Chosen Heart (The Hart Series) Read online

  I hadn’t noticed his dimples earlier. They are quite prominent, but even more so when he smirks the way he is right now. I’m sure he knows the affect he has on me, probably the same effect he has on most women. Of course he’s confident; he’s young and absurdly beautiful. The alluring energy radiating off him is palpable as he leans against the wall running his hand through his thick golden-brown locks. I fight the urge to stand in awe, but my eyes are addicted to him.

  Stealing another look, I’m entranced by his exquisite crystal blue eyes. Hints of citrus and spice fill the closed confined space. I take a step closer; my eyes fall as I take in his masculine scent. Entering into a lusty haze, I imagine the taste of his tongue and the feel of his skin. The sound of him clearing his throat causes my eyes to shoot open and take the needed step backward. There’s that damn smirk again. Through narrowed eyes of embarrassment, I shake my head, bringing myself back down to reality. I can’t believe he just caught me sniffing him.

  When the ascent to the eighteenth floor comes to a halt, we both exit and head in the same direction. Walking next to my Adonis, I’m consciously aware of the way he moves. Gracefully navigating the hallway, he shows arrogance in the way he owns the space around him. Thankfully he knows where I’m supposed to go, letting me know someone named Autumn will be showing me around. Nice. My own personal tour guide. The longer with him the better.

  Shortly, we reach a simple black desk, belonging to a mousey-looking female. I can’t help but notice the absence of personal affects or decorations. Only a lonely fern sits atop the desk, possibly a glimpse into her personality or maybe the temperament of her boss. She stands as we approach and although plain, she’s pretty in her own way, wearing a firmly pressed pink blouse with ruffles going down the front and a dark brown pencil skirt.

  Looking up through her tightly curled, dirty blonde hair, she nods and greets us, “Mr. James, Mrs. Salerno is expecting you. She wants you to go to her office when you get here.” Finally, a name to the face…Mr. James. My sister always warned me about men who have two first names. If I recall, she said something about them being womanizers. Hopefully, there’s no merit to her statement.

  In comparison to the tall slab of muscle standing next to me, she’s small and fragile, and is completely unaffected by the beautiful specimen standing in front of her as she talks confidently at him, firing off instructions from Mrs. Salerno. At the same time, Mr. James appears to appreciate how meticulous she is with simple tasks, like taking a message. Looking away, she smiles in my direction, “May I help you?”

  Extending my hand to her, she grips it tightly as we shake. Her hold is strong, considering her small build. “My name’s Elyssa Hart; I’m the new Sales Executive.”

  “Oh yes, Autumn’s expecting you,” she explains. Walking past me, she waves me over and I follow her to another plain black desk, not too far from hers. “This is your new home. All of your supplies are stocked in your desk. If you need anything, just let me know. My name’s Janice, by the way. I’m Mr. James’ assistant.” Beaming up at him, she seems content in her position. Lucky girl! “Please let me know if there’s anything else you need.”

  “Great, thank you, Janice.”

  My whole body trembles as Mr. James rests his hand on the small of my back. “Janice, I’ll take Ms. Hart to see Autumn since I’m going that way.” Puzzled, Janice smiles, shrugs and retreats back to her desk. She seemed nice enough, hopefully someone I can become friends with.

  We walk in silence; once again I feel the visceral awareness being next to him. It’s hard to concentrate on the rows of cubicles full of employees. Their quiet banter can be heard and I notice prying eyes over the walls, following us as we progress down the walkway. I’m not sure if they’re measuring up the new girl or the fine man walking next to me. Considering that most of the heads that are turning are women, I’m assuming it’s him. Either way, he seems to pay no attention to their inquisitive eyes.

  Passing another set of double doors, I realize my mind has been entirely attuned to the smoldering man next to me. I barely recall some simple pieces of black and white art; mainly still photographs of inanimate objects as we made our way down the hall. Approaching the conference room, he knocks on the closed door and places his hands behind his back as we wait for a response. Instead of the expected formal greeting, I hear a strong feminine voice yell, “It’s open.”

