by Carrie Elks
She could smell the scent of his soap. Clean and woody. It filled her senses, the same way he did. “The ball’s going to be interesting,” she murmured.
“You’re not going.”
“Yes, I am. My invitation arrived by courier today.”
The corner of his lip twitched. “Lawrence always did like to make sure he got what he wanted.”
“I don’t care what Lawrence wants.” She felt emboldened by his touch. By her need. “I care what you want.”
“I don’t want you to go.”
“Why not?”
He dropped his brow to hers, closing his eyes as he breathed her in. “Because I won’t be able to stop from touching you.”
“You’re touching me now.”
“I’m leaving in a moment. I can do that much at least.”
“We’ll be in public at the ball. It won’t matter if you touch me. If you kiss me, even. You won’t be able to throw me over your shoulder like a caveman.” Although now she had that image in her head, and she couldn’t get it out.
“True.” He ran his fingertip along her jaw, looking at her through his thick lashes.
“Take me to the ball,” she urged. “After that, I promise I won’t push you anymore. I’ll avoid you if I need to. If that’s what you want.”
His fingertip stopped at the corner of her mouth. His brows were dipped, as though he was concentrating. Taking in every one of her features.
“Okay. You win.” He pressed his lips to the tip of her nose. Then to her eyelids, his kisses so soft they sent shivers down her spine. “I’ll take you to the ball.”
Chapter Seventeen
Had he really agreed to take her to the ball at his brother’s house and be seen together in public? Daniel sat back in his office, raking his fingers through his hair, still trying to work out what had happened last night.
He’d sat outside her building for half an hour before he’d given up fighting himself and walked to her condo, letting the dark side of him win through as he knocked at the door.
It wasn’t a lie when he told her she was a magnet. His thoughts always ended with her. She was an attraction he couldn’t shake.
And maybe he didn’t want to.
So now he was taking her to Lawrence’s charity ball because being in public with her was the only way he trusted himself to behave.
Sure. Because you’re always an angel in public.
Why did the voice in his head sound exactly like Nathan?
Not that it mattered. After Saturday, he was pretty sure Becca would be avoiding him for the rest of her time on Earth. Seeing his messed-up family in all its glory should do the trick. He wouldn’t have to do a thing to deter her, the Carters would do it all for him.
Which was a good thing. His family messed people up. You only had to look at his parents’ rocky relationship to know that. Not to mention the messed up relationship between him, Lawrence, and Melissa.
He’d take Becca to the ball, give her the night of her life, then it would be over. He’d go back to his miserable life and live alone, the way he should.
And maybe then he wouldn’t be sitting in his office at seven in the morning thinking about the way her dark hair shone beneath the lights in the still room.
His phone beeped, and he picked it up. His mother’s name appeared on the screen. Saved by the bell. At least if he was talking to her he wouldn’t be thinking about Becca.
“Hi, Mom.”
“Darling, sorry to call so early. I just want to let you know I won’t be in work today.”
“Are you okay?” Daniel frowned.
“I’m fine, not sick. I just have a lot to do. I’m heading up to the city to help Rona get things ready.”
“You’re going to Charleston? But the ball isn’t until the weekend.”
Eliana laughed gently. “I know, but I want to make sure the guest rooms are aired out and made up. And it’ll give me the chance to catch up with some friends, too. I assume you and Becca will want separate rooms? I could put you in adjoining ones, just in case.”
“Becca will be staying at a hotel, as will I,” Daniel said dryly. “And I won’t even ask how you know she’s coming now.”
“For the record, I wasn’t certain she was coming. But you’ve confirmed it,” she said archly. “And Becca can’t stay in a hotel. And nor can you. You have to stay with me, I insist. You’ll be in the guest wing, so if you need privacy you’ll have it.
He rolled his eyes at her insinuation. “I don’t need privacy. I just assume Becca will want some space. She’ll be better off at a hotel. Our family is a lot to take.”
