“Actually, this is pretty good for us. We’re about as tight as two brothers who grew up wanting different things could be. I’d kill for him, and he’d call out the guards to kill for me.”
She laughed. “He looks pretty fit. I bet he could kick some serious ass.”
“He could, but he never would. He’s too refined for that.”
“Well, I like him. And not that it’s my business, but time with family is important. Even when you have differences.” She patted his chest and said, “I should change so we can get out of here before the storm hits. I still have some shopping to do before my mom’s Super Bowl party tomorrow.”
“Want to take me as your date?”
“If you saw me watching the Super Bowl with my family, you’d change your mind about dating me. It’s not pretty. Oh! I just remembered. Paige said you built her a swing when you were younger and that it would be the perfect place for a scene in the movie. I’d love to see that before we take off if there’s time.”
“There’s always time,” he said as she carried her clothes toward the bathroom. “I’ve seen you naked. You can change here.”
“If I take off my clothes in front of you, the only hard wood I’ll see is in your pants.”
AUBREY SHOVED HER hands in her coat pockets as they walked across the lawn toward the woods. Even with her hat and gloves on, she was freezing. She rounded her shoulders against the bitter cold, and Knox put an arm around her, drawing her against his side.
“Thanks,” she said. “Aren’t you cold?”
“Nope. When I’m near you, I’m hot all over.”
She laughed. “Your sister was right. You are relentless. Why me, Knox? Why now?”
He stopped walking and turned, gathering her against him again. He did that a lot, she realized. But the look in his eyes was one she hadn’t seen before, so honest and open it made her feel a little vulnerable, which made no sense at all. He should feel vulnerable, but he looked completely confident.
“You’re a brilliant businesswoman, a goddess in the bedroom, and I’ve peeked behind your walls, Aubrey. I’ve gotten glimpses of the real you. All those times you don’t remember talking with me into the wee hours of the morning? They showed me who you really are. The messy-media-room you. I don’t know your entire story yet, but I want to. I like who you are, and we’re similar in many ways. I even enjoy the way you refuse to go down easy for me.”
“The thrill of the chase will wear off,” she warned.
“When that happens, the real thrill begins. If there’s one thing I learned from growing up with a silver spoon in my mouth, it’s that the best things in life don’t come easily.” He pressed his lips to hers and then he said, “And you, Wattsy, will never be easy.”
With his arm around her, they headed down the hill and into the woods. She’d expected him to make a joke, or laugh off her questions, but his honesty made her walls come down a little more.
“Why now?” she asked. “After all this time, why are you so determined to get me to go out with you now?”
“I could lie and say it’s because this is what people do after they’ve been sleeping together for so long. But it’s more than that. I saw things in Belize that opened my eyes. I met people who had nothing, but in reality, they had everything because of who they shared it with. They weren’t asking for more or ruing what they didn’t have, and I realized the only time I feel that way is when I’m with you.”
She stopped cold, the magnitude of his confession burgeoning around her. She needed space. She needed to run. But he held her too tight.
“Scared shitless?” he asked.
“Kind of,” she admitted. It had always been so easy to be herself when they were together. He was her escape from the pressures around her, but there was no denying that somewhere over the last two years he’d become more than that. Much more.
“Good,” he said. “That means you are on the same page as me, like it or not. I knew it New Year’s Eve, when we were so desperate for each other that everything else failed to exist. Remember the sparks that flew when you saw me walk into the party? Because I sure as hell do. We barely made it to the hotel room—and then we couldn’t tear ourselves away from each other the next day. I’ll never forget that, Wattsy.”
Her heart was pounding just thinking about the way they’d torn at each other’s clothes, devoured each other’s bodies like they’d never get enough. And they hadn’t gotten enough. Forty-eight hours later, when they’d finally left the hotel, she’d sent a 911 text to Presley and Libby. But when they’d arrived at her house, she couldn’t tell them how she felt, because it was too big, too frightening. She’d dodged Knox’s texts after that, until she’d thought she could handle even that small connection without feeling like she was splayed open and his for the taking. And then they’d seen each other at the event last Saturday night and her desires had grown even stronger. She’d fought against them, but as he’d approached, her resolve had lessened. And when he’d whispered all the dirty things he’d wanted to do to her, she’d surrendered, telling herself it was just one night.
