HAPPY FOREVER AFTER

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 her navel. Not that the futile gesture extinguished the glowing embers. Swallowing a groan, she strode toward the back of the kitchen and the employee break room. Shutting the door behind her, she entered the bathroom and twisted the faucets, thrusting her palms under the gushing water. Her quick version of a cold shower. Shaking her head at her foolishness, she finished washing her hands, but afterward, instead of returning to the kitchen, she stood in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection. But it wasn’t her image she saw. It was Daniel Rohan.

She remembered his words. “Why did I single you out? Your first guess was correct. Because you are so beautiful I couldn’t help it. And you’ve kinda been on my mind since we met. And I didn’t want to lose the opportunity to speak to you again.”

She exhaled slowly, the words spoken in that all things-secret-and-sinful voice echoing in her head. In her chest. And lower. With any other man, she would’ve waved off the compliment as insincere flattery that tended to roll off men’s tongues when they wanted something from a woman. The compliments meant nothing, like dandelion fluff on a breeze. No substance and changing with the wind. But not with Daniel Rohan. There had been a ring of truth in the blunt observation. As if his description of her wasn’t an opinion but fact.

She’d just met him, but she couldn’t shake the sense that he didn’t dole out flowery compliments often. As he’d stated so flatly, he didn’t play games. She believed him. But it only deepened her confusion over why he’d approached her of all people. To most of the attendees in the ballroom, she’d been invisible, inconsequential. Just another staff member there to serve them. Not that she cared. She had no interest in parties like this. She was just here to help a friend. At least that was all she had thought she would be doing. She never thought she would have to fight her growing attraction for Daniel. If she had known he’d be here she would have gladly stayed at home. And knowing that he had been thinking about her too was so unsettling. It shouldn’t have been but it just proved that it would be harder to control whatever it was that she felt for.. And his eyes.. Damn his eyes. Emma groaned.

Even in a room full of the wealthiest and most glamorous people, he stood out. In this way a sleek, silent shark would stand out in a pool of clown fish. God, she was officially losing it. And she laid the blame squarely at the feet of Daniel Rohan. Because, really, how could any woman stare into those midnight eyes and not forget everything but how she could willingly drown in them, even as he submerged her in a pleasure as dark and stunning as his gaze? As soon as the illicit thought entered her head an image of him crouched over her, her fingers running through all that midnight-black hair flashed through her mind.

Her heart thumped against her chest, and she exhaled an unsteady breath, that flame of unwanted desire dancing low in her belly again. With a mental shove, she thrust the hot image out of her mind, but the vision of how he’d looked just moments ago, when she turned for one last glance, refused to be evicted as easily.

His tailor, whoever he or she was, must’ve been in love with Daniel because his tuxedo traced his powerful but lean frame. From the wide shoulders and chest that tapered to a slim waist and down to long, muscular legs, he was the picture of urbane elegance and wealth. Strength. Beauty. Imperial. The word leaped into her head, and though she wanted to scoff at the description, she couldn’t. It fit. With the beautiful eyes, the sharp slant of cheekbones, the arrogant nose, the wide, sensual, almost cruel curve of his mouth and the rock-hard jut of his jaw. Hard, shrewd, somehow removed from the masses. He was completely intimidating.

You’re being ridiculous. She thought. She was confused by Daniel’s interest in her. But that didn’t mean she didn’t have control over her feelings. And no matter how hot and attractive he was. She had to protect herself. She had to think about herself. And getting involved with him was a bad idea. A decision she was sure she’d regret if she made. She’d met guys like him with their sweet talks and she definitely wasn’t gonna fall for his charms. He wasn’t genuinely attracted to her. And even if she was confused by Daniel’s interest in her, she knew he wasn’t the least bit interested in her, it was only because she was here. Convenient. He probably had a reputation as a playboy and she had enough experience with players to recognize them. What she didn’t have experience with was feeling so drawn in by one. That frightened her. She hated the way she felt her limbs weaken in an instinctive feminine response to his blatant masculinity. Hated the way his height and the width of his shoulders ensured that he dominated her physically. Being close to him was both torment and temptation and she felt a helpless rush of wild excitement that she was powerless to quash.

