Liars and Tigers Page 4

  "Ordinarily I would refuse, but this jerk deserves to pay. Go for it, and thank you. I can use it to go towards buying my own ranch."

  After pulling into the estate grounds and settling Kena in her room with her litter, Alex announced that it was time for Misha to select which room she wanted. Lifting her chin, she chose the tiny maid's room located farthest away from the master suites, and closest to the kitchen. Alex protested loudly, insisting that she deserved a real room, and demanded that she choose another.

  Misha crossed her arms to glare at him. "I will not be taking charity, Mr. Hodges. This room meets my needs just fine. If you have changed your mind regarding my stay, say so now."

  "You are kind of stuck here, you know. You were evicted, remember?" he answered her, solidly meeting her glare. "Are you going to try to pick a fight with me every time you get a chance? There is no need to be so obstinate. Whether you pick the grand suite or the mud room, it will still cost you dog food and cleaning up her mess."

  She lifted her eyebrow and crossed her arms. Without breaking eye contact, Misha impatiently began to tap her right foot on the tile. The staring contest lasted three full minutes before Alex finally threw his arms into the air.

  "I'm too tired to fight tonight. Very well, it's yours. If you change your mind, you're free to move into another room. I just thought you would enjoy something larger, for when Rodin gets bigger and will want to den with you."

  "Thank you, but I'm satisfied with this one. Be serious now. How much for rent?"

  "We made the agreement that you will buy dog food and clean up her presents."

  "That can't cost more than one hundred a month!"

  "You haven't seen this girl eat. Feeding a mastiff is like feeding a felid. She likes good food, and I keep her on a raw diet." Alex chuckled. Misha again started to stare him down, her gold-brown eyes smoldering with annoyance. "Fine. What were you paying the slumlord?" he grumbled.

  "Just five hundred dollars a month. It was ridiculously low, and now I see why. I can't afford much more than that and still save for my own place. You know how much I make. And no giving me a raise to compensate for the difference, you hear me?"

  "Why are you so difficult? Fine, Miss Miller, we will play it your way. You paid five hundred dollars for a whole house, property and no roommates," he calculated. "Now you are being forced to live in a single room and share community space. How about two hundred dollars?"

  "Don't be absurd. That's too low." She looked at him suspiciously.

  Alex shook his head. "I think it's reasonable. You're taking the smallest bedroom and bath in this house, have to share community property and utilities, and will be aiding me greatly in the care and feeding of my beasties. I think it's more than fair. In fact, I bet you will be begging me to reduce your rent after you see how much that dog eats."

  "You're lucky that you aren't the only one exhausted here. Okay, I surrender. You win this round. Shake?"

  "Are you sure you don't want to draw up a contract?" he teased, shaking her tiny hand. "I don't want you to think that I am taking advantage of you."

  "I've had more than enough of contracts written by slumlords, thank you very much," she commented, surprising him with her grip. "A verbal agreement is fine."

  "It's a deal. I also think some house rules are necessary. I'm sure I don't have to tell you to clean up after yourself. I'm kind of a neat nick. Please knock before you enter a room and, if you are ever going to be late, call."

  "I am not a child, Mr. Hodges…"

  "Make up your mind. It's either Alex or Mr. Hodges. I prefer Alex. Those same rules apply to me. I don't want to be worried if you don't come home on time, and I would hope you'd be concerned if I was late as well. Call it what you want, but we have both become surrogate parents today, not just roommates. We need to be able to rely on each other to keep an eye out for Rodin. He's not going to stay small for long."

  "Fine. One more thing," Misha added, staring up at him, "once I leave work, you are no longer my boss. As you said, we are roommates and co-parents to this litter, nothing more. You are not to use my job to manipulate me in any way."

  "Yes ma'am." Alex grinned mischievously, enjoying the suspicious look Misha sent in his direction. He knew exactly what she was thinking... this was much too easy.

  ***

  "You're kidding me!" Jack exclaimed, as Alex updated him on the events of the weekend. He plopped down in a chair in front of Alex's desk. "Please don't tell me you've adopted Misha's habit of lying."

