Page 15 of Enchanted Hero
He would learn what she knew about the relic.
He would find out what she saw during the tornado.
He would discover why she affected him.
Then he would decide exactly what to do about it.
* * * *
Alexander Stone was the most frustrating, infuriating, autocratic, handsome–
No, strike that last one. He was simply the most frustrating, infuriating, autocratic man in the universe.
It didn’t matter that he was an excellent businessman. That he’d been kind to the employees and clearly skilled in commerce. That he’d already infused much needed capital into the business, prompting higher-than-ever sales. He believed he could take over her life.
She’d planned a relaxing day at the movies with Sam. After all, it was her first day off since Alexander Stone stormed into her life. Was she at the movies? No. Popping popcorn in her mouth, alternately sipping a far too sugary drink and munching on the gooey candies that always got stuck in her teeth? Nope. Had she gotten a respite from thinking about the man who infiltrated her business, life and mind?
Definitely not.
Instead, she was planted in the bonus/storage/rec room of her home, surrounded by piles and piles of antiques, relics and curiosities. When Alexander asked her to spend Saturday working, she’d thought he was joking, yet he quickly disavowed her of the notion. And what was so important she had to lose her weekend? The blasted man needed a picture of every single relic, because apparently the pictures already on the website weren’t sufficient. He needed to make sure none of the hundreds had been missed. Photographing them would take all day.
Ninety-five percent of the sales from New Age Treasures came from stock products such as books and candles, but people liked to browse the one-of-a-kind items. She pulled out the first piece, a small mirror rumored to belong to an ancient witch. She snapped the picture, then moved on to a gnarled wooden rain stick. It fell every time she tried to take the picture, and finally she caught a blurry shot.
Fifteen minutes later, she was ready to bop Alexander on the head with that stick. Forget all day, it would take all week! Stepping on a stool, she reached for a large inkwell and pen set supposedly used to cast spells. There was still ink in the large bottle, which made one wonder if it was not quite as old as the seller claimed. She pulled on the bottle, but it remained firmly lodged between two large boxes. She jerked harder, and it suddenly gave. She tripped back, landing on her bottom –hard. The bottle slammed into her lap, losing its rusty lid and splattering midnight ink everywhere.
“Ugh!” The gooey liquid covered her entire body, from her hair to her toes. With a growl, she pulled off her dress, and even the bra and panties covered in thick black ink. She clutched her ruined clothing. “That’s it! If he wants a picture of every item, he can take them himself.” She stepped back, aimed her smartphone and took one large photo. She furiously typed a text message to accompany it. “Here is everything you asked for. Are you satisfied now?” Hitting send, she threw down the ink-splattered phone and stalked to the bathroom.
Five seconds later, the cell beeped.
She should ignore it. Should not respond. Yet somehow she found herself returning, still naked, as she grasped the phone. She read slowly, “Very satisfied.”
Well, that didn’t make sense. “Is that what you wanted?” she texted back.
The response appeared immediately. “Absolutely. After all, I’m extremely possessive.”
She pursed her lips, typed her response. “You can’t keep them. They belong to the business.”
“I keep what is mine.”
Didn’t he understand the relics were for sale? Later, she would explain, but now she needed to end the strange conversation and take a shower. “I’m glad it meets your needs.”
“Actually, it’s created additional needs.”
“Additional needs?”
“Of course. You can’t send a picture like that and not expect a strong response.”
Her fingers hovered over the screen, but before she could type, the phone beeped again. “Did you look at the picture?”
She brought the phone closer, panning into the cluttered picture. The only visible items were relics, books, antiques–
She froze.
The mirror she’d first photographed was in the foreground, its angle just right to show a clear and crisp image. Small and unnoticeable on the phone, it would be many times magnified if viewed on a computer. It reflected her…
Wearing nothing but ink.
She stood outside the door to his office.
