by Natalie Ann
“Boxer briefs to be exact,” Eli said in reference to his underwear. See, just another thing people didn’t talk about around her. But she started this. “Are you going to share what you wear?”
She grinned. “Not granny panties,” was all she was willing to say.
“I would hope not. You’re too young for that.”
“Do we have time to get food before we go to the tailor’s?” she asked, wanting to change the subject. She might not be a virgin, but flirty talk like this wasn’t something she indulged in in her life. The tingles in her body and dampness between her legs weren’t unfamiliar, but knowing there wasn’t much she could do about it, it was best to move on.
“We can get a quick bite. I’m starving too. My tailor is fast. He’ll take your measurements and then have you try a few things on.”
She grinned. “I know how a good tailor works.”
“I’m sure,” he said. He found a parking spot and they locked his SUV, then went into a cafe, got a table and ordered.
Lunch was fast. Conversation was enjoyable again. “I know I haven’t had a chance to talk to you much and that is fine. But I’m impressed with the casino for its size.”
The casino wasn’t nearly the size of any of the ones that her uncle owned, but it offered about the same amenities. She suspected it was the perfect size for the island and that many took the ferry or private flights over for a nice getaway.
“Thanks. It was a balancing act between meeting demand or going so big I lost money. I found the perfect size. We are full a lot. The shows are a big hit. I keep Egan and his employees busy with flights back and forth.”
“I’m sure you do. The staff are friendly and informative. Even the guests are more talkative than I’m used to.”
“Oh really?” he asked. “Anyone bothering you?”
“God, no. I was in the spa one day, the sauna actually. A woman was in there with me and we got talking about the island. She was visiting too and having a ball.”
“She was by herself?” he asked.
“Yeah. I said it felt odd to not have anyone to do something with, but she said she does trips like this once a year.”
She remembered not contributing much to the conversation, but the older woman had been so friendly. Almost like a fun aunt. Then the next day, the woman came up and sat next to her on the beach. She hadn’t even recognized her dressed as opposed to a towel around her body and another on her head.
“I think a lot of women do,” he said. “And now you are relaxing more?”
“I am. It’s still a little lonely though. I can’t say I spent a lot of time with friends doing things, but I don’t know anyone here other than you and Griffin.”
“You’ll start talking to more tomorrow,” he said.
“I will. I can’t wait.”
And hours later, Eli was walking her back to her room, the bags she’d brought back with her in both of their hands. “You’ll be busy putting things away,” he said.
“And more when the rest comes.”
“No later than Thursday morning,” he said. “Pierre and his staff are fast and efficient.”
That was only two days away. “I’ve got clothes for tomorrow and Thursday before they come. I’ll be good. Thank you again for spending the day with me. I know you need to get to work.”
“I do,” he said. He hesitated and she wasn’t sure why. He was in her personal space and if this were a date she’d expect a kiss. But it wasn’t. Mores the pity. “Reach out if you need anything.”
“I will,” she said.
He took a step back and went to the door, opened it and walked out, leaving her alone once again.
9
My Normal Job
“Got to go keep an eye on Bella?”
Eli turned to see Griffin come up next to him in the lobby outside the theater. They had a comedy show running tonight. Two shows actually. One was earlier, the next starting soon.
“Just checking to see how she is doing,” he said.
“I’m shocked you agreed to let her work,” Griffin said.
“She was right. It’s easier to keep an eye on her rather than worry she is leaving the premises out of boredom.”
“Which is going to happen. Unless you want to take another day off and have a girls’ shopping trip.”
“Very funny,” he said, snorting. Griffin had been giving him more trash talk than Egan had been. “I brought you back something too.”
“Popcorn,” Griffin said. “Thanks. Just like I’m your better half. It’s all gone now.”
Griffin had a weakness for sweets and he’d found the guy loved gourmet popcorn. When he went into Boston he tried to pick some up.
“Just don’t tell too many people,” he said. “I don’t need anyone else thinking we’ve got something romantic going on.”
“I’d dominate your skinny ass and you know it,” Griffin said, grinning. “You’re so not my type.”
He threw his head back and laughed. Across the room, Bella turned her head to look at them. “You’re not my type either. Your hair is too dark.”
“Your type is right over there. When are you going to make your move? Or are you still biding your time? I’m not sure I’ve ever known you to take your time like this.”
“Weighing things in my mind,” he said.
He’d been getting the vibes that Bella was interested in more than just his company for work or a shopping trip but knew enough to sit back and wait it out. A lot was going on in her life and he had no answers.
It was one thing he couldn’t stand. Being in the dark.
“Understood. By the way, I looked into the woman you said was talking to Bella in the spa. Seems like what Bella said. Melody Rice, fifty-two, here for five days alone. She spent most of it in the spa, the casino or on the beach.”
“How did you figure out who it was?” he asked.
“You said Bella told you they started to talk in the sauna. It was easy enough to find who was there at the same time as her and narrow it down. Once I did that I was able to track her on camera with facial recognition.”