  After opening the door, my eyes are immediately drawn to the stacks upon stacks of paper scattered along the conference table. Snapping her head up, a stunning red head sits at the far end. Her soft features are angelic, but the moment her eyes lay upon Mr. James, something changes. Carnal lust for him is burning inside of her and a devious smile trickles across her lips. Looking from her to him, I can see her lust filled gaze as her eyes travel across his finely tailored body. Mr. James, on the other hand, appears to remain indifferent.

  Standing, she quickly walks towards us adjusting her skirt as she approaches. I can understand feeling self-conscious in front him. Heck, a super model would feel insecure. Keeping eye contact with him, she ignores me completely.

  “Hello, Mr. James. I’m sorry for the abrupt greeting. I didn’t know it was you.” Her red tendrils fall against her cheeks, framing her porcelain face.

  “I would hope you take your greetings into consideration, regardless of who comes knocking on the door. I wouldn’t expect you to treat me any differently than you would any of your other colleagues.” Cringing, I glance away as he verbally berates Autumn for her rude first impression.

  Slinking back, she appears wounded, her smile vanishing from her lips. “Of course Mr. James, I apologize. I’ve been so involved in this project and have simply forgotten my manners,” she explains, pointing towards the mound of work.

  He ignores her apology and motions for me to come closer as he makes introductions. “Autumn, this is Elyssa Hart. She’s the new Sales Exec starting today.”

  Shocked, Autumn’s attention turns to me. Her eyes glance over my appearance, searching for a reason Mr. James would feel I deserve an ounce of his time. But, Autumn appears to know how to play the game and she does it well. Dredging up the best fake smile, she extends her hand to greet me. I know my manners, and although she’s not the warmest of creatures, I refuse to allow her to get to me. I shake her hand and smile politely, counting the seconds before I can remove myself from her clammy grip.

  Mr. James politely excuses himself, after looking down at his watch. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a meeting that I’m now a minute late for.”

  Autumn is clearly disappointed as she watches him leave. Turning my head, I bring my hand up to my mouth trying to hide my smile. With a look that would scare a small child, she returns her attention back to me. His absence has now given her true personality an opportunity to rear its ugly head. I’m sure she normally intimidates most people she meets, but I’ve dealt with catty women before and I refuse to let her get the best of me. In an industry that is saturated with men, I’ve learned to be assertive, yet remain professional. In all reality, I would rather deal with an invidious female, rather than a chauvinistic man.

  After taking a moment to regain her composure, Autumn leads me to the only part of the table not covered in the sea of papers. I learn quickly that she likes to toot her own horn. Discussing her extensive career with SHI, she mentions the countless hours she’s dedicated in order to gain her position. If I didn’t know better, I’d think she was trying to deter me. Her emphasis on our demanding management and the unrealistic sales quotas were my first two clues, the third being the implicit rules of the Sales department.

  Quickly squashing any more negative comments, I simply explain that I’m not new to the game and give her a brief overview of my previous experience. Autumn doesn’t hide her opinion of new sales agents that have come from outside of the company. She feels the most successful executives worked their way up through the ranks and put in their time. Just like her, what a coincidence! I’m relieved when
she walks me back to my desk, and leaves without so much as a goodbye, hopping on her broom to fly away.

  Shrugging off the two hour pissing match with Autumn, I log into my computer and find two new e-mails; one is a meeting request from my new Director, Margaret Sanders, and the other from Arianna.

  From: Arianna Salerno

  To: Elyssa Hart

  Date: August 17, 2012, 7:45am PST

  Subject: Welcome

  Elyssa,

  I hope your transition into Salerno Health goes seamlessly. Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you need anything. It’s such a pleasure having you here and I hope this will be a good fit for you. Your mom and dad would be so proud.

  Arianna Salerno

  CEO, Salerno Health, Inc

  Venturing off to find Mrs. Sanders’ office I find myself in a very sterile white space, with the only color being the yellow tulips sitting in a pallid vase. Just as I’m about to walk away, I notice the name Arianna Salerno written meticulously on the frosted glass behind a receptionist desk. Of course Arianna would have a plain set elegant reception area.

