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specifically that he didn’t find funny? She thought about pointing out this was actually pretty good material, but decided not to. There was a better than even chance she would be barfing from nerves shortly. Why push her luck now?
    He stared at her for several seconds. She smiled tightly. “It’s the whole visitor, front door thing. You’re supposed to invite me in.”
    â€œI don’t want to.”
    â€œYou’ll warm up to me.”
    â€œI doubt it.”
    â€œI’m a very nice person.”
    He looked unconvinced but still he took a step back and allowed her to ease past him into the foyer.
    The interior of the house was large, but homey. It was the kind of place designed to make someone feel at ease—too bad it wasn’t having that effect on her at the moment.
    She turned to Alex, but before she could speak a teenage boy rolled into the room. He was pale and thin, with dark hair and eyes. His right hand worked a control on his motorized wheelchair while his left hand lay bent and curled in his lap.
    â€œAre you the stripper I ordered?” he asked as he eyed her. “I’ve been waiting over an hour. I was expecting better service from your company.”
    Dani tilted her head slightly as she tried to figure out how to handle the outrageous question. Finally she settled on the truth.
    â€œI’m not exactly stripper material,” she said with a grin. “I’m too short. I always picture them really tall and with those big headpieces like the Las Vegas showgirls wear.”
    â€œThey couldn’t drive in one of those feather things,” he told her.
    â€œThey could if they had a sunroof and kept it open.”
    â€œDon’t encourage him,” Alex muttered. “Dani Buchanan, Ian Canfield. My brother. He can be obnoxious.”
    â€œAn ugly accusation and totally untrue.”
    â€œNice to meet you,” Dani said and held out her hand to Ian.
    He moved his wheelchair close and shook her hand. “You could be stripper material if you wanted,” he said.
    â€œWhat a lovely thing to say. It’s a compliment I’ll treasure always. My mother would be so proud.”
    Ian laughed. “Okay, I like you. That doesn’t happen often. You should treasure the moment.”
    Dani laughed. “I will. You’ll be prominently mentioned in my diary tonight.”
    He sighed. “It’s a problem I have all the time. Chicks dig me. It’s the supersized battery. They go crazy for power.”
    With that, he spun his chair and wheeled away.
    When he was gone, she turned to Alex. “See. People like me.”
    â€œHe’s young and he doesn’t know who you are.”
    â€œMeaning he won’t like me when he finds out I’m inherently evil?”
    Alex stared at her. His dark eyes gave nothing away. “Ian doesn’t usually warm up to people.”
    â€œHe’s a perceptive young man. I like him, too.”
    â€œYou think I’m going to be swayed by some pity banter with my crippled brother?”
    Her brief good mood faded and she suddenly wished she were big and muscular so she could hit him and do some damage.
    â€œDon’t insult me and don’t you dare insult him.” She moved closer and poked him in the chest. “I’ll accept that I’m a complication no one expected. You can be protective of your family all you want, you can even think the worst of me. But don’t you dare take what was a charming moment in an otherwise insane day and make it something disgusting.”
    â€œAre you going to take me on?” he asked, obviously unimpressed by her temper.
    â€œIn a heartbeat.”
    â€œThink you’ll win?”
    â€œAbsolutely.”
    One corner of his mouth twitched slightly. “We’ll see.”
    Great. She was furious and he found the situation, or possibly her, amusing. Good-looking or not, she was thinking she could seriously grow to hate