“First of all, I’m not looking for a wife or a baby maker. And you couldn’t be more wrong, Wattsy. Learning about the real you makes you even more intriguing.” He stole a glance at her as he drove toward the highway. “You can’t tell me you don’t think about me when we’re not together.”
She grabbed a bag of Cheetos from the bouquet in the back seat, tore it open, and quickly stuffed a handful into her mouth, staring wide-eyed out the windshield.
Chapter Three
“YOU’LL NEVER GUESS where I am,” Aubrey said into the speakerphone to Charlotte the next morning as she finished dressing for her breakfast meeting with the Monroes. She still couldn’t believe they had agreed to meet with her and Knox. She was beyond nervous and excited. Before her friend could respond, she blurted out, “The Monroe House! And we might have a shot at securing it for your movie!”
“What?” Charlotte squealed. “Are you pulling my leg? You said they turned you down flat.”
“They did, but Knox knows the owners, and he thinks we might have a shot. Char, this was my top pick. It’s as spacious and luxurious as your family’s estate, and it’s in the Adirondacks, about an hour from town. I’m telling you, it’s absolutely perfect! Fingers and toes crossed today, okay? I’d say legs, too, but Beau might shoot me.”
Charlotte laughed, and then her voice grew serious. “Wait. I just realized you said Knox. I thought the two of you were just acquaintances with benefits. Are you doing business together now? Or getting serious in a relationship? You know he’s Graham’s business partner, right? The Bradens love him.”
“We are not getting serious. It’s purely a business thing.” She eyed the Cheetos bouquet on the dresser and the unlocked but closed door that adjoined hers and Knox’s suites. She’d been surprised when he’d gotten her a separate suite after all his pushy declarations. She’d thought it was just a ploy and that he’d join her in the night. She’d even worn the sexy lingerie he’d given her, but he’d never come through the door. He hadn’t even poked his head into her room to flirt. She didn’t know if she was disappointed or relieved that he’d respected her wishes enough to let her be in control.
“Well, now that I’ve met him, I’d really like to nudge you over that colleague hump to something more. I like him, Aubs. He’s funny and cute, and from what Beau says, he’s a really honest, good man. Not without flaws, of course. Apparently he’s one of those guys who’ll make waves when he wants something, when others might walk way.”
“Yeah, tell me about it.” Aubrey slipped her feet into a pair of taupe heels and took one last look in the mirror. “I’m going with my navy Chanel pantsuit. I think it says smart and business minded, and I look hot in the slacks. What do you think? The Monroes are known for being ultra conservative. Think I need to wear a skirt?”
“It’s not the fifties. You’ll look great in anything, and besides, clothes don’t matter. The minute you open your mouth, your personality and intelligence will tell them everything they need to know. I’ve got to run. Beau made omelets, and I need to go show him what I’m really hungry for. I swear you should just start calling me nymph girl because when I’m with him, he’s all I want. Let me know how it goes!”
“Love you. Enjoy.” Nymph girl. Seems like an ample name for me around Knox, too. It was a good feeling, even if a little terrifying. Her thoughts turned to Charlotte and Beau, and she filled with happiness. Holing up in the defunct inn had been fantastic for building Charlotte’s career, but nonetheless Aubrey had worried endlessly about her living all alone in the Colorado Mountains. She was glad Charlotte had Beau with her now and that she’d found a man worthy of her good nature and love.
Love…
It was times like these, thinking about Charlotte and Beau or Presley and Nolan, that Aubrey waxed romantic about what life might be like if she were the type of person who wanted a relationship. Her parents had a marvelous marriage, full of love and, to this day, also full of fun. But her mother had built her life around her father’s career, supporting him in every way. She blended into his world like an extension of the man he was, sharing his love of sports and cheering him on as much as she cheered on his team. Aubrey had no problem with the support and the cheering on, but her world was different from her mother’s. She had yet to meet a man who would take a backseat to that—to be there to support her, cheer her on without resenting the time it took to be the head of a corporation the size of LWW Enterprises. She knew how entitled that sounded and how unfair it would be to expect that of anyone when she wasn’t willing to step back and play second fiddle to a man’s career. But above all else, she was a realist, and she wouldn’t allow herself to pretend, even for a minute, that she could be something she couldn’t.
