Chapter One
The Hotel lounge started to clear out while Sidney Clark sat nursing her ice water. Her best friend Abby left hours before to go out with a few of their friends from the psychic fair. For some reason she hadn't felt like going out with the girls. It didn't feel right. The quietness of the lounge called her name after the hectic day they'd had and she had to listen.
The psychic fairs were always great for business. Sidney packed up some of the books, crystals, and other knickknacks she sold in her shop, The Mystic Boutique, while Abby brought along her Tarot cards and reading table. They piled in Abby's old mini van and made the four hour drive up to Portland. Even though it was only for a weekend they always had a blast. Abby gave her readings while Sidney sold odds and ends to the shoppers.
After their day at the fair they always spent the night on the town taking advantage of the clubs and hot spots the city had to offer. Things that just weren't a part of the small town life they lived in River City. Today, for the first time since they'd started driving up for the psychic fairs, Sidney didn't go out. She couldn't say why, but for some reason she couldn't make herself leave the lounge for anything.
Now here it was ten-thirty PM and she was still nursing an ice water alone. Maybe I should have gone out with everyone else. Twirling her blonde curls around her finger Sidney glanced toward the door contemplating heading up to her room. All thoughts stopped as a gorgeous, raven-haired god walked into the lounge.
He was the most beautiful man she'd ever seen. His hair was trimmed short around the most chiseled facial features of any man to ever cross her path. The man was tall, standing about six foot three inches. He wore black slacks and a white button up shirt. His tie was loose around his neck with the sleeves on his shirt rolled up to his elbows.
He so wasn't her type but for the life of her she couldn't look away. He stood there like he owned the place. Strength and confidence rolled off him in waves she could almost see, but definitely felt. Whoever this man was, he commanded attention. There was only a small amount of people still littering the lounge but they'd all noticed when he walked into the room, their eyes locked on him.
Sidney felt herself become dizzy. Realizing she held her breath she let the air release from her lungs slowly before reaching for her glass to take a drink. As she set the glass down on the table her mystery man glanced toward her, his ice blue eyes locking on hers intensely. Without so much as a second thought he ambled toward her in long, quick, determined strides.
Oh God, it's him. She knew it before he reached her table. This was the Emperor Abby warned her about in her last reading.
* * * *
"Are you here alone?” his deep baritone voice asked. He didn't wait for an answer but began to pull out the chair across from her and sat down. The smug look on his face dared her to try and send him away. Little did he know Sidney didn't back down to dares very easily.
"Yes and I'd like to keep it that way.” The lie rolled easily off her tongue. Sure she wanted him here, but she'd never say that to him. His eyes told her he already thought highly of himself. Not that he wasn't worthy. He was very worthy, but walking god or not, no way would she let him walk all over her.
"You sure about that, Sugar? I think it would be much more fun if I joined you."
Oh yeah. He was right about that.
Sidney's reading started running though her mind. The Emperor card, meeting someone new, doing something out of the ordinary, having a little fun, isn't that what Abby said? Hell, she could handle having a little bit of fun. Who was she to argue with the cards?
"One drink,” Sidney said to him before sipping the last of the water in her glass.
"We'll see,” was his only reply as he cocked his head in the direction of the waitress. She didn't need to be asked twice. The brunette raced over to
The Hotel lounge started to clear out while Sidney Clark sat nursing her ice water. Her best friend Abby left hours before to go out with a few of their friends from the psychic fair. For some reason she hadn't felt like going out with the girls. It didn't feel right. The quietness of the lounge called her name after the hectic day they'd had and she had to listen.
The psychic fairs were always great for business. Sidney packed up some of the books, crystals, and other knickknacks she sold in her shop, The Mystic Boutique, while Abby brought along her Tarot cards and reading table. They piled in Abby's old mini van and made the four hour drive up to Portland. Even though it was only for a weekend they always had a blast. Abby gave her readings while Sidney sold odds and ends to the shoppers.
After their day at the fair they always spent the night on the town taking advantage of the clubs and hot spots the city had to offer. Things that just weren't a part of the small town life they lived in River City. Today, for the first time since they'd started driving up for the psychic fairs, Sidney didn't go out. She couldn't say why, but for some reason she couldn't make herself leave the lounge for anything.
Now here it was ten-thirty PM and she was still nursing an ice water alone. Maybe I should have gone out with everyone else. Twirling her blonde curls around her finger Sidney glanced toward the door contemplating heading up to her room. All thoughts stopped as a gorgeous, raven-haired god walked into the lounge.
He was the most beautiful man she'd ever seen. His hair was trimmed short around the most chiseled facial features of any man to ever cross her path. The man was tall, standing about six foot three inches. He wore black slacks and a white button up shirt. His tie was loose around his neck with the sleeves on his shirt rolled up to his elbows.
He so wasn't her type but for the life of her she couldn't look away. He stood there like he owned the place. Strength and confidence rolled off him in waves she could almost see, but definitely felt. Whoever this man was, he commanded attention. There was only a small amount of people still littering the lounge but they'd all noticed when he walked into the room, their eyes locked on him.
Sidney felt herself become dizzy. Realizing she held her breath she let the air release from her lungs slowly before reaching for her glass to take a drink. As she set the glass down on the table her mystery man glanced toward her, his ice blue eyes locking on hers intensely. Without so much as a second thought he ambled toward her in long, quick, determined strides.
Oh God, it's him. She knew it before he reached her table. This was the Emperor Abby warned her about in her last reading.
* * * *
"Are you here alone?” his deep baritone voice asked. He didn't wait for an answer but began to pull out the chair across from her and sat down. The smug look on his face dared her to try and send him away. Little did he know Sidney didn't back down to dares very easily.
"Yes and I'd like to keep it that way.” The lie rolled easily off her tongue. Sure she wanted him here, but she'd never say that to him. His eyes told her he already thought highly of himself. Not that he wasn't worthy. He was very worthy, but walking god or not, no way would she let him walk all over her.
"You sure about that, Sugar? I think it would be much more fun if I joined you."
Oh yeah. He was right about that.
Sidney's reading started running though her mind. The Emperor card, meeting someone new, doing something out of the ordinary, having a little fun, isn't that what Abby said? Hell, she could handle having a little bit of fun. Who was she to argue with the cards?
"One drink,” Sidney said to him before sipping the last of the water in her glass.
"We'll see,” was his only reply as he cocked his head in the direction of the waitress. She didn't need to be asked twice. The brunette raced over to
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