Текст книги "Beauty and the Boss"

Автор книги: Diane Alberts

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Текущая страница: 5 (всего у книги 13 страниц)

Chapter Five

Benjamin had no idea what the hell had spooked Maggie, but obviously something had. She’d been standoffish ever since he’d brought her into Macaluso’s, and he’d been unable to figure out why. He’d treated her to the best of the best, and tried to do everything in his power to please her.

Instead, he’d pissed her off and literally sent her running.

And now he was stuck chasing after her.

He had a feeling this would be a running theme in their relationship—no pun intended. He caught up to her outside the restaurant because she’d stopped and was bent over, resting her palms on her thighs as she took a shuddering breath. “I can’t. I can’t do it. I can’t—”

“Shh.”

She jumped as if she was surprised he’d followed her. “Benjamin?”

Apparently, she’d been talking to herself again.

He crouched in front of her and cupped her cheeks, sliding his hands under her soft brown hair. She let him. Something tender, and almost calming, unfolded in his chest. As if she belonged there, with him, and he was only just realizing it—which was shit. She wasn’t his. Not really.

This was all for pretend.

“Take a deep breath. In. Out.” She did, staring at him the whole time, and that quietness inside him spread even more. “There you go. That’s it. Now, slower this time.” Maggie nodded and took another long inhale. She watched him with wide eyes, lips parted, and the trust in her eyes crashed into his chest, punching the air out of his lungs. “Good. Easy, now.”

When her breathing settled into a more human pattern, mirroring his, she pulled away and swiped her hand across her forehead. He fought the urge to pull her back into his arms, where she belonged, damn it. “I’m sorry. I just…I’m allergic to shellfish. And when it was all there, in front of me, I couldn’t breathe.”

“Oh.” Shit. He was a fucking dumb-ass. He’d been so intent on wooing her with fine wine and fancy meals, and waving his cash around, that he hadn’t even stopped to consider she might not be able to eat what he’d ordered. Then again, he never did. This was just the first woman he cared to get to know better. He wanted to learn more about her—like what not to order if he didn’t want to kill her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think.”

She waved a hand dismissively. “You wouldn’t have. I mean, you didn’t ask me, so how could you have?”

Ah, so that was what was bothering her. She didn’t like his take-charge attitude. But that was always how his dates went. He took charge. No one had ever minded, until now. “You wanted to be asked. That’s what you’re saying.”

“Well, yeah.” She blew out a breath, and her hair fluttered. “Of course I did. I’m not some empty-headed bimbo who can’t order for herself what she wants to eat or drink.”

He stared at her, trying to make sense of her actions and words. She was so refreshingly different from the other women he’d dated, who looked to him to do everything, and he liked that about her. Being with her was a partnership. A new kind.

But it also made predicting her actions a lot harder than it should have been. And a hell of a lot more painful when he got it wrong, because he wanted to get it right. Because, damn it, he liked her. A lot. And, stupidly, he wanted her to like him, too.

Like he was back in grade school, or some corny-ass shit like that.

Nodding slowly, he took a deep breath. “Of course you’re not. How stupid of me to treat you the way I did. Can you forgive me?”

She swallowed. “Benjamin…”

“I know,” he said quickly, studying her. She looked a little less pale now. Her red lipstick was as flawlessly applied as before, and she was prettier than a real princess. She fit the part of the socialite so well that he’d forgotten she wasn’t one, and he’d come on too strong. “I’m sorry. Next time, I’ll ask.”

She shook her head. “This…we…you want us to pretend to be in love, but how can we do that if we literally know nothing about each other? What would your mother say if she found out you ordered your fiancée a meal that would kill her?”

Damn it, she had a point. But they could work on that. “So, that’s why you left the restaurant? The lobster? Not because you didn’t want to be my fiancée?”

“No. God, no.” She straightened and gripped her purse tight. “I don’t want to do that, either.”

“Good, because—” He froze, her words finally hitting him. His stomach twisted into a tight, mangled ball, and he shook his head. “Wait, what do you mean? You said you’d go through with it. You promised.”

“That was before. Look, we’re simply not a match. Fake or real, we’d never work. I’ll never be able to sell this.” She gestured between the two of them. “Sure, you’re a good kisser, and you have a great knee, but that wouldn’t be enough to make me love you, let alone marry you, in real life. And anyone who knows me would call me on it.”