A knock at the door pulled her back to reality.
She shook her head to clear her thoughts, pocketed the room card, and went to answer the door. Knox stood before her, his thick hair brushed back from his clean-shaven face. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen him without perfectly manicured scruff, and holy mother of hotness, the man cleaned up so well. She wanted to rub her cheek over his, just to feel the only part of him she’d never before touched. Virgin cheeks, she mused, stifling a laugh. Her gaze slid lower, to his crisp white shirt, dark jeans, and what she knew were his favorite biker boots, which he wore when he rode his motorcycle. There was nothing hotter than Knox Bentley pulling up to a charity picnic on his shiny black Ducati.
But this wasn’t a picnic. This was a very important meeting with conservative businesspeople, and he was going to blow it.
“Wow. After a night of erotic fantasies about the woman behind the door, you are a sight for sore eyes.” Knox leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Morning, beautiful. Sleep okay?”
“Yes, but, Knox…jeans? Really? These are the Monroes. They come from old money. Don’t you think you should dress for the occasion?”
“I already told you, I have an in with them. They know me. They know how I dress.”
She sighed. “I hope you’re right. I don’t want to blow the only chance we have.” She couldn’t resist reaching up and stroking the smooth skin along his rugged jawline. “You look great like this…”
“Yeah?” He leaned in again, bringing his face closer to hers, and said, “I can’t wait to see if you enjoy my smooth cheeks on your thighs more than the scratch of my whiskers.”
As if she weren’t nervous enough, her body celebrated his naughty temptation like the Fourth of July. Now she had to meet with the owners of the inn with that on her mind?
“Let’s see how our meeting goes,” she challenged. She was dying to ask him why he hadn’t come visit her last night, but she’d been the one to demand separate rooms, so she let it go. “We should go so we’re not late.”
They followed the midnight-blue carpet to the central staircase. The Monroe House was more elegant than Charlotte’s estate, but some of that could be toned down when filming by removing certain elements, like the elaborate lanterns that anchored the staircase and the grand piano she’d seen in the lobby. But the rich wood and the serenity of the remote inn was ideal.
As they neared the staircase, she felt like she’d swallowed a nest of butterflies. Negotiating a business deal was nothing new to her. She shouldn’t be this nervous. But after being turned down flat by Vincent Monroe, she couldn’t help it. It wasn’t her practice to beg or to use her connections to undermine a final decision. But she wanted this movie to be perfect for Charlotte, so she tucked that pride away and hoped for the best.
As they made their way down the staircase, Knox put a hand on her back and said, “Remember, this will take finesse. Let me handle bringing up the project.”
“Okay.” She glanced at the reception area. A woman behind the reception desk was on the phone and another was speaking to a man across from the desk. Nearby, several well-dressed men and women stood close together, deep in conversation. She wondered if they were the Monroes.
“Nervous?” he asked tho
ughtfully.
“How’d you know? Do I look nervous?”
He stopped on the landing and said, “Not in a way anyone else will see. You look like the gorgeous, confident executive you are. But I notice a difference.”
She cocked her head in question.
“I feel it here.” He pressed his hand more firmly on her upper back. “Your heart is beating fast. Unless that’s just from being close to me?”
She sighed.
“We’ve got this, Aubrey. We make a great team, in and out of the bedroom. We’ll need to do a little finessing, as I said, but we’re both good at that.”
“How do you know what we are outside the bedroom?”
“Guess you’re not too nervous to hear what I said. That’s a good thing.” He smiled and said, “We’ve attended enough of the same business functions for me to see how you operate. You’re impressive, but I think you know that already. We’re both ruthless negotiators and we know how to read people. When to give”—his eyes grew darker—“and when to take.”
“Knox! You can’t do that when we’re in the meeting,” she said in a hushed tone.
“Do what?” He stepped a little closer.
“That!” she whispered. “The whole I want you in my bed thing you do to me, and probably to every other woman you know.”
