Awakening by Sydney Holmes Read Free Book Online

accepts the cup, and turns to leave. “Good thing you have your power suit on, Nora. Heels and everything. Good call this morning. It’s nice to see you accentuate your height. It really works for you!”
    I’m momentarily speechless. No one has ever complemented me on my height before. I am often the tallest in the room, sometimes even in a room full of men. I love high heels, but with Darren’s feelings on the line, I have learned to go without.
    ~~~
    Last minute make-up check complete, I’ve done everything I can. I may not be 100%, but it’s everything I have. Fully caffeinated, adrenaline coursing through my veins, I am as awake as I’ll ever be. With the make-up almost hiding the dark circles and bags, I just might pull this off.
    Ryan walks in the conference room scowling. Lovely. He crosses the room briskly and sits without removing his topcoat. Placing his briefcase on the table, he snaps it open and pulls out the plan book and room schematics.
    I glance at Julie who sits waiting, impassive. Okay, here goes nothing.
    “Hello, Mr. Cole. How are you doing today?” I start.
    “Yeah, fine. Blah blah blah. I’d like to get this done as quickly as possible. I have clients to attend to.” He speaks without even looking up. What happened to fun Ryan? I feel myself bristling and sit up straighter. There is no way this could be the same man from the club. Ryan Cole is cold, rude and wound up like a top. I feel stupid for even wanting him to be the same man.
    “Well yes, by all means, let’s move pleasantries and manners aside and get straight to work!” I clip.
    I hear a slight gasp from Julie, but I refuse to look at her. This man has got to be stopped. How dare he come in and treat us this way? He called this meeting, not us.
    “Right, then,” I hear Ryan say, but I’m not looking at him. I am pulling out the summary I typed up. With an extra copy in hand for him, I stand.
    “Mr. Cole, here is an updated summary of where we are. I wrote this about ten minutes ago, so it is as up to date as we can get. Maybe you would like to review this, first.” I walk across the room, but just before I get close enough to hand it to him, he stands abruptly.
    We are eye to eye, only about three inches between us. I smell soap coming off his skin. His eyes are dark chocolate this morning; they seem to go on forever. He reaches out and slowly takes the summary from me, brushing his hand slowly across mine. An involuntary gasp comes out of me. Damn.
    His eyes widen in surprise, and I see a small smile play across his lips. Double damn.
    Holding the paper, but not taking it from my hand he says, “My apologies, Miss Young. I didn’t mean to be rude. I only meant to hurry the meeting along.” Somewhere in my fogged brain I hear a small voice telling me to move away from him and go back to my chair.
    Responding a little too late, and I walk back to my chair without saying anything. I’m desperately tying to compose myself and try to breathe. By the time I reach my chair, my brain has regained its speaking capabilities.
    “Apology accepted, Mr. Cole. Now, since you were the one to call this meeting, is there anything specific you needed reassurance on?”
    I steal a glance at Julie while he is reading the summary. She is ashen, her jaw still open. I glare at her and she recovers. She looks down and shakes her head and then smiles up at me with a wicked I-know-what-you-dreamt-about smile. I am so doomed.
    “As you know, Mrs. Foster is concerned about the place looking its best. Flowers and what have you. Paper pads with logos on them, et cetera. Is all that confirmed?”
    “Yes.” Julie pipes up.
    “And have you had any more issues with the hotel management trying to move our room reservations around?”
    “No. That seems to be resolved as well.” I jump in on that one.
    “There is one more thing that we neglected to add to the festivities,” he says, looking away from both us.
    Oh, no. They want to add something