by Isa Hunt
His arms wrapped Agatha as she slipped into a heavy sleep. It seemed impossible that so much had occurred in a single day. She felt like her entire life had been turned upside down and she was currently sharing a bed with her shape-shifting boss. There was a lot that needed to be figured out, but it could all wait until the morning.
Chapter Seven
It was the coldest December that the small town of Cryer’s Bluff had ever had. Or so the news said. Agatha smiled whenever she heard that bit of information repeated on the television. She had been hearing it a lot over the last few days, but for the life of her she just couldn’t remember a winter that had made her feel as warm and as full as this one.
She tuned out the sound of the weather report as she looked out one of the stained windows of Henry’s Manor. Her breath curled in soft, white vapor before frosting against the glass. She wiped it clean with the palm of her hand and continued watching the snow fall on the manor grounds. It was a thick, blanketing layer of white that turned the entire landscape into one uniform, blank canvas.
Only a single line of gray interrupted the snowy layout, the main road leading up to the manor that had been shoveled and salted and was being kept clear by several snow ploughs that Henry had rented. Agatha smiled at the thought of Henry. Her arms curled around herself and her belly as the familiar warmth that came with thoughts of him filled her up. She could never have thought, in a million years, that she would have found someone like him.
It had been such a whirlwind of a romance, an absolute fairy tale of a story. Agatha smiled and shook herself as the phrase ‘Cinderella story’ entered her thoughts. She chuckled despite herself and pressed her palm against the cool, stained glass window. “More like beauty and the beast,” she murmured to no one in particular.
Agatha smiled and closed her eyes. There had been a fair bit of awkwardness at the office in the beginning. After all, it’s not every day that the CEO of a successful company falls for one of the accountants.
The logistics of it, Agatha remembered Henry using that word, the logistics of it had been the trickiest bit to handle. It was hardly appropriate workplace behavior and the tabloids had had a field day with the story, trying their best to make it sound sleazy and unethical. Agatha had known better, deep in her bones, with a certainty she had never before experienced, that this was it, that Henry was the one for her.
Henry, on their fourth date would confess just as much to her, confirming what she felt as well. He had wanted her to move in with him after the second month of dating, but she was the one who had wanted to take it slow. But despite their precaution, time had flown by so quickly, and before she knew it, she had gotten pregnant. Henry had been ecstatic. And now it was Christmas. Their first Christmas together. Agatha couldn’t stop smiling at that thought.
“Would Madam care for some tea?” Agatha turned slightly at the sound of Stevens’ voice. He had been one of the best surprises of the relationship she had with Henry. Their first encounter had been a very rushed, panicked “Defeat the rabid werewolf” kind of an affair and even after that, poor Stevens had the considerably large chip of being the butler of what could easily be considered modern day royalty.
He had quickly proven almost all of Agatha’s preconceived notions wrong. Not only had he been one of the most polite and professional people she had ever met, but more importantly, he had been one of the kindest. In him, Agatha had found not only a trusted confidante but an easy bridge into the lifestyle and culture of the Cranes’.
Whenever she found herself ‘weirded out’ by the reality of her situation, by Henry’s unique condition, it was Stevens who provided perspective and support to her. He was the one who had guided her into the rituals and traditions and quirks of the Crane household. He was the one who had held her hand while Henry had locked himself in the steel doored basement of the manor during one of his sessions and it was he who had helped Agatha and Henry gain some valuable alone time away from the prying eyes of tabloids and townspeople.
“Thank you, Mr. Stevens.” Agatha smiled as she accepted the warm drink from him, bringing it to her lips for a quick sip. “It’s delicious!” she said. She had learned early on that Steven was as sensitive to false compliments and praise as any person could possibly be. Any praise that was offered had to be sincere or it would be rebuffed as politely and as sharply as only a British butler could, with impeccable manners and acerbic wit.
“Thank you Ma’am.” Stevens smiled with the slightest bow of his head and turned to leave.
“Stevens?” Agatha called after him, stopping him before he could leave “Why did Henry want me here?”
Steven arched a brow, the corner of his lips twitching ever so slightly as he replied, “I believe it’s called a ‘Christmas party’ Ma’am.”
Agatha smirked slightly. “Right…..and I’m Jennifer Lopez.”
Stevens bowed smartly. “Very good Ms. Lopez,” he said and turned to leave crisply
Agatha couldn’t help but chuckle again. In a world full of magic and werewolves and CEO boyfriends, Stevens helped provide much needed grounding and perspective.
The sense of anticipation and anxiety that Henry had exhibited when he had asked her to spend Christmas together had surprised her. It was more than the nervousness that any boyfriend might exhibit when taking a step towards commitment, it was….something more… something Agatha couldn’t quite put her finger on. She sighed and downed the rest of her tea, pushing the thought out of her mind. It was their first Christmas together, and she was determined not to let anything ruin it.
