Today’s snippet theme is Mistaken Identity. Enjoy.
An snippet from Conquering Jazz…
Jasmine’s mind raced with the presentation to come as she opened her office door and stepped in. Her hand fell limply to her side as she came face to face with the one man she never wanted to see again.
Jasmine recognized him, even with his back to her. He stood looking out of the window.
Derek Christopher, her ex-fiancé and scumbag extraordinaire. She must have made a noise, because he turned and pierced her with lethal gray eyes that took in everything at a glance. His gaze speared through her, as if he could see into her soul.
Jasmine saw that he hadn’t changed. His sun-kissed skin depicting his Italian heritage still looked kissable and delicious. He still wore his hair long and tied back in a ponytail, as it fought to get loose and fall in curly waves around his sharp features. His body was still all lean muscle, while magnetism oozed out of his pores.
She felt a rush of heat consume her before it turned to deadly ice. Her head was going to explode. She took a moment to compose herself before she spoke. Her voice sounded cutting.
“Well, well. Look who blew into town. What the hell are you doing here? No, never mind. I don’t want to know anything from your arrogant ass. Get the fuck out of my office, before I drop you where you stand. You have the utter gall to show your face in front of me? You must think…”
“You haven’t changed a bit, Jazz,” said a smooth whiskey voice from behind her. “You still come out swinging. Come on. Tell me what you really think.”
Jasmine turned and looked at an identical face to the one in the window. Then, she glanced at the woman standing next to him. She could feel her eyes narrow and her throat ache as she fought to control herself. Before she could say anything, the man in the doorway spoke.
“Leave us,” Derek said, in the same demanding tone he’d always used when he wanted something done.
Jasmine watched as the man by the window, who she knew now wasn’t Derek, smiled arrogantly at her and walked out of the room, taking the woman with him.
The silence in the room echoed as Derek closed the door and turned to face her.
Why is he back after all these years? Hasn’t he done enough? He can’t hurt me, she thought.
Derek appraised her with a hungry gaze before his face closed up. “It’s been a long time, Jazz.”
“Not long enough, Mr. Christopher.”
“Why so formal, Jazz? What happened to ‘Derek’?” He smiled that crooked grin that used to turn her insides to mush. Now, it just made her lash out.
“Oh, I can call you something else if you’d like, but I don’t want to insult your mother.”
Pain flashed across his face briefly, before a cold mask slipped into place. “Still speaking your mind, and to hell with the consequences,” he said in a chiding tone.
Ignoring him, she walked away to look out the window blindly. She couldn’t take this today. She thought she was over the pain he’d caused her. Jasmine felt the burning knot in her stomach bubble. She could feel the intensity of his gaze. She felt so cold. Taking a deep breath, she decided to change the subject.
Turning, she said, “I didn’t know you at all. You said you had no siblings, that it was just you and your mom.”
She noted his surprise. “I didn’t until four years ago.”
She frowned, as he didn’t continue. “Is that all you’re going to say?”
“Yes. Why don’t you ask what you really want to know, Jazz?” She steeled herself as his expression softened.
“What rock did you slither from?”
His look changed to disappointment, then hurt, until finally a mask of indifference covered his face.
“I’m here on business, Jasmine.”
“I figured that, but that still doesn’t answer my question. Why here Derek?” She gestured, indicating the office around them.
Emotions raced across his face. Regret shone in his gray gaze. This was the most emotion she had ever seen him show. Jasmine couldn’t help but notice that mixed with his normal arrogance was an air of sorrow around him. Before she could think about it further, her thoughts were interrupted by his quiet answer.
“I’m proud of you, Jazz. I knew you would make Visions a success. We had such big dreams, and we’ve both done it.”
“That’s why you’re here? To tell me you’re proud of me?” She couldn’t keep the sound of disbelief out of her voice.
A look of discomfort flashed in his eyes. “No. I just wanted you to know that. I didn’t see Mia. How are she and the girls?”
Jasmine knew he was stalling, and she couldn’t figure out why. The Derek she knew would have gotten straight to the point.
“Let’s cut to the chase. You don’t care about knowing how the girls are. Why are you here?”
His gray gaze sliced into her, unblinkingly, as if looking for something. Whatever he saw caused his face to cloud in pain before smoothing out.
Copyright © McKenna Jeffries, 2008.
All Rights Reserved, Liquid Silver Books.
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