Yours for the Taking by Robin Kaye Page A

dresser I picked up in the scratch-and-dent room at Ikea for $60. This stuff is way out of my league.”
    Ben thought about correcting her but knew she’d only argue with him. He decided to forgo that experience, popped the top off the champagne, and poured instead. He handed Gina the flute. “Here’s to a short and successful marriage.”
    She nodded, clinked his glass, and took a sip. “So, when’s your plane?”
    “Whenever I get there.” He checked his watch. “Grandfather sent one of the corporate jets for me. We have a board meeting tomorrow—it’s his way of ensuring my attendance.”
    Gina’s eyes widened.
    “He was hoping you’d come along, considering he’s interrupting what he thinks is our honeymoon.” When her eyes bugged out, he took pity on her. “Don’t worry, I told him you were busy getting settled in our new place. He wasn’t happy about it, but he didn’t argue the point.”
    “Good.” She set her glass down on the marble table and returned to folding her lingerie and placing it in the dresser drawer. “Can you picture me in Ohio? I’ve never stepped foot west of New Jersey.”
    “It’s Idaho.” He slid a suitcase over, making room to sit on the bed where he’d have a good view of her lingerie. “You know that state in the northwest, west of Montana, north of Utah, and east of Washington and Oregon.”
    She rolled her eyes. “I don’t need a geography lesson.”
    “Could have fooled me. So far you’ve hit just about every state that starts with an i or ends in an o other than the one I’m from.”
    “Well don’t expect me to go out there and certainly not in a plane. I don’t fly.”
    Ben was taking a sip of champagne and almost spit it out. The bubbles burned the back of his nose and he coughed. “What? How the heck do you get around?”
    “As nature intended: by bus.”
    Ben pushed another suitcase aside and sat on the bed. “You’ve never been on a plane?”
    “No, and I never plan to be.”
    “Why not?”
    She stared at him as if he’d just grown horns. “Why would I? The only place I’ve ever been interested in going was Miami and I took the bus. It was nice.”
    “Nice?”
    “Besides, planes crash.”
    “So do buses.”
    “Yeah, but most people survive bus crashes; planes, not so much.”
    “That’s ridiculous. Commercial flight is the safest form of travel.”
    “Not for me it’s not. Have a nice flight to wherever.”
    Ben stood. “I’m leaving you my car until we can get one for you. Why don’t you give Nick Romeo a call? He’ll set you up. Just have him bill me.”
    Gina shook her head. “I don’t drive. And before you start on me, I don’t want to. I’m very happy taking public transportation and I can always call a cab. It’s one of the perks of living in New York.”
    That was a fight for another day. Ben took his wallet out of his back pocket.
    “What are you doing now? I don’t need any more money.”
    “I wasn’t going to give you money. I was just going to make sure you had all my numbers.” He pulled out his card and jotted down his grandfather’s home number, his office number, and his cell. “I’m staying with my grandfather and it would be nice if you’d call me so he’ll think you miss me. Most married people talk when they’re away from each other.”
    She looked a little embarrassed; her cheeks turned the most attractive shade of pink. “Oh, right. Okay, I’ll call you. Lord knows what we’ll talk about, but I’ll call.”
    “Good.” The doorbell rang, sounding like church bells on a Sunday morning.
    Gina’s brows shot up. “Are you expecting someone?” She obviously wasn’t.
    “I called the local market and ordered some food. I told them you needed to stock up on the basics. They deliver.”
    “Thanks, that was very… thoughtful.” Her words belied her expression. She mumbled something to herself in Spanish as she followed him downstairs to the door. The delivery people had four boxes of food.