“We only need to convince people in my life, really, and—” He cut himself off. She’d said… He wasn’t sure whether to laugh or be insulted. “I have a great knee? What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing,” she said. “But I don’t like this whole alpha male thing you do. It would drive me insane in less than a week.”

A muscle in his jaw twitched. The things this woman said… “What alpha thing do I have going?”

“You take women on dates, and throw your money at them to get them into your bed, and woo them with generic roses. I’m sure it works. I’m sure they all throw themselves at you.” She crossed her arms and stepped back, shaking her head. “But I’m not them, and the waste, and the utter thoughtlessness behind the gestures…it’s all empty. I can’t do it, not even to save my job.”

He held his arms out. “I take my dates to nice restaurants, order the best food and wine, and give them roses. Is that wrong?”

“No. But it’s not me. And everyone who knows me knows that.” She pressed a hand to her chest, which rose and fell rapidly. He didn’t glance down, because he couldn’t afford to be distracted right now. Too much was at stake. “Look, I want to help you. I do. But I can’t pretend to be something I’m not. I don’t speak French, and I don’t want to buy a ton of diamonds, or eat with the French Ambassador, or the mayor. I didn’t even vote for him.”

“That’s okay.” He dropped his hands. “I didn’t vote for him, either.”

She let out a small laugh and shook her head. The moonlight played with her hair, making it shine. Even when trying to run from him, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, and nothing would stop him from chasing her. “Okay, but still. I don’t want money and credit cards and all the things.”

“I’m going to be honest. You confuse the hell out of me, Maggie,” he said, reaching out to trail his knuckles down her cheek. “Most women I’ve dated would be pleased to get a credit card for unlimited spending, and jewels, too.”

She shuddered, but didn’t pull away. “Yeah, well, I’m not most women.”

He crossed his arms, eyeing her with a new appreciation that had nothing to do with their fake relationship, or his need for her help. “I’m getting that now.”

“You want a puppet you can dangle in front of your mother, who fits in with your crowd.” Maggie twisted the ring on her finger and took it off, holding it out to him. “And I’m not that girl. I’ve never been good at fitting in, or falling into line, so chances are I’m not about to start now. Not even to keep my job, which I happen to enjoy a lot, for the record.”

He didn’t take the ring, but he pinched the bridge of his nose. “Maggie, I’m sorry I screwed up. I am.” More than she’d ever understand. “Like I said, you’re in charge. But I didn’t know I was doing anything wrong. I just did what I always do when I take women out.”

“You always give women Tiffany rings on the first date?”

He snorted. “No.”

“And credit cards?”

He held up a hand. “You’ve made your point. It was too much, too fast. I won’t make that mistake again.”

Her lips twitched, and she seemed less inclined to run. “You think I’m a girl who’s impressed with money, and jewels, and fancy restaurants.”

“But you’re not.” He stepped closer, watching her for any more signs of her being ready to bolt. She looked steady, and he had to keep it that way. He couldn’t afford to lose her. “Please, let me try again. And if you don’t want to buy yourself diamonds…don’t buy diamonds. If you want to wear a plastic bag to the galas, go for it. I don’t give a damn, as long as you’re there with me.”

She bit her lip. “But what will everyone think?”

“Whatever they want to think.” He moved into her personal space. “Who the hell cares?”

She eyed him and gestured toward the restaurant. “You do, I’d say.”

“Nah.” He tucked her soft hair behind her ear and skimmed his knuckles over the porcelain skin of her cheek again. He couldn’t help it. Touching her was a drug, and he’d take his hits wherever and however he could. “I don’t. I’m kind of a loner, so if they don’t like me…I really don’t give a damn.”

She couldn’t actually come to his galas in a bag, but he knew she wouldn’t, so they’d be fine. She had more fashion sense than that. She just needed a minute to breathe. To accept it all. He’d had a lifetime to acclimate to a certain lifestyle. She’d had a day.

“Tell you what. How about this?” He tugged on her hair before letting go. It was harder to release that small piece of her than it should have been. “You pick the next ‘date.’ Show me what you like to do, so I’ll know what to plan when it’s my turn again.”

She stepped a little closer, and he knew he had her. That she wasn’t going anywhere. “When?”

