Wet Kisses Book 5 in the Whisper Cape series.
The Whisper Cape Series begins with Ignite the Flame, book 1, Reflect the Flame, book 2, Tame the Flame, book 3 and A Gypsy’s Kiss, book 4.
I’ve wanted to write a dragon book for some time now and Wet Kisses was a joy to pen. I fell deeply in love with Adrian while creating his character and I hope you do too. His wet kisses, as well as his wet scales, have been in my dreams for months now and I hope they will find their way in yours.
I’ve wanted to write a dragon book for some time now and Wet Kisses was a joy to pen. I fell deeply in love with Adrian while creating his character and I hope you do too. His wet kisses, as well as his wet scales, have been in my dreams for months now and I hope they will find their way in yours.
Adrian Marlowe is a dolphin-shifter who can shift into a dragon, a new and dangerous development to his shifter abilities. Now he’s gone from wealthy CEO to man on a mission: Figure out how to tame the dragon before it destroys him.
Landing the job as the new project manager in charge of the interior design of Waterscape’s new underwater hotel is Reese Briden’s dream job come true. Until she meets the sexy CEO and escaping the sexual tension that arises between them becomes impossible. Adrian could be the perfect lover. Except for one flaw. Well, maybe it’s not really a flaw, more of an inconvenience, because he is her boss.
Reese is feisty, beautiful and confident, and she might even be Adrian’s mate, except…she doesn’t know about the dragon. Now he has to decide whether to reveal himself or risk losing both her and his corporation. However, he just might lose himself if he lets the dragon consume him.
Add it to your Goodreads TBR list.
Get it now!
Apple Books | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Kobo Books
Barnes & Noble | Zodiac Shifters Website | GooglePlay
Landing the job as the new project manager in charge of the interior design of Waterscape’s new underwater hotel is Reese Briden’s dream job come true. Until she meets the sexy CEO and escaping the sexual tension that arises between them becomes impossible. Adrian could be the perfect lover. Except for one flaw. Well, maybe it’s not really a flaw, more of an inconvenience, because he is her boss.
Reese is feisty, beautiful and confident, and she might even be Adrian’s mate, except…she doesn’t know about the dragon. Now he has to decide whether to reveal himself or risk losing both her and his corporation. However, he just might lose himself if he lets the dragon consume him.
Add it to your Goodreads TBR list.
Get it now!
Apple Books | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Kobo Books
Barnes & Noble | Zodiac Shifters Website | GooglePlay
Also available in Audiobook
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/id1509230683
Audiobooks.com: https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/wet-kisses-a-zodiac-shifters-paranormal-romance-pisces-the-sectorium-series-book-5/431718
Chirp: https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks/wet-kisses-a-zodiac-shifters-paranormal-romance-pisces-the-sectorium
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/audiobooks/details/Susan_Griscom_Wet_Kisses_A_Zodiac_Shifters_Paranor?id=AQAAAEDs1AqU9M
Kobo, Walmart: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/wet-kisses-a-zodiac-shifters-paranormal-romance-pisces-the-sectorium-series-book-5
NOOK Audiobooks: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wet-kisses-susan-griscom/1127928277
Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/audiobook/457711721/Wet-Kisses-A-Zodiac-Shifters-Paranormal-Romance-Pisces-The-Sectorium-Series-Book-5
Libro.FM: https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781662218194
Storytel: https://www.storytel.com/se/sv/books/2787770
BingeBooks: https://bingebooks.com/book/wet-kisses-a-zodiac-shifters-paranormal-romance-pisces
hoopla: https://www.hoopladigital.com/title/13382558
Audiobooks.com: https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/wet-kisses-a-zodiac-shifters-paranormal-romance-pisces-the-sectorium-series-book-5/431718
Chirp: https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks/wet-kisses-a-zodiac-shifters-paranormal-romance-pisces-the-sectorium
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/audiobooks/details/Susan_Griscom_Wet_Kisses_A_Zodiac_Shifters_Paranor?id=AQAAAEDs1AqU9M
Kobo, Walmart: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/wet-kisses-a-zodiac-shifters-paranormal-romance-pisces-the-sectorium-series-book-5
NOOK Audiobooks: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wet-kisses-susan-griscom/1127928277
Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/audiobook/457711721/Wet-Kisses-A-Zodiac-Shifters-Paranormal-Romance-Pisces-The-Sectorium-Series-Book-5
Libro.FM: https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781662218194
Storytel: https://www.storytel.com/se/sv/books/2787770
BingeBooks: https://bingebooks.com/book/wet-kisses-a-zodiac-shifters-paranormal-romance-pisces
hoopla: https://www.hoopladigital.com/title/13382558
Read the first 2 Chapters now
CHAPTER ONE
Adrian
Adrian
Gentle waves broke before me, and white foam lapped over my toes. A warm front from the north blew over Kauai’s lush, mountainous regions to the beach and feathered its way down my back. The warmth brought a serene awareness, and I craved the vitality I knew the water would provide. I glanced back at my house nestled into the cliffside above me.