She was about to follow after Stevens into the main dining room when a flash of light from outside caught her attention. She walked up to the stained glass window and peered out at several pairs of headlights making their way up the main path to the manor. A frown crossed her face as the cars, three of them, all black, all expensive looking, stopped at the main door and one by one emptied their passengers. Family, friends and coworkers started entering the building.
Agatha turned to walk away from the window and stopped abruptly when she saw Henry standing there in the doorway.
“Oh!” she gasped softly.
Henry smiled at her. “I…uh…I hope I didn’t startle you.” His arm found its way around her waist and she had to smile at how easy and right it felt to have him touching her.
“Just a little.” She gently caressed over his lapel, noticing the presence of a white flower there. “You didn’t say there would be guests. Not that I mind.” She looked up at him as he smiled mysteriously and said nothing. They walked together to the top of the stairs and that’s when Agatha realized, looking down at the gathered group of people in the lobby, what this was.
She looked up at Henry. He smiled at her, that annoying, charming, mysterious smirk of his that always made her go weak in the knees.
“Dear Agatha,” he began as the people downstairs quieted. “We haven’t known each other that long yet. But the past months have been the best of my life. I couldn’t be happier that we will soon be three. There’s only one thing in the world left that I want. And I hope you want it too.”
Henry got down on one knee, the people below them clapping and cheering. He held out his hand, the most beautiful ring she had ever seen in his hand. “Will you please be my wife?”
“Yes,” she murmured, barely audible. Tears were flowing down her cheeks. “Yes!” she said again, loudly this time, as she flung her arms around his neck. He kissed her amidst an explosion of cheers and cries. This had been a wonderful year. And the best was yet to come.
*****
THE END
The Billionaire Lion's Prey
Description
A BBW running away from her family PLUS a hot mysterious billionaire PLUS an attack by a lion!
On the run, alone and living in an abandoned office building, Kristin Brown isn’t in a great place. But it’s better than where she came from. Kristen is running from her dangerous family and doing her best to stay off
the grid. Out of money and with no one to turn to, Kristen has ended up in the small town of Williamstown, Maine.
She’s managed to find a job at the local bookstore, when handsome Billionaire, Anton Lev, arrives one day. Kristen can’t help but be enticed by him. But her secret is too great and her life is too dangerous for her to even think about dating, no matter how handsome Anton is.
Soon, Kristen learns that Williamstown is no ordinary town. For one hundred years the townspeople have been haunted by sightings of lions prowling the town.
It isn’t long before Kristin finds herself being hunted by a ferocious predator. Will she survive? Will her family find her? Can she trust this reclusive billionaire? Will she survive the lion?
Chapter One
The tea was wonderful. I cupped the warm mug between my hands, letting the hot liquid warm my insides. Through the window, I could see a light snow falling. It wasn’t heavy enough to stick, yet. This was just the precursor. The real heavy snow wouldn’t arrive for a few days. They were predicting a doozy, two feet of snow, maybe more.
It was cold, freezing cold actually. The thermometer, nailed against the bookstore’s door, was sitting at fifteen degrees. It hadn’t moved in days. People hurried past the picture window. Men and women were bundled up in hats, gloves and scarves with their heads down as they charged against the wind.
I felt safe and warm inside the bookstore. Most people hated their jobs, but not me. I loved my job. I couldn’t wait to come to work. The bookstore was warmer than where I was staying and I could drink all the free tea I wanted. Coffee would’ve been better, since it would also give me the caffeine kick to start off the day, but I stopped drinking it just over a month ago, when my pregnancy test came back positive.
The work was easy. I rung up customers, unpacked books, and dusted. An elderly couple named Harold and Sarah owned the Last Word Bookstore. They were both in their seventies and had run the place for forty years.
When I first arrived in Williamstown I spent most of my days in the bookstore. I would spend hours scanning the shelves, looking at all of the titles. It was the cheapest anti-stress therapy I knew, and heaven knows how desperately I needed some.
During one of those visits, I got to talking with Sarah and told her I was looking for work in town. She told me that winters were tough on her and Harold, the cold froze their joints and she worried about slipping on the ice. They were looking for someone to man the shop, but they couldn’t pay much. She offered me ten dollars an hour, under the table and I jumped at the opportunity. I needed a steady source of income more than ever before... plus, this was the kind of work I could keep doing without too many problems well into my pregnancy.
I didn’t tell them I was expecting, though. Sarah and Harold were sweet people, but I was too afraid they’d take back their offer if they knew.
And, besides, I wasn’t even sure I’d stay that long anyway.
That morning, tea in hand, I worked my way through the bookstore. It was housed in an old Victorian-style house. There was a small kitchen in the back which they used for the office, but the rest of the rooms were filled with books.
Books stacked on top of tables and in every corner. There were shelves lining every wall filled with books. One room, that had been a bedroom in another life was filled with fiction books, another was devoted to history. Books everywhere, books as far as I could see. Books that I was allowed to read for free.
I had completed my work for the day. I dusted and wiped down the bookshelves in the history section and set up a big display in the center of the store for the newest Stephen King book. Now the rest of the day was mine. Sitting with my tea and a thick blanket wrapped around my shoulders I reached for the used, paperback copy of Donna Tart’s Goldfinch and lost myself in the pages.
