Authors: Tracey Livesay
She accessed her favorites screen again and pressed a contact listing.
“Chelsea?”
“Yes, Adam. I’d love to have dinner with you.”
C
HELSEA’S PROFESSIONAL AREAS
of expertise were the entertainment and sports industries. She routinely found herself in meetings with men who were paid to look good and keep their bodies in peak condition.
Considering that, the Adam Bennett that stood before her was the best-looking man she’d ever seen. Sleek and powerful in a dark suit and royal blue crew neck sweater that she recognized from their shopping spree. His gleaming hair was swept back from his forehead and—she gasped—his jaw was clean-shaven. Leaning against a late model black Range Rover, he stole her breath.
She started down the steps of the house. “I see they delivered the clothes.”
He pushed away from his car. “This morning, before you first arrived.”
“And you picked this outfit yourself?”
“I did.”
When she reached the bottom she stopped, her clutch held tightly in her grasp. “I had hoped, but I have to admit, I wasn’t sure you’d do it.” At his blank stare, she clarified, “Wear any of the clothes outside of the presentation.”
“I never cared about my attire before. Now I do.”
“Why?”
His stare scorched her. “Because you do.”
Sparks of pleasure tingled in her chest, lending her buoyancy.
He opened the passenger door for her. When she reached him he said, “You’re beautiful.”
His low, smooth tone wound itself around her heart and squeezed. She smiled and stroked his smooth jaw before sinking into the butter-soft leather seat. He closed the door and headed around the front of the car to get behind the wheel.
Who was this man? She thought she’d had a handle on him and what she needed to do for her job. But she’d only scratched the surface. As tech savvy and nerdy as Adam had been when they’d first met, this Adam was assured, sexy, dangerous.
On the dark mountain roads, he handled the car with an ease she found incredibly sensuous. His strong hands caressed the dark wood grain and leather steering wheel, his long, elegant fingers gripping the wheel as he skillfully executed the turns. The smell of his aftershave and the dark interior of the car shrouded them in a cocoon of intimacy. The silence was comfortable and she went with it, leaning back into the headrest and watching the scenery out of the panoramic roof window.
It was only dinner. Accepting his invitation didn’t mean she was accepting that they would sleep together. It meant they could continue spending time together in an effort to get him back on track.
Right.
“We’re here.”
Chelsea frowned at the large stone and glass building fronted by tall, skinny poles at spaced intervals. “This doesn’t look like a restaurant. Where are we?”
“The California Academy of Sciences.”
“I thought we were going to dinner.”
“We are.”
“Then why are we stopping here? Aren’t they closed?”
“To the public. Not to me. Come on.”
Intrigued, she took his outstretched hand and followed him around the side of the building to a nondescript opening. He knocked twice and a young woman, dressed in black business attire, opened the door.
“Good evening, Mr. Bennett,” she said, waving them inside. “My name is Katie and I’m your maître d’ for tonight. We have everything prepared to your specifications.”
“Thank you,” he said. With a hand at Chelsea’s back, he guided her inside the building. His touch flared through her dress, a tempting brush of warmth against her skin.
“Our maître d’?” she mouthed, brows raised.
She’d assumed he was taking her to the restaurant, but it appeared he’d rented out an entire museum for their dinner. She was no stranger to extravagance, considering the fame and wealth of her clients. She’d visited athletes in their multimillion-dollar mansions, had even flown on a private plane to visit a well-known actor filming on location. But being the recipient of such luxury? Having someone make such a big deal for her?
Her decision to accept Adam’s invitation hadn’t really been a decision. It hadn’t even been another instance of following her instincts. She’d succumbed to a moment of passivity after years of resistance, thinking what were the odds that this spark of attraction would flourish when subjected to the light? Despite what she’d hoped, she hadn’t expected him to show such care and consideration. She glided beside him, anticipation blooming to life in her belly.
They followed Katie down a long hallway that opened into a room bathed in soothing, flickering tones of blue. When they turned the corner, Chelsea’s eyes widened. They stood in the entryway of an aquarium tunnel, surrounded by an underwater wonderland.
