“No wonder you quit dating, Alexa. Being with too many men has made you cynical. Casey Carter is falling in love with you, honey. Pull up those big girl panties you created for yourself and deal with it because you’re probably falling for him, too.”
“I am not falling for him. I’ve done nothing but try to discourage him from the beginning. I certainly didn’t ask him to fall in love me,” Alexa said, sounding like a child even to herself.
“Except with your every breath,” Sydney told her, totally exasperated, not believing Alexa didn’t know the truth about herself—hell, about them.
“You and I are narcissists, Alexa. We’re always asking to be loved. You’re used to men desiring you like a Rolex watch or a Lamborghini. Maybe you don’t recognize real desire or real love, but I do, thanks to you. It’s wonderful—and, well awful too—when you fight. Still it’s worth it.”
He stopped her at the end of the hallway with a strong grip on her arm.
“The best thing about fighting with someone you truly love is make-up sex,” Sydney said consolingly.
“I haven’t had any sex yet,” Alexa confessed, blushing at Sydney’s laugh.
“Don’t wait too much longer,” Sydney said wisely. “You guys will be breaking furniture and knick-knacks on the way to the bed. Then when it turns violent with need you’ll end up walking funny for a week.”
“Sydney! Too much information,” Alexa protested, bringing her hands to the sides of her head. The similar threat Casey issued was ringing in her ears again thanks to the man now sleeping with her ex-husband.
Sydney just laughed. “Well, it’s been a while for you, Alexa. You might have forgotten how intense it can be, and the casual kind is nothing compared to being with the right person.”
Sydney turned her around and straightened her clothes from the back and then turned her back to face him again, checking her front.
“Besides, you’ve never been with anyone like Casey. He’s not as refined as the men you’re used to sleeping with. Don’t expect him to be polite in bed. He looks like the kind who wants to call all the shots.”
If Alexa rolled her eyes one more time, she thought she was going to look like she was going through an exorcism. Her head would probably start spinning around on her neck.
“Come on, Sydney. Let’s go sell some underwear. I have to stop thinking about sex or I’m going to have a melt-down.”
She smacked Sydney’s arm when he laughed loudly again.
When they walked through the door into the display area, everyone stopped talking and stared at Alexa, who froze in panic.
Score another win for the Marine, Sydney thought. It was the first time since he’d known Alexa Ranger that Sydney had seen her come unglued in front of a captivated audience. Narcissist no more, Alexa was so worried about her fight with Casey, she’d forgotten about herself.
“They’re all looking at the stunning red dress and heels,” Sydney whispered reassuringly in Alexa’s ear. “You don’t have hot-for-Casey tattooed on your forehead.”
Sydney patted her shoulder. “At least not yet,” he added, bringing a blush to her face.
Alexa smacked Sydney in the chest with the back of her hand, and walked over to talk to the first buyer she recognized.
Chapter 11
“You were home awfully early Friday night,” Seth said to Casey over coffee Sunday morning. Casey only grunted in reply and topped off their cups. Seth hadn’t seen him at all yesterday and figured Casey had been hiding in his room.
While he wondered what was up with the man who had raised him, Seth sipped the excellent coffee with gratitude. He’d gotten very spoiled letting Casey take care of the cooking and other domestic chores. Casey had insisted it gave him something to do with his time.
“The way you were smiling when you left here—well, I guess I thought I wouldn’t see you for a few days,” Seth said around a grin, trying to lighten the mood.
This got another grunt out of Casey.
“We had a fight. Alexa was flirting and I called her on it,” Casey said flatly, sipping his coffee and staring at the counter as if he wanted to kill it.
So that’s what happened, Seth thought. He chose his words carefully.
“Jenna thinks her mother flirts too much too. I don’t see it that way though. Was Alexa touching anyone or letting them touch her while she talked with them?” Seth asked.
Casey thought back. The only person Alexa had touched was him when she grabbed the front of his uniform.