Just a short hour ago the mansion had been bustling with music and laughter, people fraternizing and drinking. Many danced while a deejay played their favorite songs. Everyone chimed in for the countdown to midnight as the New Year rolled in with its promises of love and prosperity, giving all new hope with the prospects of what the future may hold. To most, good fortune. To me, an uncertainty that ached in my bones. The prophecies of long ago whispered of a mate who could temper the impulsions that grew within me, constantly begging for release. A mate I’d yet to meet. A mate I’d come to believe was just a myth.
The house sat quiet now. It was well past four in the morning by the time the last of the guests said their farewells and well wishes for the New Year.
A deep growl formed in the pit of my stomach and the tattoo etched on my left breast shifted just enough to make me aware of its impatience. The beast wanted out.
I shrugged off my shirt as I stood at the water’s edge, itching to submerge my body into the cool dark waves and allow the sea to claim me once again.
I threaded my way into the blue tranquility of my salvation and dove under the swell of water cresting before me, instantly transforming into the smooth, thick tubular chassis of the dolphin I usually formed to take me out into deeper waters. This was the fun part, the playful side of myself. The more controlled and logical one, appeasing the emotional turmoil that sometimes ran havoc through my Pisces soul. This torpedo like form allowed me to swim fast, my speed probably about twenty miles per hour. I normally swam at about six miles per hour; however, on this first day of the new year, I was in a hurry, needing to reach the deep darker sea where I could transform into the beast my body craved to be. The craving grew more intense each day like I was addicted to a drug.
The sea was calm, yet I sensed a storm brewing from the south. I popped my head above the surface and noticed a light in the distance; it was one of those island cruise ships. I sank back below the surface. Was I too close to the boat? Would they see me? I fought hard to contain myself, but I lost the battle as the beast inside me formed. Water dripped from my wings as I soared into the dark, cloudy sky, leaving a swell of water about twenty feet high in my wake. No one could have seen me from the boat. I’d been far enough away, and the clouds made a great cover, yet as I flew, the shrill squeal of a scream pierced my ears.
Just a short hour ago the mansion had been bustling with music and laughter, people fraternizing and drinking. Many danced while a deejay played their favorite songs. Everyone chimed in for the countdown to midnight as the New Year rolled in with its promises of love and prosperity, giving all new hope with the prospects of what the future may hold. To most, good fortune. To me, an uncertainty that ached in my bones. The prophecies of long ago whispered of a mate who could temper the impulsions that grew within me, constantly begging for release. A mate I’d yet to meet. A mate I’d come to believe was just a myth.
The house sat quiet now. It was well past four in the morning by the time the last of the guests said their farewells and well wishes for the New Year.
A deep growl formed in the pit of my stomach and the tattoo etched on my left breast shifted just enough to make me aware of its impatience. The beast wanted out.
I shrugged off my shirt as I stood at the water’s edge, itching to submerge my body into the cool dark waves and allow the sea to claim me once again.
