Blame It On Texas

“That’s really nice of you,” she said sincerely.

Shrugging off the compliment, he moved to the other side of the room, dropping a game CD at every station. “It’s the least I could do,” he told her. “I know how hard it is to be a computer nerd amidst all the athletes and popular kids.”

Lexie hadn’t ever really fit in, either. “And yet look at where you are today.” They met again, in the center of the room.

“Right here.” Lewis wrapped both arms around her waist and drew her against him. Without warning, every secret fantasy she had ever had about him turned real. His voice turned husky. “With you.”

Lexie trembled at the feel of his hard body, pressed up against her. His fingers brushed down her face, stroked along her jaw. Her skin heated and the pulse at the base of her neck fluttered wildly. Determined to keep some connection with reality, she batted her eyelids and teased, “Why, Lewis McCabe.” She affected her best Texas belle drawl. “Are you hitting on me?”

Sifting both his hands through her hair, he lowered his head and tilted his face slightly to the right. He moved in even closer, all sexy, determined male. His eyes darkened to a smoky blue-gray. “What if I am?”

Lexie moaned as his lips captured hers and he invaded her mouth with his tongue. If the caress the night before had been full of promise and yet restrained, this one was so deliberately sensual it took her breath away. No one had ever kissed her like this, as if he had waited his entire life for her. No one had ever made her feel like this, she realized—so warm and wanted and feminine. His lips made a slow, mesmerizing exploration of hers. Swept up in the embrace, Lexie forgot she was supposed to be forging a strictly professional relationship with him. He kissed her until she moaned softly and clung to him, until every inch of her was tingling with need. Lexie hadn’t meant for anything like this to happen but she was powerless to resist. Lewis’s seduction left her vulnerable, and aching for more. It left her wanting to see where this would lead. Had it not been for the sudden, jarring sound of a phone ringing on the wall just behind them, and the collection of youthful voices coming ever closer, who knew what would have happened next.

The awareness they were no longer alone forced them to draw apart. To her surprise—and yes, pleasure—Lewis looked as completely affected as she felt, even as the guilt that she shouldn’t be getting involved with a “client” filtered through her. She had done that to disastrous results once before. Did she really want to do it again? Mold a man into every woman’s fantasy only to have him leave her behind, once he had gotten what he wanted…?

Her emotions in turmoil, she turned away from Lewis and spotted a group of high school kids coming down the hall, then filtering into the computer testing lab. It seemed to be about half guys and half girls, Lexie noted. All were dressed in jeans and gaming T-shirts. Name tags were plastered to their chests. Most of the kids, like Lewis, were somewhat challenged in the personal style department. But all were very happy to see him. He was obviously a hero to them, and Lexie could see why. Not many men as successful as Lewis would take the time to mentor a group of high school kids.

“What game are we trying out tonight?” Percy McNamara asked eagerly.

Lewis moved to the center of the group. “It’s called ‘The Deal Maker.’ It’s a game that puts the player in mythical business situations. The goal is to win each task without losing your moral compass or compromising your ethics.”

A young girl with frizzy hair and glasses teased, “Are you trying to educate us, Mr. McCabe?”

Lewis winked. “Or teach you all how to become self-made millionaires without landing in jail.”

Guffaws all around. The room reverberated with excitement. Lexie enjoyed seeing Lewis in his element. It gave her a sense of what kind of father he would be one day. “You’ve got ninety minutes until the pizza arrives,” Lewis said, directing the eager group to their stations. He returned to Lexie’s side and eased her toward a gaming station, too.

“THANKS FOR HOSTING this event, as always,” the club sponsor, Josephine Holdsworth, told Lewis as the three of them walked toward the lobby. The computer science teacher at LHS was pretty and single and—if Lexie’s instincts were correct—as romantically interested in the school organization’s most famous benefactor as she was.

“My pleasure,” Lewis replied, showing no evidence that he knew the pert redhead had a giant-sized crush on him.

“And thank you for attending our meeting, too,” Josephine continued, regarding Lexie warmly. Josephine paused to shrug on her coat, before stepping out into the brisk autumn air. “I don’t think the students know what you do for a living, but I certainly do. The spread they did on your clients in In-Fashion Magazine last year was downright amazing.”