“No. I guess not,” Casey admitted.
“Then she was probably just being friendly and making conversation,” Seth reasoned.
He met Casey’s troubled gaze across the table.
“Jenna grew up in the shadow of a famous model turned more famous lingerie designer. I can understand Jenna wishing now and again for a more normal mother. But that’s not the reality of who Alexa Ranger is. A successful model’s public image is a marketable commodity, and Alexa Ranger has been smart to build her business around her notoriety.”
Seth took another drink of coffee while he watched Casey struggling with what he was saying.
“My guess is Alexa’s flirting is an autopilot reaction to any sort of attention. I mean the woman is incredibly successful. I wish I had half her social charm,” Seth said easily.
Casey scratched his whiskered jaw, and set his coffee cup on the table.
“Let me get this straight. You don’t see why I want to date the woman, but you think her flirting is just—hell, good for her business?” Casey asked, totally blown away by what Seth was saying.
Seth laughed a little self-consciously. “It’s not as shallow as it sounds.”
“Have you ever seen Alexa dressed up—I mean, full-out model mode?” Casey asked.
Seth ran a hand through his hair and wrinkled his forehead. “Come to think of it—no.”
“Picture Jenna in that blue dress, and then multiply by ten. Add unshakeable self-confidence, more poise than a queen holding court, and a glint in her eye that says she’s not afraid of doing anything she wants to do. And take it from me, the glint is not an idle threat. The woman is—incorrigible,” Casey said finally, remembering the adjective from her snide comment about being called so by the press. It fitted her perfectly.
“So you were jealous and asked her to stop flirting?” Seth asked around a smile.
He didn’t know as much about women as Casey, but even he knew better than to openly criticize a famous woman always in the public limelight. Jenna had shared story after story about how the press had tracked her mother’s dating life, not to mention her every business move.
Casey rubbed his unshaven face with a tired hand. Sleep had been impossible last night and he was feeling its loss this morning.
“More like I told Alexa she was being disrespectful to me,” he admitted.
Seth grimaced. “That couldn’t have gone well. Did she throw something at you or hit you over the head with the nearest large object?”
“No,” Casey said frowning. “She kissed me with tongue in front of God and everyone at the VA center. Then she told me to go to hell and took a taxi home from Arlington.”
Seth picked up his phone, scrolled through the contacts, and held it up so Casey could read the display.
“Best florist in Falls Church,” Seth told him. “They always get the words right on the apology note.”
That got a laugh out of Casey. “Too late for flowers. I talked her assistant Sydney into letting me wait for her in her office yesterday morning. The apology didn’t go well either. She was still really mad and I ended up trapping her against the wall with my cane while she spat insults at me. I don’t think she heard a word I said.”
Seth’s eyes widened. “Shit, Casey. You physically subdued the woman in her own office? I’m surprised we’re sitting here having this conversation. You should be in a hospital having your nuts put back in place.”
“Tell me about it,” Casey said with a frown. “
She didn’t fight back and I don’t know why. It bothers the hell out of me.”
“I guess I know where Jenna gets her hardheadedness from now,” Seth countered.
The fact that he and Seth were having similar problems with women in the same family was just another reason to laugh for Casey. Thank God his sense of humor was still working.
“Alexa and I were joking Friday about how our relationship was the kind of thing you see on a reality talk show.”
“Nah,” Seth said lightly. “If you were sleeping with Alexa, and then found out I was secretly sleeping with both mother and daughter, then THAT would make us a good show. Right now we’re just like all the other pathetic losers who aren’t getting any from their women.”
When Casey burst out laughing, Seth could tell he was finally making Casey feel better.
“Since you value your man parts, we know you sleeping with Alexa is never going to be a problem, don’t we?” Casey threatened.
Seth just grinned without answering Casey’s question. He still couldn’t understand what Casey saw in Jenna’s mother, but he could definitely see Casey was wrestling hard with it—whatever it was. And Seth had to admit that it was highly entertaining to imagine his macho military cousin telling a woman like Alexa Ranger that her flirting was disrespectful.