I threaded my way into the blue tranquility of my salvation and dove under the swell of water cresting before me, instantly transforming into the smooth, thick tubular chassis of the dolphin I usually formed to take me out into deeper waters. This was the fun part, the playful side of myself. The more controlled and logical one, appeasing the emotional turmoil that sometimes ran havoc through my Pisces soul. This torpedo like form allowed me to swim fast, my speed probably about twenty miles per hour. I normally swam at about six miles per hour; however, on this first day of the new year, I was in a hurry, needing to reach the deep darker sea where I could transform into the beast my body craved to be. The craving grew more intense each day like I was addicted to a drug.
The sea was calm, yet I sensed a storm brewing from the south. I popped my head above the surface and noticed a light in the distance; it was one of those island cruise ships. I sank back below the surface. Was I too close to the boat? Would they see me? I fought hard to contain myself, but I lost the battle as the beast inside me formed. Water dripped from my wings as I soared into the dark, cloudy sky, leaving a swell of water about twenty feet high in my wake. No one could have seen me from the boat. I’d been far enough away, and the clouds made a great cover, yet as I flew, the shrill squeal of a scream pierced my ears.
CHAPTER TWO
Reese
Reese
Monday was not going well.
My mind began to drift as I followed a mid-thirties dark haired man around as if my life depended on it. Actually, my career did. My first day on a new job, and Larry was giving me the quickie tour on our way to the boardroom. We stopped outside an elevator, and he glanced at me and frowned. My large black purse hung from my right shoulder, and the heavy briefcase that held my laptop swung from my hand.
“You should have left most of that stuff at your desk.”
I hadn’t been to my desk yet. In fact, I hadn’t a clue as to where it was since Larry met me in the hallway while I was being shown to my desk by Kathy, the lady from personnel. Larry quickly whisked me away, spouting off about a meeting we needed to get to, and here I was.
“I … uh, I haven’t had a chance to do that.” I gave him a small smile and winced as I hiked the strap of my laptop case onto my other shoulder to ease the weight. It wasn’t that it was overly heavy or anything, but it was a pain to have to carry around, especially today when I really could have used another day to recuperate after dislocating my shoulder New Year’s morning.
The whole thing had been entirely my fault and a stupid move on my part. My sister had traveled with me from Oregon to help me get settled in my new apartment here in Kauai. Before she left to go back home, we’d taken a short party cruise around the island to celebrate the New Year. The cruise ran later than we’d expected; into the morning hours in fact.
I’d fallen asleep on one of the lounge chairs on the deck. The chairs had been stacked up and put away for the night. But I’d been so tired and just wanted to close my eyes for a couple of minutes, so rather than wrestling to separate one from the stack, I’d climbed up onto the top and stretched out. Soon after I’d fallen asleep.
Everything was fine until a huge wave—they said it came out of nowhere—hit the boat, knocking me overboard. I dislocated my shoulder with the impact.
I heard someone shouting, “woman overboard” and the engine of the party barge stopped, but the boat was still rather far away. I was a good swimmer, having lived by the ocean practically my entire life, but it was difficult to get to the boat with my shoulder pain. A life preserver had been thrown into the water, but it was still several yards away. I’d considered summoning it closer to me, but there were so many spectators on board watching, that would have been difficult to explain and to mask afterwards, though not impossible with my sister’s help.
Then I heard a weird noise from my right. I turned, gasping at the sight of a dolphin. I knew dolphins weren’t aggressive creatures, but having one so close to me wasn’t exactly comforting and then when it shoved its snout against my rear end, I thought it wanted to hurt me. Except the nudging was so gentle, and it kept shoving me toward the life preserver that had been thrown. When I got close enough, I latched my arms around the circle. The dolphin continued to nudge me toward the boat, not backing off until I was lifted up by one of the ship’s employees. I turned to look back at the creature as it danced backwards on its tail, making dolphin sounds as if it were scolding me. I’d yelled out “Thank you” just as it turned and swam away.
