The Billionaire's Final Stand (11 page)

              “You know I love you, too, George,” she started, but quickly covered his mouth when he was about to say something. “But… this isn’t the right time. Joseph is still in a coma, the kids are all upset, and if I’m not mistaken, there are possible wedding bells in the future for your youngest son.”

              “You know my family means the world to me, Esther, but you’re my family now, too. I want you to marry me.”

              “You were just in a horrible accident a few weeks ago. You’re finally getting out of the hospital in a couple days, and you’re flying high on pain medication. On top of all that, your twin brother, who you love very much, is in a coma. People make mistakes when they’re dealing with one of these events, let alone all of them. I refuse to marry you because you’re feeling like time is running out.”

              “I loved you last month, last week, and yesterday. I’ll continue to love you today, tomorrow, and fifty years from now,” he said, his voice growing thick.

              “I’ll hold you to that if we’re still here in fifty years,” she replied with a watery smile.

              “Is that a yes?” he asked with hope.

              “No, it wasn’t. You get some rest. I’m coming in this afternoon, and I’m warning you now that if you give anything away, you won’t be getting any of my sweet apple pie when you get home,” she threatened.

              “I’ll behave, but I can’t guarantee for how long,” he pouted.

              “As long as it’s long enough for us to get you safely home.”

              Esther bent down and gently kissed George. With his good arm, he pulled her close and deepened the chaste kiss she’d started. She finally pulled back, her cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkling.

              “George Anderson, you make me feel like a twenty-one year old girl again,” Esther said with a giggle.

              “As long as you only
feel
that way. I wouldn’t take a single day of your life away. Your years have added a beauty only time can give. I’ll get you to marry me, Esther, and soon.”

              She said nothing further as she slipped out the door. Kinsey quickly jumped into the next room so Esther wouldn’t see her. Esther had what seemed to be a permanent grin on her face. Kinsey couldn’t wait to see Cassie and tell her what she’d overheard.

              Kinsey sighed as she stepped outside and was instantly and irritatingly soaked. You’d think she’d be used to the Seattle rain by now. But she hated getting drenched, always shivering as she waited for the ‘consistently late’ bus.

              No one else was standing with her as she did her best to stay dry. She was looking at the ground when she heard a car horn. She ignored it until it beeped again. When she looked up, her eyes locked with Austin’s. She sent him a miserable glare.

              “Get in. I’ll give you a ride,” he hollered.

              “No thanks,” she answered before turning away and looking down the street, hoping to see the bus down the block. She was out of luck.

              “Come on, Kinsey. Am I really so bad that you’d rather get drenched than accept a ride? It’s too late for you to be hanging out on the street, anyway.”

              Kinsey thought about it as another shiver racked her body. Finally, her low tolerance of the wet, cold and dark won out and she reluctantly rose. Though miserable, she took her time walking over and climbing in. She felt a bit of evil glee as she soaked his seat.

              The blast of the furnace blowing hot air in her face made her feel like giggling. It was such a welcomed relief. As the heat started seeping through her clothes, she couldn’t stop the tremors racking her frame. The harder she tried, the worse they got. She locked her jaw, but her teeth kept on chattering.

              Austin gave her an ‘I told you so’ look that she chose to ignore.

              “Where’s your car?”

              “In the shop, again,” she replied. Her car had a mind of its own and decided when and where it wanted to work. She really needed to get another one, but she couldn’t stand spending some of her hard-earned savings.

              “Where you headed?” he asked as he put the car into drive and started moving down the busy street.

              “I’m just going two miles down the road to the super center,” she replied.

              “What a coincidence. I’m on my way there, too,” he said with a grin directed her way. She’d bet her next paycheck he hadn’t been planning on going to the discount center. For that matter, she couldn’t imagine him shopping, period. He probably had others do it for him.

              They rode in silence during the short minutes to the store. Luck was on his side as he found a close parking space. As soon as he turned off the motor, she reluctantly jumped from the warm vehicle. Her still soaked clothes got even more wet as she ran for the double doors.

              Just as she was about to reach the entrance, she caught her toe on the edge of the sidewalk and went flying to the ground, landing in a six inch puddle. The wind was knocked out of her as water flew up her nose. Kinsey was too shocked and numb to feel pain. She was sure her knees were bruised, if not bleeding, and her elbow was most likely going to have a nice scrape, as well.

              Suddenly she was hauled into the air and pulled tightly against Austin’s chest as he jogged the remaining feet to the entrance of the store. He walked through the doors and took a sharp right, then gently sat her down on a metal bench.

              He kneeled before her and lifted up her soaked scrubs to look at her knees. She was too cold and miserable to protest the inappropriate touching. Her teeth chattered as his incredibly warm hands ran down her sore legs. She glanced down, and sighed in relief to see the skin wasn’t broken - just bruised.

              “I’ll be right back,” he told her before jumping to his feet and jogging away.

              For once she didn’t argue. He returned in less than ten minutes holding a sack. Then he gently picked her back up and moved toward the bathrooms. Before she realized what he was doing, he walked inside the ‘family care’ room and shut and locked the door behind them.

              Without saying anything, he stripped her coat off, dropping it on the large sink counter, then grabbed the bottom of her scrub top and hauled it over her head. When his hands reached for her pants, she regained some semblance of control and stopped him.

              “What are you doing?” she tried to snap, but the effect was ruined by her chattering teeth.

              “You need to get out of these clothes. You’re actually turning blue. I’ve never before seen someone turn blue, just heard the expression, but I’m worried about you getting hypothermia. I’ll turn my back if you want to finish, but the clothes need to come off, now,” he answered.