  "Not at all. Everything went as smooth as glass. I'm glad, too. That idiot landlord was getting way too comfortable breaking into her home. He had the audacity to bust in and nose around right in front of me!"

  "I hope you went all Green Beret on his ass."

  "I didn't have the chance. Miss Kena stepped in with a great big smile. He wet his pants as he ran off."

  "No shit?" Jack laughed, slapping his thigh. "That takes the cake. So, Misha has agreed to live with you? How did you manage to get her to do that? She isn't the kind of gal to accept special favors."

  "Get your mind out of the gutter, Jack-ass. She is renting a room on the other side of the house. Stubborn little wench demanded the maid's quarters behind the kitchen!"

  "That's my girl; close to the food." Jack chuckled. "And the cub?"

  "That little pig gained nearly two pounds this weekend. He's growing as fast as the puppies. You can see the changes in him daily. The pups love to lay on top of him and snuggle into his fur, and Kena is as attentive to him as she is to the others. She loves her kitty, don't you, girl?" Alex asked the nursing mastiff. He received a return tail wag.

  "You sound like a proud papa. She certainly looks content," Jack said, gesturing to the dog sleeping in the nesting box in the corner of the office, with her puppies and Rodin snuggled against her warm tummy.

  "I have to give Kena all the credit. She fell in love with Misha the minute they met. Hell, Kena even sat on the kid. And drooled. A lot."

  "Oh yeah, I forgot about the dog spit. Misha doesn't mind it?"

  "Not at all. She didn't even blink when she asked for a spit rag."

  "She has some flaws, but I'm telling you, Alex; this girl is a keeper."

  "I'm doing what I can to make that happen. I have a bunch of calls to make, starting with my attorney to go after that jerk."

  "Have you told her about your little quirks?" Jack winked.

  "Don't you have some work to do?" Alex asked, pointing to the door.

  Jack saluted teasingly and departed after patting the happy Kena on her massive head. Kena rose, waddled over to Alex and placed her paw on his thigh. Alex scratched her behind the ear.

  "You're a good girl," he praised. "Let's find out a bit about your kitty's namesake. Maybe we can plan a surprise for Misha."

  Alex turned on his computer and typed 'Rodin'. He was not much of an art lover, but what he saw both surprised and enticed him. Her favorite artist? The works were oozing with pure, raw sexuality and bold images of female submission. Was this a covert proclamation to her secret desires? He felt his cock twitch as he skimmed through the images, studying each with interest. Hmm, he would have guessed her to be more keen on Picasso, or even something surreal like Dali, but this? He wondered which piece was her favorite.

  Alex quickly chose one that caught his own eye. The Danaid. The sculpture showed a beautiful woman, her graceful, despairing figure mimicking the contours of her rocky bed as she slumped over in tearful frustration, with water streaming from her broken jar. Her face was unseen, except for a peek at a glistening eye. Something about the piece bothered him. He could not explain what it was that either disturbed or intrigued him about it, but the image was burning itself into his mind. With a concentrated scowl, he read about the mythological inspiration. He felt an unusual ache in his heart as the words jumped up from the page to proclaim that the woman depicted was forever condemned to the underworld, and doomed to the futile task of perpetually trying to fill the
broken container. This was an eternal punishment for murdering her bridegroom on her wedding night.

  "That was a little extreme," Alex commented to the attentive Kena. "She has a lovely bottom. A good spanking would have sufficed." Kena tilted her head and made a questioning sound in her throat. "Okay, maybe not just a spanking. She did kill off her husband. But we don't know what type of jerk he was."

  Alex tapped his finger on the desk, thinking about Misha. What he would give to see his beautiful little roommate place herself into that kind of flowing and graceful submission before him! His manhood began to rise. She would be magnificent, of that he had no doubt. He had never seen her without her safari pants, boots and khaki shirt, but the feel of her body next to his when they hugged suggested that she was both soft and firm. He clicked the tab to the purchase page. Maybe he would treat her to a nice welcoming gift.

