Dangerous Magic Read Online Free PDF Page B

minutes or so, soon…
    “Elissa!”
    She turned to smile at Martin approaching with a drink in his hand, his jacket unbuttoned over the slight paunch at his waistline. His dark looks were little marred by the signs of good living, however, and the thinning hair at the crown of his head was barely noticeable.
    “I can’t thank you enough for all this,” he announced gratefully, waving a hand to encompass the successful party. “June was thrilled. She’s never had a surprise party before. She’s like a little girl with a new toy tonight,”
    he went on delightedly.
    “Don’t thank me.” Elissa grinned. “It was a brilliant idea on your part, and you know I love to entertain.”
    He nodded, not disputing the statement that the idea had been his. A lot of people came up with brilliant ideas around Elissa Sheldon. “Listen,”
    he said, his features sobering as he talked. “I got the word about Evelyn late yesterday afternoon. I wanted you to know I’m sorry you didn’t get the job. You deserved it and you would have been perfect for it.” The brown eyes watched her glinting blue-green gaze for a moment. “Are you upset about it? I mean, Taggert hasn’t been here very long and he likes to do things his own way. He probably made his choice without sufficient input…”
    “I’m sure he had excellent reasons for his decision, and you’re not to worry about me, Martin,” Elissa admonished firmly. “No career ever advances straight up without one or two setbacks, and it’s a good experience for me, I’m sure.” She laughed with an ease she really didn’t feel. Five more minutes, assuming Taggert would be on time. Somehow she was certain he would be. The wolf in him would be wanting to collect his prey.
    “I’m glad you’re taking it so well,” Martin said, looking relieved. “I don’t mind telling you Evelyn’s going to need some help from you for the first couple of months. She’s got ability, but she lacks your experience.”
    “Don’t worry, she’ll be welcome to all the assistance I can provide,”
    Elissa promised, meaning it. Across the room, Dean looked up from his conversation with a woman who worked in Elissa’s editing group and smiled. She returned the small intimacy and was about to excuse herself from the little conference with Martin when the doorbell rang.
    For an instant Elissa froze. In spite of all the anticipation and the planning, she abruptly realized she wasn’t totally prepared for the next few minutes. Quite belatedly she acknowledged to herself that Wade Taggert was a very unknown factor. Unlike the others in the room, who responded so readily to her charm, Taggert had already proved his resistance to it.
    He might want her, but he wasn’t exactly charmed by her, she thought wryly, shaking off the momentary paralysis and going toward the door.
    She hesitated once more before opening it, taking a deep breath and letting the anticipation flow through her. Few others in the crowd had paid any attention to the bell summons, and when Elissa mastered her suddenly trembling fingers sufficiently to unlock the door, most didn’t even glance toward the newcomer. Whoever it was would be drawn into the cheerful group soon enough under Elissa’s expert guidance.
    Wade Taggert, as expected, dominated the hall outside the door.
    Dressed in a dark green pullover sweater and close-fitting slacks, he looked no less formidable than he did in the more formal suit and tie Elissa had always seen him in at the office. What Elissa hadn’t expected, for some strange reason, was the flash of hungry, glittering intent in the silvery gaze. She had known deep down that it would be there, just as she had known enough to expect the stern, harsh set of his mouth and the aura of unruffled power around him because she had seen them yesterday in his office. What she hadn’t fully expected was to find them more intimidating than ever when the man stood at her threshold, waiting to step into her