by Amelia Judd
A Venture of the Heart
Amelia Judd
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Epilogue
Thank You!
Crashing Together
About the Author
Copyright
For Adam, Aidan, and Addie
You’ll always be my three greatest adventures!
Prologue
hidden in a shadow-filled corner of the pool deck’s elaborate landscaping, Paxton Bennett cursed under his breath and thunked his head against the cushioned headrest of the chaise. If he believed in fate, he’d think the universe was messing with his head. But he didn’t believe in fate. He believed in karma, and for the past six years, he’d made damn sure his life was determined by his own actions. He wouldn’t piss away those efforts now by acting on the unrelenting and unwelcome attraction he felt for the girl strolling his way.
Eyeing her long legs and the glimpse of pale skin in the narrow gap between her jeans and the knot of her shirt, Pax drew in a slow, deep breath and let the darkness settle more deeply around him. In the summer night’s stillness, it would be easier for her to spot movement than either his black hair or sun-darkened skin. With luck, Sage Somerset would pass by unaware he sat in the shadows less than ten feet away.
Then she stopped beside the outdoor shower and smoothed her silky blond hair into a ponytail, emphasizing the enticing green eyes that he could never quite forget and the depressing fact that luck was as fictitious as fate.
He muttered another curse and swallowed hard. Damn, he hated these annual trips to his parents’ estate on Lake Michigan. He spent half the time in a silent, tense battle of wills with his father and the other half avoiding Sage, his youngest sister’s best friend. His gut told him to fly home tomorrow, but his mom would be crushed if he ended his visit early.
A moment later, Sage undid the snap of her jeans and wiggled her hips from side to side, slowly lowering the denim. Blood rushed and his vision focused on her alone, blurring the background to inconsequential.
How the hell did she make a modest white bathing suit look so damn sexy?
He shook his head and tried to recall the reasons he needed to ignore this problematic attraction.
First, he was in Wisconsin for only a few days, just long enough to celebrate his mother’s fiftieth birthday before returning to the resort he managed in Costa Rica. Second, Sage was five years younger and straight out of college. At only twenty-two, Sage looked at him with so much damn innocent admiration it made his head hurt. Third, she was spending the summer working at his father’s beloved company.
Pax had no desire to spend his days in an office running the country’s largest cabinet manufacturing company and had spent the last six years getting as far away as possible from his father, Bennett Industries, and the unrelenting expectations that came with living in Silver Bay. He didn’t need to blow it now by hitting on a girl who was wrapped up in his old life tighter than the jeans she’d just wiggled her way out of.
His brain understood that fact completely. When she stepped into the well-lit area of the outdoor shower and turned on the water, however, his ability to think slipped away faster than the water rushing down the drain. Pax watched silently as she tested the water with her hand before pulling it away to undo her nearly transparent button-down shirt.
Okay, enough was enough.
“Before you take off all of your clothes, you should probably know I’m here.”
“Pax?” Sage yelped. “Holy buckets, you scared me!” She clutched the top portion of her shirt closed. “I didn’t see you there. You’d be awesome at hide-and-seek,” she said on a laugh, quickly shutting off the water and gathering her things. “I was going to do some laps. I thought everyone had gone to bed.”
“Don’t let me stop you.” He forced a smile. Had his father warned her off his disappointing and irresponsible son?
“No worries. I don’t want to be an inconvenience.”
He stood, cutting the distance between them to a few feet. “You’re many things. An inconvenience isn’t one of them.”
Sage gulped and her eyes widened in surprise.
What the hell was he doing? He needed to leave. Now. But he’d always been drawn to her, and damn if time had only strengthened the attraction.
Hoping to distract her from the idiocy of his words, Pax drew in a breath and gestured behind her. “Why were you going to shower?”
She tilted her chin up, a hint of defiance sparking in her green eyes. “Everyone is supposed to shower before getting in a pool. It’s the rule.”
“A rule no one follows. Ever.”
“I like rules.” She shrugged. “They promote safety and efficiency while setting clear guidelines for everyone.”
“Wow. You have the heart of a true adventurer.” He resisted a grin as he thought about her reaction to the activities offered at his resort.
“I’ve never been mistaken for adventurous,” she said with a sheepish grin. “Being a rule follower is much safer.”
“Okay. It’s settled.” He sat down on a chair beside the pool steps, stretched his legs out in front of him, and laced his fingers together behind his head. “I’ll stay while you swim, since the number one rule of swimming is to never do it alone.”
Her mouth opened and a flash of surprise crossed her face. “Huh. I guess you have a point.” She tossed him another grin. “It’s nice of you to offer.”
“Yeah, it’s a real hardship,” he mumbled as he watched her turn the shower handle and remove her shirt. Eyes closed, she stepped under the water and tipped her head to the starry sky.
Deep breaths. He needed to take deep breaths and think about anything other than all that skin.