  Chapter 5

  "So, I hear you moved, Tiger," Jack commented through the enclosure gate, as Misha hand fed the three adult Bengals. She ignored him, concentrating on her task. The cats had only been there for six months after having been rescued from a zoo. They had been living under foul and abusive conditions, and it had taken daily exposure to her for them to finally allow her to enter the enclosure without snarling and hiding. Now, they cuddled her like kittens.

  Jack watched her carefully. The Boss would have a screaming fit if he discovered what she was doing. Alex had two strict rules about feeding time—never by hand, and always with a partner. Misha ignored both; apparently the slight woman felt she was above the need for safety. Jack held the door for her as she exited the enclosure, locking it carefully behind her.

  "We need to talk, kid. You can't go treating those cats like they were house pets. You know as well as I do that they could turn any minute, without warning. They've been starved and abused, and no amount of cosseting is going to change the fact that they are still wild animals."

  "I know what I'm doing, Jack," Misha stated flatly as she walked away from him.

  He grabbed her arm and gently forced her to face him. "You aren't going anywhere until I am done talking to you, little girl. I know you are confident in your work and that you are one of the best; but you would never allow me or anyone else to put ourselves in that same situation. You would tell us that it was too risky, and the animals too unstable. It would break my heart if they decided to make you into their next meal. I've already been through that scare once with you and don't want to ever experience that again. Please, promise me that you'll stop hand feeding them."

  "That event was a different situation," Misha argued. "The cats like it! You know that no one else can get them to eat like I can, and it's because they feel safe with me. You can't stop me!"

  Jack's eyes began to smolder with annoyance. "I can't? Misha, if you were my daughter, I'd put you across my knee, skin down those trousers, and spank some sense into that pretty, thick skull. Promise me that you will stop this nonsense immediately!" he barked.

  Misha's eyes widened in surprise. Jack was usually pretty laid back, and never asserted his position of supervisor, or long-time friend, on her. "Okay! Fine! I promise. Happy? I'll feed them through the bars like they were caged animals."

  "They are caged animals. We can't let them go to the Wild Animal Park if they don't learn to eat like tigers. And you had better not be telling me what you think I want to hear. I know your tactics; you've been using them for years with me. No more lying, hear me? I swear that if I catch you again, I will paddle you raw, and then I will tell Alex and let him deal with you. Trust me, love, you don't want to go to that place with him. I am serious about this. Am I clear?"

  Misha nodded, rolling her eyes. "Men and their testosterone! I promise, okay? Now get off my case and go do your own work. If you're that bored, I'm sure there is lots of elephant scat to be shoveled, and Scout would love you to clean his enclosure."

  "Sassy little wench," the older man muttered, walking away.

  "Oh, you have not seen sassy yet, Jack!" Misha called back.

  Jack paused and turned to her. "Just a word of warning, missy. Alex is old-school. He is not the type of man who makes idle threats. He will paddle your backside in a heartbeat if you push him, and he won't hold nuthin' back. Watch your tone with him, if ya know what's good for you."

  "I'm not afraid of anything Alex Hodges does, Jack. And if he thinks he can spank me like I'm a naughty child, then I say 'bring it on, buddy'! He hasn't seen my fangs in action yet."

  "I'll make sure I tell him that. Cuteness will not work with him like it does on me."

  "We'll see." Misha sniggered.

  ***

  "Got any plans for today?" Alex asked, handing Misha a cup of coffee. It was their third weekend together, and they had settled into a comfortable regimen that suited them, and the animals, well. The puppies chased each other, alternately pouncing on the fuzzy tiger cub as he stretched out in the early morning sunlight.

  "Actually, I do. I thought it would be fun if I took you for a ride," Misha said, her voice high and flirty.

  Alex laughed, enjoying the rare glimpse into her playful side. "What kind of ride are you thinking of, Tiger?"

  "One that I've recently wanted to take, but never got up the nerve." She winked at him.

  Alex swallowed, feeling his cock stir. "Is it the kind of ride I will enjoy?"

