Devotion Read Online Free Page B

going to go crazy for her. Frank Simpson—”
    “Will be my first go-to with a demo.” Kellen went sardonic. “You holding my hand on this one, Weiss?”
    “She’s going to be mega . It’s incumbent upon me to keep tabs.”
    “I can tell. I’m just wondering why you feel it’s necessary.” Prickles of that protectiveness Chloe mentioned in her e-mail—a protectiveness that bordered on the territorial—went to work against Kellen’s nerves, and mind. “I’m the one you wanted to land this performer—I’m the one you got.”
    “And I couldn’t be more pleased. Get it done, and good work!”
    Weiss left Kellen’s office, and Kellen stared into the now empty entryway of his suite; his brows pulled together. This whole Chloe thing was ridiculous. What was going on with him right now?
    Straightening, he slid back up to his computer and clicked the reply toggle to the e-mail she had sent. He began to type, rapid-fire, knowing just what he wanted to say.
    Hey, Chloe –
    Thanks for the e-mail and links. My calendar is pretty locked up this week, but next week works. That should give my legal department time to craft an agreement for you to review and execute. I’ll e-mail you the document as soon as it’s prepared.
    Would you be available for a meeting next Thursday? I’ve got ten or eleven o’clock available. In the meantime, I already have ideas about where to start submitting your demo—we’ll discuss strategy when we meet.
    Take care—and I’m looking forward to working with you.
    Kellen leaned back and propped an elbow on the armrest of his chair. He pursed his lips as he reread his response. With professionalism and precision, he had restored the upper hand, taken the lead and dictated the terms of what would happen next—like any good agent. That small measure of control also helped him establish equilibrium. A cooling off period from the thrill of this chase would be good. In the days between now and his meeting with Chloe Havermill, he would be able to distance himself from her impact.
    The next thing he did was long overdue, and necessary. He went to his office door and closed it quietly, then returned to his desk. There, he opened the second drawer on his right and pulled out his Bible. He owned several editions, but this was the one his parents had given him when he turned thirteen, and it was precious to him. It stayed with him at work because in his chosen profession, Kellen needed all the fortification God could supply.
    Chloe hadn’t done anything inappropriate or out of line. Neither had he. Somehow, though, this vibration of need was stirring him up and unsettling a foundation he trusted implicitly. His body hadn’t betrayed him, but his heart was straying into territory that was absolutely forbidden—and signing Chloe as a client would bring them together on a continual and intense basis.
    He turned to the back of the Bible where he searched an index of verses applicable to any given situation in life. Kellen ran a fingertip down the list of topics until he spotted the one he needed most.
    Rebuking temptation.
    He sank back in his chair and tuned out the rest of the world. Settling in, he lost himself to God’s word and felt his strength of resolve slowly reemerge.
    But the interlude lasted just five minutes—he knew the span of time because he clocked it on his watch when his desk phone rang, jarring him away from God’s comfort and peace.
    Sighing heavily, Kellen set his Bible aside and stretched forward, lifting the receiver. He shook his head, wondering if he had turned into the victim of some type of mystical conspiracy. “Kellen Rossiter.”
     
     
     
     

4
     
    The conspiracy theory gained traction in the days that followed because Kellen’s carefully designed plans to establish distance from Chloe utterly backfired.
    The agreement was executed and returned by her attorney, so the process of propelling, Chloe’s career dominated a good part of his workload, whether he