Time For Pleasure by Angie Daniels Page A

short Hispanic man shuffled slowly into the office. Ashton could tell whatever was bothering him was heavy on his mind.   “What’s going on?” he asked and leaned forward with steepled hands on the desk.
    He wet his lips nervously. “Mr. Kilmer, I don’t know how to say this, but… I was paid to tamper with that Volvo.”
    A fist knotted in his gut, just like someone had punched him. “What did you just say?” he said slowly and noticed how Rafael backed up slightly and dropped his gaze to the floor.
      “For the last year I’ve been rolling back odometers and passing cars that shouldn’t have passed inspection.”
    Ashton’s nostrils flared slightly and his chest rose and fell more rapidly. “Who paid you?”
    Rafael glanced guiltily back up at him. “I-I know what I was doing w-was wrong, but I-I needed the money.” Ashton was well aware of his mother’s battle with cancer. He had done everything he could to get him time off, but that was no excuse.
    He slammed his palms on the desk and Rafael flinched. “Who paid you?” Ashton repeated impatiently.
    Trapped in the angry, heated gaze, Rafael swallowed and replied, “Glen paid me.”
    Ashton sprung from the chair and stormed down the hall, then opened the door to Glen’s office with a force. “What the hell have you been doing?” he barked.
    Glen’s head whipped around in surprise, then a curious look marred his face. “What are you talking about?” he asked and had the nerve to look clueless.
    His voice was tight with anger. “You know what the hell I’m talking about. Rolling back the odometers on my cars!”
    The smile slipped from his lips and Glen turned pale the moment he spotted Rafael standing in the doorway.
    “I-I can explain,” he stammered.
    “How about you explain this fist in your mouth!” Ashton growled, then hopped across the desk and his fist caught Glen in the jaw. The two fell onto the floor and Ashton groaned as his shoulder hit the end of the desk.
    “ Are you crazy?” Glen shrieked with disbelief.
    “No, but I’ll show you crazy!” His fury spiraled out of control. Ashton swung again and Glen went down holding his nose and crying out in pain. Rafael stepped between them.
    “Boss, no!” Rafael shouted and helped him off the floor.
    “You’re finished at this company, you hear me? You’re done!” Ashton raged and jerked away from Rafael’s grasp.
    Hugging the wall, Glen rose slowly to his feet. “We’ve been the top dealership in the region for the last two years. I made that happen! I did that,” he reminded, his lips curled in a surly twist.
    “By deceiving our customers? Are you serious?” Ashton shouted with disgust.
    Shaking his head, Glen looked at Ashton as if he was the one being ridiculous. “But don’t you see. I was just trying to keep us on top!” he cried. “That’s all I was trying to do!”
    “You have ten minutes to pack your shit and get the fuck off my property before I have you arrested,” Ashton said in a menacing voice, then he turned and stormed out the office.
    Damn him. Damn him to hell . Whatever it took, he was going to find a way to make things right with Kaelyn.

 
     
     
     
    Chapter Ten
     
    In the last week Kaelyn wrapped up her business with the Chamber of Commerce. Photographs had been edited and processed for the new brochure. The commission had been quite impressed with her work and had given her a nice bonus. Word traveled fast, because since then several offers had come through via e-mail, including a phone call from Jabarie Beaumont for her to do a family portrait on canvas. She smiled, pleased at how well business was going. Things couldn’t be better.
    That wasn’t completely true, she thought, as she slumped back in her office chair. She missed Ashton like crazy. And hated herself for it. How could a man appear so loving… kind, and goddamn sexy, and be such a liar?
    She took an angry bite of her cinnamon roll and sipped her coffee. When she’d decided