  Suddenly, the sounds of muffled voices gradually rise from behind the frosted glass. Unable to move, I’m frozen still, listening intently. The door swings open abruptly and I jump forward. Mr. James stumbles out, obviously frustrated as he runs both of his hands through his russet locks. I quicken my step in hopes he doesn’t notice me standing outside of Arianna’s office, eavesdropping. Just before I turn the corner I look back. With narrowed eyes, he stares at me. Just like at the gas station, our eyes lock. Silently, I break our connection with a large nervous smile, before heading around the corner.

  ~~~~~

  My meeting with Mrs. Sanders, who insists on me calling her Maggie, was just what I needed. She has a playful nature about her. She gives a great first impression, with her large smile immediately putting me at ease and I instantly love her. She’s the type of woman I strive to be. Demanding, honest, and witty, she exudes confidence and does not see every woman as competition. She’s beautiful and refined, with her messy brown hair half pulled up in a bun.

  After reviewing her expectations, she goes into her long stemmed career with SHI and through the total years of experience, I’ve determined she must be in her forties. She looks young and carefree wearing a tight black dress with matching jacket and stilettos, pulling together the expensive, but studious look. Standing to lead me out, she gives me words of wisdom before turning me over to my colleagues.

  “Never underestimate others, but also don’t compensate for them either.” I can’t help but feel she is prepping me for what’s to come.

  By the time I’m done with Maggie, it’s almost lunch. Heading back to my desk I check my phone, realizing I haven’t had a chance to look at it since I got here this morning. There are three missed text messages from Cole.

  One first thing this morning:

  *Good Morning beautiful! Have a great first day at work. Call me…miss you*

  And the other two, a few minutes ago:

  *Are you ignoring me?*

  *I have pictures proving we were intimately involved. Do you want me leaking them? Yes, I’m blackmailing you…call me!*

  Cole can be so frustrating. Being friends with him can be a struggle, but these days he’s my best friend…my only friend. I just saw him on Saturday, yet here he is already inundating my phone with text messages. Cole and I were together for a few years during college, but I broke his heart in hopes to keep the friendship, ending the romance. But, I don’t think he’ll ever accept the fact that there is no hope for us to rekindle our relationship. Three years is too long to keep that hope alive. I hate to admit that he’s been the man in my life, even after our breakup. He says it’s my defense mechanism, my way of keeping people at a distance.

  Staring down at my phone, I feel his presence before hearing his sultry voice. My eyes flutter as I inhale his exotic, pleasurable scent. Shit! I have to stop doing that!

  “Everything okay, Ms. Hart?” he questions, as he leans against the edge of my desk. Crossing his arms, he exudes confidence.

  “Sorry, yes of course. It’s just my friend…well, my best friend, I guess. He can be a pest sometimes. And please, call me Elyssa.”

  “He? Your best friend’s a guy?”

  “Yes…is that so surprising?” What’s he getting at?

  “Let me guess, he’s an ex-boyfriend.” He’s smug in his assumption. How dare he classify me with other females, regardless of the fact that he is correct. My relationship with Cole is different and he knows nothing about it.

  “Why yes, he is. So I guess you could say he’s my ex-boyfriend turned best friend.”

  “Figures…” His voice trails off as he glances around my desk with his raised eyebrows.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “I’m sure you have numerous ex-boyfriends willing to take the scraps of friendship while they vie for your heart,” he huffs. And with that, he’s gone.

  ~~~~~

  Arriving home, I grab water from the fridge and slump against my couch. Closing my eyes, I try and take a moment for myself, but I’m unable to get Mr. Sex-on-Legs out of my head. Obviously, he’s absurdly beautiful, but there’s something more to him, something I can’t quite put my finger on.

