“I know.” Ben grimaced. “Mrs. Dankirk had it commissioned and flown in from Italy.”
Total waste of money. “It could be worse,” she felt compelled to say.
He shut off the ignition, removed his glasses and turned to stare at her, brows knit together, gorgeous green eyes narrowed to mere slits. “Worse? How?”
Her lips quivered. “What if he had no plate? I’d hate to think of where the water would come from then…”
It took all of two seconds before Ben tossed his glasses on the dash, threw his head back and laughed. The warm sound reverberated through the cab to her very core, and Lea’s good parts quivered in response. She twisted to lean her back against her door for support as she faced him. Goodness, the man was potent in close quarters.
When he finally sobered, the warmth remained in his gaze as he smiled at her. “What am I going to do with you?”
Several scorching and decadent suggestions flashed through her head at the same time, but none made it to her lips. “Put up with me, I guess,” she said instead. “You’re the one who invited me.”
“True.”
His gaze sobered and lost some of the warmth, and she suddenly felt cold.
“Thanks for helping me, Lea. I appreciate you giving up your weekend for me.”
She shrugged, trying to play it off as if it was no big deal. “Like I told you the other day, I had the time off, so it’s all good.”
He nodded, and she tried not to take offense at the relief washing through his features. “Good, because I don’t want you to get the wrong idea. I just need you to pretend to be my girlfriend when the others are around.”
“Especially Mrs. Dankirk.”
“Exactly. …” He paused, his gaze transferring to something out the window behind her.
Was it bad to wish it was the woman?
A second later, she wondered if the colonel’s wife was outside because when Ben’s attention returned to her again, his gaze was hot and interested and…consuming.
Her heart tried to burst from her chest. Then he shifted closer, sexy smile on his face trapping the breath in her lungs. She couldn’t blink. Forgot how to breathe. Just sat there watching the sexiest man alive lift a hand to cup her face.
Breathe, idiot! The last thing she needed was to faint. Not when she was about to get the kiss she’d dreamt about since puberty.
God, she hoped she was about to get the kiss she’d dreamt about since puberty…
Chapter Three
“I hope you have some acting skills, Lea, because we have an audience,” he informed through that delicious smile still lingering on his approaching lips. “Don’t freak out, but I’m going to kiss you.”
Freak out?
She was going to freak out if he didn’t kiss her. Bring it on, Bucko, I’m ready seemed a little too anxious. “Okay,” she whispered instead, hands clenched in a ball on her lap to keep from grabbing his collar and yanking him close.
That would appear too desperate, and she wasn’t going for desperate. She wanted demure, mysterious…and the rest of her thought process went to hell in a designer bag when his lips finally brushed hers.
A fission of some sort skittered down her shoulders and spine. He must’ve felt it too because he drew back to blink at her. She inhaled, lost in his incredible manly scent mixed with fresh soap and something cedar. But Lea had waited a long time for the kiss and was having none of that air between them. She reached up to cup his face and pulled that sexy jaw and sensual mouth back where they belonged. On her.
To her joy, Ben needed no coaxing. Tentative and light at first, his lips resumed their private tasting; then, as if a switch had been flipped, he increased the pressure, deepening the kiss, driving her out of her rapidly fogging mind.
He did not disappoint. His quiet strength and raw passion she sensed hidden just under the surface felt even better than she had imagined.
Hotter. Stronger. Just…more.
It was all too much. She closed her eyes and melted into him, clutching at the collar she tried so hard not to clutch. Again and again, he tasted her lips, and she willed his tongue to slip on over for a visit while she fought to keep her tongue to herself, to refrain from exploring his domain. Wanting, willing him to make that first move.
This was their first kiss. They’d have more this weekend. She’d have plenty of opportunity to sample all of Benjamin Wyne.
Of course, if he wanted to sample more, she was happy to oblige. Right there. In his truck. In the middle of the colonel’s driveway…
She stiffened a half a second before him, each apparently realizing where they were at the same time.
