Virgin taken on her maiden voyage

CHAPTER TWEVE

'Zak Carter, New York Morning Edition,' he smiled, handing her a card.

'Zak Carter, you have four minutes left,' she cut into her croissant. 'I'm on a tight schedule. You'll have to excuse me having breakfast as you work, seeing you're hijacking my time!' She smiled apologetically.

'No problem,' he fired away his questions.

She introduced Rick as he rejoined her at their table, responding to the journalist's questions, whilst she completed her breakfast, and when he seemed not to let up she exclaimed, 'you did say five minutes, did you not?'

He sighed looking sheepish, 'thank you for your time, Ms. Sloane, Mr. Buchanan.'

They had a fancy tour bus for the next few days that could easily seat ten people, although they were only about seven including all the hired help Rick insisted on having at his and her disposal.

Kimberly laid claim to the entire back seat before anybody expressed any interest in joining her there. Her music from her iPod for company, she closed her eyes.

She could do with a nap, seeing she did not get much sleep last night. She felt relaxed after the massage, she had had to drag herself away, not wanting to further delay their already grueling schedule. She was looking forward to the next week, when they would cover some of Washington and Los Angeles.

'Stop hogging the whole bus, shift up?' Ross demanded.

'Why can't you sit elsewhere? There's plenty of place in the first three rows!' she moved her legs to accommodate him.

'The Battle Axe is in the front there, I don't want to be near him,' Ross murmured.

Kimberly shook her head, 'are you a man or a wimp? How would you protect me, if you can't fend for your self?' she grinned.

'I don't know why he's on this trip. He's like a grizzly bear who hasn't had a meal in a month. How can you be so calm around that ogre?' Ross demanded to know.

Appearances can be deceptive. And don't you dare call my gorgeous husband an ogre!

'I seem to think we've had this discussion previously, or is it déjà vu? she pondered aloud. 'So what did you get up to last night?' Kimberly changed the conversation, seeing Ross looking highly irritated.

'Oh I got chatting to your German family.'

Kimberly laughed loudly, 'so who has closer family ties you or I?' she was curious.

His ears flamed to a darker colour.

'I only have one comment to make!' Kimberly replied, 'I hope caution was exercised!' she clipped her iPod on again.

'Speaking of your German family,' Ross pulled the headphones away. They were wrestling for the headphones, when Rick joined them. Kimberly managed to snatch them back as Ross was distracted.

'I received an interesting proposition last night,' Ross informed her.

'Somebody wants to marry you?' Kimberly enquired, 'can I speak to her first?'

'You should let him go, then perhaps you can get an agent who knows how to do his job!' Rick threw in .

'What would you prefer?  A blonde with hour glass statistics?' Ross threw back.

'I would not have an aversion to her, if there was a complimentary brain attached,' Rick rebutted.

'You two want to take this elsewhere,' Kimberly commented, 'unless we are going to hear this proposition before my next book is published.'