Big Cat Mates Lion in Wait by Cynthia Sax Read Free Book Online

Chapter One
     
    Land this job and you can quit the other three . Starr twitched the flirty red skirt of her Bavarian waitress outfit, wishing she could have changed at the restaurant. Her boss was a tight ass about staying in costume around the customers. You can do this .
    She opened the stained glass doors of the sprawling Victorian manor house and walked into the offices of Leone Media -- one of the top marketing firms in the city.
    The heels of her double strap shoes tapped too loudly on the polished hardwood, the clatter announcing her presence. Not yet . Starr frantically scanned the space, searching for the restroom, a place to change before --
    “Finally, you’re here.”
    Oh, shit . Starr forced a smile as a stunningly gorgeous woman sprang to her feet, her black designer suit clinging to her size nothing body. Every inch of her, from her finely manicured fingers to her stylish black heels, screamed elegance and refinement, everything that Starr wasn’t.
    I’m outclassed and late . Starr glanced at her serviceable watch. No, not late . She frowned. “The appointment was for eight o’clock. Mr. Leone said his brother would be working late.”
    “Royce always works late, but what Tanner failed to realize is I’d have to be here to greet you.” The woman hustled around the reception desk, her movements smooth and graceful. “He never thinks of me.” She rolled her brilliant green eyes. “Come.” She grabbed Starr’s arm. “I’ll put you in the library.”
    Starr didn’t move. “Is there somewhere I can change?” She shifted the tote slung over her shoulder, her suit folded neatly inside the bag. “I came straight from work.”
    “Yes, I can see that.” The receptionist eyed her, her lips twitching. “We don’t have time. I need to be somewhere in five minutes, and it doesn’t matter. Royce has chewed up and spat out the last eleven extremely qualified applicants.” She traipsed along the surprisingly wide hallway, her heels obscenely high.
    And I’m not extremely qualified . Starr followed, aware of her community college education, the best she could afford, and her plus-sized figure, not the image any hoity toity advertising firm would wish to project. She plucked at her black bodice, the double laces pulled unbearably tight.
    “The younger Mr. Leone thought I’d be perfect for the position.” Please agree with him . Starr stubbornly clung to her dream of working one job.
    “Tanner is an ass. I told him he was cruel to get your hopes up.” The receptionist sighed. “I’m sorry.” She wrapped her arm around Starr’s waist and gave her a squeeze. “I know what it is like to want something you can’t have.” The sympathy in her voice dashed any lingering hopes.
    I came here for nothing . Starr’s shoulders slumped, weighed down by her disappointment. Should I leave now ? She tilted her head, considering her options. My shift has been given to someone else. My cable was cut three months ago. I might as well stay and meet the elder brother .
    “Wait here.” The woman waved at a pair of high-backed leather chairs placed in front of a fireplace, a small table nestled between them. “Royce will join you in a moment.” She rushed out, leaving Starr alone.
    Starr set her tote down and settled into one of the chairs, her already short skirt pulling up, exposing an expanse of pale skin between the hem and the white stockings. Her seat had been heated by the fire, the warmth permeating her body, easing her stress.
    Starr’s gaze lifted from the flickering flames. A mosaic of a lion was embedded in the stone surrounding the fireplace. The beast’s mouth opened as though roaring -- its mane flowing, the image strong and masculine, befitting the library.
    Starr had heard the rumors surrounding the Leone family -- the stories of men changing into lions. Could those rumors be true ?
    She breathed in, the scent of leather and cologne and sexy man filling her nostrils, the fire warming her.