“You okay?” Larry sounded annoyed as he turned to me. “You could probably store that stuff with one of the admins.”
“No. I’m good.” I wasn’t about to leave my purse and laptop with someone I didn’t know. Besides, I might need my laptop at this meeting.
“Suit yourself.” Larry was my height, about five seven and a bit stocky. He’d combed his dark hair straight back, and had donned each of his ears with little diamond studs. A light violet shirt and deep purple tie paled his pasty skin, which accentuated his dark goatee. He kept glancing at his watch. It was Monday, and we were on our way to an apparently mandatory meeting according to Larry. When we reached a set of double wooden doors, he pressed down on the handle and shoved the heavy door open.
I stepped inside and thought I’d died and gone to conference room heaven.
This had to be the most luxurious and gorgeous boardroom I’d ever seen. My gaze traveled around the spacious area. A rectangular white leather sofa, large enough for eight to ten people to sit at with room to spare; with a large, knee-high, white shiny table in the center. Behind each side of the sofa, a large water tank taking up the entire length of the wall cast off a blue glow with beautiful bright coral and exotic fish in it.
I set my belongings down on the corner of the sofa and perused the room in awe, wishing I had the nerve to pull my cell phone out from my purse and start snapping pictures to send back to my dad. He was a strict, over-protective father who hadn’t wanted me to take this job and move so far away. But I bet if he saw this room, he might just admit that I’d made a good decision for once.
“Everybody, this is Reese. She’s the new interior project manager.”
I smiled at the three male faces staring back at me. Each one said his name, as he sat down on the gorgeous cushions before us, and I repeated each name in my head as it was mentioned; Jason, Phil, and Carl. As their titles weren’t given to me, I had no idea what their positions in the company were. But it was my policy to always treat everyone as an equal, just like I wanted to be treated.
I’d yet to meet face to face with my new employer, Adrian Marlowe, as all of my interviews had been conducted by the human resources department. All I knew about the man was that he was the founder of Waterscape Properties and at the age of twenty-six he was a billionaire with extravagant tastes. If this conference room was any indication, I’d say that the latter part of that knowledge was most likely true.
I took out my laptop and placed it on top of the white marble table like the others had, took a seat and opened the lid.
“Reese, you don’t need to be here for this part of the meeting, and not everyone is here yet anyway. Would you mind running across the street and picking up four hot lattes and a dozen assorted donuts?” Larry asked, and the others smiled hopefully at me. “Won’t that make me late?”
“Oh, don’t worry about it. Everyone around here is pretty relaxed about that stuff,” Phil, or was it Jason, assured me.
Twenty minutes later, and positive I was late for the meeting; I stood in the hallway on the first level outside the elevators waiting for the doors to open, four hot lattes in a Styrofoam tray, and a box of assorted donuts balanced on top of the cups. With my purse falling from my shoulder every two seconds to dangle at my elbow, tugging at the tray, threatening to yank it from my hands, my first day at this new job might end up being my last if I dropped all this stuff. Especially with an executive meeting on the twenty-fifth floor waiting for it.
Right at that moment, I decided I hated those four guys who were probably sitting upstairs laughing their asses off at how gullible I was. This job as the new project manager of interior design for Waterscape—a position I’d earned after years of study and a tremendous amount of sweat and tears—was my first since earning my master’s degree in architectural interior design, with a heavy emphasis in hotels and resorts.
Waterscape was constructing an underwater hotel off the shores of Kauai. When the job offer came in, I hadn’t hesitated to say yes, even if it meant moving all the way across the Pacific Ocean to the islands of Hawaii, away from my parents and my twin sister, Quinn. My father was still baffled as to why I needed to pursue a job so out of the ordinary and so far from home.
The elevator doors opened, and out piled a whirlwind of three teenage boys. Three sets of black Converse sneakers hit the shiny, white marble floor, bouncing and leaping. The last kid’s elbow snagged my tray, knocking everything to the floor.