“Damn, Lea,” he said, drawing back, lop-sided grin tugging the warm mouth she already missed. “You are a great actress.”
Actress?
He friggin’ thought she had been acting?
The deep, consuming need to touch and taste had nothing to do with acting and everything to do with feeling. It was real. They had a connection. And she would’ve told him, but he was already slipping out of the truck.
Acting my ass.
She sucked in a few breaths and cleared the fog from her brain. By the time he reached her door, doubt had set in.
Maybe his need and passion had been faked. Maybe he had been acting. That made sense. Why else would he have been kissing her like his life had depended on it?
Because it had. Sort of. His promotion life.
Idiot.
Here she’d thought it was her. That she was the reason he couldn’t seem to get enough. That he finally awakened to the realization she was no longer a child.
Darn man zapped her common sense along with her brain cells.
“Watch your step, sweetheart,” he said, taking her hand to help her out of the truck.
Catching sight of Colonel Dankirk and his wife approaching with another couple behind Ben, Lea conjured her best smile and slid slowly to the ground, using his body as a buffer.
A rock, solid, hard buffer.
“Thank you, Benny.” She lifted up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. Only she could see the shock widening his gaze. Maybe he wasn’t as indifferent to her after all.
Satisfaction was a warm blanket to the soul.
“There you two are,” the colonel said, hand extended to Ben. “How was traffic?”
They drew apart so the two men could shake.
“Not bad, sir,” her date replied.
Mrs. Dankirk stepped forward. “Good to see you again, Ben.”
Lea half-expected the woman to look like an aging porn star, not the attractive, polished blonde in designer clothes and posture as perfect as her plastic surgery. If Brandi hadn’t informed her the Velcro vixen was in her forties, Lea would’ve guessed early thirties. Whoever did her face and boobs was one heck of a doctor.
Her hostess with the mostess pulled Ben into a hug that started out innocent enough, until she skimmed a hand over his ass.
Nice. And right in front of her husband’s nose, too. Lea was doing her best to keep the distaste from showing on her face when the woman turned a cool gaze on her.
“And you brought a friend.”
Her date immediately stepped close and dropped an arm around her shoulders. “This is my girlfriend, Lea Gablonski.”
“Gablonski? Funny.” The woman didn’t laugh. “You don’t look polish.”
As much as she wanted to counter the remark, she curbed her inner snark for Ben’s sake. “I know. I think most of it went to my older sister.”
The woman stared at her like she didn’t know what to do with her, which made sense to Lea because she didn’t know what to do with herself either.
Ben introduced the other three couples who had gathered near, and she wasn’t surprised to find each of them were customers from the diner. Thanks to her upbringing in the restaurant, Lea suspected she knew everyone in the county.
“Come on inside and Malloy will show you to your room,” Colonel Dankirk said, leading the way.
&n
bsp; Room.
Her heart leapt. So they were sharing a room. Maybe the negligee would see the light of day—or moonlight—after all. Of course, she had to get up the nerve to wear it in front of her boyfriend.
Stepping into the two story house, she found the foyer open and airy with high ceilings and gorgeous crown molding. At every turn was an antique, a piece of history Lea longed to explore, but the dowdy housekeeper was already heading upstairs expecting them to follow, so she had to drool on the run.
When they were finally alone in their room, she brushed past Ben and took advantage of the opportunity to openly covet the furniture.
“I can’t believe this, Ben. Look.” She pointed to an ornate vanity dresser. “They have a Chippendale. A Chippendale. I think I’ve died and gone to heaven,” she said, gently running her hand over the mahogany wood. “Who would’ve guessed the house would be full of such treasures? Especially after seeing that fountain.”
He shrugged. “It’s just furniture.”
Her intake of breath filled the room when she punched his arm. Hard.
“Ouch.”
“Exactly,” she said, frowning at him. “These aren’t just pieces of furniture. They’re history. Someone’s history.”
