"Jerk" Karen yelled as she stormed into Emma's apartment. Emma looked up from the book she was reading.
"Well hello to you too Karen, please come in" she said sarcastically. "What's the matter?. You look like you're about to punch someone"
"It's nothing. Just Frank and I had a little disagreement"
"Oh just that" said Emma
"What do you mean just that?"
"Please. We both know you're gonna go back there or he's gonna come over here in like two minutes and you guys are gonna make up"
"Yeah kinda" Karen said smiling
"You guys are so lucky. Having some thing that beautiful" Emma dropped the book she was reading. "And speaking of beautiful things. I wanted to ask you something about that guy I met at Frank's place the other day. A week ago. I think his name was Daniel"
One of Karen's devilish smiles appeared on her face. The kinda smile she usually had on her face when she had one of her annoying ideas.
"You think? You THINK his name was Daniel?" she asked while sitting up.
"Can you just wipe that smug smile off your face" Emma said almost regretting why she asked
"Saw something you liked. Did ya? Karen raised an eye brow.
"I was just wondering because I have never seen him before. I know most of Frank's friends. And he was really... attractive you know"
"Ohhh.. Finally" came the reply
"Stop it. Seriously who is he?
"He's Frank's friend" Karen finally said. "I just met him like 3 weeks ago. He just moved here. And he's really loaded. CEO of his company and stuff"
Emma could only stare at her "So you mean to tell me that for three weeks you knew this guy was around. We see each other almost everyday. And everyday I'd ask you what's up... And you couldn't start with.. There's this guy that just came around...What kind of friend are you?
"Oh really" Karen said "Didn't know you would be interested"
"I didn't say I was interested. Just that you talk alot. Mostly about things that don't concern you and I'm just surprised this one didn't slip out of your wide mouth. I mean, you wanted to set me up with someone and you never even mentioned him"
"Hmmmm... i never really thought about it. I was just so focused on you and Ben. By the way have you guys been in contact since then?. Karen asked
" Yeah. He called yesterday. Wanted to go on another date but I said I was gonna be busy. I don't wanna lead him on"
"Oh. I just feel sorry for Ben. He really likes you. Do you want me to talk to Daniel?
Emma's eyes widened." No I don't. Jeez. I just asked about him. Please don't do that it would be so embarrassing.
"Why? Now that I think about it. You both would actually look good together and you sounded like you like him just now"
"Just don't. I don't want that. When I met him I couldn't even come up with anything to say. I suddenly felt so self conscious and you know I'm not the shy type. What are you even going to say to him anyways .. Would you like to go out with my really single friend?..I'm just gonna end up looking desperate... Hell no don't even try it "
"Wow" Karen said
Emma rolled her eyes and continued "I know he's really good looking okay. I mean his height, his eyes and his body is just...."
She stopped suddenly when she saw the way Karen was staring at her "What?"
"Nothing". Karen replied "Was just trying to help my friend".
"Yeah of course you were" Emma said "In your own messed up, meddling way. And speaking of helping friends.. What time is this thing we're doing tonight?
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Emma pushed through the doors leading into the huge, industrial kitchen. With a world-famous chef renowned for magic with food, a sous chef and army of station and line cooks bustling around the stainless steel countertops and range stoves, the area hummed with activity. Under ordinary circumstances, she would've been enthralled, attempting to soak up whatever knowledge she could from the professionals attending. But right now that wasn't possible.
First, she and Karen had no business attending the Gala as guests, and definitely not as servers. But when one of their friends, Monica, called her earlier in the afternoon sounding like a foghorn had replaced her voice box, she had agreed to take Monica's place as a member of the catering staff. Karen had to come to help too.
Though Monica owned and ran a fledgling food truck business, she still helped mitigate expenses and pay her personal bills with jobs on the side. The position with this particular catering company was one of her regulars, and Monica couldn't afford to lose the gig.
Facing a night at home with another binge of the big bang theory on N*****x versus actually working in the periphery of a famous chef, the choice had been a nobrainer. Besides, Monica had assured Emma that most of her duties as an assistant to the line cooks would keep her in the kitchen. But when the catering supervisor shoved a tray of sparkly wine at her and ordered her to make the rounds of the ballroom, she couldn't exactly say no.
Still, everything would be fine—All she had to do was take the tray around. No big deal.
