Page 83 of Watching Her

He narrowed his eyes. “If you could go back to work for them, would you consider doing so?”

The question had rolled around in my mind for weeks. “If you’d asked me the first couple weeks after leaving, I would have told you without a doubt. Now? I honestly don’t know. Don’t get me wrong, I loved what I did. Contrary to what you might think, I love helping people. I started working at the front desk and moved up to events where I became the coordinator dealing with everyone who wanted to rent one hotel. Then I was transferred to corporate where I became involved in marketing. Every day was different, unusual and exciting.”

“What if you were offered a comparable job if not even more exciting?”

“Is that what this is, a job interview?” I was teasing, but I could sense he’d thought about it. “In all honesty, I wouldn’t accept. What I’m doing now in being my own boss is wonderful. A lot of work, but when I was a kid, I escaped with reading. As I got older, I shifted to romance novels like millions of other women do. We all need an escape from reality. I’ve even toyed with putting together a fantasy weekend at a hotel, a mini conference with sexy models and catering to every whim. I might do that one day when I’m more established with sponsors. We shall see.”

He was listening to every word. “I’m sure you have your share of disgruntled people as you once did within the world of hospitality?”

I rolled my eyes. “You have no idea. I have this one guy who is driving me crazy and I don’t know why. But trolls be trolls.”

“What does he say?”

“Nothing to worry about.”

“Is he threatening you?”

“He doesn’t like when I don’t engage with him, which I’ve tried to stop doing,” I admitted. “I tend to allow my fingers to fly. Now, as much as I love being here, I have the distinct feeling this is just the appetizer for the main event.” I had no intention of sharing the last few comments. With a man like Christian, who knows how he’d react.

“If he’s threatening you then something should be done about it.”

“You’re a professional, Christian. What would you suggest? That I contact the FBI and mention he’s using very creative words to tell me that I’m a hack for one thing, that my reviews and my art is garbage and that he’d like to show me what a real man is really like? Just imagine how the poor agent will react when he learns what type of romance books I read.”

“Why should that matter?”

Perhaps I’d found something the sexy Mr. Tempest had no knowledge of. “Dark romance is based on some fairly sketchy concepts including kidnapping, primal hunts, and being tied and flogged, although that’s considered tame these days. Imagine very bad men doing some very bad things both in their professional lives and in their personal ones. Some are killers. Crime bosses and rich kids with far too much money on their hands. Even convicts. Nothing is off the table.”

“So you’re suggesting some men believe that type of behavior is acceptable?” He was listening very intently.

“Exactly. They are blowhards.”

“So you’re not worried this troll will act on his desires.”

My plastic smile returned. “There is no way for him to find out where I live. I’m perfectly safe. You’re avoiding the topic. Why the suspense?”

His eyes flashed another layer of darkness that I couldn’t read before turning off the emotion almost as if a faucet. “You are determined to break through my defenses.”

“I wasn’t aware a man of your stature needed any.”

Every chuckle sent a heated thrill through me. “You’d be surprised. Instead of telling you where I’m taking you, which is of no interest to me, why don’t I show you? But first, you have to do something for me.”

“And that is?”

As he pulled something from his pocket, another strange thrill of excitement tore through me when I noticed what he was holding.

A blindfold.

“Put this on.”

CHAPTER 19

Christian

Penelope had lied to me.

There was no reason for me to be angry. She certainly had a right to her privacy, but I was still furious nonetheless. She was frightened of what she called a troll.

The man was no troll. Not given how he’d reacted to the picture of us floating around on the internet. He was consumed with her, furious she’d dared allow another man to touch her.