Again he shrugged, unzipping his duffle bag to remove a modern day shaving kit. “If you say so.”
“I do.” She nodded, moving on to examine a settee in the corner.
It was a Victorian walnut settee from the 1800s, and in excellent shape. Excitement rushed through her veins. This wasn’t a museum piece; she was allowed to touch. Drawing in a shaky breath, she gingerly sat down, then stretched out and smiled.
“I left room in the—” Ben reentered from the adjoining bathroom, stopped mid-sentence and stood staring at her as if he’d walked into a pole.
“What?”
He blinked and gave his head a slight shake. “What?”
Lea turned on her side, propped her head in her hand and smiled. “I asked you first.”
Ben blanked.
Again.
Why the hell did that keep happening? He couldn’t seem to filter in Lea’s words or form a thought, other than she was so damn beautiful and sexy lying on the old couch, come-hither stare fastened on him through eyes the same unique shade as her outfit.
Damn.
The urge to strip her naked and join her was so sudden and strong he nearly doubled over.
What the hell?
The same unexpected need had hit him when he’d kissed her in the truck. That wasn’t supposed to happen. The simple staged kiss in front of the colonel’s wife to show he was off limits had turned into anything but simple. It should’ve been like kissing his sister. Unfeeling and unpleasant.
But it wasn’t.
Hell no. The instant his lips had brushed hers, a wave of heat had shot down his body and stirred his groin. He should’ve stopped and pulled back, but Mrs. Dankirk had been watching from a distance, and he’d wanted to make sure she got the message.
Bullshit, his mind balked. It had been all Lea. He couldn’t get enough of the blue-eyed beauty. He’d wanted more, needed more, and it was all he could do not to thrust his tongue into her mouth and sample her essence. Luckily, common sense had kicked in. She wasn’t offering—she was acting.
At his request.
So, what was she doing now? There was no audience. Just them.
He needed to cool it and get his thinking back on track. Use his other head. He cleared his throat and nodded toward the bathroom. “There’s room for your stuff in there.”
“Thanks,” she said, then scooted back and patted the cushion in front of her. “Come here and try this out, Ben. It’s more comfortable than I thought.”
He swallowed a snort. “No, I might break it.” And by it, he meant his resolve not to touch the woman while they were alone. He could tell by just that one kiss things could get out of hand fast. At least, on his end. He glanced at the clock on the nightstand. “We’d better get downstairs. It’s just about time for dinner.”
A flash of reluctance crossed her face. He could relate. He was not looking forward to mysteriously ending up next to Mrs. Dankirk again. At the last party, he had to endure her grab-hand tactics under the table.
“Okay.” Lea scooted to the edge of the chair, flashing a good portion of supple leg and thigh before standing. “Let’s go see your girlfriend.”
“Very funny.” He wasn’t amused.
A few graceful steps brought her to him at the door, where she hooked her arm through his then glanced up and smiled. “I know.”
Despite himself, his lips twitched into an answering grin as he opened the door and ushered her into the hall. No matter what life threw at the woman, she was always upbeat and positive, ready with a smile. A Godsend for Brandi and the whole Wyne family. And it was never more apparent as they entered the dining room a minute later.
“There you are, Ben,” Mrs. Dankirk smiled and patted the chair on her left. “Just in time.”
Damn. He didn’t think he could take another dinner with the hostess feeling his crotch.
Lea stepped forward. “Oh, would you mind if I sat there, Mrs. Dankirk? Benny is left handed, and we’ll do nothing but bump elbows all night if he sits there.”
The woman hesitated, and he held his breath until she forced a smile and nodded. “But of course.”
God he could’ve kissed Lea. She actually got him out of the hotseat. And with the truth. He was left handed.
“Thank you,” Lea said when he held the chair out for her.
He bent down to whisper in her ear as he pushed her in. “I owe you.”
She turned to him as he took his seat, mischievous grin curving her lips. “Yes, you do.”
