Chapter Three
Magnus
I sit in my office, the view of the city sprawling out below me, a testament to the empire I’ve build from nothing. My assistant has long ago left for a doctor appointment after delivering my latest reports, and now I find myself staring at the stack of papers in front of me without really seeing them. No, I can’t think of work when my mind keeps drifting back to the quaint library in a small town not far from where I am now. It all has to do with one certain woman I haven’t been able to keep my thoughts away from for nearly a year now.
Piper Covington. Never before have I slept with a woman, then craved her after. I’ve told myself the feeling will go away, told myself the chemistry was good, but it wasn’t that good. I now know I’ve been lying to myself. Being in the same room with her again sent a jolt through my body unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. I want her again. I just wonder how long it will take to purge her from my system. I’ve never found someone I want to keep around.
This isn’t a fact I’m proud of. It’s also something that breaks my mother’s heart. I don’t want to be an asshole, but I also value myself enough I’m not willing to settle for something less than exceptional. If I could find a woman I can’t live without, I won’t let her go. Could it be this woman I met a year ago? It seems impossible.
Even knowing this, Piper’s name is lingering in my thoughts like a melody that I can’t shake. A year ago when she drove me around for business I couldn’t stop my fascination with the woman, and seeing her again just proves that there’s something about her that’s unsettling. I’m not used to feeling this way. Women always fall all over themselves for me, vying to get my attention, but not this woman. She’s different — cheerful, helpful, yet seemingly uninterested in any advances from me. I do know how to shake her though, and what a ride that is. She wants to be swept off her feet, and I might just be the man who can do it.
I kick back and lean in my chair, running a hand through my hair. A smile lights my face, not something too many people get to see. I haven’t ever felt this intrigued by a woman. It might bother me, but not enough to stay away. I’m a self-made billionaire, used to control and certainty in my life. I don’t do whims. My life’s built on calculated risks and strategic moves, not whims and distractions. It doesn’t matter though because Piper has drawn me in, and I can’t let her go.
I’ll come back to her library, and I’ll see her again. We have something between us, and this feeling isn’t going to leave me until I take it to the next level. I’m sure if I see her a few more times, the magic will fade away. It always does. I can wish all day long for it to last, but that won’t make it happen.
I’m frustrated that I feel so up and down where it comes to this woman. I’m a self-made billionaire, which is rarer than people realize. With tens of thousands of romance books out there with billionaire’s in them, you’d think there are a million of us in the world. In all reality, there are less than three thousand of us out of a global population of over eight billion people. That’s only a third of a percentage. Maybe someday I’ll be the first trillionaire. If a man can’t dream, what goals does he really have?
I grew up in low-income housing with my full Italian mother and American father who met when my dad went on a college trip to Venice. They love to say they fell in love in the water. My father was enjoying Italian wine a little too much and fell into the canal and my mother dove in to rescue him. I still smile when I think of their story. It was love at first sight. He came home with a wife and a son nine months later. My sister joined us two years after that. My dad took over the family logging business, and when it was shut down, we lost everything. He never stopped working hard and my mother was his entire life. I still miss the man who shaped me. Luckily, I still have my mother and sister who keep me grounded.
I knew from the age of ten though, that I was never going to live in poverty. I grew up in a happy home with thrift store clothing and a lot of love. I wanted to provide the world for my family and that motivated me to work hard. I made my first million my freshman year of college. By the time I graduated I was a multi-millionaire. Now, I’m thirty-two years old, own several companies, and grow bored far too easily. I’m always looking for new challenges.
I reached the billionaire club three years ago, and this has led me to a life of having very few people I can trust. My mother is my source for advice and love, and though she refuses to give up living a simpler life, she also humbles me. I still have Sunday dinner with her every week. This has always been important to my family, even after losing my father at the young age of twenty-one. My sister, who is thirty, is a spitfire. My mother constantly complains that she’s owed grandchildren and doesn’t understand how neither of us have provided them for her. It always makes me squirm as I don’t feel I’ll ever be a father which is breaking my mother’s heart. Some people are made to be parents. I’m not sure if either my sister or I have that gene in us.
