“Only one woman has ever had my undivided attention, Ava.” He flattened his palm into her abdomen, pressing her back into his front. “You, only you.” She wanted to believe that, but if she gave her heart to him, she’d never get it back. Even if he decided he didn’t want it anymore, he’d always have it. “You have to believe me,” he whispered. “Please tell me you believe me.”
She turned in his arms, wrapping hers around his neck. “I believe you.” Ava was taking the biggest risk of her life, but a life without risk wasn’t worth living.
“I love you,” he said, kissing the tear tracks on her cheeks. “So much.”
Oreo danced around their feet as though she sensed she was witnessing an important moment.
“I love you too.”
He held her face. “You mean that? No doubts, no reservations?”
“None.” If she was sure about one thing, it was her feelings for him. They left her too raw and exposed to be anything less than the real thing.
He kissed her, filling the emptiness in her soul with the undeniable certainty that he wanted her as much as she wanted him. “Let me call my driver,” he said, tearing his mouth away. “Assuming you want me to stay?”
“I may keep you here forever,” she said, gliding her tongue down his neck. “As my sex slave.”
He threw his head back and laughed. “Baby, I want that job.”
Chapter Twelve
Brent propped the pillow behind his head and watched Ava rush around getting ready for work. He intended to get used to it. He didn’t care where they started their day, his place or hers, as long as they were together. “Why don’t you come back to bed?” he asked, licking his lips when she dropped her towel.
“You’re insatiable,” she laughed. “You kept me up half the night. I may need a pot of coffee to get through the day.”
“I love that I was the one who turned you into a caffeine addict,” he said, winking. “Welcome to the dark side.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t you have to get ready? Last time I checked, huge corporations didn’t run themselves.”
Brent burrowed deeper under the duvet. He was usually already on his way to the office by that time. Shifting his focus and finding a little more balance felt good, especially since he realized the time he spent at work couldn’t compare to the time he spent with Ava. “I have to leave town in a few hours.”
Ava poked her head out of her walk-in closet, a pout on her pretty face. “Where are you going?”
“Boston. I should be back day after tomorrow. You want to come?”
“I can’t.” She sighed. “I have my father’s birthday party tonight. I was going to ask you to come, but I guess you can’t.”
Brent wanted to go so he could get to know her family and give them the opportunity to see how much he loved Ava, but he didn’t think he could get out of the meetings. He’d invested in the start-up a year earlier, and they required another round of financing to enlarge their manufacturing facility so they could meet the demand for their hand-made decadent treats. He’d already put them off once, and if they didn’t expand soon, they would lose the contracts they needed for the Christmas season.
“I wish I could, baby.” At times like that, he wondered why he pushed so hard. He could easily retire and do whatever he wanted for the rest of his life, but without the daily challenges, he would be bored out of his mind. “Raincheck?”
She smiled. “Sure, he has a birthday every year. You have a standing invitation.”
He loved that she was thinking about the future, but he could tell she was disappointed. “Text me the address. I’d like to send him a gift, at least.”
“You don’t have to do that.” She leaned over to kiss him.
“I want to.” He grabbed the back of her thigh so she couldn’t escape.
He knew how much Ava’s family meant to her. They would be an important part of his life as well. If a token of his sincerity could pave the way, he would gladly buy her father the best gift he could find. “What’s your dad into?”
“The usual stuff,” she said, peeling his hand off her leg with a smile. “He likes to travel. Still loves martial arts, jogs almost every day, and listens to country music.”
“I look forward to seeing him again.” Brent watched with regret as she slipped into a royal blue, sleeveless dress and strappy sandals. “Think he’ll remember me?”
She looked at him in the mirror as she placed diamond studs in her ears. “You’re a hard man to forget, Armstrong.”
He laughed. “I’m glad you thought so.”
“Do you need a ride home or will you call your driver?”
His penthouse was on the way to her office, and since he was going away for a few days, he wanted to spend as much time with her as possible. “Can I talk you into giving me a lift, gorgeous?”
She faced him with one hand on her hip and a sassy smile lighting her blue eyes. “You could, but it’ll cost you.”
“Oh yeah?” He grinned right back, gratified to see her so happy and knowing he had something to do with it. “Whatever the price, I’m pretty sure I can pay it.”
***
Ava walked into her office an hour later with a plan. She was convinced Eli needed a woman with enough personality and feistiness to make him forget he’d ever met his ex, and she knew just the woman for the job: Tara. She’d never tried to set her best friend up with any of their clients because it was risky. But he was Aiden’s friend and teammate, and in her mind, that practically made him family.
Of course, she couldn’t tell her friend what she had in mind, and she’d have to keep Eli in the dark as well until she’d seen the two of them together. Her dad’s birthday party would be the perfect opportunity.
She sat behind her desk and called Eli. She sipped her latte as she waited for him to answer, hoping it wouldn’t go straight to voice mail. She wondered if he was at practice.
“Hello,” he said, sounding winded.
“Hi, Eli, it’s Ava Cooper from Lasting Connections. Did I catch you at a bad time?”
“No, your timing’s perfect, Ava. I just finished my workout. What’s up?”
