Hi people. This is the first chapter of my story, Reckless Longing. I
hope that you like it.
Disclaimer: I do not own CCS and I never will. *Sob*
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Chapter 1
Rain beat against windows of the public relations office of the Oklahoma State Conservation Department. In the silence of her small office, Sakura Li opened the top drawer and withdrew the letter to read it once more. Her emerald eyes clouded. Syaoran was coming home. Why had he written to her? The bold scrawl on the thick, cream-colored paper stirred her memory of amber eyes, chestnut-brown hair, and Syaoran's tall, trim frame.
With determination she stuffed the letter into the envelope and shoved it into the drawer. That part of her life was over. She could think of Syaoran calmly, without emotion. Thank heavens for it, too! Her only regret was that she had not gone ahead with the divorce. A sigh escaped her full, rosy lips as she smoothed a strand of auburn hair into her chignon.
Her thoughts were interrupted when Eileen Weston entered the office. Eileen's sensual lips curved eagerly. "How was the interview?" she asked.
"Fine." Sakura rose to cross to a filing cabinet. "We're going out to dinner to continue it," she replied. She heard Eileen's sharp intake of breath and turned. Did Eileen think that she and Tom were involved? Sakura's emerald eyes studied Eileen. "We'll merely finish the interview we started today."
Eileen laughed. "Don't worry. Tom Perkins and I are old friends." Eileen tilted her head to one side. "Sakura, you said you and your husband are separated, that he lives in Peru."
Smoothing the sleeves of a turquoise sweater, which matched her woolen skirt, Sakura returned to her desk. "That's right." She sat down and crossed her long, shapely legs. "He runs a branch of his father's company."
Eileen's sapphire eyes sparkled with interest. "Oh no! You didn't tell me his father had his own company. What's the name of it?"
A feeling of dread welled up in Sakura. She spoke softly. "Li and --- "
"Li and Associates?" Eileen interrupted. She shook her red curls vigorously. "Sakura, you can't mean it! The consulting engineers for the highway construction?" Bleakly, Sakura nodded.
"But they're the firm you're opposing in your campaign to prevent construction of a road around the lake. Does Mr. Spradling know that?"
Sakura nodded. "The boss knows, Eileen."
"You said you're getting a divorce." Eileen studied her with speculation. "Does your husband plan to return from Peru?"
"Yes, he'll be home soon, as a matter of fact," Sakura replied quietly.
Eileen's eyes narrowed. "Are you certain that you want a divorce?"
Sakura nodded grimly.
"How do you know that you won't be able to work things out when he returns?"
As if forgetting Eileen's presence, Sakura spoke her thoughts aloud. " I've changed while he's gone; I've made it on my own here. I haven't accepted so much as a dollar from either Syaoran or his family."
"Sakura, would you like some free advice?"
Sakura smiled ruefully, in the knowledge that no matter what she replied, she would receive the frank suggestion. Her slender fingers opened a drawer to remove a ledger.
Eileen spoke. "Maybe you're too independent, Sakura. You never loosen up around men. You have too good a figure to hide in this dry old office. I'd put up with a lot if I had a husband who owned a successful business." She shrugged one shoulder, causing the clinging jersey to pull taunt over a voluptuous figure. "I should talk, with two marriages in my past." Eileen glanced at her watch. "It's quitting time. You're not going to start on something now, are you?"
"I may work for a short time."
Eileen shivered and rubbed her arms. "Not me. I don't let the sun set on me in this office. It's creepy here when everyone is gone. We need a security guard in that parking lot. Won't you be late for your dinner with Tom?"
Sakura shook her head. "I'm not staying long."
Eileen shrugged and turned away. "'Night, Sakura. Have a good time."
Sakura called, "Eileen, are you certain it's all right... for me to go out with Tom Perkins?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Done. My little story is finished. Took me long enough. Please read and review. Thank you.
Disclaimer: I do not own CCS and I never will. *Sob*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 1
Rain beat against windows of the public relations office of the Oklahoma State Conservation Department. In the silence of her small office, Sakura Li opened the top drawer and withdrew the letter to read it once more. Her emerald eyes clouded. Syaoran was coming home. Why had he written to her? The bold scrawl on the thick, cream-colored paper stirred her memory of amber eyes, chestnut-brown hair, and Syaoran's tall, trim frame.
With determination she stuffed the letter into the envelope and shoved it into the drawer. That part of her life was over. She could think of Syaoran calmly, without emotion. Thank heavens for it, too! Her only regret was that she had not gone ahead with the divorce. A sigh escaped her full, rosy lips as she smoothed a strand of auburn hair into her chignon.
Her thoughts were interrupted when Eileen Weston entered the office. Eileen's sensual lips curved eagerly. "How was the interview?" she asked.
"Fine." Sakura rose to cross to a filing cabinet. "We're going out to dinner to continue it," she replied. She heard Eileen's sharp intake of breath and turned. Did Eileen think that she and Tom were involved? Sakura's emerald eyes studied Eileen. "We'll merely finish the interview we started today."
Eileen laughed. "Don't worry. Tom Perkins and I are old friends." Eileen tilted her head to one side. "Sakura, you said you and your husband are separated, that he lives in Peru."
Smoothing the sleeves of a turquoise sweater, which matched her woolen skirt, Sakura returned to her desk. "That's right." She sat down and crossed her long, shapely legs. "He runs a branch of his father's company."
Eileen's sapphire eyes sparkled with interest. "Oh no! You didn't tell me his father had his own company. What's the name of it?"
A feeling of dread welled up in Sakura. She spoke softly. "Li and --- "
"Li and Associates?" Eileen interrupted. She shook her red curls vigorously. "Sakura, you can't mean it! The consulting engineers for the highway construction?" Bleakly, Sakura nodded.
"But they're the firm you're opposing in your campaign to prevent construction of a road around the lake. Does Mr. Spradling know that?"
Sakura nodded. "The boss knows, Eileen."
"You said you're getting a divorce." Eileen studied her with speculation. "Does your husband plan to return from Peru?"
"Yes, he'll be home soon, as a matter of fact," Sakura replied quietly.
Eileen's eyes narrowed. "Are you certain that you want a divorce?"
Sakura nodded grimly.
"How do you know that you won't be able to work things out when he returns?"
As if forgetting Eileen's presence, Sakura spoke her thoughts aloud. " I've changed while he's gone; I've made it on my own here. I haven't accepted so much as a dollar from either Syaoran or his family."
"Sakura, would you like some free advice?"
Sakura smiled ruefully, in the knowledge that no matter what she replied, she would receive the frank suggestion. Her slender fingers opened a drawer to remove a ledger.
Eileen spoke. "Maybe you're too independent, Sakura. You never loosen up around men. You have too good a figure to hide in this dry old office. I'd put up with a lot if I had a husband who owned a successful business." She shrugged one shoulder, causing the clinging jersey to pull taunt over a voluptuous figure. "I should talk, with two marriages in my past." Eileen glanced at her watch. "It's quitting time. You're not going to start on something now, are you?"
"I may work for a short time."
Eileen shivered and rubbed her arms. "Not me. I don't let the sun set on me in this office. It's creepy here when everyone is gone. We need a security guard in that parking lot. Won't you be late for your dinner with Tom?"
Sakura shook her head. "I'm not staying long."
Eileen shrugged and turned away. "'Night, Sakura. Have a good time."
Sakura called, "Eileen, are you certain it's all right... for me to go out with Tom Perkins?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Done. My little story is finished. Took me long enough. Please read and review. Thank you.