Caught Up In You

by Jules Bennett

  He wasn’t sure how the rest of their lunch would go after the extremely awkward situation, but Beth had assured him she’d take care of the aggressive waitress. In the end, he’d gotten their things to go and they’d eaten at the park just down the street near Sophie’s office.

  “Glad you liked it.” Braxton reached up to pat Heidi. In just the trips today, he’d had already gotten used to the yellow Lab’s head right near his shoulder. “That’s my favorite place to eat.”

  “Seriously?” she asked, shifting in her seat to face him. “You eat there often? Because you’re so toned, I can’t imagine how you’d stay in such great shape eating junk. And . . . wow, that was out of line.”

  Braxton laughed. His ego didn’t mind one bit that she was discussing his toned body, which he worked his ass off to keep in shape. If she was talking about his body, that meant she was thinking about his body and he was definitely okay with that, because he’d thought about hers more than he had a right to.

  “Can I just go inside and we’ll forget I just discussed having my hands all over you?” she asked. “Because this could get more awkward and we’d already decided not to go into that territory anymore and the more I’m talking, the deeper I’m getting. This is a new level of unprofessionalism.”

  He reached beneath the dog’s head and patted Cora’s hand. When she jumped he pulled away. “Sorry. I keep doing that.”

  “It’s okay,” she sighed. “I need to get used to the fact that when I’m around you, you’re a bit touchy.”

  Not nearly as much as he wanted to be. But Cora was indeed an employee and she was remarkable with her hands, she knew her stuff, and she would be a great asset to his family’s business.

  And Chelsea would get such a kick out of Braxton wanting a woman and not being able to have her. Somewhere, Chelsea was laughing her ass off at his expense. The thought warmed him and he actually didn’t care that he was going through this sexual tension charged with a layer of humiliation.

  “I just wanted to tell you that you’re more than professional,” he stated. “This attraction isn’t one-sided, so don’t take all the blame.”

  “Maybe so, but it will go away if we ignore it and that’s what we’ll have to do.” Her hand reached out toward the door, patting along the panel until her fingers hit the handle. “Thanks for lunch and I’m sorry if I caused more of an issue than necessary back there.”

  “Don’t apologize,” Braxton scolded.

  “I shouldn’t have said that about the booty call.” She chewed her bottom lip, something he noticed she did when he guessed her nerves kicked in. “That was rude of me and I wasn’t brought up that way.”

  He stroked the back of her hand. “No, I imagine you were brought up with manners and taught when to keep your mouth shut.”

  “You have no idea how close you are to the truth,” she muttered, and he hated the sadness in her voice.

  “Anyway, thanks again for the tour and for lunch. I’m excited to get my stuff ordered and get the space set up.”

  There was no way he was letting her go yet. For reasons he didn’t want to explain, he enjoyed spending time with her and he wanted more. And more time would only lead to trouble. Wasn’t he supposed to be avoiding temptation, not walking face-first into it?

  Braxton gave a mental shrug and jerked on his door. “I’ll come in and help you get everything ordered.”

  Before he climbed out, he heard her mutter something about him being stubborn and not taking no for an answer. He smiled as he rounded the hood and opened Heidi’s door first. The dog stood right by Braxton, waiting obediently for Cora to step out of the car.

  Braxton hated for her that she couldn’t see, hated how she’d been treated earlier, but he didn’t think that was all due to her condition. Damn it, he wanted to protect her from being hurt in any way, but it wasn’t his place to do so, and she certainly wasn’t asking for his help.

  As she gripped her hand in his, Braxton knew he was growing too used to her touch. If he was already this comfortable with her after such a short time, how would he feel once she’d been here awhile? The ache and need clawing at him were growing stronger each moment he was with her and he either needed to take a page from her book and ignore this attraction or . . .

  Yeah. He was more of the “or” type of guy. No way could he ignore this. He’d be gentlemanly enough to let her catch up. But something was going to make him snap and he knew crossing the employee/employer line was inevitable. They’d already done it once; not much was keeping him from doing it again.