“Jesus H …!” The box of donuts flew in the air, landing, of course, upside down, with the lid open. Donuts rolled in every direction. One of the glazed took off like it had a marathon to run, another chocolate headed toward the open elevator doors and settled inside up against the back wall. All four coffees tumbled to the floor. Hot coffee scorched my bare legs and feet before pooling around my brand-new Jimmy Choos that I hadn’t even paid for yet since I’d used my charge card. The charge on my card probably hadn’t even registered with my bank yet. Now they were ruined. Stained with coffee.
My purse slipped, once again, from my shoulder and landed on the floor in a puddle of hot coffee.
“Sorry, lady!” The kid stopped and picked up a cup, now empty, as the contents were on the floor. “I … didn’t see you,” he stammered.
“How the hell could you not see me?” Tears of anger stung my eyes, but I kept my composure. My new shoes were ruined! Now I’d have to walk around with a giant coffee blob on my skirt all day; embarrassing at any point but especially on the first day of my job.
The kid put one of the now empty cups back into the tray and picked up another.
“Just go,” I bit out through gritted teeth, too filled with anger to care how it sounded. He didn’t have to be told twice as he ran toward the door—and his friends who seemed to be oblivious to what had happened and were long gone—glancing back at the last minute to see the mess he’d created.
“Yeah. Thanks a whole hell of a lot,” I mumbled, but I gained a brief reprieve of satisfaction as the kid tripped over his own feet and fell forward, flat on his face. Somehow his shoelaces became tangled in the commotion. I didn’t normally seek out revenge that way, but dammit, he ruined my brand new black suede strappy sandals. What the hell were three boys doing running around in an office building on a school day anyway?
“Here.” A melodic male voice spoke close to my right ear. I looked up to see the most gorgeous chocolate brown eyes I had ever experienced, with a face just as fine. High cheekbones and the perfect strong and chiseled jaw complete with plush lips and a straight nose gave him a face that made Henry Cavill look almost ordinary, which was basically impossible, in my opinion. Dark, almost black hair swept back from his forehead. He wore dark gray shorts resembling swim trunks paired with a teal golf shirt. He definitely wasn’t dressed as though he worked there. My mouth salivated at the sight of his firm and toned thigh muscles when he bent down to help me. Even his toes were sexy inside those black flip-flops. His hand extended with my purse dangling from his fingers. “Don’t worry about the mess. The maintenance crew is pretty good at cleaning up stuff like this.” He gave me a gorgeous smile, and I automatically smiled back. “It happens around here all the time.”
“Thanks.” I frowned. “Don’t they go to school?”
“They belong to the superintendent. I believe they were on their way and most likely late. Hence, the rushing out of the elevator.”
"You going up?” He splayed his hand toward the opened elevator doors.
“Yes … no. I mean, I was, but first I’ll need to go get new coffees. Thanks for the help.”
“No problem.” He stepped into the elevator and pushed one of the buttons on the panel, his gaze remaining on my face until it disappeared behind the closing metal doors.
I sighed. What an amazing specimen of the male species. I shook my head. By the way he was dressed I wondered if he was one of the janitors, especially since he mentioned how they cleaned up spills like that all the time. Although he was dressed more like someone heading off to play on a Saturday afternoon.
After tossing the box of donuts, as well as the four now empty latte cups into the trash receptacle, I headed back across the street to the coffee shop for replacements.
At this rate, I’ll be blowing my first hour’s salary on donuts and coffee before the first hour of my first day was even over. I silently cursed Larry and the other three guys, but since I was new and not sure how things worked around there, I’d better just hurry up. Hopefully, I’d be reimbursed, but now I was sure to miss the first part of the meeting.
After purchasing four new coffees and another box of assorted donuts, I headed back up to the conference room. With my hands full, I turned away from the door to use my rear end to push it open, except I bumped against unmoving wood. I tried the other one and the same thing. I was locked out.
“Dammit all to hell,” I cursed and thought about kicking the door, so someone would come and open it from the inside. Yeah, that would go over really well, Reese.
