Chapter Seventeen
“Bear! Come here!” Aasia waved him over. “I want you to meet Zack Cooper.”
“Nice to meet you, sir,” Bear shook the man’s hand.
“Zack, this is Ben.” Aasia introduced them.
“You’re a lucky man,” Zack said. “Aasia is an amazing woman.”
“That she is.” Bear didn’t even bother explaining that he and Aasia weren’t a couple, and neither did she.
“Where’s Dresden?” Aasia asked.
“She’s home with the kids. The sitter canceled at the last minute. She didn’t say so, but I think she was relieved. She hates these events,” Zack said with a laugh. “I don’t blame her. They’re quite boring. How about you, Ben? Ready to kick rocks yet?”
“That obvious?” Bear caught Aasia’s narrowed gaze. “It’s not too bad.”
Zack returned his gaze to Aasia. “I was disappointed to find out that you resigned from your position with MedLabOne.”
Bear practically heard the wheels turning inside Aasia’s head, but he saw her shoulders dip. “Well, you know, one never knows what tomorrow brings.”
“Are you looking to further your career in bringing mobile labs into impoverished communities? I might have some ideas up my sleeve and will need someone as knowledgeable as you are to lead the project.”
“Really?” The earlier frustration seemed to melt away.
“I’m very serious about this. How about you give me a call Monday morning, and we can discuss the ideas?”
“I will.”
“Come and visit again soon. Bring Ben. We can go out on the boat before Dresden gets much further along. We just found out that she’s expecting. A boy.” He looked down with a sheepish grin.
“Congratulations, Zack. I’m so happy for your family,” Aasia said.
“Pretty soon I’ll have my own football team.” Zack winked. “Do you hunt, Ben?”
“I’ve been known to hunt.” Bear wanted to add that he had a knack for hunting criminals but kept that detail under wraps.
“Definitely bring him with you when you visit.” Zack craned his neck as if looking for someone in the crowd. “If you’ll excuse me, I see Grant Foster. I’m looking for a rematch in golf.”
“I just got invited to Zack Cooper’s house,” Bear said once he was alone with Aasia.
“Aren’t you glad you came now?” She raised a brow.
“If I get to spend any time with you, I’m lucky.”
“Aren’t you a charmer?” Her eyes twinkled in the bright lights of the chandelier.
“Why don’t I show you just how much of a charmer I am. Come with me.” He stealthily clicked a button on the transformer. Sin didn’t need to be a third wheel.
“Where are we going,” she asked through a giggle.
He reached for her hand and entwined their fingers. “Be patient.” He led her up the stairs to the terrace where Fletcher and Clark had been earlier.
“Wow, this is gorgeous.”
“Look up.”
She did. “The stars are so bright. I feel like I can reach out and touch them.” She shivered.
“Are you cold?”
“Some.”
He slipped off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. “This place has an amazing view.” The moon was so big and bright that it bathed her in a soft, almost ethereal glow. He placed his palm against her cheek, his rough hand in great contrast against her soft skin.
The night had gone quiet, the only silence that came when two people were consumed with each other. And he was completely devoured by her gaze.
The wind rustled nearby trees, the only sound outside of his racing heart.
Neither said a word as they stood close, eyes connected, a vibration between them.
She wrapped her arms around herself, the night air rustling the tendrils of hair that had strayed from the dark blanket of soft coils. “It’s a beautiful night.”
He nodded but it wasn’t the moon that had captured his attention. He couldn’t tear his gaze away from her. The light of the moon turned tendrils of her hair silver and her eyes dazzled. He wanted to pull her into his arms, but he feared he might ruin the moment.
Yet, he took the risk and moved a step closer.
Her chin came up, her eyes settled on him in an unspoken vow. He caught her scent carried on the wind and he inhaled deeply.
“Doesn’t this look cozy?”
Bear looked past Aasia to see Clark standing in the open glass doors, a scowl deconstructing his otherwise perfect complexion. He sized Bear up with a narrowed eye.
Aasia didn’t say a word, but Bear could sense that she wanted to unleash. He wondered what happened between her and the manager? She said she’d told Fletcher that Clark couldn’t be trusted, which Bear already knew. What did she knew that she wasn’t saying?
“What do you want, Deacon?” Aasia dripped disgust.
“What did you say to Bentley?” Clark said in a cracked voice made harsher by being drunk.
“Obviously you already know that I told him you couldn’t be trusted.”
Clark’s smirk turned into a full-blown frown. “You don’t know what you’re involving yourself in.” His eyes radiated heat.
“I have nothing to say to you,” she clipped.
“I have something to say to you.” Clark stumbled onto the terrace.
Bear took a step creating a wall between Aasia and Clark. “Don’t come closer, buddy.”
Clark traveled his wide gaze over Bear in lack of interest. “And who exactly are you?”
“Bear is my date,” Aasia blurted.
“You need educated, Aasia. You think I’m the master mind in all this?” Clark craned his neck to see Aasia. “I thought you were smarter than this. Do more investigating before you create ripples that will turn into killer waves.”
“You’ve had too much to drink.” Bear laid his hand on Clark’s scrawny shoulder.
With a puny laugh, Clark took a backward step. “Mark my words. The lid is off.” Then he turned and wobbled away.
“What the hell?” Bear looked down at Aasia, questioning what just happened.
She blew out a long breath, hesitating before she said, “Before I got fired, I’d noticed some discrepancies in the financial reports.
When I started suspecting something I did some investigating.
I discovered that Deacon Clark isn’t his real name.
It’s Mike Burt. He’s served prison time for insurance fraud. ”
Bear clenched his jaw. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
She blinked. “I-I don’t know.” She sniffed loudly. “I don’t know who I can trust.” Her shoulders shook like she was doing her best to hold back tears.
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. “I know I’m a man of mystery, but I can promise you that I’m here for you. Never question that.”
Her chin tilted and her gaze searched his face. “I’ve never been surer of anything. I’m grateful to have you here. You give me strength.”
“Have you socialized long enough? Can we get the hell out of here?” He was hopeful.
“Sure. Let’s leave this place in the dust.” She winked.