Ian moved and repositioned them until she leaned against the car. His thigh slipped between hers and the friction between them escalated. Sandwiched between the car and his lean body, she held on as the kiss swirled to hungry. The keys slipped from her fingers, clattering as they hit the ground. Ignoring them, she cupped her hands on his neck and matched the passion in his lips. The man kissed like a dream—sipping first, drinking in her quiet sighs, then opening his mouth wide on hers, demanding and erotic.
Ian leaned into her, dropping one hand to her waist. Thrusting his tongue into her mouth, he explored like a warrior. He tangled his hand in the bottom of her shirt and pulled it up. When his fingers stroked over her bare flesh, she jumped. He trailed them so lightly over her ribcage her muscles jerked under the ticklish motion.
When he reached the underside of her breast, she mentally implored him to go higher. And while he’d stalled just shy of cupping her breast, he didn’t stop the onslaught of his lips. The door handle dug into her butt, but she ignored the discomfort to stay fully engaged with his mouth.
He eased back, gently pulling her lower lip between his as he ended the kiss. Against her breasts, his heart raced, keeping pace with hers. Releasing her mouth, he trailed his tongue along her jaw, until he reached her ear. He nipped her lobe, then tongued it before pressing a kiss to the tender flesh just beneath.
“Okay, definitely not feeling brotherly toward you at the moment.” His husky chuckle stroked her ear.
“I don’t have a brother, but if I did, I’d never kiss him like that.” Polly laid her head on his shoulder, tucked her face against his neck, and threaded her fingers through his hair. The texture was wavy and springy and tickled her cheek.
He eased away and kissed the tip of her nose. “I want to see you again. Is tomorrow too soon?”
“My schedule is pretty full tomorrow.” Regret caused her voice to squeak out, as if out of oxygen.
“How about Wednesday? Dinner? A movie? Maybe just a long run in the park.” He lifted his brows and stroked his thumb over her hipbone.
“A run?” Not exactly the way she’d prefer to get her heart rate up. “Um, pass. But I’d love a long walk through a park with you.”
“A walk on Wednesday it is, then.” He slid his hand down her flank and fumbled behind her for the door handle.
She arched up against him as he opened the door. Oh goddess, why didn’t she just invite him home with her right now?
“I’ll call you tomorrow and work out a time.” He bent and kissed her again. His lips were tender and sweet against hers, filled with promise.
He helped her into the car, and then stooped to retrieve her key ring. He leaned across her, and slid the right one into the ignition. The Mustang growled to life. As he pulled his body from the cabin, he paused long enough to touch his mouth to hers once again.
She ran the tip of her tongue over where his lips had just been, savoring the taste of him. “That’s what I’d call a good night kiss.”
Laughing, he backed away, slammed her door and waited until she reversed out of the slot.
Shaking her head to clear the clouds caused by his mouth, she mumbled. “Oh goddess, I hope he’s the man meant to face this challenge with me. Because I believe his kiss has ruined me for any other man.”
Chapter 5
On her way to the station the next morning, Polly stopped at the Daily Grind for a large skinny cappuccino and a cranberry-orange scone. The daily splurge kept her disciplined and on her diet the rest of the day. As she’d popped the last bite of the pastry into her mouth, she couldn’t avoid wondering if this would be one of the final treats she’d get before her challenge started in earnest and Pierus found a way to change her into a magpie.
Freaking defeatist attitude, Polyhymnia. She shoved the thought into the garbage can with the rest of her trash on the way out the door. If she gave up before she started, she’d never win. One thing she knew about herself after living hundreds of different lifetimes—she was a poor loser. If Pierus won this round, she’d be sure to find him in her magpie form and crap on his head. That could become her new daily splurge.
Arriving at her desk before the morning news ended at seven, she woke her computer and started scanning the financial feeds from around the world. That was her beat and she loved following the money trail. She lived to ferret out stories of potential financial ruin and scandal.