A vision of all that hard muscle glistening with a fine sheen of perspiration flashed through her mind, making her blush. Just because she loved Brent didn’t mean she’d lost the ability to appreciate a sexy man. And Eli was sexy, in spades. “I was hoping you were available tonight.”
“Um, yeah, I think so. We don’t have a game until Saturday. Why? What’d you have in mind?”
“I’d love to get to know you better.” Ava winced when she realized how that sounded. She didn’t want him getting the wrong impression. “Um, it helps if I get to know my clients a little better before setting them up.” She laughed when he didn’t respond. “We’re a little unconventional here, Eli. This isn’t your typical dating service.”
“I can see that.” He laughed. “I like it.”
Knowing he may still be under the mistaken impression that she was interested in him, she said, “I was hoping you’d escort me to my father’s birthday party tonight. As friends, of course.” Friends was a bit of a stretch. They barely knew each other, but if things worked out with Tara, Eli would be an important part of her life as well. Besides, she wanted to make sure he was definitely over the ex-girlfriend before she considered setting him up with her friend. Tara had recently been through a bad break up, and she was reluctant to get back in the game. As far as Ava was concerned, it was time.
“Yeah, that sounds great. In fact, Aiden mentioned his brother’s party. He said I should come. Apparently a few cool country acts will be playing.”
“You can count on that,” Ava said, smiling. They didn’t have a party without conning their friends into performing a song or two.
“Great, I’m looking forward to it.”
“It’s at Jimmy’s.” J.T. had offered to shut the bar down for their private surprise party, and since her father wasn’t a black tie kind of guy, they knew
he would prefer the bar to a stuffy ballroom. “You know where that is, right?”
“I sure do.”
“Perfect. I’ll see you there at seven. It’s a surprise, so try not to be late.”
“I’ll be on time. I’m looking forward to it. Thanks for the invite.”
“My pleasure.” She was still smiling when Tara walked into her office a few minutes later.
“What’s that smile about?” Tara rolled her eyes when Ava looked up. “As if I didn’t know. You wouldn’t, by chance, have woken up with a certain sexy business mogul this morning, would you?”
Ava couldn’t wipe the smile off if she tried. She’d found the man of her dreams, and she was confident she was about to help her best friend do the same. “Maybe.”
Tara leaned over to pet Oreo when she started dancing around her feet. “I’m not gonna lie, I’m jealous as hell. But I’m happy for you. I knew a long time ago that Brent was the one for you.”
“How can you say that? I didn’t even know.”
“Girl, sometimes I think I know you better than you know yourself.” She chuckled. “When you ran scared after y’all slept together the first time and he had the kahunas to track you down, I knew you’d found your match.”
Ava laughed at the memory. She’d been angry, frustrated, and more than a little flattered by the lengths Brent had gone to to track her down in Europe. “That man is crazy.”
“But you love him.” Tara looked at her, waiting for confirmation.
“I do.”
Tara squealed and clapped, prompting Oreo to yap. “I knew it!”
“He’s leaving on a business trip,” Ava said, pouting. She knew she was being ridiculous. He traveled all over the world and she would have to get used to it, but she wanted him to celebrate her father’s birthday with them. “So he won’t be able to come tonight.”
“Aww, that’s too bad. Nobody knows how to party like y’all.”
Ava laughed. That much was true. Of course, most people couldn’t call on the top singers in country music to perform at their private parties either. “I haven’t told my parents I’m seeing Brent. I wanted to tell them tonight.”
“That won’t be a problem, will it?” Tara asked, taking a sip of her coffee. “Your parents liked Brent when they met him back in college, right?’
“Yeah, I’m not worried about that.” Her parents had always been supportive. “Still, it would be nice for them to know things are… serious.”
“How serious?” Tara asked, lifting an eyebrow.
“Serious.” Ava wasn’t ready to walk down the aisle, and she didn’t suspect Brent was ready to ask, but she knew she didn’t want to be with anyone else. If their relationship evolved the way she expected, it wouldn’t be long before they made that commitment.
“So the ex-fiancée is definitely out of the picture?”
Ava still experienced a twinge of uneasiness over the stunning woman, but she knew if their relationship was going to work, she had to trust Brent. “She’s out of the picture.” Ava thought of the time Brent spent with Jasmine last night. “She went to a function he was attending so she could talk to him.”
A look of concern crossed Tara’s face. “How did he handle that?”
“He gave her a ride home so they could talk.”
Tara shifted in her seat. “I don’t like the sound of that. What kind of game is he playing?”
Ava knew her best friend was just looking out for her, so she tried not to get defensive. “He told me the truth about her being there and the fact he drove her home. He even told me what they talked about. That has to count for something, right?”
Tara didn’t look convinced. “Yeah, but how did he explain the fact that he lied to you about her in the first place?” She sighed when Ava grimaced. “You know I love you and I’m just looking out for you. I like Brent and all, but if he hurts you, I’ll have to kill him.”
Ava reached across the desk to grasp her friend’s hand. “I know. But I trust him, and I believe that he doesn’t feel anything for her anymore. She cheated on him. Brent’s not the kind of man to forgive that kind of betrayal.”
