"Uhm, Uhm. Katrina doesn't seem to be here. May I ask who you are and how you came to be in my sister's apartment?" he inquired, his tone as gentle as if he were addressing a young child.
Ireland sniffled, but didn't move or say a word. She could not control the emotional release she felt as her tears began to fall. She heard the metal legs of a kitchen chair scuff against the tile floor as James pulled out a seat and plopped down next to her. She'd have to scrub those black marks off the floor later. His knee brushed hers and since she didn’t pull away, he allowed it to remain in contact with the girl. She felt a calloused hand lightly touch her own, then pry each finger from her face until he exposed half of her countenance. Her cheeks wet, she looked at his features with vision blurred by tears.
He had a kind face, but a hard mouth that could not be trusted. She guessed he grinned often, without meaning it. His true smile came from his blue eyes—those you could trust. They held the clarity of a serious man, someone with a purpose to fulfill. Laugh lines spoke of his sense of humor and ability to enjoy life. A square, clean shaven jaw clenched tight with a stress she did not understand. His broad chest and shoulders spoke of height and his large biceps meant he stayed in good shape. The nostrils of his masculine nose flared as he scrutinized her features. Closely trimmed, thick, golden blonde hair crowned his head. He resembled a movie star except for the small scar above his right eye.
He wiped a tear from her cheek with the fleshy part of his thumb before pulling her remaining hand free of her face. Ireland felt like melting. James had no idea what effect his gentle touch had on the affection starved girl.
"I must have given you quite a fright. I am terribly sorry. Let's start over," he said, taking one of her hands in his.
"I'm—I'm Landi," she volunteered between sniffles. "I work for your sister."
"Do you have a last name, Landi?" he asked in a soothing tone.
The girl nodded but said nothing. James prodded her on by raising his brows and dipping his chin. Her gaze locked on his cerulean eyes and she found herself powerless to look away. She'd never seen a man this handsome, so close up.
"My full name is Ireland Lincoln. But people call me Landi. Your sister hired me as her personal assistant. I'm here most afternoons. She asked me to take Kelly's place in the wedding, so that's why I'm dressed like this." The words tumbled from her mouth at an amazing rate as she glanced down at her party dress.
His masculine presence and close proximity unnerved her, and she feared he might think she'd been snooping or worse, stealing his sister's clothes. Maybe he'd seen Katrina wearing the outfit on some previous occasion and wondered why she had it on now.
"Kelly's loss is my gain," he mumbled, under his breath.
"What?"
"Oh, nothing." He moved his head with quick, small jerks as if rousing himself from a daydream. "Do you know when Katrina will be back?"
"Late. She told me to lock up and go home when I finish my duties."
"Can I help with anything?" he asked, looking around.
She took the opportunity to catch a glimpse of his profile. The faintest frown line ran from one corner of his mouth to his large, square mandible. She'd hate to witness the grimace that caused that crease. A pulse throbbed prominently where his neck met the back of his jawline.
"No, all I had left to do was trying on this dress for the rehearsal next week."
"Well, I just drove all the way from Texas," he fibbed. "I’m hungry. How about I take you out to dinner, since Katrina's not around."
Ireland bit her lip. She felt sure having dinner with the boss's playboy brother would be the wrong thing to do. As she hesitated, his expression changed to that of a puppy dog. She took the bait.
"All right. Just give me a chance to change out of this dress, okay?"
"Of course," he said, flashing her a grin that sent electricity up and down her spine.
James stared after the girl as she walked to the bedroom. She had an unusual quality he'd never before encountered. He intended to learn more about her.
Look for Book 3 in the Only Love Series on Amazon.
If you missed the first book in the Only Love Series, click on the image below:
About the Author
Violet Sparks pulls from her career in corporate America, her time at a major auction house, and her love of all things girly when penning her romance novels. She won writing contests as a teen and always dreamed of becoming an author. A fan of the arts, Violet created one-of-a-kind gift items, sold in shops throughout Southern California, before raising a family. She met and married the man of her dreams and they now have two young children. Violet has a zeal for vintage costume jewelry, literature, museums, and travel. She writes a blog about her other passions under a pen name.
Please follow Violet on twitter at https://twitter.com/VioletSparks20 and on facebook at https://fb.me/violetsparksauthor or visit my website at https://www.violetsparksauthor.com
A Lone Star Romance: Book 2 in The Only Love Series Page 18
