Yours for the Taking by Robin Kaye Page B

“Did you buy out the entire market?”
    Ben tipped the delivery boy and shrugged. “I wasn’t sure what you liked.”
    Gina began unpacking the groceries; there was an awful lot of food. He might have gone a little overboard. “I’m sorry.”
    Ben tried to help but she shooed him aside. “If you put the stuff away, I’ll never be able to find it. Would you please just let me do something for myself?”
    Ben nodded. “Okay, I’ll just get out of your way.”
    “Thank you.” She seemed relieved and for some reason, that didn’t set well with him. No one had ever worked so hard to get rid of him before. “I thought I’d take you out to eat before I left.”
    Gina picked up a bag of rice and set it in the pantry. “That’s not necessary. I have a lot of unpacking to do before work tomorrow.” She looked at the boxes of groceries on the counter. “And it’s not as if I’ll starve.”
    Ben called a cab and stayed out of her way as she put away the groceries. “I reset the alarm, you have the code.”
    “I know.”
    “You have the number of the alarm company?”
    “Yes, you wrote it down with all the other instructions.”
    He checked his watch; he only had another five minutes before the cab would be there to take him to the airport. “You have all my numbers.”
    “Yes.”
    “Is it okay if I leave my car here?”
    “Fine.”
    “You might have to move it if it snows—is that a problem?”
    “No. If I can’t, I know plenty of people who can.”
    Ben made his way to the foyer while mentally checking off the list of things he had to go over with her. He thought he covered it all. Gina handed him his coat and waited for him to leave. A horn tooted as he shrugged on his coat. “I guess this is it. Come on out with me so I can give you the car keys after I get my bags out of the trunk.”
    “Sure.” She didn’t bother with a coat and followed him out, wrapping her arms around herself against the cold.
    Ben handed his bags off to the cabby who was too busy checking out Gina to notice. Ben cleared his throat to get the guy’s attention. Still, the man didn’t move. “Are you going to take my bags? If not, just pop the trunk so I can stash them and say good-bye to my wife.”
    The guy popped the trunk and took one of Ben’s bags but not before he let out a low wolf-whistle.
    Ben gave the guy a dirty look and turned back to Gina who didn’t seem to notice the cabby or the attention.
    “Have a safe trip.”
    “Thanks.” Ben handed her the car keys. “You take care of yourself.”
    Gina nodded and started to back away. “Always.”
    Ben heard the trunk close behind him and pulled Gina’s little compact body in close to his, ignoring the shocked look on her face. She started to say something and he took advantage of her open mouth to kiss her good-bye. He wasn’t sure if he was doing it for his benefit or the cabby’s—he’d think about it later—but he took her mouth the way he’d been tempted to ever since the day he’d married her. God she tasted of good champagne and shock and felt even better, especially after he straightened and lifted her off her feet. She didn’t fight him and he didn’t release her until he’d had her thoroughly kissed and confused. He set her back on the first step of their stoop, making sure she had her footing before letting her go. He turned on his heel and got into the cab without looking back. He didn’t need to see the look of relief on Gina’s face.
    ***
    Gina rushed up the steps of the mansion, locked the door, and armed the alarm system behind her. What was that kiss all about? The man certainly didn’t kiss like he was gay. But then, she wasn’t sure what a gay guy kissed like either. He could have been imagining Hugh Jackman for all she knew. Still, that didn’t explain why he’d kissed her in the first place. Sure the cabby was checking her out, but so what? That’s what men did. Well, straight men at least. Maybe Ben was worried the guy would