“I hoped you’d still be in bed.” The voice came from the doorway.
Carolyn stilled.
Kale walked in and stood right behind her. His arms bracketed her waist as his hands held the counter on either side of her. Caging her with his body.
Like her, he had a few marks of passion on his neck. Carolyn flushed. She’d done that. Marked him in the heat of her desire.
He wore his clothes from the night before. Minus the bow tie. And the shirt, though tucked in his pants, gaped in the middle due to missing buttons.
“Hey.” Her voice croaked. Oh, my God. Why was he back? Her hair was a tangled mess. Carolyn cleared her throat. “Um...hi.”
Their eyes met in the mirror. Gold to brown.
“I wanted more time, but I have to go.”
Was that reluctance? She shook her head. Not possible. She forced her lips up in a grin. The mirror revealed her grimace.
“Um. Okay.”
Carolyn pushed back, hoping he’d take the hint and move. He didn’t.
His chin lowered to rest on her shoulder. Kale released the counter and placed a palm over each breast. “You’re a beautiful woman, Carolyn Sutherland and a passionate one at that.”
Her nipples perked up. Traitors.
She stared into his gold eyes. He watched her with the same intensity he made love.
“Thanks?”
He laughed and finally stepped away. “I should thank you. I-”
His cell phone chirped, interrupting whatever he was about to say. Heaving a sigh, the man before her morphed into the man she expected, all signs of passion removed. “Yes?”
Carolyn used his call as the chance to move away. Fortunately he stepped aside and let her. She could shower at home. In the hotel room she quickly flipped through her overnight bag and dressed in a clean pair of underwear, jeans and a blue cotton tee.
Kale’s voice carried as he continued his conversation in her bathroom. His back was turned toward the crack in the bathroom door, one hand gripping his neck. As quietly as possible, Carolyn grabbed her ruined dress from the night before and jammed everything into her bag. She’d only planned to stay one night anyway. Now was as good a time as any to check out. Hopefully without facing Kale.
Carolyn edged toward the door as Kale’s voice rose in volume. Whoever he spoke to had his full attention because he’d completely forgotten her. She closed the door quietly behind her and bypassed the elevator to race down six flights of stairs to check out.
***
Kale cursed as Jadon went through the latest problems with one of his more important deals overseas. “I can go there today. Force Sloan to stop his stalling tactics.”
Jadon laughed but it held no humor. “It may be necessary to remind him that he doesn’t want to mess with Serano Enterprises.”
Kale missed the rest of what Jadon said. Quiet echoed loudly from the outer room. Too quiet. Holding the cell to his ear, he pushed open the bathroom door to the hotel room. The empty hotel room. Damn. His bird escaped. Kale scanned the room, but aside from the bed with its torn sheets, there was no sign of the woman he’d spent the night with.
He shouldn’t care. Kale never lingered over a conquest but last night had been different. Being with Carolyn had been an experience like no other. When the morning light streaked across the sky, he eased out of the bed and dressed with every intention of not looking back.
Except he had.
Not making it passed the lobby of the hotel, Kale had changed direction and returned to her room planning to invite her to breakfast and round two. Instead, Jadon’s call had given her the perfect opportunity to run away.
Kale smiled and left her room. There was nothing here for him. “Make the appointment. I’ll take care of Sloan and be back before the meeting with Slater and Co.”
The minx wouldn’t escape him for long.
Chapter 6
Gray clouds danced across the bright morning proving the weatherman’s forecast of rain accurate. Monday’s sucked. Carolyn stretched in her chair and rolled away from her desk. She’d just put the finishing touches on the edits of her latest story when the doorbell rang. Not expecting anyone, she hit save on her document and hurried to answer in case whoever it was woke her neighbors’ teething toddler.
The Richards deserved every inch of sleep they could steal. Two year old Jamie had cried on an off through the night all week.
A delivery man in green pants and a khaki shirt smiled holding a box out to her. “Ms. Sutherland.”
“Yes.”