“Morning, Thanos.” Mary Rogers, her producer, stopped by her desk on the way to her office. She set a large coffee cup on Polly’s desk. “Brought you a treat.”
“God, your timing is wonderful.” Polly seized the cup and slurped a sip. “Hot!”
“You forgot to add fresh. I just brewed a pot. As usual the morning crew left their dregs on the burner until it charred.”
“Hey.” Polly stopped her from walking away. “Do you remember the name of that forensic accountant we used as a source last year? Cindy something?”
Mary arched a brow. “Or even Sybil Lawrence. Do you have a lead on a story?”
Polly picked up her pencil and tapped on the desk. “Let’s just call it a hunch. I heard some gossip at a picnic yesterday. After the Eos press conference. I want to follow up on it.”
“Keep me posted. After that announcement yesterday, things are looking positive for Eos and Delphi. It would be a shame if anything happened to the economy.” Mary rapped her knuckles on the top of Polly’s computer monitor and then moved away.
Mary slammed shut her office door and after a five count, music blared through the closed portal. It was a running joke among the on-air personalities that Mary’s mood could be predicted by her music choice. Ah, good. Today’s choice was Top Forty. Mary’s temperament was guaranteed to remain good throughout office hours.
Polly opened a new browser window and launched her email. She typed Sybil’s first name in the To line and waited a beat until the complete address auto-populated. Technology had made her life so much simpler. In the Twenties, she would have needed to search through a Rolodex, but even that had been an improvement from previous existences. During the third century, they’d had to use clay tablets to record anything. And they required scribes to do the actual writing.
She finished her query to Sybil and hit send. While she waited for an answer, she went back to her research and more of her co-workers filed in. The buzz, never very quiet in the newsroom, escalated. She plugged her ear buds into her phone and started her music program, choosing her Rachel Portman station. She’d fallen in love with the composer after Terri had inspired the woman’s work on the score for The Lake House. Best movie ever as far as Polly was concerned. She was a sucker for a good romance.
Her cameraman waved on his way to the editing room. Bill pointed to his watch and then held up both hands, fingers fanned out. Ten minutes until he was ready to roll on their first story. Polly lifted her thumb to let him know she’d be ready. She’d already prepared her questions for the interview she’d arranged with Scott Peltier. His behavior at the Eos press conference yesterday still nagged. The normally verbose and jolly CEO had been downright taciturn through the entire announcement.
She shrugged away the thought, knowing the one-on-one she planned would be eye opening. After talking over the announcement with Ian, her line of questioning would be a little different than what she’d have typically led with.
Ian.
The man and his kiss had dominated her thoughts last night after she’d arrived home. She’d snuggled into the corner of her overstuffed white leather sofa and fantasized about where the kiss could have led. In all her lifetimes, she’d only dated one other man who’d been a friend first. And that had been a whole lot of dates. She’d always been excited by the prospect of dating a new man, but she’d never really known the individual prior to getting romantic with them.
She’d only been married once. And after the end of that mortal existence, and the rebirth into the next lifetime, the pain of missing him was too much to handle. Many of her sisters
had married in several of their lifetimes, but she’d remained single. Partly because she’d never had strong enough feelings, but also because she’d remember her former mates in every new incarnation and didn’t want to deal with the pain.
Truth was, Ian might be just the man to make her change her stance.
Somehow, this relationship felt…perfect.
The red brick building where Eos was headquartered was shabby from the outside, but high tech and polished on the inside. Streamlined furniture decorated the lobby where Polly and Bill waited for their appointment. On the glass coffee table in front of the mid-century modern couch, some efficient assistant had scattered scientific journals and the glossy Eos financial report. Ceramic floor tiles resembled hardwood. The entire space was sleek.
A woman in a severe business suit approached. Two identical vertical lines were etched into the space between the woman’s brows, like a permanent frown. “Mr. Peltier is ready for you. If you’ll follow me.” She didn’t wait for an answer, but turned and strode away. A sense of familiarity accompanied the woman’s purposeful stride. The thought that she recognized the angry walk poked at the corner of Polly’s mind.
