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Chapter 8
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2022-05-25 13:59:55Related chapters
Struck by Love Chapter 9
Laura slept fitfully that night. Her phone never rang. She had waited so long, hoping it would ring, that it was too late to call Sarah by the time she finally realized that Angelo wasn’t going to call. How did he think it was okay not to call her under the circumstances? With her boss brazenly hitting on him? she wondered. She was tied in knots. He obviously didn’t care. On one hand, she dreaded going into work that morning, and yet on the other, she was anxious to get there to get a sense of where things were at. She walked past Coffee Haven. She hesitated, considering going in, but decided to keep walking out of spite. He probably wasn’t in there anyway, she told herself. Just keep walking and don’t let them make a bigger fool out of you. She reached the office and went around back to see if Raquel’s car was there. It wasn’t. She set her shoulders and tried to quell the upset feelings that were gripping her. She’d definitely be calling Sarah tonight. She’d give her
Last Updated : 2022-05-27Struck by Love Chapter 10
Monday morning came and Laura was a bundle of nerves in anticipation of her first actual date with Angelo. She had spent the weekend agonizing over every detail of what had transpired so far and wondering about what was to come. She had played countless scenarios in her head about how things might go, what he was going to be like on a date. She had also been letting her insecurities play on her mind a bit, wondering if he really was on a weekend business trip or if there was something else he was doing. She thought about the rumors that Monday nights were usually reserved for low-priority, secondary dates, and that the important dates for people you were super interested in were always on a Friday or Saturday night. Not letting her worries deter her, Laura had spent a bit more time on her makeup and hair that morning, and dressed up a little for the occasion. Nothing too flashy since she’d be at work all day and they were heading to the park later. She wore a fitte
Last Updated : 2022-05-27Struck by Love Chapter 11
Her throat felt tight. “It’s fine.” “I missed you the other night,” he said, his deep voice soft, probing. She blinked. “What do you mean?” “At dinner. You didn’t show. You were working late?” “What?” “Raquel said you weren’t available.” Laura was furious. “She lied.” “Lied? Why?” “She told me I wasn’t invited. That it was a meeting just for the two of you.” He exhaled. “I see. That’s not what she told me.” “Mmmhmm,” she said. She was steamed. “And then when I didn’t call you…” “Yeah,” she said, feeling silly and gullible. She thought of Raquel and how manipulative and selfish and outright mean she was. She didn’t know how she was going to continue to work for someone like that. “Your boss is a piece of work,” he said. “I’ll have to keep my guard up. But she does seem capable of handling our campaign. I’d still like to work with you, if you’d be comfortable with that?” “Yes, yes, of course,” Laura replied, putting a hand to h
Last Updated : 2022-05-27Struck by Love Chapter 12
He waited for her to continue. He’d let her share whatever she felt comfortable with. She lost her appetite and pushed her plate away. “He left me for a girl we both had met at college. She was in one of our classes. The whole thing really sucked. Since then, I’ve just dated a bit here and there, nothing serious.” She felt embarrassed telling such a sorry tale to one of New York City’s most eligible bachelors. The absurdity that things with Angelo could ever go anywhere came surging forward in her mind. He read her expression. “I’m afraid he’s not a very smart fellow, then. To let such a beautiful and charming girl go.” She tried to muster a smile. He pushed his plate aside as well and reached out to hold her hand. “Some things stay with you, though, don’t they?” She nodded, averting her gaze. She didn’t want him to see how much that still affected her to this day. She’d been completely devastated when it happened. “I know,” he said. Just then the w
Last Updated : 2022-05-27Struck by Love Chapter 13
After she gave him directions, Angelo drove Laura back to Brooklyn to drop her off after their long dinner. Her head and heart were all over the place thanks to her body’s reactions to him. She didn’t want this night to end. She didn’t want to be away from him, but she knew she wasn’t ready to be invited into his bachelor pad. Her worst fear for this situation was that she would be his Monday night companion, while he had other women lined up to keep him company on the other nights of the week. She was lost in thought most of the way home. Angelo could tell by how quiet she was that she was deep in thought. He figured it was because he scared her off by being so forward and inviting her to his place after their first date. It was a work night as well, not even a night where they could have slept in afterwards if she did stay the night. He wasn’t sure what to do, so they mostly just listened to music on the way to her place. Each wondering if the evening had been messed up and
Last Updated : 2022-05-30Struck by Love Chapter 14
Laura was all aglow the next day anticipating the plans Angelo had made with her to see a movie later that evening. She was reveling in the intensely exciting and romantic connection they had made last night. It had taken her a long time to fall asleep, she kept thinking of his touch, the way his lips felt on hers, where she touched his body, the feel of him, how much she wanted more of him. She was completely captivated, entranced, and drawn to this man that she had only recently met. He had taken on an overwhelming presence in her life. She was already falling for him. Hard. The morning went by agonizingly slow. She couldn’t focus, couldn’t think of anything else but Angelo as she replayed every moment from their first date last night and how erotic things were at times. Finally, she decided she’d go outside at lunch and walk off some of her pent up energy and try to clear her head. She took her lunch break, walking out into the bright sunny day, feeling like she was wal