I had been reading for about a half an hour when the bells on the door tinkled. A draft of cold air wafted over to me and I shivered and pulled my blanket closer. The man was fighting against the wind to push the door closed. Just as I stood to help him, he managed to close the door and he turned to me with a sheepish smile.
I smiled at him and he gave me a nod and removed his cap and gloves as he began to move through the store. I looked up at him over the pages of my book, surreptitiously checking him out. He was tall and handsome, with a full head of sandy colored hair. He had a thick, light colored beard and dark brown eyes. I could tell that he had money. His long winter coat was perfectly fitting and looked very new. The scarf was probably cashmere, but I would need to touch it to be sure.
“Let me know if you need anything,” I called out, my voice slightly higher pitched that it normally would have been.
“I’ll be sure to do that,” the man said as he headed upstairs. I heard his footsteps above me. He was heading to the history room. His step was heavy and I could hear him above me as he moved about.
“Good afternoon,” the man said, as he approached the table with a pile of books and a small notepad in one hand.
“Afternoon,” I replied. His hands were clean and he kept his nails neatly trimmed. I could smell an enticing cologne as he stared down at me in a kind way.
I rang up his books quickly. Ancient Myths of the Greeks, Aristophanes, Sophocles, The Life of Hadrian, each book was thicker and denser looking than the last.
“Fifty-four, thirty-two,” I said. He handed me a black card and my stomach lurched. This was a limitless card, he could spend millions with this thing.
Don’t steal, I said to myself. I knew how to do it. I could copy the information on the card and go nuts with it. No more being cold, no more showering at the YMCA, no scouring Goodwill for baby clothes. I could get a room at the fanciest hotel in town, order room service, raid the mini-bar. I could take a hot shower and wrap myself in a warm, fluffy towel. I could afford the best childcare money could buy.
My heart sunk when I handed the card back to him. I always thought doing good deeds would make me feel better, but as I handed the card back to the rich man I only felt sad. The card was slipped back into his wallet like it was nothing. That card could have changed my life, but to him, it was something that he put away and forgot.
“I’ll also need to order a few books.” He slid a piece of paper over to me. Titles were listed neatly, one on each line. He wrote in all caps in neat, tight handwriting. His phone number was at the bottom next to a small note that said, “in case of any problems.”
“Sure, we can get these no problem,” I said. I looked up at him and was surprised to see him staring intently in my face.
I tried not to fidget under his gaze. My hair was a greasy mess piled on top of my head. I had been showering at the local YMCA. Washing and drying my hair was just too much work in this cold weather, so normally I pulled it up off my neck and showered without getting my hair wet. I would wash it on Monday, my day off.
My clothes had been pulled out of a charity bin a few towns over. I was wearing an oversized tourist shirt from the Grand Canyon and a baggy pair of men’s jeans paired with a scuffed pair of black boots. It wasn’t my usual style, but I had left every part of my old life behind, clothes, makeup and jewelry included.
“I hope Sarah and Harold are feeling well, Kristen,” he said glancing down at my nametag.
“Very well,” I replied. ‘They just enjoy staying in on these cold days.”
“That’s good to hear. I don’t want Harold to suffer another fall. When did they hire you?”
I swallowed, panic swirling in my stomach. Why was he asking this, what did he want from me? Had my father sent him? “Just a few weeks ago,” I said.
“Are you new in town?”
“Yeah,” I said with a nod. “I have a cousin who lived here. I used to visit a lot growing up.”
This was my standard story and most people took it at face value.
“Who’s your cousin?” The man asked.
Why do you want to know? I thought. “The Cleves,” I answered. I had found the name in the phone book. There were seve
ral people with the last name Cleve in town, including some that had recently moved away.
“Mary Cleves, who lives up near The Hammer and The Stone?” he asked.
Who was this man? Why did he care? Why was he trying to figure me out?
“Never mind,” he said, shaking his head. “I didn’t mean to pry.”
I let out a sigh I didn’t remember holding in.
“It’s just rare to see a new face in town. I can’t help but be curious,” he continued.
I smiled as I put his books in a bag, “It’s a lovely town, but I’m probably just staying for a few weeks.”
“That’s a shame,” he said and then he didn’t say anything else. What did he mean by that? My hands shook a little as I handed his bag back to him.
“Stay warm out there,” I said, wishing I could think of something more clever to say.
“You too,” was his reply. “I’ll see you in a few days. For the books,” I nodded and followed him with my eyes as he left. He put on his hat and scarf and pushed out into the cold air. Anton Lev had been the name on the card.
Chapter Two
I trudged up the hill, wincing into the wind. The snow was blowing right into my face, my nose was running and my eyes were watering. I was wearing a pair of sweatpants underneath my jeans, three sweaters under my jacket, and two pairs of socks. The first thing I had learned since running away was the benefits of layers. Clothes piled on clothes was the only way to stay warm.