              “F..f…fine,” she stuttered. Dang the chattering.

              Austin handed her a new towel with the tag still on and she wrapped it around her arms, grateful he’d gotten a large beach sized one. Just getting rid of the jacket and top was helping her fight off the chill. With trembling fingers she gripped her scrub bottoms and tugged them down her legs. It was difficult since they were plastered to her body, but she finally managed to kick them off.

              She ran the towel across her body, still wearing her wet bra and panties, but not willing to fully strip, though he was staying true to his word and keeping his back to her. She’d make him leave the room, but then someone could walk by and see her in a nearly nude state. She didn’t know which was worse.

              She reached for the bag and blushed scarlet when she saw a skimpy red laced thong sitting on top. She emptied the contents and found a tight undershirt, sweater, sweat pants, socks and slippers. No bra, of course. He wouldn’t know what size to get.

              “I didn’t know what size shoe to buy, so I figured you could wear slippers in the store. I’ll carry you back to the car when we’re done,” Austin said as if he could read the question marks in her head. She looked at his back with suspicion. He wasn’t facing the mirror so he couldn’t see her, but still, she needed to cover herself.

              Her need for warmth outweighed her modesty, so she stripped her bra and panties quickly, finished drying and then threw on the new clothes. She had to fight the urge to hug him. It was actually the most thoughtful – almost romantic – thing a guy had ever done for her. Yes, she’d been bought flowers, even jewelry, but Austin had thought quickly, and was… well he was taking care of her.

              She pushed the thought down, but it wouldn’t go away.

              “Thank you, Austin,” she said, her body still cold, but much better than it had been.

              “I never could resist a damsel in distress,” he said as he turned and grinned at her.

              She began ringing out her sodden clothes in the sink, and he quickly jumped in to help. They finished and put her wet clothes in the bag before he opened the door for them to leave. Glancing at her reflection in the bathroom mirror as they exited, she cringed when she noticed that she looked like a drowned rat with her hair plastered to her face. She decided she didn’t care. She was feeling much better – well, besides the bruised knees, and tender elbow, so it didn’t matter.

              An old couple walked by, then did a double take as they realized she and Austin had just come from the bathroom. The old man actually gave Austin a wink before they passed. Kinsey’s cheeks flamed again.

              “Where to?” Austin asked as he snagged a cart.

              “You really don’t need to hang out with me as I shop,” she said as she tried to dismiss him.

              “I told you, I have things to get, too. I need new razors, toothpaste – you know, all the good stuff,” he said.

              She gave up and moved forward, taking the cart from him. It helped to take some of the weight off her sore left knee.

              They walked silently down the aisles and Kinsey had to smile at the lost look on Austin’s face. He obviously had no idea what he was doing. She could bust him on the fact, or just accept he was doing a kind thing for her. Considering she didn’t want to get soaked waiting for the bus again, she decided to keep her mouth shut.

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              Austin looked at what seemed like miles of products. He’d shopped before, he wasn’t a complete invalid, but never in a huge market. He wouldn’t admit to Kinsey, but he couldn’t stand shopping and had his staff do most of it.

              If he needed something simple, he’d jot down to the local store. Beef jerky, fresh donuts, a bag of chips – those were simple items to get. But when it came to the right brand of shampoo, toothpaste, mouthwash, even toilet paper, he had no clue. He’d be damned before he admitted that to Kinsey, though.

              They continued walking while she grabbed an item here or there and tossed it in the cart. For good measure, he did the same. He didn’t know what the heck he was buying, though. Heck, if it wasn’t something he needed, he’d just donate it.

              For a ‘non-date’ date, he was having a great time. He enjoyed being with Kinsey – when she was happy, mad, surprised – hell, any mood she was in. He just liked… well, he liked who he was when he was around her. He liked that he felt… energized, ready to do anything.

              By the third or fourth aisle they entered, he decided that shopping was definitely for women only. He passed a couple of men trailing their wives, and they gave each other sympathetic looks. They looked just as miserable as him as they chased their kids or answered their wives with which products they liked better. If they were like him, he didn’t care if the shampoo smelled like peaches or vanilla. Any scent on Kinsey was enough to harden him.

              He needed to get her alone soon. If she wouldn’t have been turning blue in the bathroom…

              He shook his head to clear those thoughts, or the entire store would know it had been a while for him. He shifted as they walked, his wet pants were already too tight, he didn’t need to add to the problem.

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              Kinsey couldn’t seem to take her eyes off Austin. The way his jeans clung to him in all the good places, the sight of his shirt plastered across his flat stomach. She wouldn’t mind helping him out of his clothes, he looked a bit uncomfortable. The thought made her giggle.

              She stopped suddenly and doubled over. She was sore, cold, and exhausted and hysterical laughter consumed her. If he could read her mind, he’d probably take her right there in the produce aisle.

              When she glanced at Austin’s perplexed expression, she began laughing even harder, finding it hard to breathe. He started patting her back and she tried to suck in breaths of air. Her head was starting to feel light.

              “P…please…y…you have…to stop…” she gasped in between fits of laughter. He took a step back, which was wise. He was dealing with a crazy woman, after all, she thought. One minute she was putting him at arm’s length, the next yelling at him, and then her final break in sanity, had her laughing hysterically in the middle of a super-center.

              After several minutes, she finally pulled herself together. He didn’t say a word as she began walking again, a few more giggles slipping out.