Unlocking the door with my mind wasn’t an option either. Telekinesis wasn’t a talent your average project manager possessed. No one could know I had that ability. I set the tray of coffees and donuts down on the floor. At the same time, the door flew opened, knocking me right in the ass. I made a shrill screech as I stumbled forward on to my hands and knees, barely missing the tray of second string caffeine fixes. I glanced over my shoulder to see gorgeous dark eyes staring down at me.
“Are you okay?”
Oh, hell no. Not the guy from the elevator. What was he doing here? And me on the floor, on all fours with my tight pencil skirt hugging my ass, which was currently in the air.
My mind began to drift as I followed a mid-thirties dark haired man around as if my life depended on it. Actually, my career did. My first day on a new job, and Larry was giving me the quickie tour on our way to the boardroom. We stopped outside an elevator, and he glanced at me and frowned. My large black purse hung from my right shoulder, and the heavy briefcase that held my laptop swung from my hand.
“You should have left most of that stuff at your desk.”
I hadn’t been to my desk yet. In fact, I hadn’t a clue as to where it was since Larry met me in the hallway while I was being shown to my desk by Kathy, the lady from personnel. Larry quickly whisked me away, spouting off about a meeting we needed to get to, and here I was.
“I … uh, I haven’t had a chance to do that.” I gave him a small smile and winced as I hiked the strap of my laptop case onto my other shoulder to ease the weight. It wasn’t that it was overly heavy or anything, but it was a pain to have to carry around, especially today when I really could have used another day to recuperate after dislocating my shoulder New Year’s morning.
The whole thing had been entirely my fault and a stupid move on my part. My sister had traveled with me from Oregon to help me get settled in my new apartment here in Kauai. Before she left to go back home, we’d taken a short party cruise around the island to celebrate the New Year. The cruise ran later than we’d expected; into the morning hours in fact.
I’d fallen asleep on one of the lounge chairs on the deck. The chairs had been stacked up and put away for the night. But I’d been so tired and just wanted to close my eyes for a couple of minutes, so rather than wrestling to separate one from the stack, I’d climbed up onto the top and stretched out. Soon after I’d fallen asleep.
Everything was fine until a huge wave—they said it came out of nowhere—hit the boat, knocking me overboard. I dislocated my shoulder with the impact.
I heard someone shouting, “woman overboard” and the engine of the party barge stopped, but the boat was still rather far away. I was a good swimmer, having lived by the ocean practically my entire life, but it was difficult to get to the boat with my shoulder pain. A life preserver had been thrown into the water, but it was still several yards away. I’d considered summoning it closer to me, but there were so many spectators on board watching, that would have been difficult to explain and to mask afterwards, though not impossible with my sister’s help.
Then I heard a weird noise from my right. I turned, gasping at the sight of a dolphin. I knew dolphins weren’t aggressive creatures, but having one so close to me wasn’t exactly comforting and then when it shoved its snout against my rear end, I thought it wanted to hurt me. Except the nudging was so gentle, and it kept shoving me toward the life preserver that had been thrown. When I got close enough, I latched my arms around the circle. The dolphin continued to nudge me toward the boat, not backing off until I was lifted up by one of the ship’s employees. I turned to look back at the creature as it danced backwards on its tail, making dolphin sounds as if it were scolding me. I’d yelled out “Thank you” just as it turned and swam away.
“You okay?” Larry sounded annoyed as he turned to me. “You could probably store that stuff with one of the admins.”
“No. I’m good.” I wasn’t about to leave my purse and laptop with someone I didn’t know. Besides, I might need my laptop at this meeting.
“Suit yourself.” Larry was my height, about five seven and a bit stocky. He’d combed his dark hair straight back, and had donned each of his ears with little diamond studs. A light violet shirt and deep purple tie paled his pasty skin, which accentuated his dark goatee. He kept glancing at his watch. It was Monday, and we were on our way to an apparently mandatory meeting according to Larry. When we reached a set of double wooden doors, he pressed down on the handle and shoved the heavy door open.
