Flawlessly Executed (Dark Horse Guardians Book 3) (13 page)

He hesitated for a split second, then agreed to her request. “I’ll get in touch with you once I have something.”

Lara looked up at him with admiration in her eyes, “Thanks, Bett. I knew I could count on you.”

Driving home, Bettencourt was glad that he made the connection with Lara. He had been worried about her and she seemed to be her old self, or close to it. He was so thankful that she had fixed him up with Monique. They were head-over-heals in love and Bettencourt knew the time was right to pop the question, but he wanted it to be perfect. Lara had given him plenty to think about. Now he just had to choose the right time and place. He already had the ring.

~ Lara ~

Lara was glad she had the raucous mixed martial arts session with Bettencourt as it served to diffuse her anger about Abby in Ben’s office. Pulling into the driveway she imagined Ben was in the kitchen preparing dinner. She made a focused attempt to throttle back her anger as she thought about Abby with Ben. As she opened the kitchen door Ben rushed to greet her with a warm kiss and strong embrace. She wanted to remain in his arms forever. But she sensed he wanted to talk with her about something, and her intuition was right.

“How was your day, darlin?” He softly inquired.

She recounted the session with Bettencourt and said Hawk was ready to do design quotes solo from now on.

“I’m sorry about Abby barging into my office with her dog. It was an unguarded moment. I won’t let it happen again.” Ben’s tone was apologetic.

She was more than angry but wouldn’t allow it to show. Lara made a dismissive gesture with her hand in an attempt to disguise her annoyance.

But she was caught off guard as he continued. “Lara, I don’t keep anything from you. I have to tell you that I gave Abby a lift home from the university.”

She felt her face getting red and fought the anger that seemed to choke off her breath. Biting her lip, she looked away. It wasn’t so much anger she felt as insecurity at that moment.
Why was Ben engaging this woman?
Images twirled through her mind of Abby snugged up against Ben on the motorcycle.

Ben gestured with his hands while talking, “I walked outside to get onto my motorcycle and she was lying on the sidewalk, bleeding. Apparently her heel got caught in the bricks and the damned thing broke off. God, you should have seen those things. I don’t know how women walk in them. Abby had a bloody knee and no shoes to wear. She couldn’t walk home like that.”

Lara could picture the scene in her mind. She forced herself to remain quiet as she listened to his voice, “I put a band aid on her knee and she rode on the back of the motorcycle to the pink Victorian. She’s in your old apartment there. I helped her to the porch. I just wanted you to know about it.”

She remained silent and kept her eyes on the newspaper in her lap. She was furious with Ben but swallowed the hurt and anger. What she wanted to say was,
You actually fell for that routine
?
Oh, God, Ben, how can you be so naïve?
Abby wanted to be rescued by you – don’t you get it? She’s an actress playing a scene and you’re buying it. Oh, God, I can’t believe a guy with your intellect could get sucked in like that!
…but she didn’t say it. Lara just stared at the newspaper, unable to utter a word. She took a deep breath to keep herself calm.

Ben must have noticed the disappointment on her face. He whispered, “I’m sorry. I just reacted.” Lara looked down at her hands. She couldn’t look at him without being angry, and she didn’t want to let it show. Instead, she stood and walked into the living room. When Ben came to her, she refused to eat dinner.

“Put a plate in the fridge for me, please. I’ll eat later. I’m going to shower and go over some paperwork for tomorrow, then go to bed. I have a busy day lined up. I’m really tired, Ben.”

~ Ben ~

He was in the doghouse now and he knew he put himself there. He didn’t dare to tell Lara about Abby kissing him or the fact that she traced her hand over parts of his body she shouldn’t be touching. He didn’t get a reaction out of her telling her about the motorcycle ride with Abby. The only thing he got was the cold shoulder ~ distance.