“Whenever, and wherever, you’d like.” He held his hand out to her. She didn’t turn away. “Put the ring back on and give me one more chance.”

She hesitated, but slipped the ring back onto her finger, and then slid her hand into his. “Okay.”

He felt a surge of satisfaction that had nothing to do with tricking his mother into believing this was real. For whatever reason it might be—stubbornness, attraction, or something else entirely—he didn’t want to let Maggie go.

Metaphorically or physically. But he did it anyway. He dropped his hold on her after one good shake. “Then it’s set. How about we go back in, and you can order what you want this time?”

“I’d love that, Mister—” She cut off, smiling at him. And when she did that, the breath punched out of his chest again. “Benjamin.”

He’d never wanted to kiss someone so damn badly as he did Maggie, just then, under the full moon. If he curled his hand behind her neck, burying his fingers in her long brown hair, and slowly tugged her closer, would she fight him? Or would her gray eyes widen and her lips part in anticipation as he closed in on her mouth, one slow breath at a time?

A cab honked behind them, and he shook his head, shaking off the fantasy. She’d made it quite clear she didn’t want to touch him unless absolutely necessary. “After you.”

She went past him, leaving behind the tantalizing scent of flowers and vanilla. He followed her, doing his best not to stare at her swinging ass. But in that dress, it was impossible. It embraced her curves like a second skin, and she had to be aware of it. He sure as hell was.

As she sat down at their table, he picked up the plates of lobster, carried them to the waiter and whispered, “We need to start over, please. Bring the menus…and an…uh…appletini? Is that a real thing?”

The waiter bowed. “Yes, sir, it is.”

“Great. Thank you.” Benjamin straightened his jacket and walked over to the table, his heart beating in tandem with each step he took toward her. The more time he spent with her, the more he realized that, this game they played with one another? It wasn’t in his control at all. And that was a sobering thought. He wasn’t a man who relinquished control easily. “Our menus are coming.”

She smiled at him, making those damn freckles of hers dance. “Excellent.”

He settled into his seat and tugged on his jacket sleeves uncomfortably. It was hot as Hades in here. He’d give a leg to take the thing off, but he couldn’t. She might not want a fancy first date, but he wasn’t about to remove his jacket in a five-star restaurant.

And for the first time ever, he had no idea what to say to a woman. All his normal topics would fall flat with Maggie, just as his earlier tactics had. She unsettled him.

He wasn’t sure how to feel about that yet.

“By the way…” She eyed the credit card in the middle of the table. “You can take that back now.”

“You don’t want it, but hear me out.” He leaned in, and she did the same. The way she stared at him, all wide eyes and parted lips, tested his resolve to keep his hands to himself. “There truly will be a lot of events, and you’ll need clothes of some sort to wear—it doesn’t have to be designer, but you’ll need something. Do you have a whole closet of ball gowns?”

She hesitated before shaking her head. “No.”

“So take it. I don’t want you struggling to buy dresses for events you’re only attending because of me.” He shrugged, but he could see he was already winning the argument. “Use it for emergencies when you have nothing that will work.”

For a while, she didn’t move. “I’ll take it, but I’ll only buy what I absolutely need to.”

He nodded, taking the win.

It still baffled him that she’d refused money for her participation in the charade, and had actually been insulted at the mere suggestion. Maggie was an enigma he’d never unravel. She seemed too good to be real. In his life, when something presented as too good to be true—it usually wasn’t. “Good.”

“You said I’m the boss, but I don’t want to be. I want this to be an equal partnership.” She offered him a small smile. “Like a real relationship, basically.”

Again, he nodded. “Deal. What else?”

She tapped her finger to her chin. “Let’s see. We already covered the no kissing part…”

He held a hand up. “Until you ask me to, that is. Then that rule is out the damn window, where it belongs.”

“That’s not going happen, but I’ll accept your terms, if that makes you feel better.”

She’d lit up once they started talking rules. It was clear she liked setting up boundaries as much as he thought he’d enjoy crossing them. “I respect that, and I respect your clause about keeping things businesslike. Just like I appreciate your acceptance of my addendum.” He lifted his glass in a toast to her. “Was that professional enough for you?”