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She was beautiful. Daniel tuned out the man speaking to him as he studied the petite woman weaving a path through the crowded ballroom. Even wearing the white shirt, black bow tie and dark pants of the waitstaff, she stood out like the brightest jewel among the hundreds of guests at the gala.
Frank said she worked at Reddings Plc. So she wasn't supposed to be here. But that didn't bother him. He was glad she was here. An opportunity to speak to her had presented itself.
How was it that only he noticed the elegant length of her neck, the straight line of her back that tapered at the waist and flowed out in a gentle, sensual swell of hips?. How did the other people in the room not ogle the particular way the light from the crystal chandeliers hit her skin, causing it to gleam? How did they not stop and study the graceful stride that wouldn't have been out of place on the most exclusive catwalk? Had he said beautiful? He meant exquisite.
"Excuse me." Daniel abruptly interrupted the prattling of the gentleman, not bothering with a polite explanation for walking away. He was Daniel Rohan. cofounder and CEO of Kay Corp, one of the hottest and most successful start-up companies to hit the market in the last five years. Now that he was a multibillionaire, this businessman, and people of his tax bracket and social sphere, damn near scraped their chins on the floor with all the bowing and kowtowing they directed his way. Money and power had that peculiar effect.
Usually, he could dredge up more patience, but he despised events like this high society benefit gala. One thing he'd learned in his grueling battle to breach the inner sanctum zealously guarded by the obscenely wealthy one percent was that a good portion of business deals were landed at dinner tables, country club golf courses and social events like the Gala. So even though attending ranked only slightly higher than shopping with his sister, he attended.
But for the first time that he could remember, he was distracted from networking. And again, for the first time, he welcomed the disruption. He wound his way through the tuxedoed and gowned throng, pretending not to hear when his name was called, and uttering a "Pardon me" when more persistent individuals tried to halt him with a touch to his arm.
Many articles written about him had mentioned his laser-sharp focus, and at this moment, it was trained on a certain server with black hair swept into a low knot at the back of her head, a body created for the sweetest sin and skin that had his fingertips itching with the need to touch…to caress. That need—the unprecedented urgency of it— should've been a warning to proceed with caution. And if he'd paused, he might've analyzed why the impulse to approach her, to look into her face, raked at him like a tiger's sharp claws. He might've retreated, or placed distance between him and her.
Discipline, control, focus—they were the daily refrains of his life, the blocks upon which he'd built his business, his success. That this woman already threatened all three by just being in the room… Not even his ex-fiancée had stirred this kind of attraction in him. Which only underscored why he should walk away. It boded nothing good. Yet he followed her with the determination of a predator stalking its unsuspecting prey.
How cliché, but damn, how true.Because every instinct in him growled to capture, cover, take…bite. He wanted her. Wanted her to be his. As the strength and certainty of the thought echoed inside him, he neared her. Close enough to glimpse the delicate line of her jaw and the vulnerable nape of her neck. To inhale the heady, sensual musk that contained notes of roses, and warmer hints of cedarwood and amber…or maybe almond. Tonight's mission would be to discover which one. For yet another time this evening, he murmured, "Excuse me." But in this instance, he wasn't trying to escape someone. No, he wanted to snare her. Keep her. At least for the next few hours. Look at me. Turn around and look at me. The plea rebounded off his skull, and the seconds seemed to slow as she shifted, lifting her head and meeting his gaze. His gut clenched, desire slamming into him so hard he braced himself against the impact. But it still left him reeling. Left his body tense, hard.