  Everything about Cora had his possessive instincts on high alert. Other than the obvious desire to shield her from pain, he wondered about her family life and what made her flee. From the little pieces she randomly threw out, he was starting to put the Cora puzzle together. If he had to wager a guess, he’d say she had a strict, wealthy upbringing and this free-spirited woman didn’t want to be molded into the person her family wanted her to be.

  Whatever turmoil she had with her mother had to have played a part and he’d heard her mention some guy named Eric. Braxton already hated the guy.

  Cora reached out for Heidi and the two started up the walkway. Braxton watched in awe as Heidi guided Cora up the steps toward the porch, but Cora’s foot missed the step or got caught on something because one minute she was up and the next she was down. Braxton cursed as he made two quick strides to reach her.

  “Let me help you,” he said, sliding his hands beneath her arms to haul her up.

  “I’ve got it, Braxton. I’m fine. Just stepped wrong.”

  Braxton helped her up, though she pulled away from him the second she was on her feet. The woman was maddeningly independent. Damn if he didn’t admire that. But the fact of the matter was she was blind and if he saw she was heading toward danger, he was going to step in no matter how angry she got. She could deal with it.

  Braxton glanced down to make sure nothing had spilled from her purse and noticed the board loose where she’d fallen. Maybe a half inch raised above the next one, but enough for a foot to get caught if you didn’t see it.

  “Let me have your keys.”

  Her hand shifted in her purse and lifted a gold key chain with Sophie’s real estate logo on it. Odd to see a set of keys without more than one key, but he figured she didn’t need anything else. There was no car in her life. Odd how the simplest things in his life were absent from hers.

  “I can let myself in,” she told him, attempting to do just that. Her hand slid down the door to the keyhole and efficiently inserted the gold key. The lock snicked and she pushed the door open, gesturing him inside with a snarky grin. “After you, sir.”

  He stepped over the threshold and looked at the house differently than he had the first time he’d been there. This time he saw how a person without sight would live. Before he’d been too busy wondering why the hell he’d landed here for a massage and he hadn’t taken in much of her surroundings. Last time he’d walked in, he’d zeroed in on that Prada bag hanging by the door, but now he knew Cora wasn’t that snob he’d been expecting. Damn it. He hated when people stereotyped, but he hadn’t been able to help it. He was still jaded, but spending time with Cora was making him a better man. He actually wanted to figure her out because her layers were so complex and fascinating. Now all he had to do was convince her to let him in.

  Braxton moved on in and took his time surveying the surroundings. The living area was sparse with just a leather sectional sofa taking up the majority of two exterior walls. No coffee table, no pictures on the walls. The fireplace had a short vase full of colorful potpourri on the mantel and nothing else. Granted, the room was small and she’d just moved in, but there wasn’t much by way of furniture or decorations. She also didn’t have a television, but there was a small desk with a computer in the opposite corner.

  No Christmas tree, no stocking, no wreath on the door. Nothing about this house said holidays. He hated that tug on his heart. He didn’t want to be tugged emotional
ly in her direction, not when the physical pull was more than enough to deal with. But still, he didn’t like the fact she was in a new town alone only weeks before Christmas. Who purposely leaves her family during the holidays and why was he letting himself care so damn much?

  “You know, I really can handle all of this on my own.” Cora crossed to her sofa and took a seat, sliding out of her sandals and pulling her feet beneath her. “I’m new to living alone without my sight, but I think I’ve got the hang of it. You’re worrying for no reason.”

  “I’m not worried at all. I have nowhere else to be.” He moved farther into the room to sit at the opposite end of the sofa. “How do you use your computer?”

  “I have a voice recognition program. I speak my commands and most of the time it listens to me.” She laughed and shrugged. “I’ve had a few hiccups, but overall it’s great. The key was finding the one that worked best for me.”

