Joe’s parents approached, and she saw the perfect excuse to duck out.
“If you’ll excuse us. Bran hasn’t had a bite to eat all day. Shall we?” She widened her eyes at her “date,” and he picked up where she left off, bailing her out beautifully.
“Another glass of champagne for you, as well. Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Abrams,” Bran added politely.
Her mother called after them as they left, “Lena and Kerry, please!”
Addi steered Bran to an unoccupied corner of the room as the Harts descended. “At least my parents have to be civil when they’re here.”
“That was them being civil?” Bran asked, his eyes going to the foursome. Joe’s mother embraced Addi’s mother and Addi felt suddenly bamboozled. Maybe things hadn’t been as tense as her mother suggested.
“My mom does enjoy making me feel guilty,” she murmured to herself.
“They want what’s best for you. Everyone’s parents do.” He snagged a glass from a waiter’s tray. “Champagne?”
“Thank you. For that. For everything. I’ve been...awful.”
“You’ve been incredible.” His smile was sincere.
Once they had a small plate of food each, she took her first full breath since she’d heard Joe’s letter. She and Bran stood at a highboy cocktail table with a candle in the middle. Reminded of their dinner last night, she once again found herself in the position of apologizing. This time, though, she meant it.
“I could have communicated better last night,” she told him. “Sorry for leaving on my high horse.”
“It’s okay. I finished your pasta. It was really good.”
She smiled, giving him a headshake. He was too much. And too charming for his own good. “It was kind of you to show up here. I didn’t know I needed saving, but here we are.”
“No one should attend a friend’s funeral alone. Though I’m questioning the ‘friends’ part after hearing his message to you.” He watched her as he popped a sausage puff into his mouth.
“Aren’t we both.”
“What was with the part about you two never making it down the aisle?”
“I have no idea.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. As if that would set the world right again. “Half of me wonders if this is an elaborate practical joke. If Joe is going to stroll through that door and yell ‘gotcha!’ He always was the life of the party.” She realized what she said and offered a wan smile. “Ironically.”
Bran’s eyebrows rose. “A practical joke wherein he fakes his own death so that he can admit that he’s in love with you at his own funeral?”
“Yeah. Probably not.” She sipped her champagne, troubled by that observation as much as everything else that’d gone down so far during this trip. Her eyes tracked to her parents, still talking with the Harts. “I had to sneak away before I broke his mother’s heart. I have no idea what to say to her.”
“Don’t say anything.”
“Well, she can’t go on believing that Joe and I were in love.”
“Why not?”
“Because...” But Addi didn’t know why not. If it was true on Joe’s side, and made his family happy to believe he’d found love during his short stay on this planet, why not, indeed? “That’s actually practical.”
“That’s no good. I’m fighting practicality these days.”
“I noticed.” That small kiss was the least practical act imaginable.
“I was practical to a fault earlier this year. I’m a man who can learn from my mistakes.” He sucked in a deep breath. “I should apologize for the kiss.”
Her lungs deflated. This was the real reason she didn’t “go get ’im” as Joe had suggested. Bran had never shown any interest in her before, so why would one little kiss ignite a five-alarm fire in him now?
“You don’t have to apologize,” she said, hoping she hid her disappointment.
“That’s not what I mean.” His voice was low and sultry. She faced him, the candlelight reflecting in his bourbon-colored eyes. They were nearly as warm as the flame itself. “I mean I should apologize, but I can’t. I liked that kiss way too much.”
She could only stare. “Y-you did?”
“Did you?”
* * *
Color him pleased when she didn’t stammer or hesitate in her response.
“Yes,” she stated clearly. “Yes, I did.”
Now that was what he liked to hear.
Reaching across the table, he lightly touched her arm before taking her hand in his. “Have you thought further about my offer last night?”
Addi’s bright blue eyes darkened enticingly. “I thought you’d gone home upset with me, so no, I hadn’t.”
“And now?” He lifted her hand and brushed her knuckles with his lips, kissing her once before lightly touching his tongue to her skin. Her lips parted but no sound came out at first.
“I—I’ll have to think about it.”
“Successful leaders make decisions quickly,” he told her. He wanted another kiss like the way-too-brief one he’d stolen from her earlier. He wanted to give her time to respond. Let her explore and find her way. She seemed curious and he would be more than willing to let her explore that curiosity until both of them were panting for air.
“Brannon. We work together.” Her eyebrows bent almost desperately, but the heat was alive in her eyes.
“Yeah, I heard. You’re my executive assistant.”
“Don’t joke.”
“I’m not joking.” He was content to throw caution into the windstorm given their borderline combustible attraction. “Remember what I said. I’m not your boss this weekend. Just a guy who’d like to have a few more close encounters with you.” He remembered her words to him at the restaurant last night. “And for the record, I don’t think of you and Tammie as interchangeable.”
“Of course. I knew that.” She closed her eyes as if embarrassed by her behavior last night. He didn’t like that look of shame when he saw it earlier with her parents and he sure as hell wouldn’t stand for it now.