“I know, darling. But we also welcome our guests with open arms, and I can’t have Becca staying at some anonymous hotel. So I’ll be asking her to stay with me. You’re welcome to stay if you want to.”
“I’ll stay.” He sighed. Maybe it was better this way. If they weren’t at a hotel, he wouldn’t be staring at her door wondering whether she was asleep. What she wore to bed. Whether he was a goddamned moron for thinking about knocking on the door just to confirm if she was as beautiful as he remembered.
“Perfect. And you can use the dining room for your meeting with Nina and Lawrence on Sunday. I’ll arrange for brunch to be served.”
“You have it all figured out.” He swallowed down his amusement. Eliana Scott-Carter never did anything halfway.
“Oh, I wish that were true. I can’t figure you out at all, I never have.”
“It hasn’t stopped you from trying.”
“Becca’s a lovely girl,” she said wistfully.
“Mom.” His voice was a warning.
“I just wish…” She sighed. “You’d be a little more open. Lighter. I only want to see you happy.”
“I’ll be happy when Lawrence and Nina have agreed to the single malt.” But that wasn’t what was nagging at his mind right now. It was Becca, wearing a ball gown, walking into his family home on his arm. The thought made him squeeze his eyes shut.
It was a sham. A charade he’d put on to get what he wanted from Lawrence. That was all, nothing more.
And if he and Becca kissed in public and neither of them felt anything? It was game over. His life could continue as normal and he could stop feeling so damn messed up.
It was win-win. Bring it on. After this weekend, everything would be going his way.
Gray: Becca, are you free to babysit the twins on Saturday? I want to take Maddie out for our anniversary.
Logan: Dammit, I was about to ask if she was free. Didn’t Becca babysit for you guys last month? We need to start a rota or something.
Tanner: Guys, relax. Becca’s going to be too busy making cakes for me because I’m her favorite brother. Right, B? xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cam: What kind of anniversary are you celebrating, Gray? You two aren’t married yet.
Logan: The kind that involve two people, one bed, and a lot of smiles after, I imagine. If anything’s worth celebrating it’s that, right?
Gray: Actually, it’s the first day we met. That’s what we’re celebrating, numbnuts.
Tanner: You met her when she was like twelve or something. You still celebrate that?
Gray: Okay, the second time. Or whatever. Can you guys stop now? Just because I got in with my babysitting request first doesn’t mean you all need to get pissy. Next time I’ll message Becca directly.
Tanner: Nope. No fair. No off-group chat talks. How else am I going to know what’s going on in Hartson’s Creek?
Logan: I have an off-group chat with Becca.
Cam: Me too.
Gray: Yep. That’s where we all share our deepest darkest secrets about you, Tanner.
Logan: Like the time Cam jumped out at Tanner wearing a Santa beard on Christmas morning and he peed his new pjs?
Tanner: Okay, first of all, I didn’t pee my pjs. I spilled milk down myself. And second of all, do you guys really have off-group chats with Becca? I feel wounded. Or cheated on. Or something. WE NEED TO TALK!
Becca sighed
as she read the messages. No wonder her phone had been beeping non stop while she worked in the still room that morning. It had been like carrying a little tweety bird in her pocket. Putting her finger to the screen, she scrolled down, shaking her head as the banter continued.
Logan: Hey, is Becca all right? She hasn’t replied.
Tanner: Becca?
Cam: Becca? You okay?
Gray: Should I call her? Make sure she’s not ill?
Cam: Hold on. I’ll message Mia, she can check on her.
Tanner: Well? It’s been five minutes, is she okay?
Cam: According to Mia, she’s working in the still room. She has a break at one, and she’ll probably get back to us then. So could you all calm yourselves down and stop panicking?
Becca checked her watch. Cam’s last message had been sent twenty minutes ago. If she didn’t reply soon, they’d probably send a SWAT team to the distillery.
