I gulped down the rest of the espresso and carrying the cup in my hand, I rushed back into the café.
“Lucia? What’s going on?” I said as I pushed open the door.
Our café was small, with only four tables lined up along the bay windows. But each of those tables was occupied and our patrons were all staring at the scene in the center of the café.
Two men were at each other’s throats. An older and a younger man, both glaring at each other. The older one’s face had reddened, but he was somehow managing to hold the younger one apart.
There was complete silence in the café. Everyone was staring.
“Stop that, now!” I screeched and both men turned to look at me.
I was startled, just for a moment when they turned, but I registered that sensation. The younger man’s icy blue eyes pierced right through my soul. He had spiky, dark hair and a few locks fell lazily over his bloodshot eyes. He was a tall man, towering over the older, portly one. His shoulders were wide and strained now, from the strength with which he was gripping the other guy. He had turned to look at me, and when our eyes met, he relaxed his grip.
The older man slipped away, coughing and cursing under his breath. I was snapped out of that slow-motion, hypnotizing moment and I stepped forward.
“What is going on? I will have to call the cops,” I said, planting my hands firmly on my hips.
The two men exchanged looks, and the younger one looked at me again.
“That won’t be necessary miss. We will sort this out ourselves,” he said and I noticed the way he clenched his jaw. I jutted my chin out towards him, and despite the dangerous blueness of his eyes, I met his gaze confidently.
“I don’t care about your argument. You can’t do this in a public place. You’re distressing my guests,” I hissed at him, glancing angrily at the older man who was still standing by, rubbing the back of his reddened neck.
“I said I’ll sort it out,” the younger one said and stepped towards me. With my brows crossed and my nostrils flaring, I narrowed my eyes at him.
“Please get off my property,” I said, not willing to step away from him. There was still silence in the café. Not one other person had moved. The man was glaring at me now, his blue eyes were focused on my face. I noticed the way his gaze fell briefly to my breasts, my hips, and the shape of my legs. I could feel him sizing me up. I kept my chin up because I didn’t want to show any signs of weakness.
“I will, if you let me pay for the damage,” the man said abruptly and looked down at the broken plates on the floor. Now I could see that it was more than just a broken plate. A brand new vase was lying shattered on the floor as well, as were two glasses and there was water spilt everywhere.
“Please just leave,” I snapped at him and looked up to meet his eyes again.
The man’s eyes had softened. I couldn’t help but notice how perfect his jawline was; how broad that chest was. He was in dark jeans, a white shirt and a black leather jacket. This man deserved a spot on the cover of a glossy magazine. How much would women pay to see a photograph of him with his clothes off…even just his shirt?
I shook my head to drive thoughts of this guy, naked, out of my head. I was supposed to be mad at him. I was trying very hard to appear to be so.
“How much do I owe you?” he said and I saw his hand slip into the pocket of his jeans. I didn’t want his money. I wanted him gone. Those things he had broken were all replaceable, my customers were not.
“Just go, before I have to call the cops,” I said firmly and this time, I stretched my arm out, pointing to the door. The man remained standing where he was, his eyes still inspecting every curve of my body. I thought I saw a grin forming on his face. How could he possibly want to smile in a situation like this? When he had just caused a scene in my place of business! What an obnoxious, arrogant Greek god! I could feel rage spurting out of my ears.
“C’mon, let’s go,” the older man interrupted us. I was surprised to find that he was being civil with this guy. They were at each others throats only minutes ago. I didn’t understand it. I was just glad that they were finally leaving.
The older man left quickly, setting off the bell at the top of the door as he stepped out. The younger one, on the other hand, was walking backwards, his blue eyes still on me, watching my every movement.
I could feel my cheeks burning up; the back of my neck hot under his steady gaze. My lips felt dry; there were goosebumps on my arms. The longer he looked at me, with his perfect bone structure and totally kissable lips, the more agitated I got. The mixed emotions of being annoyed with his attitude and at the same time being filled with desire for a man with the most delicious body had overwhelmed my mind.
“Rhett Larkin, nice to make your acquaintance,” he said, just as he was about to step out. I straightened my back and breathed harshly out of my nose.
“I’m glad I know your name now. You’re not welcome here again,” I said, loud enough for everyone else to hear. Especially my employees, Lucia and Sophie, who were standing huddled together in one of the corners. Judging by everyone’s behavior, scenes like these didn’t often take place in a small place like Brunswick.
The man named Rhett finally left, and even after he had shut the door behind him, I followed him with my eyes. An unexpected sense of disappointment settled in the pit of my stomach when he didn’t turn to look at me. Chatter suddenly erupted in the café. People were talking in hushed voices, still looking out to see if they could see the two men.
“They were just sitting there having coffee and then suddenly got up and Mr. Larkin grabbed the other man by his collar,” Lucia had come up to me and was talking really quickly now. Her cheeks were flushed, and when Sophie joined us, I could see her eyes looked bedazzled as well.
