Sunset Thunder by Shannyn Leah Read Free Book Online Page A

Neanderthal?  
    Violet slid off the counter, furious. Who did he think he was talking to her like that? She shrugged into her blazer and tucked her shirt into the high waist of her skirt.
    Violet stepped toward him, erasing every last inch of lust across her expression and substituting it with her flawless emotionless face. There was no way she was letting him see that she would rather have stayed on that counter all afternoon, when he was dismissing her like cheap wine.
    “Stay in here then and stare at my ass as it walks away because it’s the last time you are touching any part of this hot body .” That was such a lie. Touch me now . She stood a second longer than she should have, just in case he reached for her, then she turned on her heel and scolded herself for thinking he would.
    Violet stepped into the hallway, not caring who was on the other side of that door. She needed to get away from Ryder’s smoldering eyes before she pulled him back into her arms. She glanced both directions. She really did care.
    Standing tall, smoothing her dress, she was about to head down the hall, when her hands felt empty...and not for Ryder. Her iPad was in her office.
    Thank the stars. She needed a moment anyway. She turned away from the foyer and right toward her office.
    She had officially made this “finalize a room meeting” one hundred times worse. 

Chapter Four
    RYDER FOUND THE groom-to-be in the elegant lounge, to the left of the lobby, separated by marble columns and extraordinary large cement urns filled with fresh flowers. Inside, grand sparkling crystal chandeliers hung above the sitting areas with lush, thick carpets under grandiose and stylish furniture.
    Joel sat cosily on a white sofa beside Missy, holding hands and laughing, deep in conversation with Missy’s five friends, who were seated across the wrought iron and glass table... the bridesmaids.
    Ryder cringed.
    This wasn’t the first time Ryder had gathered with the wedding party. However, the last few engagements had involved the groomsmen, who were great distractions to assist Ryder in avoiding the looks and offers of these on-the-prowl ladies. They were single...every last one of them and the way they latched onto Ryder, demonstrated that they were on the hunt for a man...only Ryder wasn’t looking.
    Today, he solely focused on the groom and bride-to-be, hoping that would deter the aggressive women.
    Today, Joel was dressed handsomely appropriate. His khaki-colored slacks and dark knitted sweater set off the black mixed in with his brown eyes, giving him a deceiving look, much like his watchful and private personality. Joel might talk a lot of talk, but Ryder often wondered if it was to keep people from asking about Joel’s work and his life.
    Joel had cornered himself into numerous financial situations, forcing him to impose his downfalls on Ryder’s father, pleading for Donald to bail him out. If it wasn’t for Ryder’s parents and their commitment to stand by Joel after his parent’s death, Ryder would have declined the offer to be Joel’s best man. Blood was thicker than his feelings toward Joel, so Ryder pressed forward and did what he knew his parents would want.
    Missy’s light pink summer dress accented her light porcelain skin and green eyes, soft like her persona. The complete opposite of hard-shelled, Violet Caliendo.
    Ryder cleared his throat, and the thought of Violet, as he entered the room. All heads turned to him and like rabid dogs, the bridesmaids sunk their vicious teeth into him, with the all too familiar looks screaming, I’m checking you out and, I want you to know it . And the regular lineup of, You can have all of me, just make a move, Carlex . Sure, he could bang every single one of these sexy and cute women, flashing their white smiles, and winking their seductive eyes his way, but that didn’t mean he wanted to. This time, Ryder wasn’t in the same dark, dreadful place in his life, so he wasn’t interested in quick