Bentley_Vested Interest

by Melanie Moreland

  “Not much of a dinner.”

  “I had some cheese and grapes with them.”

  “Oh, I had grapes, too! Cami got them on sale. They were such a treat!”

  “Cami?”

  “My best friend. I’ll tell you about her on Friday, if you want.”

  He chuckled. “I would like to know all about you, Emaline Harris. I look forward to discovering all your likes.”

  “Tree Trunk checked me out, didn’t he?”

  “He did.”

  “And I’m clean?”

  “As a whistle. At least so far.”

  “The whole Russian spy thing hasn’t shown up?”

  “Not yet.”

  “Tell him to keep digging.”

  He began to laugh, and I liked the sound. It was carefree and deep.

  “I’ll tell him tomorrow.”

  “Oh, I have to give you your tie back.”

  “I don’t want my tie. I gave it to you.”

  “Bentley, I looked the maker up on the net, too.”

  “What did I tell you? Stay off the internet when it comes to me.”

  “I can’t accept the tie. It cost more than my rent!”

  “I want you to have it. Please. Accept it. I accepted your scones.”

  “That’s different.”

  “How?” he questioned. “You gave those to me freely, and I gave you my tie. Because of you, I had a thoroughly delicious dinner. Your fortified me. All I did was drape a piece of cloth around your neck.”

  “Fortified, Rigid? Overkill—even for you.”

  “It’s true.”

  “It’s more than that, and you know it.”

  His voice became gentle, quiet. “Please, accept the tie. Keep it. Wear it and think of me.”

  He was too good at this. “Fine. But you don’t play fair.”

  He sounded amused. “But I won.”

  I grinned into the phone, because he did. And, really, I liked the tie—it reminded me of his eyes. “Okay. I’ll see you on Friday.”

  “It will be the best day of the week for me, Emmy.” He paused. “Goodnight. Sleep well.”

  “Night.”

  Chapter 6

  Bentley

  I should have told her what was happening. It was the perfect opportunity to tell her what dating me could consist of, if she chose to continue.

  Yet, I couldn’t, because I wanted to see her again. To listen to her voice tease me, and hear her laughter. There was something so easy about being in her presence. I didn’t have to be anything except me with her, and selfishly I wanted more of that.

  I would have to tell her on Friday. It was only fair she knew someone was keeping tabs on me, and therefore, perhaps her. Once the bid on the property was complete, I was sure whoever was behind it would disappear. They would realize I owned the far more valuable piece of land, and would arrange to sell to me. I would never know who it was, but I didn’t care. I would get the land, and start developing it. It would be hugely successful, and make me even richer. Even more importantly, it would be my mark. All of it created and designed by my company. BAM.

  I grinned every time I thought of the name.

  Not long after Aiden and I agreed to share a place, we met Maddox Riley. He was only seventeen, two years younger than we were, but more mature than we ever hoped to be. He was a whiz kid at Math and everything else, but he was also awkward and alone having entered university earlier than most kids did.

  He was standing in front of us in line at the student union, waiting to pay for his lunch. He turned in line when Aiden made some complaint about the high cost of the food compared to the quality and nutritional level of it. Maddox was in total agreement, and began a discussion on the benefits of both healthy choices and cost efficiency, by having other options on campus. Soon after, the three of us were at a table in full planning mode. The shy boy persona fell away as Maddox talked numbers and ideas, earning him the nickname Mad Dog by Aiden.

  We had been friends ever since.

  Together, we’d worked with the university and a willing vendor, and set up a small grocery mart right on campus. Fresh fruits and vegetables, satisfying sandwiches, and healthy premade meals were available; easy to heat up in the microwave, and do-it-yourself economical. Tastier in most cases, if you cooked like me. It took a lot of work, some well-placed donations on my part, but we got it started. It was still there, only bigger, and better stocked.

  When we had started discussing it, sketching out ideas, listening to Maddox crunch numbers, and finally agreeing on a final plan, Aiden had jumped up, fist punched the air, and yelled “That’s how we do it! BAM!”

