Torn By Two- Book One

A Shot In The Dark-Chapter Eleven

"Oh you didn't did you? After I specifically told you, told them," He pointed a finger to the door, "Not to let you work there,"

There was a sudden and unexpected knock on the door which startled Emma so much she jumped, her nerves shot. Bennett did not so much as even flinch. He simply straightened himself up quickly and looked over at it, as it creaked open and Abby peered inside. Her groggy face and sleepy eyes told Emma that this had woken her up.

"Emma?" She looked over at her, concerned.

Emma peeked over at Bennett, who seemed to have himself in complete check. He was simply oozing self confidence. Emma couldn't believe it. Even she was buying it, but his chest rising and falling at an increased pace was the only giveaway. There was no way Abby would notice that unless she really observed him. He looked down at Emma from the corner of his eye.

This was her chance, and he knew it. She could run screaming from the room, and Bennett would be humiliated. She stood in her place stoically. No, she was not going to call him out. This was above and beyond- above and beyond everything, but she had to see this through. She was delighted that he was here, even under these circumstances.

"I'm okay, Abby, go back to bed," Emma tried hard to sound in order but there was no way she felt the courage of her convictions. She could only hope Abby would buy it.

She did. And when she closed the door Bennett turned back to her. His demeanor seemed to have softened ever so slightly. Maybe the interruption had snapped some sense into him.

"Why would you think that it didn't matter, Emma? You know it matters to me." He may have appeared calmer, but his voice was still tinged with annoyance.

Emma shook her head slowly, still treading water. "Not when you told me you just want to be friends. I thought that it would not matter anymore,"

"Friends? When did I say that?" The confusion on his face seemed genuine enough.

"At Rock's, on Monday, Bennett. You told me you had never mixed friendships with work," Emma replied. How he could forget something so poignant was beyond her. She had not stopped thinking about those words, and had spent a week wallowing in even more self pity because of it.

"Yes, I told you that. I haven't mixed friendships with work before Emma. I told you that because I thought we are friends. When I told you I wanted more, I thought that's what we had become, friends. Friends working towards more,. I never said it was all I wanted."

Idiot! Emma's subconscious screamed at her. She felt so stupid. But she was also confused. How did one night talking classify them as friends? Yes, he had professed he was interested in being friends with her, but he had left without any contact, how was that working towards friendship?

Emma watched him, as he ran two hands through his hair, exasperated. His voice had subdued, and he was now much more settled down. The fire in his green eyes had almost been extinguished, and his erratic breathing had calmed down. Her revelation had disarmed him, and his wall of anger had been taken down some. He had undoubtedly been expecting a different answer, and the truth had disabled his rage, almost as though she had just diffused a ticking time bomb. Her nervous energy also simmered down, although her arousal still ran rampant, coursing through her body. An unwelcome reminder of just how much she responded to every bit of him, bad or good. It was somewhat frightening. He was just far too handsome, far too appealing, out of her league.

As much as she wanted to close the small space between them, and wrap her arms around him after that declaration, she needed answers. She found herself sitting down on her bed instead, and taking a long, deep breath. That had been intense.