main room, hoping the maniac hadn't come to yet.
There he was! Lying on his stomach just where she had left him— looking like a beached red whale.
May made short work of tying his hands behind his back. Then she wrapped the twine around his feet, which surprisingly were not clad in black Santa boots, but in rather expensive-looking brown leather shoes. His socks were soaked through, but she didn't feel the least sympathy for him or his wet feet.
May had him trussed up like a Christmas turkey in no time flat.
Now that he wasn't going anywhere without her approval, she felt confident enough to roll the scoundrel over.
She first noted that his dark lashes (which were rather long for a man) framed cheeks that looked rather pale even through his tan-colored skin. He appeared younger than she originally thought. At first glance in that suit, she had taken him for a man in his fifties. Now she saw that he was probably only in his early to mid thirties.
Which made him all the more dangerous.
Removing his stocking hat, she was surprised at the mass of luxuriant wavy brown hair that fell over her hands. It wasn't to his shoulders, but close to it, falling a few inches shorter in a tapered cut.
She hadn't seen his entire face yet, but so far he was exceedingly nice-looking. May shook her head in disgust. Now, why would a man who looked like this have to resort to being a fiend?
Maybe he was a moron.
That really had a tendency to turn women off.
His fake beard was slightly askew. Carefully she removed the fuzzy beard, frowning as it fell apart in her hands. It looked like he had just taken some cotton balls and threaded them through a string! What a pervert!
Her mouth parted slightly as she caught her first glimpse of his completely unmasked face.
It held to the original promise, revealing a strong chin— which no doubt indicated a pugnacious streak— a classically straight nose neither too large nor too small, and well-shaped lips. The bottom lip, she noted absently, was slightly fuller than the top; the indentation below it hinting at a sensual… no, she wouldn't even think it.
He looked… familiar somehow.
Now that his whole face was visible, May noted that his tan skin did have a palish cast to it.
Maybe she had whacked him a bit too hard?
Not that she'd had a choice! Still… she couldn't stand to see any living thing suffer; even if the living thing was a maniac.
Gingerly she placed her palms on either side of his face, lifting his head a few inches off the floor.
His skin was a bit clammy, too, but he seemed to be breathing fine.
The man gave a slight moan and his lashes fluttered. Slowly his eyes opened, trying to focus on her.
May caught sight of those silver eyes and instantly recognized him.
“ You! ” She dropped his head like a hot potato.
It hit the wooden floor with a clunk.
The man's startled groan was cut off as he passed out again.
Oh, great! She had just beaned and trussed up C. Hunter Douglas, wunderkind and vice-president of Fortuna Books! Should do wonders for her career.
What on earth was he doing here?
Obviously, he had come to see her, but why? May bit her lip. Wait a minute… her first book had done remarkably well. There was a rumor going around that Fortuna was looking into starting up a romance line. That's it! Somehow he had found out she was here, probably from her agent, and had come up here to woo her away from her present publisher.
Well, it wouldn't work!
She was very happy where she was. Besides, this was rather nervy of him, intruding into her solitude. During Christmas. Publishers!
He would have to stay here until the morning (especially since he was out cold on her floor), but come morning he could just pick himself up and leave!
In the meantime, May thought it best to untie him.
She rolled him over, unwrapped his hands, then flipped him back. It wasn't easy— the man seemed to be six feet plus of solid muscle. Apparently, wrestling writers to the ground like
There he was! Lying on his stomach just where she had left him— looking like a beached red whale.
May made short work of tying his hands behind his back. Then she wrapped the twine around his feet, which surprisingly were not clad in black Santa boots, but in rather expensive-looking brown leather shoes. His socks were soaked through, but she didn't feel the least sympathy for him or his wet feet.
May had him trussed up like a Christmas turkey in no time flat.
Now that he wasn't going anywhere without her approval, she felt confident enough to roll the scoundrel over.
She first noted that his dark lashes (which were rather long for a man) framed cheeks that looked rather pale even through his tan-colored skin. He appeared younger than she originally thought. At first glance in that suit, she had taken him for a man in his fifties. Now she saw that he was probably only in his early to mid thirties.
Which made him all the more dangerous.
Removing his stocking hat, she was surprised at the mass of luxuriant wavy brown hair that fell over her hands. It wasn't to his shoulders, but close to it, falling a few inches shorter in a tapered cut.
She hadn't seen his entire face yet, but so far he was exceedingly nice-looking. May shook her head in disgust. Now, why would a man who looked like this have to resort to being a fiend?
Maybe he was a moron.
That really had a tendency to turn women off.
His fake beard was slightly askew. Carefully she removed the fuzzy beard, frowning as it fell apart in her hands. It looked like he had just taken some cotton balls and threaded them through a string! What a pervert!
Her mouth parted slightly as she caught her first glimpse of his completely unmasked face.
It held to the original promise, revealing a strong chin— which no doubt indicated a pugnacious streak— a classically straight nose neither too large nor too small, and well-shaped lips. The bottom lip, she noted absently, was slightly fuller than the top; the indentation below it hinting at a sensual… no, she wouldn't even think it.
He looked… familiar somehow.
Now that his whole face was visible, May noted that his tan skin did have a palish cast to it.
Maybe she had whacked him a bit too hard?
Not that she'd had a choice! Still… she couldn't stand to see any living thing suffer; even if the living thing was a maniac.
Gingerly she placed her palms on either side of his face, lifting his head a few inches off the floor.
His skin was a bit clammy, too, but he seemed to be breathing fine.
The man gave a slight moan and his lashes fluttered. Slowly his eyes opened, trying to focus on her.
May caught sight of those silver eyes and instantly recognized him.
“ You! ” She dropped his head like a hot potato.
It hit the wooden floor with a clunk.
The man's startled groan was cut off as he passed out again.
Oh, great! She had just beaned and trussed up C. Hunter Douglas, wunderkind and vice-president of Fortuna Books! Should do wonders for her career.
What on earth was he doing here?
Obviously, he had come to see her, but why? May bit her lip. Wait a minute… her first book had done remarkably well. There was a rumor going around that Fortuna was looking into starting up a romance line. That's it! Somehow he had found out she was here, probably from her agent, and had come up here to woo her away from her present publisher.
Well, it wouldn't work!
She was very happy where she was. Besides, this was rather nervy of him, intruding into her solitude. During Christmas. Publishers!
He would have to stay here until the morning (especially since he was out cold on her floor), but come morning he could just pick himself up and leave!
In the meantime, May thought it best to untie him.
She rolled him over, unwrapped his hands, then flipped him back. It wasn't easy— the man seemed to be six feet plus of solid muscle. Apparently, wrestling writers to the ground like
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