As she stood, Polly grabbed the strap of her messenger bag. Bill hefted his camera equipment and they hurried after the retreating woman.
She ushered them into Peltier’s office. He was on a phone call and, with a stoic expression, gestured to the chairs in front of his desk. Bill knelt next to one and began unstrapping his camera. He handed a lavaliere microphone to Polly then pulled a second rig from a side pocket.
Peltier wrapped up his phone call and banged the handset back into the cradle. When he turned to address Polly, his eyes were glazed. “I only have five minutes. Been busy with the merger.” He frowned at Bill as the man stepped around the desk.
Peltier was aggravated for sure. Polly put some schmooze into her voice. “We appreciate your time. Bill will clip a mic to your jacket and do a fast sound check. We’ll be out of your hair before you know we’ve been here.”
“Fine.”
“We’re good,” Bill commented. He skirted back to the visitor side of the desk and took up a position behind the chair. With fluid, practiced motion, he dragged the camera to his shoulder and nodded to her. He twisted an ear bud into his ear and depressed the record button
She beamed a smile at the uncharacteristically nervous man sitting across from her. “For a sound check, will you please state your name and position?”
“I’m Scott Peltier, chief executive officer for Eos Corporation.”
A fast glance at Bill confirmed they were good to go. “Mr. Peltier, can you tell us how the merger with Argran will impact your daily operations?”
He hesitated. Behind his reading glasses, his pupils dilated, almost obliterating the hazel color of his irises. “It means additional prosperity for our community.” He tugged his crimson striped tie and cleared his throat. “We’ll be adding employees after a brief honeymoon phase, where we’ll establish new administrative systems. Our first new hires will be in Research and Development. Lots of exciting projects coming.” His face twitched, almost like he wanted to grimace, but couldn’t because the muscles were frozen.
He’d lied to her.
Making a quick mental note to email Sybil Lawrence again, she carefully framed her next question. “In the past, when Argran has taken over a company, they’ve sold off well performing operations and closed the loss leaders. Their actions have left thousands unemployed and destitute. What will keep that from happening to Eos?”
The man didn’t even frown over the challenging nature of the question. His expression stayed absolutely bland. “We aren’t being taken over. We have entered a merger agreement with Argran, one that will lead to prosperity for all the citizens of Delphi.”
The nature of his response sent shivers of apprehension up her spine. She made a snap decision to read his thoughts. Except when she opened a link to his mind, she got nothing but a blank brick wall. Why would Peltier, a mere mortal, opt to bury his thoughts behind a blockage? Shutting down the link, she veered away from her prepared questions. “Is any other entity involved in the merger? Any silent partners?”
She sensed Bill jerk a glance her direction, but kept her gaze on Peltier’s face.
His blink was slow and deliberate. He tipped his head to one side, as if listening to some silent message. “Why would you think that? Our attorneys have filed our intent papers with the Federal Trade Commission. We are obligated to list all partners in this venture.” His tight smile was delayed just enough to be creepy.
Polly exchanged an alarmed look with Bill, who circled his finger to continue. She glanced at the note pad on her lap, searching for the next question. Here was her chance to find out how extensive Hailey would be involved in Pierus’s challenge. “I understand your company is experimenting on alternative methods to deliver sanitation and fresh drinking water to third world countries. Will the merger affect that research at all?”
“Not at all. Our plan is to expand the research to speed up the process. While the mission remains to deliver assistance to impoverished people, there is still money to be made on the venture. But we must get the product to market quickly.” There was another awkward pause where he tipped up his chin,as if he was listening to someone. “Although making money isn’t our goal, we are a corporation. Our Board of Directors holds us accountable to the bottom line. Shareholders must be appeased.”
Polly pounced on his last statement. “Will the merger change the makeup of your shareholders?”
