Free Paranormal Erotic Romance Box Set by Lola Swain, Ava Ayers

He
had the most vibrant blue eyes, almost violet, and framed by long, glossy black
lashes.
    “Ah,” he said as he stared at Brandt’s car. “I’m James
Verrazano.”
    He held out his hand and finally looked away from the car
and into my eyes.
    “I’m Sophia,” I said and took his hand, “Sophia
Pears--Therrault. Sophia Pearson-Therrault.”
    “Pleased to meet you,” he said and leaned in toward me and
kissed my cheek.
    I moved my head back from his and let go of his hand.
    “I’m sorry. I’m too friendly for my own good at times.
Please excuse me,” James said and bowed.
    “It’s okay, I’m just tired,” I said and turned back toward
the statue. “So, this is Adelaide. Who was she?”
    “Well, Adelaide was a princess in the Nauset tribe. She
resides here with some notable others,” James said and brushed some dead leaves
from Adelaide’s stone shoulders.
    “She’s beautiful,” I said.
    “Yes, she was and still is one of the most beautiful
Indian princesses in history.”
    “Do you work here?”
    “Yes, I do,” he said. “I’m the caretaker.”
    “Surely this is your day off,” I said. “You look much too
put together to be doing any sort of care taking today.”
    “I never have a day off,” James said and chuckled. “I’ve
been trying for many years, but it never seems to happen.”
    “Tell me, do they allow dogs here? I’ve been hearing
barking since we pulled in.”
    “No, they don’t allow dogs here.”
    “There, the barking!” I said and pointed toward the hotel.
“Do you hear that?”
    “Oh yes, they’re the dogs from the gardener’s house.
Guests are not allowed to have dogs, if that’s what you mean.”
    “I knew I wasn’t hearing things,” I said and looked back
at Brandt’s car. “So, you’re from the Island?”
    “I’m sorry,” James said, “I think I’m keeping you. You
better go find your husband. If you were mine, I’d want to keep you with me
forever.”
    “Yes, I probably should,” I said.
    “It was very nice meeting you, Sophia,” he said and took
my hand again in his.
    I heard Brandt calling for me and I turned and saw him
walking around the drive.
    “I’m gonna go,” I said. “Thank you for talking to me about
Adelaide.”
    I looked again at the beautiful Indian princess and back
at James.
    “Better run along now,” James said and laughed. “Poor boy
looks absolutely frantic.”
    “Yes,” I said and sighed as I ran through the gate toward
the parking lot.
    “Sophia!” Brandt said as he paced the driveway. “Sophia,
where are you?”
    “I’m right here!” I said as I approached Brandt.
    “Jesus Christ!” Brandt said as he came toward me. “I told
you to stay! I was worried sick.”
    “I was only over there in the rose garden,” I said. “Did
you think I left?”
    “What were you doing in the rose garden?” Brandt said and
looked over my head at the garden.
    “Looking at roses,” I said and looked over and saw James
standing at the gate.
    James leaned over the cast iron and made a funny face at
me. I giggled and waved at James as Brandt grabbed my arm.
    “Oh, come on,” I said and wrestled my arm away from Brandt’s
grip, “that’s just James.”
    “Who the fuck is James?” Brandt said and gripped my arm
again and dragged me toward the trunk of his car.
    “Are you jealous?” I said.
    “You are one strange kid,” Brandt said and shook his head.
“Come on, I need a nap.”
    Brandt popped open the trunk and pulled our luggage out.
    “But I’m not tired,” I said and grabbed my suitcase from
his hand.
    “But I am,” Brandt said and grabbed my suitcase back.
    “But I am not.”
    “Then I will take a nap and you can do whatever the fuck
you want,” Brandt said and started up the steps toward the foyer of the hotel.
    “Oh, I will,” I said and looked back over at James and
smiled.
     
     
    “Thou art to me a delicious torment.”
    Ralph Waldo Emerson
     
    I followed Brandt into the foyer of the hotel and