“I guess you’re right.” Tara stroked Oreo when she jumped up on the chair next to her.
“So, I’m bringing someone to the party tonight,” Ava said hesitantly. She didn’t want to tip off Tara. If she did, her friend would nix the idea before she even met Eli.
“What do you mean, you’re bringing someone to the party? Didn’t you just finish telling me you’re crazy about the sexy billionaire?”
Ava laughed. “I don’t think Brent’s a billionaire.”
“Think again.”
Ava didn’t want to dwell on that. If she did, it would make her uneasy. Was he really that wealthy? It didn’t matter, but it was a little intimidating to think about what that kind of money could do and buy if anyone ever crossed him. She hoped she could help Brent get over his need for revenge against his mother. It hurt her to see what it was doing to him.
Ava brought her attention back to Eli and her plan for this evening. “Regardless, I’m not bringing this guy as a date. He’s a client, sort of.”
Tara laughed. “Another one of those? Wasn’t Brent a sort of client for half a minute?”
“No!” Ava cringed when she thought of what it would mean for her business if word got out she was dating one of her clients. “I never officially took him on as a client and you know that, so stop giving me grief.”
“I can’t help it, you’re so easy.” Tara winked. “Okay, tell me about this new client. What’s he like?”
“Does the name Eli Rea mean anything to you?” Unlike Ava, who barely knew the basics of hockey, much to her uncle’s chagrin, Tara was a real fan.
Tara’s mouth fell open. “Seriously? That’s our new client? Why would he need our help finding a woman? He must have to beat them off with his hockey stick. The man’s gorgeous!”
Ava couldn’t argue. Eli was the epitome of male perfection. “There’s an ex-girlfriend in the picture. I think he might still have feelings for her.” Ava would never forgive herself if Tara and Eli got involved and she’d kept that piece of information to herself.
“That makes him a lousy risk as a client. Maybe you shouldn’t take him on.”
Lasting Connections could afford to be selective, so Ava occasionally turned people away if she didn’t feel they were ready to commit. “That’s what tonight is about, getting a feel for where his head is. If I think he’s still into her, I’ll tell him to come back and see us when he’s sure he’s ready to move on.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Tara stood. “Hey, you want to come to Alisa’s with me on our lunch break? You can help me pick out something to wear tonight.”
“Sure,” Ava said, smiling. She and Tara shared a passion for shopping, which meant they often snuck out on their lunch break. Fortunately, Lena and Alisa’s boutique was just down the street from their office. “Can’t wait. Lena told me the new line from that European designer, Mazaro, came in.”
“Thank God I just paid my credit card bill.”
***
Brent was trying to focus on work, but it wasn’t easy. Ava’s beautiful face kept popping into his head. He wished he could rearrange his schedule so he could be at the party, but the trip required his personal attention.
Keith knocked on his door and poked his head in. “You got a minute, boss man?”
His brother rarely indulged him by knocking, so Brent’s curiosity was piqued. “Yeah, come on in.” He scrubbed his hands over his face. He’d barely gotten four hours of sleep and it was catching up with him. A slow smile spread across his face when he remembered why he’d lost sleep.
“What’s that smile about?” Keith asked. “Since when do you smile for no good reason in the middle of a workday?”
Was he really such an ogre that people found it an oddity when he smiled? Pre-Ava… probably. “Spare me the commentary and get to the point. I’ve got work to do and a plane to cat
ch.”
“It’s about Dad.”
That got Brent’s attention. He gestured to the chair across from him. “What about him?”
“His nurse called a little while ago. Apparently he has pneumonia.”
“Son of a bitch.” Their father had smoked for more than thirty years, which led to a chronic lung condition requiring ongoing medical attention. That’s why Brent had insisted on the private nurse to check in on him and make sure he was taking his medication and attending his doctor’s appointments. “Why didn’t he tell us?”
“I guess he didn’t want to worry us.”
“The stubborn old fool,” Brent muttered. Anyone who questioned his stubborn streak only had to look as far as his father. The man was a menace when he made up his mind. Brent and Keith knew his lung condition made pneumonia a potentially serious illness. “Shouldn’t he be in the hospital?”
“The doctor suggested it, but he refused. He said he wanted to be at home.”
“Damn it,” Brent said, slamming his hand on the desk. If anything happened to the old man… He couldn’t imagine his life without him. His dad had always been his rock. Everyone assumed Brent could handle anything, but his father’s unwavering support gave him that strength. “Why wouldn’t he agree to whatever the hell the doctor asked?”
“’Cause he’s bull-headed.” A ghost of a smile appeared on Keith’s face, but it disappeared quickly. “Like someone else I know.”
Brent knew his kid brother. He was worried about their old man, and that made Brent even more uneasy. Keith was as easygoing as Brent was intense, and if he was concerned, there must be more to the story. “So they gave him medication and they’re monitoring his condition, right?”
“Yeah.” Keith closed his eyes and tipped his head back. “And they ordered a lung X-ray for this morning, to see whether the medication’s working.”
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