Just Another Pretty Face (HT 459) Read Online Free PDF Page B

fascinating, the most effortlessly charming, the most splendidly male animal she'd ever run into in her life.
    And she'd grown up in a house full of splendid men who had enough charm between them to turn Queen Elizabeth of England into a flustered, giggling schoolgirl.
    "So just treat him like one of your brothers," Nikki mumbled to herself as she followed her host up the wide curving staircase to the second floor.
    "Beg pardon?" Pierce asked, his large, elegant hand unconsciously caressing the polished black walnut railing as he turned back to look at her.
    "I, ah... asked if that was a Picasso," she said, gesturing toward the painting at the top of the stairs. It depicted a woman with one eye, two noses and three breasts, with skin a color no real woman had ever had. Unless, Nikki thought whimsically, the poor thing had been standing naked out in the snow for a couple of hours.
    Pierce nodded. "From his blue period," he said. "It's not really to my taste," he added, grimacing at it over his shoulder as they passed it. "But Claire said it was a good investment. And I always listen to Claire when it comes to making investments."
    They passed a few more pieces of artwork as they moved down the hall—a delicate art deco sculpture displayed under glass on a narrow marble column, a colorful abstract with an Oriental feeling and a bold silk screen done in a style that looked vaguely familiar.
    "Are these wired?" Nikki asked, leaning down a bit to peer at the signature on the silk screen. It was an Andy Warhol.
    "Wired?"
    "With an alarm," she clarified. "They're just—" she waved a hand at the wall"—hanging there. Don't you worry about someone waltzing in here and walking off with one?"
    Pierce shook his head. "Try to take one off the wall and all hell breaks loose. Sirens. Lights. The whole nine yards."
    Nikki leaned a little closer, carefully inspecting the edges of the frame for wires or sensors. None were visible. "What kind of system is it?"
    Pierce shrugged. "I haven't the foggiest idea," he said. "Claire had it installed after I bought this place." He paused and pushed open a door. "Here's your room." He stood back to usher her in ahead of him.
    Nikki sidled past him, careful not to brush up against his splendid body, and stepped into the room. The decor was quaint, comfortable and quietly wealthy, calling up visions of country weekends at English manor houses. The flowing drapes on the tall, multipaned windows, the thick, puffy bedspread with its matching pillow shams, and one of the wing chairs in front of the fireplace were all done in a Laura Ashley-type print overrun with rambling ivy in soft shades of green on a pale ivory background. The rest of the room was done in spruce green and cream with touches of faded rose. The whole thing was bigger than her entire apartment. And the bed was absolutely, decadently huge.
    Nikki turned away from it to admire the misty Impressionist painting hanging over the fireplace. It depicted three Edwardian ladies in various stages of dishabille cavorting by a stream. "Lovely," she said, determined not to enthuse all over her host.
    "The bathroom's through there." Pierce nodded toward a half-open door and Nikki peered in, catching a glimpse of thick dark green towels and gleaming rose-colored tile. "You've got it all to yourself," he said. "So you don't have to worry about hogging the tub."
    "I prefer showers."
    "Well, there's one of those, too. But you really ought to give the tub a try while you're here. It has massage jets." He lifted his arm to push the door further open, moving forward as if he meant to point them out to her.
    Nikki backed against the door frame, instinctively retreating from the zing of awareness that shot through her at his nearness.
    "Most women find massage jets very—" he paused, smiling wolfishly to let her know he was aware of what she'd done—and why she'd done it "—relaxing," he finished with a suggestive lift of his eyebrow.
    "Mmm-hmm," Nikki said,