“Sign here please.” He shoved a clipboard in her direction.
Carolyn couldn’t remember anyone ever sending her flowers. She scrawled her name on the paper and accepted the white box with its elaborate purple ribbon. As she contemplated the etiquette of tipping him, he dashed off without a backward glance.
Ummkay. Heading to her kitchen, she used her thumbnail to lift the small envelope free and opened the flap. A single card with one sentence. “I want another night.”
No number and no name. The flowers could only be from one man. Kale Serano. Of all the nerve. Her skin ran hot then cold as she replayed the memories of their night together a week ago. Muttering under her breath about the arrogance of men with money, Carolyn wanted to dump the box, but a small part of her was curious.
She removed the top and gasped at the beautiful flowers inside. No way she could throw away these gorgeous blooms. From beneath her kitchen cabinet, Carolyn reached for the only vase she owned. In no time at all she had the extravagant spray sorted until the colors of lavender and pink were surrounded with petals of white.
A step back enabled her to admire the display when her cell beeped. A number with no name flashed on the screen. She hesitated. It wasn’t unusual to get calls from someone not in her contacts. “Hello.”
“Meet me tonight.” The deep dark tones of Kale Serano greeted her.
The demand caught her off guard, but Carolyn rallied. “You have got to have the biggest ego.”
His warm chuckle pleased her and she pressed her hand to her abdomen to still the butterflies.
“Is that a yes?”
Say no, say no, the voice of sanity warned. There were so many reasons to refuse. His arrogance front and center. “Yes.”
The pause on the line implied she’d caught him off guard. Carolyn grinned. Surprise, surprise.
“Dinner at Le Pain. Eight o’clock. My driver will pick you up.”
Of course he had a driver. “I can drive myself and meet you there.”
“My driver will pick you up,” he repeated and ended the call.
“Prick,” Carolyn muttered but found herself smiling.
The smile stayed on her face throughout the day. In the middle of fixing her lunch, she decided to call Macy.
“Bon jour, my friend.”
“Hi Macy. How’s Paris?” Carolyn slid open her balcony doors and stepped out on her small outdoor space with its single lounger and table.
“Wonderful. Nothing like good food and flirting men to lighten the heart.”
Carolyn laughed. “I suppose.”
“Come on. Be honest. A trip to Paris six months ago would have done you good after you ditched tight ass.”
Carolyn leaned against her balcony rail and watched the runners on the path opposite her apartment. “I didn’t ditch him. He dumped me.”
“Peter Winslow is an ass.”
Carolyn agreed. Peter was an ass and they’d never have worked. He was too...Peter.
Gold eyes.
Carolyn jerked and shook her head. She was not going to think about the other man in her life.
“Tell me what has you calling me. You do know there’s a time difference.”
“Oh, right. Sorry. I just wanted to hear your voice.”
Macy didn’t buy it. “Carolyn. What’s going on?”
“I slept with Kale Serano,” she blurted
“What!!” Macy shrieked so loudly, Carolyn had to pull the phone awa
y from her ear.
“A week ago, after the awards,” she babbled, desperate to unload on her friend.
“Are you crazy? That man is out of your league.”
Carolyn flinched.
“What possessed you?”
She didn’t know. Christ. Carolyn pressed her fingers to her temple. “I don’t know. It just happened.”
“You just happen to eat an entire container of cookie dough ice cream. You just happen to forget to take a morning run. You don’t just happen to sleep with one of the most dangerous men on the planet.”
“He’s not...” She broke off unable to speak the lie. There was no denying how dangerous Kale was.
“He is,” Macy declared. “He’s one of the last known djinn in existence. The man could crush you with a snap of his fingers.”
He could but he hadn’t. He’d touched her. Kissed her.
Carolyn sighed. “I know. He’s taking me to dinner tonight.”
Marcy inhaled deeply. “Your obsession with him has gone too far. I need to fly home.”
“No.” Carolyn’s shout startled a female jogger whose head jerked up. Carolyn waved weakly.
