The security officer ripped his radio from his hip holster as Crystal pulled a bottle of water from her bag. “All right,” the officer said. “Show me that you don’t have a gun in that sack and I’ll see about getting Wellington out here.”
Crystal looked at him quizzically as she opened up her bag to show him the contents: two more bottles of water and three apples. “Why the change of heart?”
Placing his hand on her shoulder, he smiled. “He ain’t my favorite person, either. Hold tight.” The officer waddled down the hall and disappeared behind glass double doors.
Crystal drank her water slowly, waiting for something to happen. When is old Wellington going to appear? she wondered, her frustration increasing, She’d already built an image of this monster in her mind—pencil thin, receding gray hair, a potbelly, and crooked teeth. Only a monster like that would want to displace people for the almighty dollar. Only a man with ice water in his veins rather than blood would view people as if they were a commodity to be bought and sold. Not Crystal—she wasn’t for sale.
Moments later, a tall man, moving with the grace of a panther and the body of a Greek god, crossed the lobby and planted himself in front of her. Crystal gazed up at him, momentarily speechless as he stared at her with slate gray eyes. His full lips seemingly beckoned her to kiss them and those hands—big and wide with long fingers—she wanted them on her body, caressing her breasts, thighs, and everything in between. Rapidly, she blinked and swallowed hard. She needed to get her hormones together; she wasn’t here to lust after this man, whoever he was. She was here to meet with Wellington and she didn’t give a damn if they sent Denzel Washington to the lobby to meet her—Crystal wasn’t moving until she got what she wanted. Still, the man looking at her was fine as hell.
His face told a story of annoyance, with a scowl darkening his handsome features and his wide nostrils flaring with anger. “Are you going to just stare at me or do you have something to say?” His voice reminded her of a sensual sax, hypnotic and melodic. Her body was electrified at the thought of him whispering sweet words of passion in her ear.
“I’m not talking to anyone but Douglas Wellington.” Crystal’s voice wavered, but not from fear. Carnal desire described what she was feeling as she stared into his eyes.
“I am Douglas Wellington,” he announced dryly.
Now on her feet, Crystal was dumbfounded. There was no way a man this beautiful could be as cold and callous as the man she’d dreamed up in her head. Where were his fangs, protruding belly, and horns? The scent of burning sulfur and brimstone ? “What? You’re Douglas Wellington?”
He folded his arms across his chest and shot her a look of irritation. “This is fascinating and all, listening to you repeat my name. But what the hell do you want, lady? Most people make a phone call and set an appointment to get a meeting. This is a distraction that’s interrupting my workday.”
Narrowing her dark eyes into slits, Crystal exclaimed, “My land is not for sale, you pompous ass. If you think for one second that I will allow you to come on to my property and just take over because you want to, you can forget it.”
Douglas laughed and turned to walk away. “If you read the letter that was mailed to you about my company’s plans, there was a number for my attorney that you can call. I suggest you do that,” he said. “And uncuff yourself,” he added, “other wise, I’m calling the police.”
“And I’m calling the press, jerk! Do you realize what you’re planning to destroy all in the name of corporate greed? People need this land and I will fight you tooth and nail to make sure it stays in my possession. So, get ready to lose.”
Douglas waved her off as if she were a gnat buzzing around his ear. “If you don’t unshackle yourself by the time I get in my office, and then get out of this building, I will press charges when the police arrive.”
DAFINA BOOKS are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp.
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Copyright © 2013 by Cheris Hodges
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If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the Publisher and neither the Author nor the Publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”
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ISBN: 978-0-7582-7662-9
First Kensington Mass Market Edition: November 2013
eISBN-13: 978-0-7582-7663-6
eISBN-10: 0-7582-7663-X
First Kensington Electronic Edition: November 2013
Love After War Page 25