“Thanks,” Lexie said.

“I’d heard from some of the other faculty who grew up here, too, that you were from this area.” Josephine’s expression faltered slightly. She swallowed and completed her fact-finding mission. “But I had no idea you were dating Lewis.”

Lexie blushed, aware that if she let this misconception stand it would be all over Laramie in no time. “No. We’re not. I would never…” she stammered, wishing she had never agreed to let him employ her as his stylist. Then this wouldn’t be such a dilemma. She could let the rumors fly and just see where their obvious attraction to one another led. But she had a professional reputation to protect. Lexie gulped and forced herself to continue, “Lewis is a cl—”

“Friend,” Lewis interrupted, before she could finish the word. He stepped slightly in front of her. “Lexie and I are friends, Josephine.”

Josephine beamed. “Oh.” She fished in her handbag for her car keys. “Well, in that case, perhaps Lexie would consider making an appearance at the LHS Career Night on Tuesday evening, too? The students would love to hear about your profession.”

Lexie smiled. “I’d be glad to participate.”

“Great! We’ll see you both then,” she announced cheerfully.

Lewis watched as Josephine exited, then turned back to Lexie. “Sorry I had to cut you off like that.”

Lexie studied the guilty expression on his handsome face. She planted her boots firmly on the marble lobby floor. “Why did you?”

He moved toward her, not stopping until they stood toe to toe. “I didn’t want word getting out that I had hired you to help me.”

She propped her hands on her hips and lifted her chin. “Don’t you think they’re going to figure it out when you start looking a whole lot different after spending concentrated time with me?”

Lewis’s probing glance made a leisurely tour of her body before returning to her eyes. “Well, maybe not so much if people thought we were dating,” he offered in an offhand tone.

“Right,” Lexie said dryly, savvy enough to realize when someone was embarrassed by what she did for a living. “Then they would just think you were whipped. That’d be sooo much better.”

Lewis caught her by the arms and turned her to face him. “If word got out we were dating, would that be so bad?”

She ignored the warmth of his fingers that penetrated the layers of her clothing. “Yes. You’re a client,” she reminded him, delicately extricating herself from his grip.

“But people here don’t know that,” he insisted.

“But I do,” Lexie retorted stubbornly. “And I don’t date clients, Lewis.”

He paused to come up with a new strategy. “Then we’ll just have to tell people we’re spending time together because we’re friends.”

“You’d rather do that than let word get out you hired a stylist to help you change your image?” she asked in disbelief.

“Yes.” Lewis’s jaw was set.

Her heart pounding, Lexie fell silent as she studied the half-hidden apology in his eyes. “You’re that ashamed of what I’m trying to do for you?” she asked, even as she struggled to ignore her reaction to his nearness.

Lewis released a frustrated breath. “Is that a trick question?” He peered at her from behind his lenses.

Temper flaring, Lexie rummaged through her shoulder bag for her keys. Thank heavens her stepmother and father had loaned her a ranch pickup to drive while she was in town, so she didn’t have to rely on Lewis McCabe for her transportation home. “It’s an honest inquiry,” she replied in a voice laced with steel. She paused to look up at him and let their glances mesh, sorry now she had kissed him at all. “And yours was an honest answer.” She held the keys so tight they pinched her palm. Chin held high, she marched past him, toward the exit.

Lewis fixed her with an exasperated look. “Where are you going?”

She barreled past. “None of your concern.”

“Lexie. Come on.”

She ignored the entreaty in his tone and tossed him a withering look over her shoulder as she sped through the double glass doors. Bad enough she had doubts about her chosen vocation—she didn’t need to hear them from him! “Find yourself another stylist to help you, Lewis,” she snapped. “I’m out of here.”

Chapter Four

“Please, Mrs. R., you’ve got to help me,” Lewis said.

Jenna Remington shook her head at Lewis. “To tell you the truth, Lewis, after what you said to Lexie last night, I think it’s hopeless.”

“I didn’t mean to insult her.” Lewis followed Jenna around the stylish dress boutique.

With a shrug of her slender shoulders, Jenna glided past rows of couture wedding dresses bearing the Jenna Lockhart Remington label, to a rack of equally dazzling evening dresses. “But you did insult her profession and hurt her feelings, Lewis. So maybe it’s best you just let Lexie be.”