I stepped inside and thought I’d died and gone to conference room heaven.
This had to be the most luxurious and gorgeous boardroom I’d ever seen. My gaze traveled around the spacious area. A rectangular white leather sofa, large enough for eight to ten people to sit at with room to spare; with a large, knee-high, white shiny table in the center. Behind each side of the sofa, a large water tank taking up the entire length of the wall cast off a blue glow with beautiful bright coral and exotic fish in it.
I set my belongings down on the corner of the sofa and perused the room in awe, wishing I had the nerve to pull my cell phone out from my purse and start snapping pictures to send back to my dad. He was a strict, over-protective father who hadn’t wanted me to take this job and move so far away. But I bet if he saw this room, he might just admit that I’d made a good decision for once.
“Everybody, this is Reese. She’s the new interior project manager.”
I smiled at the three male faces staring back at me. Each one said his name, as he sat down on the gorgeous cushions before us, and I repeated each name in my head as it was mentioned; Jason, Phil, and Carl. As their titles weren’t given to me, I had no idea what their positions in the company were. But it was my policy to always treat everyone as an equal, just like I wanted to be treated.
I’d yet to meet face to face with my new employer, Adrian Marlowe, as all of my interviews had been conducted by the human resources department. All I knew about the man was that he was the founder of Waterscape Properties and at the age of twenty-six he was a billionaire with extravagant tastes. If this conference room was any indication, I’d say that the latter part of that knowledge was most likely true.
I took out my laptop and placed it on top of the white marble table like the others had, took a seat and opened the lid.
“Reese, you don’t need to be here for this part of the meeting, and not everyone is here yet anyway. Would you mind running across the street and picking up four hot lattes and a dozen assorted donuts?” Larry asked, and the others smiled hopefully at me. “Won’t that make me late?”
“Oh, don’t worry about it. Everyone around here is pretty relaxed about that stuff,” Phil, or was it Jason, assured me.
Twenty minutes later, and positive I was late for the meeting; I stood in the hallway on the first level outside the elevators waiting for the doors to open, four hot lattes in a Styrofoam tray, and a box of assorted donuts balanced on top of the cups. With my purse falling from my shoulder every two seconds to dangle at my elbow, tugging at the tray, threatening to yank it from my hands, my first day at this new job might end up being my last if I dropped all this stuff. Especially with an executive meeting on the twenty-fifth floor waiting for it.
Right at that moment, I decided I hated those four guys who were probably sitting upstairs laughing their asses off at how gullible I was. This job as the new project manager of interior design for Waterscape—a position I’d earned after years of study and a tremendous amount of sweat and tears—was my first since earning my master’s degree in architectural interior design, with a heavy emphasis in hotels and resorts.
Waterscape was constructing an underwater hotel off the shores of Kauai. When the job offer came in, I hadn’t hesitated to say yes, even if it meant moving all the way across the Pacific Ocean to the islands of Hawaii, away from my parents and my twin sister, Quinn. My father was still baffled as to why I needed to pursue a job so out of the ordinary and so far from home.
The elevator doors opened, and out piled a whirlwind of three teenage boys. Three sets of black Converse sneakers hit the shiny, white marble floor, bouncing and leaping. The last kid’s elbow snagged my tray, knocking everything to the floor.
“Jesus H …!” The box of donuts flew in the air, landing, of course, upside down, with the lid open. Donuts rolled in every direction. One of the glazed took off like it had a marathon to run, another chocolate headed toward the open elevator doors and settled inside up against the back wall. All four coffees tumbled to the floor. Hot coffee scorched my bare legs and feet before pooling around my brand-new Jimmy Choos that I hadn’t even paid for yet since I’d used my charge card. The charge on my card probably hadn’t even registered with my bank yet. Now they were ruined. Stained with coffee.
My purse slipped, once again, from my shoulder and landed on the floor in a puddle of hot coffee.
