Chapter 1
A flash of color drew his gaze.
Inside the conference room, the décor was muted tans and browns. Even the meeting participants wore black or charcoal suits, the only color seeming to be the ties on the men and the necklaces on the women. Outside, the leaves were green, but otherwise, everything was the normal cement colored world it always was.
Dimitri turned his head slightly, annoyed that something had broken his concentration during this meeting, and also frustrated at his lack of discipline. Unfortunately, the flash of color turned out to be a woman crossing the street. When his eyes focused, Dimitri became completely distracted and, for a long moment, he simply stared, stunned. She wasn’t just walking, he realized. No, this shockingly lovely woman was…dancing. In Central Park! Like a butterfly, he thought, not sure if he should laugh, roll his eyes or perhaps call the police because…she was dancing! Who did that? Was she crazy? Was she on some sort of drug?
Even as he watched, she lifted her arms, full out dancing now, acting as if the world wasn’t watching her. She just enjoyed the moment, her eyes closed and her arms fluttering, as if she was trying to embrace the sunshine.
As soon as he realized where his mind was going, he turned away, disgusted with himself. A “butterfly”? “Embracing the sunshine”?! Dimitri mentally snorted. He did not go off on flights of fancy! He preferred data driven decisions that translated into solid results and healthy profit margins. His companies were ruled by logic and sound decision making processes. Butterflies, or ridiculous women who had so little ambition that they had time to dance in the sunshine, had no place in his world.
So why did his gaze return to the window? Even as he watched, the woman spun around, smiling at…whatever. Damn it, now the woman was smelling a freaking flower! Did she really have so few things to do that she could stop to smell something? And seriously, did flowers even have scents these days? He knew that flower farmers, just like most occupations in this world, needed to show a profit. Profits were generated when people wanted their product. The world was very visual these days, which meant that farmers leaned towards flowers that had been genetically manipulated for their color and size. That breeding meant that scent was sacrificed. And that translated into flowers that were grown for beauty, with very little substance beyond their temporary existence.
So, why couldn’t he look away from the colorful woman? Why did he keep watching as the woman closed her eyes, lifting her lovely face up to the sky as if savoring the scent of that simple bloom?
Irritated, he once again dismissed the woman and turned back to the speaker who was about midway down the conference room table. Because of the woman’s odd, distracting behavior, Dimitri had entirely lost track of the meeting. Damn it.
Turning slightly, his assistant immediately stood from the chair behind him, understanding Dimitri’s silent signal. “There’s a woman outside the window,” Dimitri whispered. “Find out who she is.”
Dimitri turned his attention back to the speaker, looking down at the papers in front of him to figure out what the guy was talking about. Even as he tried to focus, Dimitri noticed with approval that his assistant had immediately left the meeting. Good, he thought. He wanted the woman’s name to…? Kolasi! Dimitri had no idea what he would do with the information. Chastise her for smelling a flower?
The newspapers repeatedly printed articles about his ruthless business tactics, but Dimitri didn’t think that he’d sunk so low as to admonish someone for recognizing beauty in the world.
Had he?
Me tipota, he thought as he shifted in the leather chair. Kolasi, if someone wanted to dance in the street or stop and smell a dekara flower, go for it. So, why had he sent his assistant to look for the woman? For what purpose? Surely, he wasn’t planning to chide her.
Ochi, he didn’t want to do anything with the information. He wanted the woman’s identity to…!
Take her out to dinner leapt to mind, but he dismissed the thought. The woman traipsing across the stone courtyard wasn’t his type. He preferred statuesque blonds. The woman in the colorful outfit was a brunette. Plus, she was short. At six feet, three inches, Dimitri preferred tall women who would fit into his life, and his arms, more easily. Also, the woman was too colorful. Where the hell had she gotten such an outlandish outfit anyway? Red, green, and yellow…not to mention, patterns. Had she taken scraps from several other dresses and just…patched them all together? Granted, the dress had hugged her lush figure perfectly, but still, it was too loud for his personal taste.
The woman had been the complete opposite of his normal female companions.
Dimitri realized that the speaker had stopped, and the whole room was silent. Everyone waiting for his reaction. Unfortunately, he’d been too distracted to remember what the hell the meeting was about!
“I’ll get back to you,” he snapped, furious with himself. He’d lost his concentration and now he had no idea what the man had been presenting for the last fifteen minutes.
Dimitri wasn’t going to admit that to the meeting participants though. He had a reputation as being a true bastard when it came to business. If he admitted that he’d been entranced…and yes, that was the only word to describe it…if anyone knew that some butterfly-like woman had distracted him from this meeting…the press would hound her. They would hunt her down and reveal her secrets to the world. His competition would revel in the news that Dimitri could be distracted by a woman who stopped to smell flowers!
With disgust, he walked out of the meeting, straightening his immaculate cuffs distractedly.
Pepper jerked at the sound of someone calling out. When a tall, thin man with a frantic look about him waved, she stopped and smiled. “Are you talking to me?” she asked, trying to place the man. She met many people in her line of business, but she was absolutely horrible with names.
“Yes! Hold on…” he gasped, coming to a stop beside her and bracing his hands on his knees. He took in huge gulps of air as he tried to slow his breathing.
Pepper noticed that his tie was askew, but considering how frazzled the man seemed, she didn’t bother to mention it.
“How can I help you?” she asked politely, praying that she hadn’t forgotten his name.
Straightening, he took one more lung-full of oxygen, then smiled politely. “My employer wanted to get your contact information,” he explained, then brought his pen and notebook forward, waiting expectantly.
Pepper pulled back, surprised by such a request. “My contact information?” she repeated. “Um…why?”
The man seemed just as confused as she was. “He…” he trailed off helplessly for a moment before rallying. “My employer is Dimitri Bosalis,” he concluded, and waited, his pen still poised.
Pepper waited for more information, but when the slight man just looked expectantly at her, she shook her head, still confused. “I’m sorry, but should I know this Bosalis fellow? His name doesn’t…” she paused. “Wait. Didn’t Bosalis Industries just buy that big pharmaceutical company last month?”
The thin man smiled, relieved that Pepper recognized his employer’s name. “Yes! Yes, that was him. It was a complicated buy out and I was thrilled when everything finally came together. My employer worked very hard on that deal. The company will be profitable once Mr. Bosalis fixes the issues in the management chain. Plus, the company’s components will work well with many of his other companies.”