Schools of fish, sharks, and all manner of sea life swam around them. She walked a little farther and gasped. A bloom of jellyfish floated by, their pink umbrella-shaped caps and silky ribbon tentacles glowing with an otherworldly light.
Katie stood at a small table with a bottle of champagne chilling in an ice bucket. “I’m going to let the staff know you’ve arrived. Enjoy the exhibit and I’ll be back in about twenty minutes.”
Chelsea looked at Adam in wonder. “This is amazing!”
The muscle in his cheek jumped. “And it still doesn’t compare to you.”
She looked away. How should she respond? She honestly didn’t know. She knew the smart thing to do. Act as if the attraction wasn’t real. She could claim they’d given it a shot, it hadn’t worked out, and they could settle into a normal business arrangement for the next week. That’s what she should do.
But the feelings he aroused in her were addictive. His presence was so consuming. It made her yearn to be away from him so she could breathe. And yet when they were apart, she wanted to be with him, to interact with him, even if he was driving her crazy with his intractable nature.
Since she was unsure of her response, she decided to say nothing, choosing instead to take in her surroundings. She imagined during the day the place was filled with visitors, their voices echoing off their surroundings in a raucous babble. With just the two of them, and the low music playing in the background, it was quiet, tranquil. Intimate.
It was too much, too soon. They’d just gotten here. She couldn’t let herself be carried away by the romance of it. She reached for the nearest flute. “How about a glass of champagne?”
They strolled along the corridor where she saw a living, colorful coral reef teeming with tropical fish. A bright yellow fish the size of a football floated just above a smaller fish that was a deep royal blue hue. The vibrant colors drew her in and she put her finger to the cool glass. A swarm of tiny fish immediately flocked to her finger before swishing away in a choreographed routine.
“Did you see that?” she asked.
“Can you blame them? I’m sure most men come running with the crook of your finger.”
Warmth swept from her heart up to her cheeks. He had to stop saying things like that.
“Did you know,” he said, his voice suddenly casual, “the fish in the middle of the school control the school? The ones on the outside follow their lead.”
That was better. The normalcy of his statement gave her a chance to regain her bearings.
“Look up,” he commanded.
She did. A great white shark glided overhead; his sharp, lethal teeth, creepy gill slits, and smooth white belly provided an ominous sight. She gasped and her breath fled her body. Her muscles tightened and she stumbled back into a steady, protective embrace. He enclosed her in his arms and a sense of calm descended over her. She leaned into him and they stood together as her terror faded away.
Eventually, Katie returned. “If you’ll follow me . . .”
She’d forgotten about the other woman. For a few moments she’d believed they were the only two people here and the reminder that they weren’t helped. She inhaled and turned to Adam. “There’s more?”
He nodded and took her hand, his strong grip giving her a feminine thrill. Katie escorted them to a large room where they could look down into a pit filled with stadium seating. A large screen rose from the front of the room and tilted up the wall and over their heads to some point behind them she couldn’t see. It looked like a movie theater with the biggest projection screen she’d ever seen.
“Are we watching a movie?” Chelsea asked.
Adam smiled. “In a manner of speaking.”
Down on the floor at the front of the theater sat an elegantly dressed table covered in white linen. Suddenly, the lights went out. Everything around her disappeared and stars burst forth all around them. She felt as if she were floating through space.
He slid a hand around her waist. “I thought we’d enjoy dinner beneath the stars.”
Planets appeared and floated past. She recognized the redness of Mars, the serene blues and greens of Earth, the rings of Saturn. When he guided her down the stairs, she imagined them taking a stroll across the universe.
She’d always thought of herself as a strong woman, but she wasn’t made of titanium. How could any woman resist this man? She pressed a hand to her chest, overwhelmed by the beauty she’d seen and the immense thoughtfulness of the man at her side. “I can’t wait.”
He pulled out her chair and, once she was seated, took his place across from her. A server materialized with their first course.
“The chef took the liberty of creating a specialized menu for you. Please, enjoy.”
