A limo was waiting for them downstairs. With her arm hooked in his, Penelope didn't know what to think as they descended the stairs together. All she knew was how she felt. There was a feeling of exhilaration. He was a confident, proud man beside her, his hand was turned in such a way that he took her hand in his and intertwined their fingers. She felt like a woman. His woman. And she found that she liked the feeling of being his woman. Where was her skepticism? Her suspicions of his involvement with her father's present situation? They must have flown out into the star-filled night sky. There were stares in the lobby as they made their way to the limo. There was a different team of workers behind the desk in the lobby and they beamed from ear to ear as Penny and Noel walked past. No doubt their appearance together would be the next big hit in the gossip columns. Noel held the door open for her. She felt the loss of his heat as his hand slipped out of hers and when he got in the car
Noel led Penelope with a hand on her waist to a table. It was hard not to gawk when they were sharing their table with Margaret Freeman, a popular holder of one the seats in the British Parliament, Diane Hickenlooper, a Class 1 US senator, Lazaros Plapoutas, a Greek socialite, a handsome man with a charming smile who held Penny's hand and her gaze a second too long, and several others, some of whom she did not even recognize. There was an air of importance and wealth around them and suddenly she felt insufficient even after all her efforts at creating a comfortable life for herself. Noel's hand tightened around hers as they finally took their seats. "Nervous?" She forced a smile. "No." He leaned in to whisper in her ear. "I'm nervous too." When she turned her head slightly to look at him he pursed his lips with a reassuring nod and took her hand. "I still get nervous but with you by my side tonight at least I'm not shaking in my boots." She burst out laughing and just then a came
"What was that they used to call you?"Phantom didn't respond. He respected the man before him but that didn't mean that he didn't suspect him. He was a ghost from his dubious past after all and he was onto him now.The Boss nudged him. It was a friendly gesture but one very uncharacteristic of him. "Come on, Phantom, what was it my daughter and wife called you while you pumped your large 'psoli' inside them?"Casanova.""Casanova!" The Boss repeated laughing as if he just heard the greatest joke in history. "That is what they called you. And now what are you?""An honest man."The Boss shook his head with a sardonic smile. "An honest man? I never thought I would hear those words from your lips. Is that why you have been stealing from me? Is that what honest people do?"Phantom heard the hard note of the Boss's voice but he was casually lighting a cigar and when it was lit he sucked hard and puffed. He wasn't angry. If the Boss was angry he would have lit the cigar and wouldn't have
They were in each other's arms kissing desperately as though scared the moment would end with their demons and mistrust for each other rising to the surface to separate them. Tongue, lips, and hands connected bringing them even closer until their pent-up desire flamed hot enough to sing them both to ashes. Noel released her for only a second to search her face. There was no resistance, none that could have separated him from her that night. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her deeply again, sweeping his tongue against hers to taste the sweet champagne in her mouth. It made him heady and dizzy with desire for her. His hands swept the curve of her spine, down to her ass where he gripped her and pulled her close so she feel his desire for her."Do we have a room?" Penny asked against his lips. Her hand cupped his chin and her long fingers were lost in his hair. "I booked two - one for you and the other for me...""Take me to yours," she whispered and kissed him once. Then aga
She woke up the next morning to the sound of the waves crashing against the ship. When her eyes fluttered open she found Noel laying on his side watching her with a look she never saw before in his eyes. His dark eyes were settled on her lips and when he saw she was awake he leaned down to kiss her soundly on her lips. Her hand came up as she buried her fingers in his hair to hold him closer.He moved back a little and wrinkled his nose. “Morning breath is not my favorite thing.”“And I’m guessing watching people sleep like a very normal person is your favorite thing to do?”He tapped her nose with his index finger. “It’s a habit we have in common.”She blushed as she recalled what he was referring to. After their first night together she had allowed herself to observe his body unaware that he knew what she was doing. Apparently, he had been doing the same.Although, when she looked down she couldn’t help laughing when she saw that she was still dressed although her gown was bunched a
Her heart leaped in her chest. Penny did not want to think about what that meant. While they waited for Benedict to make his way from the reception to her office, Jay stood up and placed both hands on the glass table as he stared down at Penelope with worry.“You are still going ahead with the divorce then?”“I wouldn’t hire Benedict if I wasn’t.”“It is going to be messy.”Penelope gave him a droll stare. “I don’t need you to tell me what to do, Jay.” A small smile lifted her lips. “Don’t forget I am still the Dragon Lady and the Ice Queen with the frozen pussy in this business.”He smiled and pushed off the table. “I was beginning to worry about that.”Just then there was a knock on her door. Her heart leaped excitedly in her chest. “Come in.”Benedict pushed the door open and peeped in. “I am not interrupting anything am I?”She was breathless when she responded. “The receptionist would not let you through if you were. Come in, Benedict. Jay?”“I’ll take my leave. By the way, I hav
Stefan was in his motel room in Port when he read the story in the papers. It was strange. Why would the thief return the ring? It was a statement and he had to know what it meant. His Chief was breathing down his neck about coming back to Laod. There was a lot of work to do.He read through the report in his hand again. The local airport was hiding something and someone powerful was behind it. He had to find out who it was. Like the Foreda police, he too had come to the same conclusion; the cases were similar. It was a long shot but his instincts told him so. He would go to Foreda, find out what he could, and head back to Laod to continue his investigation. Johann, his junior officer was finally making himself useful. He had interviewed one witness from the coffee shop who identified an accent from the blonde man. That was not much but it was enough to narrow things down.He would compare notes when he returned. He couldn’t wait to return. He hated Port. It was a busy place of power-
What am I doing? She wondered to herself. It was past midnight when she arrived in Foreda. So far there was no reason to panic. She wasn’t being followed and she hoped it would remain that way until she left Foreda back to Port.Foreda was just as busy a place as Port was so finding a taxi was not difficult.“Your destination ma’am?”“I need a hotel for the night. Do you know any cheap ones around?”“Sure, ma’am.” The driver was polite and quiet throughout the ride. He dropped her off at a small hotel. A teenager was smoking a cigarette behind the desk.“What do you want?”“Do you have a room for the night?”“Just you?”“Yes.”As the girl checked the key panel she made a passing glance at Penny’s way and narrowed her eyes.“You look familiar.”Penny offered her a thin smile. “I get that a lot.”“I don’t doubt that. You’ve got a pretty face on you. A quick warning though our hotel policy does not permit sex trade so if that’s what you’re here ya gonna have to find a new place.”Penny h