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She set the pint container down on the coffee table and stood up. Moving quietly, Jewell went to the door. Whomever it was knocked again. Jewell jumped despite herself. She didn't answer but looked through the small peephole into the hall. Surprise brought her back. With quick hands, she undid the double locks on the door and opened it.
"Benjamin?" she signed, "What are you doing here?"
He stared at her, his eyelids dropping slightly as his gaze lowered a fraction. Right away he met her eyes again. Jewell felt immediately self-conscious. She wanted to cross her arms over her breasts but feared it would only draw attention to the fact she wore nothing under the ribbed cotton of her tank top. Her hair was mussed and haphazard, and she knew she must look a fright. Certainly not anything like she looked in the office.
Benjamin seemed to snap out of his trance. "I followed another tenant in through the front door. Did I wake you up?"
Jewell shook her head and opened the door further. "No, I was watching television. Come in."
He stepped inside, his arm brushing hers as he moved by her. Jewell nearly gasped at the immediate reaction of her body. Mortified, she finally did cross her arms over her breasts. She watched him walk down the hall to the living room. A small groan worked its way free of her throat.
Benjamin wore a faded pair of jeans that clung to the contours of his backside. His blue long-sleeved tee shirt fit close, but not too tightly. Enough to accentuate the defined muscles of his back and shoulders. Jewell's breath caught and her throat went dry. She had seen Benjamin in professional suits and fancy tuxedos. All in all, she definitely liked him best in this relaxed kind of look. Jeans and tee shirts brought out the sexy shape of his body the other clothing just hid.
She shook her head to clear her mind of such dangerously ridiculous thoughts and followed him down the hall. A depressing realization hit her. Benjamin probably wasn't here on a social call. Most likely, he was here to fire her and tell her not to bother coming in. Jewell wondered if he had heard about the incident with Kevin Burke. If he did, it would have obviously been Kevin's side. A distorted and one-sided version of the truth. Just remembering what he said made Jewell angry all over again.
Benjamin stood in the middle of her living room and looked around him. He stopped and watched the movie playing out on the television. It was a particularly cheesy scene with some buxom blonde running through the woods from some unknown horror. She clutched at her heaving breasts to hold on to the flimsy shirt as it was torn away by tree branches.
He turned to her, a smile on his face. "High-quality programming."
Jewell touched the power button on the set and the screen went black. "There isn't much on this late at night."
Benjamin looked at the clock. Shock registered on his face. "I didn't realize it was so late."
She flipped her hand in dismissal. "Do you want something to drink? I don't have much, but I have soda and juice."
He shook his head.
Jewell sighed. It was going to be a hit-and-run firing. If he had a drink in his hand, it could make the exit awkward. Her heart pounded against her ribs. She looked away to try and calm her nerves, only to have them electrified when she turned back. Benjamin stared at her, an intense seriousness darkening his face. His brown eyes roved quickly over her, and heat touched her exposed skin wherever his gaze fell. When he fixed his eyes again on her face, a small shudder moved through her. One corner of his lips moved up in his offhanded grin.
Jewell couldn't take the stress anymore. "What did you need, Benjamin? It must be important to bring you out so late."
He motioned toward the couch in an unspoken request to sit. Jewell nodded and they both sat down. Benjamin sat at one end, his body turned towards her as far as the furniture would allow with his bent leg on the cushion and sneakered foot dangling over the edge. Jewell did the same, facing him. The couch was small, and despite her best efforts to avoid it, her bare knee brushed the soft denim of his jeans. It might as well have been his hand for the effect it had on her. Jewell wondered what she would do if she didn't have these sweet sensations to contend with daily anymore. She knew nothing would ever happen between the two of them, but the sweet torment was almost worth the endless torture.
"Is your sister here?" he asked.
The question surprised her and Jewell blinked. "Yes. She's in bed."
"Is she a sound sleeper?"
Jewell squinted, staring at him. Where on earth was he going with this? Or was this just small talk? "A hurricane won't wake my sister," she answered, almost regretting he couldn't hear the sarcastic lilt in her voice.
His smile was disarming. "No need for everyone to be awake." His hands rested on his thighs as he seemed to think about what to say. He drew in a breath as he raised his hand. "I wanted to talk to you about today."
Here it comes! Jewell folded her hands together in her lap to hide their shaking. He paused again, his gaze moving over her face and hair. It was as though he searched for what to say. How difficult could it be? You're fired, Jewell. You're fired. Not so tough.
"This isn't something I do very often," he began again. "My father drilled into my head that men just don't do this. Especially Roth men."
Jewell was confused. His father told him men don't fire people? That made no sense.
He stared at the melting pint of ice cream before looking back at her. With deliberate slowness, he lifted his hand and made a loose fist. Benjamin pressed his fingers into his chest and made a circle. His tee shirt shifted beneath his hand.
"I'm sorry. I was out of line and had no right to take my bad mood out on you. It had nothing to do with the report or anything else you've done for me. You are doing a great job. I couldn't ask for better work. What happened this morning, and for the last few weeks, is all me."
Jewell was in shock. She knew she stared, but couldn't seem to stop. He was apologizing? April had told her never once had she heard the words "I'm sorry" pass his lips. No matter what he had done.
Benjamin's smile widened and he reached out to nudge her knee. "Hello. Are you still with me?"
She nodded and laughed at herself. "Yes. I'm sorry. You just surprised me. I thought you were here to fire me."