  "Alex, my dear," Misha stood gracefully, placed her hands on the table, and leaned forward just an inch from his lips. "It's a ride that will rock your world." With a quick peck to his cheek, Misha giggled at the astonished look on his face, snatched up the sleeping cub, and ran inside. She stuck her head out the door and commanded Alex to get ready to leave in ten minutes.

  She was in her truck with the motor running when Alex came out to meet her. He shook his head. "We'll take my truck and I will drive."

  "Oh no, we won't. Trust me, you will never be the same after you see what I have planned for you, but we have to get moving."

  "No way, kid, I don't have a death wish. Jack's told me about some of your driving issues. Move on over. You can navigate."

  "I don't have any driving issues. I've never been in an accident, so there is nothing to worry about. Get in the truck, Alex, unless you're chicken…" Misha cocked her head and flashed a mischievous grin.

  "Name-calling is not necessary, brat."

  "What do you call that?" Misha asked, as he opened the passenger side door.

  "That wasn't name-calling. That was a term of endearment. Oh great," Alex groaned, noticing the souped-up stereo system, "please tell me you aren't going to play the stereo. When did you get that horrid thing?"

  "Two days ago. Jack screwed up my last one. Wanna hear?"

  "No, thank you."

  "Don't you like music?" Misha asked, pulling out of the long driveway.

  "I like music just fine," Alex said, wrapping his fingers around the hand grip to brace himself. "Just not loud, especially when driving. Please, slow down before you make me car sick. These roads are too narrow to go this fast on the curves."

  "Relax, Mr. Hodges," Misha giggled, "this action is nothing compared to what I'm gonna do to you in an hour."

  Misha pulled onto the north of I-15 toward Temecula. Alex closed his eyes as she chattered along, mumbling that she'd had too much coffee that morning.

  Misha made a face at him. "Do you have a headache or something?"

  "No, sweetheart, I'm just exhausted. I have to say something, though. I really like this side of you. Even the little bit of sass is cute. Just don't take it too far, okay?"

  "What if I do, huh? Whatcha going to do about it?"

  "I'll start by taking a hairbrush to your backend. Trust me, darling you don't want to go there."

  "What if I do?" Misha asked. "Jack told me all about you."

  "You do?" Alex's mouth fell open. "What did Jack say?"

  "I love watching you take the bait," Misha laughed, avoiding his question. "You should be in a good mood! You got the elephant settled
in that gigantic reserve and Jack fixed the aircon in your office. Put away the grumpy. You're going to have a blast."

  "I hope so. Do you promise to be a good girl and not try to provoke a fight with me today?"

  "Maybe."

  "How about this; if you sincerely try to be good, I'll let you win at miniature golf next time we play?"

  "I've won the last three games we've played, so what's the big deal?" Misha snorted, glancing at him.

  "You cheat. Don't think I don't see you picking up the ball and putting it near the hole. You also finagle the numbers when keeping score."

  "I don't cheat," Misha snickered. "I improvise. Try another bribe."

  "You don't care much for girly things except chocolate macadamia nuts," Alex pondered. "How about a full body massage?"

  "By whom?"

  "Me, of course."

  "Nope." Misha shook her head. "I don't get naked in front of anybody, not even for that. Try again."

  "I liked my first idea."

  "Well, I don't. Spanking is barbaric."

  "Liar," Alex laughed, watching her blush. "You're curious."

  "Am not. You're delusional."

  "And you are a tease. Are we there yet?" he asked, enjoying her sudden outburst of laughter. That was always her favorite question when they drove anywhere together. She hated being stuck in the car for any amount of time, and let him know it.

  Twenty minutes later, they pulled into a large, open field holding an enormous hot air balloon. Alex leaned forward in his seat, his eyes widening with excitement.

  "No way! I thought you were terrified of heights," Alex said in astonishment.

  Misha shrugged. "I am, but the daughter of an old client of mine owns this company and sent us tickets. I couldn't allow her generosity go to waste, right?"

  "Did you know I've always wanted to do this?" Alex asked, opening her car door and helping her out.

  "I remembered you making a comment about wanting to try this one day when we were watching something on TV."

  Alex kissed the back of her hand. "Thank you."