~ Ben ~
The flight home became a nap for Ben. He arrived in the Portland airport and took a cab home. While in the cab he called Lara but it went to voicemail. He wondered if she had her phone turned off. It was now 1:00 AM. What was he thinking? Lara would be asleep at this hour. He had completely lost track of time. He quietly slipped into the pink Victorian. Einstein heard him and whined for his master to rub his ears. Ben slipped the dog's leash on and took him outside for a moment. He sat on the porch as Einstein hung out in the yard then the dog came to him for affection. Ben missed Einstein every time he was away. He rubbed the canine's ears affectionately murmuring, "Good boy," Einstein rolled onto his back so Ben could rub his belly. Dogs were such simple creatures yet they brought humans incredible joy and peace. They bounded back up the stairs and Ben gave Einstein a dog treat and led him to his dog bed in the kitchen.
Trying to be quiet, Ben undressed, washed his face, and brushed his teeth in the bathroom. Finally, he slipped beneath the sheets and rolled to his side spooning Lara's naked body. How he missed having dinner with her tonight. He dreamed about her while on the flight home. He buried his nose into her thick hair inhaling the scent that was Lara. She stirred for a moment and then rolled over toward him. "Ben?" she mumbled. "Go to sleep darlin' - I love you." He touched her cheek and hair with his fingers and gazed at her in the dimly lit bedroom. He fell asleep thinking of what he'd make her for breakfast in the morning…and dreaded the fact that he'd have to tell her about the upcoming mission.
~ Lara ~
Ben made Lara French toast and Applewood smoked bacon for breakfast. He poured her a fresh cup of Hazelnut coffee and put just enough cream and sugar in it. Lara marveled at how he remembered every little detail. She never had to tell him anything, he just knew. "You are spoiling me…" Lara smiled and bid him farewell for the day. She looked into his pale blue eyes and kissed him. She whispered, "I have a full day lined up, so I won't see you until dinnertime." As she moved toward the door she added, "Oh, and I have to meet a landscape architect at 7:00 PM at the purple Victorian."
Ben's head swiveled and his serious expression spoke volumes. "Do you know this new landscape architect you're meeting? Or is he a stranger to you?" Immediately, Lara's thoughts took her back to the attack on Williams Street. Lara stammered, "No, I really don't know him. His name is Grant Hawkins and his company is called Secret Gardens." Ben's eyes narrowed for a moment, "I might be lingering in the neighborhood near the purple Victorian walking Einstein just about that time…" Lara thanked him and ran down the creaky staircase out to the Fiat. She smiled to herself feeling fortunate she had her own personal Dark Horse Guardian to look over her shoulder; although, she had already planned to have her leather sack with her for the meeting with her loaded Glock close at hand. The memory of Bill Stephens was still fresh in her mind.
Her day was filled with contractors and clients, one meeting after another. She ate yogurt for lunch in her car as she traveled to Eliot Stone's mansion to check in with Tony. As always, Tony was short and sweet, "Everything is on track here." and he flashed his winning smile, "Finishing the electrical today and starting on the bathroom demolition tomorrow." Eliot rolled into the driveway as she arrived promptly at 11:00. "Have lunch with me, Lara?" he begged. She replied, "I'm on the run today, but thanks for the offer, Eliot." He looked dejected. "In that case, I'll head back to the firm. Oh, did you ever contact that landscape architect?" Lara was texting a client. Somewhat distractedly she answered. "Yes, Eliot, and thank you for the connection…I'm meeting him tonight at 7:00." Eliot raised one eyebrow in surprise. "Really! Most people have to wait weeks to get an appointment with him. Well, good luck with him. Let me know how it works out. Oh, and, one more thing, Lara," She looked up to meet his dark brown eyes. "I understand we will be neighbors after all. Sterling told me you and Ben will be moving into Clearwater Farm in the next few weeks. Congratulations…you got what you wanted." She faked a smile and waved as Eliot left the driveway in the white Bentley. Then she got back to work.