He shut his eyes and focused on the summer night’s air. The scent of cut grass and chlorine stirred up memories of his childhood. Sometimes he forgot that a long time ago, before the bickering with his father had started, he’d been happy here.
He stole a glance at Sage. Bad move. Rivulets of water streamed over the curves of her full breasts, down the contours of her stomach, and into the triangle of fabric below. He couldn’t look away.
“It must be nice to live somewhere warm enough to shower outside all the time,” she said, unaware she held him under a spell. “Is the tropical climate one of the reasons you moved to Costa Rica?”
“No. It’s a perk,” he said, forcing the words through his dry throat.
“You’ve been there about five years, right?”
“Six.”
“It’s really nice you come home each year for your mother’s birthday. It means a lot to your family.”
He cocked an eyebrow.
“At least,” she amended, dropping her gaze, “it means a lot to your mom and sisters. They love to see you.”
“I like seeing them too. And I can’t believe how much Ty and Grace have grown since last year.” Playing with his three-year-old nephew and two-year-old niece had been the highlight of his trip so far.
“Claire’s a wonderful mom. You’re lucky to have such a big family.”
“Are you kidding? Do you know how tough it was living with three younger sisters? Claire always nagged me to
act out fairy tales with her stuffed animals, Hannah loved tea parties, and Kat used me as a punching bag.” He fought back a grin. “They traumatized me.”
“You loved it.” She laughed, shut off the shower, and squeezed water from her ponytail. “And look how great your sisters turned out. Hannah is an amazing baker, Claire’s life is firmly rooted in reality, and Kat rarely hits people anymore.”
“You’re right,” he conceded with a chuckle. “They’re great.”
Sage stepped closer, a quizzical expression on her face. “Can I ask you a personal question?”
“If I say no, you’re going to ask it anyway, aren’t you?”
Mischief lit her eyes. “How’d you know?”
“I grew up with three sisters, remember? Fine. One question then you swim. Deal?”
“Deal,” she said, sounding a little too triumphant for his peace of mind. “When you moved to Costa Rica, you left behind your family, your friends, your future at Bennett Industries. It’s none of my business, but why did you give it all up?”
He’d heard the same question too many times to count since he’d dropped out of college to build a dream. If her voice had held even a trace of the anger, resentment, or disappointment his father employed, he would have ignored her. But she didn’t look disappointed. Instead, her delicate brow creased with curiosity, and her wide, intelligent eyes shown with something that looked a hell of a lot like respect.
“I didn’t lose my future in Costa Rica. I found it there.” He held her gaze and hoped she could understand, or at least accept, the only explanation he’d give her.
She stared at him for a long moment before she sighed. “I’m impressed. I could never risk the promise of a secure future, not even to follow a dream. Lucky for me,” she added with a wry smile, “the world needs boring people too.”
Oh yeah, he was definitely in trouble. He needed to be careful not to fall any harder for this girl who loved his family, his hometown, and his father’s business—everything he actively avoided in life.
Pax looked away. “I answered your question, now it’s time to get started with your laps.”
“Fine. A deal’s a deal,” she said, sliding into the still depths of the pool.
As she cut through the water, his pulse aligned with the hypnotic rhythm of her body, and his desire rocketed up a couple more levels. When she finally finished her laps, he jumped up to leave before he did something stupid.
“Thanks for lifeguarding.” Sage climbed the pool steps, grabbed a towel, and began drying the water from her hair and face. “I’m glad you didn’t have to rescue me. Giving me mouth-to-mouth on your parents’ pool deck would have caused quite a scene.”
His body tightened at the thought. Shit. If he didn’t get the hell out of there, he’d be the one needing rescued.
Sage looked up to meet his eyes and sucked in a surprised breath. “You’ve never looked at me like that before,” she whispered.
“How am I looking at you?”
Chewing her lip, she broke eye contact and stared toward the moonlit lake at the edge of the estate. Then she turned back to him, tipped her chin up, and took a shaky breath. “Like I’ve wanted you to look at me since the day we met.”
Her expression, both hesitant and hopeful, undid him. Pax cursed under his breath again, pulled her into his arms, and claimed her lips with his.
Sage moaned and pressed against him, evaporating any hope of restraint. He tightened his grip on her warm, wet curves and deepened the kiss. He couldn’t get enough—her taste, the feel of her barely covered body, her soft whimpers of pleasure.
“We need to go somewhere private. Now.” He scooped her into his arms and carried her toward the lavish pool house. Thank God, it was only a few steps away.
“You read my mind.” She sighed against his shoulder. “You don’t know how long I’ve dreamed of this.”
His step faltered and unease curled through him. He obviously realized she wanted him. But “dreamed of” sounded a hell of a lot more serious. He didn’t want to be anyone’s dream.
Pax looked into her eyes, filled with gut-wrenching infatuation, and the enormity of the mistake they were about to make slammed into him.
He dropped her feet to the ground, took a step back, and jerked a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry. I don’t want this.”
“I don’t understand.” She gestured vaguely toward the lower half of his body with a flustered expression.