Lewis ignored the lanky teenage girl who paraded out of the dressing room area in a bright blue beaded evening gown. “I can’t leave things the way they are between us.”

“Just a minute, hon,” Jenna told Lewis. She swept over to the customer and helped her onto the pedestal in front of the three-way mirror. “What do you think of this one, Sydney?”

“I don’t know. It looks so…adult,” Sydney said, turning this way and that in the beautiful gown. She lifted her gazellelike neck. “I look like I’m twenty-three or something.”

“Not the look you’re going for,” Jenna surmised thoughtfully while Lewis waited impatiently for them to finish so he could get back to finding a way to get back in Lexie’s good graces.

Sydney flung her waist-length copper hair over her shoulder. “No! Looking older than you are can really date an actress!” She lifted her hair off the nape of her neck experimentally.

“What age would you like to appear?” Jenna asked seriously.

“Seventeen. The same age I’m going to be in the movie I just did,” Sydney replied, studying how she looked with her hair twisted in a knot on top of her head.

The door to the boutique jangled. Swearing inwardly at the additional interruption, Lewis turned in the direction of the sound and saw Lexie and her mother walk in.

As always, the sight of Lexie took his breath away. His spirits sank as he took in the arctic chill in her turquoise blue eyes when their gazes met.

He had really, really screwed up.

Before he had a chance to say anything, Sydney clapped a hand to her chest. Completely ignoring the Contessa, who was dripping in jewels and some sort of fur stole, Sydney gasped in excitement. She hopped off the pedestal and rushed toward Lexie. “I can’t believe it! Lexie Remington, in the flesh! Me, in the same room with the hottest stylist in Hollywood!”

Lexie shot Lewis a brief, withering glare, as if to say, “See? Some people do appreciate me,” then turned back to Sydney with a smile. She extended a gracious hand. “Hi. And you’re…?”

“Sydney Mazero. Hottest new thing in Hollywood.” The young girl blushed self-consciously. “I hope, anyway.”

“Sydney’s movie—Calamity Sue—premieres in Austin at the end of the week,” Jenna explained.

Sydney’s head bobbed up and down. “And I’m still trying to find something to wear that—sorry, Jenna—doesn’t look I’m dressing up in my mother’s clothes!”

Jenna smiled, patient as ever. “No offense taken. My designs are for the older set.”

“Could you help me find something, Lexie? Please?” Sydney clasped her hands in front of her in mute supplication.

“Lexie’s on vacation,” Jenna interrupted.

“Alexandra,” the Contessa interrupted, even more preemptively, “is going to Dallas with me.”

Lexie tensed. “No, I’m not, Mother.”

“Alexandra,” the Contessa corrected, “I thought we had agreed a few days of shopping and staying in a five-star hotel would do wonders for you.”

“Shopping isn’t fun to me, Mother. It’s work. And as Jenna said, I’m on vacation.” Lexie glared at Lewis again, letting him know she was sorry she had ever agreed to forget that and help him.

Sydney looked crestfallen. “I understand,” she said softly. “I’m sorry I put you on the spot by asking. I know you only take the A-list actors now. It’s just the way the business works.”

“Actually,” Lexie said, pausing to give Lewis another telling glare, “I’d be glad to help you pull together an ensemble for the premiere, Sydney. But first I have to tend to a few things, so if you could…just wait…”

“I’ll be in the dressing room.” Sydney picked up her skirt and dashed off.

“That was really nice of you,” Lewis said.

“Wow,” Lexie replied sweetly, “how nice of you to approve.”

Ouch.

The phone rang behind the counter and a saleswoman picked it up. “Just a moment,” she said, putting the caller on hold. “Lexie, Constantine Romeo’s assistant is on the phone. Apparently, Constantine wants you to help him create a look for the European tour of his new movie.”

The Contessa’s eyes lit with interest. “Isn’t that the young man who…?”

“Yes, Mother, it is.” Lexie looked at the salesperson, who was still holding the phone. “Tell him thanks but no thanks. And if his assistant calls again, just do us both a favor and don’t tell me about it.”

“Okay. Sorry, Lexie.”

“No problem.”

Looking out the window, Lewis saw a limo pull up at the curb and a uniformed driver get out. “Alexandra,” the Contessa implored, “I really want you to come with me.”