Everything should've been fine. Emma thought as she walked to the kitchen. Everything would have been fine—if not for one Daniel Rohan. Hot, attractive Daniel Rohan.It was funny and annoying at the same time, how he had just walked into her life and suddenly occupied so much of her thoughts. Funny how she thought she had control over her feelings and found herself at loss for words when she was around him. And what was all that about. She asked herself. Losing her temper with him like that. She didn't know she cared so much about the rights of the waitstaff. She might as well admit it to herself now. She was jealous. The thought of him flirting with some other girl pissed her off. And he probably did it a lot. Judging from the way he was so good at it. He obviously knew how to make a woman feel wanted. And damn.. She wanted him.Smoky desire coiled in her belly. She set the almost empty tray on one of the stations and pressed a fist to h
Daniel didn't say a word to her. He just sat there at the head of the conference table while he studied her face. He was wearing a gorgeous silver-gray suit that made him look better than any man had a right to look. And she wanted to kill him."Great". She said under her breath. "It's the guy from the ballroom from hell". The longer she stayed there, the more she felt like a butterfly about to get stuck with pins. She'd known he was a CEO. And she'd known Kay Corp had replaced Rainy as president. It just hadn't occurred to her that it was this company. It meant she'd have to work with him sometimes. He'd known too. Judging by the way he was looking at her so calmly. He wasn't surprised to see her.Jim gestured to a seat at the conference table. Emma put her briefcase down, then opened it and took out the presentation folders, wondering what would happen if she just reached across the table and slapped Daniel with them.Jim said
Emma groaned. Her phone ringing this early morning was so not what she needed. And it better not be a work call. The last thing she needed now was to have to go to work on a Saturday. Besides after getting that account for Reddings plc. They should have let her get some days off.She picked up her phone and checked the caller ID. It was her mom."Hi mom. Good morning" she said"Hi honey" her mom said. "You sound grumpy. Did I wake you?."Yes you did mom. But it's okay. How are you? ""I'm fine honey. How's work?. Did you get that account you told me about?." Oh yes mom. I did " Emma replied remembering the annoyingly irresistible guy the account came with."I knew you would get it. You were always such a smart young lady"Emma smiled. No one believed in her like her mom did. "How's Uncle Ken and Aunt Jen?""They are fine. I'm glad
Evening came and before Emma was ready Karen, Monica and Tom were already at her apartment.Tom also worked at Reddings."You are not ready?" Karen asked Emma. "You better not be changing your mind dear because we are not leaving here without you""relax" Emma said. "I haven't changed my mind. I know how important this kinda stuff is to you. Where are we going by the way?""A bar""Great... Of course you would choose a place with noise and smoke and lots of people" Emma said in a voice laced with sarcasm."Be sarcastic all you want" Karen said. "You are coming with us""I know I have no choice...Anyone else coming to this thing?" Emma asked"Nah" replied Karen. "Just us."Emma turned to Monica and Tom .. "So you guys aren't bringing any dates or something?" she asked them"Nope" Tom replied. "I intend to just get th
Large hands looped around her waist and urged her to fit closely to the cradle of his lean hips. Long fingers spanned the swell of her hips and dipped low to the base of her spine.Automatically, her hands found his forearms. Hair roughened flesh warmed her fingertips. She tilted her head back to look up at his tanned face. His eyes gleamed down at her as his fingers etched a heated trail up her backbone. One big hand slid beneath her long, tumbled curls to encircle her slender neck. A callused thumb rested momentarily on the throbbing pulse in her throat."Hello beautiful" he said softly. "Here we are.. Again"She smiled. "Here we are" acutely aware of the heat of his body. Somewhere her brain questioned the audacity of her lips and her vanishing inhibitions as her palms sought and found the width of his shoulders.He guided her into an intricate dance routine. When she followed him easily, he said, "I was right. Y
It was Tuesday. By the end of the day, Emma felt like she had walked high voltage lines. She was tired. All she could look forward to was a cool refreshing bath when she got home.Catherine Martin, her secretary knocked on her office door."Come on in" Emma called from within.Catherine walked in. "Mr Barrett called. Said he wants you, Tom and the rest of the crew at Kay Corp. Apparently Mr Rohan wants to meet the whole crew. He's already there."Emma groaned. "But he already met me.. Why do I have to go?"Catherine laughed. "That's what Mr Barrett said. Are you done?... I could finish up for you""No I don't need any help" Emma replied. "You can go home if you are done"She cleared up the papers scattered on her desk. Picked up hand bag and drove away from the office. The thought of seeing Daniel brought back memories of Saturday night. Memories she had been doing
Emma's warning fury returned to full flame. "This so called "matter" better be about something reasonable. Because if you mess with my job, I will yell sex discrimination so loud that these concrete building blocks will crumble" her fingernails raked the wooden arms of the chair. "I'm the right person for this job. Mr Rohan""You sure as hell are right for something" he snapped. " I got a taste of it the other night. You were like hot silk in my arms when we danced, woman. Why the hell did you walk away from me?"Emma felt the blood drain from her cheeks. "Finally you said what you have been wanting to say since. Is this interview over, Mr Rohan?""The interview is over, but you and I are not." he stood up menacingly, then leaned forward to brace his fists on the desk. "Take a note, lady. You and I are not through. I want to know why you walked out?"Emma's head went up; her jaw jutted forward. She jumped to her fee