The Tycoon's Marriage Exchange by Elizabeth Lennox Read Free Book Online Page B

Kallista ’s back, guiding her out of the locker room and back out into the tunnel.
    As soon as they were clear of the locker room, he moved away, dropping his arm from her back and she suddenly felt cold.  “Thank you, ” he said, bending down so only she could hear.
    She glanced up at him, wondering if he was being sarcastic or if he was angry with her last comment while in the locker room .  “ F or what?”
    “For being a good sport.” 
    They were guided quickly into the waiting limousine which immediately pulled away.  Kallista tried hard, but she started nodding off in the car .  The day had been long and productive but she was exhausted after having been up early this morning in an effort to meet an informant about her story.  Since these were the type of men who didn’t appreciate the daylight hours, she’d been at their meeting point by four thirty that morning .  The plane ride with all the requisite jet lag plus the excitement of the game made her extremely tired.
    They drove right back to the plane which took off moments after they boarded.  Kallista tried very hard, but she couldn’t keep her eyes open.  About five minutes after takeoff, she was sound asleep, unaware that she was leaning against Hector’s shoulder for a pillow. 
    Hector looked down at the woman sleeping beside him, trying to figure her out.  How could she be so open and friendly to a group of strange , sweaty men and yet any kind of touch fr om him she started to pull away?   He wasn’t fooled.  She touched him, but it was always in places that were innocuous.  His shoulder, his arm, his back…nothing that would give him any encouragement to indicate that she wanted more from him . 
    He thought a bout pushing her away and letting her sleep on her own, but he actually preferred her touch, even though it was in sleep so he lowered both of their chairs slightly and let her use his shoulder as a pillow while he worked through the details of his next business acquisition. 
    Several hours later, the plane landed once again in Athens .  As the plane taxied to the off-loading area , he woke her up gently by shaking her shoulder, the only place on her body he trusted himself to touch .  “I have a driver waiting to take you home,” he said softly when her lovely eyes fluttered open .
    Kallista woke up and looked around.  “I’m sorry, I guess I was more tired than I realized.  Aren’t you heading back to your house too?’
    “No.  I have meetings in London tomorrow morning.”
    She looked at her watch.  “It’s two o’clock in the morning!  When do you sleep?”
    “Its a few hours until I reach London.”
    She was stunned that he wasn’t going to get a full night’s sleep.  How could he function on only a few hours of rest?  “That’s not enough.  You need more sleep, Hector,” she said as her mind started functioning more clearly. 
    He raised an eyebrow.  “Are you worried about me?” he asked, his cynicism coming through in his tone and he wanted to take back the words as soon as he said them when he saw her cringe slightly .  She was too tired to hide her reaction and he felt like a heel for being so rude when she was expressing honest concern for his welfare, something he’d never had growing up except from her mother or father.  Receiving that sort of concern from Kallista had a completely different impact, and he hesitated to admit to himself that he enjoyed it . 
    “I am tired,” he replied in a softer tone.  “I’ll get some rest.  I just have a few more things to go over before then.”
    She smiled slightly and looked away, feeling awkward and shy all of a sudden.  “Thank you for tonight.  It really was a fun game to watch.”
    He pulled his hands behind his back as he bowed his head in acknowledgement.  “I appreciate you coming all the way across the Atlantic spur of the moment like that.”
    She shrugged, unsure of what to say.  Instead of saying anything, she turned