“Knox! My boy!”
The excited shout startled Aubrey as a thick-bodied man burst through the trees, bundled up in a black parka and knit cap, arms open wide. He had a white beard and mustache. His cheeks and the tip of his bulbous nose were pink from the cold. He squinted from behind wire-framed glasses, laughing heartily as Knox embraced him.
“Paige mentioned you were coming,” he said. “You look good. Happy.”
“Thank you, Leon. So do you.” Knox put a hand on Aubrey’s back, guiding her closer to him. “Leon Rice, this is my very good friend Aubrey Stewart. Leon has been the groundskeeper here forever. He knows all my secrets.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Aubrey said, offering her hand.
Leon took her hand between both of his and said, “The pleasure is all mine, my dear. And don’t let him fool you. Knox couldn’t keep a secret if his life depended on it.”
“Hey, come on, now,” Knox said. “What are you doing out here in the woods?”
“Just securing the swing before the big storm hits. I like to leave it functional for Paige when the weather permits.”
“I’m sure she appreciates it. I was just taking Aubrey to see the big oak and the swing.”
“She’s a beauty,” Leon said. “But it’s the swing that brings this area to life. It’s still Paige’s favorite thinking spot. Are you staying for a while? Joyce would love to see you. She stocked up on Goobers and Wonder Bread.” He leaned in and said, “Don’t tell your mother. You’ll get my wife in trouble.”
Knox laughed. “I know better. We’ll stop in and see her before we take off.” He turned to Aubrey and said, “Joyce is our second mother. She cooks for our family.”
Leon shook his head. “Cooks, coddles, and misses you like the devil while you’re gone. Never seen a woman take so much pleasure in stocking up on Goobers.”
“Goobers?” Aubrey raised her brows. “I thought your favorite junk food was Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.”
“A very close friend, indeed,” Leon said with a warm smile. “Looks like you know his not-so-secret secrets.” He turned his attention to Knox, eyes serious, and asked, “Have you seen Landon?”
“Yeah. I had a nice visit with him.”
“He seem okay to you? I’m worried about him,” Leon said. “He’s been a bit off lately. Uptight.”
Knox’s expression turned solemn. “He’s got a lot going on, but he’ll be okay.”
“Alrighty, then. I trust you’d know better than me. I should get back up to the house. I still need to take care of a few things before the wind picks up.” He turned his palm up toward the sky and said, “Flurries are starting.” He patted Knox on the back and said, “Missed you, kiddo.” He winked at Aubrey. “Nice to meet you. Enjoy the afternoon, and you two kids drive safely, you hear?”
Aubrey liked the jubilant man. He obviously cared deeply for Knox and his si
blings.
“Don’t worry. We will.” Knox reached for Aubrey’s hand.
“I love him!” she gushed “But Goobers?”
“You were right. Reese’s are my go-to junk food. But Smucker’s Goober peanut butter and grape jelly, spread thick on Wonder Bread? Besides you, that’s my secret pleasure.”
“Oh man, I love that stuff. Why can’t you tell your mom about it?”
He made a noise in his throat, a cross between a laugh and a scoff, and said, “Because the Bentleys are too good for preservatives and common foods.”
“Are your parents that rigid?”
“I think you mean ‘well bred.’ Most of us do as we’re taught, carry on the ways of our parents.” He guided her toward a beautiful oak tree. A swing hung from a thick limb, secured to the trunk with a rope.
