“The creative genius behind everything,” Sebastian supplies.
“Aww, my sweet brother, singing my praises.”
Sebastian puts an affectionate arm around his sister. She fakes pushing him away for a split second, then returns the half hug. Warmth and a little jealously fill me. It must feel wonderful to have such a tight-knit family.
“I wish I could stay longer with you two, but I need to get about a million things done. Ava, let me know if Sebastian doesn’t treat you right. I’ll kick his ass.”
“He’s been very
nice
so far,” I say. Sebastian chuckles at my emphasis on nice. “He’s even taking me to lunch.”
“Well, you two have fun.” She takes off, heading back to her desk.
As my eyes follow her gorgeous stilettos, I realize the room has quieted down. Most people are behind their desks now, throwing furtive glances at Sebastian. Thanks to this newly created order, I notice the jewelry holders scattered on the desks throughout the room. They hold different things from raw gemstones to finished necklaces, bracelets,
or earrings.
“This is so interesting,” I say, as we pass through the desks. “Can I see the production workshop, too?”
“We can do that another day if we want to get lunch.”
“Okay.”
I come to a stop in front of an empty desk, pointing to the necklace on the holder. “This ruby is beautiful.” Sebastian merely gives me a tight, uncomfortable nod, but I lean over the desk, closer to the gemstone, and continue. “I’ve worked with luxury goods companies before. However, gemstones and diamonds are magic. There is something so pristine about them, so pure.”
I catch Sebastian staring at me. His gaze is filled with disbelief, of all things. “They don’t look like this when they’re dug up. They must be polished first.”
Straightening up, I shrug. “Everything needs work and polishing to shine.”
“We agree on that.” He steps right behind me, his proximity making it impossible to gather my faculties. In these blissful seconds, all I’m able to do is feel—soak up all the things he exudes: power, masculinity, and something else I can’t pinpoint. Maybe it’s his commanding presence, but I feel safe around him.
“Rubies are my favorite,” I continue. “When I was little, I was convinced fire was in them.”
“You’re
not alone. There are ancient legends and stories in which people believed there was fire in rubies.”
“There is a bit of fire in everything and everyone,” I say.
Sebastian lets out a sharp breath. Feeling the hot air at my nape weakens my knees, so I turn around. Big mistake. His gaze smolders. Biting my lower lip, I force myself to break eye contact. As we head back inside the elevator, I ask, “Why is everyone down here so stressed out?”
“We have a small collection presentation in two weeks for our international buyers.”
Frowning, I inquire, “Don’t they receive catalogs?”
“They do, but inviting them over for a private presentation makes them feel special. Also, we have more negotiating power if we bring them to our territory.”
“Smart,” I admit.
“It’s good you’ll be here for the presentation. It’s nowhere near as elaborate as our big runway shows, but it’ll give you an idea.”
“That’s great.” My job is to set up a more aggressive marketing campaign for the next season, which will culminate with one of the Bennett runway shows. They’re so famous they often attract more press than fashion mogul
shows.
“You’ll love the show.” We only travel for a few seconds in the elevator; and when the doors open, we step out in an underground garage. “Rubies are the focus.”
“Will you be there?” I make sure to keep my distance as I walk alongside him.
“I haven’t attended shows in years. Neither the big ones nor the ones for buyers. Reporters are always milling around. They’re like hawks when they see me. I’m not much of a front man.”
That is true. Business magazines regularly showcase Bennett Enterprises as a poster child for the most successful American companies. I did my research before I came here, reading everything that’s been written about them. Sebastian leaves interviews and editorials to his siblings. Nevertheless, that doesn’t keep magazines from mentioning him.
“I avoid the spotlight. Thankfully, most of my brothers like it. Blake and Daniel especially enjoy it. They’re the party brothers,” he says with a smile and a wink. We come to a halt in front of a black Mercedes, and he opens the door for me. Such a gentleman.
“So if Logan is the nice brother, Blake and Daniel are the party brothers, which brother are you?”
The sexy one
, a voice in my mind says. That’s not fair to the other brothers. From what I’ve seen in magazines, they’re all yummy, but I doubt they’d have the same effect on me.
“You’ll have to find out.”
“I’ve never backed away from a challenge.” I hold my chin high.
Sebastian pins me with his gaze, his eyes snapping fire. “Neither have I.”
Oh, my God
. Sebastian Bennett is a flirt and I love it. I’m teetering on the brink of dangerous territory.
Chapter Four
Sebastian
“Where are you taking me?” she asks ten minutes later, while we’re speeding through San Francisco.
“To one of my favorite restaurants.”
“I hope it’s not an expensive one.”
I blink. I’ve never heard these words from a woman before. Generally, the more expensive the location, the better. But Ava Lindt is full of surprises. The first one was down in Creative today. I watched her carefully while she was inspecting the rubies. Women usually look with greed at the gemstones. However,
the expression on her face was one of pure interest and awe.
“The verdict is still out there as to what kind of brother I am. I must do my best to impress you.”
“I see.” She laughs softly, and I find it a relaxing sound. It pleases me that I’m the reason for it. It also makes me imagine what other sounds I could get out of her.
“Is there anything you don’t eat?” I keep my fingers crossed, hoping she won’t be one of those women who eat almost nothing and call themselves full after half a salad.
“Nope. I’ll have anything. As long as it’s tasty, I’m in.”
I nod appreciatively. Ava Lindt is proving to be more real than any woman I’ve met in years.
