Command, Possess and Claim: The Collection

by Opal Carew

  His eyebrows arched. “Excuse me?” he said, in a deep masculine voice.

  “Oh, um…” She drew in a shaky breath. “I’m sorry. I thought you were someone else.”

  He smiled. “Are you meeting this someone here?”

  “Oh, no. I’m from out of town and I thought … you just look like someone I know.”

  “So you were hoping for a friendly face.”

  The warmth in his eyes, lit up by that debonair smile of his, stirred something deep inside her. She imagined this man asking her to join him for coffee, then them talking … and him inviting her to dinner, and that leading to …

  She swallowed. “Um, I just wanted to say hello. I mean, to Storm. Not you.” Oh, damn, now she sounded rude.

  Her heart thumped loudly in her chest and all she could think of was getting out of here. Away from this man’s speculative gaze.

  This sexy, drop-dead gorgeous man.

  “Would you like to join me for a coffee?” he asked.

  Panic welled up in her as she realized she was actually considering accepting. Did she really want this stranger to pick her up?

  She glanced at her watch. “Sorry, I have to be somewhere. Um … good-bye.” With that she turned and raced out of the shop, her face still burning.

  * * *

  Dane watched the lovely woman scurry out the door as if she were escaping a predator.

  Lightning flashed outside and what had started as a light rain now streamed down the window panes. He liked to walk to the office in the morning, but he drew the line at getting soaked. He picked up his coffee and sat down at one of the tables, then pulled out his cell phone. Outside he could see the lovely stranger trying to hail a cab. He smiled as he watched her timid attempts. Not even stepping off the sidewalk and making a pitiful little hand gesture toward the street. She’d never get a cab that way.

  * * *

  Jessica stuck out her hand as a cab drove past, but it didn’t stop. Being from a small town, she wasn’t used to hailing cabs, but she’d watched others doing it and it seemed simple enough. Most of the cabs that had driven by over the past few minutes had their top lights off, indicating they were unavailable. This one had its light on, but there were passengers inside, so maybe the driver had forgotten to turn it off. She tried to hail another, but it stopped for someone a little farther down the street. After several more failed attempts, she started to feel invisible.

  The rain, which had begun as a drizzle, started coming down harder. Why hadn’t she thought to bring an umbrella? Water streamed down her hair.

  She tried for another cab, and was pleased to see it pull up, but then a couple pushed past her and hopped inside. She stared at them, her mouth agape at their rudeness.

  A black limousine pulled up and the back window glided down.

  “Would you like a lift?” asked a familiar male voice. It was the man from the Starbucks.

  Should she just climb into a limo with a stranger?

  Water dribbled down her forehead and she wiped it away.

  “Yes, thank you.”

  * * *

  Jessica settled into the leather seat beside the stranger who looked so much like Storm. The limo pulled smoothly into traffic.

  “Where are you heading?” he asked.

  She pulled the address from her purse and handed it to him.

  “Jeff, we’ll be dropping the lady at the DoubleTree on Broad Street.”

  “Yes, sir,” the chauffeur said, then closed the smoked glass partition.

  This man must be pretty rich with his expensive suit and a chauffeur driving him around. The thought intimidated her a little.

  She shifted in the seat, aware that she was dripping water all over the buttery leather seats.

  “Thank you again. I really appreciate the ride.”

  The man beside her smiled. “My pleasure. My name is Dane.”

  He offered his hand and she grasped it for a handshake.

  “I’m Jessica Long.”

  Heat hummed through her as his fingers closed around hers, then he gently squeezed before he let go. He was so big and masculine. Her hormones pulsed through her, tempting her to lean in a little closer and breathe in the musky male scent of him.

  He reached into a compartment beside the seat and handed her a towel. “The rain has played havoc with your hair.”

  He flipped open a mirror on one of the side panels and she could see her drooping wet hair.

  “Oh, no. I look awful.”

  He smiled. “I wouldn’t say that.”

  She pulled the clip from the back of her head and her hair tumbled over her shoulders. She towel dried it, then pulled a brush out of her purse and ran it through her long, and now only slightly damp, tresses.

  “Your hair looks lovely like that.”

  She glanced at his smiling face and her insides quivered at the heat in his eyes.

  “Um … thanks. I think it looks more professional up, though.”

  “You’re going to a business meeting, I presume.”

  “A career fair, actually.” She twisted her long hair into a coil, then clipped it up again. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror and tucked in a few loose strands.

  “Ah, things too limiting in your current job?”

  “I don’t have a job right now,” she admitted. “In fact, I’ve been out of work for four months.” She glanced at his face, expecting to see disapproval, but he simply waited for her to continue. “I come from a small town and jobs are really limited there.”

  “Well, you’re doing the right thing coming to the city. There’ll be a lot of opportunities at the career fair.”

  She nodded, but the thought of walking into a room with all those people looking for jobs, the employers assessing everyone who stepped into their booth, made her stomach queasy.

  “You don’t look convinced,” he said.

