Chapter Fifteen

"Good morning! Thank you for calling Bulwark Mutual Funds, office of Benjamin Prescott Roth and Jewell Kincaid. April speaking. How may I help you?"

Jewell chuckled softly into the phone mouthpiece. "Do you take a breath when you say that?" she teased.

"Jewell? Where are you? This is bizarre. Mr. Roth hasn"t come in yet this morning either," their assistant said quickly.

"That"s why I"m calling. We won"t be in until Thursday at the absolute earliest, perhaps not at all this week. I need you to cancel all meetings we"ve got set up between now and Friday and reschedule until next week. Anything we"re supposed to attend, please pass the word on we won"t be there."

"We? Why? Jewell, what"s going on?" Then Jewell heard April gasp sharply. "Are you with Mr. Roth?"

Jewell rolled her eyes and shook her head. "April, don"t get nuts on me. I need you?—"

"Oh, my God," April blurted, accentuating each word. "Where are you? I can only imagine where Mr. Roth would take you. I knew something was going on between you two. I just knew it!"

"April," Jewell said loud enough to get through the other woman"s ravings. She heard a small hiccup sound as April reined in her enthusiasm. "Are you done?"

"Sorry. What should I give as a reason?"

Jewell looked to her left and right down the wainscoted and fabric-paneled hall to see if anyone might be within earshot. She saw no need to aggravate things with Benjamin"s family any more than she had to right now. This was the morning of day three in Hartford and things were as tense as when they arrived, if not more so.

She sighed heavily. "Mr. Roth"s sister was…" she stuttered over the words. "His sister was seriously hurt on Friday, and I came to Hartford with him. To help interpret," she tagged on.

April groaned. "Oh, how terrible."

Jewell blinked back the tears that burned her eyes. She cleared her throat. "Yes, it is. All you need to say is there is a serious family situation. Mr. Roth will return when his family obligations are done."

"That"s Mr. Roth. What about you?"

Jewell sighed and swallowed against the lump in her throat. Her nerves were raw and her stomach had been in knots for three days. The worst part was the growing distance between her and Benjamin. The first night here, if the three hours they slept counted, he stayed with her. She slept in Benjamin"s arms the entire night and awoke warm and content beside him.

The second night, Benjamin was physically in the room with her, but Jewell knew his mind was somewhere else. He didn"t lie in bed with her, but sat in a chair and stared into space. Jewell asked him to join her, and told him he needed the rest, but most of her signs went unanswered. When she woke up the next morning, the chair was empty and his side of the bed had gone undisturbed.

Last night he never came to the room. At three in the morning, Jewell went looking for him and found Benjamin asleep on a downstairs couch. She knelt beside him and watched him sleep for several minutes. Even at rest, his brow furrowed in deep lines and his eyelids shifted impatiently. Jewell didn"t wake him. He needed rest, and if he got it best away from her then so be it.

The little things Jewell observed bothered her most. Benjamin"s aversion to meeting her gaze and his avoidance of physical contact, no matter how slight or inconsequential, didn"t go unnoticed. He kept his hands buried deep in his pockets most of the time and made sure to stay at least an arm's length from her when they were near each other. The constant expression of frustration and annoyance weighed heavily on her heart.

"Jewell?" April probed, snapping Jewell back from her silent musings.

She chuckled wryly. "Tell them we ran off and got married." Jewell heard no response and assumed April was at a loss against her uncharacteristic attitude. "I"m sorry, April. Quite honestly, I don"t have the patience to think of any excuse other than the truth. I"m here assisting him, that"s my job. I assist."

"Okay, Jewell. I"ll take care of it."

Jewell ended the call, letting her hands drop heavy into her lap, and rested her head against the wall. She felt so out of place here. So foreign, backward, and uncultured. Many times in the last two days certain things Victoria told her came back to her as she witnessed the dynamics of Benjamin"s family. His godfather was right about the denial aspect. Denial and avoidance.

"Did you marry my son?" asked a small, slightly slurred female voice somewhere nearby.

It startled Jewell in the tomblike silence of the upstairs hall. She stood and looked around, but didn"t see the source of the question. With slow, cautious steps Jewell moved down the wide hall. A quick glance through the first open door on her right confirmed it was empty. The voice hadn"t come from there. The sitting room was empty. The next door down was closed, but the door across the hall was open.

Benjamin"s mother sat on an elaborate Victorian settee near a gigantic window draped in mauve velvet panels. Barbara Roth sat so still and motionless that Jewell almost didn"t see her. Her eyes were distant and she looked pale, her hands and cheeks seemed transparent. A shallow stare met Jewell as she stepped inside. Silence stood between them like a wall.