“I really don’t want to go.”

The Contessa glanced at her watch. “Fine,” she snapped. “I’ll go alone. But when I get back you and I are going to spend time together.”

Lexie merely nodded. The tension in the room lessened markedly as the limo pulled away with Melinda inside.

“I think I’ll go see if Sydney needs anything,” Jenna murmured. She and the saleswoman ducked into the back, leaving Lewis and Lexie to square off with each other.

“For the record, I think you should forgive me,” Lewis began.

“For the record, I think you’re an idiot.”

Lewis shrugged. “No argument there.”

She snorted in a most unladylike fashion. “Why did you even hire me if you didn’t believe in what I do?”

He edged closer. “That’s complicated.”

She glared at him, her breasts rising and falling with every infuriated breath she took. “I’m still listening.”

Lewis continued. “I’ve been hearing for a long time from everyone in my family just how bad my taste in clothes is.”

Lexie’s gaze swept over his orange, brown and white-striped bellbottom pants, brown Nehru jacket and scuffed leather boots. “No kidding,” she said curtly.

“So I know I need help, but I’m also a guy, Lexie.” He waited until she angled her chin up at him before continuing. “And the fact is real men don’t need any help picking out their clothes or deciding how to get their hair cut or whatever. Real men do just fine on their own.”

Without warning, Lexie began to laugh.

He scowled. “It’s not that funny.”

“Yes,” she countered, refusing to let him take himself too seriously, “it is.”

“All right.” Lewis rubbed his jaw ruefully. “Maybe it is. All I know is that I need help in the wardrobe department. I just don’t want to need help. I want to be as skilled at picking out the right clothes as I am at designing a software game, and I’m just not.”

“I get that.” She glided nearer, a mixture of interest and compassion filling her turquoise eyes. “I don’t get how you got stuck in the Eighties.” She looked him over again. “Where do you even find those clothes?”

Somehow, Lewis managed not to look too embarrassed. “Vintage clothing shops, near Stanford University. I’ve got a standing account at a couple of places and they just send me things in my size every three months.”

“And charge you an arm and a leg to boot, I bet.”

Once again, she’d hit the nail on the head. “Clothes like this aren’t that easy to find.”

Lexie sighed. “I can only imagine.”

“It’s a look that worked well for me for the past ten years. As long as I was wearing vintage, I was a trendsetter. The clothes just enhanced my rep as an eccentric genius.”

“So why change?”

“Because despite all my business success, I’m starting to feel like a geek again.”

“But at the same time you’re afraid to change.”

“What if the clothes I select make me the kind of joke I was in high school?” His jaw tightened. “Or don’t you remember?” he asked.

She reached over and gently touched his arm. “Unfortunately, I do. The polyester pants, the bowling shirts with your name on the chest and a lightning bolt on the back.” She withdrew her hand and shook her head.

“Yeah, well, what can I say?” Lewis shrugged and settled on one of the sofas in the center of the dress salon. “Einstein probably didn’t know how to dress, either.”

Lexie plopped down beside him. She stretched out her long, black-suede-clad legs. “At least you put yourself in good company.”

Lewis studied the toes of her black leather boots. “You know what I mean.”

“Yes,” Lexie said, favoring him with a sexy half smile that made him want to take her in his arms and kiss her again, “I do.”

Silence fell between them, more companionable this time. “I still want to hire you.”

Lexie bounded to her feet. “Even though it embarrasses the hell out of you.”

Lewis stood and moved close enough to drink in the sweet, clean fragrance of her skin and hair. “I’ll get over it,” he vowed.

To his chagrin, she looked unconvinced.

“Please, Lexie, you’re the only one I trust to help me.”

She stared up at him thoughtfully. “If I agree to do this—and it’s still a big if, Lewis McCabe—then you have to promise me you won’t back out on me, that you’ll be honest and forthright with me every step of the way and, most important of all, you’ll let everyone in town know that you have hired me to give you a new look and aren’t the least bit embarrassed about that.”

Damn, she drove a hard bargain. Lewis rubbed at the tense muscles in the back of his neck. “I respect what you do for a living, Lexie. And I respect the heck out of you. So you’ve got yourself a deal.”

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