  It stuck. Our initials, our ideas, our brand. My brothers.

  I had named my company the same name, and brought them on board with me.

  There was no one in the world I trusted more than them. Our relationship, which started out as young men, had grown as we matured over the years.

  Aiden and I had looked at a lot of houses, dismissing them all. However, one day, we saw an worn-down Victorian house. It was a longer walk from the school, but doable. The owner was moving into a small condo, and the place was big enough we could all live there, and not run over each other. When discussing rent, I made the owner a deal. We would do the various repairs, and he would knock it off the rent. I enjoyed fixing things, and Aiden and Maddox, who had joined in the house hunt, were willing. The proprietor was agreeable to my request, and the condition I added that when he was ready to sell, I got first dibs on the property.

  We’d moved in the next month, lived there for two years, and I used my part of my inheritance to buy it. I moved us into the smaller place next door I’d had my eye on, and we fixed up the old house and I flipped it, for a huge profit. I did the same with the next three houses. I quit university and started my own company. BAM Corporation became a reality, and when they graduated, Aiden and Maddox came on board.

  Maddox was a brilliant numbers man, and handled all the finances and planning. Aiden not only had his business degree, but also became a personal trainer. He constantly took courses on computers, security, and physical training. He headed up the security area, and was my right-hand man. He had a quirk that allowed him to remember details most people would forget, and it worked well for us as a whole. We worked nicely as a team, and the business had made us all very wealthy.

  Still something was missing from my life. I had everything money could buy. I loved my job and the constant challenge it presented. I enjoyed the push and pull of doing deals, and creating new landscapes. I thrived on the challenge of finding the right investors for a project and watching it flourish. However, once the door shut behind me at night, I was alone. I filled in the hours with more work, and I used the gym in the house daily, but aside from business dinners, I hadn’t been out on a date in a long time.

  My last relationship was three years ago. It ended badly. Since then, I had been on a couple of dates, but they hadn’t gone overly well. I was dull, set in my ways, and at times, my temper got the best of me. It wasn’t the best of combinations, and as one woman told me, no amount of money could make up for my lack of personality.

  I glanced back at my phone and the texts to Emmy. She seemed to bring something else out in me. She made me want to smile, and to make her smile. Not one given to gestures, or buy gifts, sliding a five-hundred-dollar tie around Emmy’s neck had shocked me as much as it had Aiden.

  It made me wonder what other things I would do to surprise myself.

  **

  From the back seat of the car, I scowled at the staircase leading up to Emmy’s apartment. Was it safe? It looked rickety to me. I scanned the deserted parking lot. The building was about average for the neighborhood. Somewhat run down, but doing all right for the area. The back end faced a derelict garage, with husks of rusted cars scattered on the dead ground. There was one lone light in the corner of the parking lot, its dimness barely covering the small area. I knew Aiden would notice all the details, as well. There was
no light by the stairs or over the doors of the three apartments which all faced the empty parking lot. The thought of Emmy walking to her door, at night, alone and defenseless, made me shudder.

  The whole thing made me shudder.

  “Show up with that look on your face, she’ll slam the door on you,” Aiden informed me in a quiet drawl.

  “This isn’t safe.”

  “Nothing I can do about it right this second. We’ll discuss it later. After you see how your date goes.”

  “Shut it, Tree Trunk.” I smirked. “Eyes straight ahead, and mouth on silent when we get in the car, you got me?”

  Aiden chuckled from the front seat. He had insisted he come with me, promising to remain in the background. I still thought he was overreacting, but I agreed in order to keep the peace.

  He turned his massive body in the seat, meeting my gaze. “This is her home. No matter what you think, be respectful.”

  “I will.”

  “Do you want me to go get her?”

  “No,” I snapped. “She’s not a package for you to pick up.” I grasped the small bouquet of lilies I had stopped to get, and opened the door. “I’ll be back.”