Only Casey had that kind of nerve.
Seth recalled all the times that Casey and Susan used to argue. A couple days would go by, and then Susan would suddenly be smiling. Casey would also be smiling, and from Seth’s standpoint—gloating. Whatever leverage Casey used with angry women, it seemed to work for him. Seth had no trouble believing eventually Casey would win his battle with Alexa Ranger, even if his cousin lost a skirmish or two along the way.
“Want French toast and bacon for breakfast?” Casey asked, bad mood lifting at last.
Seth smiled. “Sounds great. I hope you know I’ve put on a lot of weight in the year you’ve been here.”
“You’re four inches taller than me, Seth. When I got here last year, you looked like a walking skeleton. You should come to the gym with me and put some muscle on that frame of yours,” Casey told him.
“No need,” Seth said, answering a text he received while he talked with Casey. “I don’t think I’m going to have to physically subdue Jenna to get her to listen to my apology. I think she’s weakening. She actually answered one of the twenty texts I sent her last week.”
Casey shook his head at how naïve Seth was about female strength of character, of which he was fast learning the Ranger women had more than their share.
“Seth, let me tell you something. Fighting with a woman who has set her mind on something is harder than fighting a battalion of armed men. The woman is more strategic, mentally. Sometimes a physical approach is the only tactical recourse left.”
Seth shook his head from side-to-side and sighed loudly.
“Casey, I love you man. Are you going to talk in military euphemisms for the rest of your life?” Seth asked, being a tad more sarcastic than usual in his teasing.
“Why? Do you want me talk in phone text shorthand instead, like ‘OMG, Casey, I am ROFL at your stories about Alexa?” Casey mimicked the text language he knew Seth used with friends.
Seth grinned, happy to see the evil returning to Casey’s eyes.
“Yeah, but you need to work on your text vocabulary. I would say—WTF Casey, you going to let Alexa win the fight? OMG, I can’t believe it. BTWAGIOW,” Seth finished.
Casey paused in turning the bacon that was sizzling and dancing in the pan.
“You lost me. What’s the last one mean?”
“Bed The Woman And Get It Over With,” Seth said, laughing. “The sexual tension is killing you.”
Casey laughed and turned back to the bacon. “You can say that again.”
The doorbell rang and Seth went to see who it was. When he did, he could only gape before his sense of humor caught up. It was like every time he and Casey talked about Alexa Ranger, she showed up.
This morning she stood quietly, waiting in the doorway wearing sunglasses, baggy sweats, and running shoes that had seen some hard use. Looking at the sweats, Seth pondered Casey’s sanity again but smiled at her anyway, getting a fairly dazzling smile in return. Even with the smile, Seth just didn’t see the mega beauty in the aging woman Casey claimed was there.
“I guess you smelled the French toast and bacon from the gym. Come on in. Breakfast is almost ready.” Seth smiled genuinely at the woman.
At least, she was going to completely roust Casey from the blues one way or the other.
Alexa stepped across the threshold and removed her sunglasses. “Spur of the moment visit,” she said.
She saw her biting her lip in a way that reminded him painfully of Jenna.
“Nah. I don’t believe it. I’ve known Casey too long. He must be getting better. It used to take two whole days,” Seth said around a lingering smile. Casey should definitely give lessons on how to argue with women and win, he thought.
Alexa had no idea what Seth was talking about it, but she did notice he was being exceptionally nice to her this morning.
Seth motioned for her to follow and walked ahead of her to the kitchen.
“Make enough for three,” Seth said to Casey’s back.
Casey turned from the stove, and froze seeing Alexa standing beside Seth. Or at least he was fairly sure it was Alexa.
The disgusted grunt was instinctual.
“Grunge is a really different look for you,” Casey said harshly before he could bite his tongue.
