Zodiac Rising - The Earth Signs: Zodiac Rising, #1

DESCRIPTION

Tori (Taurus)

Tori Bullen loves her job as a financial adviser and she’s really very good at it. In fact, she makes more than enough money to indulge her passion for fine clothes and fine art. The only fly in her personal ointment is her extreme clumsiness. Tori is a bull in a china shop and she is terrified when her mother asks her to buy a crystal vase.

Carter Hendricks loves the fine crystal, delicate art glass, and beautifully shaped silver pieces that he sells in his store, The Crystal Palace. That’s why he’s confused when Tori stands outside his front window, reluctant to come in. It only takes a few minutes for Tori to nearly knock down several of his treasured pieces for him to understand that reluctance.

But when he runs into Tori again on her own turf, he sees that she’s confident in her own world. Carter doesn’t know why, but he finds himself attracted to Tori and intrigued by the challenge she presents.

Virginia (Virgo)

All her life, Virginia liked things neat and orderly. She takes excellent care of her home and herself. It was only natural, then, that she should become a nutritional counselor, teaching others how to live healthy lives.

When Sam Houston walks into her office, Virginia sees a thirty-five year old man who looks much older, a man who is struggling to raise three little girls on his own and is worn out by the stress. Virginia is determined to save this man and his daughters, but it looks the Houston family might be saving her instead.

Cappy (Capricorn)

Cappy Capretta lived her life around Stockman’s Furniture and her dreams of some day having her own branch to manage. Although she handled Stockman’s customers with courteous efficiency, she only knew them by the pieces of furniture they bought.

Brant Dalton was just another customer with a problem for Cappy to solve. When he showed up at the store a few days later to thank her for her help, she found to her shock that, when she looked into those smoky, gray eyes, here was one man she couldn’t turn into a recliner or a pair of end tables.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Description

Tori

Virginia

Cappy

Contact

Copyright

TORI

I can't do it. I just can't, Tori told herself as she walked up and down the sidewalk. But I have to. It's the only thing Mom asked me to get for her fiftieth birthday.

With a sigh, Tori stood in front of the huge plate glass window, filled with crystal objects of all kinds. Just what one would expect from a shop called The Crystal Palace. But Mom knew what a clutz Tori was. How could she send her into a shop where everything was breakable. Breakable and costly.

Not that Tori minded spending the money on her mother. She made very good money as a stockbroker and even if she hadn't, Mom deserved to have at least one wish granted for her birthday.

Maybe Tori could pick a vase from the window and wave her credit card at the clerk from the door. Just like Jack Nicholson in that movie when he was too OCD to go into a shop to buy a jacket and tie. If it worked for Nicholson's character, why wouldn't it work for her?

And there was the very vase, right in front of her. What luck! It was an odd shape, but then Mom always liked the unusual, and Tori knew she would also like the delicate lillies of the valley etched right into the crystal. Lillies were Mom's favorite. Calla lillies, tiger lillies, it didn't matter. Mom loved them all.

Would you like to come in?

Huh? Tori asked, startled to see a man smiling at her from the door of the shop.

"If you don't see what you want in the window, I'll be glad to help you pick something out.

Oh ... I ... uh ... that one is fine, Tori said, pointing to the lily vase.

A woman who knows what she wants, he smiled. I like that. If you come inside, I'll ring it up for you.

Tori knew she was trapped. She had to go inside the shop. It was bad enough that her mind pictured dozens of shelves of crystal crashing to the floor at her merest touch, but the man himself was intimidating. Golden, sun-streaked hair, radiant smile, and the most beautiful gray-green eyes rimmed with golden lashes. The man was a sun god, living in a crystal palace.

And the god was about to let Tori Bullen into his china shop.

Tori closed her eyes, shuddering as if a cloud had passed in front of the sun. When she opened them again, the man was holding the door open for her, his smile beginning to falter.

He must think I'm an idiot, Tori thought, squaring her shoulders for the ordeal to come.

Okay, she squeaked, then cleared her throat and tried again. Thank you.

Oh, my, Tori breathed as she stepped inside. She'd never seen so many beautiful things in one place. There were silver trays and bowls cut in delicate lacework, art glass of every kind, as well as crystal in every size and shape. Vases, crystal animals and figurines, and individual crystals hanging from the ceiling. The way the light reflected off everything, it was like walking through a rainbow.

