Chapter and Verse Read Online Free PDF

off my radar, you may as well be in Siberia.  I don’t date ego maniacs, much less fall in love with them.  Your virtue is safe with me, no worries.  Should I decide to accept this assignment, I’ll be in touch within the next few days.  If you don’t hear from me by Friday, find yourself another biographer.  If that should be the case, make sure it’s a male and ask him the ‘gay’ question.  God forbid he should fall in love with you.  Have a pleasant afternoon.”
    I turned towards the door and almost made my getaway.  Almost, but not quite.
    “ Dorothy?”
    I stopped although I don’t know why.  Maybe it was the tone of his voice, maybe it was curiosity.  Whatever it was, I didn’t look at him.  I remained in place with one hand on the doorknob, waiting.
    “ You’ve got forty-eight hours to make your decision.  If I offended you, I apologize, but put yourself in my position before you judge me.  I’ll call you on Wednesday.  You may go.”
    The bastard dismissed me.  He dismissed me.  I knew I was two steps away from making him eat the messenger bag I loved, so I made my escape before I needed a lawyer and bail money.
     
    His P.A., Miranda, plastered a phoney smile on her face as I stormed past and I couldn’t help but wonder if his “don’t fall in love with me” policy extended to her as well.  What a dick.  I smiled to myself at that revelation and kept on walking.  I punched the elevator button with more force than was necessary and it opened immediately.  I stepped inside and pressed one.
    It stopped on the fourth floor and a man with chestnut colored hair and sky blue eyes got on alone.  He was also in a three-piece suit that probably cost more than my last book deal.  He was grinning and I knew those same dimples were not coincidental.  He held out his hand and once again, I extended mine in response.  I needed to work on that “good manners” thing.
    “ Anton Sloan.  You’re Dorothy Lincoln.  I’d know your face anywhere.  It’s wonderful to meet you Dorothy, I’m a huge fan.”
    Okay, that took me by surprise.  He pressed three and kept on talking.
    “ I assume you’re here to meet my brother Deke.”
    I kept my face forward but I clenched my hands into fists in response.
    “ Oh we met alright.”
    Anton’s grin grew wider and his eyes twinkled at my response.  Great.  I needed another asshole named Sloan in my life.
    “ Don’t let him get to you.  He’s actually a very likable guy once you get to know him.  Trust me.  I’ve known him all my life.”
    I turned to him abruptly and he took a step back at my expression, his smile faltering for a moment.
    “ Really?  Is that a fact?  That’s funny Anton.  May I call you Anton?  I find that likable guys usually get to know me before they demand that I don’t ‘fall in love’ with them.”
    “ Are you shittin’ me?  He actually SAID that?  What a dick.”
    I found a smile I needed and actually started to laugh.  Anton joined me as the elevator door opened on the third floor.  He put his hand on the small of my back, surprising but not offending me, and led me out into the lobby.
    “ Before you chuck him to the curb, give Pierce and I a chance to plead his case.  He’s as abrupt as he is charming, but where women are concerned, he’s been burned one too many times.  He doesn’t believe in love or even the concept of love.  That may sound cold, but he has his reasons.”
    He was leading me to an area that seemed as deserted as the rest of the building, but I sensed activity on the other side of a door that we stopped in front of.  He turned the knob and ushered me inside.
    “ Anton, I don’t care what his reasons are.  To make assumptions like that when he doesn’t know anything about me, is just plain rude.  I’ll tolerate a lot of things, but rudeness isn’t one of them.”
    We continued through an open area and stopped in front of another large, expensive looking door.  He