The Billionaire's Second Chance (40 page)

Half an hour later, the Reyes
had been moved into
hired vans which would take them onward to reunite with their family war hero after bidding
a warmly effusive good-bye to
the man who had made it all possible. Luckily for Nick, Claire had been there to buffer some of his unease at being subject to the family’s gratitude
again
. It was Shannon’s turn to watch silently as her gorgeous, sexy cowboy pirate struggled with his emotions in a moment where he was just a man,
doing the right thing. She smiled at his discomfiture and noted the intuitive give and take communication that went back and forth between Nick and his assistant.

Next, Claire sped away after several minutes of schedule checking and email forwarding with the boss. Shannon broke through whatever wall may have been left between her and this other woman with a brief hug as Claire took her leave.

When it was their turn to exit the plane Nick wanted to say something reassuring to Shannon about his PA. They’d been friendly enough with each other at the end but he couldn’t get out of his mind how Shannon had reacted upon first seeing her. He knew plenty of other CEO’s and power wielding executives who viewed their PA’s as employee
s
with benefits.
Bed warmers and blow-job queens they were snidely called. He shuddered at the notion that Shannon would think him capable of such disgusting behavior and searched for a way to calm any lingering fears she may have.

“Shannon. About Claire. She’s just my assistant, you know. I rely on her to keep my hectic schedule and business life running smoothly. She isn’t involved in my personal life though.” He’d decided to say all that while he had both hands on her waist as he leaned his slim hips against the bulkhead, holding her against him. He wanted her to know through their
joined bodies and not just his words that what he said, he meant.

There were a lot of scenarios possible when it came to Shannon’s response but the one he got wasn’t one of them.

Putting her hands on top of his forearms as he clasped her tight, keeping her nestled against his front which just happened to reveal a heaviness in his zipper area that never seemed to really lessen very much, Shannon shook her head in amazement at him. “Well,
darling
,” she added with coquettish charm, “I should hope not.
S
he may be beautiful and smart to boot but she is gay
, after all
.”

The look of incredulity on Nick’s face made Shannon hug him tight as she moved both arms around his shoulders in a firm embrace. “If you tell me you didn’t know ……” she broke off.

“Of course I know!” he guffawed in pleasure.
“The question is how the hell do you know that after only a couple of handshakes and a five minute conversation?
Why am I not surprised?” he chuckled. “Women! Go figure.”
Shannon’s trill of amused laughter settled in his chest in the area around his heart.

With that taken care of the
y
descended the
steps of the plane and arrived beside a sleek, black stretch limo with an open rear door while a burly looking gentleman in a very proper suit and tie stood nearby. Claire had been right about the weather change making Shannon endlessly grateful for the
lovely
pashmina style shawl the woman had leant her. The soft buttery shade complimented her feminine dress perfectly and was light enough to look like more of a fashion accessory than a garment for warmth.

The moment he arrived at her side
,
after letting her take the stairs ahead of him, Nick reached for her hand and pressed a warm kiss in the center of her palm.
“I like the shawl but if you feel even a little bit chilly you will wear my suit jacket until we get home.” It wasn’t a question or even a suggestion. His statement was one of command making Shannon recall how that authoritative tone had annoyed the crap out of her just a few days ago. Rig
ht now however
his take charge, bull in the china closet approach
,
made her feel protected and safe.

“Ah, Mr. Allen.” Nick called out as the suited gentleman walked their way. “It’s good to see you, Gregory.” he said while shaking the man’s hand. “Let me introduce my companion.”

This was one of Nick’s attributes that Shannon had admired from the start. Even in the dusty
,
hot back roads of a third world country, his impeccable manners had
shone brighter than the sun. Watching him as he interacted with people and the way he held himself, she marveled at what his childhood had been like and wondered about the parents who had so obviously ingrained in their only son a deep-rooted sense of decency toward everyone. He might be a ruthless businessman who wielded power and control with ease but he was also a very well brought up man whom she could be proud of.

“Shannon Reynolds. This is Mr. Allen. He makes sure I get where I need to go without
even so much as a honked horn, a well-placed digit of scorn or a string of pithy swear words. And Mr. Allen, this beautiful woman is Shannon Reynolds. She will be staying with me at the brownstone and will be accompanying me to Connecticut.”

That pretty much said it all he congratulated himself silently. The twinkle of delight he saw forming in his
driver’s eyes
told him that the old scoundrel had heard the message in Nick’s choice of words. If it weren’t for the fact that he had to drive them into the city, Nick was fairly
certain
he’d be on his cell phone in a heartbeat alerting everyone who would listen to the presence of a
lady by his side. How long would it take for his mother to learn of Shannon’s appearance in his life he wondered? Mr. Allen might not be the one to make that call but he was pretty damn sure his wife wouldn’t hesitate for a second.

“How do you do, Ms. Reynolds.” the older gentleman said. With a warm smile turning into a huge grin he chortled merrily, “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance and don’t believe anything Nicholas Barrett says!
My scornful digits and well-rounded vocabulary of
New Yawk
swear words get plenty of workouts if you know what I mean.”

Shannon smiled her most charming smile at the
burly gentleman, laughing at his playful use of an exaggerated New York accent to make his point. “I live in L.A. Mr. Allen, where flame throwing invectives are a way of life for anyone driving on the freeways!”