Becca: Guys, some of us have to work for a living. Can you stop with the protective big brother panic now? And I can’t babysit for any of you on Saturday, I’m busy.
Tanner: What are you doing on Saturday? Can you still make me a cake on Sunday?
She shook her head. Nope. I’m busy then, too.
She conveniently ignored his other question. She wasn’t ready for them to know anything about Daniel Carter. The thought sent shivers down her spine, and not in a good way.
Gray: Well, I know you’re not going out with the girls, because I asked Maddie.
Tanner: Wait. Are you going on a date? Is it that guy from the other week?
Cam: He flew to Afghanistan, numbnuts.
Tanner: So who’s she going on a date with?
Rolling her eyes, Becca tapped out a reply.
Becca: It’s not a date. It’s a work thing, idiots.
She was already regretting joining this stupid group chat. It had been Gray’s idea to add her to the brothers’ group. She had a feeling he was worried about her being lonely when she moved out.
Right now, the chance to feel lonely would be a wonderful thing. It was almost impossible to do anything without them knowing. To the rest of the world they were chilled, handsome guys who were laid back to the point of falling asleep. But to Becca they were like annoying flies she couldn’t quite bat away.
Cam: Mia didn’t say anything about working on Saturday.
Oh shit. There went that plan. She had a feeling that as soon as Mia got home, Cam would be asking about whether the distillery was running that weekend. Maybe sooner – she wouldn’t put it past him to call her now and check. Becca locked her phone and slid it back into her pocket, then grabbed the soup she’d just warmed up and carried it to Mia’s office.
“Do you have five minutes?” she asked, when Mia looked up from her laptop.
Mia smiled. “Sure. Sit down. What’s up? Oh, did Cam get ahold of you? He called me earlier. It was weird, because he sounded all panicky and wanted me to check on you.”
“Yeah, I replied to their group chat.” Becca rolled her eyes. “I know he’s your fiancé, but he’s such an ass sometimes. They all are.”
“Hey, you have my sympathies. I can imagine how annoying they can be. I’m just glad I’m an only kid.” Mia folded her laptop closed. “So, what’s up?”
“I need you to lie to them for me.”
Mia started to laugh. “You’re not serious.”
“I am. If Cam asks you whether I’m working this weekend, please tell him yes.” Becca offered her a pleading smile.
“But you’re not working.” Mia frowned. “Unless there’s a backlog I don’t know about. We caught up on the schedule, didn’t we?” As the marketing manager for GSC, Mia wasn’t involved in the production, but the distillery was small enough that everybody knew what was happening and when.
“There’s no backlog. And I’m not working.” Becca traced the line of her phone in her pocket, then looked up with a sigh.
“So what are you doing?” Mia leaned forward, her eyes wide. “It’s something you don’t want your brothers to know about, so it has to be good. Come on, tell me, I’m all ears.”
Becca took a deep breath. “I’m going to Charleston to a charity ball.”
“Oh wow!” Mia grinned. “What kind of charity?”
Becca blinked. “I’ve no idea.” She needed to find out. No doubt there would be a silent auction and other fundraising – she’d need to donate something.
“I didn’t really care about the charity,” Mia admitted, threading her fingers together, her gaze fixed avidly on Becca. “What I’m more interested in is why you don’t want your brothers to find out.”
Because they’ll tear Daniel apart with their bare hands. No, that wasn’t right. Her brothers may have been like overprotective bears, but she couldn’t picture them hurting Daniel. He was a stalking lion. He’d dance around them then bite until they bled.
She shivered. “I’m going with Daniel.” Sometimes honesty was the best policy. Except where her brothers were concerned.
“What?”
“You want me to repeat it?” Becca clenched her teeth.
“Daniel. As in Daniel Carter?” Mia blinked. “Our boss, Daniel Carter?”
“That’s the guy. Tall, dark, and always grimacing.” Becca bit down a smile at that description. Add devastatingly handsome and it would be him to a ‘T’.