His eyes flashed dimly and he stared at a spot above her head, avoiding eye contact. “Any corporate merger will affect the composition of a company, Ms. Thanos. Eos will be no different. We will continue to challenge our staff to solve problems and the shareholders will continue to reap the benefits of our efforts. I am sorry, that is all the time I have today.” His speech was strangely formal—similar to the way her parents spoke. Placing his hands on the desk, he rose. His movements were stiff and unnatural.
She’d crossed the line and angered him, even if his words didn’t imply it. Polly was a pro at reading people. Scott Peltier’s movements and words were too controlled. Someone else was in charge of his body, confirming Polly’s suspicion that something supernatural was afoot here. The entire merger, based on Ian’s observations yesterday, and her personal impressions, stunk like part of the challenge.
Peltier fumbled with the microphone Bill had attached to his lapel. As he yanked it off, he snagged several fibers of his expensive suit coat. He ignored the frayed strings and handed the apparatus back to Bill. Polly slowly pushed to her feet, searching the room for signs of Pierus.
A large window behind Peltier’s desk overlooked a wooded park with a walking trail bisecting the two sides. Underbrush obscured most of the ground, but the patches visible were devoid of any plant life, just barren stretches of dull, brown dirt. The canopy of the trees on the left was dense and lush. To the right, the trees were sparser, and Polly spied a pond between the scraggly limbs.
And in the branches of one of the trees closest to the building, a large black and white bird perched. A squirrel leaped onto the same branch and frolicked a bit too close. The magpie darted at the rodent, jamming her beak against the base of the squirrel’s skull. It was as if the awful bird wanted the branch for her stingy self. Even at this distance, Polly saw dark red bloom across the squirrel’s back. It tumbled to the ground beneath the branch. Polly flinched when it crashed on the hard dirt.
Horrified, she watched the bird swoop out of the tree—its white tipped feathers flared to the sky. She landed next to the carcass and pecked at the fur. She’d seen Greed’s sisters in the aviary at Olympus, and those girls ate berries and seeds. And occasionally, worms or insects. They weren’t carnivores. Clenching her fist, Polly came to grips that the freaking birds had evolved.
“Ready, Polly?” Bill’s voice drew her gaze from the window.
Peltier remained
motionless, but a slight quirk in his lips made her suspect he found her disgust over Greed’s lunch amusing.
Straightening her hand from its hard clench, she extended her arm. “Thank you again for your time, Mr. Peltier. We’ll be running the story at six and ten today.”
His hand was limp as he accepted her farewell. “Fine, fine. You must let me know if you require anything else. Here at Eos, we are always willing to help.” His chuckle fell short of hearty.
An unpleasant jolt from his palm to hers accompanied his words. Polly jerked her arm back, not caring that it might be rude. The man was definitely not the only being occupying the space his body took up.
She couldn’t get out of the office fast enough. His odd evasions about the true purpose behind the merger, and then the bizarre burst of power into her system from him left her completely nonplussed. It had felt like a nudge from Pierus. Or his silent partner. Whoever that might be.
Trying to mask her fright, she walked beside Bill to the reception area. Lowering her voice, she told him, “I’m going to grab one of the financial reports. Something isn’t right here.”
“You got a strange vibe, too?” He quickened his step. “Shit, I was afraid it was just me. I’m weirded out by that entire interview. I’ll meet you at the van.”
He kept walking past the seating group where they’d waited. Polly stopped long enough to grab one of the thin glossy magazines adorned with Eos’s pretentious logo of flared wings with a center crown. At least the feathers weren’t black and white. But, Polly couldn’t help comparing the company whose tagline was ‘Giving Flight To The World’ to the magpies gathering to steal humanity from mortals.
The elevator dinged as she shoved the report in her bag. The doors glided open to reveal Ian. His sexy grin slowed her step but caused her heart to race.
Greed: Goddess of Delphi (Goddesses of Delphi Book 3) Page 5
