she didn’t know what else, but she knew it wasn’t complementary.
Any further talk between them stopped as she led Juliet into a large circular atrium with arched ceilings, marble floors and in the center stood a water fountain. White marble shaped into delicate palm fronds, water poured down from the staggered leaves and into the large pool filled with Koi. Juliet spied three other hallways just like the one she emerged from. The woman led her to a large oak door standing just to the right and beckoned with one delicate hand for her to follow.
Juliet stepped into a large room sporting several chairs; sofas, an impressive fireplace and entertainment system along with a huge flat screen TV. She paused at the door the woman held open for her taking a breath to steel her nerves before entering the dining room and directly in front of none other than Arthur Penner. A delectable smell filled the air, making her mouth water and her stomach rumbled at the sight of the table filled with steaming plates of food.
“Welcome to my home, Ms. Boyd.”
The deep voice held a note of a southern accent, Virginia perhaps? Pulling her gaze from the tantalizing table she smiled nervously, taking in his blond good looks and warm brown eyes. She caught a movement out of the corner of her eye and turned to find several men watching her with interest. She wondered if being gorgeous was a prerequisite for the men who worked for Arthur Penner, if so Arthur had that covered in spades.
“Um… thanks for having me here, Mr. Penner. I promise to be out of your hair as soon as possible.”
“Please call me Arthur and I would like you to stay until we know the danger is past.” Arthur smiled, extending his hand to indicate the men in the room. “You have already met Andrea.”
Andrea walked over and nestled into a man with a shaved head. He was big, his face starkly handsome. “This is my husband, Neil Calder. We both work for Arthur in various capacities. Neil heads up the security details for thousands of our clients and I work the back end in intel gathering information,” she explained. The love shining in their eyes as they gazed at each other stirred in Juliet a pang of envy. What would it be like to have someone love her as deeply as Neil seemed to love his wife?
Arthur’s words brought her out of her musings. “And this is Darius Roarke and Simon Leary,” Arthur introduced, nodding at the two men.
Darius could have been a male model with his perfectly sculpted face, broad shoulders and lean chiseled body. Dark eyes sparkled with curiosity and a full sensuous mouth turned up in a sexy-as-hell smile. Dark glossy hair was pulled back from his face and fell in a thick mass down to his waist. Simon Leary couldn’t have been more opposite as his hulking frame stood in an aggressive stance beside him. His roughhewn features seemed carved out of granite weren’t handsome, yet there was a raw edged masculinity to him. Shaggy ebony locks fell over ice blue eyes glittering with open hostility as they raked over her.
“Well, now that the pleasantries are out of the way can we eat?” Simon growled, sitting down at the food laden table.
Juliet caught Arthur’s frown of concern, but before she could comment the door swung open again and Colin walked into the room. Her heart pounded in her chest and her pulse speed up. Damn the man, what was it about him that attracted her so?
“Good of you to make it.” Arthur drawled with a wry smile.
“I’m here aren’t I?” Colin snapped, seating himself at the table in front of the table and started to fill his plate.
Juliet ground her teeth in anger and… hurt ? Damn, she didn’t want to feel anything for the irritating Irishman. Flashing Arthur her brightest smile she kept all her attention on her host. Unfortunately she couldn’t stop her body’s hyper awareness of Colin and by the look of understanding Arthur flashed her way she was doing a horrible job of keeping her emotions
Any further talk between them stopped as she led Juliet into a large circular atrium with arched ceilings, marble floors and in the center stood a water fountain. White marble shaped into delicate palm fronds, water poured down from the staggered leaves and into the large pool filled with Koi. Juliet spied three other hallways just like the one she emerged from. The woman led her to a large oak door standing just to the right and beckoned with one delicate hand for her to follow.
Juliet stepped into a large room sporting several chairs; sofas, an impressive fireplace and entertainment system along with a huge flat screen TV. She paused at the door the woman held open for her taking a breath to steel her nerves before entering the dining room and directly in front of none other than Arthur Penner. A delectable smell filled the air, making her mouth water and her stomach rumbled at the sight of the table filled with steaming plates of food.
“Welcome to my home, Ms. Boyd.”
The deep voice held a note of a southern accent, Virginia perhaps? Pulling her gaze from the tantalizing table she smiled nervously, taking in his blond good looks and warm brown eyes. She caught a movement out of the corner of her eye and turned to find several men watching her with interest. She wondered if being gorgeous was a prerequisite for the men who worked for Arthur Penner, if so Arthur had that covered in spades.
“Um… thanks for having me here, Mr. Penner. I promise to be out of your hair as soon as possible.”
“Please call me Arthur and I would like you to stay until we know the danger is past.” Arthur smiled, extending his hand to indicate the men in the room. “You have already met Andrea.”
Andrea walked over and nestled into a man with a shaved head. He was big, his face starkly handsome. “This is my husband, Neil Calder. We both work for Arthur in various capacities. Neil heads up the security details for thousands of our clients and I work the back end in intel gathering information,” she explained. The love shining in their eyes as they gazed at each other stirred in Juliet a pang of envy. What would it be like to have someone love her as deeply as Neil seemed to love his wife?
Arthur’s words brought her out of her musings. “And this is Darius Roarke and Simon Leary,” Arthur introduced, nodding at the two men.
Darius could have been a male model with his perfectly sculpted face, broad shoulders and lean chiseled body. Dark eyes sparkled with curiosity and a full sensuous mouth turned up in a sexy-as-hell smile. Dark glossy hair was pulled back from his face and fell in a thick mass down to his waist. Simon Leary couldn’t have been more opposite as his hulking frame stood in an aggressive stance beside him. His roughhewn features seemed carved out of granite weren’t handsome, yet there was a raw edged masculinity to him. Shaggy ebony locks fell over ice blue eyes glittering with open hostility as they raked over her.
“Well, now that the pleasantries are out of the way can we eat?” Simon growled, sitting down at the food laden table.
Juliet caught Arthur’s frown of concern, but before she could comment the door swung open again and Colin walked into the room. Her heart pounded in her chest and her pulse speed up. Damn the man, what was it about him that attracted her so?
“Good of you to make it.” Arthur drawled with a wry smile.
“I’m here aren’t I?” Colin snapped, seating himself at the table in front of the table and started to fill his plate.
Juliet ground her teeth in anger and… hurt ? Damn, she didn’t want to feel anything for the irritating Irishman. Flashing Arthur her brightest smile she kept all her attention on her host. Unfortunately she couldn’t stop her body’s hyper awareness of Colin and by the look of understanding Arthur flashed her way she was doing a horrible job of keeping her emotions
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