  He didn’t know why he was still amazed, but everything about her was so damn motivating. She acted as if there were no stumbling blocks in her life. If she wanted something, she’d find a way to get it. Simple as that. If she had insecurities, she kept them hidden. She’d lost her sight three years ago, which just went to prove how adaptable and determined she was.

  “Why don’t we go ahead and get things ordered. I can use my card while I’m here and you won’t have to worry about anything.”

  Jaw set, she stared in his direction. “You know one reason I moved? Because my family constantly believed I couldn’t do things on my own. That I would fail or get hurt. I know it’s a natural reaction for you to want to help, but I’m not your responsibility.”

  Braxton settled into the opposite end of the sofa, resting his elbows on his knees as he stared over at her. Yes, he wanted to help everyone around him. His default was set to assisting others in making their lives happier and calm. His messed-up childhood had reprogrammed him and set him on a different path and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to change who he was. That terrified little boy still lived inside him and Braxton could only shut him up by helping.

  And this woman didn’t want any hand extended to her. Too damn bad.

  “I never thought of you as my responsibility,” he corrected. “I think of you as a friend and an employee and a woman I’m attracted to more than I have a right to be. I’d offer to help whether you were blind or not. And I know it’s not really me you’re angry with.”

  She waved a hand in the air before placing it back on Heidi’s head. “I don’t know who I’m angry with,” she admitted. “Myself, my family. This situation. Part of me wonders what the hell I’m doing, but the other part is so determined to do this on my own. I refuse to fail. I refuse to go back home and give them the satisfaction of knowing they were right.”

  Red flags waved furiously in his mind. He figured she’d let out more than she intended, but he wasn’t going to question her further. Clearly, she wanted to stand on her own two feet. She was young, craving independence, and he couldn’t fault her for needing to prove that she could overcome the doubts and negativity placed in her life.

  “Then consider me here as your employer and let’s get this stuff ordered.”

  Cora laughed and shook her head. “You’re aggressive.”

  “Only when I want something.”

  The smile froze on her face, her eyes widened, and that swift intake of breath told him she completely understood what he was saying. She may try to ignore this attraction, but he wasn’t that good at hiding his feelings.

  “Let’s focus on work instead of your wants,” she countered, swinging her legs back to the floor. “Why don’t I pull up my account and we can look at what all I’ll need.”

  “Fine by me.”

  She made her way cautiously over to the other side of the room and settled into the desk chair. Even though she didn’t go far, Heidi followed close by and steered her away from the edge of the desk. Cora’s fingertips slid over the desktop until she found the power button and turned on the computer. In no time, she’d verbally pulled up her account and was already loading up her cart. Clearly, she’d done all of this before.

  Braxton moved in behind her and stared over her shoulder. “Holy shit. Are those massage chairs always that much?”

  Laughing, Cora glanced over her shoulder in his vicinity. “They are, but don’t worry. I already have two different styles.”

  “We can get new,” he corrected once he caught his breath again. “It’s not a big deal. I’m just . . . speechless. This isn’t something I’ve ever shopped for.”

  “I would hope not.”

  Cora proceeded to school him on the style of massage chair she’d recommend and the brand of oils and lotions she used. The sanitizer was already in her own personal stash. Towels, robes, pillows, and table coverings were next.

  “We’ll need robes for the clients,” she explained. “Maybe something with the resort name on it. An emblem of sorts.”

  Mentally he agreed with everything she was saying, even nodding as she was speaking, though she couldn’t see him. He continued to stare at the screen, surprised how fast the bill was racking up, but they’d budgeted more than enough for this portion of the resort. Everything was costly and he hoped like hell they all weren’t putting their savings, their retirement, their entire lives on the line only to lose it all.

  Fulfilling Chelsea’s dream was worth the risk. And that right there was the main reason he didn’t want to fail. The money was just paper, but honoring his late sister was everything.

