A Bride for Jackson Powers (Desire, 1273) by Dixie Browning Read Free Book Online Page A

in, what would he do? Use his briefcase as a club? Resort to fists?
    There’d been a time when fists had served him well enough, during his early attempts to prove somethingto himself, before he’d learned that there were better ways.
    “Hey, you’re wasting chocolate,” he murmured, lifting a thumb to her mouth. “Right…here.” He wiped it off, his touch lingering longer than the task required, then licked his thumb.
    She stared at him, eyes wide and startled. He was tempted to—
    No he wasn’t. He hadn’t completely lost his mind. Not yet. “Know any good knock-knock jokes?” he asked a little desperately.
    Her lips parted, revealing the chipped tooth that made her smile so oddly engaging. “Um, I can’t think of any right now.”
    “How about puns? Or limericks?”
    “None I could repeat in mixed company.”
    Quaint, he thought. He didn’t know there was such a thing as mixed company these days. Tugging at the collar of his shirt, he said, “Whew, is it me, or is it getting warmer in here?”
    “It’s you. You’re warm-natured, I’m cold-natured, remember? What if they run out of heating oil?”
    “Heating oil?”
    “For the furnaces.”
    Welcoming the distraction, Jax launched into a description of various climate control methods, which was perhaps more technical than necessary. Still, it served to get his mind back in line. For a minute there he’d been afraid he was going to embarrass himself.
     
    Rumors flew. To their credit the airlines tried to get the word out. Trouble was, the word wasn’t sufficient.Nor was it encouraging. There was no longer even a pretense of going forth in search of food. Jax had managed to secure a supply of saltines for Sunny, but all the available airline caterers’ meals had been wiped out in the first twenty-four hours, with no more coming in. Personal caches had long since been devoured in private or sold at a high profit. Even the supplies of peanuts and pretzels had been exhausted. If there was food to be had in the various private clubs, it was a well-kept secret. Jax suspected that those supplies, too, had run out like all the rest.
    Hetty’s stomach growled. “I can’t believe this is happening in this day and age, in a civilized city like Chicago. You would think someone would do something,” she grumbled softly. “For the children, at least. Sorry. I didn’t mean to whine.”
    “Take my shaving soap and go wash your hands and face, you’ll feel better. Jog for five minutes to loosen up. If you’re not back by—” he glanced at his watch “—eleven-fifteen, Sunny and I’ll come looking for you.”
    Doing anything was better than doing nothing. Besides, Hetty liked the smell of his shaving soap. It kept her from feeling quite so grungy. There were no amenities and little privacy in the rest room, but she did the best she could and then tried jogging.
    She gave it up after the first few minutes. Long skirts and big-heeled sandals weren’t made for it. She’d bought them only because she thought theywere fashionable. Jeannie had delighted in telling her after she’d spent all her money that by the time anything made it to the discount stores, it was way out of style.
     
    Not until she returned to drop, winded, onto the floor beside Jax and his daughter did she realize that something was missing.
    “Oh, shoot, I must’ve left it in the rest room,” she muttered.
    “Left what?” Jax handed Sunny her teething ring again. She’d exhausted her supply of teething biscuits and was subsisting on water. Not liking it much, either.
    “My purse. I know I had it when—” She struggled to get up again.
    “Hetty, hold on, think this through before you go racing off in a blind panic.”
    “I’m not in a blind panic. I simply have to retrace my steps and find the thing. It’s got my money, my tickets and hotel reservation number and everything in it. Without it, I’m— Oh, mercy, I’ve got to find it!”
    Jax swore softly. Could any woman