A Charmed Love: Prologue-Revised

         Tara stared out the window at the busy streets of New Orleans. The afternoon sun was shining brightly and she longed to join the carefree tourists roaming the streets. She straightened the sheer lilac curtains at the sound of her office door opening. She turned and stared in awe at the figure that filled the doorway to her office. Raven black hair fell over the ice-flecked blue eyes glaring back at her. The grease-stained T-shirt was stretched tight across his broad chest. His jeans rode low on his hips, accentuating the taut lines of his body and hinting at the masculine heat beneath.

         "Do I meet with your approval?" he asked with a raised eyebrow and a taunting smile.

         Blushing furiously, she took a deep breath, then replied, "This area is for employees only, sir. If you will go to the front of the store, one of my assistants will be glad to help you."

         "Are you the con artist that hoodwinked my sister into believing this would help her find love?" He stalked towards her, his footsteps muffled by the thick carpet. Throwing down a small pink satin bag onto the battered oak desk and sending a stack of paper flying, he dropped into one of the lounge chairs reserved for guests.

         Tara gently picked the bag up and turned it over, immediately seeing the embroidered letters on the bag identifying it as from her store. "Yes, this was bought from my store." Unwrapping the red ribbon from the bag, she poured the contents into her hand. The scent of rose and jasmine, as well as others, drifted into the room. "It is a very powerful love charm."

         "Charm my ass. Darlin', that," He gestured at the bag with a look of distaste. "is snake oil. Just something thought up by frauds like you out to cheat a person of their hard-earned money."

         She stood quickly, sending her chair lurching wildly away where it bumped, unnoticed, into the cream-colored wall behind her. In her distracted state, she didn’t notice the telephone falling to the floor. "Excuse me? Just what..." Fire flashed in her eyes as she began to defend her store, the thing she held dearest to her heart. For her, it was not only her career, but also her heritage.

         "I don't think I stuttered. If I ever find out you've sold my sister another one of those again, I'll have you brought up on charges!"

         With that said, he glanced around the office with a sneer of disdain before storming from her office leaving Tara stunned. Retrieving her chair, she sat back down at the desk with a thoughtful look. Her fingers swept through her long fire-infused locks. Retrieving matches from her desk drawer, she lit the vanilla-scented candle on her desk and breathed deeply of the soothing scent. She looked up at the sound of a gentle knock.

         "Tara? Are you okay hon?" a voice tinged with concern asked. "I tried to stop him but I couldn't. He just wouldn't stop." A dark-haired girl stepped into the office, gently pulling the door shut. Wringing her hands nervously, she sank into a lounge chair.

         "It's okay Marie; I'm fine." She smiled reassuringly.

         "I heard what he said. What are you going to do? I can't lose this job. I have to feed my babies." Tears began to stream down her panic-stricken face.

         Tara jerked a tissue from the box on her desk and handed it to Marie. "It will be okay. Your babies will eat, Marie. I promise you that. People have long used the remedies we sell. Just because one person does not believe does not mean we must close." Long blue painted nails drummed on the battered wooden desk. "Perhaps he needs to see for himself that a charm can work." Emerald eyes glinted mischievously.

         A look of shock crossed Marie's face as the intent of Tara's words finally got through her distress. "You're not going to..."

         "Yes, I believe a love charm. I think Gran would approve, don’t you think?" She motioned to a photograph of a woman with a time-worn face and eyes full of laughter smiling from a silver frame on her desk.

A Charmed Love: Chapter One  (18+) An old friend visits Tara #1010604 by ncblondie