The afternoon was spent shopping at architectural salvage yards with her intern Monique. There were elements that she needed for Eliot Stone's 1925 mansion that would be a special surprise for him. She was also searching for pieces for the Farrington estate on the West End. She made arrangements to have all of the salvage items delivered to each project and called the contractors to let them know they'd be coming. Her mind was on Ben this afternoon even though she was supposed to be focused on shopping. She sensed there was something he wanted to tell her this morning at breakfast. Lara sent him a text saying she'd be home at 8:00 for dinner tonight. He messaged back, "I'll have something delicious for you!" She smiled when she read his text, not doubting him for a moment.
Several hours later, she said goodnight to Monique and drove to the purple Victorian a few minutes before 7:00 PM for her meeting with the new landscape architect. She noticed Eric Henderson’s Infiniti was not in the driveway; that meant he was still at his office in Portland and Lara was relieved he wasn’t home. But waiting for her in the driveway was a dark green landscape trailer with "Secret Gardens" perfectly lettered on the side. As she parked the Fiat in front of the house, Grant Hawkins got out of his Chevy truck to greet her. "Mrs. Keegan?" his voice was almost a baritone. "Yes, hello, it's nice to meet you. You can call me Lara." Grant Hawkins was about six-foot-four and wore dark green chinos with suspenders, a cowboy hat, and a white V-neck T-shirt with holes in it.
Lara noticed that Hawkins was pretty much covered in dirt from head to toe and watched as he removed a tattered leather glove to shake her hand. If he was this good looking when he was sweaty and dirty, Lara could only imagine what he looked like after a hot shower. Grant Hawkins had a prominent brow with deep set eyes. His nose looked like it might have been broken at least once, but it suited his rugged face. Mostly her eyes were drawn to his mouth. He had thick lips and an engaging smile, but it was the dimple right in the middle of his chin, a cleft dimple, she studied fleetingly. She caught herself staring at him and immediately dropped her eyes to the clipboard in her hand. "Let's walk the property and I'll let you know what we'd like…" She put her sunglasses on as she felt his eyes examining her.
Out of the corner of her eye, Lara could see Ben walking Einstein across the street a good distance away. Grant Hawkins took no notice of Ben. He was completely focused on Lara and he was taking notes on a clipboard of his own. He smelled like cow manure and looked like he hadn't shaved in days. After she gave him a brief overview of what she wanted for the purple Victorian the two sat side by side in Adirondack chairs on the side lawn. "Sorry, ma'am, I've had a long day." Grant apologized as he plunked his lanky body into the slanted back chair. He removed his hat and ran his hand over his shortly cropped blonde hair. She originally thought his deep-set eyes were blue, but now noticed they were hazel in color and he squinted a lot. Grant Hawkins inhaled and began, "Here's what I envision"…and he showed Lara a sketch he made while walking the property. It was the most intricate Victorian garden design Lara had ever seen. "Oh, it's lovely…" Lara whispered. Grant smiled and Lara noticed the sweat rivulets sliding down his face removing some of the dirt. Now his face was covered in streaks of sweat and dirt. "I wasn't sure what your budget was, ma'am." Lara quickly responded, "There is no budget; the sky's the limit for this client."
She watched Grant Hawkins as he pulled a red bandana out of his pocket and wiped his face. "Gosh, I'm a mess. It's hard to stay clean in this business. Sorry for this." He pulled his lean muscled form from the chair and walked to the water spigot on the side of the house as he soaked the bandana. Then he wiped his face clean with the wet bandana and put his hat back on. He returned to sit with Lara and made his proposal. "How about this-- I'll prep the design and e-mail it to you with the price, and I'll give you several options." Lara was caught up in his earthiness. He looked like a mountain man or a cowboy just in from the round-up. He was all male. "Yes, that would be fine. Here's my card with my e-ma
il. Thank you, Grant." He stood and shook her hand again, holding it longer this time, as his hazel eyes roamed over her face making her blush. He was a big man and solid from hard physical labor. He climbed into his truck and tipped his hat as he drove away wearing a handsome smile.