Last Updated : 2022-05-30Struck by Love Chapter 15
Laura didn’t sleep well that night. She tossed and turned, her mind playing over the brief voicemail message that Angelo had left her canceling their second date, seeing him with the blonde woman at lunch, wondering what was really going on and feeling like she was a small bit player in a bigger, far more interesting play. The alarm finally went off at 6:30 a.m. She was exhausted. This was going to be a long day. She made it in to work. She hesitated about stopping in at Coffee Haven, but she figured that since Angelo had canceled their date, he wouldn’t be showing up there. She was right. Sullenly, she sat down at her desk, staring at her coffee cup. That’s where it had all started, an innocent little cup of coffee. Then, she was knee-deep in something unfamiliar and confusing. She thought about the highs of the initial spark of interest and attraction, then the lows of potential rejection and humiliation for putting one’s heart at risk. She didn’t like the feeling th
Last Updated : 2022-06-02Struck by Love Chapter 16
Saturday afternoon finally arrived. Laura felt very nervous. She wasn’t sure about trusting Angelo or her defenses in the face of his undeniable charm and gorgeous looks. She didn’t want to get bamboozled by him and lose perspective or objectivity. She knew how much emotional pain that could lead to. She headed to the park, which was only a ten-minute walk from her apartment. She was dressed casually in jeans, sneakers, and a light green long sleeved sweater, which was slightly sheer with a black tank top underneath it. She wondered how this would go and where her life would be heading after this get-together. Alone? With Angelo? Limbo-land? She just didn’t know. Heck, she wasn’t even sure if he’d actually show. He obviously had a lot going on in his life, though she wasn’t sure what, so what did he need her for? She got to the park a few minutes late. She purposely wanted to be fashionably late, which wasn’t her usual style, but it seemed appropriate today. She held h
Last Updated : 2022-06-06
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Struck by Love Chapter 54 (Telos)
Six months later, Laura woke up feeling happier and more complete than she ever had in her life. She was now Mrs. Tsarkopolis. She lay there for a moment, letting her eyes adjust to the soft light streaming through the white curtains. She smiled as she felt the soft swaying of the 120-foot luxury yacht, the Sea Star, that Angelo had chartered for their two-week honeymoon through the Greek islands. He had wanted to show her where his family was from and do it in style. She closed her eyes again. She found the sensation of being on the water relaxing. She stretched and yawned, then rolled over. Angelo was still sleeping. The white sheet had slipped down to around his waist. Laura lay there looking at her husband. They had just spent their first night together as husband and wife. His face looked peaceful. She looked at his thick, dark hair, all askew, framing his face; the humidity giving it a wilder look. She loved it; it gave him an almost boyish charm. She looked at his long
Struck by Love Chapter 53
Laura's jaw dropped in total shock. She recognized the tune right away. She looked to Angelo. “This is my favorite song!” He smiled. “I know. Sarah was kind enough to provide me with some valuable intel.” Sarah winked at her. The guitarist and keyboardist started playing the familiar melody. It was instantly recognizable to the audience, who again cheered. Shanna closed her eyes, and swayed to the music. She started singing her song: Dreams Carried Me Through. Her distinctive, rich voice was clear and soulful. Laura’s eyes began tearing up as she listened. She loved this song. She couldn’t believe this was happening, what Angelo had done for her. He saw her reaction and held her close, kissing her cheek. Nikolas was swaying to the music. Sarah and Barry smiled at them and held hands. Sarah knew how much that song meant to Laura. She had talked about it often, how it spoke to her. The audience was rapt, listening to Shanna’s unique and beautiful voice singing the well-
Struck by Love Chapter 52
Three weeks after Laura had enthusiastically accepted the offer of a future position within the soon-to-be newly formed Bell Star division of Tsar Enterprises, Angelo arranged a celebratory evening at Painter’s Cove on Saturday night. Along with Sarah and Barry, who was taking the night off to just enjoy himself, Angelo brought Nikolas along. Painter’s Cove was three quarters full at this point and felt warm with colorful lights strewn about, giving a soft glow over the murals. Nikolas commented how it was a welcoming place, not pretentious, just comfortable and artsy. The five of them sat down at the best table in the house, with a good view of the stage, which Barry had taken the liberty of reserving. Laura snuggled into Angelo, his arm wrapped around her shoulder. His thick, dark hair had his usual tousled look. He was dressed in casual black jeans, a dark grey jacket and light blue button down shirt that set off his eyes nicely. His shirt collar was open a tasteful thr
Struck by Love Chapter 51