“Sorry, yes. Well bred. I guess you and I never got that memo,” she said, thinking of their junk-food fest. She looked at the enormous oak and surrounding trees. Paige was right. In the spring or summer the leaves and surrounding foliage would be ripe with color, perfect for the dreamscape scene. But it was the swing that drew her forward. She ran her fingers over the wooden seat and the ropes that tethered it to the massive trunk. She imagined Knox as a young boy, climbing the tree, the rope wrapped around him as he shimmied out on the limb to secure it for his sister. “How old were you when you made this for Paige?”
“I don’t know. Ten maybe.”
“Why did you do it the night of one of your parents’ parties? To piss them off?” She knew he’d always been rebellious, and she was curious about how he’d pushed his parents’ buttons.
“We lived at school, and when we were home, most of our time was spent following our parents around the world for our father’s business or sitting quietly by while they hosted dinners or parties. You know most of being from old money is keeping up appearances, supporting those with like stations in life, and of course, making more money.” He pushed a hand through his hair, which was now speckled with snowflakes. “All Paige ever wanted was to play dress-up and hide-and-seek, have a swing set, and be a typical little girl. But between traveling, attending functions, and our parents’ charitable obligations, there was no time for normalcy.” He shrugged. “She spent years trying to be perfect in every way, and it nearly killed her.”
Aubrey’s heart sank. “How?”
“She never had to work, and she still doesn’t. But she wanted to prove herself and do something she loved. She got into modeling, and because of it she developed an eating disorder. She’s always been thin, but along with modeling came insurmountable pressure. Drugs and alcohol were prevalent. It was a toxic environment.”
“You said she wanted to do something she loved. Do you think she loved modeling? Or was she trying to fulfill her young-girl fantasies of playing dress-up? Either way, it’s awful to go through life feeling invisible. She’s so sweet. I can’t imagine what she’s gone through.”
“It was bigger than playing dress-up,” he said. “Feeling invisible is pretty spot-on. She craved attention, being part of a group that would see her for her, not part of all this. But in the process, she lost her best friend, Adele, whom she’d known since she was a kid. Adele’s family owns the Bagnor Modeling Agency.”
“Oh gosh. Adele Bagnor was her best friend? I read about her having a heart attack on the runway.”
He nodded. “Paige loved her so much. I thought we’d lose her, too. I had tried to get Paige out of that environment and get her help, but she wouldn’t leave Addy. She called me when Addy collapsed. I flew out there, determined to drag her back to New York with me, but I didn’t have to. She was a mess and was finally ready to seek help.” Sadness washed over his face. “She told me Addy taught her how to purge and how to starve herself. I had no idea she was doing it, but it all started to make sense.”
“How horrible.” Aubrey wrapped her arms around her middle, thinking of how Presley had done just the opposite, eating her feelings before finally taking control of her health.
“Paige might appear frail,” Knox said, “but she’s strong and determined. She was just lost. Once she made up her mind to get healthy and deal with all of her issues, we got her into a treatment facility. When she left there she came to live with me. And now she’s in a good place. She volunteers at another facility helping others who are suffering through the same disease.”
“Wow. I had no idea she’d gone through so much. She seems so happy.”
“She is happy. She’s alive, and she knows she might not have been if she hadn’t gotten help. She also has twenty-four-seven access to me and Landon, real friends she’s made at the inn and through an online book club she’s involved with. She travels pretty often to see the friends she’s made in her club. She needed that normalcy. And she really is fantastic at event planning, but you should see her artwork. It’s her secret gift. Painting was part of her therapy, and she pours her emotions into it.”
“And your parents? Where did they fit into her therapy? Seems like they might have been at the root of her problems.”
“They stepped up for Paige. They were there for her during her recovery. They went through counseling with her, and they’ve been there for her ever since. It nearly killed them. Honestly, it was the first time I saw them as parents. They’ve softened a lot since then.”
“A silver lining to an otherwise awful story.” The more Knox shared, the closer Aubrey felt to him, and she was surprised how much she liked it. “I’m glad Paige is okay now.”
