BOSS_His Wealth. His Power. His Demands.

by Maggie Carpenter

  "Tony, I'm not sure how to—"

  "The devil?" he exclaimed. "Is that bad? It is. I can see it in your face."

  "When I said she's smart," Jennifer said slowly, "perhaps a more accurate word might have been cunning. Let me continue, then you can ask me questions. Is that okay?"

  "Sure," Tony replied, though he couldn't pull his eyes off the evil looking card.

  "You've also pulled the King of Pentacles. You're a very successful man. Your wealth can sometimes be a handicap, but it is also a lure. There is good news, though."

  "Thank God for that."

  "I thank God for everything," she murmured, raising her eyes and locking his for a moment. "The Tower, your third card, represents a major change. Please pull out three more."

  Tony realized he was taking her seriously. It was surprising, but he liked her. He really liked her, and as he took out three more cards, a warm prickling sensation moved through his body.

  "Thank you. Let's see. This woman is very ambitious, you are taken with her, and here we have Death. Please don't let that scare you. It means an end and a beginning. Next to it is The Lovers card. You will soon be embarking on a wonderful journey with a very special woman. Oh."

  "Oh? What does that mean? Is it her?"

  "Um, I don't believe so," she said quietly. "Tony, I'm not sure how to say this."

  "Just say it," he pressed, taking another swallow of his drink. "I hear all kinds of news all day. Good, bad, surprising, you name it. There's very little that fazes me."

  "This woman is gifted. She can do many things, but she lacks balance. I fear she can be unpredictable. I do not make choices for people. If you want to pursue a relationship with her—"

  "I thought I might," Tony said, interrupting her, "but now I don't think so."

  "This is probably wise. She's a complicated woman. Apparently you've already been her Knight in Shining Armor, but only partly. Or rather, she seeks more."

  Tony felt a chill move down his spine, and picking up his drink, he downed the last gulp.

  "Are you all right, Tony?"

  "Honestly, I'm not sure. I just felt a shiver."

  "That's confirmation. I get them all the time. Thank you."

  "For what?"

  "You walked in here filled with skepticism, but you've been amazingly open with me. I can feel you trust me. It means a great deal."

  "Jennifer, that was extraordinary. I'm the one who should be thanking you."

  "I don't know exactly what you do for a living," she continued, staring at him with an unfathomable gaze, "but you're a genius. Your intellect oozes out of you. It's almost overwhelming, but she has a way of interfering."

  "Yes. Exactly. That's amazing."

  "You need to stay focused on what you want. She has a way of making you focus on what she wants. You care about people more than you allow them to know. You want to intimidate your adversaries, and you do, but there's a downside. It causes people to think your heart is cold. They're wrong. Your heart is gold. Pink gold."

  The warm feeling transformed into a wave of heat, and she appeared to be shimmering. She was an angel. Gifted, strong, loving, and brave. He had an overwhelming need to wrap her into his arms, but he knew he couldn't, so he reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet.

  "Jennifer, I'm very grateful. I don't know what you're generally paid," he said, withdrawing several one-hundred-dollar bills, "but however much it is…"

  "Your money's no good here."

  "Excuse me?"

  "Honestly, I don't want it," she said earnestly. "I really don't."

  "But—"

  "Meeting you, helping you, it's been the best part of my day!"

  "No," he said, staring at her and shaking his head. "This isn't right."

  "But, Tony, don't you see? We were supposed to meet," she said knowingly, her caramel colored almond eyes focused on his. "You can feel it too. Taking your money—it's not what's supposed to happen."

  He paused, then slowly putting away the bills, he reached across the table.

  "May I please have your hands?"

  She smiled, and placed her fingers into his palms.

  "What's your last name, Jennifer?"

  "My full name is Jennifer Willow Grant."

  "Willow? That's beautiful."

  "I was conceived under a willow tree."