The moment he spoke he saw her eyes darken. He swore inside, but it was too late to take the words back. The well-worn gray pants were all but falling off her, and the shirt was at least two sizes too big and had seen better days. In fact, they looked more like men’s sweats.
Alexa’s hands came to her hips immediately. She had only herself to blame. She should have known Casey wouldn’t even say hello before launching into insults. Since Alexa had come by to try to get him to be reasonable, she was doubly upset to know rushing over here had been a waste of her time.
Seth had to look away to stop the laugh from escaping. Casey was going to need a metal jock strap to protect his balls if he kept insulting the woman.
“Yeah. Well, Mr. Scruffy, you don’t exactly look like the front cover of men’s magazine yourself this morning,” Alexa told Casey. “Hard to sleep with a guilty conscience, isn’t it?”
She looked at his holey, camouflaged tee shirt with undisguised disgust.
Casey knew it would shock Seth if he walked to Alexa and did what he wanted to do—like turn her over his knee, so instead he sighed and turned reluctantly back to the stove.
“You’re going to love my French toast,” Casey said, ignoring her verbal jab. “It’s something I do really well.”
“I didn’t come for breakfast. I was working out and—“ Alexa stopped, swore at herself because it was really hard to lower her pride.
“I hate this,” Alexa said to Casey’s back. “You were wrong Friday night, but I—I’m sorry we had to fight so much about it.”
There, it was out, she thought. She was quite proud of herself for being so mature.
“Maybe I was out of line,” Casey said quietly. “Maybe I should have listened more when you tried to explain.”
Alexa blinked, and then dropped her hands to her side.
Seth watched in wonder. Casey hadn’t even admitted to being wrong, he’d just said “maybe”. His friends had advised full-out groveling netted the best results. Well, Seth was certainly learning a different technique this morning. Start with an insult, just say “maybe” you were wrong, and glare—a lot.
Alexa continued to stare because Casey hadn’t turned around yet.
“Are we good then?” she directed the question again to his back.
“No. Probably not,” Casey said, turning finally to meet her gaze. “I’m sure it will come up again the next time I catch you flirting.”
She breathed in and out for a moment, fighting to find some calm. Nothing was settled then, Alexa thought. Casey wasn’t sorry. He was just trying to make peace with her. She hated to be placated, more than she hated to be publicly shamed.
Seth thought it must be the woman’s maturity that kept her from bursting into tears and running from the room. Even he was offended by Casey, and it wasn’t his business at all.
“Damn you, Casey. Are you always so sure you’re right?” Alexa asked, exasperated at his condescending attitude.
“No. This is why I didn’t sleep last night and haven’t shaved this morning. Why do you look like hell?” Casey challenged.
“I work out at a co-ed gym,” she said, crossing her arms. “I left the tight yoga pants at home this morning out of residual guilt about drawing unwanted male attention—obviously misplaced guilt I see now. I won’t make that mistake again either. And I repeat, your attitude brings out the absolute worst in me. I try to be rational and reasonable, but it just doesn’t seem to work with you.”
Casey waved a hand to her horrible clothes. “I know those are not yours. Who do those clothes even belong to?”
“My ex,” Alexa said, lifting her chin, daring him to say something nasty.
Casey laughed bitterly, swore richly, and then stared at the kitchen ceiling as if he could find patience among the tiles. He couldn’t kill Alexa in front of a witness, and he couldn’t drag her off to bed yet for the same reason. All he could do was retreat and save the rest of the fight for another day.
“I hope you’re not expecting any sissy, sugar-free syrup. This is a bachelor pad. All we have is the real stuff,” Casey told her harshly, his mouth set in a tight line.
Alexa looked at Seth, whose mouth was hanging open as he studied Casey. It was good to know she wasn’t the only one shocked by the man’s obstinate behavior.
“So tell me, Seth, did I win this round? And if I did, how the hell can I tell?” Alexa asked.
Seth closed his mouth and cleared his throat, a little worried about being dragged into the fight.
Dating A Cougar Page 12