“Eating disorders don’t go away, Aubrey. It’ll be an ongoing part of her life that needs managing like an alcoholic or a drug addict. But we talk often, and now Landon and I know what signs to look for. We both got educated. I only wish we’d done it sooner.”
“My father always says there’s no crying over fumbles; just make sure you don’t make the same mistakes twice.” To lighten the mood she said, “Given all you’ve just said, I take it you and Landon never wrestled around in the grass or ran around like wild banshees?”
“Landon?” He smiled. “Hell, even as a kid my brother would rather negotiate than argue or get physical. I was wild enough for both of us, usually convincing some of our parents’ friends’ kids to come along with me.”
“The troublemaker.” She stepped closer, gazing up at him and seeing him through new eyes. He wasn’t just a cocky guy who loved great sex and had a fun sense of humor. He was a caring, deeply connected brother and friend. “That doesn’t surprise me, but it does make me sad. It sounds like you and your siblings missed out on a lot.”
He shrugged again. “Trust me, I didn’t miss out on that much. I didn’t forgo fun. I just got grief from my parents when I had it.”
“I’m getting a pretty good idea of why you put distance between you and them.”
A flash of something dark—regret maybe?—flashed in his eyes. “I love my family, Aubrey. I just don’t belong in this world.”
“But you still attend events elsewhere, and you are in this world just by the nature of your worth.”
He shook his head. “No. I mean this particular world. I couldn’t run a business with my father or attend functions feeling like the protégé he only wanted to show off. I’m not about those things. You know that.”
“I do,” she said. “But I didn’t know you grew up here at the inn.”
“I grew up in the schools I told you about.” He put a hand on her back, guiding her through the clearing to a path in the woods. “I spent time at the inn for functions, and I knew the staff, who were always so happy to see me that I would go in and hang out with them instead of my parents. I used to follow Leon around the yard pestering him.”
“He must not have minded, because he obviously adores you.”
“As I do him.” The path ended at an estate surrounded by endless lawn and gardens. “But this is where we slept. Our childhood home.”
Where we slept. It was sad to hear him refer to his childhood home that way, but she was gl
ad she understood why he did. She couldn’t help but gawk at the sprawling stone estate that put her ridiculously large house to shame. There were so many wings to the mansion, it looked like it could sleep all of Port Hudson, her small hometown. There was a pool, tennis courts, and several other houses on the property.
“Are there more siblings I don’t know about?”
“Nope. Just the three of us. Appearances, babe. That’s what the Monroe and Bentley families are all about. At least my parents’ generation. Paige and Landon aren’t like that.”
“But they live here and work with your parents?”
“Yes, but Landon and Vincent run the show at the inn. I’m sorry if Vincent was rude to you on the phone. I think he was just following Landon’s orders about unwanted events that might cause a stir with the media. Landon works with my father on other projects, but he’s a pleaser. We’re very different.”
“I saw that, except I think you guys also have a few things in common. But wow, Knox. You grew up with a tennis court? I thought I had it made with a trampoline and a tree fort.”
“I’d rather have had the trampoline and tree fort. I guess I shouldn’t mention the indoor pool, sauna, six-thousand-square-foot pool house, guesthouses, eight-car garage, or the housekeepers. And of course no mansion is complete without a wine cellar.”
“Okay, yeah, you probably shouldn’t mention any of that. It’s a bit intimidating. I feel like I should have kept on my Chanel and Christian Louboutins.”
He pulled her closer as they traipsed across the lawn and said, “You look hot in anything, but I prefer you in this. Actually, that’s not true. I prefer you naked, but you’d freeze your sexy little ass off.”
“You’ve got sex on the brain.”
“We could sneak in to one of the guesthouses…”
“You have no shame. Is it true that you stole wood for the swing from the wine cellar?”
“Yup. I also almost lost my virginity in the wine cellar.” He arched a brow. “Leon cockblocked me, and then he gave me a lecture about how to treat a woman.”
Making You Mine – the Bradens & Montgomerys (Pleasant Hill – Oak Falls) Page 7
