He lifted a dark brow. "Why? Because you're not at the campaign office, physically supporting your father?"
"Yes." Boy, he knew her mother better than she'd realized. Then again, she'd shared enough with Ben for him to easily nail Audrey's controlling, demanding personality. "I've talked to my father a few times today, and I sent him some flowers to let him know I'm thinking of him, but my mother insists that I should be there, that we show a united front as a family, especially when my father makes his acceptance speech."
"And?" Ben asked, obviously knowing there was more.
She bit her bottom lip, still unable to believe just how bold she'd been in her response-or how good it had felt to stand up for herself. "I don't think she appreciated me telling her it's her job to stand beside my father and pretend to be the doting wife. I don't need to be there, and considering what happened yesterday with Jason, my father completely understands why I'm not."
"Pretend to be the doting wife?" he repeated, his incredulous tone telling her that he couldn't believe that she'd actually said those exact words.
"Well, it's the truth." she said softly, wishing that things were different between her mother and father-that their marriage was based on love and respect instead of what her father's political career did for her mother's social standing in Chicago. "The voting public might not have a clue, but I know it, she knows it, and my father knows it."
He nodded in understanding, let the topic go, and so did she.
As they continued to watch the news in silence, her stomach rumbled hungrily, reminding her that they needed to eat dinner. "What do you say we order in pizza tonight?" she asked. She wasn't in the mood to cook or leave the house to go to a restaurant.
"Sounds good to me."
She went to the kitchen, looked up the number for pizza delivery, and ordered a pepperoni with extra cheese. As she walked back into the living room, she remembered something she'd meant to tell Ben.
"Craig called earlier to see if I needed a ride to my party at Envy tomorrow night," she said as she sat back down on the couch.
A spark of irritation lit Ben's gaze at the mention of the other man's name. "And what did you tell him?" he asked gruffly.
She wanted to smile at the territorial look in his eyes, as well as point out to Ben that bit of possessiveness he'd just displayed, but knew it wasn't something he wanted to hear when he'd spent the past twenty-four hours trying to establish new boundaries between them that leaned more toward friends than lovers. Still, she couldn't help but harbor a shred of hope that he'd give them a chance beyond this assignment of his.
She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and put Ben out of his misery. "I told Craig that you'd be taking me."
Ben smirked. "I'll bet that thrilled the pants off of him."
He'd definitely been disappointed, and had even admitted to her that he'd been secretly hoping that things wouldn't work out with Ben so she'd be free for the birthday bash he'd planned for her. She wasn't quite sure how to take that comment, and had chalked it up to male jealousy on Craig's part. His curt remark was also the deciding factor for her to break as many ties to Craig as possible after tomorrow night. As much as she appreciated his contacts, she didn't need them, and she didn't want to feel obligated to him in any way whatsoever when she knew Craig had feelings for her-feelings that she didn't, and wouldn't ever, reciprocate.
"You know," Ben said casually, drawing her attention back to him. "I still find it odd that Craig is so intent on pursuing you when his father is so in favor of backing Charles Lambert for governor. It just feels like such a conflict of interest to me. Does Craig not share his father's political views, especially on the whole gentrification issue?"
The subject had been brought up between her and Craig, and she knew his thoughts on the matter. "Actually, Craig is in favor of tearing down the lower west side and rebuilding the area, especially since his father's development company would be hired for the project if Lambert wins. But Craig's relationship with his dad has been strained for years because Craig didn't go to work for Crosby's development company, and Craig's been trying to get back into his father's good graces ever since."
Ben shook his head. "Another dysfunctional family saga, huh?"
"Every family has their issues," she said, certain it was true.
Their dinner arrived, and they ate their pizza while watching the election coverage on TV. By nine o'clock that evening it was announced that Charles Lambert had won the election by a 6 percent margin, and would be the new governor of Chicago.
Shocked and disappointed, Christine immediately picked up the phone and called her father, who was doing okay despite the loss. He'd fought a good, fair fight, and that was all he could do.
