Chapter Eight
There has to be a reason why he is here tonight. Surely. Emma thought as she slid in the back seat next to Bennett. He was a sight to be seen. Tonight, there was no suit and tie. Tonight he was dressed in ordinary, every day clothes. He wore a tight black t-shirt and blue jeans, and black converse sneakers. His sandy blond hair was all around his beautiful face, and the stubble on his chin was so sexy. Emma tried hard not to stare, and tried hard to maintain her composure as her heart rate went through the roof. He had such a profound effect on her, and she loved it.
"Mr Dean," She smiled politely.
Bennett's face was serious and guarded. He did not look happy at all. "Emma"
Emma's excitement dropped. She had a bad feeling this was not going to go well. Was she getting fired? How else could his expression be taken? What was the reason he did not want her at The Tiger Bar?
She sat in silence, staring down at her knotted fingers as Andy drove off. She was too intimidated to even glance over at his direction. Her heart was still pumping away furiously, but now it was for all the wrong reasons.
The silence went on for a good few minutes. Emma had no idea what she was even doing here. If he isn't even going to speak to me, why did he come for?
Finally, she felt Bennett's eye's on her. She continued to look down.
"You are not to work at the Tiger Bar," His voice was demanding. Deep and full of authority. She felt her face heat up.
His choice of words stunned her. He was talking to her as though she was a child. What on Earth was his problem? She remained quiet, not sure what to say. She suddenly felt as though she was ten years old and was told she was not allowed out to play.
He cleared his throat. "Did you hear me?"
Emma took a deep breath and turned to him. "Why? I actually had a great night,"
Bennett's eyes widened a little in surprise, before narrowing."You have been specifically hired to work at The Harbour Room. Seth had no right to send you there,"
"Yes, Mr Dean," Emma relented. She was not going to argue with the boss.
"Is this why I'm leaving?" She asked.
"Yes. It is." He answered bluntly.
Silence descended yet again. Emma hated the fact that Bennett was sitting there so angry. So angry at her and at Seth. Her eyes widened when she had a terrible thought. Would Seth get fired for this?
Summoning all her courage and whatever social skills she could muster, she put a smile on her face and looked right at him. "Seth told me you were in London. How was your trip?"
His steely resolve seemed to fade. Only slightly. "It was for business. That's all,"
Emma wouldn't let that hinder her. She knew, deep down inside that he did not come to get her just to tell her she was not to work at that club. If that was the case, she would not be the first person to get in his car. Seth's words rang in her head. He never speaks to the staff, and certainly does not take them home. This had to mean something. Surely?
"I've always wanted to go to London," She lied. She had never wanted to go to London. She couldn't care less for it all. It was purely a conversation keeper.
It worked. Bennett suddenly looked a little interested. "It is quite a nice place to holiday. If you like the cold,"
Emma laughed, and saw him smile. It was a tight, closed smile, but a smile nonetheless.
"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.
He kicked at the ground. "I apologize for the way I behaved. The stupid questions. I'm tired and I-" He began. He looked down at his converse sneakers.
This was a sight Emma never thought she would see. Firstly Bennett in casual attire, and now this. Standing there, with his hands in his pockets, kicking at the ground, he seemed worlds apart from the businessman everyone knew him as, including her. He looked like he had been taken down a notch. Surely not by her?
"I really don't know where to draw the line between people who work for me, and people I want to get to know better." He suddenly confessed.
He cleared his throat. "The fact that you are both of those is making this quite difficult."
Emma dropped the keys to the ground in shock. Know me better? She suddenly felt faint.
She reached down to collect her keys and opened the door. As crazy as this short drive had been, she did not want Bennett to go home and swim in a pool of regret. She turned back and smiled. Although it was late, and he had mentioned how tired he was, maybe tonight could still be salvaged.
She held open the door. "Would you like to come inside? Just for a coffee, or a glass of wine?"
Bennett's smiled a great, big genuine smile. The businessman was not only gone, but in this instance right here and now, it was obliterated. In his place stood a young, casual, intoxicatingly beautiful young man.
He nodded and walked up the steps. "Thankyou,"
"Emma is that you?" Abby called out from her room.
Bennett looked at Emma, his eyes wide with surprise. She smiled reassuringly.
"Yes it's me. I have company." She thought she had better warn her in case she came out barely dressed.
"You, have company? Who is it-" Abby opened her door, and froze at the sight of Bennett standing in the lounge room. Her mouth dropped open.
"Bennett Dean?" She asked him.
He nodded and smiled. "Hi."
"Hi" She said, and then she looked at Emma, smiled and shut the door. She was gone.
Emma walked into the kitchen. "What would you like? Tea, coffee, a glass of wine?"
"Coffee will be fine. I need to stay awake and wine will only put me to sleep," Bennett sat on the bar stool and leaned over the counter.
Emma filled the kettle. She realized her hands were trembling with nerves. He's in my kitchen, in my apartment. I'll be damned.
"Have you lived in this apartment long? It's really quite nice," He looked around the room.
Emma took out the coffee and sugar. "Not long, about two and a half years,"
He turned back to face her and her blue eyes met his. Before she lost herself in his gaze, she turned her attention elsewhere.
