Page 83 of Nobodys Baby But Mine (Chicago Stars 3)

“Nice to have met you all,” she tossed back over her shoulder at the hostile crowd. “Although I would have appreciated a little more help.”

“Will you shut up?” he growled.

He drew her across the porch and down the steps. She saw the Jeep parked at the curb, and it reminded her she had one more battle to fight. Being married to Cal Bonner was becoming an increasingly complicated business.

“I have my own car.”

“Hell you do.” His lip was bleeding and beginning to swell on one side.

“I do.”

“You don’t.”

“It’s parked in front of the drugstore even as we speak.” She reached into her purse, withdrew a tissue, and held it out to him.

He paid no attention. “You bought a car?”

“I told you I was going to.”

He braked to a stop. She dabbed the tissue gently against his lip, only to have him jerk away. “And I told you you weren’t.”

“Yes, well, I’m a bit too old and a lot too independent to pay attention to you.”

“Show me.” He spit out the words like bullets.

She remembered Kevin’s unkind comments about her Escort and felt a moment of trepidation. “Why don’t I just meet you at the house?”

“Show me!”

Resigned, she walked down the block to the town center, then turned toward the drugstore. He stalked silently at her side and his heels seemed to strike white-hot sparks as they hit the pavement.

Unfortunately, the Escort’s appearance hadn’t improved. As she came to a stop next to it, he looked stunned. “Tell me this isn’t it.”

“All I needed was basic transportation. I have a perfectly good Saturn waiting for me at home.”

He sounded as if he were strangling on a bone. “Has anybody seen you drive this?”

“Hardly anybody.”

“Who?”

“Only Kevin.”

“Shit!”

“Really, Cal, you need to watch your language, not to mention your blood pressure. A man of your age—” She saw her mistake and quickly changed direction. “It’s perfectly fine for what I need.”

“Give me those keys.”

“I will not!”

“You win, Professor. I’ll buy you a car. Now give me the damn keys.”

“I have a car.”

“A real car. A Mercedes, a BMW, whatever you want.”

“I don’t want a Mercedes or a BMW.”

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