“Sorry, lady!” The kid stopped and picked up a cup, now empty, as the contents were on the floor. “I … didn’t see you,” he stammered.
“How the hell could you not see me?” Tears of anger stung my eyes, but I kept my composure. My new shoes were ruined! Now I’d have to walk around with a giant coffee blob on my skirt all day; embarrassing at any point but especially on the first day of my job.
The kid put one of the now empty cups back into the tray and picked up another.
“Just go,” I bit out through gritted teeth, too filled with anger to care how it sounded. He didn’t have to be told twice as he ran toward the door—and his friends who seemed to be oblivious to what had happened and were long gone—glancing back at the last minute to see the mess he’d created.
“Yeah. Thanks a whole hell of a lot,” I mumbled, but I gained a brief reprieve of satisfaction as the kid tripped over his own feet and fell forward, flat on his face. Somehow his shoelaces became tangled in the commotion. I didn’t normally seek out revenge that way, but dammit, he ruined my brand new black suede strappy sandals. What the hell were three boys doing running around in an office building on a school day anyway?
“Here.” A melodic male voice spoke close to my right ear. I looked up to see the most gorgeous chocolate brown eyes I had ever experienced, with a face just as fine. High cheekbones and the perfect strong and chiseled jaw complete with plush lips and a straight nose gave him a face that made Henry Cavill look almost ordinary, which was basically impossible, in my opinion. Dark, almost black hair swept back from his forehead. He wore dark gray shorts resembling swim trunks paired with a teal golf shirt. He definitely wasn’t dressed as though he worked there. My mouth salivated at the sight of his firm and toned thigh muscles when he bent down to help me. Even his toes were sexy inside those black flip-flops. His hand extended with my purse dangling from his fingers. “Don’t worry about the mess. The maintenance crew is pretty good at cleaning up stuff like this.” He gave me a gorgeous smile, and I automatically smiled back. “It happens around here all the time.”
“Thanks.” I frowned. “Don’t they go to school?”
“They belong to the superintendent. I believe they were on their way and most likely late. Hence, the rushing out of the elevator.”
"You going up?” He splayed his hand toward the opened elevator doors.
“Yes … no. I mean, I was, but first I’ll need to go get new coffees. Thanks for the help.”
“No problem.” He stepped into the elevator and pushed one of the buttons on the panel, his gaze remaining on my face until it disappeared behind the closing metal doors.
I sighed. What an amazing specimen of the male species. I shook my head. By the way he was dressed I wondered if he was one of the janitors, especially since he mentioned how they cleaned up spills like that all the time. Although he was dressed more like someone heading off to play on a Saturday afternoon.
After tossing the box of donuts, as well as the four now empty latte cups into the trash receptacle, I headed back across the street to the coffee shop for replacements.
At this rate, I’ll be blowing my first hour’s salary on donuts and coffee before the first hour of my first day was even over. I silently cursed Larry and the other three guys, but since I was new and not sure how things worked around there, I’d better just hurry up. Hopefully, I’d be reimbursed, but now I was sure to miss the first part of the meeting.
After purchasing four new coffees and another box of assorted donuts, I headed back up to the conference room. With my hands full, I turned away from the door to use my rear end to push it open, except I bumped against unmoving wood. I tried the other one and the same thing. I was locked out.
“Dammit all to hell,” I cursed and thought about kicking the door, so someone would come and open it from the inside. Yeah, that would go over really well, Reese.
Unlocking the door with my mind wasn’t an option either. Telekinesis wasn’t a talent your average project manager possessed. No one could know I had that ability. I set the tray of coffees and donuts down on the floor. At the same time, the door flew opened, knocking me right in the ass. I made a shrill screech as I stumbled forward on to my hands and knees, barely missing the tray of second string caffeine fixes. I glanced over my shoulder to see gorgeous dark eyes staring down at me.
“Are you okay?”
Oh, hell no. Not the guy from the elevator. What was he doing here? And me on the floor, on all fours with my tight pencil skirt hugging my ass, which was currently in the air.
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