I’ve only introduced two women to my family, and both of those women came up short, looking down on my mother and sister who choose to live in a vineyard in Washington in simple but beautiful homes less than a mile from one another. They both hate modern fashion, preferring rustic, going back to my mother’s Italian roots.
I decide I’m not going to get anything done this afternoon with my mind in the past, and on one single woman, a woman who I can’t shake. It was a year ago that she drove me around for a week, and we had one single night together which was spectacular. Instead of me being the one to walk away, she left without turning back. I told myself this was good. We both got what we needed. A year later and I still can’t forget her.
I didn’t seek her out at the library, but now that I’ve found her again, I’m not letting the opportunity pass me by. I smile as I close down my computer. I’m not going to wait to see her again. I need to strike while the iron’s hot. I saw the way she looked at me, and she might be putting walls up, but we have a connection. It’s something worth exploring.
I get into my car, and the drive back to her small town on the outskirts of Seattle is uneventful, giving me even more time to think, something I normally like. Today, though, I don’t want to be stuck too long inside my own head.
By the time I reach the library my resolve has strengthened. I’m Magnus Carter, and I don’t let distractions interfere with my goals in life. I step from my vehicle and walk with confidence inside the quaint library. As soon as I see Piper, though, my determination once again wavers. She’s at a table speaking to an elderly woman, her face lit up with genuine interest and kindness, and I feel my gut clench. I watch for a long moment, then slowly move forward. Why is it that this particular woman sends all sorts of chaotic thoughts, and raging hormones racing through my body?
“Good afternoon, Piper,” I say, trying to keep my voice professional.
She looks up, her eyes widening in surprise, and a delight she tries to hide. “Hello, Mr. Carter. I didn’t expect you back so soon.” The woman she was speaking to is looking back and forth between us with a twinkle in her eyes. I give the lady a wink that makes her cheeks pinken. I wish I could get this reaction from Piper.
“I like your collection of rare books. I’m thinking I’d like to find more,” I tell her. We both know this is an excuse, but this woman loves books, and she won’t turn down someone asking for her help. This is a full advantage for me.
She gives me a skeptical look, but nods. “I’d love to help. What specifically are you looking for today?”
“I’m looking into ancient trade routes. I think we learn a lot from the past and I’m always looking for new business opportunities.”
She doesn’t seem too impressed with this. “Right this way,” she tells me. She looks at the elderly woman. “If you have any more questions, just call me back.” These words are almost a plea.
“Oh, I’m just fine, Piper. You go ahead and help this nice gentleman,” the woman says.
Piper leads me to the history section of the library. I follow behind so I can watch the nice sway of her hips, feeling a mixture of anticipation and unease. The power this woman wields over me isn’t something I enjoy.
We reach the shelves, and she begins pulling out books, her movements efficient and sure. She must know each and every one of the books in this place. I admire her confidence and her love of the written word. We have so many electronics in our lives that many people never pick up paper bound books anymore. It’s a real shame.
“You must travel a lot for business,” she says as she attempts to fill in the thick air between us.
“Yes, I travel the world,” I tell her. “I have companies in each corner. I think to truly thrive as a businessman you need to be aware of and respect the many cultures we have on this beautiful planet.”
She smiles but doesn’t look me in the eyes. “It must be wonderful to see so many places. I’ve always wanted to travel, but work and finances keep me here.” She doesn’t seem bitter about this, and my respect for her grows. “Do you stop and enjoy your travels or is it all work?”
“I work a lot,” I admit. “But work is pleasure for me so I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything. When I can bring a concept full circle it satisfies me in a way vacationing can’t.”
“I’ve known many people like you who don’t stop and smell the roses. All work and no play isn’t good for the soul in my opinion. Sure, I work a lot, but it’s different because I live in a world of fantasy that feels like I’m playing all of the time.”
“There’s nothing wrong with loving what you do for a living. If you pick the right career, work is never hard. It feeds the soul,” I tell her.
She pulls out a book. “I think this one will be useful,” she says as she hands it over.
