IN LOVE WITH THE BARON

She woke from her restless slumber, warm with awareness, sensing that she was not alone, sensing that he was there, that he once come to her anticipation thrummed through her limbs and she pushed herself to a sitting position, learning against the padded headboard behind her . Movement scattered the shadows, sent her heart racing. Her breath lodged in her throat as he stepped forward, his fair hair lifting with the wind and falling around broad , leathers clad shoulder. Crystal blue eyes touched her deeply.

A drump played.

She frowned , not a drum, a knock on the door. Oh

Gaze shifting from the romance novel in her hand to her office door, she'd used her savings and a loan from her grandmother to purchase her bookstore before a daring move she still couldn't believe she'd made .

Another knock sounded at the door ."Just a minute " she called, opening a desk drawer and shoving the book inside, next to the tropical cruise brochure she'd been fantastic over for her upcoming twenty birthday celebration. She slammed the drawer shut , telling herself she had nothing to hide ,she was just doing research, learning about the product offerings of her store.

After all, her recent decision to take her eccentric Little store in a more distinctive direction and begin catering to women's fictionwomen fiction, had paid off big times . Sales had ramped up in a major way. She'd even managed to hire some staff . Well , one person. But that was better than being on her own . Soon. The whole upstairs of the store would be converted entirely to women's interestwomen interest, filled with clothes and books , candles and gifts - a special place for women to explore their hearts desires, inspiration read to fashions .

So. She had almost paid her grandmother back every thing she collected from her , even thoughsooner as Christmas was only a few weeks away, Sales werewas booming. An amazing wonderful feeling considering a plane crash had stolen her parents from her age at ten , but her grandmother hadgrandmother had had always been there for her, no questions asked, quickly asked offering her the cash to chase her dreams.

Nelly tucked a wisp of unruly brunette hair back into the confine of her neatly groomed and squeezed her thigh together, feeling the lingering fire of her fantasy taunting her. No doubt, her lack of social life was catching up to her.

"Come in!" She called, lacing her finger together on the desk and returning to her prime and proper librarylibraries person , the one that is real not fantasy. The one she wished she had the courage to discard, but feared she never would.

The door swung open and her assistant manager Kayla darted into the office, excitement lighting her youthful features, her cute little blonde Bob bouncing as she rushed toward the desk .

"Oh, my gosh " Kasey exclaimed. " I have big big news ," she plopped down in the worn , clothes covered chair Nelly had bought at a secondhand store. 'Big news, Kayla pursed her lips, to Nelly, a new flavor at tampa constituted big news . Kayla grinned and

Continued , one of old customers is among the people sponsoring the big charity event that is about to happen, the old Hollywood style gala they've been advertising for weeks now .

Well one of the ladies in the runway show had an emergency and can't make it . She needed someone to play Maryville and she want you!" She squealed. "How cool is that? You're going to be on television ".

Sophia jaw dropped. "What?" She shook her head. ""OH, no . I'm not getting up in front of all those people dressed in a costume. And I'm not going on television!".

"You have to!" Kayla insisted, it's fun . It's exciting and once in a lifetime opportunity. You said you wanted to do something out of the ordinary, to cut loose a little.

Sophia didn't do public speaking, let alone walk across a stage in front of bunch of society and on the television. "By taking a cruise! Not going on television. This is not fun".

The store will be on television commercials, in every brochure handed out and in public after the event. And for free. She's not even asking for a donation because is paid already. This is free publicity for the store and perfect to launch and December celebration all together, right smack in the midst of holiday shopping. Go be Mayville for a night. Have fun". She wiggle her eyebrows. " there will be lot of hot , rich men there. Infact make it happen and got the best of it at the end. Just do it for store, you know we need the exposure, it could be a lot of business ".

Leaning back on her chair, Sophia scowled at her assistant manager Kayla, because Kayla was right. They needed the exposure. And exposure squealed business, which squealed paying her grandmother back the rest of the money she owned

Suddenly, this wasn't about stepping outside her comfort zone and doing something that felt awkward. This was responsibility and what was right.

" She is here now?" Sophia asked . Waiting to talk with me ?"

"Right outside the door, Kayla agreed. Your ticket to adventures and great sales, I can feel it .

"Sophia rolled her chair from her desk, I can't believe I'm doing this, "she murmured.

"This is a night of fantasy, you know you will get a celebrity stylist and hour of pampered before the show " said Kayla. "You are going to be in heaven " you are going to be Maryville, I'm excited for you, but jealous. Really jealous. "

Maybe that night could be okay, If she could forget the crowds. Right. Forget falling down on the stage, during her graduation in high school,she'd never quite gotten over that ,but she'd better get over it now.

EVENT NIGHT far too quickly, especially in the midst of a bust work schedule that did nothing to abate her nerves. At five o'clock, Sophia had been headed toward the Gala for professional pimping done by experts, when she'd receive the news-the toilet had overflowed in the clothing store. Immediately detours. She'd rushed back to the store, unable to leave Kayla to such ugliness on her own. The result of that toilet fixing made her go late for her makes up and hair . Almost two hours late .

Sophia red Volkswagen sputtered on the third round in the parking lot and one look at the gas gauge said, yes,it could get worse.

Spotting a doorman, she rushed forward, ignoring the horns honking as several cars pulled forward and her Volkswagen remains in place. She half ran to uniform attendance, hoping to reach him ahead of a lady in an elegant white formal suit. She hated to be rude, but she had to get into that hotel.

She blinked up into the amber of a handsome face framed with dark hair, a hint of gray sprinkled at the temple. David Scott-Ocean thirteen sexy with a strong square jaw and firm ,nice lips. Oh!, God. Don't look at his . Back to those amber eyes. Eyes that inspected her pink butterfly shirts with a lifted eyesbrow. She swallowed. She'd made it to the fantasy but managed to do it in pink sweat and tennis shoes

This was so her life ,not Cinderella.

She had blue eyes. that was the first thought that came to his mind as he stared down at the heart shaped of the woman who'd unwittingly become his prey. Sky-blue, deep, almost navy with a hint of yellow. Scott hadn't been on the hunt in a time and on this night, certainly, he hadn't not expected to be . But there was no denying demand within him for this woman.

"I'm sorry". The woman apologized for running into him ,her voice as adorable as her pointed chin and cute buttons nose . I'm sort of in a rush the makeup people are going to kill me, I'm sorry ".

"I'm not he replies, reluctantly letting her go of her petite shoulder when everything male inside him roared with demand. A demand to pulled her close.

No . He wasn't sorry at all . Infact he'd put himself in her path for a

To meet her , I'm Scott. You are ?"

She swallowed hard, she had slender neck meant for kissing.

She replied, you mean David Scott-Ocean who own the most expensive custome in the United States.

"You know our supermarket?"

"Of course ". She said. The shops are everywhere she crinkled her.

Scott-Ocean held an impatient hand and focused on the female turning back on him with surprise on her face .

Yet she sent fire through my vein . She wasn't his normal blonde, blue eyes , big breast, thirty seconds distraction.

.

"How do I find you later?"

Her lips parted with anticipation, asked for Maryville. She turned and rushed away.