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“C'mon, Ben. You ask me to give it to you straight, so I'm asking the same in return.”
I sigh, press my chin to her temple and pull her closer as I turn her in time with the music. “I’m tired.”
“Oh, if you’re tired, we don’t have to stay. You can have the car drop me off.” She tries to pull away but my grip on her is tight and I won’t let her interrupt our dance.
“I’m not tired in the sense of being exhausted.” I pull my head back and look at her beautiful face. Her eyes are full of curiosity.
“Then I’m confused.” She shakes her head, and looks into my eyes to try to decipher my thoughts.
“I’m tired of avoiding my feelings, my thoughts, about you in the way that I want. I’m tired of pushing aside my desire for you.”
“Wait, what?” She angles her head, her eyes curious.
“You,” I say quietly, leaning into her.
“Oh.” She's surprised.
“Isabella, I've wanted you since you first walked into my office and tried to shake my hand. I've wanted you every day I've known you. No one talks to me the way you talk to me, and I don't talk to anyone the way I talk to you. You are my desire. I'm tired of hiding that from you. I want you, that's what I mean. I've held back and kept my mouth shut, but I'm finding that I can't any longer.”
“Ben, I'm not sure it's wise to mix business with pleasure, especially since you have the power to fire me. Or because it would look bad with the other staff.”
“I respect that and I don't want you to feel uncomfortable. I mean, I’m sure if you don’t return the same feelings, this can be really awkward.” Shit, did I just mess this up? “I don’t want you to do or say something that you might regret. But I urge you to consider the possibilities. Business and pleasure can be two separate things. Besides, I have no reason to fire you; you’re the best assistant I’ve ever had. If you want me to forget this, then I will, but believe me when I say that I don't want to,” I say quietly.
“You’re my boss, Ben. There’s probably something forbidding fraternization in the employee handbook.”
“There isn’t.”
“Ben,” she says in a warning tone.
“Bella,” I retort. “Just consider it.”
“You're an HR nightmare.” She laughs.
“Does that mean you'll consider it?” I ask with hope.
She smiles and leans her head on my chest as we continue to dance.
I'll take that as a yes.
Chapter Five
Bella
Since I started working at Adams Enterprises three months ago, I put my social life on hold. This job has become important to me for some reason and, strangely, he has become important to me as well. He's my boss and he shouldn't be important to me on a personal level, but there's just something about him that draws me in.
He can be a complete animal and everyone warned me from the moment I started at Adams Enterprises. However, he's different with me. He's softer, he listens and he genuinely seems to care. Yes, I've seen him single-handily fire an employee – likely for looking at him – but overall, he’s misunderstood.
I came to Hollybrooke for a change of scenery. I was the quintessential small town, farmer’s daughter seeking adventure in the big bad city, the girl who always stuck out in the small community where I grew up, some two hundred miles from here. I grew up learning the ropes of farm life with my older, and much more country-fied brother. My father intended on the both of us looking after it once he was gone, but I had different ambitions in life. My ambitions didn’t include tilling the soil, feeding the hogs, or picking the fruits adorning the trees that filled half our property. I worked for a few businesses back home after school, so I had office experience and some experience in dealing with high powered men, or as high powered as one can be in our small town. I left few months ago to seek this adventure, not knowing what I was looking for until I set foot in Benjamin Adams’ office and held out my hand to him.
The shock of Ben asking me to accompany him to the gala took some time to soak in. I was hesitant to go, in fear that my job would be in jeopardy if I did go by the publicity that would likely come from the two of us stepping foot outside the office together. But then I thought about it a little more while he was making his arguments and I figured maybe I should live a little. Going to the gala could be part of my adventure.
So, I went, and it was a grand affair. I've read about galas in books and now I can say I've been to one. From the blinding lights of the press when we arrived, to the conversations with the wives of Ben's associates, to the dancing in the glamorous ballroom, it was an overall grand evening. The most surprising thing of all was Ben's confession.
Since meeting him, I have fought against having any inkling of feelings for him. But then he broke the dam. Suddenly, he was all I could think about.
Dancing with him at the gala felt like a scene from a movie, with his strong arms holding me, and his confident frame leading me around the dancefloor with ease. He made me feel graceful in his arms. He made me feel cherish, with his silky, yet raspy, voice as he tells me how he feels about me and yet gives me the choice to accept or decline his offer. To decline him. The way that he brushed stray hairs off of my forehead at the end of the night when his driver dropped me off at home and squeezed my hand as he leads to me my door. He stayed a true gentleman and kissed my hand rather than pressing me against the door when he dropped me off, which, honestly, I wanted more than anything deep down in my gut. I want him. This I know. But can I toss out everything that I was taught in regards to professional life and personal life being separate?
As I was getting ready for bed, he sent me a text saying that he enjoyed the evening and to have a good weekend.