“She wasn’t following Bella then?” he asked. Nothing was off the table in his eyes without knowing what threat there might be.
“Nope. They crossed paths in the spa and then over an hour after Bella was on the beach, Melody went down. Just luck there was an open chair next to Bella. They sat next to each other for about two hours, Bella getting up and going to her room, Melody staying there for another hour or so, then going to her room, leaving an hour later for the casino. I never saw her talking on her phone or with anyone else unless it was in her room. Nothing to raise suspicion. She checked out the next day.”
Eli turned his head and saw his cousin Ava walking with Seth Young and made his way toward them.
“We are twinning I see,” Eli said with a big grin on his face, shaking hands with Seth. The guy was the president of the bank that held his money. He knew him well and liked him. Now Seth was dating his cousin and all the more reason to like the guy.
“So it seems,” Seth said, his eyes roaming over Eli’s clothing.
He caught Ava’s eyes drifting toward Griffin standing not too far away across the room. She lifted her hand to wave at him. Griffin nodded back and moved forward with a smile on his face. Normally Griffin didn’t smile much, but if it was family, Griffin dropped his rough exterior.
“Catching the show?” Eli asked.
“We are,” Ava said. “Checking out the security levels?”
“We’ve got men here, but Griffin is making sure it’s all running smoothly. I’m just doing some rounds to say hi to those coming in for it, then I’ll be back in the casino.”
“He’s got to put his nose into everything,” Griffin said, smirking at him. There was more than one meaning there, but he was pushing it off.
“Seems like that is part of his job that he does so well,” Ava said. “And we should go get our seats. Have a good night, boys.”
Ava and Seth nodded their heads and moved off.
“I like your cousin. She’s a no bull lady,” Griffin said.
“She is. Most of the women in my family are,” he said.
“Not sure anyone holds a candle to Hailey,” Griffin said of Hailey Bond. The family attorney who handled a lot of the family’s business. Including the legal issues his cousin Ava was going through.
“You seem to be doing a lot of personal favors for me lately,” he said to Griffin.
Griffin had installed a security system in Ava’s rental home. Her identity had been stolen months ago and someone had broken into her home a month ago.
“Your family is my family,” Griffin said.
“Always,” he said. “Don’t you forget it.”
Bella looked over at Eli when he laughed loudly. He was standing with Griffin while she was talking to guests as they entered the comedy show. She hated to think he was watching her or had Griffin doing it, bringing back memories to the first time they’d met.
The only difference was, there weren’t any nerves like she’d had with her uncle’s guards.
Eli smiled back and nodded to her, then moved toward the couple that walked in and shook hands.
He did that a lot. Talked and shook hands with guests. Though Griffin wasn’t always by his side, he was close enough.
She’d spent the past few days working and loving it.
The stress wasn’t here because she was helping out more than anything else. Explaining why she was at the casino and helping though hadn’t been easy.
In the end, Robin said Eli told the staff Bella was a friend of his that wanted to learn more about the goings-on of Bond Casino even though she had a lot of marketing experience in casinos. Many thought she was collaborating for newer and better things. She didn’t answer when it was brought up.
“Welcome to Bond Casino,” she said to the couple that had been talking to Eli. “We hope you enjoy the show tonight.”
“Thank you,” the stunning blonde said. “Hope my cousin isn’t working you too hard. You’re not in uniform like the others so I’m guessing he put you where you didn’t normally go.”
Bella smiled. “Ah, a family member. I know there are a lot on the island.” And since she was just crossing paths with one she wasn’t sure what to say about her reason for being here and settled with, “I’m filling in tonight. But once the show starts, I’ll be in the back if you need anything. Can I help you find your seats?”
“I’m Ava Mills,” the woman said, reaching her hand out. “This is Seth Young. It’s nice to meet you. And we should be good, but thank you.”
She watched the two of them go into the show. She’d heard the name Seth Young and tried to remember where it was from.
“Hope my cousin wasn’t talking dirt about me.”
She turned her head to see Eli had come up behind her. “No. She introduced herself and said she hoped you weren’t working me too hard since I didn’t fit in with the other staff. She assumed this wasn’t my normal job.”
“And it’s not. What did you tell Ava?”
“That I was filling in tonight and would be in the back when the show started if she needed anything. I didn’t know what, if anything, you were telling people about me.”
She hadn’t asked what Egan knew now. Flying her over to get her clothes that first day was one thing. A week later doing it while they were shopping gave another opinion, she was sure.
“Nothing just yet. When the time comes we’ll figure it out together. For now, I let Egan believe what he wanted.”
She was sure she knew what those thoughts were too. “Does that bother you?” she asked.
“The only thing that bothers me is if someone is assuming something that isn’t true.”
There was the flirting again he’d been doing all week. He never did it in front of people. Not while she was working. Not even when Griffin was around.
Though he did drop his guard more with Griffin.
