The Suite Life Read Free

glanced at my left hand—the surreptitious ring check—and I realized I was still clutching my rosary. He turned on his thousand-watt smile: “You’re not a nun, are you?”
    Now it was my turn to smile. “Don’t worry,” I said, “I’m not married, and I’m definitely not a nun” (although my social life had been about as active as a nun’s even now that I was free of Tony). “But I am very late right now.” The guy had a nerve, buthe was so charming that it would have been impossible to stay angry with him.
    â€œSo am I,” he said, grin widening.
    â€œLook, Alec, it’s been great and all that, but I really have to go now,” I said with as much conviction as I could muster.
    â€œYeah, I missed the opening bell, too,” he confessed. Then he reached into his pocket, pulled out a card case, and leaned in close to my ear. “Call me, Samantha,” he whispered, slipping a business card into my hand and allowing his fingers to brush mine for the briefest of instants, “next time you have an open Saturday or Sunday.” And with that he turned and disappeared into the crowd.
    I took a deep breath and steadied myself. Holy shit, what just happened there? I thought, shaking my head in disbelief as I pulled open the door to my building. By the way, what is brunch?

Fingering Alec’s stiff business card, I tried to slip unobtrusively into my cubicle and look as if I were busy at my desk. I propped the distinctive slate-gray card with white lettering against my monitor and stared at it as I considered the brash but beautiful man who had given it to me: Alec DeMarco, Managing Director, Transglobal Equities. There was something tasteful yet assertive about the font, I thought. Just like Alec.
    â€œI’m dying to know the reason for that ridiculous grin on your face,” Priti teased as she poked her head around the partition.
    â€œVery funny, P,” I said, shuffling some paper.
    She glanced toward the boss’s office. “Okay, I’ll let you catch up now, but I expect to hear everything at lunch. Twelve-thirty sharp at the bench,” she hissed, retreating into her cubicle.
    I shook my head to get rid of the overwhelming flood of emotions produced by my sidewalk encounter with Alec and tried to concentrate on the pile of paper in front of me.

    â€œYou gonna give me more than ‘Just some guy I met,’ or do I have to beat it out of you?” Priti complained as we settled onour favorite bench with our sandwiches. “Give it up, Sam. You’re killing me.”
    â€œIt all happened so fast, I can hardly remember. It’s all a blur, really. This big guy grabs my shoulder right outside the building and spins me around. He asks for a brunch date, of all things. I mean, what’s brunch anyway? We exchange a couple of pleasantries, he whispers in my ear to call him, and then he disappears.”
    â€œIs he hot?”
    â€œI’d say that’s putting it mildly.”
    â€œReally? That’s saying quite a bit, considering it was all a blur .”
    â€œI know,” I said, “but he just made a huge impression. He’s rough and smooth at the same time, and his magnetism is really . . . powerful.”
    Priti grabbed my elbow gently. “Whoa, girl. Slow down. I know it’s been a long time, but we can’t have you rushing off to do him in his office.”
    Priti’s name meant “delight, joy,” and I couldn’t help laughing about how much of both she got from my obvious discomfort.
    â€œI know, P,” I said softly. “But I’ve never met anyone who had such an effect on me so instantly.”
    Priti nodded. “I can see that,” she said. “I’m just worried that you’re going to be suckered in too quickly and end up hurt by some slick operator.”
    In an instant my relationship with Tony flashed through my mind.