THE MILLIONAIRE AND THE LIBRARIAN by J.S. Scott Page A

was, One big heartache waiting to happen. How long would a simple librarian who would rather read a book than go to a party interest a man like him? There was certainly nothing flashy about her long, brown hair and hazel eyes (which needed her glasses or contacts for decent vision) that would appeal to a man of his caliber for any length of time. And Tory wasn't sure she wouldn't fall hard for him. She had gotten dumped a year ago because she was, according to her ex, "too boring" and "too conservative." Not good considering that her ex-boyfriend was an accountant.
     
    "Come on, Tory. Do it. You want to get home to your bubble bath and that new novel," she whispered as she picked up the phone and quickly dialed his cell phone number.
     
    "Duncan." He answered on the second ring, his deep voice startling her.
     
    "Mr. Duncan? This is Victoria Price. The Librarian," she tried to maintain her brisk, professional tone.
     
    "Tory?" he answered, sounding perplexed. "How can I help you."
     
    "I think I might be able to help you, Mr. Duncan. You left your wallet in the library."
     
    "Damn. Okay. I'm going to need that right away. Drop it by house will you? The address is on my Driver's License."
     
    Dial tone!
     
    Tory held the phone for another moment, listening to the steady buzz on the other end of line.
     
    He had given her instructions and hung up. Unbelievable! She reached to redial the number, but replaced the receiver in the cradle. He was the biggest donor to the library. She couldn't really tell him she wouldn't do it.
     
    She quickly got a map to his house from the address on his license, grabbed her purse, locked up the library and proceeded to his address.
     
    He was fairly close to the library and really not much out of her way from her home, but it still rankled that he had given her orders and hung up.
     
    She couldn't help but admire the nicely manicured home as she pulled up to his house. It wasn't exactly flashy or ornate...it was just...nice. Not really what she had expected from him.
     
    She grabbed his wallet from the seat of her car and locked the door. She straightened her already perfect turtle neck sweater and skirt as she click clacked up his driveway in her comfortable heels, determined to get this over with quickly and professionally.
     
    She didn't have to ring the doorbell. Lucas opened the door as she hit the last step.
     
    "Here you go, Mr. Duncan. Have a nice evening," she told him abruptly, as she shoved the wallet into his hand and moved to turn back to her car.
     
    "Tory? Where's the rest of my money," he shot at her as she clicked down the steps.
     
    She stopped and looked back at him, momentarily confused. "What money?"
     
     
    "I had more money in my wallet than this. Would you mind telling me what happened to it," he replied in a neutral tone. "Maybe you should come in."
     
    Tory reluctantly climbed the steps and entered the door that he held wide for her.
     
    He closed the door and motioned for her to enter the living room off to the left. She entered and turned to face him. "I don't understand, Mr. Duncan." She crossed her arms in front of her and looked up at him.
     
    "There's money missing from my wallet. Ernie and I were the last ones to leave tonight. You were the only one who had access to it," he told her casually.
     
    "What? Are you insinuating that I stole money from you." Tory tried to maintain her calm, but his accusation riled her. No one had ever accused her of being a thief.
     
    "I hate to say this, Tory, but it doesn't look good for you. Money is missing with you being the logical suspect. I have a lot of pull at the library. Something like this gets to your superiors from me, you never know what will happen." His voice was calm and controlled.
     
    Tory fidgeted. It wasn't good. Her superiors would jump through fire just to please him no matter what he requested or why. He donated a great deal of money to keep the library running. "Mr. Duncan, you must