“Is it far away?” Ava crosses her legs, making her skirt lift, revealing a bit more of her thigh. I force my eyes on the road, fantasizing about what she hides under her strict little suit. I must be out of my mind. I just met her.
“You don’t trust me?”
“Well, I did just meet you. Isn’t there a saying about not getting in cars with strangers?”
“You do know I’m the CEO, right? You act as if that doesn’t matter in the slightest.”
“And you like it.” Her eyes widen, her mouth forming a small, delicious
O
.
“I do,” I admit. “Most people are afraid to even breathe in my presence.”
“I’m not afraid of you.” Her dismissive tone riles me.
“Perhaps you should be,” I retaliate, because I’ve thought about devouring that delicious skin of hers since she set foot in my office. With her hair on one side and her neck bared to me, I wanted to kiss her right there and feel her shudder in my arms.
I grip the steering wheel tighter. I will not get involved with an employee. Well, technically she’s a consultant, not my employee.
Damn semantics, Bennett… The whole thing is out of the question.
We arrive at the restaurant ten minutes later. I let the valet take my car. This is one of the best restaurants in San Francisco. Of course, I might be biased since one of my sisters owns it, but reviewers agree with me. It’s high on one of San Francisco’s hills with a magnificent view over the city.
“Mr. Bennett, welcome,” the headwaiter says. “We have a corner table available on the terrace. You’ll get the best view.”
“Oh, this is beautiful,” Ava exclaims as she sits down, looking beyond the terrace.
I order the house specialty for both of us. Ava squints at me.
“I could have ordered for myself,” she says after the waiter leaves, jutting her chin forward and rolling her tiny shoulders. God, she’s delicious all worked up like this.
“I know the restaurant better. You’ll like it.”
“You’re bossy.” She crosses her arms over her chest. Even though she has a petite frame, she has curves in all the right places.
I lean slightly across the table. “You have no idea.”
A few seconds later, my sister Alice appears at our table. “Sebastian, you should’ve told me you were coming.”
“It was a spontaneous decision. Alice, this is Ava, our marketing consultant. Ava, Alice is my sister and she owns this restaurant.” Out of my three sisters, Alice resembles Mom the most. She has the same small figure and light brown hair.
“It’s very beautiful,” Ava says.
Alice looks speculatively at us. I hold her gaze, but don’t return her inquisitive smile. I make a mental note to keep my eyes off Ava during lunch, or the Bennett rumor mill will start.
“I’d love to eat with both of you, but I’m in the middle of a meeting with a potential partner. I came to say hi.”
Ava and I make small talk after she leaves, until the waiter brings our drinks. After sipping from her soda, she says, “I want to know more about the company and about you.”
“Do you always grill CEOs?”
She grins. “No. CEOs are usually people hired from outside. You are the founder, the essence of this company. By knowing you, I will understand the company’s values better. The foundation of a successful advertising campaign is authenticity. I’ve read all there was to read about the company online. Nevertheless, I know the press has its way of twisting stories, depending on the angle they’re going for. I want to know the facts directly from the source.” She speaks with so much passion, the sudden urge to lean across the table and kiss her hits me like a ton of bricks.
“So I’m a source?” I smile. “No one’s dared to call me that before. Not to my face, anyway.”
The waiter interrupts us, serving our food.
“Oh, is this Dungeness crab?” Ava laughs throatily.
“Yes, it is.”
“San Francisco is famous for it.”
“I know; that’s why I ordered it. Thought you’d want to try it.”
With a wink, she digs in.
“Anyway, back to you being a source. You are the company. And you’re not half as bad as I feared you’d be. So. . .”
I’m used to curiosity from women, though of another type. Within five seconds of
meeting a woman, I can tell what she wants from me: either to get a leg up in society, or my credit card.
Watching Ava watch me, I detect honest curiosity on her face. I smile, putting my fork down. She makes sense, but I’d be lying if I said the campaign is the only reason I’m considering giving in to her request. Something in her round eyes beckons me to open up to her. And that is dangerous. Openness leads to vulnerability.
“What do you want to know?” I ask.
“How did you start out?”
I lean back in my chair, studying her. “My parents had a ranch when I was a kid. They’d been struggling financially forever. Raising nine kids is no piece of cake. All of us were working hard at the ranch, even the small ones. At fourteen, I realized we’d never get out of poverty if we continued that way. It was the only life my parents knew; I don’t blame them for anything. They are wonderful people and they both worked their fingers to the bone, but it wasn’t enough.”
“You didn’t go to college.”
“No. I had to work. At sixteen, I left the ranch to try my luck in other jobs. At some point, I got involved in commerce. Nothing expensive at first, but later I moved to precious stones. At twenty-one, I’d made some good money, but it wasn’t enough for what I wanted.”
“And that was?”
“To set up my own high-end jewelry company. I sat down with my parents and asked them to sell the only thing they owned—the ranch—and give me the money. Within five days, they put it up for sale. Everyone was behind me.”
“I like your family already.” Her eyes are glassy all of a sudden, but then she blinks, lifting the corner of her lips in a smile. The moment of vulnerability is enough to wake something in me: a need to protect her and keep her from feeling vulnerable again.
“They trusted me completely. I’ll never be able to repay them.”
“You’re doing that already. You take good care of them now.”
“I try to. After selling the ranch, they moved in with my father’s brother and his family. They had a neighboring ranch. It was a tough time, but within six months, I made enough profits to help them. Anyway, Logan helped me build this company. He’s as much of a founder as I am. He doesn’t get nearly enough credit. The press always presents me as the sole creator.”