sarkattack
Cadet
I'm back! 
Summary:
The assignment: Sending the city’s most eligible bachelors out on blind dates, then writing about how they turned out…should have been easy for skilled reporter like Sydney Bristow. But the first man on her list wanted no part of her article.
Michael Vaughn was plenty eligible, handsome, charming. The wealthy owner of a chain of trendy cafés. But there was far more to him. Such as the beautiful little girl he’d adopted…a little girl he wanted to shield from the glare of publicity.
But the more Sydney learned about this intriguing and very compelling, the more she wanted him in her story …and in her life!
~ Part 1 ~
Sydney Bristow stepped into Aromas, the hottest java bar in Portland, Oregon, and inhaled deeply, savoring the rich scent of freshly ground coffee. She removed her sunglasses and placed them on the top of her head, and her gaze landed on the guy standing behind the counter, studded out in jeans and a red long-sleeved shirt, hair in a short ponytail and blue eyes. He had to be Michael Vaughn. No surprise that he looked like a carbon copy of every bachelor she’d interviewed in the past week for her article.
She moved toward the counter and mentally cursed “The Ultimate Bachelor”, her latest project. Interviewing rich bachelors who reminded her way too much of her heartless ex-boyfriend, Danny seemed trivial. But her editor had promised a fat bonus to the reporter who came up with the best story, and she was counting on getting the byline.
She hated the story idea, which involved featuring wealthy local bachelors in the Tribune and then having each bachelor go on a date with one of the women who wrote to the paper.
But she would interview Frankenstein if it kept her from losing her house, curacy of her ex-boyfriend who bestowed upon her when he’d lost his gigantic trust fund in bad investments. He left her with a lot of debts including hefty mortgage payments on the house they had bought together. The bank told her that if she couldn’t make the payments anymore, they would have to take possession of her house.
A pang of anxiety slid through her. She couldn’t screw this up. She needed the job desperately. Frowning, she pressed a hand to her midsection, systematically forcing herself to relax. She would be a fool to alienate Michael Vaughn with a sour attitude before she could get the interview that could turn her life around.
Taking several deep breaths, she manufactured her best reporter smile, determined to free herself from the financial mess she’d been left in and make a new start, on her own.
“May I help you?” The ponytail man said.
“Yes, Mr. Vaughn. “I’m Sydney Bristow from the Tribune.” She extended her hand over the counter.
He shook her hand. “It’s very nice to meet you, Ms. Bristow, but I’m Dan Fisher, the manager. This is Mr. Vaughn.” He gestured to the man who had just walked behind the counter, a tray of dirty coffee cups in hands.
Sydney barely kept her jaw from falling. That was Michael Vaughn, maverick entrepreneur, casually dressed in beige kakis and a navy-blue polo shirt? He looked more like the cashier than the millionaire owner of one of the fastest growing business in the city.
As Sydney struggled to shift gears, her feminine interest exploded. Michael Vaughn was good looking…very good-looking. His brown hair in a messy, just rolled out a bed look, enhanced the chiseled bone structure of his face. His mouth was generous yet masculine, and his eyes, which he turned toward her, were the most beautiful shade of green she’d ever seen.
His well-fitting, short-sleeved shirt accentuated a toned chest, broad, capable shoulders, nicely muscles arms and a taunt waist. He was tall and lean and hot, and on second look, must too self-assured and imposing to be the cashier.
Her heart spammed in her chest and she faltered, but quickly recovered, chiding herself as she moved toward the register. She wasn’t about to have a heart attack over the first really handsome man she’d encountered since her breakup. Danny had been just as gorgeous on the outside, but as ugly as a worm-filled, rotten apple on the inside. Appearances, she discovered, were very deceiving.
She took a deep breath and smiled politely. “Oh, I see I’ve made a mistake. “She extended her hand.” Sydney Bristow, Mr. Vaughn.”
He put the tray down, wiped his hands on a towel and reached out and shook her hand.
“Ms. Bristow, “ he said, pressing his lips together in a strange scowl.
“I’ll finish up here, and then we can sit down and have some coffee and talk.”
As Sydney wondered about his frown, hot sparks shot up her arm at his firm, warm handshake. She extracted her hand and words stuck in her throat like a glob of peanut butter. She had finally fulfilled her mother’s dream. She was speechless.
Michael pulled his brows together tighter. “Is that all right?”
Sydney cleared her throat, thrown off balance by the fire shooting from her hand into her bloodstream and by how unhappy he looked to be meeting her. It didn’t bode well for the interview.
“Uh, sure, whatever you say, “she said, hoping the warm blush she felt spreading through her face wasn’t too obvious.
“I’ll wait over there for you.” She gestured to a blue flowered couch against the far wall.
He nodded and Sydney walked over to the overstuffed couch and sat down. She took a deep breath and plastered a calm expression on her face. Heavens, she hoped her strange reaction to him was only surprise at finding him to be so good-looking yet so unflashy…at least on the outside. Whatever the case, with her house on the line, this was the wrong time to get in over her head for a man.
But as she sat and waited, her eyes kept wandering in Michael’s direction to watch his capable movements behind the counter. She couldn’t help but notice how his muscled torso bunched and moved beneath his blue shirt as he reached for coffee mugs and made cappuccino.
When he came out from behind the counter and headed her way, she bit her lips hard. Figured. His bottom half was just as well put together as his top half. When he turned and greeted a customer, she found her interested gaze glued to his backside.
“Wow, “she whispered, her jaw hanging. She dragged her gaze away and closed her mouth, wondering why she was so enthralled by Michael Vaughn. Maybe she’d been alone too long. Yes, that was it. Not allowing a man in her life since Danny, who had cut out her heart, was obviously the problem. She was sure any reasonable attractive guy would have the same effect on her.