“I only asked Tammie out to take my mind off you,” he admitted.
“Off me?”
“Yes. You’ve been taking up a lot of space up here lately. Too much.” He tapped the side of his head. He could see she didn’t know what to make of that. “Everything I’ve said and done lately is to make you feel more comfortable around me. In the process I began to see you differently than before. The easiest way to distract myself was...”
“With Tammie?” Addison finished for him.
“Guy math. One and one equals I’m an idiot.”
At least she smiled.
“I’m so sorry to interrupt.” Elsa Hart approached the table hand in hand with her husband. “I just spoke with your parents. Evidently this gentleman is Brannon Knox of ThomKnox. Which he did not disclose when we met earlier...”
The band of tension between Bran and Addi snapped. Unfortunately, she threw him to the wolves, probably relieved not to have to address his offer head-on.
“One and the same,” Addi answered. “I’m Brannon’s executive assistant. I’ve worked at ThomKnox for a year.”
With no polite way to extract himself from the conversation, Bran indulged Addi and Joe’s parents. He came here for Addi, anyway, so had no other choice but give her what she needed.
And, if she decided to explore what could be between them physically, he’d give her that and more.
Eleven
Addison went to bed that night exhausted from...well, everything. Joe’s gathering had taken a toll on her, alongside some extra unwanted attention after she’d been outed as the love of his life.
Bran was right in suggesting she didn’t have to explain Joe’s one-sided love for her to the Harts, though. They didn’t ask about it in front of Bran, anyway, so there was no reason to bring it up.
Once the Harts had interrupted her and Bran, Addi grabbed onto the distraction like a lifeline. Eventually they’d left the ballroom to retire to their individual rooms, and Bran hadn’t brought up what Addi and he had talked about before.
Not that it mattered. His claim of “I’m not your boss this weekend. Just a guy who’d like to have a few more close encounters with you” kept her up, tossing and turning for quite a few hours.
Brunch the next morning was held in the second-floor lobby and since the inn was mostly filled with Joe’s friends and family, it was impossible not to bump into someone she knew. So, she put on a happy face, poured herself a ginormous cup of coffee and went out to mingle.
Bran hadn’t rapped on their connected doors this morning to wake her, but he’d beat her down here. He was in line for breakfast, chatting with a pretty redhead.
Addison watched them together—the way the woman tucked her hair behind her ear and batted her lashes. She was petite, wearing a pale green dress and sandals. Charm oozed naturally from Bran so Addi wasn’t surprised to hear the other woman laugh, warm and inviting. All-too-familiar jealousy propped its hands on its hips with indignation.
She’d had enough of that emotion to last two lifetimes.
“There she is,” he said when he noticed her standing off to the side. “Addi, darling. Come over here.”
Addi, darling. Swoon.
He opened an arm and tucked her against him. She inhaled his clean, soapy scent. In the office, she’d hadn’t had the privilege of being this close to notice.
He rubbed his palm on her bare arm. “I wanted to let you sleep.” The suggestive lilt paired with a kiss to her forehead sold the assumption they’d spent the night in the same bed.
The redhead introduced herself. “I’m Rebecca.”
“Nice to meet you.”
“He’s told me so much about you. You two make a cute couple. Bran is very charming.” To her testament, Rebecca didn’t say that with an ounce of animosity. “Later we should hang out. Bran and my husband have a lot in common.”
Ahh, she was married. That explained why she didn’t mind hearing Bran was attached. Fake attached, but still.
“Allen’s a tech guy, too. And I, like you,” she said to Addi, “run the show at the office. We should have a drink tonight. Al has so many great stories about Joe.”
“I’d like that.”
Rebecca bid them adieu and took her full plate to a table occupied by her husband.
“Did you think I was flirting with her?” Bran asked.
“What? No!”
He raised an eyebrow but didn’t call her on the lie. “Want some eggs?”
“Yes. Please.”
Holding his plate and hers, he dished out a portion of eggs for each of them.
“You don’t have to take care of me, you know.”
“So you keep saying. Potatoes?”
“Please.”
“I like a girl who likes her carbs.” He dished out a spoonful each onto their plates. “You take care of me a lot, Ad. Remember, I’m not your boss this weekend. I’m your date.”
“So you keep saying,” she repeated.
All he did was grin.
“I appreciate your efforts with my mom last night,” she said once he chose a table for them and placed her plate in front of her. He’d served her nearly as much as he’d served himself. She couldn’t eat half of the food on the giant plate.
“What do you mean?” He ate a bite of potatoes.
“Talking to my parents isn’t as easy as talking to yours. If we’d have stood there any longer, I’m sure my father would have asked a lot of questions about ThomKnox shareholders, company worth and other impolite matters.”
Bran chuckled. “I’m used to it.”
She scooped up a bite of her own breakfast. “At least Joe’s parents didn’t grill you.”