“I do want you.” He blew out a breath. “Physically.”
“Ah. Just not the rest of me.” She wrapped her arms around herself and looked away. “Got it.”
“Damn it, Sage. I’m not trying to hurt you.”
“I know.” She turned back to meet his gaze, tears gathering in her eyes. “But I still think you should go.”
Hands fisted, he stood motionless, despising the mixture of frustration and helplessness flooding him. Tired of disappointing every damn person he knew in Silver Bay, he strode from the pool, moving Sage Somerset to the top of the long list of reasons why he planned to stay the hell away.
Chapter 1
Six years later
Armored in a tailored blue suit and a tight chignon, Sage walked down Pembrock Bank’s sterile office corridor. As the bank’s youngest corporate loan officer, she had to work harder than her counterparts to present the professional image William Pembrock, demanded from his employees.
Image isn’t everything, the bank’s owner was known for saying in his gruff voice. It’s the only thing.
Sage drew in a deep breath and toyed with her classic string of pearls. She wondered why the owner’s son, William Pembrock II, had summoned her to the unexpected meeting. There were no loan requests currently assigned to her big enough to draw Will’s attention, and he was far too professional to call her into his office to talk about their personal relationship.
Not that there was much to talk about. They’d started dating a little over a month ago and had gone out on a total of four dates. An inch taller and a few years older than her, Will had light brown hair and nice features. While her heart didn’t race at the thought of him, they were a good fit, and Sage believed compatibility beat a quickened pulse any day of the week.
She stepped inside his large corner office on the top floor and stopped short when she saw Ann Bennett, her best friend’s mother, sitting in one of the leather chairs stationed in front of Will’s polished black desk.
“Please join us, Sage. Mrs. Bennett and I were just talking about you.”
Ann rose from her chair with a warm smile. “It’s so nice to see you, dear. It’s been over a week since you’ve stopped by the house. We’ve missed you.”
Sage smiled as the older woman pulled her in for a quick hug. “I’ve missed seeing you, too. This nasty January weather has sent me straight home to hibernate most evenings.”
“I’m relieved to hear you find the weather frigid,” Ann said. “Because I have a favor to ask of you, and I’m happy to say it would involve much warmer temperatures. Please, let’s all sit down, and I’ll explain why I’m here.”
Sage felt a rush of affection for the impeccably dressed, impossibly kind lady. Ann’s daughter had been Sage’s college roommate. Kat had taken Sage under her vivacious metaphorical wing and insisted she spend countless weekends, school holidays, and even summer breaks with her in Silver Bay. Kat’s parents loved how Sage’s responsible personality balanced out Kat’s more unpredictable tendencies, and Sage loved everything about their traditional family. Ann had stayed home to raise the children, and Kat’s father, Richard, owned the country’s largest cabinetry company.
While the Bennetts occasionally bickered, they clearly loved each other. More importantly, neither parent ever walked out on the other one. The complete opposite of Sage’s mother who changed boyfriends more frequently than Ann Bennett changed handbags.
“As you both know,” Ann began, directing her attention to Will, “my son, Paxton, has applied for a substantial loan
from your bank to purchase the resort he works at in Costa Rica.”
Sage tensed at the mention of Pax. At least she no longer ached when she thought about him. Thankfully, his name now only made her cringe or curse, depending on her mood.
“I’ve heard there’s some concern about the amount of the down payment.” Ann paused. “I’m also aware you’re sending Rita Wetherbee to evaluate the resort in person next week.”
Will blinked. “You have excellent sources.”
“I think of them as friends who care enough to pass along information regarding my family.”
“Yes, of course,” he said quickly, dipping his head in concession. “I didn’t mean to imply otherwise. How can I help you regarding this loan request? Are you asking me to guarantee its approval?”
Bennett Industries was far and away Pembrock Bank’s largest client. Will would give his precious Porsche to the cleaning lady before he’d risk upsetting Richard Bennett’s wife.
“Oh, no. Nothing like that,” Ann said. “We don’t expect you to approve Paxton’s loan as a favor to us.” She smiled across the desk at him. “I would simply like the bank to send Sage to evaluate the resort instead of Ms. Wetherbee. Sage is excellent at her job, and whatever decision she makes regarding the loan will be the right one.”
Sage sucked in a breath and scrambled for a reason to refuse. She didn’t want to see Pax across a busy coffee shop, let alone spend a week at a tropical resort with him.
“I’d love to help,” she lied, “but I’m swamped with work here.” Plus, there were snakes in Costa Rica. A lot of snakes. And Pax.
Ann turned to her, disappointment and worry etched on her delicate features. “I’m sorry, dear. I didn’t realize how much a week away would be putting you out.” She sighed heavily. “I understand if you’re unable to help me.”
“I’m sure Rita will do a topnotch job,” Sage said weakly.
“Nonsense,” Will interjected. “I’ll transfer Sage’s workload to Rita. If you would like Sage to go, consider it done.”