  "Why doesn't that surprise me?" he murmured, tightening his fingers around hers. "Well, Jennifer Willow Grant, would you do me the honor of allowing me to take you to dinner tomorrow night?"

  "The honor would be mine, Tony…?"

  "Antony Aiden McIntyre."

  "The honor will be all mine, Antony Aiden McIntyre."

  "Where can I pick you up?"

  "Why don't we meet outside my store?"

  "Your store?"

  "I have a new age book store here in the mall. It's called The Crystal Wand. It's only about five doors down from here on the other side. Say, seven o'clock?"

  "Perfect. I'll see you then."

  "Before you leave," she said softly, as he released her hands, "I have a small favor to ask."

  "Anything."

  "I need you to hug me."

  "I need that too," he murmured, opening his arms.

  As he wrapped her up, he felt her melt against him. Closing his eyes, and breathing in her scent, he never wanted to let her go.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Moving down the stairs and stepping out into the cold night air, Tony was convinced he'd just met the woman of his dreams. Everything was shining, just like her, and though he was buzzed from the drink, he'd never felt more sure about anything in his life. Deciding to check out The Crystal Wand he began walking down the mall. It was only a short minute before he spied the large statue of a wizard holding a sign declaring the store's name. There was a small crowd gathered around the window, and as he neared he could understand why. They were watching a magical display. Animated figures of witches were leaning over steaming cauldrons, and black cats were on the prowl. Entering the store he was welcomed by soothing music, displays of unique ornaments, crystal balls, and an eye-catching arrangement of various crystals locked in a glass case. The bookcases offered a vast selection of books covering UFOs, the occult, and everything in between. But as his eye traveled upward, he was captivated by NASA images of faraway galaxies, large framed posters of shooting stars, and colorful oil paintings of swirls and circles. The store was busy. People were buying. From all appearances it was a thriving business.

  "May I help you?"

  Turning around, he smiled at the eager face of a sales girl.

  "The paintings. The purple and pink one behind the counter. I'd like to buy that, and also the photograph of that shooting star with the lightning strike."

  "Isn't that amazing? It's real too. Not photoshopped. It was taken by a storm chaser last year. But don't you want to know how much they are?"

  "Sure," he replied, though he didn't care. He wanted them, but more importantly, he wanted to support the store.

  "The painting is five-hundred, and the photograph is seventy-five."

  "That's fine. I'll take them both."

  "I'll get the ladder and meet you at the register, unless there's something else?"

  "These candles," he said, studying a group of surprisingly large, multi-colored candles sitting on a table covered in black velvet. "Are they scented?"

  "Yes. The sign is right there. The brown and white is chocolate, the pink and white, peppermint, and so on. The owner makes them. She's so talented. Aren't they beautiful?"

  "I've never seen anything like them, but I've never been in a store like this."

  "They're twenty-five dollars each, forty-five for two, and sixty-five for three."

  "I'll take three. The chocolate, the peppermint, and the cinnamon."

  "You have good taste. Those are our three best-sellers. You're also lucky. She brought them in yesterday. By the end of the weekend they'll be sold out."

  "She is one talented la
dy. I'll see you at the register. I'm going to have a mosey around while you get the pictures down."

  Though he found it odd that Jennifer was tucked away in a small room at The Caramel Apple offering Tarot card readings, he continued to meander around the store. Everything seemed to sparkle, and he felt light, as though he was floating, not walking. It was only when he paid for his purchases a few minutes later that he realized he'd have trouble carrying everything back to the car.

  "I'll take the painting. Can you have the other items delivered to my home tomorrow?"

  "Sure, no problem," the girl replied. "I'm Pamela by the way."

  "Thanks, Pamela. I may not be there, but it's perfectly safe to leave them at the gate."

  He texted his driver as Pamela completed the sale, then carrying the large framed painting he stepped back outside. It was a short walk to the end of the mall, and he could see the car pulling to a stop as he neared.

