Stormy Seas (16 page)
Authors: Evelyn James
Tags: #historical romance, #regency romance, #victorian romance
as quietly as possible. It was 2am and it seemed she was always
coming home at this hour. She tip-toed through her apartment,
trying to find the light. She'd found this particular light a
million times but tonight it still managed to elude her.
She took one step too many and found herself
crashing into the little table that was pressed against the wall.
“Darnit,” she breathed, nervous she'd woken the neighbors.
Recovering slowly, Marli flipped the light switch
and listened intently for the sound of footsteps. Satisfied that
she'd gotten away with her clumsy racket, Marli smiled tiredly. Her
life as a club promoter was exciting and hip, but sometimes she
just wanted to come home at a normal hour. To a sweet, normal
man.
Marli sighed. Her most recent string of boyfriends
included a Chippendale's dancer, a casting agent and a swimsuit
model. Fun? Yes. But solid, reliable...? Definitely not. Marli
tried to ease some of the hairspray out of her hair, slipping out
of her red stilettos. She was a petite brunette, with hair the
color of warm coffee with just a touch of cream. Her best feature
was definitely her wide brown eyes. People said they made her seem
warm, inviting.
Marli laughed at herself while trying to find the
zipper of her dress. Perhaps she'd been too inviting lately. Her
romantic history was longer than the wine list at her favorite New
York restaurant and that wasn't a good thing. Marli was ready for
something real, something lasting. She was 29 and beginning to
wonder if her powers wouldn't be put to better use in a different
job. She couldn't hang out at clubs for the rest of her life.
A quiet knock at the door made Marli jump and she
frantically pulled the zipper of her dress back up. It was a white
halter dress that looked just smashing on her, she wasn't ashamed
to admit. Too bad there was no one she wanted to see it.
Marli swung the door open.
“Brian!” Marli whispered tersely in surprise. Male model Brian was
staring at her with the biggest smile. His chiseled body and
handsome face reminded Marli of her reasons for dating him. Well,
one of the reasons for dating him. Ok, fine, she admitted to
herself, they may have been her
only
reasons for dating him. “Baby!”
he exclaimed.
was shocked and tried to figure out why he would be there. Their
“relationship” had been brief and had ended when Brian admitted he
didn't read. Not just didn't read books. Didn't read, period. Sigh.
Marli's loneliness was the only thing that kept her from pushing
him out the door right away.
Just as he was putting her down, a sound came from
her bedroom. “Baby, I'm waiting!” Marli blushed a bright red,
vaguely remembering a drunk text to her ex Michael early that
night. “You've got to be kidding me!”
Rushing into the bedroom with
Brian close behind, Marli could not conceal her laughter. Blonde
Michael, the casting agent, was wrapped in her sheets, posing
ridiculously across the bed. He scrambled uncomfortably when he
noticed Brian's presence. Marli's tiredness wasn't helping the
situation. She couldn't help noticing how Michael looked like a big
baby, wrapping her sheets around his lower half in embarrassment.
Ironically, she'd dumped him for being just that, a man-child who
had no desire to commit. And,
ew,
her poor sheets! Her laughter grew more and more
hysterical as the ridiculousness of her life began to sink
in!
that she had never closed it! Oops..! Scrambling into the living
room, with both Brian and baby Michael in tow, Marli felt her heart
drop. A gorgeous man in a white robe stood in her doorway. He had
light brown hair, serious blue eyes and the most manly jawline
Marli had ever seen. Sigh. He was also wearing the angriest look
she'd seen in awhile.
For years, she'd heard about the bachelor that
lived across the hall, but their schedules had never crossed.
Apparently, fate had had enough of that. How embarrassing to meet
him now!
“What on earth do you think you're doing?” He said
in a low, angry tone. He looked at Brian, then Michael, with a
glare of apparent disdain. His eyes then settled on Marli, clearly
appraising her “lifestyle.” Marli wanted to laugh in his gorgeous
face. Except it wasn't funny.
Read the whole story here:
Crazy Little Thing Called Love