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What happened to the girl who indulged in every adventure she could get her hands on?
She grew up. That’s what happened.
Or maybe she’d lost her nerve. Now I was feeling sorry for myself. How quickly I’d gone from being a vibrant young woman to a bitter divorcee. I purposely looked away from him, debating her suggestion.
“Think about it. What do you really have to lose? You could have some fun at the wedding and if all goes well, your father will offer you the job. If not, at least you won’t need to stand in the corner drinking all by yourself at numerous parties.”
“Oh, thanks. You make me feel so much better.”
Morgan threw her head back and laughed. Maybe she was right. I’d already made a fool of myself in front of the arrogant, sexy as hell man. Asking him to an extended date wasn’t necessarily a crime. Was it?
Exhaling, I squeezed her hand. “Maybe you’re right.”
“That’s the spirit. You go, girl. We’ll cheer you on from the sidelines.”
I pushed my drink aside, sliding my palms down the front of my dress. Then I plastered my signature smile on my face and turned around, prepared to take what I wanted for a change.
Then I laughed. Mr. Mile High Club had disappeared.
CHAPTER9
Kendrick
People watching.
I’d honed my observation skills over the years, initially to know when someone was lying to me. It had come in handy more than once, able to read a guilty man’s twitches from a half block away. People could learn to lie very well but their bodies never failed to betray them.
It was easy to tell a few aspects about the stunning woman from the airplane not only by the way she was dressed and what little I knew about her, but also by the company she kept.
She came from money, likely a wealthy family.
She’d been educated in a fine upstanding institution where she excelled in an upper echelon sorority.
She’d gone against her father’s wishes, which prompted the hatred she had for him.
And she was determined to take control of a life she’d allowed to go askew. That was evident by her reckless behavior on the plane. I took a sip of my drink, my heart racing.
At least tonight I had the pleasure of observing a creation straight from God himself. The mystery girl was perhaps the most beautiful woman I’d ever encountered. While I’d enjoyed the casual CEO appearance of her pencil thin black skirt and expensive silk blouse complete with the conservative set of pearls, I much preferred the stunning violet dress and the way the shimmer of low lighting caught the iridescent flecks of colors in her hair.
However, images of her naked body in the necklace and heels weren’t far from my mind. The woman made me want to turn our one-night stand into a nightly event.
When I’d seen another man daring to talk to her, then touching her against her wishes, it had set off the possessive side of me. I’d always been dominating, preferring women who enjoyed indulging my dark kinks. Their full surrender had been a requirement, but this woman had set off a more primal response. I’d wanted to spill the man’s blood, ripping out his heart with my bare hands.
She’d been nervous on the flight but not only because of the turbulence. I’d caught a glimpse of her phone as she was confirming her return to Atlanta. If I had to guess, I’d say she knew California well given her selection of hotels, the very one I’d already booked a room in for the night. Given the inner-city location, the upscale Marriott wasn’t necessarily one targeted by tourists.
I also knew given the way she’d been clutching her pearls that the trip she was on had brought bad memories. Her statement of divorce had confirmed it.
What a jerk.
I might enjoy, even crave violence in my life, but not with regard to women. Any man who was abusive to a woman deserved a special place in hell.
And I didn’t mind putting him there.
The evil thought kept a smile on my face as I rubbed the rim of the glass against my bottom lip. It was difficult not to crane my neck, keeping her in my sights.
A wedding. I sensed there was discord in her family, which was usually the case. I’d revered my father, respecting not only his wishes as well as his aggressive tendencies, but that didn’t mean we’d been best buddies. However, I was close to my mother and sister. In my mind they were angels required to live with very bad men.
It was difficult not to watch the gorgeous blonde, studying her every move. She was dazzling, her laughter filtering across the room and over the loud music. I took a deep breath, reminding myself I had a job to do and an empire to get back to.