  Recounting the day, I lift my pillow and hide my face out of embarrassment. I can almost scream at myself over my behavior. First there was the elevator. I can’t believe he caught me sniffing him like a dog. Then, I act like a lovesick teenager, tripping over my words and staring at him every chance I got. Just thinking about him now, makes my loins ache and my knees weak. That scent…his scent…it will forever stay engrained in my fantasies. He already looks like he could make me speak in tongues and forget my name, but there’s something about a man that smells that delectable.

  His inquisition also has me baffled. How can he assume that just because my friend was a guy that he was an ex. He’s right, but that’s beside the fact. He’s absolutely frustrating with his superiority complex, assuming that he knows me based on his experience with women. “I’m sure you have numerous ex-boyfriends willing to take the scraps of friendship while they vie for your heart,” I say out loud, mockingly. What in the hell is that supposed to mean?

  ~~~~~

  Settling down for the night, I jump into bed and grab my phone. I know Rachel has been waiting on pins and needles to find out about my first day, so when she picks up after the first ring, I’m not surprised.

  “El? How did your first day go?” she questions with excitement.

  “It was good, Rach.” That didn’t sound very convincing. Why do I sound so gloomy?

  “You seem down. Is everything okay?” Showing concern for her baby sister, I don’t have the heart to explain my glum mood. How do I explain that I’m pining for a man who I’ve only talked to for no more than five minutes? Or that love might only be for fairytales, Hallmark, and the movies? Especially, when she’s already in love.

  “I’m ok, just tired from a long day. I just wanted to call and check in.” My sister has always had the mother’s intuition, and can tell when something’s bothering me. Trying to lighten my mood I change the topic. “I saw Arianna today in passing, but didn’t get a chance to talk to her; she looks good.”

  Rachel huffs, “You’re probably better off. Keep your relationship with her purely professional El; keep her at a distance.” I can picture her rolling her eyes at the simple mention of Arianna’s name. I guess I chose the wrong change in topics.

  “I still don’t know why you’re so pissed. Arianna has been nothing but nice, and you’re always making her out to be the devil. I just don’t understand.” Rachel has never liked Arianna and from what I’ve seen, Arianna has never given her a reason to hold such animosity. The only thing I’ve ever come up with is that Rachel may have felt intimidated or challenged when Arianna offered to raise me after our parents died. Either way, Rachel needs to get over these unwarranted feelings, espe
cially now that Arianna’s technically my boss.

  “I’m sorry, El. You’re right. She’s never done anything to you, so I will try and be nice. Seeing as she’s your boss now, I’ll keep my little comments to myself.”

  “My boss’s boss,” I correct, and she giggles. I decide not to tell her anything about Mr. James. That conversation can wait for another time. Besides, what is there to tell? He was just being the genuinely nice guy that I think he is. That I hope he is.

  “Are you sure you’re ok? Something’s definitely bothering you,” she asks, never one to give up so easy.

  “Just a lot of information to take in and I’m tired.”

  “I won’t force you to talk about it, but you know I’m here if you need me.” My chest tightens. Just knowing my sister is there, always makes the world right.

  “I know, Rach. You always are. Tell Bryan I said hi.” Rachel and Bryan moved in together a few months ago, which is the reason I got my own place. How awkward it would’ve been sharing a home with a couple who can never seem to keep their hands to themselves. They deserved the privacy without worrying about someone constantly walking in on them.

  “I’ll tell him. Love you, El! Night.”

  CHAPTER 2

  Tuesday September 18, 2012

  Day two at SHI wasn’t as invigorating as my first, and I’m slightly disappointed in myself. I’m normally more focused, but the memories of my first day are a complete haze. Everything, except for those piercing blue eyes, is a blur. Well, and that scent. I can see now, where I’m going to need my daily dose of Mr. James, just as much as my morning coffee.

  What I wouldn’t give for him to walk in right now, if only to see a small glimpse of my fantasy. Shit…be careful what you wish for! Catching me blankly staring, looking towards his office, I see him approaching my desk and am unable to hide my excitement. I can feel myself flush and can’t bear the thought he knows what’s on my mind. How embarrassing would that be?