  Heading home, Tony felt better than he had in a long time. It had been an extraordinary evening. Wandering inside The Crystal Wand he'd felt removed from the world, and he could understand why it was doing so well. It wasn't just unique, it was what his marketing team would call, sticky. There was so much to explore, and the ambience was hard to leave.

  As the car pulled into his driveway, he felt as if his dinner with Colleen had happened a week before, and he had an odd sense of being disconnected, but not just from her, from his world. He tipped the driver, and carrying the picture, he entered his large, luxurious house. He was still elated, but as he climbed the stairs to his bedroom, he was hit by an unexpected and severe weariness. He often took a shower before bed, but he was too wiped out to do even that, and stripping quickly, he climbed into bed.

  "Jennifer Willow Grant," he murmured as he closed his eyes, "I think you cast a spell on me."

  He was in his office seated behind his desk. The painting was mounted above the fireplace. His computer wouldn't power up and his phone had been cut off. Rising to his feet he walked slowly around to the front of his desk. He wanted to find Emily to tell her nothing was working, but Jennifer suddenly materialized. Unable to stop himself he pulled her into his arms and devoured her lips. She tasted like chocolate peppermint, but when he opened his eyes and stared down at her, she'd turned into Colleen. He jumped backwards. The painting on the wall came to life. Swirling vortexes of pink and purple burst from the canvas and began forming a circle around Colleen. They pushed her to the door and out of the room. Everything fell quiet and still, and glad the odd drama was over he returned to his desk. His computer was back on, and his phone was ringing, but where was Jennifer. His cell phone rang, It was Emily, and with her voice oddly deep, she said, "The devil always comes smiling."

  Waking with a start, his heart thumping, Tony stared around his room. He'd forgotten to close the drapes. It was daylight. Trying to shake the bizarre dream, he glanced at the clock on his bedside table. It read 8:34 a.m. It was common for him to work on Saturdays, and he had a breakfast meeting in less than an hour in his office, but he wanted to see Frank. Picking up his phone he noticed he'd missed a call from the man himself. He frowned. That was rare. He always woke up when his phone rang. Sitting up, he called him back.

  "Hey, Tony. Did you get lucky last night?"

  "Hi, Frank. I did, but not the way you think. Sorry I missed you. I guess I was knocked out. What time did you call? I haven't listened to your message."

  "Around seven this morning. Just wondered if you wanted to meet me at the gym. You're usually up by then."

  "I have a meeting with Kaplan about the new condo development, but I'm glad you called. Are you free to meet me at Mabel's when I'm done? I figure I'll be free around eleven."

  "Sure. What's up?"

  "Better in person."

  "Is this about the cutie pie?"

  "Yeah, and other stuff. I need to get moving. I'm suddenly feeling one hell of a headache. Damn. I'll fill you in when I see you. Say, Frank, are you still in touch with that private investigator?"

  "Jeff Harrison? I haven't spoken to him in a while, but he's still around. Is there a reason you don't want me to do the digging?"

  "No offense, but I want someone completely objective. Just a feeling I have."

  "None taken. I'll call him. He's good. You'll like how he operates. But you'll tell me what this is all about, right?"

  "You bet. I'll text you when the meeting's wrapped up."

  "Okay. See you at Mabel's."

  Ending the call, Tony climbed from the bed, and fighting the pounding in his head, he hurried into his bathroom to shower. The time he'd spent with Jennifer had been surreal, and so had his visit to her store. He ran an empire, but two women in one night had managed to completely rattle him.

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  It felt good to walk into his office. It felt even better to sit down in the conference room and focus on the complex issues surrounding the new housing development. Logic and numbers ruled. The fact and figures were as tangible as concrete and steel. The original builders had attempted to use inferior materials. Frank had uncovered the fraud, and when the company was stripped of the contract, Tony had stepped in to save the day.