Jewell stepped forward and crouched down near Mrs. Roth"s knee. She tried not to remember the way this small woman had stood to the side and watched her husband verbally and physically abuse their son. Barbara Roth might very well lose one of her children. Anyone in her position deserved a sympathetic turn.

"Can I get anything for you, Mrs. Roth?" Jewell asked.

Barbara turned her shallow gaze from the doorway where Jewell had stood to where she was now. She stared at Jewell for several seconds before a mild sign of recognition turned up her lips. It was obvious the woman was heavily medicated. Her dark hazel eyes were muted and glassy, and her attention focused too long on unimportant pieces of furniture or empty spaces across the room.

"You"re Benjamin"s wife?"

Jewell shook her head and tried not to smile. "No, we"re not married. I was just trying to think of something to say to someone on the phone." Right now, it sounded like a very lame excuse.

"You didn"t marry him?"

"No."

"But you"re here with him?"

"Yes."

Jewell felt self-conscious beneath the quiet woman"s long and shallow gaze. The corner of Barbara"s mouth edged up in a small smile and her eyes brightened slightly.

"I remember you. I saw you at my son"s house once."

Jewell didn"t know how to answer without dredging up unpleasant memories, or confusing Mrs. Roth any more than she was right now. She leaned back on her heels and looked around the room for a glass of water, or perhaps something else she could offer the woman.

Mrs. Roth nodded slowly and her brow wrinkled in deep thought. She seemed to have difficulty keeping up with the most basic of conversations. "Are you that wonderful girl who works with Benjamin?"

Wonderful?It surprised Jewell to hear Benjamin"s mother describe her as wonderful. This was the first time they"d ever actually spoken. The woman had barely opened her mouth that night at Benjamin"s house, and nothing she"d said had been directed at Jewell.

"I work with Benjamin, yes."

The older woman nodded. "Victoria told me all about you. She likes you very much. Said you"re good for Benjamin. Are you going to marry him?"

"Do you need anything, Mrs. Roth? A cold drink? Something to eat?"

The simple question was enough to distract her from the original subject. "No, thank you."

With a nod, Jewell stood again and headed for the door. She would take the opportunity to leave the woman alone. Jewell was nearly out when Benjamin"s mother spoke again.

"Benjamin is a good boy. I"m so proud of him. His father always wanted to do so much for him, but Jon"s pride always got in the way."

"What are you doing in here?" an angry male voice boomed from the doorway.

Jewell jumped and turned to see the ominous form of Benjamin"s father filling the open space. His fists were planted firmly at his waist and an ugly scowl twisted his features. Her breath caught in her throat and her pulse quickened for several seconds before Jewell calmed herself.

"Hello, Jon," his wife said with falsetto cheer.

"My wife is not to be disturbed." Mr. Roth"s stern voice ground out through his clenched teeth.

"I—I"m sorry," Jewell mumbled and moved quickly past him into the hall.

She collided immediately with a solid force. Arms circled her and kept her from falling. Jewell looked up into Benjamin"s surprised face and his hold momentarily tightened around her. He dropped his arms away as soon as she had her balance.

"What"s got you running so fast?" he signed.

Jewell looked over her shoulder in an impulsive reaction. Benjamin followed her gaze and his face hardened when he saw his father. His rock-solid stare came back to her and his hands gripped her upper arms.

"What did he say to you?"

She shook her head, hoping her lack of explanation would let the situation die without incident. Mr. Roth reached past Jewell to grab Benjamin"s arm. His action shoved Jewell forward into Benjamin"s chest again. Her chin bumped his shoulder and she bit her lip, the coppery taste of blood assaulting her tongue. Jewell felt like a ball in an arcade game. When her hands touched Benjamin"s torso in an attempt to stay upright, he flinched away. The knee-jerk action grabbed and squeezed Jewell"s heart in a painful thrust.

Benjamin immediately yanked his arm away from his father"s grip, and in the same motion, put himself between Jewell and his father, shoving her behind his back. His father pointed his finger in Benjamin"s face, only an inch from his nose.

"Keep your little whore away from your mother. She isn"t to be upset."

"She didn"t upset me, Jon. The girl is very?—"

"Be quiet, Barbara," Jon shouted as he turned back abruptly to the doorway.

Jewell flinched at the harshness and loudness of Jon Roth"s voice. The older man turned to them again and was met by Benjamin"s fist. He stumbled back and hit the wall. Before Mr. Roth could recover and possibly retaliate, Jewell pushed back on Benjamin"s chest and urged him to move away down the hall. She glanced back to see Mr. Roth touch the bloodied corner of his lips with his knuckle.

