Content Includes: #eroticromance, #contemporary #MF.
Blurb
Sal Aguero, known as "Hard-Hearted Sal," the Senior Editor of Calisto, a cutting edge, controversial magazine, has fought his attraction to Toni Fallon, a talented, very pretty, graphic artist who works for him. Toni has secretly lusted after her very attractive boss for months, never expecting that her fantasy could ever materialize into reality.
When Sal unexpectedly runs into Toni outside the office, "politically correct" doesn't enter the equation, and "graphic" can't begin to describe the sizzling electricity that sparks between them. Can they manage to keep business separate from their passion for each other, and not become the latest hot topic of office gossip?
Just when it looks like Toni and Sal can make their relationship work, other liaisons come to light that could destroy forever the chance at happiness they've found with each other...
Excerpt
His vow to ignore the attraction for her lasted all of twenty-four hours. By Sunday night he couldn’t find it in himself to disregard the suffocating, unconsummated need to be with her. To know her, and not solely in the Biblical sense.
Was it his instinctual predatory male ego that rose to some hidden agenda? Up until recently the concentrated focal point of his life was to advance his career—women and the whole emotional roller coaster involved in any kind of committed relationship—didn’t figure into the equation. At least not in any prominent way.
Constantly driven to succeed in a tough, unforgiving business, and using the ability to rein in his emotions to get the job done, brought him to where he was today. At the top of his profession. It was satisfying, everything he wanted. Until fate dropped Toni Fallon into his path.
Where his career once filled all the important facets of his life, now it wasn’t enough. He was restless, aware of an emptiness which hadn’t been evident before. It wasn’t difficult to identify the problem. She stared him in the face every day.
By Tuesday, he was fed up watching what seemed like every other male in the damned office sidle up to her desk.
Again.
Still.
For weeks he’d observed the traditional mating game; gifts appearing on her desk, like ancient offerings to the goddesses, attempting to woo her, declaring their interest. Every time another male approached her, his breathing halted somewhere in the vicinity of his gut, while he speculated on their chances of success. As he kicked himself for not staking a claim himself.
When he’d first encountered her, she’d been a sad-eyed, lost waif. Intuition suggested she was on the rebound from a broken relationship, and he’d kept his distance. He’d watched her metamorphose from the hungry, desperate woman he’d first met to someone with spirit and a quiet self-confidence, determined to succeed. Her eyes were now clear, a hint of humor and feisty determination residing at the fringe. The combination only made his desire for her burn fiercer.
His role as observer had become tedious. Silently, he thanked the powers that be every time he saw her turn down another would-be suitor. He waited with baited breath as with a pretty smile, and gentle laugh, she thanked and then sent them on their way empty-handed. Then, he could breath again.
He’d always known it would take more than the obvious to woo a fey creature like Toni. And, by God, he promised himself, he’d be the one making the offer she wouldn’t refuse.
Where and when? What’s it going to cost me? Sal felt the grin on his face spread ear to ear as he read Toni’s response.
Gotcha! He leaned back in his chair, hands cupped behind his head, as he savored the sweet taste of success.