  As the meeting proceeded, Tony felt back in control. He was a natural leader, and his brilliant mind could quickly dissect problems and solve them. Though several of the men in attendance were many years his senior, they admired him, and Tony wasn't so arrogant that he didn't listen to their points of view. By the time the meeting came to an end he felt like himself again. He was in charge. He knew what he was doing, though the strange happenings of the night before remained a mystery. After walking the group to the elevator, he strode back to his office, called Frank, and arranged to meet him in ten minutes at Mabel's. He was putting the last of his papers into his briefcase when there was a knock on his door.

  "Come in," he called, thinking it was one of the men who had forgotten something.

  "Hi."

  "Colleen!" he exclaimed, shocked to see her. "What are you doing here?"

  "About last night. I'm sorry."

  "It's okay. We just had a misunderstanding, but how did you know I was here? And how did you get in?"

  "I was going to give it to the guard downstairs, but he'd stepped away," she said, walking across to his desk and handing him an envelope. "Then I was going to slip it under your office door, but I heard your voice so I knocked. And here you are. I feel really bad. The truth is…" she said hesitantly.

  "Is this a confession?"

  "I suppose it is."

  "Should I be worried?" Tony asked, unable to suppress a smile as he watched her blush.

  "No, no, nothing like that. The truth is…I was nervous. I don't handle things well when I'm nervous."

  "Why were you nervous?"

  "If you haven't figured it out yet, I like you. I know, I know, nothing can happen, but that's why."

  "We all have moments like that," he said softly, thinking she looked remarkably sexy. Her green eyes were sparkling at him, and it was obvious she was completely sincere. "Do you want me to open this card now?"

  "Uh…if you want."

  "I'm meeting Frank in a few minutes, so I don't have much time."

  "You can open it later. Sorry, I won't hold you up."

  "No, wait, that wasn't supposed to be dismissive."

  "Okay, if you're sure."

  "I'm sure, and I'm intrigued," he said, ripping open the envelope. Inside he found a card with a single yellow rose on the front, and inside she'd handwritten, Still friends? "Colleen. This is very sweet. Of course we are."

  "Is it okay to ask for a hug? Just a friendly hug?"

  "Always."

  As she walked around his desk he had to smile. In spite of everything he was still drawn to her, and he still wanted to call her cutie pie. He opened his arms, and as she pressed her body against his, he felt himself stir.

  "I don't like bad feelings," she said softly as she pulled back. "Next time I behave like that, you ha
ve permission to spank me."

  The image of her lying over his knee sprang to life, and so did his cock. He was an avid spanking devotee. Spanking and everything that went with it.

  "I'll bear that in mind," he managed, unexpectedly wanting to kiss her passionately, bend her over his desk, spank her butt red, then ravage her.

  "Thanks for understanding. Tell Frank I said hello."

  "Sure will. And I'm sorry too. I probably could have handled things better."

  "No. It was all on me, but we don't need a postmortem, and I don't want to hold you up. Bye."

  "Bye, Colleen."

  She turned and walked away, and he couldn't help but admire her curvaceous backside. As the door closed behind her, he dropped back into his chair and ran his hand across his face.

  "Why did you have to say that? I was doing fine until then. Dammit. You, then Jennifer, now you again. What the hell is the matter with me?"

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Tony was the first to arrive at the cozy cafe. Being a Saturday the popular eatery was bustling, but Mabel had his regular booth reserved.

  "You look like you just lost your best friend," she remarked. "Do you want to talk about it?"

  "You're much too busy, and Frank will be here in a minute."

  "This doesn't have to do with that pretty redhead, does it?"

  "That was a month ago. I can't believe you even remember her. Why do you ask?"

  "She's been back a couple of times. I got the feeling she was hoping you'd show up."

  "Really?"

  "The two of you make a cute couple. Don't you think it's about time you settled down?"

  "Mabel," he said, giving her a look. "How long have you known me?"

  "Going on seven years, though it seems like a week ago you walked in that door for the first time."

  "And how often have I brought a woman in here?"

  "Not often. That's another reason I thought she might be special."

  "Uh…that's not exactly what I was getting at."