Surrept by Taylor Andrews Read Free Book Online Page B

professional, but seductive, as she holds a pen to her lips, looks at him. "Is that an invitation, Mr. Bloomfield?"
    David realizes he just trapped himself with the wrong comment in trying to give her praise. He looks right at her dark-brown eyes and delivers his recovery, "As much as I would feel more comfortable with you there to translate and keep me ahead of the language and cultural obstacles, I don't think the brass would pop for it."
    Adriana displays a mock pouting face. "I'll just stay here and prepare for the deluge of media and print buys and set up potential dates for the television commercial shoots." Adriana rises and struts in her heels in front of his desk. "I'll start reviewing audience color responses, the style choices on the target market, and other insignificant things like that. Because my boss will be across the world acquiring the biggest account this agency has ever seen."
    David smiles at her enthusiasm. "You are Tony Robbins and Sammy Fox all wrapped up in one package, and my very own personal cheerleader. Where did we find you?"
    Adriana gets up. "Marci Romero here in public relations stole me away from PBS when she was there on a public service shoot, and she saw me translating in three languages. She called it a talent robbery. But you would have known that if you reviewed my resume and bio. And by the way, David," she makes for the door with that walk that rocks and opens it as she turns to him, "I was head cheerleader in high school and college, and I still have my uniforms, and they fit." She closes the door softly as she exits.
    David sits in his chair staring at the door as if smoldering to the floor and mimics Jim Carey. "Smokin'."
    Late that afternoon the delivery van pulls behind the market as Ahmed returns from his deliveries.
    He gets out of the van with his clipboard and goes inside where Omar is checking inventory with an electric ordering device that his import purveyor gave him to make his orders and maintain par levels for the store.
    Ahmed hands Omar the clipboard. "All the deliveries were made except one to the lady at the fairgrounds. There was no one there again. It is dry goods only, so I left her order in the van. She will probably call tomorrow. I left her a note."
    Omar, disgusted by the customer's repeat behavior, goes off on one of his tangents. "When she calls I will tell her that if she does this again, she will be charged a delivery fee from now on. What are the total delivery sales for the day?"
    Ahmed points to the clipboard. "I think it was around four hundred thirty something. It's all there on the clipboard. The cash and checks are in the envelope."
    Omar looks over the reconciliation. "Are you hungry, Ahmed?" Omar always wants to feed everyone. Food is his way of thanking people and showing his affection and gratitude.
    Ahmed gestures to his stomach. "I'm still full from lunch today, maybe later. I have some work to do with my studies."
    Omar nods and waves him off.
    Ahmed makes his way downstairs to his room in the basement; he quietly closes the door and locks it. He takes off his jacket and falls on the bed tired from the day, he begins to fall asleep and then jumps up realizing his deadline. He goes into the bathroom to wash his face and revive himself. Ahmed drinks water from his cupped hands at the sink. He remembers that the water was as precious to him and his family when he was a child.
    He remembers carrying water back to his family home with his brother and sisters during the conflict in Iraq. Remembering when he was young that supplies and public services were all interrupted by the aerial bombings, the fact that they survived in Iraq was a miracle. He removes the backpack from the box where he had stashed it and places the laptop and accessories onto a table. Ahmed connects the power cord to the laptop and the wall outlet and then plugs in the flash drive. The audio alert sounds off that it recognized the flash drive and Ahmed settles in a chair to