Fire
Underneath the Ice
R. S.
Natanevin
Excerpt
Heat Level: 1
Book Heat
Level:
Downtown Toronto, September, 2008
Michael paced his large office back
and forth. Karyn--classy, beautiful Karyn--would soon be in front of him.
Perhaps he would have a chance to touch her. He neared the gilded mirror. The
interior decorator had insisted on adding the expensive item to give the space
reserved to his customers a friendly, almost intimate atmosphere. Michael
stared at his reflection and adjusted the collar of his polo shirt. Tall and
skinny, with a mane of unruly red curls, he wasn’t bad looking but not handsome
either. His facial features were rather irregular--very pronounced nose and
cheekbones and wind-catcher ears. He sighed. His appearance would have to do.
He moved near the marble coffee
table and slumped in one of the easy chairs.
At five minutes past five o’clock
Michael started to doubt Karyn would ever come. After all, she was the daughter
of late millionaire Richard McDonnell and the sole heir of the family fortune.
Four years ago, when her brother had died in a tragic accident, the tabloids
had filled their pages with mourning Karyn, all dressed in black, tears
incessantly raking her face. He remembered well the day of the funeral when he
had approached her briefly to offer his condolences. Karyn had been devastated
by grief.
Then came the rumor that the man in
charge of the McDonnell’s affairs, Jean Berenson, had left for Europe and made
investments over there. At Berenson’s death, two years ago, Karyn had taken
over the estate, assisted by a corporate lawyer to help her untangle the
complex financial situation. While still a very wealthy woman on paper, at
present she was without liquid assets and had found it difficult to keep up
with her standard of living.
He stopped pacing, walked over to
the large window, and watched the traffic down in the street. It was a quarter
past five now, and Karyn hadn’t arrived yet. It was foolish to think she would
meet with a poor boy. An ex-poor boy, actually. Finally, at five-thirty,
footsteps resounded crisply in the hallway. Glancing through the semi-open door
he saw Karyn approaching the secretary’s desk.
His heart started to pound. Would he
be able to carry out what he decided to do? Or would he give up before he even
started?
Rather zippy and unusual
descriptions add a clever touch throughout...
Snapdragon for Long and Short
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