I look at the old cover and smile. “Thank you.” I don’t want our conversation to end. I’ve never had a difficult time thinking of what to say, but in this moment I’m finding myself slightly tongue-tied.
“Will you work here at the library the rest of your life?” I ask.
Her smile falls away and she gives me a long look before answering. “Most likely. It’s what I love to do. My job is very fulfilling and I get to help a lot of people. Some might not think it’s exciting, but for me, it’s perfect.” There was an ounce of hesitation in her words which makes me think there’s something she isn’t saying. If I’m around for long enough maybe I’ll get to find out what it is.
“I wasn’t putting you down by asking this. I’m simply curious since you said you love to travel. Wouldn’t you like to go to the furthest corners of the world and find books you might not find on the computer?”
Her passion for books is more than clear, and a stark contrast to the calculated ambition that drives me. I don’t know if there’s anything in life I’m this passionate about. Sure, I love each project I do, but as soon as I’m done with whatever it is that I’m working on, I move on to the next task. That’s what keeps me motivated.
“It’s rare to find people so in love with their job. There’s a lot to be intrigued about when it comes to you, but this might be what draws me in the most,” I tell her, making her cheeks flush as she stares at the shelves of books in front of us.
“I always knew I’d do what I love in life. I want to always be happy. When we’re young, we think we have forever on this planet, but the more we age, the more we realize how short our time really is. I feel bad for those who are constantly unhappy. We only have so much time here, so we need to enjoy every single moment of it that we can.”
She finally looks at me, and the air is charged between us. We have a connection that can’t be denied. It’s real and it’s rare. It unnerves me, but not enough that I’m willing to turn away from it. I’m used to people wanting or needing something from me which isn’t the case with Piper. She’s happy in her life and she won’t surround herself with anyone who doesn’t add to her existence. The feeling of being with her is exhilarating.
“If you don’t need anything else, I should get back to work,” she tells me, once again looking away.
“I don’t want to keep you,” I tell her. This is a lie. I want to drag her away and keep her all to myself until I figure out what this is between us.
Instead of leaving the library, I pull a few more books from the shelves, then sit down at a central table where I can watch Piper. I feel a bit like a stalker but can’t seem to pull myself away. I watch as Piper helps patrons, as her laughter fills the otherwise quiet room. Once in a while she glances my way before quickly turning. She’s being pulled to me as much as I am to her. I don’t know how long she’ll be able to hold out before wanting to see what is happening between us. If it scares me, it’s got to terrify her.
When I realize hours have passed I decide it’s time for me to leave. I gather my books together and move to the front desk where Piper’s standing. She looks at me as I approach and I notice the color in her cheeks. She’s not so good at hiding what she’s feeling. I like this about her as well. I’m not into playing games, and though she’s got some walls up, she isn’t trying to play. She’s trying to protect herself as she doesn’t know what I want, but I don’t mind this.
We’re both in unchartered waters, and we’re trying to swim our way through it. One way or the other we’ll figure this out. Who knows how long it might take us.
“Did you find all that you need?” she asks, trying to keep her voice professional. She isn’t doing a great job of it. The woman wears her emotions on her face and in her voice.
“Yes, much more than I was expecting,” I tell her as I hand over the books. She looks at them with approval.
“Good,” she says, her smile more genuine. “Come back anytime you need more help.” She clamps her lips shut after saying this as if the words have simply slipped out and she didn’t mean to utter them. She might want me to disappear so she doesn’t have to fight her feelings. That’s not going to happen.
“I think I’ll be here a lot,” I tell her, both a warning and a promise.
She quickly checks me out and I leave the library, my mind in turmoil. Piper has gotten so far beneath my skin there’s no way to purge her now. I’ve always been a controlled man, but with this particular woman, I feel as if I’m spinning. I’m letting my emotions cloud my normally pristine judgement. It doesn’t matter though, because I will be back.
I drive home, deciding to skip the office. It’s not unusual for me to work long past midnight, but not today. I need a good workout more than I need my head stuck in a computer for hours. I need to make plans. I’m not sure what I’m going to do next, but slow and steady isn’t my speed. I’m about to crank up the level of operation, and I’ll figure out what will happen next.