Read Online Kindling Flames—Gathering Tinder by Julie Wetzel - Free Book Online
Authors: Julie Wetzel
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and smiled. The back of an Aston Martin was definitely not a good place to empty out a bag.
Vicky was confused by her boss’s actions. Darien had emptied most of the items out of the satchel, but he was still rummaging around, looking for something. She startled when he let out a sudden “Aha!” upon finding what he wanted deep in the folds. Looking on in surprise, she watched as he pulled out a rather worn, leather pouch she had never seen before.
Darien opened the pouch and dumped out a handful of colorful rocks. He picked out two large, green ones before sliding the rest back in. Tossing the small bag back into the satchel, he pocketed the stones before holding his hand out for Vicky to return the books she was holding. She gave them over, and he stuck them back into the bag and flipped the top over. Darien turned to face his assistant and handed the bag back to her. She eyed it warily before taking it and pulling the strap over her shoulder.
“It’s dangerous out at night,” Darien looked over the four women standing on the sidewalk. Turning his attention back to Vicky, he asked, “How are you getting home?”
Vicky opened her mouth to answer him.
“She’s going to walk,” Vanessa cut her off.
A tiny spark of annoyance lit his face as he pinned Vicky to the sidewalk with slightly narrowed eyes.
Turning her head, she yelled at her friend. “Not in these heels!” She looked back to her boss. “I was going to call a cab when we’re done.”
Darien nodded his approval. A cab would be better than walking or driving. He could smell the alcohol on her.
“But, we’re already done here,” Beth lied.
Vicky stared at her with wide eyes as Maggie and Vanessa both snickered.
“Yeah, I’m going to take these two home now,” Vanessa informed him. “So, Vicky’ll have to wait here for her cab by herself.”
A devious grin curled the edges of Darien’s lips. It was easy to see that these women were trying their best to get him to take Vicky home. He had a good idea what they were hoping would happen, but he decided giving her a lift would be better than leaving his assistant in the care of her drunken friends.
Walking over to his passenger door, Darien popped it open. “Get in.” He spoke with a commanding tone that wouldn’t allow Vicky to argue with him.
Looking from the open car door to her smiling friends, Vicky huffed before stomping over to the car. As Darien shut the door, she glared at the three girls waving from the sidewalk. She shook her finger at them, angrily letting them know she would get them for this later.
The girls laughed at her plight and turned to go back into the bar where their guys were waiting for them.
Vicky hung her head and shook it in exasperation as Darien slipped into the driver’s seat. “I’m sorry about this, Mr. Ritter,” she sighed. “I really don’t know what’s gotten into my friends tonight.” She looked over at Darien’s profile. “It’s no problem for me to get a cab.”
Just as she reached for the door handle, he clicked the electronic lock, cutting off any more argument from his passenger.
She shivered as he held her with a penetrating gaze. It was amazing how his eyes shimmered in the light from the car’s console.
“Safety is important, especially late at night.” Darien turned back to the road and eased the car away from the curb. “I really don’t mind making sure you get home.”
She folded her hands in her lap. “Thank you, but I don’t want to keep you from what you were doing.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he replied. “That old codger has been waiting for this prize a long time. It won’t kill him to wait a little bit longer.” Something else passed across Darien’s face as he spoke, “But I will, if I find out he was cheating.”
She shuddered at the cold note in her boss’s voice, and they rode for the rest of the trip in silence.
***
Darien pulled up in front of Vicky’s apartment and turned to look at her.
Vicky was confused by her boss’s actions. Darien had emptied most of the items out of the satchel, but he was still rummaging around, looking for something. She startled when he let out a sudden “Aha!” upon finding what he wanted deep in the folds. Looking on in surprise, she watched as he pulled out a rather worn, leather pouch she had never seen before.
Darien opened the pouch and dumped out a handful of colorful rocks. He picked out two large, green ones before sliding the rest back in. Tossing the small bag back into the satchel, he pocketed the stones before holding his hand out for Vicky to return the books she was holding. She gave them over, and he stuck them back into the bag and flipped the top over. Darien turned to face his assistant and handed the bag back to her. She eyed it warily before taking it and pulling the strap over her shoulder.
“It’s dangerous out at night,” Darien looked over the four women standing on the sidewalk. Turning his attention back to Vicky, he asked, “How are you getting home?”
Vicky opened her mouth to answer him.
“She’s going to walk,” Vanessa cut her off.
A tiny spark of annoyance lit his face as he pinned Vicky to the sidewalk with slightly narrowed eyes.
Turning her head, she yelled at her friend. “Not in these heels!” She looked back to her boss. “I was going to call a cab when we’re done.”
Darien nodded his approval. A cab would be better than walking or driving. He could smell the alcohol on her.
“But, we’re already done here,” Beth lied.
Vicky stared at her with wide eyes as Maggie and Vanessa both snickered.
“Yeah, I’m going to take these two home now,” Vanessa informed him. “So, Vicky’ll have to wait here for her cab by herself.”
A devious grin curled the edges of Darien’s lips. It was easy to see that these women were trying their best to get him to take Vicky home. He had a good idea what they were hoping would happen, but he decided giving her a lift would be better than leaving his assistant in the care of her drunken friends.
Walking over to his passenger door, Darien popped it open. “Get in.” He spoke with a commanding tone that wouldn’t allow Vicky to argue with him.
Looking from the open car door to her smiling friends, Vicky huffed before stomping over to the car. As Darien shut the door, she glared at the three girls waving from the sidewalk. She shook her finger at them, angrily letting them know she would get them for this later.
The girls laughed at her plight and turned to go back into the bar where their guys were waiting for them.
Vicky hung her head and shook it in exasperation as Darien slipped into the driver’s seat. “I’m sorry about this, Mr. Ritter,” she sighed. “I really don’t know what’s gotten into my friends tonight.” She looked over at Darien’s profile. “It’s no problem for me to get a cab.”
Just as she reached for the door handle, he clicked the electronic lock, cutting off any more argument from his passenger.
She shivered as he held her with a penetrating gaze. It was amazing how his eyes shimmered in the light from the car’s console.
“Safety is important, especially late at night.” Darien turned back to the road and eased the car away from the curb. “I really don’t mind making sure you get home.”
She folded her hands in her lap. “Thank you, but I don’t want to keep you from what you were doing.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he replied. “That old codger has been waiting for this prize a long time. It won’t kill him to wait a little bit longer.” Something else passed across Darien’s face as he spoke, “But I will, if I find out he was cheating.”
She shuddered at the cold note in her boss’s voice, and they rode for the rest of the trip in silence.
***
Darien pulled up in front of Vicky’s apartment and turned to look at her.
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