“Lovely belt you’re wearing,” Mordi said. Zoë stiffened. Okay, she was definitely going to have to wedge herself in the middle of this little tête-à-tête. Rounding the corner, she adjusted her speed to a fast walk, then pretended to look down at her watch as she barreled forward. Just as she’d planned, she slammed straight into Mordi just as he was bending over for a closer look at the belt.
“Oh!” Zoë cried. “I’m so sorry.” She looked up, feigning surprise. “Mordi! How wild to run into you here. Literally.”
To his credit, Mordi masked his irritation and showed only surprise. “Zoë.” Then, almost as an afterthought. “What a pleasure.”
Zoë turned to Tracy. “Hi. I’m Mordi’s cousin.”
“I’m Tracy.”
“How do you know Mordi?” Zoë asked.
“How do I...” A pink tinge colored Tracy’s cheeks, and Zoë saw that Mordi had turned on the charm—and it had been starting to work. “We, uh, don’t actually know each other. We just met. I was shopping—”
The salesgirl interrupted. “I picked out several shades of blush and some coordinating eye shadows,” she said, stepping back to join them. “Of course, we’ll also need to pick out eyeliners and eyebrow pencils. Probably a concealer and moisturizer, too. But don’t worry. We’ll take good care of you.” She reached out to pat Tracy’s hand, then stopped midway, apparently noticing Zoë and Mordi. “Or don’t you want the makeup anymore?”
“No!” Tracy answered the salesgirl after a moment. Her head was spinning, and it wasn’t due to the seemingly endless array of cosmetics to choose from. No, this head spin was a direct result of yet another man putting the moves on her.
Astounding. She’d come in for a drive-by makeover and ended up on the verge of making another date. No wonder she was reeling. And here was the guy’s cousin appearing out of nowhere. Talk about odd. Never once had she met a guy’s family
before
the first date.
“I’ll put it back, then,” the salesgirl answered, her unhappiness at her lost commission reflecting in her face.
“No, no. I still want it. I, uh, just bumped into some friends.” She turned to the guy who’d been hitting on her, amazed at how refined and polished he seemed. Almost British. He was the antithesis of Leon’s laid-back Hollywood good looks, and certainly nothing like Hale’s sultry sex appeal. For reasons she couldn’t fathom, suddenly she was attracting men in droves.
Who would have guessed it—Tracy Tannin, male magnet?
This mind-over-matter thing worked like gangbusters.
Mel would be proud.
“Now, just sit still,” the salesgirl said, looming over her with various brushes and bottles.
It wasn’t easy sitting still with a perfect stranger poking at her face, but somehow Tracy managed.
Through the whole process, Zoë and Mordi kept talking. Tracy tried not to listen in, but that wasn’t really possible with them standing so close. And, in truth, she was curious.
“So, you’re filming a movie with animals?” Zoë asked, her voice light and airy.
Tracy frowned, wondering how the girl knew they’d been discussing that. She and this Mordichai guy had been talking about his project long before his cousin had arrived at the counter.
“No, no,” the salesgirl interrupted, before she could ask. “You need to smile. Like this.” She demonstrated, showing off teeth too white to be human. “If you frown, I’m just going to have to redo your lips.”
Well, so much for that. Apparently, putting on makeup required being mute.
In front of her, Mordi was shifting his weight from one foot to the other, looking distinctly uncomfortable. “Animals. Yes. I certainly am.”
His manner was odd. But maybe it was a mystery better solved later.
His cousin continued: “How nice for you. I always knew you had a variety of talents. And a particular penchant for dogs, if I remember right.”
The woman smiled sweetly, and that’s when Tracy noticed that she had one blue eye and one gray—just one more thing that made Zoë absolutely striking, even in the boring jumpsuit she wore. Tracy sincerely doubted this girl had trouble getting dates. Then she noticed the wedding ring. Figures.
“I have a lot of interests,” Mordi said.
“I wonder if it’s wise to divide your loyalties like that,” Zoë said.
Although both seemed perfectly civil, Tracy couldn’t help but feel there was a lot going unsaid between these two. Eavesdropping could be
so
confusing.
“Trust me, cousin. I’m not divided at all.”
“I’m
so
glad to hear it.” Zoë sounded thrilled. She glanced between Tracy and Mordi. “So, you’re planning to get Tracy here involved in your movie?”
Mordi half-rolled his eyes. “She’s an animal trainer.”