“Mr. Larkin? You make it sound like you know him,” I said to Lucia, as I grabbed the uniform apron from the counter and started tying it around my waist. It was time to get back to work. Lucia and Sophie exchanged looks, and I caught that. They were both blushing now, biting their lower lips, on the verge of breaking into giggles.
“Everyone knows Mr. Larkin. I’m sure he had good reason for his behavior,” Sophie said and I looked at them, confusion marring my face. Other than the fact that Rhett Larkin was extremely good looking, why were these girls on his side? When earlier, I could clearly see that he had scared them silly.
“Who is this guy?” I asked, trying to sound uninterested.
“Rhett Larkin. He’s one of the three partners of C Scape, the shipping company. They are the youngest billionaires in Georgia,” Lucia said, giggling openly now, because she couldn’t believe I had no idea who he was.
Chapter Two
Rhett
I couldn’t get that woman out of my head. I didn’t even know her name, but she had left a stirring impression on me. She had fiery, strawberry blond hair that fell in tight curls around her face. Her eyes were large and green and she had a look on her face that told me she wouldn’t shy away from kicking me out physically from her café if she had to.
I was thinking of her as I walked back to my office when instead of that woman, I should have been thinking about Massimo and what I was going to do about him. I knew he was going to be trouble the moment he sat down at the table, and I had never intended to make a scene in such a public place. I had a reputation, a carefully crafted reputation; one that I had to uphold. I didn’t even think that he would just suddenly turn up in Brunswick although I should have expected it all along. Now that C Scape was in the limelight and I had recently been interviewed by Fortune Magazine, it was no surprise that Massimo would find his way here.
It was just that I thought I’d left Brooklyn behind.
“Mr. Larkin, you’ve had three phone calls…” Maria jumped off her chair at the reception desk when I entered the lobby of my office building.
“Not now Maria.” I waved a hand at her and rushed towards the elevators. I needed to clear my head, and find a way to stop thinking ab
out that woman from the café, so I could concentrate my energy on how I was going to handle Massimo.
“But Mr. Larkin…” Maria stopped in her tracks in front of the elevator doors when I stepped in. She was clutching sheets of paper from her notepad with caller-information written on them.
“Thank you Maria,” I said, as the doors closed and separated us. I was in no state to deal with clients or business calls at the moment.
I ran a hand through my hair and shook my head as the elevator took me up to the top floor. I shared the floor with my two other business partners, who were also my best friends.
When the elevator doors pinged open and I stepped out, I saw Hunter walking towards me, followed by his Personal Assistant at his heels.
“Rhett! Just the man I was looking for. We need to sit down and discuss the Wilson account today,” Hunter said, in his usual booming, charismatic voice.
“Not today, man. Can we talk tomorrow?” I asked him, passing by him quickly. I saw the look of surprise on Hunter’s face because he would have detected that I was troubled.
“Rhett? Do you need something?” he asked but I had already reached the door of my office.
“Tomorrow, Hunter. Let’s talk tomorrow,” I said and pushed open my office door and locked myself in. I didn’t want Hunter or Owen to know about what was going on. Not that I didn’t trust them. We were best friends, brothers almost…I knew they would help. I didn’t want them to find out because I didn’t want them worrying about how Massimo could affect our business.
This was my problem and I was going to deal with it myself. I had managed for all these years and I would just have to find a way to do it again.
For now, I needed to clear my mind by thinking about the woman from the café less and focusing on the problem at hand. But I couldn’t. It was like she had taken complete control over me. I felt an instant sexual spark the moment I turned to look at her. It was more than just that she was beautiful, her personality shone through her eyes. And neither did she seem like an easy catch. She was going to be difficult to pin down and just the thought of winning her over made my muscles stiffen. I was turned on.
This was no time to be fantasizing about a woman I didn’t know, who would probably see right through me if I tried to even talk to her. I walked over to my oak desk and gripped the edges with both hands. What was Massimo going to do? I should have just beaten him to a pulp at the café when I had the chance.
But I couldn’t, not when I saw her. Not when I saw the look in her eyes. I had to stop.
What was happening to me? Since when did I care what a woman thought of me? I always knew what women thought of me. They saw a successful businessman, a self-made man in his late twenties. I was charming and exactly what any woman would want and I knew it. I made no show of hiding it either. Then why was I so concerned about this particular woman? As in, what was it about her, other than being a pretty face that had suddenly affected me like this?
I gritted my teeth and growled a low, guttural growl. Massimo could completely ruin everything I had in my life, what I had built here and here I was, obsessing over a woman who probably despised me.
I’d just have to do something about it. Because if there was something I knew I was good at, besides charming my way into wet panties, it was being able to fix my own problems. Once I’d dealt with her, I would be free to deal with Massimo.
