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

noted. "As far as the world is concerned, Ms. Martinelli is my latest squeeze." He dropped a light, nuzzling kiss on her temple. "Isn't that right, darling?"
    "Right," Nikki said stiffly.
    Kathy Frye laughed. "Well, either keep her out of sight or give her a few quick acting lessons," she advised. "She isn't going to fool anybody otherwise."
    Pierce looked at the woman at his side. "I told you, you were too tense," he chided, looking pleased with himself. They found the housekeeper in the kitchen, fixing a tea tray for the afternoon's interview.
    "You've already met Mrs. Gilmore," Pierce said, smiling at the woman who was standing at a butcher-block island near the gleaming double sink. She was cutting the crusts off bread with a very large, very sharp chef's knife. "The woman without whom this place would fall apart."
    "Miss Martinelli," the housekeeper said, nodding her acknowledgment of the compliment without pausing in her work.
    "And Lisbeth Greene," Pierce said, introducing the young woman who was sitting at the table, polishing silver. She was young, eighteen or nineteen at most, Nikki guessed, with straight, shoulder-length brown hair cut in a bouncy bob and big blue eyes. She cast a wary glance at Nikki from under her wispy, overlong bangs.
    "Lisbeth is Mrs. Gilmore's niece," Pierce said. "Remember? I mentioned her earlier this afternoon?"
    "Yes," Nikki said, watching the young woman's eyes light up with adoration at this sign that the great Pierce Kingston was actually aware of her existence. "You said she comes in to help Mrs. Gilmore sometimes."
    "And just to visit, too," Lisbeth said, with a shy smile at Pierce. "Sometimes."
    "Anytime at all," Pierce said, casually reaching out to pat her hand before he reached for one of the fresh-baked scones already arranged on a silver tray on the counter. His housekeeper frowned at him from under her brows. He grinned and snatched one anyway, devouring half of it in one bite. Then, with a wink at the giggling Lisbeth, he took Nikki's hand in his and dragged her out of the kitchen.
    "Let's go get you loosened up before that photographer gets here," he said, and popped the other half of the raisin-studded scone into her mouth before she could answer.
    * * *
    PIERCE'S IDEA of loosening her up consisted mostly of trying to convince her to remove her jacket and shoulder holster in order to make herself more comfortable. "I doubt I'm in any danger in my own house," he said reasonably when Nikki balked. "And what if the photographer from People sees the gun under your arm? That'd blow the lid off our cover story before we even get started." He assumed a serious, concerned expression. "Claire would have a fit if that happened."
    "I don't intend for the photographer to see me at all," Nikki retorted. "So there's no way he's going to see my gun."
    "You mean you're planning to leave me alone with them when they get here?" He gave her a scandalized look. "Unprotected?"
    Nikki narrowed her eyes at him. "I thought you weren't in any danger in your own house."
    "With people I know, sure," Pierce said, shameless in his attempt to get his own way. "But I've never met this reporter from People. Or the photographer. Either one of them could be a sex-crazed maniac who's after my body."
    "If either one of them is female, I'm sure that's true," Nikki muttered to herself.
    "What was that?"
    "I said, I'm sure you've had lots of experience handling sex-crazed maniacs."
    "Some," he admitted modestly, and then spoiled the effect by grinning his pirate's grin at her. "Want me to show you what experience has taught me?"
    "No, thank you," Nikki said primly. "I'm not interested."
    Pierce thought about letting that pass—for about two seconds. He was too much the dominant male animal to let a challenge like that go unanswered. "I could prove you wrong," he said silkily, moving toward her like a sleek jungle cat advancing on his prey.
    Nikki trembled inwardly but held her ground, knowing she had to set some