  “Sorry.” Cora cut into his thoughts. She shifted in her chair and stared beyond him, but kept her head low as if she were truly sorry. “I didn’t mean to tell you what to do. I just thought robes would be nice. But it’s your business.”

  “No, don’t apologize. I was lost in thought for a minute. Just run that kind of stuff by Sophie, though I’m sure she’ll think it’s a great idea.”

  Cora shrugged, bringing her eyes up a bit in an attempt to reach his face. “You were so quiet, I thought I’d overstepped.”

  Gripping the back of the chair, Braxton dropped to his knee beside her. “Don’t worry about crossing the line. There is no line.”

  A slight gasp escaped her. “Braxton—”

  “I meant in the professional setting.” From this viewpoint her wide eyes were even more vibrant with dark purple rims. “There is a line personally, but we’ve already crossed it.”

  Cora’s lids fluttered closed as she let out a soft sigh. “I need a friend right now, Braxton.” She opened her eyes, turning her body more to face him. “I have to discover who I am before I can discover what I want out of life. And as attracted as I am to you, I can’t trust my feelings. I’ve been through some emotional times the past few years and . . .”

  Braxton shifted closer. “Don’t say anything else. I understand. I have my own demons I battle.”

  Her fingertips slid over the back of the chair, bumping into the edge of his hand. When she lifted his hand and laced their fingers together, he forced himself not to overreact.

  “Everyone has something they want to hide,” she murmured. “Some ugly, some shameful. I respect you and that’s not something I offer to everyone I know.”

  Braxton said nothing. What could he say? She’d pretty much told him he was important to her and he knew they were both wading into uncharted waters. All he could do was take one day at a time because Cora deserved to have someone who actually cared. And he cared . . . more than he ever wanted to again.

  * * *

  “Those curtains in the guest rooms are hideous.”

  Zach glared across the room as Liam stepped out onto the back patio area. Braxton held up his hand before Zach could say anything. These two were always looking for a reason to argue, fight, nitpick at each other. They were like two bulldogs at times, other times they were bickering old ladies and Braxton figured he’d always be playing referee.

  “What’s wrong with them?” Braxton asked.

&nbs
p; Liam shrugged, picked up a bag of dirt, and carried it near the fat, round pots they were filling along the edge of the brick patio they’d just finished early that morning.

  “They look dated and boring,” he replied.

  “They’re simple and classy.” Zach tore the bag open with more force than necessary, thus flinging dirt everywhere. “If you have a problem, you can choose the ones that we put in the cottages. I didn’t realize you were so up-to-date on style.”

  “I’m pretty sure I know more than a man who thinks a clean flannel is dressing up,” Liam retorted.

  With a mental shrug, Braxton sighed. These two were actually getting along. For years they were at each other’s throats, literally. They’d scrap as teens, throw an occasional punch until their mother saw, and then they’d go their separate ways. Then the accident happened and they hated each other. Now that Chelsea was gone and they’d all come together for this project, they were talking, arguing, and bickering, but overall, they were doing all right.

  “Where’s Brock?” Liam asked.

  “Sophie took him for his driver’s test. I can’t handle the pressure,” Zach admitted. “That boy reminds me of me and the thought of him behind the wheel of a car . . .”

  “He’ll be fine.” Liam picked up the plastic pot of ornamental grass and carefully pulled the plant out. “Don’t worry where it’s not necessary.”

  Zach nodded. “I’ll remind you of that when you have a kid who is getting a license.”

  Liam snorted. “I’m not having kids so your threat is invalid.”

  Braxton let the two argue once again over children and parenting. He’d ignore their harmless verbal sparring and let them get it out of their systems. If they wanted to discuss parenting, have at it. None of them knew a thing about raising a child. Not one of them had ever had any aspirations about having children since they’d all come from some sort of tragic, broken childhood. Braxton sure as hell wasn’t doing the kid thing, because he refused to turn into his biological father. Using fists instead of words, using anger instead of guidance . . . that wasn’t parenting. That was control. And it was that control that ultimately took his mother’s life.