She turned to head down the stairs, and his hand circled her arm, bringing her back to him. His eyes were narrow and hard, colder than she’d ever seen, but his grip was light, possessive but not aggressive, eliciting a devastating combination of emotions.
“You think I pick up women everywhere I go?”
“I’d be a fool not to,” she whispered. “Look, Knox, I don’t believe in fooling myself. The way we came together the first time, and every time since, it tells me something.”
“Really? Then maybe I’ve been looking at this all wrong. Should it be telling me something about you, too?”
“No,” she said firmly. “I mean, I’m not a person with sexual hang-ups, but—”
“That’s one of the things I like about you,” he said heatedly, but the question she hadn’t answered lingered in his eyes.
“As I do about you,” she said honestly. “I’ve been with my share of men, but I don’t make a practice of hooking up after business events.”
“You didn’t hesitate to seek me out,” he pointed out.
“And you didn’t hesitate to accept.” She narrowed her eyes, her heart racing. “Maybe I lost my mind that night.” And still haven’t found it. “I don’t regret it, but please stop trying to make it into something it’s not.”
“You know damn well you didn’t lose your mind, Aubrey. Our connection was—is—inescapable. There’s no one else I want in my bed. And yeah, it took me a while to figure that out, but what about you? Is this your way of saying you’re sleeping around?”
“Knox!” A tall, impossibly thin brunette ran up the stairs in sky-high heels and dark designer slacks. She launched herself into his arms and kissed his cheeks so hard she left lipstick prints. Her dark hair was pinned up in a casually sexy partial topknot, with long wispy bangs. The back hung loose and shiny. Her skin was pale, her makeup expertly applied, and her big brown eyes were heavily lined. She was stunning, even if painfully thin. Her arms fell from around Knox’s neck, and one hand remained on his chest. “It’s been way too long since I’ve seen you. You look amazing.”
Great. I came with you to see another lover? What the ever-loving fuck?
Knox dragged his gaze down the pretty pixie’s body, his arm circling her tiny waist. “So do you. Are you doing okay? Everything good?”
“Oh my goodness, yes! But I hate not seeing you for so long. You haven’t come out since before you went to Belize last fall. You can’t leave me for that long, even if we chat on the phone. I have Knox withdrawals.”
Give me a fucking break. Aubrey stood up a little taller, ready to tell Knox she was going to have the front desk locate Vincent Monroe so she could get this over with and head out of there, when Knox took hold of her hand and said, “Paige, this is Aubrey Stewart. Aubrey, this is Paige.”
“Gosh, this is such a pleasure!” Paige ignored Aubrey’s outstretched hand and wrapped her lithe arms around her in a warm embrace. “I am in awe of the empire you’ve built. You’ve given women everywhere something to aspire to. I wish I had half your business sense, but Knox and Landon got all the business skills in the family.”
Family? Oh shit…
“Nonsense,” Knox said. “Paige is an amazing model but an even more talented events coordinator and artist.”
Aubrey was still trying to pick her jaw up off the floor at her misconceived assumption. She’d known Knox had siblings, but they’d never talked in detail about them, only in generalities. Now, not only did she see the resemblance in Paige’s warm cocoa eyes, but the way Paige was looking at Knox was probably very similar to the way Aubrey looked at her brothers. Though she didn’t gush the way Paige did, she admired her brothers’ successes and the men they’d become.
“I am passionate about parties and painting,” Paige said. “They’re much more interesting than modeling, and I am an impeccable planner. Come on, let’s head over to the restaurant.”
“You work here?” Aubrey asked as they followed her down the stairs.
“Yes. Knox, have you spoken to Landon lately?”
“We’ve exchanged a few texts.”
“Well, beware. I swear he’s been a grouch ever since Carlos Ruiz stayed here a few months ago. Actors stay here all the time, and Carlos has vacationed here a number of times, but I’m sure you heard about the media circus that took place during his last visit. Landon has been on edge ever since. I guess I don’t blame him, since it created all sorts of privacy concerns for our clients.”