She couldn"t look at Benjamin until they reached her bedroom. He pulled her along and propelled her forward when they reached the room. Jewell went through the door first and Benjamin slammed it shut behind him. The sound made Jewell jump. The raw ends of her nerves sparked and her stomach tumbled. Where did her intentions to be helpful go wrong? What happened? Her thoughts raced and Jewell fought tears of panic as she moved to the window.

A gentle wind stirred the tree branches outside. The bright oranges and reds and lush green lawn belied the chaos within the house walls. She drew a deep, long breath in through her nose and released it with a huff.

Benjamin came to her side and pulled her around to face him. His face was angry and deep furrows marked his brow. Darkened eyes skimmed her face and Jewell tried to look away before tears ran down her cheek. His thumb skimmed the corner of her mouth, coming away with a tinge of blood on his skin.

"What happened?" he demanded.

"I"m sorry. I don"t know what I did."

The stress of the last few days, and the restraint she forced on herself, was suddenly too much for Jewell"s frazzled nerves. She had no comprehension of this family"s workings or what the rules of the game were. This opulent house and cruel family dynamic were so far removed from her understanding that she knew it would take a lifetime to even begin to make sense of it all. But right now, it was too much. The violence, the anger, and the resentment that all seemed without instigation by those receiving the brunt of the backlash, finally hit her with the force of a punch in the gut.

Benjamin grabbed her arms near the shoulder and forced her to meet his gaze with a quick jerk. She caught her breath and looked into his sharp face.

"Jewell," he snapped.

Jewell took a breath and nodded her head. "I"m okay now."

He released her arms, and Jewell immediately felt the loss of his touch. Her body swayed towards him, the magnetic pull of his body tugging her off balance. Jewell steadied herself and crossed her arms over her stomach. Physical contact between them had lessened to a bare existence in the last two days. She hungered for even the briefest comfort, whether a touch of his hand or a kiss of his lips on her hair. Passionate glances and desperate embraces weren"t appropriate, or even really wanted, at a time like this. But a reassuring moment in each other"s arms would mean the world to her right now. Benjamin took one step back and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Tell me what happened."

Jewell leaned her back against the frame of the window behind her. She flipped her hair back behind her shoulder and sighed.

"I was sitting in the hall to call April and tell her we won"t be in until the end of the week. When I hung up, I heard your mother say something from one of the rooms. I just went in to speak with her for a minute or two. She seemed tired and overly medicated. When I went to leave, your father was at the door. He was furious I was there and told me I wasn"t to bother her, so I tried to leave."

His frown was deep and overpowered his face. Benjamin started to turn away, but Jewell grabbed his arm. She gently urged his hand from his pocket and laced her fingers with his. He stared down at their joined hands for several moments before looking up.

"I"m sorry, Benjamin," she said in apology for all the pain, memories, and whatever she might have done to fuel the fire.

He pulled his hand free of hers and turned to walk away. Jewell quickly stepped forward and got in front of him, planting her palms against his chest to stop him. His eyes rounded with surprise. Before Benjamin could pull away again, she closed the small space between them and curled her fingers into his shirt. A deep, long breath filled his chest and one warm palm covered the back of her hand.

"Benjamin, please stay here and talk to me."

He shook his head. "Not now, Jewell."

"You"re pulling away from me."

Benjamin stared down at her. Jewell saw a slight softening of the worry lines around his eyes, and his frown straightened. It wasn"t a smile, but no longer a scowl. He laid his palm against her cheek and Jewell turned into its warmth. She wrapped her fingers around his wrist and looked up at him. Jewell held her breath as he leaned forward. His lips pressed against her opposite cheek, then both hand and lips left and he moved away.

Jewell watched his retreating back. Benjamin paused at the door and leaned his hand into the jamb. Her lungs burned as Jewell held her breath and waited for him to come back. But he didn"t. After several moments, Benjamin dropped his hand and disappeared down the hall.

Her vision blurred with hot moisture. Jewell lifted two fingers to her lips, kissed them, and turned her hand out to him as he disappeared. A deep shudder shook her body.

"Just know I love you, Benjamin Roth."

* * *

Benjamin sat in the humid warmth of the solarium and watched the sun slowly fall behind the horizon of treetops. He closed his eyes against the momentary intensification of light just before it vanished completely. A deep breath through his nostrils filled his head with the earthy aroma of soil and fertilizer from the potted plants along the wall. Dusk settled over the landscaped yard as he took another sip of his iced tea. After the headache he woke up with, Benjamin decided to steer away from liquor this evening.