“Okay, we need to back up. I’m completely confused. You hate Daniel. Or at least I thought you did. And you told me the feeling was mutual.”
“It is.” Becca nodded, her expression serious.
A slow smile broke out on Mia’s lips. “Oh my god, you like each other.”
Becca’s chest tightened. “I’m not sure like is the right word,” she said, not ready to admit that. “There’s just this thing. I don’t know.” She shook her head. “It’s like wanting something and not wanting it.” She was still waiting for the not wanting part. Maybe it would come after the weekend.
One night together. Would it be enough?
Mia’s mouth dropped open. “Oh shit. You hate-like him.” She shook her head.
“Is that bad?”
“It’s the worst. You need to tell me everything now. How did he end up asking you to the ball?”
Mia listened as Becca described her trip to Charleston to deliver Daniel’s medication. Their strange and loaded evening out with his family. And that elevator kiss.
“Whoa, they make you Hartsons sound like the Waltons,” Mia said after Becca told her about Melissa and her early morning hotel room visit.
Becca’s brows knit together. “That’s kind of what I said.”
Mia chuckled. “So this weekend is all you’re going to have? You go to the ball with him, he gets the go ahead for the new single malt from his family, then you come back here like nothing ever happened. No dating, no relationship, just boss and employee?”
“That’s pretty much it.” When Mia said it out loud it sounded stupid. Even if there was no other choice. “He’s made it clear he’s not interested in a relationship.”
“How about you?” Mia asked softly, tipping her head to the side.
Becca shrugged. “It is what it is. I get to play Cinderella for the night, and mingle with the rich and benevolent of Charleston. Then I leave and come home. Nothing changes.” She shrugged. “I couldn’t cope with his mood swings anyway.” Lies, all lies.
Mia eyed her carefully. “I’m worried you’re going to get hurt. And then Cam finds out and I’m going to get hurt for not telling him about all this.”
Reaching out across the table, Becca squeezed her friend’s hand. “Nobody’s going to get hurt.”
Mia squeezed her hand back. “If you’re sure…”
“I am.”
“Then I’ll evade Cam’s question. I can’t lie to him, I’d hate that. But this really is kind of a work thing, isn’t it? You’re going to Charleston to help Daniel win his family over. If that isn’t work, I don’t know what is.”
“Of course it’s
work.” Becca nodded, trying to reassure her.
“So, what are you wearing to the ball?”
“I don’t know. Daniel offered to get me a dress, but that’s weird. I was going to call Laura this afternoon and see if she had anything suitable.” Laura’s Dress Shop was the favorite haunt of the ladies in Hartson’s Creek. Though most of her clothing was casual, she had some formal wear in the back.
“You don’t need to do that. I have a dress from that charity evening I went to with Cam a few months ago. It’ll fit you. I even have matching shoes. I’ll sneak them out to my car while he’s not looking.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yep.” Mia nodded with a smile. “Daniel Carter won’t know what’s hit him.”
It was weird, but Becca liked the sound of that.
Chapter Eighteen
“I’ll pick you up at ten tomorrow morning,” Daniel murmured. Becca froze where she was bending over to check the still, her heart rattling against her chest at the sound of his voice. She exhaled softly and turned to look at him.
He was wearing a pale blue shirt, unbuttoned at the neck as always, tucked into navy pants that skimmed his slim hips and hugged his thighs. His arm muscles looked bigger than she remembered, or maybe his shirt sleeves were tighter. He also smelled like heaven in human form. She swallowed hard, pulling her gaze away.
“I’ll drive myself,” she told him. It was almost six. They were probably the only two people left in the distillery right now. “What time do you want me there?”
Daniel frowned. “Why would you drive yourself? I’m going the same way.”
“Because by the time we get to Charleston, one of us is likely to end up dead.” She kept her voice light, but she meant it. The atmosphere between them was getting thicker every day. It felt as though it had a life of its own. It buzzed and hissed and made her body ache for things she shouldn’t want.