“Oh, I think I remember that,” Aubrey said as they crossed the lobby toward the restaurant. “It was in all the tabloids, Hollywood’s eternal bachelor engaged to…that model. What’s her name?”
“Brenda Marlow,” Paige said as they entered the restaurant. “They called off the engagement a month later. You should have seen Landon when that happened. Some reporters came nosing around, and he shut them down hard. Landon does not like drama.”
“A man after my own heart,” Aubrey said with a smirk aimed at Knox.
“You might have to grow a penis for that one,” Knox said, earning a laugh from Paige. “My brother is into guys. Sorry, Aubs, your gender isn’t going to give you any pull during this meeting.”
They were meeting with his brother? She thought they were meeting with Vincent Monroe. If Knox didn’t know the owners and this was some crazy ploy in his dating scheme, she was going to kill him.
“Oh, are you two dating?” Paige asked excitedly.
“No,” Aubrey said at the same time Knox said, “Yes.”
Paige’s brows drew together in confusion. “Okay. I won’t go there again.”
“Why is it so quiet in here?” Knox asked. “Isn’t it usually busier this time of year?”
“Yes. Ever since the new ski resort opened we’ve been much slower. But things will pick up,” Paige said hopefully. “There’s Landon.”
Paige pointed across the room to a tall, handsome man rising from a table near the windows. He was talking into a cell phone, and he was definitely alone. Aubrey bit back her frustration and smiled as Landon lifted his chin in their direction. He looked similar to Knox, tall and broad, with hair a few shades lighter than Paige’s, which was a softer brown than Knox’s, but he held himself more rigidly than Knox, and his eyes were warier. His sharp gray suit was precisely tailored, and his cuff links shimmered against the light from the chandelier, a stark contrast to Knox’s jeans and boots.
Landon was ending his phone call when they arrived at the table. He slid his phone into his pocket, a practiced smile forming as his gaze moved quickly over Knox, whose jaw tightened, and he offered his hand to Aubrey. “Landon Bentley,” he said in a deep, smooth voice, softer than Knox�
��s but every bit as potent. “You must be the illustrious Aubrey Stewart. You have quite an impressive reputation. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
KNOX COULD TELL from the set of his brother’s jaw that Landon’s shorts were in a twist even more than usual.
“Thank you. I didn’t realize Knox’s siblings were part of Monroe Enterprises.” Aubrey gave Knox an inquisitive look.
“Monroe is our mother’s maiden name,” Landon explained. “We all own a piece of this resort, and others. Including Knox and our cousins Vincent, Elsie, and Carlisle Monroe, though only Vincent works here.”
He and Landon had had their differences over the years because of Knox’s decision to extricate himself from the family businesses and highbrow lifestyle, but Landon seemed to have an extra edge today. He was sure his brother had added that little tidbit about Knox’s ownership of the property—from birth, not earned or by desire—just to ruffle his feathers. He’d all but relinquished his decision-making authority. And he would formally relinquish it if his family would accept it. Knox and each of his siblings also had embarrassingly large trust funds, but other than using his as initial investment capital, Knox hadn’t touched it. He’d also never used his Bentley name or connections to gain favors. Until today. A fact Landon was clearly homing in on. Knox had made the call to Paige and set up the meeting only because he knew how important Charlotte was to Aubrey. Aubrey may not realize how much she’d shared with him over the past two years, but he’d remembered every word—and even more importantly, the moments she’d gone silent. We’ve been there for each other for everything from our first crushes and losing our virginity, to the loss of her parents and…She’d remained quiet for so long, Knox had felt the presence of secrets she hadn’t wanted to share. When she’d continued speaking, she’d said, Just when we’d found our footing again, she lost her grandfather. I would do anything for Charlotte. The fact that she hadn’t mentioned any of her own crises hadn’t been lost on him. Charlotte Sterling might be like the sister Aubrey never had, but Knox was sure there was more to that story, too. He’d do whatever it took to ensure Charlotte’s movie was just as perfect as Aubrey hoped it would be. Including pulling the Bentley card.
Making You Mine – the Bradens & Montgomerys (Pleasant Hill – Oak Falls) Page 4
