Page 12 of Baby For The Billionaire Silver Fox

“Way to shut him up,” Nana said and let out an unladylike burp. Lexi giggled, and I shushed her.

“Oh boy. I think Nana has had her quota of intoxicating beverages. We’re going to take her home now. You guys stay. There’s lots of music left,” said Lexi.

“Nana must have had more than I thought,” Nicole said to me.

Another face stopped at our blanket to talk to me. It was Cyrus Walker, a reporter. He could be pretty nosy, but I guessed that came with the job. He seemed to enjoy digging deep into whatever he wrote about. “Did I hear correctly?” he asked with a smile on his young, freckled face. “Are you going to run for mayor?”

“No, Cyrus, I’m not. It’s not happening. It’s just a rumor that one person started. And you know how rumors spread.”

Cyrus looked crestfallen. “Rats, I was hoping to get a scoop.”

“Say, who is this beautiful lady with you?” he asked, his eyes lingering on Nicole a little longer than I thought they should.

“I’m Nicole,” she said, offering him her hand to shake.

“What brings you here, Miss Nicole?” Cyrus asked. “I assume you are living here now, but maybe you’re Dan’s date for the evening?”

She laughed. “No, we’re friends, and I’m going to be here for a couple of months, helping out at the hospital. I’m a travel nurse.”

“That’s great,” he beamed. “Then Dan won’t mind if I ask you to dinner sometime?” He looked at me when he asked that.

I bit the inside of my cheek, trying to tamp down my sudden irritation. “That’s up to the young lady, Cyrus,” I stated roughly.

“Okay then. Be seeing you, Miss Nicole,” he said and winked at her as if he was God’s gift to women.

Nicole was digging in her bag and gave him a nod and a brief smile.

She wasn’t going to encourage that, was she?

She laid back, propped another blanket under her head, and looked at the stage and the lights strung up around it. It was dark out now, and only the two of us shared the blanket. I propped myself on my side, facing her, noticing how beautiful she looked in the glow of the lights.

Facing her might be a mistake. It would make it oh-so-easy to lean forward and kiss her. I quickly turned on my back. That way, I couldn’t see her. I was surprised the thought of kissing her had popped into my mind.

Lying beside her, I could still smell her lavender soap or lotion or whatever, and it was enticing. Just as good as the orange scent from the other day.

“This has been an amazing day. Thank you for sharing your town with me. I almost don’t want to start work tomorrow, and I love my work.”

“First days are hard,” I said.

“And humbling,” she added.

We lay in companionable silence for a while, absorbing the music.

“Can I ask you a question?” she asked quietly.

“Sure.”

“Why don’t you want to run for mayor? It seems like you know everyone, and they all like you. I think the whole town said hi to you at some point this evening. I know you’re a good listener, and I feel like you are in tune with this town. It seems like you care. Lexi told me how well you ran the fall festival and how successful it’s been since you’ve been at the head.”

“I may be friendly and enjoy the people here, but I like my privacy. Running for office means my whole life will be exposed, and every single detail will be under a microscope. I don’t want that.”

“Skeletons in your closet then?” she teased.

“Yes.”

“And you’re not going to elaborate, are you?”

“No.”

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