Stormy Nights

Prologue

Nick

Meetings are the bane of my existence. I exit my last one only to prepare for my next one. I’m in charge of my father’s publishing company while he and my mother are on vacation. Unfortunately, that means dealing with the mistakes.

His temporary assistant scheduled a meeting for him while he was on vacation. Instead of canceling it, I’ve decided to keep it and maintain the family brand of professional excellence. Nothing like coming off incompetent to one of our newest and brightest stars to ruin our good standing.

Temperance Strong just finished her first book contract with us, and my father was in the process of negotiating a second one that she needs to review. I don’t see any problems with it, but she’s the client. It’s our job to make her happy.

I check my watch and see that my last meeting ran way too long, and Ms. Strong would be here soon. My coffee ran out three hours ago, and I needed more. I had to rush out and get some coffee.

Being in too much of a hurry and not paying attention to where I’m going, I careen into a petite blonde almost sending her to the floor. Quickly, I grasp hold of her arm while my other hand wraps around her waist lifting her back to her feet but not letting her go. As I look at her, I’m completely stunned—she’s gorgeous. Her cheeks are stained pink, and her eyes widen from our collision, but her parted lips are from my touch. At least that’s what I’m going with.

“I’m sorry,” I stammer out, becoming completely lost in her blue eyes.

“Oh no. I’m sorry. It was my fault I wasn’t paying attention,” she says, looking up at me, pushing her hair back behind her ear.

“I guess that makes two of us.” For the first time in forever, I want to have more than a conversation with a woman. I haven’t even noticed a female in five years—not since one made a fool of me. You know what they say one bad apple spoils the whole bunch. Well, that’s what happened to me. I want to say more to her, but I’m at a loss for words.

She steps out of my arms, and I feel the loss immediately. “Um…you wouldn’t happen to be Nicholas Knight, would you?” she questions, biting her bottom lip anxiously.

“The second,” I reply.

She quickly pulls out her planner out of her bag and flips through it. “Oh. I’m supposed to be meeting with…I suppose it doesn’t say here.”

I smile because she’s adorable, nervously looking for the answers in her hand instead of talking to me. “Initially, you were supposed to meet with my father. You must be Temperance Strong.” My smile disappears. I want her. I want to spread her on the conference room table and have her in every way possible, but she’s one of our clients.

“Yes, I am. Did he cancel our meeting?” A panicked expression creeps up across her face, and I long to wipe it away before taking her lips with mine.

I give her a reassuring smile and see her pretty face light up. “No, he didn’t. His schedule got mixed up. He’s currently on vacation with my mother. I told him I would handle any questions you have or anything you need to go over.”

“Oh…okay…well…I suppose I’m a little bit early.” She looks down at her watch. Her blue eyes reach mine again as she twists her lips in dismay. “I guess I could just wait here. You seem like you’re in a hurry to go somewhere.”

I shrug because I suddenly don’t need any caffeine. She’s given me all the energy I can handle. My body feels like a live wire. She’s nervous, and I don’t like making her feel uncomfortable, but I’m not doing much better, so I tell the truth. “Yeah, I was about to head out and get coffee. Did you want some?”

“Actually, yes I could totally go for a coffee right now. I’ll come with,” she responds. Damn the smile on her face goes straight to my balls. One day she’s going to get every drop I have, but until then I’ll have to manage to control myself.

Her coming with me isn’t going to happen. I’d love to have her at my side wherever we went, but that outfit would make me kill a motherfucker. From her records, it says she’s only twenty, but she came in dressed as a business professional which I’m expecting is not her normal look.

Those heels are way too high, and I can see she forgot to take off one of the stickers on her skirt. I’m not going to say anything because she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I don’t want to further embarrass her.

The way her skirt clings to her thighs, hugging them down to just above the knee is so damn sexy. She looks extremely uncomfortable in those four-inch heels, so I have my perfect excuse. “I see you got some high heels on. I’ll just go for the both of us. What would you like?” A look of relief comes over her face. I was right. She’s not used to them.