The food looked spectacular and smelled even better.
“Is this from Quartet?” she asked.
Quartet was one of the best restaurants in the city, home to a James Beard award-winning chef who specialized in Italian-and French-inspired cuisine. Reservations were at least six months out. What kind of favors did Adam have to call in for their dinner tonight?
“Yes,” Adam said. “The chef is a friend and I’m an investor in the restaurant.”
The mystery of his incredible access solved.
“I didn’t know that,” she said, surprised and impressed. He was more a man of the world than she’d thought. “I’m excited to try the food. I’ve heard good things about it.”
“It’s a great restaurant. I wouldn’t invest my money in anything less.”
She pursed her lips. “But you said the chef is a friend.”
“He is.”
“So you’d want to help him, without regard to his talent.”
His features tightened and his eyes hardened. “Are you questioning my integrity?”
She started to smile, thinking he was playing along, but his stilted tone caused her to rethink her initial assessment. “No, no. Adam, I was kidding.”
His eyes cleared, his face relaxed and a sexy grin curled his lips. “So was I.”
“Oh.” She bit her lip and let her lashes fall to cover her embarrassment. “Good one.”
Their shared laughter swept away any lingering tension.
“Did you become friends with the chef after your investment or did you know him before?”
“I met him in college.”
“Wow.” She swallowed. “Have you known Mike for that long?”
He nodded.
“Loyalty must be really important to you.”
“Paramount.” He lounged back in his chair and rested an arm on the table. “What made you choose a career in entertainment?”
She paused, her fork in midair. It was an innocent enough question, a variation asked by millions on first dates. But theirs wasn’t a typical social outing. The man across from her was astute and had already proven his proficiency at detecting inconsistencies in her story. She needed to hold on to that fact and remember she couldn’t afford to lower her guard any further and get personal with him. She ignored the part of her brain that flashed images of just how personal their joined bodies could be.
“I’m a people person,” she said, giving him the stock answer she trotted out at parties and gatherings when asked a similar question.
“I intentionally seek shelter from the limelight. You bask in it.”
“I wouldn’t say I ‘bask’ in it. It’s been reflected onto me because of my proximity to others. I understand it. I’ve learned how to use it to my advantage.”
He nodded slowly, his brows furrowing, then releasing. He had a way of focusing on her with his complete, undivided attention. Like she was his current project and he was solving for
x
. Being the object of such intense scrutiny was flattering but a touch uncomfortable. Especially when she possessed information that needed to stay hidden.
“Have you always liked computers?” She took another taste of the mushroom and artichoke tortellini.
“Not in the stereotypical fashion that’s always portrayed in the movies. I didn’t dismantle them or create my own super computer. I was interested in video games. I liked to escape into worlds I could control.”
She hadn’t thought they would have anything in common, but she could relate to his teenaged self’s need to escape his circumstances. There were numerous times growing up that she’d go to sleep at night praying her life was some never-ending nightmare from which she’d finally awaken. “Then, why not become a video game designer?”
“It was more than the software. I wondered how I could adapt the hardware. Find better uses for it in the world. My real-life fascination outgrew my interests in the make-believe world.”
Some might say she chose a similar path. That she couldn’t stay in her make-believe world where she wasn’t the victim of her mother’s choices, but needed to find a way to make living in the real world bearable.
“At some point you had to get into computers, right?”
“Of course . . .”
His eyes flashed as he discussed his work. She leaned forward, resting her chin on her palm, wanting to take it all in and not miss anything. He was a lethal combination of brilliance, good looks, and a relatability she hadn’t been expecting.
Careful, Chelsea. You’re teetering on infatuation.
Who wouldn’t be? They’d spent an incredible day together. Could she be blamed for succumbing to his charm?
He broke off abruptly, his gaze shifting sideways. “Sorry.”
“For what?”
“Sometimes my desire to continue talking about a topic outpaces the interest of the person listening.”
Her face relaxed into a smile. “Where have you been hiding him?”
“I—” He blinked. “I don’t understand.”