Laura slept in with Angelo on Saturday morning. They took a shower together and he made her breakfast. She needed to get home to Jasper, so he gave her a ride home to Brooklyn. They had agreed to meet at Angelo’s place, Sunday around 11 a.m. to help with the preparations for Nikolas’ move. She was excited to finally meet his brother. She spent a few hours doing things at home and had some quality kitty time with Jasper before meeting Sarah at Painter’s Cove for dinner and drinks to get caught up on one another’s love lives. When Laura arrived, Sarah was already there, sitting at the bar talking to Barry. She noticed immediately how affectionate they were with one another. After a quick greeting, she and Sarah went and sat down at their own table to talk privately. Laura was happy to learn that Sarah’s relationship with Barry had also progressed rather well. They toasted to the fact that they had both now fallen in love with great guys and secretly shared a few choice detai
Struck by Love Chapter 50
His eyes were riveted on her. She wore only his t-shirt, which was huge on her, and panties. She grabbed his hand and placed it under the roomy t-shirt, on her stomach. Her eyes were warm with desire. He leaned forward, pulling her close to him. He wrapped his arms around her, burying his face into her stomach. She held his head in her hands, running her fingers through his thick, dark hair, still damp from his shower, and bent over him. He could feel the touch of her breasts through the t-shirt. He slid his hands up and caressed her bare back, relishing the feel of her skin. “I constantly crave touching you, feeling your body.” “And I want you to,” she whispered into his ear. She writhed in his grip, letting him know his touch was pleasurable, desired. His strong hands moved to her waist, then felt the curve of her hips. She swayed her hips in response, inviting his further touch. His hands tightened their hold on her hips. He felt the edge of her panties, and
Struck by Love Chapter 49
Laura hesitated, then turned back. She made it back to her doorway then stopped. She placed a hand on the doorframe, not sure which way she should go. She felt a swell of emotion for the man behind the door at the end of the hall. She took a deep breath and padded down the hall to his door. She listened. She didn’t hear anything. She looked down. The light was still streaming through. “Here goes nothing,” she whispered to herself. She knocked on the door. No answer. She knocked again, this time a little louder. “Angelo? Are you still up?” Still no answer. She was about to turn back around when she felt a swell of confidence. She knocked one more time. “Angelo, can I come in?” Still nothing. She bit her lip. She placed a hand on the doorknob, then turned it. Her heart was beating furiously in her chest. She opened the door and peered inside. He was sitting up on the far side of his king-size bed, propped up against some pillows, his bedside lamp
Struck by Love Chapter 48
They held each other for a while, looking at the flames flickering in the gas fireplace, each lost in thought about their conversation tonight. Angelo got up to make them some herbal tea. Laura sat staring out his large windows, marveling at the nighttime view. She felt like she was in a dream. But she wasn’t. This was real. He was real. And she loved him with all of her heart and soul. Angelo came back with the tea and they stayed up talking for hours. The night was growing late and soon they grew quiet again. Finally, Angelo had to ask a question. “It’s getting late. I don’t mean to pressure you or anything, but I wanted to let you know that you’re welcome to stay the night here. With me. If you wanted.” She looked at him. She wanted to, very badly, but part of her still felt slightly guarded. She hesitated to answer. “I, um, hadn’t planned to stay. I didn't pack an overnight bag or anything.” He looked at her and nodded. “And I suppose, much of tonight's
Struck by Love Chapter 47
He nodded, looking down at her hand. “They’re married now, that also happened pretty fast. When the engagement ended last year, I stopped dating for awhile…until I met you.” He looked back up at her and smiled. “Really?” she asked, the surprise evident on her face. “Really. Why do you look so surprised?” he asked. “Because, you were one of New York City’s most eligible bachelors, and like I said you’re gorgeous, young, successful. I would think it would be impossible for you not to have women constantly hanging all over you, workaholic or not.” He shook his head. “After the kind of experiences I had I felt pretty used and rather jaded. Plus, my father also died last year and when I was appointed CEO, my life changed dramatically. It was hard to lose him like that and at the same time get thrust into such an all-consuming and demanding role.” Laura felt for him. “That must have been a terribly difficult time for you.” He nodded. “I wasn’t in a good place so
Struck by Love Chapter 46
She squeezed him tight. She actually felt relieved to have gotten that off her chest. After a few moments, she figured she’d just get the rest of her rather unremarkable dating history out. She sighed. “After that there’s not a lot to tell. I’ve had a couple of dates with guys who never called back, some dates where I just wasn’t feeling it. Nothing that lasted too long. After Aaron, my longest relationship was about three months. His name was Brad. He ended up getting a job in Dubai. I had no intention of moving. But it wasn’t that big of a deal, we weren’t really that serious.” She looked over at the fireplace, then down at her glass. “The last guy I dated, we went out for maybe three weeks, split as soon as we'd slept together. That was not quite a year and a half ago.” She looked over at Angelo. “Not the best track record, hey?” “It helps me understand you better,” he said gently. “Why I might’ve made you nervous.” Laura felt her face flush. “Well that, and just the fa
