Page 21 of Loving a Billionaire

Her eyes widened. “My, my... don’t we have impeccable manners.”

He laughed and sat beside her. “I’d like to believe so, since I was taught as a young boy how to treat a woman.” Surprisingly enough, he wasn’t taught that by his mother. He quickly quenched the horrible memories and focused back on his beautiful date.

“Not many men do that. My father drilled into my brothers that if they couldn’t treat a woman kindly, they would not have satisfied marriages.”

“Your father is very wise.” He slipped his hand over hers and softly caressed her skin. “I hope your brothers took his advice.”

She shrugged. “Only my oldest brother is married, and so far, he and his wife seem to be very happy. My other two brothers are in college. One wants to be a doctor, the other one, a lawyer.”

“How impressive. I’m happy that they want to make something out of their lives.”

“We all do. Even me.” She sighed and frowned.

“What do you want to become? Or have you already reached that goal?”

He waited for her answer, but she seemed to squirm in her chair and play with her utensils. Hopefully, he hadn’t asked the wrong question. Suddenly, he realized he had because she’d wanted to earn extra money being a call girl, and that right there hinted to him she didn’t have a good profession.

Silently, he groaned. Now he needed to say something to make up for his blunder.

* * * *

TALIA COULDN’T THINK. Why did this always happen to her when she was around this man? Had he some kind of hypnotic power to make all of the thoughts in her head disappear? So far, that’s the only excuse she could come up with.

She couldn’t necessarily tell him that she’d always wanted to be a cop or detective, because what kind of woman would do that and then try to be a call girl? Perhaps she’d tell him about the profession she’d almost gone into.

She raised her gaze and met his worried one. “I was actually in college to get a degree in interior design, but I had to drop out to care for my father when he became sick. Once he was feeling better, I found a job, but I wasn’t making a lot of money. One thing led to another, and suddenly bills started piling up. Then my job laid me off, and well... now I’m here, looking really pathetic about now, I suppose.”

Sadness encased his expression. He took her hands in his, once more. It was hard to admit, but when he did this, it calmed her.

“My sweet, Talia. You have such a caring heart to drop out of school to watch over your father. I think interior design would be a great career for you. I hope you return once you can get back on your feet.”

She nodded. “That is my plan.”

He released her and turned to grab one of the dishes of food. “We’d better eat before our food gets cold.”

“Oh, yes. I’m starving.”

It melted her heart to think he’d serve her. Most wealthy businessmen sat back and allowed others to serve them. Every minute with him, he amazed her more and more. Now she wondered how he could even be considered a suspect at all. He was so kind and attentive, and that definitely wasn’t how murderers acted. There were people who had split personalities, but because he’d made it so far in life and was still going strong, that told her he didn’t have that particular disorder.

As they ate their dinner, she relaxed and enjoyed listening to him. He talked about his hotels, and more importantly, how he’d obtained them. The idea of him being a murderer floated further from her mind. This man was extremely intelligent.

Off and on throughout the conversation, she could hear Kurt in her ear, making snide remarks. Obviously, her partner thought Austin was lying about everything. She was tempted to take Kurt out of her ear and enjoy her date for the rest of the night. But she knew she had to somehow get around to that important question...what were you doing on the night of Kalama’s murder?

When there was a break in the conversation, she asked, “Austin, you really are a busy man, aren’t you?”

“Yes.” He took a sip of his wine. “That’s one of the reasons I cherish times when I can relax, like right now.”

“I wonder if that’s the reason you weren’t here when I first came by to talk to you.” Talia tried not to pat herself on the back for coming up with this idea so quickly.

His drink stalled at his mouth. “You came to see me another time?”

“Yes. Let’s see,” she tapped her finger on her cheek, “today is Friday, so I came to see you last Tuesday. It was around ten o’clock in the morning.”

“Good girl, Russell,” Kurt said in her ear. “That’s the way to get Romeo to talk.”

“Wow.” Austin shook his head. “You were a determined woman, weren’t you?”

“Like I said before. I was desperate.” She paused, hoping he’d tell her where he was, but when he laid his hand over hers and gently squeezed, she wondered if he was going to thwart her question.