Then came Nathan Delacroix's concession speech, which was aired on a local channel. He congratulated Lambert on his win, but also promised to continue his fight to help the lower west side of Chicago on other political levels. Audrey stood not by his side, but behind him, clearly unhappy over the loss.
When the news switched over to Charles Lambert's campaign office where his staff was celebrating his victory, Ben stood up and headed down the hallway toward the back rooms. Christine watched him go, an uneasy sense of foreboding settling in the pit of her belly.
Quietly, she followed him and came to a stop in the doorway of the guest bedroom, where Ben had his duffle on the bed and was putting his personal things into the bag. Her heart seemed to lodge in her throat and it took her a moment to speak.
"What are you doing?" she asked, hating the thought of him leaving. Over the past few weeks, he'd become such a daily part of her life-one she'd come to anticipate and enjoy.
"I'm just packing up the bulk of my things," he said, not looking at her.
She watched him pull out a small stack of neatly folded T-shirts from one of the dresser drawers and tuck them into his duffle bag. Then he finally turned around to face her, looking so sexy and gorgeous and closed off that her chest hurt.
"I still have to talk to your father in the morning, but considering that Jason is behind bars, and unfortunately your father just lost the election, I'm sure Nathan will release me from this security assignment and I'll be leaving soon."
There were so many more reasons for him to stay, but she could see by his determined expression, along with the reserved behavior he'd exhibited all day long, that his feelings on the issue were already made up. She'd learned enough about Ben to know that arguing those points with him when he was in such a stubborn frame of mind would be futile.
Knowing she still had tomorrow night with him, for now she let it go. He'd promised to take her to Envy to celebrate her twenty-seventh birthday, and afterward, there was only one gift she wanted from Ben-and she planned to ask for it.
A real relationship.
A future.
His love.
She truly didn't know if any of that was possible for him, but she knew she'd have to tell him the truth tomorrow night. He had her heart. Now, she wanted his.
Forever.
Chapter Sixteen
BEN parked his truck in Christine's driveway at seven the following evening to pick her up for her birthday party at Envy. After talking to Nathan earlier that morning and being relieved of duty as Christine's security agent, he'd headed back to his apartment while she'd gone off to work-on her own and without him as a bodyguard. As it should be. As it would be from now on.
Switching off the engine, he closed his eyes for a moment and released a long, deep breath in hopes of bolstering his fortitude-along with the willpower to keep things between them fun and casual and amicable-and not letting himself cross that line into emotional, intimate territory once again.
It was just a matter of getting through tonight, then bringing Christine back home and putting an end to their relationship, instead of dragging out an unavoidable breakup down the road. Which was why he'd never made her any promises he knew he wouldn't be able to keep. Not only was he unwilling to risk his
heart again, they were just too different to make it work for the long haul, their lifestyles so vastly opposite, and he refused to put them both through that kind of emotional upheaval.
With his plan firmly in mind, Ben headed up to the front of Christine's house and knocked on the door. When she answered and he took one look at her alluring, head-turning outfit, he knew he was in for a long night of fighting the urge to touch and caress all that creamy, bared flesh.
She was wearing a bright red, form-fitting cocktail dress with only two thin rhinestone straps holding up the sexy ensemble. While the slinky material clung to her curves, the hem of the dress ended in a flirty bit of ruffle that showcased her toned thighs and long, slender legs. He dared to look down at her feet and had to swallow back a groan when he saw the leopard print high-heeled shoes she'd worn that first night she'd seduced him.
He glanced back up, saw the sinful smile on her lips, and knew she'd deliberately worn those pumps to tempt and tease him and make him think about all the ways he'd taken her while she'd worn those provocative shoes.
Then there were her glossy red lips he ached to taste, the upper swell of her breasts pushed up by the tight bodice of her dress, and all that thick, blond hair of hers that she'd worn down tonight. The silky strands had been curled into soft waves and were tousled into a provocative disarray around her shoulders-once again making him recall how she looked after a night of sex, with her hair all disheveled from his hands and fingers. His groin throbbed at the erotic memories floating through his mind.