At that, Zoë turned to Tracy, a huge smile on her face. “Tracy
Tannin
?”
Tracy nodded, wondering if she was branded.
“How wonderful to meet you. I’m Zoë—Hale’s sister.” Her smile widened. “We just got off the phone. He told me so much about you.”
Hale’s
sister
?
Tracy’s jaw practically dropped onto the counter; then she jerked her head around to look at Zoë more directly— managing to totally mess up her eyeliner in the process.
“Oh!” the salesgirl cried, dragging the soft pencil across Tracy’s cheek.
“Sister?” Tracy said aloud, wondering what Hale could have said.
“Yeah. He and Elmer are really excited about working with you.” She turned to Mordi with another sweet smile. “I don’t suppose you have a role for Elmer? He’s quite the little entertainer.”
A thin smile touched Mordichai’s lips. “No. No role.” He turned to Tracy and gave an apologetic shrug. “I think I’ll leave you two to catch up.”
“Oh.” She frowned. Or started to until the salesgirl
tsk-tsk‘d
. “Well, I’d love to talk more about your project. Maybe you could call next week?”
The man nodded; then Tracy extricated herself from the makeover maven long enough to extract a business card. “My cell phone number’s on the back.”
He took her hand, then kissed her fingertips. “You’ll definitely be hearing from me.”
“Oh, wow,” the salesgirl confided as Mordi disappeared down an aisle. “Is he ever a dream.”
“Mordi?” Zoë’s face scrunched up, like she’d just tasted something unusual but not entirely unpleasant. “I never really thought about it.”
“He’s your cousin. Why would you?”
“True,” Zoë admitted. She met Tracy’s eyes. “What do you think? Dreamy, or not?”
Tracy found herself allowing, “There’s definite dream potential there. The way he talks for one thing. Is he British?”
“Boarding school.”
“Ah,” Tracy and the salesgirl said at exactly the same time. “Well,
that’s
pretty dreamy. As for the rest of him ...”
“What?” Hale’s sister bounced a little, looking just as eager as a kid at Christmas.
“Nothing.”
“Tracy! What?”
She stifled a laugh. They’d known each other all of three minutes, and already this Zoë was pestering her just like Mel. “I was just going to say that Mordi’s voice is dreamy— and he’s cute and all—but compared to Hale ... well, there is no comparison.”
“Well, I don’t know who this Hale person is,” the salesgirl said. “But, girl, you must have it bad for him.”
A smile lit up Zoë’s face. “He’s my brother, but empirically, I’d have to agree.” She leaned closer. “And if you ever want to know where to find a website showing pictures of him in a loincloth, just let me know.”
“Really?” Tracy asked.
“Where?” the salesgirl echoed.
Zoë laughed. “Do you have a computer?”
“Um, yeah.” Tracy squinted, trying to figure out when this conversation had gotten so out of control.
“Remind me sometime, and I’ll show you the web page. I could even show you tonight if you want.”
Tonight
. “I can’t. I have a date.” She glanced at her watch, suddenly realizing how late it had gotten. No time to dilly-dally.
“I’ll take it all,” she told the salesgirl.
“All this makeup?”
Tracy nodded. She couldn’t really afford it, but she considered the makeup ammunition. Besides, she was putting it on a credit card. “Finish me quick and then ring it all up. I’ve got to run.”
“But I need to show you how to apply it.”
“Am I good for tonight?”
“Hold still,” the salesgirl said, “while I add some powder and mascara.”
Tracy did. “This isn’t what I expected when I got up this morning,” she said.
“What isn’t?” Zoë asked.
“All of this. Your brother. My date tonight with Leon Palmer. Making friends in the mall. It’s all kind of strange and unusual.”
Zoë’s smile was warm and inviting. “I guess the question is, do you have a problem with strange and unusual?”
Tracy knew that Zoë meant the question lightly, but something in her voice gave Tracy pause, and she considered the question honestly. “No,” she finally said with a small smile. “No, I don’t. In fact, I think I prefer strange and unusual. I mean, who wants their life to be entirely normal?”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
Tracy started to ask why, but the salesgirl got into the conversation first, announcing the price for Tracy’s war chest of makeup.
“Ouch.” She looked at Zoë. “It’s been a strange and unusual day already. And expensive. Very, very expensive.”
Hale kicked back in Zoë’s living room, still on a caffeine buzz from the three lattes he’d had with Tracy before she’d insisted that she really had to run. He’d spent practically the entire day with her, and still her image filled his mind.
