ENTANGLED FOREVER

It's worth celebrating". Catheri

excuses to celebrate anything, no matter how insignificant or inc

my hea

, i'm

efore starting a new

r new living room floor amid a half-dozen moving boxes and flashed her

nd she doesn't seem t

Though Leah was exceptionally beautiful and could draw stares and whistles from the opposite gender wherever she was walks into, but Cate, with her jaw-dropping gorgeous

ter. It's just a glass of wine or two. We can hit a happy h

I gestured at my yoga pants and fitted work

o hit t

me laugh. I fully expected her charming Super-star looks to appear on bil

ion, she was simpl

I offered as a substitute. "If I make it through

ng in the new kit

I knew too well that she is a real messy c

I sighed

ick dark curly hair in

ost restaurants would

up a meal

avoid a conversation about cooking. Taking th

let me out to the st

d sounds of Manhattan embraced me and invit

teeming with life and frenetic energy. While Manhattan is a densely populated, 23-square-mile island bounded by the Hudson River to the west, th

d for its year-round mild climate, stunning beaches, and laid-back vibe with pristine beaches and sparkling bays and marinas. It was like a sanctuary, I thought with a feeling of nostalgia. But sometimes in my dreams, I'd imagining living in a walkup in Brooklyn, but being a dutiful daughter, I found

tipped his

ranger. Will you need

rocked onto the round

oe

be wal

was just too eager with a thrill of excitement to

d down from this after

d enjoy the June weathe

o

advice, M

n call

e of the building and its neighbors, I enjoyed the relative quiet of my tree-lined street

lent New Yorker. I had the address and the job,

de-eyed and distracted, but it was hard. Th

avory blend of hot dog from vendor carts, roasting chestnuts, and the sweet, sugary a

nspiring range of faces and styles and accents

ic flow of tightly packed cars was un

taxis with the electronic wail of ear-splitting sirens. I was in awe of the lumbering garba

raffic while facin

and women rushing to meetings, tourists consulting maps and guidebooks, artists and street performers showc

their love for the city as comfortable and fa

ents in the sidewalks with romantic delight

and flexed my toes. New York was a brand new love affair for me. I was starry-eyed and it

my way over to the building where I would be workin

sed on my own merits and that

Grady at NovaSpire media partners, one of the most prominent

, had been rather anno

been less prideful I co

reaped the benefits

red that

th barely concealed contempt when I turned down the offer. "It'll

hange of heated words. My father wasn't

s gonna pay for my da

I understood both men's sides, because I'd fought to pay off the loans myself, but only succeeding to pay one third of it. It was a point of pr

. I'd deliberately chosen to clock the short trip during a busy time on a Monday, so I was pleased when I skirted a s

ender ribbon of sky. The building was really impressive, a sleek spire of gleaming s

de of the ornate copper-framed revolving doors was just as awe-inspi

desk and

t the desk. They looked at me with a slight hint of suspicion, no doubt because I was majorly underdressed, but then one of them cleared m

oor to

I watched people that were obviously in a hurry, dodging the chaos and keep going as if they didn't see it, casting glances on their gold wrist watches instead. I glanced at her in sympathy, slowed and hesitated for a moment, while people either brus

oting me a quick harried b

s no trouble, ma'a

e more, and you c

turned to glance around and saw a dollar no

's one mor

handsome being I've ever seen in my life. The custom three-piece charcoal-gray suit that hugged his athletic physique in all the right places. The fabric was clearly of the finest quality, smooth to the touch, and expertly tailored to accentuate his broad shoulders, chiseled chest, and narrow waist. A crisp, white dress sh

Just.

e. Hit with all that exquisite masculinity at eye-lev

efined, and perfectly proportioned, as if sculpted by the finest artist. I couldn't help staring into his eyes that were a deep, piercing blue and sparkled with warmth and intelligence, fringed with thick

too preoccupied with staring, riveted by the man in front of me.

nd out of place, and his skin had a warm, golden unde

phistication to his outfit, its subtle

item, the attention to detail, and the obvious expense that had gone into creating his outfit.

quickened; my

r breaths. He sme

ng onyx cuff links and a very ex

ced my hand in his. My pulse l

ised the hairs on my nape. He didn't move for a moment, a f

ou all

es, making me feel lightheaded and my stomache to flutter. for some unholy reason, It brought sex to my

ere dry, so I licked t

m f

mical grace, pullin

I was unable to look away. He l

lingly beautiful face, I searched for a word befitting enough to describe him. Maybe an archangel would better fit. He was the kind of

ere on the marble floor, breaking the spell that his gaze had induced on me.

feeling so awkward while he was s

self though, I was mesmeriz

ling before me my equilibrium again as he handed

ht? You should sit

iskly over to where me and prince charming stood. She smiled quizzically at me, as she must have noticed the be

ous and graceful

balance. I'm o

thanked me even more. I handed her the d

For a flicker of a moment, I had the impression o

r. "May I have m

me. Although I made an

brushed mine, sending that charge

ough the revolving door. I paused on the sidewalk, gulping in a breath of New

at the parking lot just outside the huge building an

in embarrassment, becau

overly bright. I had s

mirror just before I we

k look and it had absol

face

rist. Ge

and scol

feel the pull of him, the inexplicable urge to go back inside where he was Christ. I could make th

g my place of work, and I've

d myself under my

nd trucks jostled for position. Horns blared, a cacophonous symphony

ed New York veteran, let out a string of expletives, his fist shaking in anger. The sedan's driver, unfazed, retorted with a

er of the city's frenetic energy. Amidst the mayhem, pedestrians dodged and weaved, their eyes fixed on the

f toward the gym, a smile teased my mouth. Ah, The B

e floor with a soft thud, the sound echoing off the mirrored walls, fell in line. I began with the stretch,

gated the maze of weight machines and cardio equipment. The whir of the treadmills, the clang of the free weigh

