The Barrett Brothers Collection

by K B Cinder

  It was intimidating that he picked Colby's, an upscale location generally reserved for special occasions. I had never been, but from the website, I could tell it wasn't somewhere I'd frequent. It definitely wasn't a typical first date spot either, but I could forgive someone that wasn't a local. He might have gotten caught up in the reviews.

  I would have been just as happy to park my butt in a booth at Crow Bar in jeans and a t-shirt. There wasn't a bougee bone in my body. I hoped I made that clear.

  I'd be sitting for most of the night, so dresses with boning were out. That eliminated a handful of dresses that looked great on but only if standing all night - not wining and dining. I'd be impaled by the time our entrees came.

  I tossed aside the shift dresses for work as well and was left with an assortment of short bodycons and midis, each a fitting choice for the evening.

  I lifted a navy midi, a number I picked up at the outlets with Lee on a whim. I pulled it on again, forcing away the negative thoughts. It was snug but hugged the curve of my hips and slimmed my waist with some well-placed ruching. The high halter top hid the goods but showed enough shoulder and collarbone to avoid a matronly look.

  I finished the look with my prized Louboutins, a sparkling silver pair. I fished them down from the top of my closet, putting an end to their exile. Bear was a special occasion.

  With a final look in the mirror, I was ready, heading downstairs to meet the cab driver. I decided against driving since parking by Colby's was impossible.

  I texted Lee my plans on the ride over, assuring her I'd check in ASAP. It was an added safety step I always took to set us both at ease, especially since she was in a panic over online dating.

  When I arrived, Colby’s was packed, men in suits dotting the private ballroom entrance with beautiful women dressed in gorgeous gowns. I felt modest in comparison, their plunging necklines and full skirts more appropriate for a runway than a private gathering. It was likely a society event, the kind of thing the circles of people Justin grew up with attended.

  I scurried by the hoard, earning a few side-eyes from women along the way to the front entrance. I shrugged them off, used to the cattiness thanks to years of Monica's bullshit and my former in-laws-to-be.

  My nerves fluttered as I scanned the crowds for any sign of Bear. At his height, he'd likely stand out, though I still wasn't convinced that I'd be able to spot him.

  Would he see me first? Had he seen me already?

  Jitters wobbled my knees as I entered the colossal glass entry to the foyer. As soon as my heels touched the sleek black marble, my phone chimed in my bag.

  It had to be Bear. He must have spied me first.

  I glanced around for a sign of him but came up empty, most of the patrons gray-haired men with much younger dates.

  I stepped to the side and plucked my phone out, glancing at the message across the screen.

  Bear: Be there in five. Tied up in traffic. I'm sorry.

  Rather than being ticked at his tardiness, it relieved me, knees steadying for a change. At least I had a little more time to get my nerves in check.

  Jewels: It's okay. Drive safe.

  Bear: Go ahead and grab our table. The reservation is under Private Lee.

  Jewels: Clever.

  Bear: I try. See you soon, beautiful.

  I smiled, sliding the phone back into my bag.

  I wanted to hate Colby's on principle, but I couldn't. The place was stunning, each minute detail finished to perfection. From the wall candelabras to the leather settees, the place was unlike anywhere I had been, even the poshest hangouts in Manhattan.

  The dark plaster walls stretched high, angling to a black and white mandala patterned ceiling, a single black chandelier dropped from its center. It was hauntingly beautiful, with thousands of onyx crystals dripping from its tiers.

  As I craned my head up to take in the view, I was ushered forward by the steady flow of the crowd. A raspy clearing of a throat pulled my eyes from the ceiling to a lanky twenty-something hostess behind a podium, her golden locks secured high in a bun.

  “Good evening, ma'am. Do you have a reservation?” Her beady brown eyes looked me over with contempt, seeming to know I didn't belong.

  I smiled back, not letting her attitude damper my mood. “Yes, it's under Private Lee.”

  She scanned her tablet, heavily lined eyes darting left to right as she swiped away.