"Sugar,? Milk?"
"One please and no milk,"
When coffee was served, Emma gestured to the couch and they sat down.
Bennett ran his hands over the fabric. "Very girly indeed,"
Emma laughed.
She sipped her coffee and allowed herself to look over at him. He caught her stare and smiled.
His phone suddenly rang and without so much as even blinking an eye, he simply took it out of his pocket and pressed the top button which shut it off. Emma beamed inside. He didn't answer it! Wow!
"There's a time and place for everything." It almost sounded as though he was trying to convince himself. Emma guessed it had been a while since he had ignored a call.
"So your work, you handle it all?" Emma asked.
Bennett shook his head. "It's a family business. I surely could never have amassed such a vast portfolio in my twenty eight years. "
"Really?"
He nodded and sipped his coffee. "We have apartments, hotels, clubs, restaurants, spa's , gyms and resorts all over the world. You would have known that when you applied for The Harbour Room, right?"
Emma looked down into her mug. She wasn't sure if she should feel embarrassed that she didn't know who he was. "I had no idea until Seth told me this evening when he drove me to the Tiger Bar," The place you won't let me work at.
Emma had not even bothered to divulge any deeper in her internet search of him, and had only been interested in photo's of him and not the information. She had searched through images and not the web.
"I see," He replied, and he looked at her with a strange look, almost as though he wasn't sure if what she was saying was true. He tapped his fingers on the mug.
Silence descended and Emma did not know what to say. She did not really want to ask him about work, it was such a fine line to cross, just as he had said.
"Do you have any plans to go to college, or start a career?" Bennett broke the silence soon enough.
Emma cringed inwardly. The dreaded question had not taken long to rear it's ugly head. This was a terrible question to be asked by someone so rich and successful. Especially when her answer was what it was.
"Um, no, not really," If her face was as red as it felt, Bennett either took no notice, or honestly could not tell.
"Why?" He asked bluntly, frowning.
Emma sighed. "It's such a long story," And I really never thought you would ask me.
He looked at her his green eyes inquisitive. "Enlighten me,"
Oh must I? Emma squirmed uncomfortably. Now she had been put on the spot.
"It's really quite personal," Maybe he would get the hint.
He continued to stare at her, his eyes questioning Emma, and although it was obvious he wanted to know more, he was going to leave it be. Emma breathed a sigh of relief, which Bennett noticed.
It's not something she felt comfortable with at this time, talking to Bennett about. Here he was, so wealthy and hard working and then here she was so unfocused and unmotivated. She did not know if she could ever bring herself to tell him the truth about anything in her past. Did she want him to know about the resentment she had for her parents for dragging her out here and forcing her to live a completely different lifestyle? Did she want him to ever find out about Adam? Her mind wandered to the box under her bed, the box she took out every single night. Adam's box. It felt surreal having that box under her bed and having Bennett in her lounge room. It felt as though there was suddenly two people in the room. It was strange indeed.
Bennett finished up his coffee and stood up. He walked over to the kitchen and placed his empty mug in the sink. He walked back out. "Thanks for the coffee. I better go. I'm sure Andy is getting tired of waiting for me out there. Besides, it's getting late,"
Emma stood up. "Before you go, can I ask you something?" She was not going to be able to sleep until she knew the answer to this question.
Bennett frowned . His hands disappeared into his pockets again. He didn't give her a go ahead, but he hadn't said no either.
"It's a work question if you don't mind," She warned. When he made no protests, she continued.
"The Tiger Bar. Why won't you let me work there?"
Bennett was quiet. And then he closed the gap between them. He looked into her eyes and Emma felt that connection, that electricity that she had felt at the dinner party, and when he took her home. Those fleeting moments of being so close to him, that left shivers running up and down her spine. That's how she was feeling now. The car ride tonight had been filled with angst and uncertainty, making it hard for her to read him. But now she could see it in his eyes. Even she was not so naïve as to think there was nothing here.
When he reached out a hand and ran his thumb over her cheek, she gasped. The magnetism was there, pulling her towards him.
"Beautiful girls like you don't belong in a place like that." He answered.
Emma's heart rate spiked and the muscles way down below her belly clenched deliciously. She felt every bit of his touch.
He took his hand away and smiled at her. "I want to see you again, Emma. Can I?"
"Well, you'll always know where to find me," Emma smiled back.
He shook his head. "Oh, I know I'll be the talk of the town now that I'll be showing up more at The Harbour Room. That's not what I meant though. I want to see you like this, outside of work."
Emma nodded, maybe a little to keenly. "I'd like that, too."
The smile that appeared on his face made Emma feel weak at the knees. His teeth flashed white, perfect rows. How could someone be this good looking? How could he still be single?
Emma wanted to ask him but now that he had assured her he would be spending more time with her, she knew her questions would be answered soon enough. Just like she would have to answer his questions, too.
She followed him as he turned to leave. As she opened the door, he turned and gave her a light kiss chastely on the corner of her mouth. Emma was glad she was holding onto the door, because although it was a quick kiss, it was from him.