Instead of showing anger Lara just pushed him aside and buried herself in her work.
He couldn’t believe she wasn’t jealous or angry
. She didn’t shout at him or badger him with questions. She just disconnected. He was beginning to wonder if she even cared that Abby was in hot pursuit of him.

He pushed the whole incident out of his mind and spent the rest of the evening in his office on the computer, then worked out with weights and went for a late night run on the beach in the cold October air. It always seemed to clear his mind, but this time it didn’t work. When he returned, Lara was sound asleep and he slipped under the covers with her. She hadn’t even kissed him goodnight.

The weekend at the cottage had been amazing –
spectacular
. He wanted that feeling to remain forever. Lara was distant, she wasn’t herself. To be honest, he wasn’t himself either. He should have told Abby when she kissed him to leave him alone. He should have been more forceful with her.

Since her arrival at the university, Abby had made his life miserable. He knew he had to confront her but dreaded doing so. Abby had definitely stepped over the line and his marriage was too important. He could not let Abby continue with her manipulative games. Once again the thought occurred to him that Lara was slipping away, spending too much time with Hawk and other guys.
He
wanted to be the center of her life. He didn’t give a damn about her work or the firm or Hawk. All he wanted was Lara’s time and attention, as much as he could get, anyway.

~ Abby ~

It was late when Abby walked Lola past the cute little bungalow with the new sign out front that said, Secret Gardens, a subsidiary of Stone and Associates. The porch light was on and Hawk’s truck was in the small parking lot around the back. She saw the lights on in the kitchen and casually sauntered up to the front door. Abby turned the knob and the door opened. Stepping into the entryway, she saw her reflection in the beautiful Victorian mirror and ran her hand through her long dark hair. Lola pulled on the leash and wagged her tail as Grant Hawkins appeared in the small office to the side of the entry.

“Hi Abby. I was just finishing up. Can I help you?” Hawk asked with his deep voice.

Ah yes, he was masculine all right. And lonely, too. She noticed how his eyes lingered on her body and a dimple appeared when he smiled.

“I was just going by for a walk,” Abby smiled back. “My apartment is like two blocks away. I saw your truck and thought I’d say hello.”

“I just moved in here,” he nervously stated. Hawk brought her into the small office that had an oak desk, two chairs and a sofa in the far corner.

“Is this your place of business or do you stay here overnight?” Abby probed.

Hawk seemed shy and slightly embarrassed, “I started out working here, but got a sofa bed and now just stay here at night, too. My apartment was in a noisy part of town. You know, lots of bars and restaurants. It’s a lot quieter here. Plus, it’s a better neighborhood. I like it.” Abby walked around taking in the details of the place, all the while feeling Hawk’s eyes on her. Yes, he was interested. This would be much easier than she anticipated.

~ Hawk ~

He appreciated Lara’s logical advice about meeting women. The grocery store ~ it was brilliant! And just like that Abby walked into his life. It was as if Lara was psychic.

Just that morning he had brought blueberry muffins to Lara at Clearwater Farm and spent no more than twenty minutes with her on the porch, but it was as if she gave him enough fortitude to plow through an incredibly busy workday. Working together gave them more time to talk. She frequently bounced ideas off him and he enjoyed trouble-shooting with her. As he watched her slog through each challenging day at Stone and Associates, his respect for her grew even more. She was kind and patient with everyone, no matter what their station in life.

And, thanks to Lara’s advice, he now he had Abby as a friend. Abby seemed to be the perfect diversion from work. She was bright and full of energy and incredibly beautiful, although he suspected she knew that. He watched as she paraded around the bungalow and flirted with him.

“Have you had dinner?” He finally got up the nerve to ask.

Abby pursed her lips, “No, actually, I was just going to get some take-out but I’m not familiar with the area.”