****
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Preview
Chapter One
The ceremony ended an hour ago, but it was taking forever for the visitors to leave. Hundreds of people had flocked to the funeral to pay their respects to Robert Parker, the iron-fisted founder of Parker Industries. The entrepreneur had built his million-dollar business from the ground up and managed to achieve the American dream. Under his rule, Parker Industries bought out and built up two different currier services, a mega-chain auto rental, and more. He was ruthless when it came to business, and most of the visitors were business associates. It was a room full of the pretentious and rich. There were few people left in the world who had truly loved Robert Parker.
They say that he'd hardened his heart after the death of his wife twenty years ago. He left behind three sons, and the funeral guests, who weren't there to network, were there to see the notorious Parker brothers.
Garret Mason loosened his tie and frowned. The expensive suits still made him a little uncomfortable even though he'd been wearing them for years. In high school, Robert Parker had made him a deal. If Garret proved himself in college, Robert would make sure that he always had a job with Parker Industries waiting for him when he graduated. The old man kept his word, and Garrett was named Press Release Manager five years ago, but it was still hard to shed his old skin. "This is ridiculous," he muttered. "Do we have to do this today? They just buried their father."
The skinny and bespectacled man shifted nervously from one foot to another. As Garret loomed over him, the shorter man’s balding head gleamed under the lights. Todd Harris. Garret could tell that something was unnerving the lawyer, but the man was tightlipped about the terms of the will. He only insisted that he meet with the brothers and the board directly after the funeral. "I told you. It was Mr. Parker's wish," he said nervously.
"Relax, Garret." Blake, the eldest of the three brothers, put his hand on Garret's shoulder and squeezed. "You're making Mr. Harris nervous."
"I don't know why. I'm just pointing out the obvious."
"I'm fairly certain that Cole and Hawk don't mind. As soon as we establish the terms of dear old Dad's will, the sooner they can skip town and move on with their lives. It's better that we get it all done at once." Blake, always the efficient one, cracked a rare smile. Blake had been groomed since practically birth to take over Parker Industries. When Garret first met Blake, he thought that the quiet and far-too-serious high school kid was an easy target.
He was wrong.
"Did you see the tabloids yesterday?" Garret asked grimly. "Hawk was so drunk at the club that they actually kicked him out. I can only imagine how bad he must have been for the club owners to throw a notorious Parker brother out."
"Damn fool. The faster we get them out of here, the better. Parker Industries is under critical scrutiny, and we can't afford any embarrassing scandals right now. Why the hell is Cole talking to Wiltshire? Please tell me that he's not trying to expand his connections at our father's funeral. And Wiltshire, of all people."
A scene between Blake and Cole would end badly, so Garret reached out and grabbed his friend's arm. "I'll get them to the office if you want to go ahead and meet us there. The crowd should dissipate once we leave."
Blake gave his brother one last look of disgust before nodding. Leaning down to give a quiet word to Todd, the two men walked out together. Garret decided that breaking up whatever deal Cole might be making was his highest priority.
"Mr. Wiltshire," Garret said as he flashed his most charming smile. "You'll have to excuse Cole. He's needed elsewhere. I'm sure you understand."
"Of course," Wiltshire nodded. "Cole, we can pick this up at another time. I am interested in your ideas, but you have a lot on your plate. I am sorry about your loss. I’m interested in seeing how Blake will fill his shoes."
More like interested in getting his grubby hands on the company if Blake failed. Garret reached out to shake the man’s hand and tried to keep his temper in check. Robert Parker wasn’t even in the ground yet, and the wolves were already circling. "There's a car waiting for you out front. Blake and the lawyer are already on their way. Have you seen Hawk? The two of you can ride together."
"The
hell we're riding together," Cole muttered darkly. "He can take his own car."
Garret was about to ask Cole to wait when he saw two men approaching them. Not wanting to cause a scene, Garret conceded. "Fine. I'll get Hawk myself."
This meeting was going to go real well.
When Garret met the three brothers, they were loyal to each other. The ridiculously expensive private school they attended took boys of all ages, so they looked out for each other at school. When Robert paid for Garret to attend the same school for the last two years, Garret quickly found out that money only made some kids meaner. Many of the kids were the spoiled offspring of Robert Parker's competitors, and they shared their daddies’ hatred for the man. Hawk, as the youngest, always felt the brunt of their cruel jokes.
Garret was never really sure what happened after he and Blake graduated. They stayed friends during college and while they worked together, Robert made Blake work his way up to the top just like everyone else, but Cole and Hawk didn't want anything to do with the business. They moved to the different corners of the country for college, and the brothers drifted apart.
Way apart.
"Mr. Mason." The blonde gentleman cleared his throat, and Garret realized they worked with the funeral home. "We hate to bother you, but there's a gentleman with a lady in one of our offices."
He was about to demand why that was his problem when he saw the fear in their eyes.
Damn it. Hawk.
"I'll take care of it. Which office?"
Following their directions, he opened the door just in time to see the youngest Parker brother with his hands sliding up some young woman's bare thigh as she knocked things off the desk. She giggled breathlessly, and Garret cleared his throat. "Forgive me for interrupting," he said dryly. "But this is a funeral."
The Art of Seduction Page 12