My muscles quivered with the perfect amount of fat

oday, Leah ." someone

h a towel and turned to stare int

tense and encouraging, seemed to bore into Leah's very soul, as if daring her to push herself to new limits. A fitted, black tank top showcased his impressive biceps, while his worn, nylon shorts

a little training you could be a real knockout. In a c

ua Thai, Jiu Jit

ga, but the other

teach you. That's my website

Converse sneakers looked comfortably beat up and tribal tattoos,

. You should come by and w

s

itely think

d his hand again, and

"I hope t

*

process. I sniffed, immediately inhaling the fabulous smell drifting around the apartment. I

the counter and two goblets, one of

hatcha cooking that smells so heavenly?

goblet and slid it across the breakfast ba

And hold the shower, d

t one of the teakwood barstools and sat. I

a go w

dy. I'd get all bruised up and that would cost me jobs. But I'

pasta into a waiting

vaSpire media partners building, but then thought better of it. What should she think of

e offered token smiles when they helped someone, just to make a momentary connection that smoothed the way, but him

the cupboard, "you're a sexy, stunning woman.

outright

nose and made

laug

ou'd be looking like

ny tubes of salad noodles covered in a skimpy

u've definitely got something o

sticking out of the bowl and fiddled if

ran into th

be the hottest man in th

" Cate sat on the opposite wooden c

y. I ended up looking li

ar or lean Tall or short?

à Trois red blend, which is a french red wine brand.

hm..Tall.

was insanely sexy. You know how it is-some hot guys don't make your hormones go

in as it had when prin

e with crystal clarity. It should be illegal

the frying of

ow on the counte

ened after he

ged. "

thi

an out of t

ersation? Jus

another

f guy a girl should r

ng... dangerous about him that I

ah, Bad boys

t get to

seemed like an adventure of fun. She's dated stalkers, and cheaters, and lovers who thr

name it, she'd

He was way too intense, cate. Still, I bet he'd

l guy. Just use his face in your fa

out of my head altogethe

any go-see

cour

as she cate filled me in on her latest modeling gigs. Cate launched into the details of her s

in. "I'm actually starting to get some real traction

ed. You're my sup

ve to say, it's been a real learning curve. The industry is so c

no trouble at all in being at the top of her game. She's

is. And you're smart, too – you're not just focusing on the mo

already envisioning her as a sup

ly bulldozing her

iced the two large gift boxes propped a

re tho

ur. He dropped by briefly while you was awa

ons pouring in. Whatever animosity I might have har

?" I asked Cat

ng em up to

apping them,

undraiser dinner on Saturday. A bombshell

part of the family anyways, and you're more toleran

t. Thank God

y hand and tu

et me show y

*

efore pushing through the glass and steel revolving door of NovaSpire media

d gone with a simple sheath dress paired with black pum

that resembled a figure eight, courtesy of Cate. I wore the Gold Rolex t

ut too much care into my appearance and recalle

o hard," I had said to Cate, f

earing a corset and a bustle, Leah. You look li

very funny. I'm just trying

royal ball. 'Oh, good morrow, kind sir. Might I have the pleasure o

ng her head. "Yo

ep you grounded. Now, go forth and conq

day where I was embarrassingly sprawled on the floor gawking at

on the way to the turnstiles. If they had remembered me as the girl the other day, they didn't

vestibule of NovaSpire media partners and before

trance to the

scent-shaped desk saw the b

at unlocked the doors

ican upbringing. Her raven-black hair fell in sleek, straight lines down her back, framing her heart-shaped face and bright, expressive brown eyes. A smattering of light freckles across the b

h. First da

I feel ki

ike an overcaring mother. "Jonathan's not yet in,

ception desk all the way to the end, where I made another left turn

and I went st

sonalize my space and I pulled them out. One was a framed collage of three photos-me and Cate on Torrey pines state beach, San Diego and the second was my mom and his brother

e two water colors. I admired the color palette momentarily before

mornin

he man, who turns ou

rning, M

e Jonathan. Come on

asy to look at with his gleaming dark skin, trim goatee, and laughing brown eyes. Jonathan

oise that inspired

r. Against the backdrop of sky and skyscrapers, Jonathan looked accomplished and powerful. He was, in fact, just a junior account

back and

ew apartment,

o ask. There was a casualness about him that made me like him right

ied. "Just a few more stuffs to

west side already. It's like an

r and the air is dry. Great

lot more people, crazy traffic, noisier

stant, so we'll have to figure this out as we go. I'm not

ease. "I'm eager

a big step up for me,

here. Do you

e of my major

r my own heart." His s

mind if you helped me figure out how to use the new on

d. "No p

I don't have anyth

back of his ne

I show you

n and we'll g

*

he day passed

a fascinating process seeing firsthand how the various departments picked up the baton from each other to carry a campaign from proposit

office. Leah m

n go out for the drink you

sternness ma

all right.

k "on my way" note to cate. A ding alerted me to which car was stopping on my floor and I moved over to stand in fr

lue eyes met mine. My breath caught and I gas

prince