He should’ve been afraid, but he wasn’t. Not this time. He was still enjoying the high from not having to sit next to their hostess. Then a twinge of guilt shifted through him. This meant she was going to endure Mrs. Dankirk’s wrath for getting in the way.
“So, tell me, Lea,” the woman began as she shook out her napkin and settled it on her lap. “What exactly do you do?”
“Right now I’m working at my dad’s diner,” Lea replied, smoothing her own napkin over her thighs, shoulders relaxed, not in the least put out by their hostess’ condescending tone.
He was noticing this pattern with her lately. She wasn’t easily put out. Maybe her time alone in a big city had matured her. And maybe he shouldn’t find that trait so attractive. That was asking for trouble.
Colonel Dankirk leaned forward and cocked his head. “She’s being modest, my dear. Lea also has a Masters in History.”
The colonel’s wife jerked her head. “Really? Why in the world are you waitressing? Seems like a waste of time.”
Lea shrugged, expression still amicable. “My dad is recovering from surgery, so I’m just filling in until he’s back behind the counter.”
“And she works at the train museum,” one of the other women at the table spoke up.
Distaste broke through and soured the corner of Mrs. Dankirk’s mouth. “I see,” she said, reaching for her wine.
“Oh my,” Lea exclaimed, gaze trained on the woman’s hand. “What an exquisite Fede Gimmel ring. It’s Victorian, right?”
And just like that, the distaste in Mrs. Dankirk’s eyes disappeared to be replaced by delight. “Yes, it is. Do you know jewelry?”
His date smiled. “No, but as they say, I do know history.” She fingered the ring still on their hostess’ finger. “It’s actually three rings that fit tightly together to form one. This piece is incredible.”
“Yes, it is,” their host repeated, removing the ring and spreading it to reveal three parts.
The women around the table all murmured their delight at the thin gold ring with a hand on one, half a hand on another and twin hearts on the middle. When fit together, it appeared to be two hands clasping the double hearts. Ben never would’ve guessed it was a set, or expensive.
“Then you’ll proba
bly love our dinner plates. And here they are now.”
The staff set out their first course and Lea sucked in a breath. “My God. These can’t be real.”
“I can assure you, they are,” the colonel said with a shake of his head. “They cost a pretty penny.”
Lea started to shake. “I can’t believe I’m eating off of sixteenth century china.”
“Believe it,” Mrs. Dankirk said, big smile lighting her face. “What do you think of the candle sticks?”
Ben spent the next half-hour eating in silence, enjoying Lea’s expressions from shocked to delighted to awestruck, as well as her explanation for each piece their host mentioned. His date practically vibrated in her seat. Before he knew it, dinner was through, and he survived without being groped once.
A novel experience for him in that house.
“Well, my dear, why don’t you show Lea our art collection while the guys and I shoot some pool?” the colonel suggested, pushing back in his chair.
Lea stilled. “Art collection?”
“Yes, we have an extensive one in the other room,” Mrs. Dankirk replied, rising to her feet to hook elbows with his girlfriend and lead her from the room without once subjecting him to an inappropriate stare.
Yeah, he owed Lea big time. All evening, she held everyone’s attention and worked the table like a pro, without even trying. She was just being Lea. Her usual well of knowledge. This allowed him to actually enjoy a meal at the colonel’s house, for once.
Best damn idea he’d ever had was bringing her along.
He stepped into the study, ready to talk shop, curious to know if the colonel had heard about gaining another company, but as soon as the door closed behind him, he received backslaps and handshakes from the snickering guys.
“Wow, Serge. You’re a sly dog.”
“And a lucky one.”
“Now the truth is out. All these years of warnings, biting everyone’s head off and threatening to spit it down our throats if we even so much as looked at Brandi or Lea the wrong way had nothing to do with Lea being like a sister to you.”
Yeah, it did.
“Truth is out, Serge. That was bullshit.”
Wyne and Dine (Citizen Soldier Series Book 1) Page 5