Read Fire and Ash (Immortal Touch) for Free Online

previous humor.
    Sami felt her cheeks burn while Stuart, Logan and the two front desk clerks watched the exchange with rapt fascination. She wanted desperately to slug that patronizing bastard right in his smug face. What kind of an asshole would go out of his way to attempt to humiliate a new employee on her very first day on the job?
    As usual, her mouth preceded her brain and there was no stopping it. “Of course, Mr. Reid . I do apologize, Mr. Reid . Have a nice fucking day, Mr. Reid .”
    Her audience stood frozen in silent shock. Apparently you didn’t smart off to Mr. Reid .
    And then, t o her complete surprise, his lips twitched and suddenly he seemed to be trying very hard to hold back a smile. “Why, thank you. You have a nice day too, Sami.”
    Logan ’s mouth dropped open comically and they all watched as Mr. Too-Big-For-His-Britches strolled leisurely out the front entrance.
    “What just happened?” one of the clerks muttered to the other.
    “I have no idea,” her coworker replied.
    Stuart burst out laughing then, so hard that he doubled over coughing and one of the clerks whacked him on his back. “Oh…that was priceless,” he chortled, removing his glasses to wipe his eyes. “I owe you lunch for that one, Sami. Damn, that was beautiful.”
    “ Are you kidding? If anyone else had pulled that, they’d be escorted out of the building faster than you can say I need directions to the unemployment office. ” Logan shook his head in bewilderment. “You better watch your back, girl.”
    Discouraged, Sami folded both arms on the counter and dropped her head into them. “Tell me something, Stu. Did I screw up by taking this job?”
    He was quick to reassure her. “Oh no, not at all! Don’t listen to Logan. Reid’s fair enough as long as you do your job and never question anything he tells you to do. If I had to give you one piece of advice when dealing with him, it would be that. He doesn’t like to be challenged.”
    “He doesn’t, huh.”
    “I guess with all his money and influence he’s used to getting his way.”
    “Great.” This was never going to work out , not in a million years. Her smart mouth would have her sacked in no time. There was just something about the man that brought out the worst in her. She was gasoline and he was the match that sparked her.
    “If it’s any consolation, you probably won’t be seeing that much of him. He comes and goes a lot,” Logan offered helpfully.
    “It wouldn’t bother me if he wanted to hang around more,” one of the women at the desk announced. “You have to admit, he’s mighty easy on the eyes.”
    “I get the distinct impression he knows it, too,” Sami remarked, though it went without saying. It was clear that the man was so full of himself he was overflowing. God help any woman who got herself mixed up with the likes of him.
    ~*~*~*~
    Abby Spencer took a sip of her iced tea while keeping an analytical eye on the restaurant’s entrance for the appearance of Eva’s fiancé.
    Fiancé …God, how off-the-wall that word sounded, especially when used in conjunction with her own daughter’s name. Everything was happening so fast. Just last night she’d breezed back into Fremont from her sabbatical in Scotland to announce that not only was she getting married, but she planned on moving to some remote village near Mount Hood, Oregon. Abby had Googled the place out of curiosity. A population of less than a thousand - holy smokes. No mall, no fast food joints, no movie theater…
    Did the girl have any idea what she was getting herself into?
    Mr. Wonderful was staying in a hotel while Eva and Abby had some time together, so she at least had to award him points for tact. Of course, if he was anything like his father he’d be quite the charmer indeed. To think, all the years they’d lived next door to Julian Winter he’d never once mentioned having a son. Funny. She’d never have pictured that elegant man as a deadbeat dad. Well, his