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It only took a couple of minutes for the heat trapped under her skin to turn to a chill in the evening air. She set the champagne flute on the balcony railing and crossed her arms as another breeze kicked up, lifting her hair off her shoulders. Gooseflesh pulled at her skin.
What if all her worrying and musing were for nothing? To worry about the ramifications of a relationship with her boss implied that her boss wanted a relationship with her. Okay, so he told her she was beautiful. He often touched her when it wasn't necessary. He looked at her with those eyes that could melt butter. That didn't mean anything more than he was a good flirt.
Jewell sighed and slumped her shoulders, rubbing her hands over her arms to warm her skin. She lowered her head, closed her eyes, and let out a long, frustrated groan.
* * *
Benjamin almost missed her standing on the balcony as he moved down the hallway looking for her. Her cascade of auburn hair caught on the breeze that shifted the white gossamer curtains bracketing the french doors, and drew his attention. With a glance up and down the hallway, Benjamin pushed his hands into his tuxedo pockets and moved to the open doorway, watching her.
She was beautiful.
That thought had crossed his mind more than once, but each time the extent of the effect her beauty had on him surprised him. He had met and dated his share of beautiful women, but as much as he appreciated their attractiveness, none that he could remember made his pulse quicken and his breath catch. If he'd been asked his definition of beautiful just a few months before, he probably wouldn't have said rich red hair, green eyes, and the kind of body that made him want to explore every sway and curve.
Jewel rubbed her arms and a small tremor moved through her as another breeze carried off the river. Benjamin unbuttoned his jacket and shrugged it off as he crossed the balcony. She looked up and turned to him with a slight jump as he draped the jacket over her bare shoulders. As she watched him with wide eyes, he ran his fingers beneath her hair and lifted the curly mass from beneath the collar of the jacket. The aroma of her shampoo tingled his senses.
"Thank you," he read on her lips.
He ran his fingers beneath her hair again, all the way to the ends that curled softly around his hand. "What are you doing out here?" he signed, regretfully leaving the silk of her hair to drift in the breeze.
"I needed some air," she repeated from the dance floor.
He just nodded, letting her keep the excuse for whatever reason. She reached for the champagne flute and held it to her glossed lips, tipping her head back to drain the remaining golden beverage. Did her hand tremble? Why?
She set down the glass and turned toward him, licking her lips, and he had the sudden urge to know what her lipgloss tasted like tinted with champagne. He raised his hand to touch her cheek, the pink-stained skin cool beneath his touch from the evening breeze. Jewell let out a long breath that warmed the inside of his wrist as she turned into his touch, her eyes closing slightly. When she raised her chin and looked at him, his heart jerked and he had to swallow.
Jewell jumped and stepped back from his touch, her attention swinging to the open door leading back inside. He looked to see who or what made her react so sharply and found Kevin Burke standing in the doorway. His face was cast in shadow with the light behind him, his shoulder against the doorjamb with his hands pushed into his pockets. The movement of his profile indicated he said something.
Benjamin shook his head and looked to Jewell. The interior light hid Kevin's face, but illuminated the deep blush in Jewell's cheek.
"Jewell—"
Before he could finish, she raised her hands. Her lips pressed together in a tight, firm line and her signs lacked their usual fluidity. "Mr. Burke asked if we're having a good time."
Benjamin stepped to Jewell and slid his hand to the small of her back beneath the jacket she still wore. Her entire body tensed at his touch and she crossed her arms over her body, immediately dropping them again to clench her fingers in front of her. "Let's step inside for this conversation."
Jewell stepped away from him and walked past Kevin, slipping his jacket off as she crossed the threshold. As soon as he stepped inside behind her, she turned and handed it back, signing a shaky "Thank you" before she took another obvious step back. "Do you need me?" she said, shifting her gaze from Benjamin to Kevin and back.
A niggling uneasiness sat on his chest from the way she refused to look at Burke too long, and he wondered just what exactly he was missing. He shook his head and offered her a relaxed smile, hoping it might help. "I'll survive a few minutes without you. But hurry back."
The tight press of her lips tipped into a small smile, and for a moment he saw the spark he liked in her green eyes. She nodded and turned away, and he indulged in a few moments of watching the sway of her hips and the swish of her silk skirt around her legs before focusing again on Kevin.
"You really do owe me, Roth," Kevin said with a tick of his head to the side. "I've got to admit I'm jealous. I should have fought harder with Travis to get her."
"She was overqualified to work admin, and you know it."
"You can't tell me her résumé was the only qualification that caught your attention," Kevin said with a wink and a wide grin.
Benjamin refused to react to Kevin's implication; instead, he held his hands out and shrugged. "Ms. Kincaid is a rare find."
"Yeah, I bet she's good with her hands."
Benjamin took a step toward him, focusing on the tension of his throat and the amount of air he released when he spoke. "Kevin, I suggest you keep your theories about Jewell Kincaid's qualifications to yourself unless they are directly related to her job."
Kevin didn't flinch, his jaw tightening as he stared at Benjamin. "Roth, I've worked with you for a while. I respect your performance and your ability. So, as a colleague, I'm just going to remind you that it doesn't take facts to destroy a reputation."
With a shrug, Kevin turned and strode away.
Damn.
