Excerpt -
When they arrived at the Merch Mart, she paid the driver and stepped out into the blizzard. The art deco style building was an impressive and beautiful place to work, even if she was only a junior accountant. She entered the building and walked across the green and orange terrazzo floor, leaving behind clumps of melting snow.
No long queue of people blocked the entrance to the elevators. She pushed the Up button. When the doors opened, she stepped inside and tapped 6.
Ok, this never happens. No waiting for elevators. A cab the second I stepped outside. Keep this up and this could be the day Stan notices me.
She opened her purse, pulled out a little makeup mirror and checked her face. Everything seemed perfect. For luck, she applied a layer of her Poodle Skirt Pink lip gloss.
How can a guy that good looking not notice me? I've seen him checking out that bitch Katerina. The way she struts by, shaking that ass.
When the elevator doors slid open, Red stepped into the hallway. Before her, the impressive glass and brass doors of Hood's Chocolatier –the corporate offices of one of the country's largest independent chocolate makers. She stepped through the doorway and marched toward her cubicle.
Three steps from her destination, the word, “Esmeralda!” broke the silence.
Caught! She sighed, formed a smile, and turned. “Yes, Mother?”
“Where have you been? I've called and called.”
“I noticed. Six voice mails and fourteen text messages. Nothing flagged urgent. You seem fine. I'm fine. So, what's the big deal?” She frowned. What could be the problem? “Oh no, is it Grandma?”
Her mother threw her hands up. “Yes!”
“What? What's wrong? Is she sick? She didn't fall and break anything, did she?”
“She's driving me out of my mind.”
Red bit back the sentence – Oh happy day – and instead managed to say, “What's she done now?”
“Not here. Come into my office.”
“Can I go put my coat and things—”
Hearing her mother's sigh of frustration, Red surrendered then remembered that following her mother to her office would mean passing by the office of Stanley Parkinson, VP of Sales. She stood a little taller, pulled in her stomach and strode near his office then deflated at the sight of his closed door.
Red had barely stepped into the office marked R. Hood, when her mother pushed her aside and closed the door. “Your grandmother has booked a stateroom on a cruise ship and is taking a man with her.”
Sensing So what?? was the wrong answer, Red let her mother vent whatever bothered her. This day could still be saved. If her mother stayed focused on the crisis-of-the-moment she might forget the weekly discussion of her love life.
“A man. Did you hear me?”
“Yes, Mother.” Red unbuttoned her coat, dropped her gloves, scarf and onto the seat next to her then settled in the brown leather chair in front of the desk. Her mother walked around and sat behind her large, hand carved, oak desk. It provided an imposing barrier between mother and daughter.
“I haven't told you this before, but your grandmother's going through your grandfather's money faster than you can go through a tub of maple walnut ice cream after a breakup.”
“Mom!”
Folding her immaculately manicured hands and placing them on her desk, Red's mother looked up. “Your flight's at two.”
“Excuse me?”
“I've booked a flight to Miami and a stateroom on The Emerald Forest.”
Red shook her head. “I can't afford a stateroom on a junior accountant's salary.”
“The company is paying. I had my secretary send everything to your cell. Now, you have no time to talk. Go home, pack, find your passport and save your grandmother.”
Red's voice rose an octave, “Save my grandmother? From what?”
R. Hood placed her fingers on her forehead. “Save your grandmother from spending your inheritance on some gigolo. Your grandfather built this company from nothing to a multi-million dollar business. And he had to fight the big boys like Hersey and the Mars brothers to do it.”
Red sighed. “I know the corporate story, Mom. He started by making his chocolate in great grandma's kitchen and from those humble beginnings—”
“Put you through Harvard Business School,” snapped her mother.
“Only to be dumped in a junior accountant's position.”
Blurb and Buy Links
Caution - One smouldering twisted fairy tale mixed with one hot medieval romance might burn more than your fingers.
Daryl Devoré has bundled two of her hot romances into a duology. A hot twisted fairy and a hotter medieval romance combined in Capturing His Heart.
Dark Chocolate and Strawberries takes you on a hot romp on a Caribbean cruise. Esmerelda 'Red' Hood discovers her sweet granny is on a romantic cruise with a gigolo. Horrified, Red races off to save her grandma before it's too late.
On board, she meets Andrew Woodsman and Willem Olf. One a cutie with the biggest puppy eyes and the other - dark and sophisticated. Even with her grandmother's words ringing in Red's ears - Never trust a wolf in sheep's clothing - Red has trouble choosing which man is the big bad wolf and which is her happily ever after.
Branwyn’s Love transports you back to medieval times. It is the tale of a young woman sold as a courtesan in training. Branwyn arrives in a new land to begin daily lessons in the bewildering art of bedding a man.
The noblewoman chosen to be Prince Malacke’s bride rejects him by bedding his hated rival. Malacke turns his anger towards increasing the power and wealth of Black Dorn castle. And he succeeds, until his attention is captured by the face of the woman who will be his queen.
Amazon ebook – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08WM2WN6L
Amazon print - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08WK6M91H
Books2Read ebook - https://books2read.com/CapturingHisHeart
BookSprout for a read and review - https://booksprout.co/arc/59019/capturing-his-heart
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