“Under my skin like a festering splinter. Get out of my office before I have to call in the security that you’re so fond of.”
Jesse left laughing. Royce wanted to get up and pound his brother in the head until he stopped, but knew that it would only make matters worse. He leaned back in his chair to wonder why his mother thought he was attracted to Kasey.
She was beautiful. Her hair was the color of fall, dark and light reds and browns that made him think of warm nights in front of the fire snuggled under a blanket together. She’d probably hog all the blankets, but it would be fun trying to take them from her. Or trapping her beneath them to grab a few kisses. He stopped that train of thought.
Her eyes were a shade of gray he’d never seen on a woman before. Steel gray with highlights of dark blue that darkened when she was pissed. He’d seen them that color more often than not and he smiled. He did seem to push her buttons.
She was tall and, with her ill-fitting clothes, he’d been hard pressed to figure out if she was as big as she looked or just sloppy. He’d heard from her uncle that she’d been requesting new uniforms for over three years and every time they came in, they were bigger than before until she just stopped trying. Jay thought it was White trying to put her in her place. Royce was beginning to see that he might have been correct. Then he wondered if Jay knew what his niece had been putting up with and decided that he hadn’t. Jay York would have torn the man to pieces for his niece.
He’d been intrigued by her the moment she’d stopped him in the lobby. He’d never been stopped before and, while that surprised him, he’d wished her timing had been a bit better. But when White had come up and started ordering her around he wanted to see how she’d react to finding out who he was. He supposed that he wanted her to see him as godlike, the man of all men. But she’d only seemed like she was going to the guillotine.
She’d handled that well enough, better than he’d expected. She’d not backed down nor done anything but her job. He smiled. She was a pain in his ass and though he wouldn’t admit it to his family, he was beginning to be attracted to her. He picked up his coat and the check and started for the door. Time to pay the piper, he thought, and see her face when he gave her the check.
~~~
Leah watched the man coming toward her. She knew who he was. Her daughter had complained about him endlessly for the past few hours. And she had described him to the letter. All the way from the way he walked like he owned the ground beneath his feet to the top of his dark curly hair that needed a good comb through and a pair of scissors. Leah smiled when she saw the frown on his face. Here was a man who could give her daughter more than she ever dreamed. If either of them were to stop bickering at each other long enough to see it.
“She’s getting a bath. Well, they’re trying to give her a bath. She’s hurting so bad that they had to give her a shot to ease the pain, but she wants to be clean more,” she told him when he stood next to her. “She claimed that she couldn’t stand her own odor.”
Royce looked at the door and then back at her. “She can be quite vocal when she’s displeased, can’t she? Would you like to go get a cup of coffee while we wait? I’ve not had lunch yet either if you’re interested.”
Leah nodded. “Thank you. They just started so they may be awhile. She asked me to leave so that she could cuss without repercussions. I think I might have heard a few of them before I got the door closed. That poor nurse.”
“Yes, well your daughter can be nice when it suits her. Not to me, but I’ve seen it a time or two with you.” Royce smiled and took a bit of the sting out of his words. “I’m sorry. You probably don’t want to hear me bashing your daughter right now.”
Leah laughed. “Kasey always has been a bit headstrong. I think I wanted her to be independent so badly I over-encouraged her to be outspoken as well.” They were seated in the large cafeteria when she spoke. “She’s my biggest champion. I love her with all my heart.”
Royce laughed. “She does love you too.”
They ate for a few minutes before Leah looked up at the man again. “I’m dying. Soon, as a matter of fact. I have an inoperable brain tumor that is slowing killing me. Or quickly, I suppose. I have less than six weeks left on the year they gave me. I don’t think it’s…I won’t live to see her married or happy with a family of her own.”
He looked embarrassed then he looked her in the face. “My secretary told me about your illness. Bobbie, I think she knows your brother Jay. She said you’d been ill for a while before they found it.”