Your Alluring Love (The Bennett Family 6)

“Tell me!”

“What?”

“Whatever has you so mad.”

“I’m not mad.”

Her head is bent as she focuses on the last container, so she doesn’t see me lean in.

“Don’t lie to me, Alice.” Unable to keep my hands off her, I drag my knuckles down her cheek. Her dress is snug around her waist, with three buttons leading up to her breasts. “Or I’ll have to make you tell me the truth.”

She snaps her head in my direction, licking her lips. “You said you’d be on your best behavior.”

“When we’re out for drinks, yes. Right now we’re filling plastic containers with food. We’re off the clock.”

“You’re unbelievable.”

“And you’re mad, and I want to know why. If you don’t tell me, I’ll flirt the panties off you.”

She pulls away quickly. “Damn, you’re good with threats. Much better than keeping your promises, anyway.” With a sigh, she adds, “I had to fight off a reporter earlier on the phone.”

“Why? Press is good.”

“Yeah, except this one was telling me about how he’ll do an exclusive feature for my restaurants if I could get him a one-on-one interview with Sebastian.”

“I had no idea that still happened.”

“Not as often as it used to, but often enough to piss me off. I really don’t want to keep talking about it.”

Alice was in college when Bennett Enterprises became a star in America. As the CEO, Sebastian was sought after for interviews, but he rarely gave any. So reporters tried to get to him via alternative methods, such as pestering Alice. Knowing she still must fend off idiots has me seeing red. I’m about to ask her who the guy is because I can make sure he doesn’t ever bother her again with a few phone calls, but I stop myself just in time. What she needs right now is for me to take her mind off the whole incident.

“Won’t say another word about it. By the way, the Delicious Dining team e-mailed me today. They’re going to decide next week if they go forward with you and Blake. My bet is they will.” A smile instantly lights up her face, which is what I was going for. “What’s with all these plastic containers?”

“They’re for a nearby senior center. I bring them treats twice a week for their evening meetings. Someone from my staff will deliver them tonight for a party they’re having.” She looks with guilt at the boxes.

“We can bring them by, if you want, and then go for drinks.”

“You don’t mind?”

“Not at all.”

“Thank you so much. Let me tell my staff I’m doing this myself, and then we can go.”

“I’ll wait. And Alice? Until we’re having those drinks, we’re still off the clock.”

I relish the way her lips part slightly in surprise and the skin on her arms turns to goose bumps. When she dashes away, I tell myself I’m playing a dangerous game. I know there can’t be anything between us, but this doesn’t seem to keep me from breaking my promise over and over again. Being near Alice while being on my best behavior might be my definition of hell.

***

Fifteen minutes later, we enter the famed senior center. Call me clueless, but I imagined a senior center to be boring and quiet. I couldn’t be more wrong. The distant sound of bad retro music assaults my ears the second we step inside. Alice leads the way, walking in the direction the lousy music is coming from.

We enter a room clearly decorated for a vintage disco, complete with a silver globe hanging from the ceiling. The place is absolutely buzzing with people.

“Alice, you made it after all, dear.” An elderly woman with violet hair and a godawful pink lipstick hugs Alice. When she pulls back, she eyes me from head to foot. “And you brought a hunk with you.” She wiggles her eyebrows at me. What the hell?

“Ms. Williams, this is Nate. He’s a dear friend of mine. He’s in town for a couple more days, so we’re grabbing drinks after we leave.”

Ms. Williams claps her hands. “But you must toast with us before you leave. I only turn eighty once.”