  “Ah, yes.” She glanced over at a large college-aged kid that must have moonlighted as a bodybuilder. “Lawrence, take her to table forty-one.”

  “Right this way, Madam.” He waved a muscular arm, gesturing for me to follow.

  I tried my best to keep up while he floated across the floor, each step covering at least three of mine. I didn’t rush, deciding early on that falling behind was better than snapping an ankle on the slick marble.

  We entered a narrow opening behind the podium, revealing one hell of a dining area. It was as glamorous as the entry, though my breath caught at the lighting above.

  Thousands of fingertip-sized lights dangled from hair-thin wires, mimicking the night sky. The walls and floors were dark, blanketing the room in shadows, illuminated by the lights above and sconces, giving the room a warm glow of a fireside gathering.

  Each table was tucked into its own private cove, hidden from view by potted palms and ferns, creating a lush indoor oasis of excess.

  Lawrence stopped at a table, pulling out a chair and waiting as I got situated, scooting me in. He placed a menu across from me before handing me mine.

  “Have a lovely evening, Madam.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  I could get used to being a madam for the night — not the lady pimp kind -the fancy kind that projected elegance.

  He smiled and was gone, leaving me alone with the leather-wrapped menu. There was a tiny space between palm leaves, allowing for Bear-watching from the privacy of the table. I spied no one that fit the description, growing more anxious by the second.

  The angel that was Lawrence reappeared with a pitcher of ice water, scaring the bejesus out of me. He offered a sympathetic smile, pouring a goblet for me and leaving one for Bear.

  I continued to search through the opening, honing in on a handsome man standing at the dining room entrance. He was the right age and tall, standing at least over six feet, and well-muscled. He was wearing an all-black suit, scanning the room the same way I was, but his hair was a sandy blond rather than brown, so I moved on.

  I found another contender in a man to the left. He didn't look friendly, but he had the correct height and hair color. His eyes flicked towards me, catching my stare despite the tiny opening. His eyes were cold, hard, and anything but friendly. I looked away, hoping he wasn't Bear.

  By the time I looked back, he was distracted by his phone, allowing me to look him over. Long. Built. Thick legs with muscles for days.

  I prayed my phone wouldn't chime with a Privately notification. If it were him, I'd have to bail. He didn't look like someone I'd feel safe being alone with.

  “Elena, what are you doing here?” a voice demanded, the words fired in rapid succession, shattering the bubble of seclusion the palms offered.

  I flinched and let out an involuntary squeal as my eyes fell on the speaker.

  There stood Jason. Jason Barrett. As in the branch manager. The grand poobah. Mr. Don't Eat at Your Desk himself.

  Decked out in a fitted black suit and navy tie, he was strikingly handsome, a pristine white button-down contrasting both. Based on his outfit, he must have been attending the private banquet. If he was looking for a friendly chat beforehand, he picked the wrong time.

  “Oh hi,” I greeted with a flutter, eager to shoo him away.

  Not the time, Barrett.

  “What are you doing here?” His eyes narrowed, his tone clipped.

  Great. We were back to those terms. He had more mood swings than a teenage girl.

  After the Justin run-in, he was a gentleman all week, exchanging ple
asantries with me each morning while we grabbed coffee in the break room. I thought we moved on from the asshole attitude.

  “I'm here for a friend.”

  “Who?” he demanded.

  I could deal with his hot and cold shtick any other time but then. I didn't need his antics when my dream date was due to walk in at any moment. What would he think if he saw another man peppering me with questions? Especially a man like Jason.

  I glanced back over at the gruff man to see him glaring, anger burning in his eyes. What if he was Bear? How would I get out without him following me?

  “A friend,” I repeated, louder and more defiant as I shifted my gaze back to Jason, refusing to give an inch. “This doesn't concern you. I'll see you at the office on Monday.”

  “What is your friend's name?” He shoved his hands into his pockets, rocking back on his heels and letting out a shaky breath. His calm, calculating facade was withering, nervous habits wearing it away bit by bit.