She blinked at him, taken aback by something. He wasn’t sure what, till he realized he was smiling again. When he was with her, it was a lot harder to hide the happy person he used to be, to keep the controlled, robotic appearance up at all times. Around her, he wanted to be himself, and…

It was a lot harder to act like his father.

He quickly erased the smile and cleared his throat, tugging on his tie again. She stared at his chest, swallowing hard. “Well? Are we good to go?”

“Yeah,” she said, shifting in her seat and nibbling on her lip. “We’re good.”

They stared at one another, the tension between them building.

He swallowed a gulp of wine, set it down, and leaned in again. She did the same. It would be so easy to close the distance between them and kiss her like they both wanted. But she wasn’t ready, and he was a patient man. Even so, he couldn’t resist saying, “Just for the record? I reserve the right to do my damnedest to change your mind about the no kissing thing, with every weapon in my arsenal, until you’re begging me to fuck you.”

Her nostrils flared, and she reared back, breathing heavily. She pressed a hand to her stomach. “Benjamin.”

“And trust me.” He settled into his chair and eyed her. “It’s just a matter of time. Once I set my mind on something, I always win.”

A nervous laugh escaped her. “Think what you want, but I never beg. And even if I did? I’ve already seen your moves, and they don’t work on me.”

He set his glass down. “Challenge accepted.”

“Oh, hold up.” She shook her head, looking more alive than he’d ever seen her. “I didn’t lay down a challenge. I would never challenge a man like you.”

“Sure you did. I heard it, loud and clear.” The waiter came up behind her, carrying a frothy green concoction of a drink. “Ah. Here’s your appletini, darling.”

“My—? I didn’t order one yet.”

He lifted a shoulder. “Nope, but I did.”

“But—” She glanced over her shoulder and then slowly turned back to him. “You remembered I said I wanted one?”

“I did.” He reached out and covered her hand. It trembled beneath his, and she shifted her legs under the table, her knee brushing his. “From now on, I’ll always remember what you tell me. I’ll be waiting, planning, and finding your weaknesses, until you finally accept what I accepted the second you kissed me and called me yours—that we belong together, naked, in a bed.”

She eyed him with a mixture of excitement, desire, and wariness. It was a feeling he was all too familiar with, because it was exactly how she made him feel. After the drink was placed in front of her, she considered it with a small smile. “I underestimated you, Benjamin.”

“That’s okay. I did the same thing to you.”

She tipped her head to the side. “But not anymore?”

“You bet your pretty little ass I won’t do it again. Like I said, I plan on using every weapon I can against you, till I win.” He casually entwined his fingers with hers as the waiter laid down their menus. It was absurd how fucking right it felt to hold her hand. After they were alone again, he waited until she lifted the glass to her lips and took a sip before he added, “Including my magical knee.”

She snorted, which was unfortunate since she was in the process of swallowing. She inhaled the liquid, her face reddening as she set the drink down, coughing and cursing him in between breaths. “I. Will. Kill. You.”

He laughed, pressing a hand to his stomach as she glowered at him and wiped her mouth. He killed the laugh off quickly, but he couldn’t bring himself to regret the rare show of emotion. She stared at him as if he was a ghost, but he didn’t care.

That had been way too much fun.

“Keep trying, if you wish, but no one else has succeeded yet.”

“Oh, but I know things.” She gripped the table with her free hand and waggled her brows. It didn’t escape his notice that she hadn’t pulled free of his touch yet. “Lots of things.”

He cocked a brow and ran his thumb over the backs of her knuckles. “So do I.”

She laughed and lifted her glass again, and he realized he’d smiled more in this short timespan with Maggie than he had all the rest of the night, while he tried to be what he thought she’d want him to be. Now that he was relaxing, and being himself instead of a shallow copy of his father…

It was actually fun. Imagine that.

“To winning?” she asked, holding up her glass.

“To you losing,” he countered, clinking his to hers. “And us both being completely satisfied afterward.”

“Careful, you might blow your load a little too early with all that false confidence.”

He cocked a brow. “It’s adorable that you think it’s false. It really is.”

“You keep chasing, I’ll keep running.” She lifted a shoulder. “You’ll see who wins eventually.”

Yeah. Him. But since he wanted her more than he’d wanted anything in his entire life, and she was determined to keep him at arm’s length…

He probably should’ve let her keep running.

