Page 7 of Vengeful Seduction
He was charming, no doubt about it.
Oh well. I didn’t have such an inflated sense of my own importance that I thought it would matter much to David what I thought of him. Why should it? I would probably never see the guy again.
Remembering his dark, penetrating eyes, his strong body, and his slightly rough, deep voice, I had to think it was probably a good thing, me not ever seeing him again.
He put my thoughts into disarray, and that was after only knowing about his existence for a few days. It was sort of ridiculous, and not particularly like me at all to get this worked up over someone.
It was just his charisma. But with that being said, I decided to execute the better part of valor and take off, still figuring no one would notice if I left.
I was almost right. One person did notice. As I pushed open the door to the funeral home, where the funeral itself and the reception had been held, I looked back just once and noticed a particular pair of dark, thoughtful eyes following me out.
David was frowning as he looked at me, and I told myself quite firmly that it was none of my business—none at all—what the man’s deal was. My involvement with the Black family had ended with Theodore’s death.
As the door shut behind me, I really did have the notion I would never see David again. I even thought I might never hear his name again. Why would I? I was hardly involved in the Portland business scene.
There was something unresolved between us that day, but I didn’t acknowledge it to myself. Maybe it was because I was too busy grieving for the patient who had become my friend, but as I walked away, I was sure I had closed that particular chapter in my life.
Even so, David Black and his piercing eyes, high cheekbones, and slightly mocking smirk haunted me. I tried not to acknowledge it even to myself, but they did.
David
The day of the reading of the will dawned clear and bright, a perfect Indian summer day. The sky was a dark, rich blue, the occasional little cloud puffing through the air, and I knew I was about to become a much wealthier man very soon.
The whole money issue hadn’t actually occurred to me until the lawyer had called to ask me to be there for the reading. Of course, I was going to get everything, but in my attempts to distance myself from the whole situation, I had forgotten entirely about his estate.
I knew he’d been a very, very wealthy man—far beyond my own not insignificant net worth. He’d had decades to build it all up, and I was really only just starting off.
Oh, but the things I was going to be able to do with all he had undoubtedly left me …
I had visions in my head as I went into the lawyer’s office. With the money I had been left, I could boost Black Tech and really make it grow. Maybe I could even run with the big boys. With enough money and work, anything was possible.
As I walked, I could almost swear the soles of my Fendi shoes barely touched the linoleum floors. At the same time, though, my heart was heavy. I had assumed I had time to make up with my grandfather. I had assumed I would have the three measly days to do that much.
I didn’t deserve this, but I knew what I could do. Grandpa’s mind had been a shrewd one, and I could honor him by building a company for the future—one that would carry not just his name, but also his spirit.
In short, the circumstances were terrible, but I would turn this experience into something really great. I had stood over his coffin and promised him I would do it, and I always kept my promises.
I stopped dead in my tracks when I pushed open the door to the office. It was a quiet, tasteful place, with generic, classy art on the walls and very few people waiting in the office.
Actually, there were only two people there, other than myself. One of them was the receptionist, who glanced up at me and smiled politely, apparently appeased by my expensive clothing.
The other one was that little nurse—Kaye something or other. The pretty young lady who had apparently been taking care of my grandfather. The question was, what was she doing at my grandpa’s lawyer’s office?
Well, the old man had good taste. Kaye was something close to stunning, with her wide, full, generous mouth and her enormous green eyes. Even in her modest outfit, I could tell that she had curves for days—rounded hips and breasts and a tiny little waist—and beautiful, long, black hair that I was willing to bet would fall almost to her ass if she let it down from the loose up-do she had it in.
It was more than just her physical appearance, though. Kaye had this aura that I couldn’t help but find soothing. She was a nurse, and I would be willing to bet almost anything she was very good at her job. She radiated both competence and gentleness all at the same time.
She looked up at me, and I found myself unprepared for the look in her eyes. She was trying to learn about me, wasn’t she? Just by looking at me.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, my tone just a little bit more blunt than usual. She’d surprised me by coming to the funeral, and she downright shocked me by being here for the reading of my grandfather’s will. Unless she was here for some other reason?
“The same thing as you, I would imagine.” She glanced down, away from my gaze, and I frowned thoughtfully. So she’d been invited to this, too? Had the unpredictable old man actually left something to his nurse?
“Mr. Black, Miss James, we’re ready for you now.” The receptionist won my everlasting affection for breaking the awkward moment. I hadn’t been all that gracious. Actually, I’d sort of been a dick, hadn’t I? I’d just been so dumbfounded by seeing her there at all.
“Shall we?” I asked, and I even held the door open for her as we went into the office, which was enormous and had a gorgeous, unhindered view of the Columbia River. This guy was clearly doing all right for himself, which I had pretty much figured. I’d never seen my grandfather—or my father, for that matter—skimp on anything that was really important.
A lawyer would definitely fall into that category.