  The change was unsettling, stoking my jitters into full-blown fear. Why was he doing this? Why couldn't he go to his fancy-schmancy banquet and let me be?

  “Why does it matter, Jason?” I demanded.

  “Because it does,” he shot back. A predatory glint sharpened his eyes, the same look that always sent me scrambling when he was near. “Why are you here?”

  That was it. Scary or not–boss or not–I didn’t need to put up with his crap on the weekend. “I'm here for a date! Now if you would excuse me, I will see you at work!” I snapped, ready to chuck my damn menu at him to get him away.

  “Elena, what is his name?” His voice dipped, calmer, friendlier, realizing his usual route wasn't getting him anywhere.

  “It's none of your business.”

  Tears of embarrassment burned, threatening to reduce my smoky eye to a black tar tidal wave. Even if the angry man wasn't Bear, he was likely nearby, seeing the scene unfold and ready to hightail it.

  “Please go!” I begged, biting my cheek to keep the tears at bay.

  “It wouldn't happen to be Bear, would it?” It came out in a rough whisper, so broken, I barely heard it.

  As soon as the words left his lips, there was a pain at my core, a thousand knives piercing at once.

  Every laugh. Every inside joke. Every pep talk.

  Oh god. Every sexy chat and raunchy exchange.

  They were all with Jason Barrett.

  I showed my boss my boobs multiple times and told him what I was planning on doing with his dick. Holy shit.

  “You're Bear,” I breathed, the truth smacking me in the face like a two-by-four.

  “And you're Jewels.” He was as shocked as I was and likely trying to find a way to keep me from telling the world I saw his package-a thick, heavy package that needed extra postage.

  He could have bolted when he saw me at the table. He didn't need to say a word. My ass in the seat was all the confirmation he needed. But he approached the table. He opened Pandora's box on his own volition; no one forced him.

  To my horror, he pulled out the free chair and sat down, clasping his hands on the fine linen tablecloth. “What are you doing?” I shrieked, leaning as far back as possible.

  He flinched. “Having a date?”

  He was out of his fucking mind. “Seriously?”

  “Why not?” he asked, flashing a smile.

  My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets at his words. “Because you're my boss?”

  Because it was against every Croft handbook ever written? Because we'd both get fired if we were caught? Because we hated each other for months?

  “Not directly.”

  “That's not the point!” I snapped.

  Waves of shock flooded through me, and I wished it was an elaborate joke, the real Bear hiding in one of the ridiculous palms. Good God did I want Lee to pop out and yell surprise with some six-foot-something babe magnet.

  He leaned back in his chair, mimicking my stance, hands still clasped in front. “I'd never hold anything over you or give you any special treatment, you know that.”

  While handsome as always, he was also teetering on deadly, coiled and ready to spring with stunning accuracy. Just his presence was enough to send my heartbeat out of whack.

  “This is insane,” I murmured, shaking my head, flashbacks buzzing through my mind.

  He nodded. “It is.”

  All the late-night heart to hearts were shared with the man across from me, a man that didn’t have a heart at all. But somewhere inside there had to be something resembling one. No one could fake that. I couldn’t ignore our chats. I connected with that person, and he was the one on the other end.

  “If anyone finds out...” I trailed, daring to tread into the water.

  He held up a hand, cutting me off. “No one knows or will know.” He swallowed hard, eyes locking with mine. “You won't tell a soul either.”

  It was meant as a reassurance, but knowing his temper, I took it as a threat. I didn't doubt he'd hold me to the fire over it.

  “Jason...” I warned. I took a lot of crap from him, but I wouldn't be menaced into silence.

  “Relax.”

  Looking at him, I was a fool not to figure it out. There weren’t many men our age in Ithaca with blue eyes, brown hair, and a jacked body. Especially in executive management. How had I been so stupid? I saw him day in and day out and hadn't suspected a thing. But now that he was right there in front of me, it was as clear as day.

  I blinked rapidly to keep the tears in; the threat growing greater by the second. I couldn't cry. I wouldn't. Not in front of him. I'd keep my shit together until I got home. I had a system down pat thanks to my oh-so-fabulous-streak of good luck.