Lara waved to Ben and got into the Fiat to drive home. A fresh delicious salad with steak awaited her and she ate with a hearty appetite. "Who was that cowboy?" Ben asked with a hint of sarcasm. "He's Grant Hawkins, the landscape architect, and he's doing Eric Henderson's garden. I will make sure it costs a fortune!" Ben smiled with his whole face; his dimples and laugh lines were evident. "Hell hath no fury…No, I'd better not say that…Eric's the one who got scorned." Lara's eyes met his, serious now. "Oh, I will make Eric Henderson pay for all the lies he told me…you can say: payback is a bitch!" She was glad that Ben was laughing. He seemed for the first time to almost feel sorry for what Lara was putting Eric Henderson through.
~ Ben ~
Finished with dinner, Ben had earlier prepared a delicate lemon cake for dessert layered with whipped cream. They sat on the porch glider of the pink Victorian to enjoy the sunset together. "Soon we will be watching the sunset like this from our own private sandy beach at Clearwater Farm." Lara said with unbridled happiness. Ben slipped his arm around her lovely shoulders, "Yes, my darlin' – and there are a couple of things I need to talk with you about. He didn't wish to ruin a perfectly wonderful moment with Lara, but he saw the way Grant Hawkins lingered with her in the Adirondack chairs and it gave him pause.
Ben spoke with a serious tone, "Grant Hawkins is attracted to you…" Ben noticed Lara's eyes go wide and she stopped moving in the porch glider. Then her face became serious. She whispered, "How do you know that?" Ben sensed a hint of disbelief in her voice. "Don't get annoyed with me, Lara, but I have a sixth sense about these things. If you remember, I told you the same thing about Eric Henderson and you chose not to believe me. I told you that Eliot Stone had feelings for you, and you told me you were just friends – but I know both of those guys are still pining away for you, even now. I can read body language and I'm telling you this Grant Hawkins guy is attracted to you. That's all I'm saying. It's something I notice about other guys. I just want you to be aware of it and to be careful, that's all."
Lara asked, "What's the other thing – you said there were a couple of things you wanted to talk about." He noticed Lara was holding her breath now. Ben took her feminine hand into his and brought it to his lips. He kissed her fingers and was silent for a moment, "There's a mission coming up in July. Bettencourt and some guys from the roadhouse are going to help you move into Clearwater Farm while I'm gone on the mission. It could be a six to eight week commitment, but I won't be far away…it's in New England."
He sensed her mood sinking and tried to think of anything to minimize the sting of his upcoming absence. Ben gently placed his index finger beneath her chin and ever so lightly brought her lips to his. He saw the tears sliding silently down her beautiful face. He tasted the lemon cake on her lips and felt her breathing quicken. With brawny arms he pulled her onto his lap and then held her face with his broad hands as he kissed her uncontrollably. "Oh Lara, I love you so much." He could barely speak. Desire for Lara hijacked every cell in his body. He swept her into his arms and carried her up the creaky stairs into the bedroom.
Frantically, he unbuttoned her blouse. She placed her finger on his lips to slow him down but he kissed her finger, then kissed her neck and worked at the blouse until it fell to the floor. Inhaling he tried to slow his breathing, he tried to slow down, but it was no use. He struggled to control the strong attraction that coursed through him. She let her hair down and he waited while she unbuttoned his shirt. He brought her face to his kissing her again, unable to stop, breathing heavily. Her skirt was on the floor and while he kissed her he hurriedly slipped his pants off. Gently, she pushed him back as she reclined on the bed. Ben took one look at her lovely naked form and forgot about everything else in the world. It was her, lying before him that captured every facet of his attention. How could any woman be this beautiful? He didn't know, but he was glad she was his. The next hour was filled with wild unbridled passion. When he loved Lara like this, it was the only time he could completely immerse himself in happiness. The outside world disappeared. His entire world became pleasure, softness and beauty.
