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Bev nodded solemnly. ‘Of course it isn’t. I’m sure you’ll manage to avoid him when he comes to pick her up from your flat.’
r /> Libby glared at her friend. ‘Mammoth rat factor, remember?’ Turning her back on Bev, she held out a hand to Adrienne and gave her a warm smile. ‘Come on. Time to go and raid my fridge I think.’
This had absolutely nothing to do with Andreas, she repeated firmly to herself.
Nothing.
Chapter 3
Libby let herself into the flat.
‘Let’s get something to eat. I’m starving.’ She dropped her keys on the hall table and walked through to the kitchen.
A dark-haired man with wicked blue eyes was lounging at the table, nursing a cup of coffee and reading a medical journal.
‘You’re in big trouble, buster,’ Libby muttered, glaring at him as she tugged open the fridge door. ‘This is Adrienne, by the way. Adrienne, this is my brother, Alex. Don’t be taken in by the blue eyes and the charismatic smile, he’s a total menace and I’m about to kill him.’
‘Hello, Adrienne.’ Alex smiled easily and then glanced back at his sister. ‘Why are you going to kill me? You should be thanking me.’
‘Thanking you?’ Libby removed an armful of food from the fridge and slammed the door shut with such force that the contents rattled ominously. ‘Where the hell were you last night?’
‘Language, Elizabeth, language,’ Alex reproved mildly, his eyes flickering to Adrienne. ‘And to answer your question, I was in the middle of a tricky delivery. My legendary skills as a doctor were in demand. I was saving lives—snatching the innocent from the jaws of death—’
‘Yes, yes, spare me the drama,’ Libby interrupted him impatiently, and deposited the food on the kitchen table. ‘For your patients’ sake, I hope you’re a better doctor than you are a brother.’ She reached into the cupboard for some plates. ‘Here we are, Adrienne. Help yourself. Food always helps in a crisis. Smoked salmon, ham, cheese, salad, chocolate, more chocolate…’
Adrienne sat down at the table and glanced between them, her face slightly pink. ‘I’m not very hungry,’ she said shyly. ‘I’m really sorry if I’m in the way.’
Alex treated her to a smile that was guaranteed to weaken the knees of any female, regardless of age.
‘You’re not in the way. In fact, I’m very relieved you’re here or my future on this planet would be in severe jeopardy.’
Libby noticed the way that Adrienne was staring at her brother and suppressed a groan.
Alex affected all women that way, no matter how young or old they were. He was lethal.
‘So come on.’ She looked at him pointedly. ‘What happened? And don’t give me any more of this ‘‘I was saving a life’’ rubbish.’
Alex leaned back in his chair and gave her a slow smile. ‘I decided to do you a favour and let someone else buy you. Someone you could actually have a relationship with.’
Libby gaped at him. ‘But that isn’t what I want. You know I don’t want a relationship.’
‘Of course you do.’ Alex suppressed a yawn. ‘All women want relationships. It’s in the genes. The minute you meet a new man you start scribbling his surname after your name just to see what it looks like.’
Libby was momentarily speechless. ‘I don’t do that! I don’t want a relationship any more than you do!’
Alex regarded her steadily. ‘Yes, you do, sweetheart. You’re terrified of being hurt but deep down you believe in Mr Right as much as every other woman.’
‘You’re an insufferable chauvinist.’ Libby was simmering and Alex looked amused.
‘No, I’m honest. Men have different needs to women. We don’t need all that ‘‘till death us do part’’ nonsense to enjoy a relationship. Even when we do end up marrying we only do it because that’s what women expect. Not because it’s what we want.’
Libby scowled at him, dying to let rip but constrained by Adrienne’s presence. ‘One day, Alexander Westerling, you are going to meet the woman of your dreams,’ she muttered, her teeth gritted as she struggled with her temper, ‘and I truly hope she refuses to marry you.’
Alex threw back his head and laughed. ‘Sweetheart, the woman who refuses to marry me is the woman of my dreams.’
Libby glared at her brother with frustration.
He was devilishly good-looking and his ego had been fed a constant diet of adoring, hopeful women since he’d mastered the art of smiling. Consequently he didn’t believe that there was a single woman he couldn’t seduce into his bed if he put his mind to it.
