Page 3 of Billionaire Retreat

A few seconds later, a car door slammed shut and I felt warm hands on my shoulder and heard a voice telling me to breathe.

“You’re okay. Just breathe. You’re okay,” a strong masculine voice said, over and over. I felt myself shaking and without thinking, I wrapped my arms around my body, hugging myself. As I did, I looked up at the stranger squatting in front of me, looking down with dark brown eyes full of concern.

“Hi,” he said softly. He took my hand and never broke eye contact with me as he helped me stand up.

Once we were fully standing and my legs didn’t feel as if they would give out at any minute, I realized he was much taller than I’d expected. He was at least 6’4 and apparently doing very well for himself, I thought, as I studied his three-piece suit that clearly wasn’t off the rack. He had short dark brown hair. He didn’t have a mustache or beard, which seemed to accentuate just how perfectly masculine his face was. His jawline was strong, his lips full, his nose a little off-centered, as if it had been broken once before. But of course, his most arresting features were his eyes that studied me with much concern.

“Are you okay, miss?” he asked as he let go of my hand. His hand had enveloped mine and the feel of it had been reassuring. I instantly missed his warmth.

I tried to smile, but failed. I brought a shaky hand up to my face and pushed my bangs away from my eyes.

“I’m fine. Just a little shaken up, I guess.” I sounded breathless. I felt breathless, but it was hard to tell if that was because I’d almost been run over by a car or if it was because the man in front of me was so freaking sexy.

“This parking lot can be dangerous for pedestrians. I didn’t even see you until you were directly in front of us.”

“Thank God for your quick reflexes.”

He shook his head. “I’m a terrible driver. It was my driver’s reflexes that stopped you from being killed.”

It was then that I saw the guy standing near the hood of the car staring at me.

“I’m sorry I almost hit you. If it wasn’t for Griff saying something, I would have plowed right into you.”

I assumed Griff was the big guy still looking at me intently. He looked afraid to leave my side. I guess I seemed fragile to him. I certainly felt fragile at that moment.

I had to laugh at the sucky day I was having. “It’s ok, I’m not going to faint,” I tried to reassure him.

“You sure?” he asked clearly not believing me.

I smiled. “I’m sure. Thank you, though.”

Griff nodded and took a step back, as if emotionally removing himself from the situation.

“We’ll be on our way then.”

He walked to his Bentley and I watched, still a little afraid to use my legs. I wasn’t sure if I’d faint or not after all.

The driver waved at me one last time, “Sorry about that.”

I gave him a partial smile. “I survived.”

He laughed at my attempt at a joke and I watched him drive away. I couldn’t help myself as I looked towards the guy he called Griff. I smiled in his direction and he gave me a little smile back.

When his car was completely gone, I put my hands on my hips and sighed. If I were keeping score, I would say L.A. had five million points and I had none.

I finally found my car and some obnoxious dude honked at me and yelled, “Nice ass, sweetheart!”

I ignored him and swung myself behind the wheel, defeated. It was then that I realized that not once had Griff or his driver ogled me. Probably the only two nice guys left in L.A., I thought bitterly to myself as I focused on getting home.

My phone rang and I reached for it.

“Hello,” I said knowing that my cousin Kenny was on the other end.

“So, how’d it go?” he asked excitedly. “Did you get the part? Tell me you got the part!”

I laughed bitterly. “Let’s see. Stood in the wrong line for hours. Got insulted by a cranky old lady. Spent half the day with my butt hanging out. And almost got hit by a car. In short, I did not get the part.”

“Oh, Nina,” he said. “It sounds like your day sucked.”

I was ready to agree, but then I remembered the feel of Griff’s hands as he helped me up. I remembered the concern on his face and suddenly not everything seemed that bad.

I reassessed my day. “Actually, it wasn’t that bad.” I paused for emphasis and then added in a sing-song voice, “I met a man.”

“You met a man?” he squeaked. “Hold on, I’m putting you on speaker phone. Cyril! Get over here! She met a man!”

“A man!” I heard Cyril gasp, “I’m so jealous!”

“What?” Kenny said, clearly upset.

“She’s only been here two weeks! It took me two years to meet someone,” moaned Cyril.

“Guys, guys, can we focus on me?”

But they were already talking among themselves, completely forgetting about me on the other end. I hung up, knowing they would call me back. And in the silence of the car, I wondered what the chances would be that I would see Griff again.