Torn By Two- Book One

A Shot In The Dark- Chapter Eight

"I prefer summer." She said.

Bennett did not reply, instead he simply stared at her. Right into her eyes. Her breath hitched and she could not look away. His green eyes were so demanding, so sexy. She felt her muscles clench tightly. He was so handsome.

The car stopped and Emma looked out of the window. Disappointed to see she was outside her apartment, she turned back to look at Bennett.

Ask me for coffee, ask to come inside, anything! Just stay longer. She screamed at him in her head.

Almost as if he could read her mind, a ghost of a smile touched his lips.

"Good night, Emma." Then the smile was gone and the steely resolve was back. Emma knew she had merely imagined that hint of a smile.

"You're not going to fire Seth are you?" Emma spoke the words before she could stop herself. She was buying time, not wanting to leave.

Bennett seemed taken aback by the question and he immediately frowned. He gave her a long, stern look.

"Would it really matter to you if I did?" He asked.

"I don't understand," Emma was confused. Of course it would matter. Seth was a great friend. Surely Bennett could see he was an outstanding employee.

"You seem concerned about Seth. Why is that?" He asked again.

Is he jealous? Emma thought. Surely he did not think that Seth had anything on him. "Seth has been the only person who has been nice to me since I started working at The Harbour Room."

"Oh has he just?" Bennett's frown burrowed deep into the centre. "Are you interested in him? Is that why you are defending him so much?"

Emma gasped at the audacity of being asked such a question. What planet was this man from?  He had balls of steel.

"No I am not interested in him. He's a hard worker. He treats everyone with respect." Emma wanted to get out now. She was digging a hole for Seth and she was not sure she could get him out of it. It was time to go.  Plus, Bennett's face made her want to run for cover.

Emma watched as he put his head down and rubbed his face with one hand. "Are you not interested in him because you have a boyfriend already?"

Again Emma gasped. What is he playing at?

"Not that it's any of your business, but no I do not,"

 "Okay," He replied, his head still in his hands. Emma waited to hear what else was going to come out of his mouth. If she thought her social skills were lacking, then Mr Dean's were utterly appalling.

When he looked at her again, the anger was completely gone, and instead he seemed tired, bored almost. A shutter seemed to have gone down. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"No, I'm not going to fire him. But just so you and I are both clear, what I say to and how I treat my employees is none of your business." The boyfriend question seemed to have evaporated into thin air, leaving Emma with this.

Ouch. That hurt. Without even bidding him good night or thanking him for the ride, Emma took her bruised and battered self and exited the car. She had heard enough. She walked to her door. That had been the worst car ride in her life.

As she once again fumbled around for her keys, she felt a presence behind her. Looking back, she saw him standing there, his hands in his pockets. She wanted to allow the feelings of joy to take over, but her guard was up.

He looked delicious,and it was hard to fault him when he looked so good. He could easily, very easily make it as a male model. He just looked perfect in every sense of the word. He was lean, but toned and his face was a joy to look at. Emma could hardly even fathom that not only had their conversation fallen apart in there, but why he was even bothering in the first place.