Ben held her in his arms exhausted from love-making, he nuzzled the nape of her neck intoxicated with her soft vanilla musk scent. Then he heard Lara speak the words he dreaded, "I don't want you to go, Ben…" She gave him a forlorn glance as she rose and walked across the room to the master bath. She was especially beautiful from the rearview with her hair falling around her and that perfectly shaped bottom. He heard the shower running and quietly joined her. From behind he embraced her and felt his desire rising again. Soaping Lara's body and washing her hair was a sensual delight for him. Lately, her inhibitions were beginning to diminish as she allowed him to explore her. He had to remind himself that she had no experience in this realm. He was teaching her all about physical love. Sensuously, Ben discovered subtle ways to arouse her. Watching her enjoyment only increased his pleasure tenfold. Making love in the shower was exhilarating for Ben because it reminded him of their honeymoon in the outdoor shower at St. John. All of the sexy sultry images flooded his mind at once. When he wrapped Lara in the towel afterward, he whispered in her ear, "Don't worry. I will always love you, my darlin’ and I will always come back to you."
~ Grant Hawkins ~
When he arrived home after seeing Lara, Grant Hawkins got into a hot soapy shower to wash away the grime of the day. He was embarrassed that was her first impression of him. Taken aback by the professionalism of the woman he had just met, he wondered where she lived, who she was married to…he was suddenly intrigued by her. She obviously knew Eliot Stone because that's who gave her his business card. He looked in the bathroom mirror and noticed the exposure to the sun on a daily basis was aging his face. At thirty years old he was already getting lines and even though he intended to wear sunscreen, he kept forgetting to buy it.
He allowed his body to drip dry while he carefully shaved the heavy stubble from his face. He hadn't shaved for days, maybe a week, he’d lost track. He could only imagine what Lara Keegan thought of him. He smelled like manure and was sweating bullets while with her. After brushing his teeth, he ordered out and Googled Lara on his laptop. He found her website, "Dark Horse Renovation" and scrolled through the beautiful photos in her portfolio. Then he lingered on her photo. She was no doubt a beauty. He also found a photograph of her husband, Lieutenant Ben Keegan on-line. There wasn't a lot of information about the Lieutenant except that he served in the Navy for a decade and was a decorated veteran in Iraq and Afghanistan. He owned his own consulting company, "Dark Horse Guardians," and Hawk assumed he was in the bodyguard business. He looked like the type of guy that would be good with security.
Hawk prepped the designs and estimates and hit the button to send the quotes to Lara, just as she had asked him to do. Her e-mail was attached to her website and there was a chat feature at the bottom. He clicked on it and a tiny image of her face popped up. He quickly closed the chat feature. It was getting late and there was a knock on his door. The Thai food had arrived and he tipped the delivery boy and sat down in front of the television with a TV tray. He had lived a solitary existence ever since his wife passed away two years earlier. Although, he had been cajoled into going on one or two dates, he found it difficult to communicate with the women he met. However, today, for the first time in two years, he looked into Lara's green eyes and genuinely wanted to talk with this woman.
A moment later his computer chimed and he saw the e-mail reply from her, "Thanks for doing this so quickly…when can you start?" He had already juggled his schedule to accommodate this huge project which would be a big payday for his company. She had selected the most elaborate landscape design and the most expensive by far. He e-mailed her back, "Next week I can beg
in, but need a third down." She e-mailed back, "I'll have a check for you tomorrow. Can you meet me there in the morning at 8:00?" He replied, "Yes." That was it. She was gone and he stared at the lovely image of Lara on her webpage. Lara Keegan. He couldn't wait to work with her on the project. She made him want to brush his teeth and be human again.
~ Ben ~
The next day, Nazmin, Ben's Pakistani insider, sent him an encrypted message. "I'll get you inside. Give me a day or two." He could not just walk up to the gate at the Islamic compound outside of Springfield. He would need a contact person to give him the details about the operation inside. There were too many variables with this mission and he sat alone and pondered. Should he bring several men with him or go in alone? Did he want to blow the place up with C4 or stay hidden among the enemy to gather as much intel as possible? Sometimes going to the roadhouse for an hour or two would distract him enough from the problem at hand. Maybe a motorcycle ride with Lara and talking with some old friends would be a good idea. He sent her a text, and within minutes she responded, "Yes!"
Encountering Evil: Dark Horse Guardians Book Two Page 9