As obsessions went, this particular one was rather nice.
Absently, he drummed his fingers on the armrest of the sofa, his foot tapping out a rhythm against the coffee table as he waited for his sister to get home.
She’d called him just a few minutes before to report in. Apparently, it was a good thing he’d sent her. Mordichai had been there, sniffing around, and that definitely meant this mission was going to get tougher. Since Zoë couldn’t wrangle an invite to Tracy’s house, they’d sent Hoop and Taylor to sneak onto the property and keep an eye on the situation while Hale took a break to gather some things for his overnight stakeout and to be debriefed by Zoë.
From a logistics end, then, all was well. From a mission standpoint, Hale wasn’t so sure. The combined presence of Henchmen and Mordichai was definitely disturbing. He didn’t know if the Henchmen were loyal to Mordi or Uncle H, though Hale would assume Hieronymous. Mordi didn’t seem the type to use the foul beasts. Of course, Hale wasn’t very trusting of Mordi’s loyalties.
The only thing he did trust was that Tracy Tannin was the object of way too much attention. And strangely, all his priorities had shifted. At the moment, retrieving the belt didn’t seem quite as important as making sure nothing bad happened to her.
“Antsy?” Zoë asked, walking into the room.
With an effort, Hale stopped drumming his fingers and tapping his foot. “Just thinking. About the mission.”
“Yeah?” She looked disbelieving.
Hale scowled but didn’t comment.
His sister dropped down onto the couch next to Elmer, who looked up and yawned. She reached over and started scratching behind his ears, and the little guy writhed with pleasure.
Heaven
, Elmer said.
I love this woman
.
Hale rolled his eyes.
So, are you going to tell her?
“What?”
You know....
Hale had no clue what the ferret was going on about.
“What’s he saying?” Zoë asked.
“He’s just being Elmer. All over the map and generally incomprehensible.”
“I’m not buying that. I think he’s talking about whatever put that pensive mood on your face.”
“You know, you can be a real pest.”
She shrugged. “I’m your sister. Isn’t that what you expect?”
Don’t dis this woman
, Elmer squeaked.
She feeds me when you forget. And you should tell her. Tell her you‘ve got the hots for Tracy. A mortal. She’ll love that. And that you’re acting screwy about it. I mean I’ve seen you seduce mortals before, and usually you’re in and out before I can say, “boo.” No pandering, no deep thoughts. But with this gal. . . you haven’t been yourself. And it’s not just the mission. Nope. Something’s up. Something’s definitely up
....
Hale rubbed his forehead with his forefinger and thumb, wishing that the insightful little beast hadn’t zeroed in on the exact problem. But there wasn’t any escaping the truth. The fact remained that Hale was craving more than just a romp between the sheets. But that wasn’t something he wanted to confess to his sister.
Go on! Tell her. Maybe she can give you some advice.
Great. Now Elmer thought he needed advice with women. Any minute now, the sky was going to start falling.
“
Now
what’s he saying?”
“He’s saying you should leave me alone. I’m older. You’re supposed to trust me.”
I did
not
say that
.
“Oh, puh-lease.” Zoë propped a leg under her, clearly settling in.
Hale sighed. He hadn’t really expected that she’d drop it, but a guy could hope, couldn’t he? “I wasn’t thinking about anything in particular. Just pondering what Mordi was planning at the mall. And I was vegging a bit while I waited for you.”
Not exactly a lie. His body
was
vegging; it was his mind that was going a million miles an hour thinking about Tracy. About the way she smelled. The warmth of her hand when he’d held it. The way her simple, straight hair highlighted those fabulous cheekbones. The fire he saw in her eyes, and whether or not it would ignite to a full-fledged blaze in bed.
Damn
. He was beginning to sound like the inside of one of the romance novels he posed for. What was happening to him? He’d never felt this way when he was pursuing the many other women he’d lusted after. No, this was something else all together. Hopping Hades, whatever this was, it wasn’t an emotion he particularly wanted to deal with. So how did he explain all this to his sister?
Certainly he couldn’t relate that the thought of being near Tracy made him as fidgety as Superman in a kryptonite museum. If he showed even the slightest weakness in that direction, his sister would go off on him about what a hypocrite he was, falling for a mortal. Heck, she might even try to get him and Tracy Tannin together for keeps. And that was even scarier than failing the mission and Hieronymous taking over the world.