A few hours later, Benjamin had his driver stop the car in front of Maggie’s home. He opened the car door and got out, offering her his hand. She held on tight as she slid out, steadying herself on her heels.

Once she was good to go, she let go of him quickly.

He let her.

“Thank you,” he said, glancing down and adjusting his tie, “for giving me a second chance tonight.”

She smiled and helped him, tugging slightly until it was straight. The small, kind gesture made his throat tighten and his pants shrink. “You’re welcome. Turns out, once you relax, you’re actually a cool guy.”

“Because I was with you,” he said, forcing himself to stand still as she smoothed his jacket, even though every instinct within him screamed that he should grab her, kiss her, and show her why their relationship would be so much more enjoyable if they let loose a little bit more, this time without those strict rules of hers. “I had fun.”

“Me, too,” she said softly. So softly he almost missed it. “Benjamin.”

They fell silent, staring, almost as if they measured one another. The tension between them was impossible to ignore. Heart pounding, he reached out and ran his thumb over the curve of her chin, getting another hit of the drug that was Maggie Donovan. She shivered, gripping his jacket with a sigh. “You’re so fucking unique and beautiful that I’m not even sure what to say to you half the damn time.”

His words seemed to yank her from some sort of trance—the same trance he’d been stuck in. He hadn’t meant to say that out loud…but even so, it was true. She was gorgeous, inside and out.

In his world, that was as rare as the Hope Diamond.

“You can say whatever you want, Benjamin.” Stepping back, she tucked her hair behind her ear and gave him a shy smile. “I’ll see you at the office Monday?”

“Yes. Of course.” He shoved his trembling hands into his pockets and inclined his head. “I’ll leave once I see you turn the light on, so I know you’re safely inside.”

She nodded and headed up the stairs, her hips swinging naturally. As soon as the light turned on, she pushed the curtain aside and waved at him. He nodded back, and slid inside his town car. After he closed the door, the driver pulled away.

No sooner had he cleared the curb, than his phone rang. When he saw who it was, he stiffened. He’d called his brother that morning, but hadn’t gotten a hold of him. Apparently that was changing now. “Andrew. Thanks for calling me back.”

“No problem,” his brother’s deep voice said through the line. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. What makes you think something’s wrong?”

Andrew paused. “Well, you called me.”

“Yeah?”

“You never call unless something’s wrong.”

While true, it still hurt to hear. When had he become such a recluse that he forgot to pick up the damn phone and call his brother? “That’s not true. I called you last week.”

“For my birthday?” Andrew laughed. “Yeah, that doesn’t count, Ben.”

Benjamin winced, because he was right. “Sorry. Life’s been busy.”

“I hear you’ve been working constantly.” He paused. “I also heard you have a new woman in the picture. One Mother doesn’t approve of.”

“Big shocker there.”

Andrew laughed. “Who is she?”

“My lead researcher. We’re…” He hesitated because he’d never lied to his brother before. “We’re engaged, actually.”

“Whoa! Another one bites the dust, huh?”

He rubbed his scalp. “Yeah. Something like that.”

“That’s great.” Andrew exclaimed. Thing was, he actually sounded sincere. “When do I get to meet her?”

“She’ll be at the mayor’s dinner with me.”

“Excellent.” Andrew sighed. “Confirmed bachelor, Benjamin Gale the third, finally taken down by a woman. I can see the headlines now.”

“Yeah.” He rolled his eyes. “I’m dreading them already.”

Andrew laughed. “I’m not.”

Benjamin took a second and leaned his elbows on his knees. “Hey, did Mother tell you about the motion she wants to put forward?”

“No.” Andrew’s laughter died. “What’s she up to now?”

“She wants to propose a motion of no confidence, on account of my nonstop philandering lifestyle.” He paused. “She wants you to take over as CEO.”

“Shit.” Andrew was silent a minute, then asked, “Is that why you’re suddenly engaged? If so, don’t do it. Don’t give in to her insane demands.”

“Nah, the engagement happened before this. We’ve been dating for a while now.” Benjamin relaxed against the seat. It appeared that Andrew wasn’t in on his mother’s scheme, but that didn’t mean he was going to come clean about the farce. “But you seriously weren’t aware of it?”

“Of course not. I have no interest in taking your position.”

At least he had one family member who wasn’t trying to take him down.

Thank God.