By Any Other Name Read Online Free PDF Page A

away. "Could've been better . I could've gotten away with it like Jackson did!"
    Frustrated, she sulked down the hall, in no rush now that everything was over. It was in and out within a matter of minutes. She approached the elevators, groaning when she saw a small crowd stuffing into one of them. She paused there, deciding to wait, and pressed the down button as soon as that one was gone.
    In a matter of seconds, a second elevator dinged behind her. Genna spun around to look at it just as the doors opened, relieved to see wide-open space, the bright lights illuminating the shiny floor. She started toward it, her footsteps briefly faltering when she caught sight of a lone guy waiting in the corner.
    Holy shit.
    They stood eye-to-eye with her in six-inch heels, but he wasn't looking at her at all. His attention was fixed solely on a Blackberry as he typed away at the tiny keyboard. He casually relaxed back against the railing, legs crossed at the ankles, his sneakers so new even the bottoms were pristine white. His serious expression looked to be etched from the smoothest stone, his sharp jawline covered in a dusting of hair, but his skin appeared so, so soft, like the slickest satin. A warm tan glow swaddled him beneath the lights. He wore a pair of designer jeans and a long sleeved white button down, a cream-colored cable knit sweater overtop of it. His dark hair was perfectly styled or else effortlessly untouched, and just long enough to give the locks a slight messy wave. The tips of her fingers tingled with the urge to caress.
    This guy… no, this God … had been zapped straight off the pages of GQ and transplanted right here in her elevator.
    Thank you, Jesus, Joseph, and motherfucking Mary.
    The elevator starting to close right in front of her face finally spurred her to action. Genna darted forward so quickly it captured his notice. Without breaking his stance, his eyes shifted from the phone to her, catching her gaze when she stopped in front of him. A trance fell over her as she stared into his eyes, golden splotches around the iris that faded like flames into the brightest blue, like an abstract Picasso painting come to life. A shadowy ring surrounded them, framing the vibrant color in darkness.
    Never in her life had she ever seen eyes like his.
    The elevator closed behind her as she stared at him, utterly speechless. It's rude to stare . Even a kindergartner knew that. But she couldn't look away.
    He stared back boldly, arching a single eyebrow at her, a slight hint of amusement cracking his stony expression. The sight of it, the subtle curl of his lips into a smirk, made her stomach furiously flutter.
    This day just got so much better.
    They started moving as Genna swallowed thickly, trying to get her wits about her, trying to think of something to say to break the ice. Her lips parted, a shaky breath leaving in the form of half a word, when the elevator violently shuddered, alarming her back into silence. The lights flickered, before abruptly, they started plummeting. Her heart was in her throat, hammering hard, the movement nearly knocking her off her feet. She stumbled in her heels, but a strong hand grasped her, stabilizing her enough so she could grab the railing.
    Floors flew by in the blink of an eye before an ear-splitting screech echoed around them. They ground to a sudden stop, jolting her again, the motion making her vision blur as she gasped. "What the fuck was that ?"
    "Emergency brakes." His smooth voice held not a hint of anxiety. His accent was restrained, hardly enough for her to notice. New York, yes, like her own, but it held a slight hint of something else in it. New Jersey?
    "Did we just…?" She shook her head, frazzled. "Are we…?"
    "Stuck?" He stepped past her, the smell of his cologne—subtlety sweet and entirely sensual—infiltrating her senses. "Yeah, I'd say so."
    He pressed the call button on the panel. When nothing happened, he repeatedly pushed the red alarm button. Genna could