There was something intensely sexual about him. Something raw and untamed. Something primitively male. Something sinfully attractive. She’d sensed it from the first moment of meeting him. The look on his face. His controlled, disciplined, businessman’s face – Told her everything she needed to know. She would get hurt if she let him into her life in any way.

She would have loved to leave right now if she hadn’t promised Monica. Shaking her head, she emitted a sound of self- directed disgust and yanked a brown paper towel from the dispensary. She quickly dried her hands, tossed the now damp towel in the trash and strode from the bathroom. With at least another two hours of work ahead of her, she couldn’t afford to remain hiding back here any longer. More prep work awaited her, as dinner hadn’t even been served yet.

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She bumped into Karen as she walked out of the kitchen. Almost upsetting the tray Karen was carrying.

“Geez.. Watch it” Karen said. Then looking up she asked “Where the hell have you been”

“I have been around.. I had to go pass some drinks around”

“Are you alright? You don’t look so good”

“Did you know Daniel was going to be here?” Emma asked

“No I didn’t”

“Well he is… And I just talked to him” Emma sighed. “Stupid conversation from hell”

“So you’re looking like that just because you spoke to him?”

“I hate how he makes me feel. Like I have no control. He’s so intimidating plus he’s so good looking. It’s so hard to get him out of my head. To be honest I would leave right now if not that I told Monica I would do this for her. He shouldn’t be allowed to look like that. And he kinda told me he likes me. But we both know how that’s gonna end.”

” Wow… So you finally admit you have a thing for him ”

Emma looked like she was going to punch her. ” So that’s the only thing you got from everything I just told you? ”

Karen laughed. “You know what I think..” she said “I think you should go for it”

“What?”

“Yeah”

“That’s it?” Emma asked. “That’s the worst advice anyone has ever given me”

“You worry too much. That’s your problem. So why don’t you just focus on now and not how it’s gonna end. Come on… The guy is hot and rich. Just try living in the moment”

“Why do I bother talking to you?” Emma said. “But I don’t think I wanna face him again tonight. So you should go out there. In my place. Please”

“Fine” said Karen as she handed the tray to Emma. “Suit yourself”.

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The Kay Corp building was tall, and coolly modern. It had an expensive view of the other sleek glass office buildings and the other techno conglomerate companies that surrounded a small green on the north side of a sprawling business park.

There was an all-natural whole food deli on the first floor plaza, where they served sandwiches on seven grain pita bread layered with sprouts and avocado, along with crocks of specialty soups garnished with floating squares of tofu instead of chunks of meat.

Trendy coffee carts and frozen yogurt stands flanked a wide bank of elevators with glass doors and electronic eyes that spotted you on the lobby level so you never even had to press the call buttons.

On the fourth floor was a mirrored gym with the latest weight equipment and muscular blond trainers who had all-over suntans compliments of the corner tanning booth. You could get a massage or a manicure, even a shave and a haircut on the third floor spa located next to a travel agency that offered deals to Mexico or the Virgin Islands.

And deep in the ground, well below the limestone – tiled lobby, there were rollers under the foundation to make the building flexible during earthquakes. The Kay Corp building had everything to ensure you would look healthy inside and out.

Emma tossed her empty latte cup into a shiny, bullet trash can made of chrome. She hadn’t been in this building for two years – last time she had called on this account. She had forgotten how intimidating it was, so stark and hard and steely, as if it housed weapons of mass destruction instead of offices filled with people.

The elevator doors slid open and people filed out. She stepped inside and watched the doors close. She hadn’t slept well last night. There was dampness on her forehead as she stared up at the lit numbers above her.

Floor three… Four… Five…

She took a deep breath to calm herself and looked up again.

Floor fifteen… Sixteen…. Twenty.

So fast, she thought. That was how quickly time could get away from you. One single breath and you were past ten whole floors. You could wake up one morning and find out that suddenly most of your life had passed you by.

The floor numbers blurred together. She was tired. Staying up at night worrying about a presentation could do that to you.

Come on, silly. This is a big presentation. Get focused. She told herself.

She stood there for a moment, feeling scared and nervous and human, then she took a deep breath, told herself she could do this and walked toward the reception desk.

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Jim Edmonds opened the conference room door for her. Emma stepped inside with a bright smile plastered on her face. Her gaze flew to the man at the end of the table.

Her smile died.