I've got an idea. How about I hook you up
with one of mine?"
"That's very generous of you, Lucy," Abbey
said with a wry smile, "but I don't think so."
"Why not?" Lucy looked thoughtfully up at
the rapidly darkening sky. Her face brightened and she turned back to her
friend. "How about Mick the plumber? His hands are rough, but he's got a
large dick. And as an added bonus, he'll unclog your sink."
Abbey laughed. "No thanks."
"Okay, what about Lance? Sensitive new age guy. He
recites poetry when he's climaxing. Actually, on second thoughts, he's not a
good idea. The last thing you need right now is a sensitive man."
"I don't need any man, thank you."
"Don't be silly. Listen to me — I know
you better than you know yourself. Okay, there's a guy I met about a month ago
at the races. He's got a huge gambling problem so he can't buy you dinner, but
he will give you a good tip. Or there's Vaughn. Well hung, knows all the best
moves and is as supple as a gymnast." Lucy paused. "On second
thoughts, I think I'll keep that one for myself."
Abbey giggled. "Stop it, Lucy, this is
serious."
"I know! Why don't you take the gorilla? You're
completely incompatible so he'd be perfect. No chance you'd fall for a moron
like him."
"Lucy!"
Lucy held up her hands. "Okay, okay. I
tried."
Abbey nodded, still smiling. "Thanks, but I think
I'll wallow in self pity for awhile."
Lucy glared at her but said nothing. Abbey breathed a
sigh of relief. She meant well, but Lucy didn't understand how she felt. She
didn't really understand it herself, but she knew it was more than just sex.
As unlikely as it seemed, she had feelings for Damien
Vane.
And that scared her more than anything.
CHAPTER 7
Tarken hated these things. Not only were they dull,
but software demonstrations were something only computer geeks could get a kick
out of. He was an administrator, a manager, not an I.T. specialist. That's why
he'd brought Donaldson along — to talk geek-talk. Tarken was at the
Crown Complex software seminar to talk numbers. Donaldson didn't have a clue
about money, but he knew everything about software. Tarken knew everything
about money and nothing about computers, except how to read and send email. Together
they made a formidable team.
Which was good, because the sooner they cut through
the sales crap, the sooner they could leave. There were only three software
packages relevant to the health care and pharmaceuticals industry, and they'd
already had demos of two of them. Software Solutions was the last.
Donaldson pointed to the stand and they headed that
way. There seemed to be only one person standing there. Good, that meant they
could railroad the salesman with questions and figures, put him on the back
foot and get him to commit to a deal in their favor on the spot. Then they
could get out of there.
"Excuse me, we'd like a demonstration," he
said in his most authoritative voice.
The man turned around and Tarken took a step back,
crashing into Donaldson. "You! What are you doing here?"
It was the man he'd seen having dinner with Abbey. His
Abbey.
Tarken straightened, drew himself up to his full
height — which was still a good four inches less that this fellow,
he realized — and glared back at the dark haired man.
His face was grave and a small muscle jumped in his
throat. He looked like a man barely holding onto his self control. Tarken
swallowed.
"My name is Damien Vane," the man said. He
held out his hand. "I believe we met the other night."
Tarken swallowed at the sound of that voice. It was the
same voice that had sent the waiter scuttling over and him eager to leave on
Tuesday night. In the cold light of day, Tarken wasn't proud of his hasty
retreat then. He should've stayed and confronted him. He should have fought for
Abbey.
"Yes," said Tarken, shaking his hand,
"I believe we did. Are you the Software Solutions representative?"
He nodded. "And you are?"
"Tarken Pratt from JJC Pharmaceuticals. This is
my associate, Max
with one of mine?"
"That's very generous of you, Lucy," Abbey
said with a wry smile, "but I don't think so."
"Why not?" Lucy looked thoughtfully up at
the rapidly darkening sky. Her face brightened and she turned back to her
friend. "How about Mick the plumber? His hands are rough, but he's got a
large dick. And as an added bonus, he'll unclog your sink."
Abbey laughed. "No thanks."
"Okay, what about Lance? Sensitive new age guy. He
recites poetry when he's climaxing. Actually, on second thoughts, he's not a
good idea. The last thing you need right now is a sensitive man."
"I don't need any man, thank you."
"Don't be silly. Listen to me — I know
you better than you know yourself. Okay, there's a guy I met about a month ago
at the races. He's got a huge gambling problem so he can't buy you dinner, but
he will give you a good tip. Or there's Vaughn. Well hung, knows all the best
moves and is as supple as a gymnast." Lucy paused. "On second
thoughts, I think I'll keep that one for myself."
Abbey giggled. "Stop it, Lucy, this is
serious."
"I know! Why don't you take the gorilla? You're
completely incompatible so he'd be perfect. No chance you'd fall for a moron
like him."
"Lucy!"
Lucy held up her hands. "Okay, okay. I
tried."
Abbey nodded, still smiling. "Thanks, but I think
I'll wallow in self pity for awhile."
Lucy glared at her but said nothing. Abbey breathed a
sigh of relief. She meant well, but Lucy didn't understand how she felt. She
didn't really understand it herself, but she knew it was more than just sex.
As unlikely as it seemed, she had feelings for Damien
Vane.
And that scared her more than anything.
CHAPTER 7
Tarken hated these things. Not only were they dull,
but software demonstrations were something only computer geeks could get a kick
out of. He was an administrator, a manager, not an I.T. specialist. That's why
he'd brought Donaldson along — to talk geek-talk. Tarken was at the
Crown Complex software seminar to talk numbers. Donaldson didn't have a clue
about money, but he knew everything about software. Tarken knew everything
about money and nothing about computers, except how to read and send email. Together
they made a formidable team.
Which was good, because the sooner they cut through
the sales crap, the sooner they could leave. There were only three software
packages relevant to the health care and pharmaceuticals industry, and they'd
already had demos of two of them. Software Solutions was the last.
Donaldson pointed to the stand and they headed that
way. There seemed to be only one person standing there. Good, that meant they
could railroad the salesman with questions and figures, put him on the back
foot and get him to commit to a deal in their favor on the spot. Then they
could get out of there.
"Excuse me, we'd like a demonstration," he
said in his most authoritative voice.
The man turned around and Tarken took a step back,
crashing into Donaldson. "You! What are you doing here?"
It was the man he'd seen having dinner with Abbey. His
Abbey.
Tarken straightened, drew himself up to his full
height — which was still a good four inches less that this fellow,
he realized — and glared back at the dark haired man.
His face was grave and a small muscle jumped in his
throat. He looked like a man barely holding onto his self control. Tarken
swallowed.
"My name is Damien Vane," the man said. He
held out his hand. "I believe we met the other night."
Tarken swallowed at the sound of that voice. It was the
same voice that had sent the waiter scuttling over and him eager to leave on
Tuesday night. In the cold light of day, Tarken wasn't proud of his hasty
retreat then. He should've stayed and confronted him. He should have fought for
Abbey.
"Yes," said Tarken, shaking his hand,
"I believe we did. Are you the Software Solutions representative?"
He nodded. "And you are?"
"Tarken Pratt from JJC Pharmaceuticals. This is
my associate, Max
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