  Climbing the steps, I was anxious to see Emmy. She opened the door, taking my breath away with her simple beauty. Her skirt flared out from her knees, and the emerald-colored blouse set off her creamy complexion. She had her hair swept up, showing off the delicate column of her neck. Her multi-pierced ears glinted in the light. However, it was her expression was what did it for me. Open and honest, she was as happy to see me, as I was to see her. I held out the small offering.

  “You look lovely.”

  She took the flowers and I rewarded me with one of her soft kisses on my cheek. I resisted the urge to turn my head and feel her lips on mine. I followed her into the tiny apartment and waited while she put the flowers in water.

  It was a one-room place. A futon served as a bed and couch. A minute galley kitchen with a waist high fridge and the smallest stove I’d ever seen were against the opposite wall. Emmy’s desk and bookcase were piled high with books, papers, and her old laptop was sitting on top of a mountain of documents. A makeshift closet and laundry baskets were in the corner. The walls were blue, and she had lots of posters and pictures on them, making it cheerful. It was chaotic, and small. The entire place was smaller than my closet at my house. Still, it was clean, and inviting, and when I inhaled deeply, I smiled. It smelled like her.

  She placed the flowers on the small table beside her futon. She stroked the petals; the tender gesture so her, I had to smile once more. She picked up a shawl, and I hurried forward, taking it from her hands and sliding it around her shoulders.

  “Will you be warm enough?”

  “Yes.”

  “I made sure our table wasn’t under an air conditioning vent.”

  Her eyes glistened, and she reached up to cup my cheek. “Thank you,” she breathed out. “You are incredibly thoughtful.” Unexpectedly, she stood on her toes and brushed her mouth to mine. As soon as our lips touched, I lost control.

  I caught her around the waist, held her close, and kissed her back. Her hands slipped around my neck, teasing the hair at my nape and making me groan. Our mouths moved, and I slid my tongue along her bottom lip, sighing in pleasure when she opened for me. Our tongues glided, teased, and tasted. Her hands tightened on my hair, and I pulled her hard to my chest, liking how she fit to me. Even with the height difference, we meshed. I wanted more. More of her taste, of the way her body felt pressed to mine. However, I knew it was too soon.

  Regretfully, I eased back, dropping one last kiss to her full mouth.

  “Wow,” she whispered. “That was unexpected. You’re very passionate.”

  It was unexpected for me, too, but I liked it. “Should I apologize?”

  “No.”

  “Good. Because I’m not sorry.”

  She beamed up at me. “Neither am I.”

  “Ready to go to dinner, Freddy?”

  “Lead the way, Rigid.”

  I stepped back, discreetly adjusting myself as she turned to reach for her purse. Rigid was the right name for me at the moment. This woman affected me in many ways.

  I saw her hand hover over the straps of her old rucksack, and I frowned.

  “Are you planning on studying tonight?”

  “Um, no. I just. . . I usually take this with me when I go out.”

  It seemed an odd thing to carry on a date, but she seemed upset at the thought of not taking it with her, which made me wonder what was inside. “We can leave it in the car, if that helps. Aiden and Frank will keep it safe.”

  She hesitated, and I leaned over, picking up the sack. It wasn’t heavy, yet somehow I knew it was important to her to keep close.

  “Thank you.” She offered me a smile. “I’m ready.”

  I held out my hand. “Off we go, then.”

  **

  I took her to one of my favorite restaurants. Small, quiet, and tucked away in the neighborhood where Aiden, Maddox, and I had shared our first house. The same family still ran it, the food was delicious, the wine list surprisingly good, and best of all, as I promised, low key and comfortable.

  Emmy had chatted to us all in the car, her polite, sweet nature infectious. I enjoyed listening to her talk. She was engaging and smart, making us all laugh with her wit.

  Mama Leona greeted us at the door, and after many kisses and exclamations over my “pretty date,” tucked us into the back booth. It was private and cozy. Frank was outside in the car, and I knew Aiden was in the kitchen, filling his face, while keeping an eye on everything.