“Give me a good reason why I shouldn’t come back home and knock my good friend over the head.”
Carolyn laughed and stared up at the cloudy sky. “Because you trust me.”
Hearing Macy sputter for a good five minutes did Carolyn’s heart good. Too often, Macy’s snappy retorts kept Carolyn at a disadvantage.
“Okay, fine. We’re happy about this.” Her friend hesitated. “Right?”
And another reason why Macy made a great friend. She cared.
“I’m happy.” Although maybe happy wasn’t the right word. He’d pleasured her for certain. No man had ever given her five orgasms in one night. Carolyn frowned, trying to remember her last orgasm. Not with Peter. What a waste and she only now realized it. To think she’d been sad when he ended their relationship.
“Good. Now tell me everything. Is he good in bed? How big? Leave nothing out.”
Macy snickered as she asked each question. Carolyn folded her arms on the rail and stared at the woods beyond the apartment property line. She loved the end of summer. Flowers and trees were in full bloom without the oppressive heat. One particular bush on the lower level patio bloomed with large gold flowers.
A little darker and the petals would match Kale’s eyes.
“Carolyn?”
“Hmmm.”
“Wow,” Macy paused, the connection as clear as if she was at her home less than thirty minutes away. “I take it back. If he’s that good I don’t want to know, it will only make me jealous.”
Chuckling, Carolyn agreed Macy would be jealous.
“One last thing before I let you go to get ready for your dinner.”
Carolyn pulled away from the rail and headed back inside. “What’s that?”
“Be careful, girly. A man like that could hurt you bad.”
Her mouth pulled down in a frown. Nothing in the media hinted at Kale directing violence toward women. Ruthless in business, yes, but his women never complained. “I don’t think he’ll abuse me, Macy. He really didn’t come across like that.”
“I’m not talking physically. Protect your heart against Kale Serano. I don’t want to see you hurt and I have the feeling he could do a lot more damage than stinking Peter.”
Chapter 7
Carolyn Sutherland. Kale wanted to see her again. The feeling was an unusual one. Not because he didn’t often go for a second round with a woman he’d found pleasure with in his bed, but because of the intensity.
She’d received his flowers and seemed remarkably unimpressed with him over the phone. Kale withheld the smile that wanted to escape. He’d made it a point to personally select the arrangement. Not that she seemed to care. Usually he had his assistant send flowers to his women. A token. Nothing more nothing less, then he moved on. It was better that way. Anyone in his life understood that Kale did not do forever.
Forever for a djinn was a very long time. A longer time to have enemies and Kale had plenty of those. So he kept himself separate from entanglements. The one time he’d broken his golden rule, a human had betrayed him. The same human who’d shared his bed and had him considering something more than temporary.
The lesson was well learned those many years ago.
“We’re offering fifteen percent, Serano. That’s more than fair.”
The words squawked from the phone on his desk. Ignoring the president of Sampson’s, Kale eyed one of the recently hired assistants as she strolled in with a clipboard and a contract prepared by his legal team. Vampire.
“What do you say, Serano?”
Kale grunted and signed his name on the papers placed in his hand. She tossed an inviting smile, fangs and all, over her shoulder as she left. In the past, Kale would have admired the sway of her hips and long legs in the form fitting gray skirt but today the sight did nothing to stimulate him. There was another woman on his mind. Another set of legs he’d prefer to watch.
“Is it a deal or not, man?” Frustration hissed through the line.
“Forty percent,” Kale countered and leaned his hip on the corner of his desk.
Jadon glanced up sharply and Kale nodded. His assistant stared a moment and then nodded in return, his head lowering to the screen of his tablet.
Ignoring the magnificent view of the city from the glass window, Kale focused on the tedious phone call. Jadon sat in a leather chair with his tablet in hand, fingers flying.
“That’s insane and you know it!” Sampson yelled.
Kale leaned over and tapped the volume down on the speaker to minimize the damage to his ears.
