Finding Love for a Cynic Read Free Page B

 It gave Delona and Cara the opportunity to suggest potential models to the authors whenever they hit a roadblock in the descriptive aspect of their stories.  This provided Soul of the Matter an endless stream of potentials because the models knew they would eventually have work.  As co-senior editor, Cara had been more than pleased to pass on this task to Delona as she had developed a great system that seemed to work well for all involved.  Not to mention it was so fast it gave them ample time to eat breakfast, chill, and then make it to the afternoon meeting on time.
    “Okay.  Everybody line up!” Delona ordered, barely stepping over the threshold.  The models, all male, lined up in order of light to dark hair and skin hue based on numbers Ann had assigned them.  Delona walked to the front of the line with a list in hand containing the features needed for this week’s photo shoots.  Katie followed close behind, preparing to take notes as they went along.  Delona turned her head in Katie’s direction.  With a lifted eyebrow and a slight bow of her head, she silently asked her if she was ready to begin.
    Katie affirmed with a nod, prompting her high ponytail to bounce wildly on the back of her head.   A proud smile adorned her features, which Delona was sure she mirrored.  It hadn’t taken the two of them long to become one of the best well-oiled machines in the company.  Delona loved working with her perky assistant, even though Katie could be quite the smartass at times.
    “Yes…yes… next week… yes… potentially… of course… yes… yes,” she called out for each model respectively as she went down the line.  A strange feeling came over her, literally taking her breath away, when she came face to face with the last model.  Although he was phenomenal, and she knew no one in their right mind would fault her for thinking that way, she felt at odds with the situation.  Her eyes inadvertently locked on his shockingly green ones.  Big mistake , she thought as an uncontrollable rush of warmth suddenly flowed through her.  Her heart began to beat a wild, weird pattern within her chest and a fine sheen of sweat moistened her palms.  Suddenly, it was difficult to swallow.  What the heck! She had never been instantly attracted to anyone before, didn’t believe it possible, and she wasn’t in the mood to start believing it now.  Pride filled her when she realized she was managing to keep her emotions from showing.   She continued past him, avoiding the embarrassment she surely would have felt if anyone had picked up on her biological response to him.   
    She stopped short, the pride she had felt quickly fading.  Something wasn’t right.  Whereas the other models were dressed casually in jeans or shorts, he wore a light-gray, tailored business suit.  No number was taped across his chest, nor was he on the right end of the hue spectrum, which ranged from light to dark.  Turning abruptly, she stepped back in front of the towering figure, barely avoiding a collision with Katie.
    “Oh yeah, sorry, Dee.  He completely slipped my mind,” Katie started.  “Since you were otherwise occupied this morning, Renee told me to make sure to introduce the two of you.  Delona, this is Koen Smith.  He isn’t a model,” she clarified, obviously reading Delona’s contorted expression.
    “Then what is he?” Delona asked.  Her eyes narrowed as she took in the brown-haired, green-eyed giant.  He innocently returned her gaze, but the intensity of his eyes caused her skin to heat up.  She didn’t like what he was doing to her in front of her coworkers and friends.  This dislike of how he made her feel coupled with her suspicions of who he was allowed her to continue to conceal the true effect he was having on her. 
    “He’s our new PR rep.  Danny thought you’d work better with a man,” Katie answered, confirming her suspicions.
    A slow burn started in Delona’s cheeks as she felt her ire