Mr. December by MacAllister Heather

Author:MacAllister, Heather [MacAllister, Heather]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2011-06-07T21:00:00+00:00

7

FRANCESCA DIDN’T GET IN until three-thirty in the morning.

Lexi knew because she was still awake, fighting a losing battle to keep from feeling miffed.

She was being so juvenile. Unjustifiably juvenile. Transparently juvenile. Even Rip had seen through her.

Get over it, she told herself, finally falling asleep after she heard Francesca put her cello in the music room.

Naturally she overslept. Perfect. No coffee, no breakfast. But at least she wouldn’t have to fake anything in front of Francesca, who was still asleep.

This was the last day of the semester before music classes were suspended for performance juries the following week. Francesca had left Lexi’s car parked in the garage, safe and sound, which was a relief. She made it to the music building with a few minutes to spare. Racing up the stairs to her third-floor studio—as soon as she made full professor, she was putting in for one on the second floor—Lexi rounded the corner and stopped.

Sitting on the floor outside her door was Spencer and a gigantic red poinsettia.

He gave her a weary smile, his teeth very white against a day’s growth of black beard. He still wore the same clothes he’d worn last night, so it wasn’t hard to guess that he hadn’t been home yet.

He looked great. “You’re almost late for class, missy.”

“I overslept,” she admitted. “What are you doing here?”

He stood as she unlocked her door and followed her inside. “I come bearing gifts.”

She dumped her portfolio on her desk and turned around.

Spencer held up a small bakery sack and the poinsettia. “If I recall, it’s supposed to be a croissant and coffee—”

“Coffee!” she shrieked, reaching for the bag. “You brought me coffee? You angel!”

“I’m forgiven already?”

“Yes.” She removed the foam cup from the bag and pried off the plastic lid. “Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes.” She took a sip and closed her eyes. “I will live.”

“Though it’s not in my best interests to tell you this, you should have made me suffer more.”

Lexi broke off a corner of the croissant. “More than a knock on the head and a jab—” her eyes lowered “—elsewhere?” She popped the flaky bread into her mouth. Fat-gram heaven.

“That wasn’t anything. I’m over it.”

Lexi elected not to mention the dark circles under his eyes. After all, they could be from lack of sleep.

Spencer set the poinsettia on her desk. “There. A bright wildflower. I picked it myself. Just for you.”

Lexi swallowed. “Spencer? That’s a poinsettia, and judging by the gold foil around the pot, I’d say it was domesticated.”

“Domesticated wildflowers? Is nothing sacred?”

“Apparently not the decorations in the lobby.”

He grinned and Lexi laughed. “You’d better take it back.”

“I want you to have it. I’ll replace the one downstairs.”

She snapped the plastic cap back on her coffee and gathered the materials she needed for her class. “Actually, it would be better off downstairs. I kill plants. That’s why I like wildflowers. I figure they’ve got a keen sense of self-preservation.”

He laughed, then his smile faded. “You’ve got to get to class, I know, but I did want to apologize for abandoning you last night.

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