Most times he made comments like that by leaning in so others couldn’t hear. Just like now.
And his words could have all sorts of meanings. If she was taking it her own way with fluid rushing to her new panties, then she'd have to keep it to herself.
Only she had a feeling it wasn’t much of a secret when he grinned and ran his hand down her arm in what could be comforting but felt more like a caress.
10
Mature Relationships
“Eli,” his mother said as he made his way toward her and kissed her cheek. Janet Bond still looked much younger than she was and it was just plain old good genetics. Those he knew he got from her.
“Mom. You look beautiful as always.”
“Kiss ass,” Egan said from the chair on the deck. Everyone was out there, him being the last to arrive as always.
“My oldest knows how to charm the ladies,” his mother said.
“Too much,” Egan said. “Where’s Bella? I thought for sure you wouldn’t come alone.”
He hadn’t wanted his brother to bring up Bella’s name but shouldn’t have been surprised. “At the casino,” he said.
“Eli knows better than to bring some chick he was hooking up with to a family dinner,” his youngest brother, Ethan, said. “Mom would skin him alive.”
Before he could comment on the hooking up comment, his mother said, “I’m not sure I’d go that far. I’d just like to see my boys have more mature relationships in their lives.”
He looked at his two brothers and saw their heads looking in any direction to avoid their mother’s gaze. He wasn’t the only one guilty of it.
His father laughed. “You know she is going to be on all of your cases since Drew is getting married soon. Hunter has a baby, Mac and Emily are both engaged.”
“That is more than enough in the family. Why does one of us have to add to it?” Ethan asked. He was the more serious of the three of them, working in the office with his father. Their parents saw him the most, leading Eli to believe that Ethan kept the most private.
“I only want my boys happy,” his mother said. “So tell me about this Bella. Or is she a vacation fling? If that is the case, then I’d rather not know.”
Egan started to laugh. “Jerk,” Eli said.
“Just tell Mom the way it is,” Egan said. “Then it’s over with.”
The problem was he didn’t know what to say and then realized if there were any people he could trust as much as Griffin it was those on the deck with him right now. “It’s not what any of you think,” he admitted.
“Oh really?” his mother asked, getting slightly excited.
His father stood up and grabbed a beer out of the outdoor fridge, poured it into a glass and handed it over. “I have a feeling you might need this.”
He took the glass and put it to his lips, then walked to the end of the deck and looked out at the Atlantic Ocean in the distance. He grew up in this home. His family had a mixture of permanent residences and vacation homes, but to him, this was always where he knew he’d end up.
Once the casino law was passed in 2011 making it legal in the state of Massachusetts, his mind was set. He’d been in college at the time but had been following the legislation for years, hoping it would be approved. If not, he would have opened up his own resort. He was meant to do his thing.
Just like Egan was meant to be a pilot. Ethan, he’d always had the dream to be by his father’s side.
He turned and faced his parents. “It’s a long story and I’m trying to figure out where to start.”
“Start at the beginning,” his father said. “We aren’t in any hurry.”
“Your father is going to grill steaks. I’ve got the salads made. This is a nice relaxing Sunday dinner with my boys that I don’t get too often.”
“And there is the guilt,” Egan said, smirking.
His mother walked over and pinched his arm. “You always were my wise one.”
“Someone has to be. Eli is the oldest and the pretty boy. Ethan is th
e serious one with a stick up his ass.”
“I don’t have a stick up my ass,” Ethan said. “Just because I don’t go to work in shorts and walk around barefoot half the time.”
“Boys,” his mother said. “This is about Eli. You all have your strengths and weaknesses.”
“Eli’s are blondes,” Ethan said.
Here he thought for sure he’d only get crap from Egan. “At least I’m seen with women and don’t have them hidden in caves and secret passages.”
“Bella is a blonde,” Egan said jumping right in.
“Boys,” his father said. “Enough. Eli, what is going on?”
If his parents weren’t here he’d be pounding on his brothers like they did often as kids.
“Remember when I was traveling the world?” he asked his parents.
“How could we forget?” his mother said. “We didn’t know where you were from day to day.”
“I checked in with you daily. You know that.” He’d promised them he would. They worried about him and it was the least he could do for the parents that stood behind him and supported him in everything he did in life.
He wasn’t wild like Egan. Or so he didn’t think. Not until Monte Carlo when his butt landed in a holding cell in the basement.
Shit, Egan would have been laughing had that happened to him. But Eli, he was ready to crap his pants when that gun came out at Griffin.
“You did,” his father said. “Did you meet Bella during that time?”
“You could say that. I was in Monte Carlo. She was working there for her uncle.”
“Oliver Dubois,” his father said.
“Yes.” He’d mentioned Oliver multiple times over the years. How he’d learned so much from his two weeks there. Omitting some of the adventures. Even Bella’s name.
“This is the niece that got you in trouble there?” his father asked, putting his scotch to his lips barely covering his smirk.