Everything He Desires (3 page)

“
Oh,
oh
no.
”
My
heart
leapt.

“
What
is
with
you?
”
Alma
gave
me
a
suspicious
look.

“
Nothing.
I'm
just
not
sure
I'm
into
dating
right
now.
”
Definitely
not
the
boss's
cousin.

“
What
can
it
hurt
to
say
hello?
He's
over
there.
Let's
go.
”

She
dragged
me
up
from
the
couch
toward
a
handsome
man
with
brown
hair,
not
unlike
Rock
Weldon's.
The
crowd
parted.

“
Hi,
John.
This
is
my
friend
Lacey
Pate.
Lacey,
John
Weldon.
”

The
man
took
my
hand,
half
bowed
over
it
and
kissed
it.
“
Wonderful
to
meet
you,
”
I
said,
surprised
my
voice
sounded
halfway
normal.

His
brown
eyes
danced
with
mirth.
“
The
pleasure
is
all
mine.
”

Across
the
room,
someone
else
caught
my
eye.
Rock
Weldon
was
staring
at
me,
and
he
didn't
look
happy.
I
froze
up.

“
Lacey,
”
Alma
whispered
and
poked
me.

“
What?
”

She
gave
me
a
glare.
I
focused
on
John
Weldon
again,
but
Rock's
stare
was
burning
a
hole
through
me.

“
And
what
do
you
do,
Ms.
Pate?
”

“
I'm
a
bookkeeper,
or
I
was.
”
Tiny
little
lie
there,
but
I
wasn't
totally
sure
I
had
a
job
yet
with
his
cousin,
so
no
need
to
say
I
did.

“
I
see.
”
His
eyes
narrowed.

“
Yes,
Lacey
is
looking
for
a
job
so
if
you
hear
of
anything,
let
me
know.
”
Alma
grinned
at
me.

I
wanted
to
fall
through
the
floor.

“
I'll
do
that.
Can
I
have
your
number...Lacey?
”
He
took
out
his
phone.

“
Sure.
”
I
recited
it
for
him,
glancing
Rock
Weldon's
way.
He
was
gone.

A
surge
of
disappointment
ran
through
me,
and
I
realized
I
wanted
this
job
as
his
intern
more
than
anything.

John
grinned
at
me.
“
I'll
be
in
contact.
It
was
nice
meeting
you,
Lacey.
”

“
Likewise.
”
I
smiled
back,
but
my
heart
wasn't
in
it.
On
any
other
night,
I'd
have
been
thrilled
to
meet
John
Weldon,
but
not
tonight.

“
Well,
we're
going
to
mingle
some
more.
”
Alma
touched
my
arm.

“
Yes,
nice
to
meet
you.
”
I
nodded
toward
John
Weldon
and
turned
away,
relieved.

“
What
is
with
you?
”
Alma
demanded.
“
He's
hot!
And
you
practically
gave
him
the
brush
off.
”
Her
black
eyes
shot
sparks
of
anger
at
me.

“
I'm
sorry.
My
mind's
just
on
other
things,
I
guess.
”
We
headed
toward
the
punch
table.

My
watch
read
10:35.
The
time
seemed
to
be
passing
in
agonizing
slowness.

“
Other
things?
He's
really
nice,
and
nothing
like
Rock.
Rock's
handsome
and
wealthy,
but
he's
something
of
a
player
or
so
I've
heard.
Rumor
is
he's
really
kinky.
”

“
Oh.
”
My
face
grew
hot.

So
that's
what
he
wanted
me
for.
Maybe.
One
of
his
fantasies.
Well,
we'd
see
about
that.
He
might
be
devastatingly
handsome,
but
I
could
say
no.

“
My
advice
is,
if
John
calls
you,
be
nice.
You
never
know
what
might
come
of
it.
”
She
winked
and
we
settled
into
a
corner
with
our
drinks.

After
chatting
with
various
workmates
of
Alma's
my
nerves
were
on
edge.
All
I
could
think
about
was
Rock
Weldon.
Was
he
kinky?
Kinkier
than
the
fantasies
that
had
plagued
me
all
my
life
of
being
owned,
of
being
cherished
at
the
same
time?
Could
he
be
a
womanizing
pervert?

“
You
about
ready
to
go?
”

Alma's
voice
brought
me
back
to
myself.
I
hadn't
thought
about
that.
I'd
ridden
with
her.

“
Uh,
no.
I
think
I'm
going
to
stay
a
while.
”

“
You
are
acting
so
weird.
”
She
sighed.
“
Are
you
sure?
”

“
I
am.
”
I
gave
her
a
bright
smile.
“
I
think
I'd
like
to
talk
to
John
Weldon
some
more.
”
I
crossed
my
fingers
behind
my
back
at
the
white
lie.

“
Oh.
Okay,
whatever.
Glad
you
came
around.
”
She
mock
waved.
“
Ta
ta.
I
want
all
the
gory
details
tomorrow,
Lace.
”