TBC
Summary:
The assignment: Sending the city’s most eligible bachelors out on blind dates, then writing about how they turned out…should have been easy for skilled reporter like Sydney Bristow. But the first man on her list wanted no part of her article.
Michael Vaughn was plenty eligible, handsome, charming. The wealthy owner of a chain of trendy cafés. But there was far more to him. Such as the beautiful little girl he’d adopted…a little girl he wanted to shield from the glare of publicity.
But the more Sydney learned about this intriguing and very compelling, the more she wanted him in her story …and in her life!
~ Part 1 ~
Sydney Bristow stepped into Aromas, the hottest java bar in Portland, Oregon, and inhaled deeply, savoring the rich scent of freshly ground coffee. She removed her sunglasses and placed them on the top of her head, and her gaze landed on the guy standing behind the counter, studded out in jeans and a red long-sleeved shirt, hair in a short ponytail and blue eyes. He had to be Michael Vaughn. No surprise that he looked like a carbon copy of every bachelor she’d interviewed in the past week for her article.
She moved toward the counter and mentally cursed “The Ultimate Bachelor”, her latest project. Interviewing rich bachelors who reminded her way too much of her heartless ex-boyfriend, Danny seemed trivial. But her editor had promised a fat bonus to the reporter who came up with the best story, and she was counting on getting the byline.
She hated the story idea, which involved featuring wealthy local bachelors in the Tribune and then having each bachelor go on a date with one of the women who wrote to the paper.
But she would interview Frankenstein if it kept her from losing her house, curacy of her ex-boyfriend who bestowed upon her when he’d lost his gigantic trust fund in bad investments. He left her with a lot of debts including hefty mortgage payments on the house they had bought together. The bank told her that if she couldn’t make the payments anymore, they would have to take possession of her house.
A pang of anxiety slid through her. She couldn’t screw this up. She needed the job desperately. Frowning, she pressed a hand to her midsection, systematically forcing herself to relax. She would be a fool to alienate Michael Vaughn with a sour attitude before she could get the interview that could turn her life around.
Taking several deep breaths, she manufactured her best reporter smile, determined to free herself from the financial mess she’d been left in and make a new start, on her own.
“May I help you?” The ponytail man said.
“Yes, Mr. Vaughn. “I’m Sydney Bristow from the Tribune.” She extended her hand over the counter.
He shook her hand. “It’s very nice to meet you, Ms. Bristow, but I’m Dan Fisher, the manager. This is Mr. Vaughn.” He gestured to the man who had just walked behind the counter, a tray of dirty coffee cups in hands.
Sydney barely kept her jaw from falling. That was Michael Vaughn, maverick entrepreneur, casually dressed in beige kakis and a navy-blue polo shirt? He looked more like the cashier than the millionaire owner of one of the fastest growing business in the city.
As Sydney struggled to shift gears, her feminine interest exploded. Michael Vaughn was good looking…very good-looking. His brown hair in a messy, just rolled out a bed look, enhanced the chiseled bone structure of his face. His mouth was generous yet masculine, and his eyes, which he turned toward her, were the most beautiful shade of green she’d ever seen.
His well-fitting, short-sleeved shirt accentuated a toned chest, broad, capable shoulders, nicely muscles arms and a taunt waist. He was tall and lean and hot, and on second look, must too self-assured and imposing to be the cashier.
Her heart spammed in her chest and she faltered, but quickly recovered, chiding herself as she moved toward the register. She wasn’t about to have a heart attack over the first really handsome man she’d encountered since her breakup. Danny had been just as gorgeous on the outside, but as ugly as a worm-filled, rotten apple on the inside. Appearances, she discovered, were very deceiving.
She took a deep breath and smiled politely. “Oh, I see I’ve made a mistake. “She extended her hand.” Sydney Bristow, Mr. Vaughn.”
He put the tray down, wiped his hands on a towel and reached out and shook her hand.
“Ms. Bristow, “ he said, pressing his lips together in a strange scowl.
“I’ll finish up here, and then we can sit down and have some coffee and talk.”
As Sydney wondered about his frown, hot sparks shot up her arm at his firm, warm handshake. She extracted her hand and words stuck in her throat like a glob of peanut butter. She had finally fulfilled her mother’s dream. She was speechless.
Michael pulled his brows together tighter. “Is that all right?”
Sydney cleared her throat, thrown off balance by the fire shooting from her hand into her bloodstream and by how unhappy he looked to be meeting her. It didn’t bode well for the interview.
“Uh, sure, whatever you say, “she said, hoping the warm blush she felt spreading through her face wasn’t too obvious.
“I’ll wait over there for you.” She gestured to a blue flowered couch against the far wall.
He nodded and Sydney walked over to the overstuffed couch and sat down. She took a deep breath and plastered a calm expression on her face. Heavens, she hoped her strange reaction to him was only surprise at finding him to be so good-looking yet so unflashy…at least on the outside. Whatever the case, with her house on the line, this was the wrong time to get in over her head for a man.
But as she sat and waited, her eyes kept wandering in Michael’s direction to watch his capable movements behind the counter. She couldn’t help but notice how his muscled torso bunched and moved beneath his blue shirt as he reached for coffee mugs and made cappuccino.
When he came out from behind the counter and headed her way, she bit her lips hard. Figured. His bottom half was just as well put together as his top half. When he turned and greeted a customer, she found her interested gaze glued to his backside.
“Wow, “she whispered, her jaw hanging. She dragged her gaze away and closed her mouth, wondering why she was so enthralled by Michael Vaughn. Maybe she’d been alone too long. Yes, that was it. Not allowing a man in her life since Danny, who had cut out her heart, was obviously the problem. She was sure any reasonable attractive guy would have the same effect on her.
TBC