  Once we were seated, Emmy leaned close, indicating Aiden, who was peering at us from the doorway to the kitchen, trying to look inconspicuous. “Does he come with you everywhere?”

  I nodded, winking covertly at her. “He’s like a fungus I can’t get rid of.”

  “Are you in danger?”

  She was too smart.

  “Aiden is cautious. He takes his job seriously.”

  She pursed her lips, and nodded. “Good.”

  Her easy agreement warmed my chest. It was odd to have someone else, aside from a select few, worry about me.

  “You’ve known him a long time?”

  I told her the story of how we met. She laughed over my descriptions of the three of us living together, trying to mesh our personalities. “Thank God for Sandy. She sorted us out.”

  “Sandy?”

  “She lived behind us. She saw what a mess we were, and came over one day to help. We were trying to figure out how to use the washing machine and arguing so loud she heard us.” I laughed at the memory. “Two days later, she became our housekeeper/den mother. She ran our lives for us, and when I opened BAM, I hired her right away. The woman is a wonder.”

  I changed the subject. “Do you enjoy your classes?”

  “I love them.”

  “Did you make a career change and go back to school?”

  She shook her head, looking amused at my awkward question.

  “Most people are out of school and working at your age, so I thought perhaps . . .”

  She took a sip of her wine. “I always loved graphic design, and took some courses. I even got a job as an intern with a big company, but it didn’t go anywhere. They did offer me a job, but it was low pay, and mostly the grunt work. It didn’t take long for me to see I would never get anywhere unless I had more in-depth training and experience. I did some research—I wanted to go to Toronto Design School, except they’re expensive. I had to work and save for a few years to be able to afford to go.”

  I nodded for her to continue.

  “The courses I take are not only for design and graphic work, but business plans, marketing—everything I need to know on how to run my own business, and how to handle multi-layered projects. There’s as much textbook work as there is design.”

  “How long is the course?”

  “It’s a three-year course. I’ll be done in two
and a half. I take extra classes in the summer and carry a full course load.”

  “And work.”

  She shrugged. “Only one job now at Al’s. I worked several while saving up for school so I could only have the one now. I knew I would have to devote myself to school completely. It’s not forever, and I stick to my budget. And when I’m done, and get some real experience, I want to run my own company.”

  I studied her, instinctively knowing once she had made up her mind, she went for it. “What are your marks like?’

  She glanced down, looking self-conscious. “Top of my class.”

  I knew it. I had a feeling she was extremely bright.

  “Don’t be shy, Emmy. You should be proud.”

  Her lips curved upward, cheeks flushing a delicate pink. “I don’t like to brag.”

  I squeezed her hand. “It’s not bragging. I asked.”

  It was her turn to change the subject. “You left school before you graduated?”

  I arched my eyebrow. “Google again, Emmy?”

  She flushed and lifted her shoulder. “Actually, my friend Cami told me.”

  “It’s fine. Yes, once I started flipping houses, and realized I wanted to keep investing in the property market, I decided to move ahead. I hadn’t been enjoying my classes. To be honest, I was bored all the time. I felt I’d learn more doing it on my own.” I picked up my wine. “I was correct.”

  “You hired your friends?”

  “There is no one I trust more. Maddox handles the finances, and Aiden is my right-hand. He’s brilliant.” I tapped my head. “A memory like no one I have ever known.”

  “And protects you,” she added, a trace of worry in her voice.

  I sat back, studying her. “Emmy, I need to tell you something.”

  “Wow, I didn’t even make it to dessert. And the lemon sponge cake I saw go by, looked amazing.”

  I slipped my fingers under her chin, and studied her sweet face. She was incredibly pretty. I brushed a kiss to her cheek. “If you want dessert once you hear what I have to say, it’s yours. Anything you want is yours.”

  She leaned closer, her voice low. “Anything?”

  I swallowed, my body reacting to her closeness. “Yes.”