn’t have any part of it. If that’s true, then it’s in your interest as much as ours to get to the bottom of this thing.”

      “Sure, I’ll get right on that. Let me just find my magic wand.”

      “Look, you’re an accountant. Even if you didn’t have anything to do with it, you should still be able to follow the trail. Maybe you’ll find something the big boys missed. Clear your name and my mother’s. As his fiancée, I’d think you’d want to get to the bottom of it.”

      “He’s not my fiancé,” she said tightly. “I told you, we broke up the morning of the raid.”

      “Perfect timing.”

      “No, perfect timing would have been two years ago when we first started dating,” she snapped. “Forget it, okay? If I want to play detective, I can do it on my own.”

      “Not if you want access to my mother’s papers.”

      “What for?”

      He shrugged, toying with a piece of mistletoe. “He used her accounts as part of his scheme. You might just find the key to something.”

      “Your mother is never going to give me access to her papers. From what I hear, she blames me for the whole thing. First her, then you. What could possibly make me want to work with people who don’t even believe me?”

      “Change her mind,” Lex suggested. “Change mine.”

      “Why should I? Why should I care what either of you think?” Keely reached over for a sprig of mistletoe.

      And his hand landed on hers, stopping her dead. “It’s in both of our interests.”

      Heat bloomed up her arm. For an instant, she didn’t move, couldn’t. His fingers were warm, his palm hard. And all she could do for a helpless instant was wonder what it would feel like on her naked body.

      “Think about it,” he suggested.

      For a bewildered second, Keely wondered how he could possibly know what was in her mind. Then she realized what he meant, and swallowed. “Thanks, but no thanks. And like I said, it’s time for you to go.”

      He removed his hand. “Let me know when you change your mind.”

      “If,” she corrected.

      “When.”

      “Try never,” she retorted.

      He laughed, his teeth very white against his dark skin. “I’ll be around when you’re looking for me.”