“Well, let’s go for a walk and get something to eat.” Hawk smiled. He closed and locked the bungalow door and they strolled a few blocks to his favorite Thai restaurant. They walked into the small, dark crowded place and searched for a booth. The owner agreed to allow Lola, only if they sat in the back near the exit. It was private and secluded and a good place to talk. Abby leaned over in the booth to reach for her purse and Hawk noticed she wasn’t wearing a bra. A twinge of excitement ran through him. God, it was difficult being a man with this visual feast before him. But he had manners and he’d try to mind them.

~ Abby ~

Abby was well aware of Hawk’s eyes taking in her assets. She was pleased that he was getting a good look. It was her intention to get very close to Grant Hawkins so she could learn more about Lara and her intimate life with Ben. Hawk must know a great deal about them. He had worked for Lara on several projects and now Lara had taken him on as a permanent employee. There had to be
some
background, some
relationship
that had developed along the way.

As Abby scanned the handsome landscaper in front of her, she wouldn’t blame Lara for sneaking a little something on the side with Hawk. He was sexy and all male. She didn’t want to come on too strong; she sensed it would put him off.

So, she got into a relaxed mode and let Hawk lead the conversation.

“So, you teach at the university? What subject?” Hawk queried.

“Mathematics,” Abby answered sweetly.

“That’s the only subject I did
well
in!” Hawk smiled. He talked a great deal about landscaping and how he enjoyed the design phase. His voice was soft, low and sexy and Abby was mesmerized by the cleft dimple in his chin as he spoke, “It’s like I can see the design in my mind before I put it on paper.”

“Tell me more, Hawk, I love listening to you talk about your work.” Abby smiled.

The food came, they ate, and conversation continued. After two hours, the couple strolled back to the bungalow and Hawk invited Abby inside for a night cap. Of course she accepted. As he opened the door she brushed past him and noticed he liked the physical contact. She perched herself on the sofa in the living room and stretched out her long legs enjoying Hawk’s stare.

Hawk seemed to collect his thoughts before he spoke, “I don’t drink alcohol, but I found an old bottle of Scotch in the cabinet when I moved in here. I’m having a ginger ale. What’ll it be for you?” She opted for scotch straight up, no ice, and she knocked back two before Hawk finished his ginger ale.

Ever the gentleman, Hawk asked, “Would you like me to drive you home? It’s getting late.”

Abby uncrossed her long legs and felt his eyes on her, “No, that’s okay. I’ll walk. The night air will be refreshing. Plus, I have Lola.”

Hawk politely walked to the doorway with her. Abby was close enough to smell the ginger ale on his breath. Her body brushed against his ever so slightly in the doorway and she felt his muscles tense with excitement. He didn’t kiss her, although she knew he wanted to. She decided she’d let him think about it for tonight. There’d be plenty of time for that and more.

Abby felt his eyes inspecting her as she walked away, but she didn’t turn back to interrupt his moment of enjoyment. She wanted him to look. She was building the excitement. He would be an easy one, no doubt.

~ Lara ~

Finn Murphy was in her office before she arrived and Lara wondered what time the man rose in the morning. “Hey, Finn, good morning ~ how about a coffee?”

“Yes. Coffee would be great.” His eyes looked tired.

“What brings you here at this early hour?” Lara asked as she brewed the coffee.

Finn sighed and Lara sensed he was holding something back.

“Has something happened on a project?” she shot him a curious glance.

His hazel Irish eyes locked with hers, “Yes. I’ve got two clients who are pissed off right now and I’ve not had a night’s sleep since little Liam was born. I have such a headache. Lara, I need your help. I need your
creativity
.”

She handed him a mug of coffee and sat next to him on the sofa, “What do you need. I’ll do anything for you ~ you know that.”

Finn pulled out his laptop and rambled on about two major clients, both very wealthy, who were less than impressed with the performance of Stone and Associates ~ specifically the timetables for their projects.

Finn exhaled, “It seems no matter what we do for these two, it’s never enough or it’s never fast enough. The things they want done take time. We are on track for what we quoted, but they are overly demanding. I’m hoping you can intervene, maybe go with me to the appointment tomorrow.”