The morning had turned out to be a complete disaster.

Lena Hanson dropped her purse and briefcase on the tile floor. Leaning against the counter, she frowned at her reflection. Her delicately shaped eyebrows came together in a solid line over her brown teary eyes. Fluorescent lighting in a public bathroom was never complementary to her light skin tone. Snatching a tissue from her purse, she dabbed away the mascara smudged beneath her eye. She would never get accustomed to wearing contact lenses. Her sister may say she’s more attractive without glasses, but living with grains of sand in your eyes just wasn’t worth it. At the moment, rejecting a pair of expensive contact lenses was the least of her problems.

Lena smoothed fresh powder at the corner of her eyes while attempting to quell her rising frustration. She had juggled two weeks of appointments to accommodate him. She had battled swerving cabs, impatient commuters and bumper traffic to come to his office. The man hadn’t exhibited an ounce of courtesy. The receptionist had been brief and to the point; he was out of the office and would be unavailable to see her today.

Gage McCotter was certainly living up to his reputation.

She snapped the contact case closed and shoved her glasses on her straight nose. The small silver rimmed designer frames gave her a serious, more intellectual appearance. At thirty, she still hadn’t acquired the delicate smile lines that accompany maturity. The subtle change her glasses created seemed to give her the renewed confidence she needed. She was determined to accomplish what she had set out to do.

Lena was intrigued by Gage McCotter.

Her research of the owner of NST Technology had been extensive. He had been characterized as an arrogant intellectual. The recent articles in Forbes and Upside magazines had told of his shrewd, visionary tactics in the new industry of nanotechnology. As the owner of a cutting-edge technology company, he was wealthy and used that power to achieve his ends.

Lena needed Gage McCotter.

Obtaining Gage McCotter as a client would be the coup that would catapult her career as an International Consultant. She had begun to develop a solid reputation as an expert in training staff in foreign language and culture for international travel. She had traveled widely and worked for dozens of companies over the past six years. Listing McCotter as a client would open the doors to the highest levels of corporate clientele.

Lena tucked a lock of black wavy hair behind her ear. Slipping her purse over her shoulder and grabbing her briefcase, she swung the door open. Her stride was determined as she made her way back toward the executive offices. She was going to request to see McCotter’s personal assistant and demand an explanation. At the very least, she wouldn’t leave the building until she had confirmed a new appointment. If it took her a month, she was going to meet the man.

The artwork lining the gray carpeted hallway reminded her of McCotter. She wondered if he had personally chosen each piece in the collection. The works were an eclectic selection of mysterious shapes and mixed mediums. Each piece was simple yet contained a complex meaning hidden beneath the surface. Although she preferred more traditional works, she was drawn to the unusual. Lena wondered if McCotter would prove to be as interesting.

Lena’s musings were interrupted by a deep, hard voice. She had reached the end of the hallway and was about to turn the corner. The man spoke low, but his intention was unmistakable. There was an edge of steel to his voice.  To avoid walking into the middle of an employee argument, she retreated behind a freeform metal sculpture. Her thin white silk blouse was no protection against the cold body of the sculpture.

Foreign Affair -2>>>