front porch. Her heart thundered and she pulled her robe tighter.
Alex looked like he hadn’t slept all night. His clothes were wrinkled, and his hair looked as though he’d been running his fingers through it repeatedly. He’d obviously not shaved. He looked so sexy in this mussed up state, she almost couldn’t breathe. But it was more than that. More than just good looks and a confident swagger. She felt this insane connection that made her gravitate toward him...made her want to curl up in his lap and be the one to run fingers through that silky hair. At the same time, she staunchly told herself that those feelings were completely outlandish. Despite some time spent together, they really didn’t know each other all that well. And besides, he dropped me like a hot potato, she thought with rising ire, ignoring the fact that he’d thought he was protecting her.
She guessed he’d decided to confront her about the previous night. “Griffin, you better be out of range not to have warned me that he was coming,” she mentally castigated her brother.
“Can I help you with something?” she asked as Alex stood there glowering.
“May I come in?” he asked gruffly.
“Oh!... uh… sure.” She couldn’t really say no without being rude or arousing his suspicions. Best to play along and act innocent.
She stood back so he could enter, and they made their way to the living room. He sat on the black leather couch while Ellie took a seat in the chair opposite him.
“You didn’t go running this morning,” he accused. He leaned forward propping his elbows on his knees and linking his hands together.
“How would you know?” she snapped back. “You haven’t been running with me in weeks.”
Alex’s jaw clenched. “Is your family here?” he asked, glancing around.
“Not right now.”
Although she and Griffin had the scenario of him as her guardian and older brother down pat with years of practice, they still found it much easier if people assumed they had parents somewhere.
Alex cocked his head. “Do you even have a family?” he demanded.
“Excuse me?” Ellie’s voice squeaked. She cleared her throat, annoyed with herself. “Of course I have a family.”
“But not here,” he insisted, indicating the house with a wave of his hand.
“They’re not home right now, no,” she replied, deliberately misunderstanding him.
“They don’t live here at all, even if they do exist.”
“What on Earth is this about, Alex?”
Ellie hopped up and walked across the room to some bookshelves that held several pictures. One of them was her with her parents. A doctored copy of course – Griffin had become a bit of a computer whiz. She presented the framed photograph to Alex with a flourish.
“My parents,” she said. “If they were here, I would introduce them.”
Alex stared at the photograph for a long time. “You’re hiding something,” he finally responded, running his fingers through his hair.
Ellie’s heart turned over. Temptation overwhelmed her. All she wanted was to walk into his arms and tell him everything. But her conversation with Griffin last night was still fresh in her mind. She was terrified she’d put him right in the path of the Vyusher, the last thing she wanted to do, despite his cutting her out of his life over the last weeks. Plus she’d promised Griffin.
A separate part of her mind remained grudgingly impressed with Alex’s powers of observation. Very few people looked closely enough at anyone to catch little nuances as he had with her. Usually they were too self-centered. But he’d called her out on her vagueness from day one. It had the effect of strengthening the connection she was resisting so desperately.
“What is it that you think I’m hiding, exactly?” Ellie asked, hands on her hips.
“You can’t be who you say you are.”
“I don’t say I’m anyone. I’m just me!” she exclaimed. “Who else would I be?”
He flashed her a dark look. “I saw you.”
“Saw me doing what?” Ellie’s confusion was feigned, but her exasperation was authentic.
“Standing in the woods outside my house.”
Ellie gave him a dumfounded look. “And when exactly was I supposed to be standing outside your house?”
“Late last night,” he snapped angrily.
“Yeah,” she scoffed, “that makes total sense. You really are full of yourself. You know that? You think that some little high school girl likes you so much that she’s just going to stand around your house in the cold, hoping for a glimpse?”
“I think you’re a damn good liar is what I think.” Alex clenched his fists. He looked like he wanted to