the door, someone called out to him, and he turned. The waiter rushed up with the roses and a small basket he didn’t remember seeing before. “Sir, you left this.” The man’s gaze didn’t quite meet his eyes, only worsening Alexander’s embarrassment. He snatched the items and stormed out the door.
After slamming himself into his car, Alexander tossed the items in his hands on the passenger seat. The basket fell over and spilled chocolates into its plastic cover. He tugged his phone from his jacket pocket and punched in Laney’s number. When she answered, he heard the hesitance in her voice.
“This your idea of a joke, Laney?” he growled. “I know we had our problems, but to attempt to humiliate me in public? I don’t get it.”
“Now you do, Alexander. I’m done,” she spat. “Everybody thinks you’re a good man, and I guess in a way you are, but you’re married to your job. That means you’ll never be married to me.”
“That woman you sent, she said some things about me,” he began.
“I had to get her to do it some way,” she said, a shrug in her tone. “Making you out to be a lying, cheating bastard made up her mind. I wanted to get it clear that we are done. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I am enjoying my Valentine night like everyone else.”
Alexander blinked in shock when the line went dead. This whole situation was incomprehensible. He’d always known Laney was self-centered, even catty when she didn’t get her own way, but she’d never turned those traits against him. Not until tonight. Examining himself and trying to figure out if he was guilt-ridden for driving Laney to this extreme or if he was angry and hurt over how she handled it, he broke open the plastic on the basket and took a chocolate. The foil unraveled between his fingers, and he popped the small square into his mouth.
Damn, that’s good.
He opened another and leaned back with his eyes closed. The truth was, he felt like a fish out of water. A relationship with Laney had been predictable. They’d satisfied each other’s needs and stepped out to dinner and a movie upon occasion. He’d never been able to speak about more serious issues with her. Conversation centered on what she was doing, what she wanted, where she’d shopped.
With another of the candies melting on his tongue, he thought back to the woman who’d sung for him. He should be angry with her for taking such a job on this night of all nights, and he was somewhat. After all, Laney had been the mastermind behind the assignment. Still, what kind of woman would do such a thing? He conjured up a vision of her incredible body, not thin to the point of model size like Laney was, but soft and rounded, more than enough for a man to lose himself enjoying her. How her husband or boyfriend let her leave the house dressed liked that, he didn’t know, but Alexander wouldn’t have allowed her past the bedroom door.
His cock hardened again thinking about the mystery woman, and he tried to distract himself with eating more of the candy. Unfortunately, every piece was gone. He’d consumed them all. He sighed and picked up the round card lying at the bottom and read it. “These candies by Kim’s Confections have gotten you halfway to love. Now the rest is up to you.”
Hm , he mused, more like halfway to lust . A vision popped into his mind, of smooth tawny-colored legs, thick and long, wrapped around his waist. He grinned and then shook his head. No sense fantasizing about it. If he tracked her down, she’d only think he was after her for doing what she’d done. He dismissed the naughty thoughts and started up his car. An evening alone was in store for him since he’d cleared his work calendar for this special night. Sometimes fate was cruel.
Chapter Two
Shannon hadn’t walked far from the restaurant where she’d sung for Alexander Stone before she ducked into a convenience store. The bus stop that would take her home was nearby. She really should
After slamming himself into his car, Alexander tossed the items in his hands on the passenger seat. The basket fell over and spilled chocolates into its plastic cover. He tugged his phone from his jacket pocket and punched in Laney’s number. When she answered, he heard the hesitance in her voice.
“This your idea of a joke, Laney?” he growled. “I know we had our problems, but to attempt to humiliate me in public? I don’t get it.”
“Now you do, Alexander. I’m done,” she spat. “Everybody thinks you’re a good man, and I guess in a way you are, but you’re married to your job. That means you’ll never be married to me.”
“That woman you sent, she said some things about me,” he began.
“I had to get her to do it some way,” she said, a shrug in her tone. “Making you out to be a lying, cheating bastard made up her mind. I wanted to get it clear that we are done. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I am enjoying my Valentine night like everyone else.”
Alexander blinked in shock when the line went dead. This whole situation was incomprehensible. He’d always known Laney was self-centered, even catty when she didn’t get her own way, but she’d never turned those traits against him. Not until tonight. Examining himself and trying to figure out if he was guilt-ridden for driving Laney to this extreme or if he was angry and hurt over how she handled it, he broke open the plastic on the basket and took a chocolate. The foil unraveled between his fingers, and he popped the small square into his mouth.
Damn, that’s good.
He opened another and leaned back with his eyes closed. The truth was, he felt like a fish out of water. A relationship with Laney had been predictable. They’d satisfied each other’s needs and stepped out to dinner and a movie upon occasion. He’d never been able to speak about more serious issues with her. Conversation centered on what she was doing, what she wanted, where she’d shopped.
With another of the candies melting on his tongue, he thought back to the woman who’d sung for him. He should be angry with her for taking such a job on this night of all nights, and he was somewhat. After all, Laney had been the mastermind behind the assignment. Still, what kind of woman would do such a thing? He conjured up a vision of her incredible body, not thin to the point of model size like Laney was, but soft and rounded, more than enough for a man to lose himself enjoying her. How her husband or boyfriend let her leave the house dressed liked that, he didn’t know, but Alexander wouldn’t have allowed her past the bedroom door.
His cock hardened again thinking about the mystery woman, and he tried to distract himself with eating more of the candy. Unfortunately, every piece was gone. He’d consumed them all. He sighed and picked up the round card lying at the bottom and read it. “These candies by Kim’s Confections have gotten you halfway to love. Now the rest is up to you.”
Hm , he mused, more like halfway to lust . A vision popped into his mind, of smooth tawny-colored legs, thick and long, wrapped around his waist. He grinned and then shook his head. No sense fantasizing about it. If he tracked her down, she’d only think he was after her for doing what she’d done. He dismissed the naughty thoughts and started up his car. An evening alone was in store for him since he’d cleared his work calendar for this special night. Sometimes fate was cruel.
Chapter Two
Shannon hadn’t walked far from the restaurant where she’d sung for Alexander Stone before she ducked into a convenience store. The bus stop that would take her home was nearby. She really should
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