Page 287 of Under Her Skin

“First, it’s not a limo. I’m not eighty. It’s a Suburban. I brought it today so we’d have plenty of room to carry all the things I´ll buy the kids. Smart, huh?” I askher.

“Well, I’ll take my own car anyway.” The elevator stops and she steps out first, hurrying to get ahead of me as she starts to pull her car keys out of herpurse.

Casually, I reach around her, take the keys, and put them in my pocket. “No, you’re riding with me. I’m not about to waste time having my driver go slowly so you can keepup.”

“Give me the keys,” she says through grittedteeth.

With a shake of my head, I say, “No. And stop gritting your teeth. That’s very bad for them. Now, tell me where you want toeat.”

“Home. My plan was to go home for lunch and eat a tuna fishsandwich.”

Taking her elbow, I steer her out the door and see my driver holding the back door of the car open for us. “This is Mr. Green. Mr. Green, this is DelaneyRichards.”

“Nice to meet you, ma’am,” he says as she slides into thecar.

“We’ll be eating at that Chinese place I like,” I tell him, then get in and scoot on beside her. “They have tunathere.”

The face she makes nearly makes me laugh, then she says, “I’m allergic toMSG.”

“Fine,” I say, then tap the control that lowers the glass between Mr. Green and the back of the car. “Instead of that place, take us to Dillon’sCafé.”

“Of course,” he says, then rolls the window backup.

Laying my arm on the back of the bench seat, I stretch my legs out. “Long day for youalready?”

“I was up at four this morning,” she says as she rubs her temples. “But I’m used toit.”

“I was up at six. Only a couple of hours behind you. Now, I want to know if there are any kids up there who really need a boost today. I only met four kids. I figure I’ll make a few kids happy each day,” I tell her and play with her thick ponytail alittle.

Her hair is so soft and silky, and I bet it looks gorgeous when it’s down, falling over her shoulders, which I’m sure are the color of creamyporcelain.

Moving her hand, she quickly brushes my hand away. “There’s this one girl I was planning on getting a long, blonde wig for. She’s really down. Her mother is all she has and the poor woman is working so much overtime to pay her hospital bills, but it’s not even making a dent in them. The poor little girl just wants her mom around more than anythingelse.”

“Do you know where her mother works?” I ask, getting anidea.

“She’s a waitress at Hasselbeck's. She’s constantly working,” shesays.

I roll the window down again. “Sorry, Mr. Green. Another change of plans. Take us to Hasselbeck’sinstead.”

“Yes, sir,” he says and rolls the dark glass backup.

“And what do you plan on doing there?” she asks me as she frowns. “I shouldn’t have told you where she works. I could get into trouble for that. It’sconfidential.”

“Don’t worry,” I say and run my finger around her ponytail again. “She won’t complain when I make her anoffer.”

Her green eyes roll. “And just what would thatbe?”

“You’ll see.” She moves her hair again and makes a huffing sound. “I really like the way your hair feels. What kind of shampoo do youuse?”

“The cheapest stuff they make,” she says. “I send any extra money I have to my parents so they caneat.”

Like a punch to my midsection, her words take the wind out of me. “Ouch! About them. I’m working on making huge changes to my stores. I’m thinking about incorporating some of the businesses my stores shut down. I’d like to have your parents come to a meeting I’ll be setting up with other owners I’ve shut out. My company will pay for everything. The flight to Houston, the hotel, their meals,everything.”

“You’re shitting me!” she says with wide eyes. “Noway!”

“It’s true. It’s going to be scheduled for the first week in January. The invitations will be sent out just as soon as everything is made final. I’m changing the way we do business. I’m changing a lot about who I am,Delaney.”

I watch her eyes go from wide open and accepting to a bit narrow and untrusting. “Well, when you get things finalized, then I’ll believe you a little bit more. For now, you’re pretty much all talk.” The way her mouth quirks up into a crooked half-smile has me wanting to take those sweet lips and make them allmine.