"So, what do you think?" She executed a little twirl on her high heels, presenting him with a front and back view of her sexy little dress. "Do I look like the birthday girl?"
He thought she looked gorgeous, classy, and so incredibly sophisticated compared to the casual black jeans and button-down shirt he'd worn. He had no doubt that she would be the most beautiful, sensual woman at Envy tonight, and he had no idea how he was going to keep his hands off of her all evening long.
"I think that I'm going to have to keep a close eye on you tonight," he replied with a grin, keeping things light between them. "You forget that Kevin and Jon are going to be there, and looking as hot as you do, I have no doubt that they'll try to steal you away."
"They can try, but it's not going to happen." Eyes sparkling happily, she splayed her hand on his chest and leaned in to softly, warmly, kiss his lips. "I'm all yours tonight, Ben. I wore this dress and these shoes for you, and you can just imagine what I'm wearing, or not wearing, beneath it all," she said wickedly.
Ben didn't allow his thoughts to travel down that path, because if he did he knew they'd never make it to Envy, and that went against the lecture he'd just given himself in his truck about keeping things platonic, and his hands to himself.
So, instead, he said, "We need to get going so we don't arrive late."
"Arriving late is fashionable. Didn't you know that?" Laughing, she stepped back into the foyer, grabbed a small purse and a sweater that matched her dress, then locked the front door behind her.
Minutes later, they were in his truck, headed toward the night club and the birthday bash Craig had planned for her.
During the drive, Christine kept up a steady stream of conversation. She gave him an update on how her father was doing a day after losing the election, and assured him that Nathan was holding up much better than her mother was. She told him about her day at the office and her lunch with a client. She was clearly happy and excited and ready to celebrate her birthday with him and her friends.
When they arrived, the two of them were ushered to the VIP section of the night club, where the large, private room had been decorated with festive balloons and streamers, fragrant floral arrangements, and a huge banner wishing Christine a happy birthday. Already, a huge crowd of people were milling around, nearly filling the place to capacity.
As they walked inside, Craig came up to them and greeted Christine with a hello and an intimate smile. Ben was lucky enough to get a curt nod of acknowledgment that made it clear that the other man was annoyed that he was still around. Then, without asking, Craig pulled Christine into the center of the room to make an announcement, putting the spotlight on the two of them and leaving Ben standing alone on the sidelines.
"The birthday girl has arrived," Craig announced into a cordless microphone, then cued the band to start playing the happy birthday song.
Everyone sang along, and after the tune ended, a shower of colorful, sparkling confetti rained down on everyone from above, causing the guests to clap and cheer, and the festivities to begin.
Craig pulled Christine into a hug that lasted longer than necessary, and Ben watched from across the room as she stiffened, then put her hand on Craig's chest to push away from him as nicely as possible. It was clear that the other man's embrace made Christine uncomfortable, but she'd handled the situation on her own, and seemingly without offending Craig.
"Who the hell is he?" a deep male voice asked.
Ben had been so intent on keeping an eye on Craig and Christine that he hadn't seen Jon and Kevin walk up to him. It was nice to see a few familiar faces in a huge sea of people he didn't recognize. "That's Craig Crosby. He's the one who's throwing the party for Christine."
Kevin crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the other man. "Yeah, well I don't like him."
Ben chuckled at his friend's intuitive reply. "Join the club."
The three of them continued to watch Craig and Christine from afar. Every time she attempted to excuse herself and walk away from Craig, he grabbed her arm and pulled her back, trying to draw her into another round of conversation. As much as Ben wanted to go over to Craig and stake a claim on Christine, it just wasn't his place to do so anymore. As long as Craig wasn't hurting her in any way physically, he'd let her handle the situation on her own.
