AllFreeNovel
Share Us
After the last of the patrons left the shop, Krista ambled over to the door and flipped the sign toclosed. Once she balanced out the register, she gathered her things. Alex—a tall, slender, hardworking young man—had done a great job with the displays. He’d refilled the wicker baskets with fresh soap and made sure the shelves that housed the body butter sparkled. His excellent work ethic and eye for design were a blessing to her.
“Good night, Ms. Winter,” he shouted from the exit.
“Thanks for your help,” she said.
The day proved positive with increased sales, and the new mixing bar had made a hit. The patrons had commented time after time how much they enjoyed choosing their own scents for a body lotion. Some of the combinations they chose had been mismatched, but Krista always suggested a combination more suitable for their taste. It was her pleasure to assist them. After all, the people who supported her business deserved the best in service.
She hoped she’d made the right decision to talk to a lawyer. Despite her doubts, a positive feeling came over her as she left the shop and got on the road. Taking a stand to protect her business was a priority. The time had come to place herself first. This time she was determined to fight back. No more playing nice.
****
The law office was in North Conway, a nearby town. Krista had passed the huge Victorian home with a turret room in front on numerous occasions and always wanted to see what the inside looked like. Now was her opportunity. The entrance faced the Presidential Mountain Range, and two large oak trees shaded the front.
As she opened the gate on the wrought iron fence, Krista stopped to admire the lovely garden. The sweet fragrance reminded her how much she loved summer. Back home in Jersey, she’d had a gorgeous landscape and she spent Saturday afternoons working on it. Memories of her previous life still haunted her.Andy is not going to hurt me again!This time she’d follow through by seeking legal counsel. She stared at the fancy nameplate on the door. Hopefully, the fee was within her budget.
Cautious, yet optimistic, she entered the grand space with gold and cream colored wallpaper, antique furniture, and beige silk drapes. Since the temperature inside was unusually cold, she held her arms close to her chest and shivered. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a woman wearing a flowing white dress and a black kerchief that practically covered her eyes, pushing a tea cart down a long hallway. In the back of her mind, she envisioned a life with hired help at her beck and call. As she wandered to the front desk, she glanced over her shoulder, still lost in a daydream.
The woman who sat behind the desk offered a friendly smile. “Hello. I’m Mindy, Mr. Bartolo’s secretary. He was held up in court, but he’ll be in shortly. You can wait in his office,” she said, signaling the way. “He wants me to extend his apologies for being late.”
Krista smiled. “I understand. Thank you very much.”
On the way, she stopped alongside the server in the hallway. The pleasant woman spoke softly, and they chatted for a few minutes. It was a very odd conversation. The woman was someone who was comfortable sharing their deepest thoughts with a stranger. But not Krista, so she just smiled and nodded politely. Strangely, in the back of Krista’s mind, she had an inkling they’d met before, but she wasn’t sure when or where. Shaking her head, she dismissed the thoughts and continued toward the office, focusing on the reason she was there.
She stepped inside the lawyer’s office and admired the distinct flare for the Victorian Era inside the stately room.He must be loaded.The whole place looked like the office of a Fortune 500 top executive.
Her knees shook as she stood glancing around the room. She’d never been in such an elaborate place. The bill would definitely be steep. Doubts about her decision to seek council crept in. It wasn’t easy to discuss why she’d left her teaching job, and the way she was booted out of the school for practicing witchcraft. The lawyer might think she was a crazy woman. With clammy hands and a lump in her throat, she swallowed hard. She took a seat in a red leather chair sitting against the wall and waited.
Her jaw dropped as Jon Bartolo finally entered the room. With thick brown hair, sky blue eyes that pierced right through her, and a wide smile, he evoked feelings she thought were lost long ago. Her gaze fell to his broad chest then dropped to his muscular quads, before focusing back up to his face. The cold she felt earlier switched to tropical warmth. The room was as hot as a sauna. Hopefully, his work was as smoldering as his looks.
It never crossed her mind he’d be so good looking and oozing with sex appeal. She’d pictured an older, average looking man, not the person who stood in front of her.Where has he been hiding?Krista zeroed in on his wide shoulders and the girth of his chest. It was as if the sky broke open and delivered her dream man in a pretty package. She nearly forgot why she came in the first place. Krista tried to focus and remain professional. She stood and fumbled with the strap on her purse.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Winter.”
His deep and welcoming tone helped calm the tension that traveled through her body. He reached out and shook hand, his touch gentle, and a powerful, magnetic surge hit her hard, zipping all the way down to her feet.
“Please, make yourself comfortable,” he said in a pleasant, yet authoritative manner, and pointed to a beautifully carved chair with a burgundy upholstered seat. With a confident stride, he made his way behind the massive desk and sat. He caught her gaze and smiled.
Her heart thumped as she followed his lead. Settled in front of him, Krista cleared her throat and bit the side of her lip. Grandma Angie had taught her how to tell if a man was attracted to her. Late night chats about how she met her grandfather and words of wisdom from a loving relationship stayed in her memory, and she kept that advice close to her heart. There was no denying her attraction to the handsome lawyer, and it was strong.
Fear of failure had ruled Krista’s heart since the breakup. Maybe she’d be free of Andy and his demands if she could move forward. A yearning to love and be loved lived deep within her soul, no matter how hard she tried to hide from it. The knot in her stomach started to ease. She’d memorized her grandmother’s adages in reference to dating.If you want to know if a man admires you, go with your instinct and watch his eyes.Instinct told her he had more than business on his mind.
She practically drooled over how tempting he looked with a tailored white shirt pressed up against his chest. Krista imagined what was underneath.
“How can I help you?” He sat back and placed his hands on the desk with an intense stare that sent shivers down her spine.
He shook her to the core. Her mouth became dry and her ears rang.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“I’m all right.” She rallied. “My ex-fiancé is trying to blackmail me. He disappeared before the wedding, and I want to find out if I owe him half of my business,” she blurted. “I own a bath and body shop calledSilk and Dreams.” She moistened her lips and placed her bag alongside her on the floor.
The flashes of heat on the back of her neck extended to her chest. It took all she could do to stop staring at him. Beginning with his strong jawline to the dimple in his chin, he captivated her with an animal magnetism that she couldn’t ignore. The warmth between her legs sent a tingle through her body. No matter how hard she tried, she could barely keep a thought in her head. Meeting Jon ignited her lonely spirit, and she realized how much she missed someone to share life with.
As he bent over to reach for a pen on the floor, his hair fell onto his forehead. He looked up, and the sight of his magnetic blue eyes made her gasp.Stop it, he’s a professional.With a sigh, she crossed her legs and tried to focus on why she’d made the appointment in the first place. It had been years since a man took her breath away and left her spellbound.
“It might be the old boyfriend’s bluff plan, nothing really concrete. I know it sounds like a threat, but he’d have a hard time trying to prove it. Did he give you the money to start the business, or have you sign a contract?”
His confidence came across in his tone, and she found herself drawn to him. Every bone in her body sensed his attraction, and she was glad she’d worn a figure-flattering, bright blue dress. She was also glad he wasn’t wearing a wedding ring, and there were no photos in his office that hinted that he was married.