“Take it or leave it, Sampson.” The deal wasn’t very important to Kale, but if he did something he did it all the way and that meant a larger share of the return if Bob Sampson wanted him to save his supply company.
The speaker magnified the harsh sounds of Sampson’s breathing. Kale tapped a restless finger on his bent knee, waiting for the answer. Not a lot of choice for the man either way. Lose his company or give Kale a bigger share in exchange for help.
“Fine. I’ll have the papers drawn up and express them over to you.”
He expected no other response.
“I look forward to it.” Kale disconnected the call with a flick of his fingers.
He turned to Jadon. “Make sure the papers go to legal before I sign. Have them go over it with a fine tooth comb. I’m sure Sampson will try to slip something extra in.”
He certainly would if in such a situation.
“Sure thing, Kale.”
Kale rose to his feet and paced. His nerves on edge. Power strummed through his veins, but he had no means of releasing it. Nothing was different about today than thousands of days before. Except the visions of a blonde woman with brown eyes and peach skin that tasted like honey. Kale’s feet crossed the carpet in one direction and returned in the other.
The heat of Jadon’s stare burned the back of his suit coat when he paused beside some priceless painting a business associate had gifted him. But Kale didn’t see the vivid splashes of color, the broad strokes of a talented brush. Instead he saw wild blonde curls spread over a navy pillow and brown eyes swirling with heat and passion.
“Do you need a break, Kale? I can come back later.”
So intuitive.
“I’m fine, Jadon.” The wolf was the best hiring decision he’d ever made ten years ago. They were working on a multi-million dollar deal. One of several Kale had his fingers in. This one involved an overseas mining company and precious gems.
“A run would do me good. I came in at six this morning.”
Kale turned and raised a brow at his now standing friend, the tablet tossed to the side. “You come in at six every morning.”
Jadon’s smile was as sharp as a blade, eyes glinting. “And I run every morning. Today, you haven’t let up.” He shrugged on a light weight brown leather jacket over his grey sl
acks and blue shirt. “By the way, all of your emails are answered, voicemails cleaned and Dari sent your acceptance to Brie Starr’s agent to act as her date for the awards.”
Brie Starr. The woman was nominated for best actress in a small film festival for her portrayal of a street wise hooker. Kale had fucked her in the past and wasn’t interested in a repeat, but being seen with Brie was good for publicity. It didn’t hurt that it helped mislead humans into thinking he was driven by such basic needs.
Kale followed his own rules of PR. Every few months he switched women like his cars to keep the media satisfied. The hounds always wanted to know who he was seeing, who he slept with. Trying to find a weak link in his chain.
Kale didn’t do weak links.
“Go for your run.” He waved Jadon off. Thought about the dinner plans he made for the evening and added, “In fact, I’m done myself. Call me if you need me.”
Kale pocketed his cell and strolled passed a stunned Jadon. Kale smirked—maybe he needed to leave work early more often. Predictability made one stagnant.
When Kale reached the lobby doors, his personal car rolled to a stop at the front curbside. The driver got out and tipped his head toward him.
Damn, Jadon. True, Kale could have ported home, but the pounding need in his pulse had to have an outlet and challenging himself on the hour long drive with the twisting curves would do the trick. It was the only reason he bothered driving. The wolf knew him too well.
Shaking his head, Kale caught the keys the driver tossed in his direction.
“Good day, sir.”
Kale ignored him and eased behind the driver seat. The plush interior, leather upholstery and rich scent appeased some of the tension he’d been feeling. He ran his hand of the teak dashboard. The car was only two weeks old, not even released for sale to the public yet. But Kale wanted it the moment he saw the model in an ad. And what Kale wanted, Kale got.
***
Carolyn checked the clock all day and when it got close to eight, she dressed with a care for a night out with Serano. Several times she’d called herself an idiot. Going out with him was asking for trouble and Carolyn did not seek trouble. She avoided it like the cucumbers she was allergic to.
Djinn Lover (Magical Lovers Book 1) Page 3
