him for another second, and then pivoted away. Ryan watched her sashay off, her sexy back, tight ass and long legs taunting him. An infuriating hunger flared to life in his groin.
Jackson leaned toward Todd. "Think Ryan'll get any sleep, tonight?"
"Nope."
"Should have nabbed her when you had the chance," Jackson proclaimed with a knowing smile. "The Thing will haunt you forever, now. Unannounced and unresolved."
"And unsatisfied. Let's not forget that," Brad added.
Ryan tore his attention back to his friends. "There is no Thing , damn it!"
Pushing to his feet, he yanked his wallet out of his back pocket. Tossing a fifty down on the table, he stalked out of the club before he hit someone.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Ryan paced from one wall to the other as the elevator rocketed to the top floor of Kazners. His eyes felt scratchy from lack of sleep; his temper raw and close to the surface. If he were smart, he'd have stayed home. Too bad for him that where CK was concerned, he didn't seem to be too smart, lately.
He tried to get a handle on his emotions as the elevator doors slid open. What if she had asked Junior to marry her? She was an adult. She could do what she wanted. Wasn't his business.
But, damn it, he had to know. Steve Wayland was no where near the right kind of guy for her. What could he offer beyond business plans and product ideas? She'd be bored within two weeks, if she lasted that long.
Ryan plowed across the upper atrium toward the executive offices. The sound of Farley's voice echoed out into the open area.
"You're crazy, Sharon. What about that brunette at Glenda's retirement party? And the blonde from the deli? How about...I'm telling you it's because he's seeing someone....You're just mad you spent all that money on new boobs and didn't—" She paused and covered the handset with her palm when he pushed open the doors to the suite. "You look like hell, boss."
"Don't let anyone disturb us," Ryan snarled as he stalked toward CK's office.
A grin spread over her face. "I'll lock the door and throw away the key."
* * *
CK glanced up from the report she was reading and narrowed her eyes at the embossed envelope sitting on the corner of her desk. Every time she looked at it, a feeling of impending doom churned in her stomach. Her grandfather was up to something and her instincts told her it wasn't anything she'd like.
She turned back to her work and caught herself reading the same paragraph for the third time. With a sigh, she closed the report.
A lot of things were making it hard to concentrate. The events of last night, for one. She'd sincerely enjoyed spending time with Steve and had discovered that they had a lot in common. They both grew up as privileged only children, were sent to the best schools and ultimately trained to take over their family businesses. They also shared a sense of loneliness and isolation and were just beginning to discover how to change that.
Other than that one year at state college, she'd never allowed herself to even think about what she wanted. Hearing Steve's story of self-discovery made her question that.
Although, her hands were tied where the Captain's orders were concerned, she didn't have to go quietly into the night. Right now, before she made a commitment, she could create some experiences just for her. She could find her moments of joy. She just had to go searching for them.
The corner of her mouth lifted. It was hard to imagine that she was considering rebellion, yet she was. She didn't know when or with whom, but she'd already taken the first steps. The unfolding was only a matter of time. CK touched the frothy, lace collar of her new Christian Dior blouse.
All thanks to Ryan.
The envelope on the desk drew her eye, again, and her pleasure dimmed. Thanks to the Captain's ultimatum, she had less than a month to make memories, but at least it was something.
Picking up the envelope, she tapped it against her palm. Unless he already
Jackson leaned toward Todd. "Think Ryan'll get any sleep, tonight?"
"Nope."
"Should have nabbed her when you had the chance," Jackson proclaimed with a knowing smile. "The Thing will haunt you forever, now. Unannounced and unresolved."
"And unsatisfied. Let's not forget that," Brad added.
Ryan tore his attention back to his friends. "There is no Thing , damn it!"
Pushing to his feet, he yanked his wallet out of his back pocket. Tossing a fifty down on the table, he stalked out of the club before he hit someone.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Ryan paced from one wall to the other as the elevator rocketed to the top floor of Kazners. His eyes felt scratchy from lack of sleep; his temper raw and close to the surface. If he were smart, he'd have stayed home. Too bad for him that where CK was concerned, he didn't seem to be too smart, lately.
He tried to get a handle on his emotions as the elevator doors slid open. What if she had asked Junior to marry her? She was an adult. She could do what she wanted. Wasn't his business.
But, damn it, he had to know. Steve Wayland was no where near the right kind of guy for her. What could he offer beyond business plans and product ideas? She'd be bored within two weeks, if she lasted that long.
Ryan plowed across the upper atrium toward the executive offices. The sound of Farley's voice echoed out into the open area.
"You're crazy, Sharon. What about that brunette at Glenda's retirement party? And the blonde from the deli? How about...I'm telling you it's because he's seeing someone....You're just mad you spent all that money on new boobs and didn't—" She paused and covered the handset with her palm when he pushed open the doors to the suite. "You look like hell, boss."
"Don't let anyone disturb us," Ryan snarled as he stalked toward CK's office.
A grin spread over her face. "I'll lock the door and throw away the key."
* * *
CK glanced up from the report she was reading and narrowed her eyes at the embossed envelope sitting on the corner of her desk. Every time she looked at it, a feeling of impending doom churned in her stomach. Her grandfather was up to something and her instincts told her it wasn't anything she'd like.
She turned back to her work and caught herself reading the same paragraph for the third time. With a sigh, she closed the report.
A lot of things were making it hard to concentrate. The events of last night, for one. She'd sincerely enjoyed spending time with Steve and had discovered that they had a lot in common. They both grew up as privileged only children, were sent to the best schools and ultimately trained to take over their family businesses. They also shared a sense of loneliness and isolation and were just beginning to discover how to change that.
Other than that one year at state college, she'd never allowed herself to even think about what she wanted. Hearing Steve's story of self-discovery made her question that.
Although, her hands were tied where the Captain's orders were concerned, she didn't have to go quietly into the night. Right now, before she made a commitment, she could create some experiences just for her. She could find her moments of joy. She just had to go searching for them.
The corner of her mouth lifted. It was hard to imagine that she was considering rebellion, yet she was. She didn't know when or with whom, but she'd already taken the first steps. The unfolding was only a matter of time. CK touched the frothy, lace collar of her new Christian Dior blouse.
All thanks to Ryan.
The envelope on the desk drew her eye, again, and her pleasure dimmed. Thanks to the Captain's ultimatum, she had less than a month to make memories, but at least it was something.
Picking up the envelope, she tapped it against her palm. Unless he already
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