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Leslie
sighed and looked through the mass of people around her. The
Polaroid her mother had given her in one hand, she searched
for Sharon and Charles Monte, who were to meet her. As she
approached the luggage carousel, she spotted them. Just
then, the little warning alarm went off and she lost them
again as people jumped forward to claim their bags. Stifling
a curse, she turned to grab her bags. All three pieces of
her luggage set had been packed and checked for her.
Moments
later, a hand touched her elbow. Spinning around, Leslie
found herself face to face with the most gorgeous set of
brown eyes she had ever seen. A blend of hues from the
darkest fudge to golden amber, they stared down at her with
a hint of mischief.
“Let me
help you with those.”
“Uh….”
Her mouth refused to work, her mind too busy taking in the
man before her.
He
reminded her of the guy from the Highlander
television series. Something inside of her lurched as she
continued to stare at him. Inner voice singing joyfully, the
force pushing her north lessoned to a small tug. It
couldn’t be that simple, could it?
Breaking
eye contact, Leslie took in the rest of him. He was taller
than her, she guessed nearly six feet. Those gorgeous eyes
were set in a lightly tanned face. His full lips were spread
in a wide grin that said he knew he was being examined and
enjoying every minute of it, and his dark brown hair had
recently been shaved into a high and tight crew cut.
The
joyful song singing inside her faltered as she met his eyes
a second time. Something was missing, incomplete. No, it
isn’t going to be that easy. Yet a small part of her
soul continued to scream at her to wrap herself around this
man and claim him as hers.
“Thanks.”
She spotted Sharon and Charles over his shoulder. “Here come
my friends now.”
“Sebastian!” Sharon called, waving her hand, a satisfied
smile on her lips.
Leslie
felt like sinking through the floor, and Sebastian’s grin
widened as he grabbed two of her three bags.
“Leslie
Maple?” Sharon asked, her smile widening at Leslie’s nod.
“It’s so nice to meet you. I’m Sharon Monte, this is my
husband Charles, and this is our nephew Sebastian
Belvedere.”
Charles
patted Sebastian on the shoulder and grabbed Leslie’s
remaining bag before ushering her towards Sharon.
“It’s
nice to meet you,” Leslie stammered as Sharon hugged her.
“Let’s
get out of here,” Charles said. “There are too many people
here to have a conversation.”
Leslie
followed, still in a daze that she’d been set up. She knew
that smile on Sharon’s face. Amanda wore a similar one
whenever one of her schemes went as planned. Obviously, this
Sebastian had been the target when the council made its
decree.
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