“They couldn’t care less about our shareholders. They have more money than God. Seriously, ThomKnox doesn’t have a tenth of what Hart Media has. Damn monopolies.” He winked to let her know he was kidding.
“Don’t you? Have more money than God?”
“We’re up there.”
And she wasn’t. They were from two different worlds. Her crush on him had always been safe. Distant. It wasn’t the stuff of real life. It was a fantasy, pure and simple. Only now the lines had blurred. It wasn’t clear what was happening between them.
“Money aside, your family is amazing,” she told him. “I remember when I first started working there and I met you one at a time. Gia, Royce, you...and then your dad and eventually your mom. I decided that day I wanted to be a Knox when I grew up.” She winced, realizing what she’d implied. “I didn’t mean that in a creepy way.”
“Sure you didn’t.” He kept eating, unfazed.
“My family’s never been as generous with their love. It always had to be earned.”
Who wanted to earn love? She drank from her coffee mug and raised her eyes when she felt Bran watching her.
“Hence the family dinners at Pestle & Pepper.”
He didn’t miss a thing.
“You don’t have to earn love when you can pay for it,” she followed that with a “ha ha,” but he didn’t laugh. In fact, he was watching her a little too intently. Like he was seeing clear down to her soul.
“Maybe we can stop by there on the way home,” she said, happily changing the subject. “I’m having withdrawal. I mean...assuming you’re driving me home.”
“Of course I’m driving you home,” he said, amused.
“I’ll give you some gas money.”
“Addison.” He dropped his fork and swiped his mouth with his napkin. “Do you hear yourself? What kind of assholes have you been dating, anyway?”
“I don’t date. Because they’re assholes. Except for pretend funeral dates. Oddly enough, those turn out really well.”
Earning another laugh was like being handed a million dollars. Who needed riches when she had Brannon Knox?
Four-plus more hours in the car with him to look forward to after an entire weekend spent in his company. She wouldn’t know what to do with herself come Monday morning when he was in his office and she was stationed outside of it.
This weekend was originally meant to be the beginning of the end of her Bran obsession. Now Operation Get Over Him held another meaning entirely. Like getting over him. Or under him. She wasn’t picky.
She smothered a laugh by coughing.
“The masquerade ball is tonight,” he said.
“Oh, I don’t expect you to attend that. It’s a whole thing, with masks and formalwear.” She waved a hand. It wasn’t a big deal, so why was her heart pounding a nervous staccato, like she was about to be asked to prom? “If anyone asks where you are I’ll say you were tired.”
“And let you go by yourself? Forget it.” He ate a bite of eggs and then added, “Who knows who will dance with you if I’m not there.”
“I don’t think people are looking for a date at a funeral.”
“No, I guess not.” He settled back in his chair and lifted his own mug of coffee. “Which brings us back to the discussion we didn’t finish last night.”
Dammit.
Silence settled between them. She didn’t know what to say, especially since he hadn’t yet asked her a question. But then he did.
“Have you thought about us?”
Only every day for the past year.
She sure as hell couldn’t say that. While she watched him carefully, debating how to answer, a smile spread his mouth.
“Listen, Addi.” He leaned forward, his voic
e lower and, if possible, more seductive. “You don’t have to say yes. We can finish out the weekend as friends and, much as it pains me to offer, I won’t kiss you again. If that’s what you want, say the word.”
His low voice swirled around her like a vortex, threatening to suck her in. She really wanted him to kiss her again.
“But—” he took her hand and held onto her fingers, his gaze unwavering on hers “—I really, really want to kiss you again. And again and again.”
Oh, Lordy. Easy for him to say. He hadn’t had his heartstrings tangled in knots over her for the last twelve months. He hadn’t agonized over his own emotions because she was suddenly dating someone in the office.
She could either tell him no—but how, when he wanted her as much as she wanted him?—or she could consider this weekend a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. An all-access pass to Brannon Knox.
Her earlier justification that sleeping with him was a bad idea had grown stale since the kiss. Since he’d approached her so openly and honestly. As long as she maintained some control in this situation, she could have what she wanted and escape unscathed.
“Okay, but I need to set a few ground rules.”
He put an elbow on the table. “I’m not much of a rules guy anymore.”
“We can call them guidelines.” She nodded succinctly. She didn’t want any bizarre vibes once they were back in the office. Setting parameters would help both of them know how to behave. “Tonight and that’s it. Once the ball is over and we...do whatever we do, then that’s the end.”
“Okay.” He nodded slowly. “I agree to your terms.”
She smiled and he smiled back and there they sat at brunch, having made the craziest agreement of all time. She was buoyant, excited...and slightly nauseous.
One night with Brannon Knox. She was going to make it count.
“Should we shake on it?” She disentangled their hands and held out her palm, which he shook officially. Before he could pull away, she added the caveat, “I have a strict curfew of midnight.”
“No worries, Cinderella.” A barely banked heat darkened his eyes. “I promise to have you in bed before then.”
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