  She shook her head. “I’m just nervous because I’m not used to networking and being interviewed. For the past six years I worked for my cousin, Sally, who had her own company developing Web sites. Then she got married and moved to Oregon.”

  Damn, she was nattering.

  “When you’re talking to a potential employer, just keep three things in mind.”

  She gazed at him with a keen focus, ready to soak in his words of wisdom.

  “Listen to what the other person has to say. Respond with something positive.”

  At his pause, she prompted, “And the third thing?”

  “Smile. When you do that, your whole face lights up.”

  She glanced down at her clasped hands self-consciously. “Thank you, but I doubt that will make a difference.”

  “It will. It makes you memorable, and that gives you an edge. When these people go back to their offices with a whole stack of résumés and a vague memory of the short interviews they had with people, they’ll be more inclined to call back someone who stands out, even if that reason is because of a beautiful smile.”

  She knew he was just trying to make her feel better, but she decided to put his advice into action. “That sounds like great advice. Thank you.” Then she smiled.

  He chuckled. “I know you don’t believe it, but trust me. It’ll work.”

  The limo slowed down and Dane glanced out the window. “We’re almost there.”

  “Thanks for the ride.”

  The limo pulled to a stop and the driver got out of the car.

  “One more thing.” He pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to her.

  She took what appeared to be a flat stone from his hand.

  “It’s a tranquility stone. Keep it in your pocket and if you feel yourself getting anxious, rub it between your thumb and finger. It’ll help calm your nerves. It’ll also remind you to follow my advice.”

  It was a lovely pale blue with white bands, flat, and completely smooth. And it was still warm from being in his pocket. Close to his body. She stroked her thumb over the surface. It was so … comforting.


  “I can’t take your stone.”

  He shrugged. “Of course you can.”

  The driver opened the door.

  “Oh, well … again, thank you.” She slipped the stone in her coat pocket.

  The driver held an umbrella over her as she got out of the car.

  She turned back and Dane held out her briefcase.

  “Jessica, you’ll do fine today. I’m sure you’ll find a great job.”

  She nodded and turned away as the driver closed the car door, then walked her to the entrance of the hotel. As she went inside, she realized she should have asked for his card. That was one of the basics of networking. Man, she really was bad at this.

  * * *

  Jessica relaxed into the soft, cushioned booth at the quiet restaurant six blocks from the hotel. She’d spoken to more than two dozen employers today and she was exhausted. She was looking forward to a nice quiet dinner, then going back to her room to recharge before tomorrow. One more harrowing day meeting employers, then she’d be on her way home.

  Her fingers stroked over the tranquility stone in her skirt pocket. She was surprised she hadn’t worn a hole through it. Dane had been right, it had helped her relax. And she had followed his advice. Listen, make a positive comment, and smile. But she wasn’t sure how much good it had done her. After most of the interviews, they just said they’d keep her résumé on file for six months.

  Having the stone, and following Dane’s advice, had made her think of him all day long. They’d said good-bye this morning and she knew she’d never see him again, but she wished it could be different. It was sweet how he’d offered her a ride, and then given her advice on how to succeed at the career fair.

  Her finger stroked over the smooth stone in her hand. It was just a stone, but it had been his. He’d carried it with him. And he’d given it to her. As a gift.

  The warmth of the stone against her fingers reminded her of the warmth of his fingers around hers when he’d shaken her hand. There’d been a spark of interest in his warm blue eyes.

  The waitress arrived with the wine she’d asked for. Except instead of placing a single glass full of wine in front of her, she placed an empty glass and poured from a blue bottle, then set it on the table.

  “I’m sorry, there’s been a mistake,” Jessica said. “I ordered a glass of the house wine.”

  “I assure you, this is a much better choice.”

  At the familiar masculine voice, she glanced up to see Dane standing beside the table smiling at her. She pulled herself up straighter in the chair, her heart racing.

  “How did you find me?”

  “I wanted to invite you to dinner, so I called the closest hotels to where we met this morning and asked for you. When I found your hotel, you weren’t in, so I stopped by the hotel and bribed the concierge for any information he might have about where you went. He remembered you calling down to ask for a recommendation on where to eat.” He smiled. “And voilà, here I am.”

  She smiled. “So you were stalking me.” She couldn’t believe an important man like Dane would even give her a second thought.

  “May I join you for dinner?”

  His powerful masculine presence and devastatingly attractive smile dazzled her. She concentrated on keeping her breathing even.

  “Well, I can’t drink a whole bottle of wine by myself and I’d hate to see it go to waste.”

  He sat across from her and the waitress produced another wineglass, filled it, and set it in front of Dane.

  He sipped it and smiled at her. “Very nice. What do you think?”

  She tasted the wine and a subtle flavor of delicate fruits danced across her tongue. She didn’t know a lot about wine, but she found this one delightful.

  “It’s very nice. Thank you.”

  “My pleasure.” He ordered a seafood pasta from the waitress, then turned back to Jessica. “So how did it go?” He picked up the cloth napkin from his plate and unfolded it, then set it on his lap.

