famous jeweler Bathilda Schmidt. Her pride and
self-worth depended on proving to her family she could stand on her own two
feet without their help. By changing her last name to her mother’s maiden name
and then studying hard, she’d gotten her license. Now, not wanting to look a
gift horse in the mouth, she’d eagerly jumped at the offer - a chance to prove
her worth.
Staring across the crowded ballroom
floor and catching a glimpse of her former lover, she realized she’d leapt
before she’d looked, and as her feisty American mother would say, jumped out
the frying pan into the fire. When he tipped his head down to talk to the lush
brunette standing next to him with a possessive hand on his forearm, Addie was
helpless to stop the wave of longing filling her. Not thirteen months ago,
she’d been the woman at his side. In spite of everything that had happened
between them, she couldn’t help feeling the familiar tug of attraction to him. His
dark auburn hair was a bit longer, but she knew his snapping hazel eyes would
have the same ability to ensnare her as a shiver of desire flared to life in
her belly. His wide shoulders, slim hips and brawny arms belied the fact he was
a successful businessman. He looked like he should’ve been outdoors working
under the sun.
“You there, quit lollygagging. We have
a show to do! We don’t have all day to ogle the guests.”
The harsh sound of the troupe’s
manager voice had Addie stiffening. It’d taken her considerable willpower not
to deck the pompous little man. Turning, she nodded at the smartly dressed
Henrí Gastone. It was obvious he knew the power he held over his small troupe
of dancers. If it hadn’t been for a minor injury to one of his regular girls,
she never would have made it into Myrle Castle to find the ring. Pushing the
thought of Dom out her mind, she followed Henri and the rest of the girls.
* * * *
Narrowing his eyes, Dom smiled with
anticipation when he saw the slender blonde dressed in the filmy harem costume
scurry away. She’d come.
“Is she the one, Sir Dom?” The soft
question and slender hand on his arm came from the petite brunette next to him
and drew his attention. Placing his hand over hers, he nodded. “Yes, Lauren.”
She nibbled on her lip. “Do you
think…”
“That she noticed you? Yes. You’ve
done a wonderful job tonight. I will definitely be thanking your Master for
letting me borrow your charming company.”
Lauren gave him a shy smile. If his
taste had run to petite brunettes, he knew that Lauren would’ve welcomed him
into the bed she shared with her Master Lucian. But since meeting and sampling
Addie’s lush charms, he’d found his appetite for brunettes was nonexistent. In
fact it didn’t matter what type of woman approached him, if she wasn’t Adalia -
he simply wasn’t interested.
“You know Master doesn’t care for these parties.” She giggled when Dom threw his head back and laughed.
“You’re right, little one. If he can’t
have you kneeling at his feet and serving him all night, Lucian finds every
party a bore.”
While Dom rarely mixed his business
with his personal lifestyle, this time he found the two merged together nicely.
Having little Lauren by his side for the announcement of his own company’s
merger with the second largest software company in Ireland was the perfect
opportunity for Addie to make her move. He knew she’d come after the ring as a
part of the plan he’d hatched with Bathilda.
After keeping tabs on Addie for the
past year, he was now more certain than ever that she needed him. His little
love was high strung and if she kept up the breakneck pace she’d been going at
for the past several months, she was going to burn out. He understood her need
to prove to her overbearing father that she could stand on her own, but he
couldn’t in good conscious watch her self-destruct. Especially when she’d
become more and more withdrawn when they were lovers, even during their
self-worth depended on proving to her family she could stand on her own two
feet without their help. By changing her last name to her mother’s maiden name
and then studying hard, she’d gotten her license. Now, not wanting to look a
gift horse in the mouth, she’d eagerly jumped at the offer - a chance to prove
her worth.
Staring across the crowded ballroom
floor and catching a glimpse of her former lover, she realized she’d leapt
before she’d looked, and as her feisty American mother would say, jumped out
the frying pan into the fire. When he tipped his head down to talk to the lush
brunette standing next to him with a possessive hand on his forearm, Addie was
helpless to stop the wave of longing filling her. Not thirteen months ago,
she’d been the woman at his side. In spite of everything that had happened
between them, she couldn’t help feeling the familiar tug of attraction to him. His
dark auburn hair was a bit longer, but she knew his snapping hazel eyes would
have the same ability to ensnare her as a shiver of desire flared to life in
her belly. His wide shoulders, slim hips and brawny arms belied the fact he was
a successful businessman. He looked like he should’ve been outdoors working
under the sun.
“You there, quit lollygagging. We have
a show to do! We don’t have all day to ogle the guests.”
The harsh sound of the troupe’s
manager voice had Addie stiffening. It’d taken her considerable willpower not
to deck the pompous little man. Turning, she nodded at the smartly dressed
Henrí Gastone. It was obvious he knew the power he held over his small troupe
of dancers. If it hadn’t been for a minor injury to one of his regular girls,
she never would have made it into Myrle Castle to find the ring. Pushing the
thought of Dom out her mind, she followed Henri and the rest of the girls.
* * * *
Narrowing his eyes, Dom smiled with
anticipation when he saw the slender blonde dressed in the filmy harem costume
scurry away. She’d come.
“Is she the one, Sir Dom?” The soft
question and slender hand on his arm came from the petite brunette next to him
and drew his attention. Placing his hand over hers, he nodded. “Yes, Lauren.”
She nibbled on her lip. “Do you
think…”
“That she noticed you? Yes. You’ve
done a wonderful job tonight. I will definitely be thanking your Master for
letting me borrow your charming company.”
Lauren gave him a shy smile. If his
taste had run to petite brunettes, he knew that Lauren would’ve welcomed him
into the bed she shared with her Master Lucian. But since meeting and sampling
Addie’s lush charms, he’d found his appetite for brunettes was nonexistent. In
fact it didn’t matter what type of woman approached him, if she wasn’t Adalia -
he simply wasn’t interested.
“You know Master doesn’t care for these parties.” She giggled when Dom threw his head back and laughed.
“You’re right, little one. If he can’t
have you kneeling at his feet and serving him all night, Lucian finds every
party a bore.”
While Dom rarely mixed his business
with his personal lifestyle, this time he found the two merged together nicely.
Having little Lauren by his side for the announcement of his own company’s
merger with the second largest software company in Ireland was the perfect
opportunity for Addie to make her move. He knew she’d come after the ring as a
part of the plan he’d hatched with Bathilda.
After keeping tabs on Addie for the
past year, he was now more certain than ever that she needed him. His little
love was high strung and if she kept up the breakneck pace she’d been going at
for the past several months, she was going to burn out. He understood her need
to prove to her overbearing father that she could stand on her own, but he
couldn’t in good conscious watch her self-destruct. Especially when she’d
become more and more withdrawn when they were lovers, even during their
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