"Do you want us to take care of him for you?" Kevin asked, sounding like an overprotective brother just itching to pound some flesh. "Rough him up a bit and make sure he understands that Christine is off-limits?"
Unfortunately, that was part of the problem. "She's not off-limits," Ben managed to say. As much as he hated to admit it. Christine was free to see and date whoever she wanted. Even if he didn't like her choice.
Jon slanted him an incredulous look. "Oh, so you don't mind if that slimeball puts his hands all over her?" he asked, doing nothing to disguise the sarcasm in his voice.
Oh. Ben minded all right. More than was prudent or wise. Especially when it came to Craig. "Christine is handling herself just fine."
In fact, she'd finally managed to extricate herself from Craig's grasp and was heading back toward them, that provocative red dress and those leopard print high heels making his gut clench with desire. Her eyes lit up when she saw Jon and Kevin, and she greeted them with a warm, affectionate hug that his friends enjoyed way too much-mainly to provoke him, Ben knew.
"I'm so glad you guys came," she said sincerely. "Where's Zach?"
"He had something else he needed to do tonight," Kevin said vaguely. "But he did tell me to wish you a happy birthday."
Christine smiled. "That was sweet of him."
Ben guessed that Zach had decided not to come to the party because he still wasn't ready to be around the temptation of alcohol that flowed so endlessly at a night club like this one. The man was still struggling with his addictions, and Ben understood and respected Zach's decision.
"Well, well, well," a familiar female voice drawled mockingly. "If it isn't the birthday girl holding court with her own little entourage of hunky males."
Ben turned to see Leanne, who was wearing a pink strapless dress the color of Pepto-Bismol, and was carrying a frothy, froufrou cocktail in the same matching hue. By the glazed look in her eyes, she'd gotten an early start on her drinking and was more than a little buzzed.
"Hi, Ben," she said, giving him a sultry smile before turning her attention to Jon and Kevin. "I don't think we've ever met. Are you tonight's entertainment?"
&nbs
p; A comical look passed over Jon's expression. "Excuse me?"
"Strippers," she said, the word slurring ever-so-slightly as she eyed them appreciatively. "You two look like you could be strippers. You should know that I tip really well."
Kevin laughed in amusement. "Honey, I only strip when I really, really like a woman. Not when one pays me to."
"Oh." Not certain what to make of his comment, Leanne scrunched up her nose, took a drink of the pink stuff in her glass, then moved on to someone else she knew.
As soon as the other woman was out of hearing range, Ben looked at Christine. "You invited her?"
"Good God, no!" Christine looked at him as if he'd lost his mind. "I'm sure she invited herself. It's fine, as long as she behaves herself and doesn't cause a scene like she did the last time when she dumped her drink on me."
Ben stared after Leanne, watching the way she worked the crowd at Christine's party. "Yeah, well, I wouldn't put it past her, so watch yourself around her."
"Don't worry," Kevin chimed in. "Jon and I will keep Christine so busy out on the dance floor that there won't be an opportunity for anyone to cause a scene but us." He winked at her.
Christine laughed. "I can tell it's going to be a fun night." Her gaze slid to something behind Ben, then she smiled and waved. "There's Madison, Ronnie, and Mark. Let's go join them."
Once they reached the trio, introductions were made for Kevin and Jon. They dragged over a few more chairs, and the seven of them talked and laughed while enjoying the appetizers that were being served. Before long, Craig came up to their group, specifically to Christine, and told her there were some people he wanted her to meet-as in very important contacts for her business.
It was clear to Ben that she really didn't want to go with Craig, but she wasn't one to be rude, and she scooted back her chair and stood. "I'll be right back."
Except she didn't return right away. Ben watched for the next half an hour as Craig monopolized her time, taking her from one person to the next to introduce her, and acting as though he were her date for the evening. Ben kept the two in sight, but now that he was no longer her bodyguard, there was no need to stay glued to her side, and he wasn't going to intrude on what Craig had referred to as "business."
Wild for Him Page 23