Wonderful, isn't it? he said. I never get tired of it.

Wonderful! she breathed. But the dust. Who takes care of all this? Your wife?

No, no wife, he laughed. Just me. By the way, I'm Carter Hendricks, and you are?

Tori. Tori Bullen, she replied, holding out her hand to shake his. When she barely missed knocking a tiny crystal mouse off the shelf, she snatched her hand back, knocking over a swan.

Oh, God! I knew it, Tori muttered. I've got to get out of here.

I'm sorry. I don't understand, Carter told her.

Don't you get it? she wailed. Bullen. Bull in a china shop.

Tori waved her hand and Carter grabbed it before she could do any damage to his crystal or herself.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Tori was near tears. All she wanted to do was buy her mother a birthday present and once again, she was making a fool of herself. Story of her life.

Well, then, we'll just have to tame the bull. You don't have a nose ring, do you? he asked, squinting at her.

Don't be silly! she replied. Nose rings are just stupid.

Right. We agree on that. Nose rings are for taming bulls and you don't have one so we have now established that you are definitely not a bull, despite your name.

I'm not?

"Not only that, but this is not a china shop, as you put it. In fact, I find that description rather insulting," Carter smiled.

You do? Tori couldn't help but smile back. The man was really being rather sweet about the whole thing, although Tori knew she was still the world's biggest clutz.

Yes. Now, why don't you show me what you picked out in the window and I'll get it for you.

Oh, no! I don't dare. But I'll describe it for you and I'll just wait here while you get it.

If you insist, he sighed. She was really rather adorable, with those big, worried brown eyes peering out from under a heavy fringe of dark hair. But, she'd nearly knocked over several pieces, and he didn't want to take any chances.

Carter retrieved the vase and carried it to the counter at the back of the store.

Could you wrap it in tissue and put it in a box with some of those styrofoam peanuts? she called out.

Are you going to be able to take it out of the box, okay? Carter asked, wondering why Tori would buy something so breakable when she was worried about dropping it.

Oh, it's not for me, Tori assured him. It's for my mother's birthday. She always wanted a crystal vase and it was the only thing she asked me to get her.

You know, I do gift wrap and I wouldn't mind delivering, if that would make you feel better, he offered.  Shouting across the store was getting ridiculous. This was one weird chick.

No, no. That won't be necessary, Tori replied, beginning to be embarrassed.

At least let me carry it out to your car, Carter offered. Once the package was safely in her car, he wouldn't have to worry about watching one of his precious pieces shatter into a million bits. Hopefully, the lovely vase would find a good home with her mother.

Okay. Thanks, Tori muttered. She could tell he was beginning to believe her. A gorgeous, sweet guy like that, and just like always, she didn't stand a chance. Tori had given up dating over a year ago when her last boyfriend had gotten tired of her tripping over everything in sight, including him.

You're a great girl, Tori, he'd said, but you need help. Get some counseling, okay?

Yeah, right. Counseling. Like that was going to help a physical limitation like complete lack of coordination. Like it was all in her head.

Will that be cash or credit, Tori? Carter asked.

Tori hadn't expected him to be so close, and she jumped at the sound of his voice. Fortunately, he was able to grab her by the arms and hold them at her side, trapping her swinging purse at the same time.

Sorry, Tori mumbled, blushing beet red. It was so humiliating. All she wanted was to pay for the vase and get as far away from Carter Hendricks as fast as she could.

Maybe we should move over by the door so you can get into your purse, he suggested, gently.

Yes, I see, Tori whispered, unable to look him in the eye. There was an open space by the door, and she couldn't possibly knock anything over from there.

Tori dug in her purse for her credit card and hoped Carter would ring up the sale quickly so she could run away. Or maybe crawling away would be more appropriate. Of all her bad encounters with attractive men, this one had to rank in the top three of most humiliating.

And Carter Hendricks knew it, too. She watched in mute misery as he walked quickly to the counter, ran her credit card and brought the package back with the slip for her to sign.

Where are you parked? he asked, hanging on to the box.

That won't be necessary, Tori muttered, reaching for the box.

Rather than risk a tug-of-war, Carter let Tori win, but he laid his hand lightly on her arm to guide her out of the store. Holding the door open, he watched her walk down the street and tried not to rush to her aid when she tripped over a crack in the sidewalk.

Tori knew he was watching her and tried very hard to step carefully but