At the driver’s toothy grin she added, “And as for this one,” she giggled as she waved fingers in Nick’s direction, “the jury is still out on him.”

Nick laughed at their joking around and shuffled Shannon quickly out of the early autumn chill and into the warmth of his car. “This one’s mine Gregory.” He announced with a deep chuckle.
“Save all your New
Yawk
charm for that wife of yours!” Things were working out quite well indeed he mused quietly as they settled into their seats in the back of the luxurious limousine.
Next stop; home.

She expected a luxurious penthouse in some fabulous exclusive celebrity magnet address and was instead surprised to find he had his own restored home tucked away in Brooklyn.
When their car pulled up outsid
e an elegant classic brownstone,
Shannon was delighted by the wide steps leading up to a gorgeous wood door
with
stained glass panels and ornate scroll work. Not at all what she’d pictured in her mind as Nick’s New York home
,
she was unprepared for the
happy
surge of approval
she experienced
as they climbed those stairs, hand in hand
,
like a couple returning home after a journey.

When Nick swung the heavy solid door open and ushered her inside, the incredible luxury of the old world craftsmanship took her breath away. Much as in her home there was wood everywhere only this was dark wood
s
like cherry and walnut covering walls, in the massive built-ins, up the magnificent staircase, and framing the dramatically tall windows of the high ceilinged rooms. It was glorious and had
an ambient feeling of gracious
hominess that warmed Shannon’s heart.

Nick’s home was as surprising as he was himself.

While
he
chatted with his driver, Shannon wandered through a large sitting room with curved window benches tucked inside side-by-side alcoves. She couldn’t help but sweep her hands across the rich, dark woods and the stunningly gorgeous mantle above a huge fireplace.

There were overstuffed side chairs and a massive sofa strewn with colorful pillows positioned to make the most of the beautiful room. Tossing her purse on a low table Shannon sank onto the wide sofa and sat in awe of the stately charm of Nick’s home. She loved it.

It just took a minute for the man to reappear at her side as he too threw himself down next to her on the couch. He reached for a control pad and started swiping his fingers across the touch screen to adjust the lights and start at welcoming fire in the massive stone fireplace.

“Had to switch from wood to a much safer natural gas fire when we re-did the place.”
He spoke as if in answer to the questions forming in her brain. “Pretty much everything else is original, restored or a precise reproduction. This is why I appreciate
d
the attention to detail you investe
d in the c
raftsman renovation.”

Looking around the comfortable room Nick tried to see his home through her eyes and felt a whiplash of satisfaction and happiness a
t the obvious approval shining on her face
. There was a penthouse apartment at his disposal atop the Barrett
offices
but he had never been comfortable living there. Randolph had used it
so
Nick had made damn sure to change it top to bottom once he had control of everything.

As soon as the brownstone renovation had been completed he had made the luxury dwelling his home base. It was big and oversized which suited him just fine. He hated feeling hemmed in or cooped up
,
another reason why Shannon’s open floor plan and the easy flow between spaces in her home had appealed to him.

Smiling sweetly Shannon nudged him with her shoulder and joked, “This is a bit old fashioned and homey for a bachelor pad!” When he playfully nudged her back she gushed
,
“I love it!
The
wood is breathtaking and makes the whole house feel warm and inviting.” Her eyes were bright with enthusiasm
.
“Do I get a tour?” she suggested? Was that a library I saw in the room next door?”

Laughing Nick threw an arm around her shoulder and settled back amongst the cushions with her nestled by his side. “Plenty of time for that later, Shannon. Don’t want you to overdo on that ankle just yet.” Gesturing over his shoulder he indicated
,
“Mr. Allen is taking care of our luggage and somewhere in the deep recesses of the upstairs, my housekeeper,
who
just
happens to be
Mrs.
Allen
,
is
no doubt busy
organizing everything for us.”

“Mrs. Allen?” Shannon queried. “Do you mean your housekeeper
is married to your driver? Wow!
How convenient.”

“Well, convenient yes but it didn’t start out that way. That old curmudgeon must have some serious romantic moves because somehow he sweet-talked
my mother’s
long-time housekeeper into marrying him. Mrs. A
,
as she likes to be called
,
takes care of this big old house and coordinates my life with the precision and ease of a staff sergeant!” he chuckled. “Oh yea, and she reports my every move back to  my mother so …” he mock glanced at his watch and smiled, “I suspect there will be a flurry of
phone calls
later tonight about your sudden appearance in my otherwise boring and predictable life”

Shannon gasped and turned shock-filled eyes his way.
“Oh my god
,
Nick.
Is that okay with you?
I mean
your mother
,
and well ….” she drifted off.
“What will you say to her?”

The dimples were clearly on display when Nic
k laughed into her shocked face.
“Actually babe, its fine with me this way!
Mrs. A will fill in all the blanks … y’know, all that ‘what’s she like’ stuff.
The usual women’s chatter that
,
as a man
,
I don’t understand.
By the time I talk to Mom she’ll know plenty, believe me!”

He was really laughing n
ow. “Shannon, don’t worry so.” h
e teased as he put two fingers on the bridge of her nose where a frown was frozen in place. “My Mom will be fine.” He shrugged and admitted
,
“I’ve never brought a girl home before. This will be a first and I’m pretty sure she’ll be hearing wedding bells without much input from us!”