  “All right. I handed in my résumé to about twenty-five employers. Some just answered general questions and took résumés, but about a dozen actually took time to interview me.”

  “Good. And did you follow my advice?”

  She smiled and nodded. “Yes, thank you. It was very helpful.”

  “Then I’m sure you’ll get some calls.”

  She wished she was as confident as he was.

  The waitress brought their meals and she dug in to her salmon steak. She had barely eaten at lunch and was famished.

  “I’m curious about this man you mistook me for this morning,” Dane said. “Does he live in Philadelphia?”

  “No. Right now, he’s probably somewhere in California.”

  “Then why did you think I might be him?”

  She shrugged. “Wishful thinking, I guess.”

  He offered her the basket of buns on the table and she took one.

  “You know, when you first approached me in the coffee shop,” he said, “I was hoping you were using an excuse to pick me up.” He took a bun for himself and buttered it.

  “I would never do that. When I realized you weren’t Storm, I was so embarrassed.”

  He grinned. “I could tell by the way your cheeks turned crimson and then you fled. And I had so hoped you were secretly yearning to tear off my clothes and have your way with me.” His eyes glittered with amusement in the candlelight.

  She smiled. “Well, if that were true, it was only because I thought you were Storm.”

  “Then Storm is a very lucky man.”

  The way he said those words, in his deep, seductive voice, his gaze warm and appreciative, set her pulse racing.

  She sipped her wine. This charming, attractive man had a very disturbing effect on her. She wasn’t the type to jump into bed with a total stranger, but everything about him made her want to do just that.

  “So you said I look a lot like this Storm?”

  She gazed at him, taking in his square jaw, classic nose, and vivid blue eyes. The two men shared the same classic good looks and imposing presence, but up close, the resemblance wasn’t as similar as she’d thought. If she was honest with herself, she’d have to wonder if her lingering feelings for Storm were making her see him in every handsome man she saw. A kind of wishful thinking.

  “I don’t know. You seem a bit older and more mature.” She smiled. “Maybe it’s the suit.”

  “So the question is, do you like older men?”

  Her smile broadened. “Well, I suppose I could be convinced.”

  He sipped his wine and stared at her intensely. “That sounds like a challenge … and I accept.”

  And he wasn’t kidding. All through dinner he was the most charming man she’d ever been with. He made her feel like the most beautiful, captivating woman in the world. That and the effect of his strong male presence had her practically panting for him by dessert.

  The waitress poured their coffee as Jessica took a bite of her caramel crème brûlée.

  “Why don’t you tell me a little about Storm? Were you two involved?”

  She swallowed a sip of coffee, trying to tamp down the painful memories his words brought up. She was tempted to change the subject, but she really hadn’t talked to anyone about how much it hurt when Storm walked out of her life. Maybe talking about it would help.

  “Yes. We were in love. At least, I was in love with him. I thought he returned my feelings, but a month ago he just decided to walk out of my life.”

  “Do you still love him?”

  She drew in a deep breath, then pursed her lips. She missed him. Every day and every night. He’d been a sensational lover and, despite the bad boy persona, oh, so tender. She’d really believed he returned her love. She’d felt special with him. But he was probably like that with every woman he was with. He was sensitive and considerate. Very hard not to fall in love with.

  But if he didn’t return her love, how could she love him?

  “No, I don’t still love him.” Eve
n if that wasn’t true, she was working to make it so. She had to.

  “I’m glad, because I wouldn’t want to steal you away from another man.”

  Her gaze jerked to his. “Steal me?”

  He reached across the table and took her hand, then raised it to his lips. “That’s right. When I take you back to my place.”

  Her back stiffened and she hesitated. She shouldn’t be surprised. It’s not like they hadn’t been shamelessly flirting all through dinner, but it had all seemed unreal. They were just sharing dinner.

  Now it had become all too real.

  She’d never had a one-night stand. Her chest tightened at the thought of having sex with a stranger. Especially this handsome, determined, sexy stranger. He was way out of her league.

  But the feel of his lips playing over the back of her hand sent a shimmer of heat through her. Then when he turned her hand and pressed his lips to her palm, she melted.

  “I know you’re considering saying no. But don’t.”

  She stared into his mesmerizing blue eyes and felt her anxiety dissipate. She wanted to be with him.

  But she was not comfortable going to his apartment.

  She drew her hand from his seductive lips and shook her head. “I’m not going to your place.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “You’re not?”

  “No.” She smiled. “But you can come to mine.”

  * * *

  Jessica slid her key card into the slot then pushed open the door to her room. She had slipped off her coat on the elevator ride and now hung it in the closet along with her suit jacket. Once she stepped further inside, however, and saw the bed dominating the room, the heat that had been building inside her seeped away. Her heart thundering, she turned to face the virtual stranger behind her and tell him this was a big mistake.

  “You aren’t going to tell me you’ve changed your mind, are you?” He stood far too close, and it sent her senses reeling. Part of her wanted to run, yet another part wanted him even closer.