Billionaire Romance Boxed Set 1(124)

“Why not?” I bit into the loaf of bread, sweet and buttery and crusty. My stomach calmed down as I continued to feed it the most delicious bacon I had ever tasted. I bit off the fatted parts first, leaving the crisp meaty bits for the end.

“Poachers.” Eliot sipped his tea and put the cup back down on the granite countertop. “Among others. The deer are out, now, and the poachers come too close to my house for comfort. They’re not allowed, of course, but when they track a deer past the boundary line…”

He shrugged. “Let’s just say that they don’t care too much about whose property is whose.”

“They wouldn’t shoot me, though!” I caught Eliot staring at my carefully dissected bacon. While he averted his eyes, I hastily ate the rest. My food routines would seem strange to anyone, and I didn’t want Eliot to think I was weird.

“Of course not. At least, not on purpose. But always wear something bright to go out. I’ll make sure Marta knows to buy you a brightly colored coat.”

“Marta?”

“My brother’s wife. I called and asked if she might take you shopping today for some warm clothes.”

“Oh.” My mind raced. “But, I really can’t. I mean…”

Eliot looked at me, all questions in his eyes. How could I tell him that I was too poor to buy breakfast, let alone a coat?

“I think I’ll be fine once the heater is on in the apartments,” I finished lamely.

“Nonsense,” he said. “You’ll freeze just walking to the academy from there. I really should have known. You can’t ask a girl who lives her whole life in California to pack warmly for Hungary.”

“But,” I protested, my skin growing warm. “I mean, it’s just… I really don’t have the money, you know.”

A flash of realization crossed his eyes, but Eliot waved his hand in the air casually.

“Of course, but Otto owes me a debt from long ago. I’ve already arranged it.”

“But—“

Eliot took my hand in his, and I felt a rush of warmth from the pressure of his palm over mine.

“Please, Brynn. It’s no trouble at all, and we can’t have students traipsing around the city dressed for summertime.”

I swallowed, nodding.

“And that reminds me, you’ll be needing money for lunches and things.” He dug into his pocket and brought out a handful of bills. “I noticed you hadn’t changed any of your money yet.”

I took the money from him, startled with the generosity that he pressed on me.

“I’ll…I’ll pay you back.” I looked down at the bills. There were a half dozen 10,000 forint marks. I had no idea how much that was in dollars, but it felt like a lot.

“Of course, but no rush, no rush.”

“Who’s the guy on the money?” The face looking back at me from the red and blue bill resembled Jesus, a man wearing a crown of crosses with a beard and long hair.

Eliot peered over. “Him? That’s Saint Stephen. Some say he was the first king of Hungary, although really there were others before him. He ruled over the country when the Pope gave us independence from the Roman Empire.”

“So he’s famous here?”

“Well, we get a holiday for him. You’re always famous if you have a holiday. That way people are sure to remember you, if only because they get a day off.” Eliot winked.

“The only saint we have a holiday for is Saint Patrick,” I said, tucking the bills into my pocket. “And I’m pretty sure people think he was a leprechaun.”

“Saint Stephen was a good one as far as they go,” Eliot said, his voice turning quiet. “’Be strong lest prosperity lift you up too much or adversity cast you down.’ He preached a good doctrine, even if he didn’t always follow it.”

A knock sounded from the front door.

“That must be Marta,” Eliot said. He got up from his chair. “Early as always.”

“Can Lucky stay here with you while I’m gone?” I asked.

Eliot eyed the kitten warily. “As long as he promises not to claw my leg when he wants cream.” He left to go open the door for Marta.

“You’ll be good, won’t you, Lucky?” He purred convincingly as I scratched behind his ears.

A woman came through the door, and I thought for a moment that she must be a giantess, so tall were her heels. Her blond hair piled atop her head in a bun that extended her height even farther, and a crisply tailored suit fitted her lean body perfectly in a robin’s egg blue. She crossed the kitchen in a handful of strides and pulled me close to her in a familiar hug, her bosom pressing against my chest. I smelled a delicate violet scent of perfume, and her diamond earrings tickled my cheek.