  “Even if you weren't my boss, I couldn't do this.”

  His brows snapped together as he leaned forward in concern. “Why? You aren't attracted to me?”

  “What? No!” I sputtered, flushing head to toe at the admission.

  Great. Now he knew I had the hots for him too.

  He grinned at my slip up but remained silent, smoldering on his side of the table.

  “Look, we aren't compatible. You like Jewels but not Elena.”

  “Bullshit.”

  His reply hit me like a freight train, and all I could do was gawk, gripping the edge of the table to keep from toppling over. “Excuse me?”

  “Bullshit,” he repeated.

  “You've been rude to me from the moment we met!” I snapped. “That's not how you treat someone you like!”

  “I've come a long way.” He offered another devastating smile, cracking my resolve with those beautiful blue eyes.

  “You're hot and cold, sir.” I leaned back and averted my eyes, desperate to break the spell.

  “Please don't call me that.”

  “Okay. You're hot and cold, Jason.”

  He narrowed his eyes, displeased with the smart ass reply. “You're being irrational.”

  “You've gone out of your way to treat me like crap!” I growled. “You've only recently had a change of heart as if you even have one of those.”

  “For one, I apologized.” He studied me before eyeing my lips, igniting those pesky butterflies I thought I exterminated long ago. “I've been keeping my distance for the sake of professionalism.”

  “What?” He treated me like crap out of professionalism? That was a new one.

  “I've wanted to fuck you since I first laid eyes on you.”

  I would have been less shocked if a gorilla came rollerskating through with a four-piece band in tow. “Excuse me?” Clearly, I misheard him or was hallucinating.

  “You heard me. And don't act like you don't feel the same. I've heard your conversations with Lee.”

  “What conversations?”

  His hands unclasped, and he leaned back, a throaty chuckle rumbling forth. “You were discussing how I engage in strictly outercourse or missionary only. No whammies.”

  It was worse than I imagined. There was no escaping. “Oh ... we were joking around, and I
didn't realize you were behind me. Sorry.” Whew. God, strike me dead to get me out of the hot seat, please.

  “You're oh so wrong.” His smile widened, and he crossed his arms over his chest.

  “About?” I asked, voice barely more than a whisper.

  “All of it, doll.”

  There was no response to that. I froze in place, suspended by his words. My cheeks had to be blazing.

  “Listen. Pretend you don't know me, and I'll pretend I don't know you. In all honesty, we don't know each other at all. You have preconceived notions about me, and I know nothing about you though plenty from afar. Purposely.”

  “Purposely?” I asked, raising a brow.

  “I told you. I've wanted you from the minute I laid eyes on you.” He reached out and cradled my hand in his, and I let him. “I knew I couldn't get too close because it would be trouble. If any of this has taught me anything, it's that I need a little trouble here and there.”

  I was done for, slipping into the depths of yet another colossal mistake. I was putty in his hands, and the bastard knew it. My heart leaped at each word, and I wanted to forget the Jason Barrett I knew.

  He went out of his way to save me from the terrible run-in with Justin. He didn't make me feel unwanted at all, walking me to my car after to make sure I was safe.

  That small act of kindness saved me from a night of tears. And as Bear, he made me laugh, helping me forget about the pain once and for all. Maybe he wasn't such a monster. Perhaps he really was a guy trying to keep his desires at bay.

  I stared at his face, taking in every detail. That strong jaw. Those stunning eyes. Those forever angsty brows. He was every woman's dream and then some.

  There he was asking for one night to try something out, to get to know one another without the weight of Croft or the fear of rules and repercussions.

  He was Bear. My Bear. The same man who I looked forward to talking to at the end of a long day. The same man I was dying to meet. He was right there the entire time.

  What was the harm in one night? We could laugh and chat. There was no harm in it.

  “Hello there, Bear.” He grinned at his nickname. “My name is Elena Julian. You may know me as Jewels.”