Despite his avoidance of any firewater, his head pounded. Were this house a pressure cooker, the lid would"ve blown off and taken a chunk out of the moon by now. Benjamin felt like two people—or one being torn down the middle. Each inner person was equal in their resolve to rend him to pieces.

Part of him wanted to just pack his suitcase and go back to Boston. Leave all of this behind him once and for all. Be done with the crap.

In equal part, he wanted to stay in this house and be the thorn in his father"s side until he could take Jon Roth down, and destroy him for destroying their family.

The part that wanted to see his father destroyed was the part that pushed Jewell away this morning. She forced him to recognize and acknowledge things about himself he never realized or cared about previously. Jewell taught him he needed someone to be here with him, whether he wanted to need her or not. He didn"t like needing her. Benjamin hated it, or at the least reminded himself that he should. If he pushed away hard enough, he"d eventually not need the comfort she willingly gave. At least, that was what the cowardly side of his inner self tried to believe.

The other part of him wanted to hang on to her with desperation. He wanted to draw strength from her. She could give him strength enough to get through the next few days, and strength enough to get through all the days to come. The part of his heart she brought to life knew all this and wanted to accept it for what it was and what it could be. But the part of his heart that had run his life since the first time he understood rejection didn"t want to give in.

It would be different once they were back in Boston. He would be back in his own world. Back where they both could relax and pick things up where they left off.

Benjamin shook his head. Who was he kidding? Nothing would be the same again. His sister was in a coma, put there by their own father. And just where was it they were going to pick up from? He didn"t know where that was because they never talked about it. It was a topic avoided with stealth and cunning on his part.

Someone tapped the small table where Benjamin"s hand rested and he looked up. His godfather stood beside the chair with a pipe in his hand. A slow smile spread Ben Prescott"s lips and he nodded.

"Good evening, Benjamin."

"If you say so," he said with a shrug and took another sip of his drink.

The elder man sat down in a chair adjacent to Benjamin"s so they faced each other. Prescott struck a wooden match and puffed on his pipe until fragrant smoke billowed from its open end. With a flick of his wrist, he extinguished the match and dropped it on the tile-topped table.

"Your girlfriend is quite a catch," his godfather said as he put the pipe down far enough for Benjamin to see his face. "She"s very sweet, absolutely beautiful, and cares for you quite a bit. Can"t ask for more than that."

Benjamin examined Ben Prescott"s face. He looked sincere enough, but with the people in this house, there could always be an ulterior motive. As soon as the thought crossed his mind, Benjamin cursed it. His internal cynic reared up and fed on the negative energy in this house. Prescott had always been straightforward with Benjamin and didn"t seem to play the kinds of games for which the Roths were famous. Until shown otherwise, Benjamin decided to accept Prescott"s comments at face value.

"She is beautiful," Benjamin responded.

Prescott nodded and leaned back to bring his leg up. He rested his ankle on the opposite knee and puffed lazily on the pipe.

"I came by this afternoon to see how Barbara was doing. It"s hard to tell what"s going on in her head, no thanks to the pills that quack doctor is feeding her. She said, as best she could through the medication, Ms. Kincaid stepped in to talk to her this morning."

"I heard," Benjamin said.

"According to your mother, you and your lady friend are getting married. Or maybe she said you already were. I"m not sure now. But it had something to do with you, Ms. Kincaid, and marriage."

Benjamin set his glass down and stared hard at his godfather. He swallowed the liquid still in his mouth. "Where would she get an idea like that?"

Ben shrugged. "Wishful thinking, maybe? Perhaps a premonition?"

Benjamin shook his head. "The only thing my parents wish for me is that I leave, as soon as possible."

The other man"s face grew stern and he leaned forward to point his pipe in Ben"s direction. "It wasn"t always like that, Benjamin. When you were born you were the most precious thing in the world to them."

"Until they found out I was deaf."

"That"s not what happened." Benjamin read the strength of Prescott"s exclamation on his face. Then the man"s shoulders slumped and he sat back. "It wasn"t like that."

"Then what was it? All I"ve ever heard from Jon is the disgrace I've been to this family since the day I was born. I"ve been buried, hidden, denied, and ignored. If it wasn"t because of my deafness, then what was it?"

The only answer was a shake of the other man"s head as he dropped his chin towards his chest. He didn"t expound on his beliefs and turned away to look out the solarium windows. Benjamin took a deep breath against the empty hole between his lungs. It varied in size from hour to hour. Right now it was livable, even after the brief conversation with his godfather.

"I"ll see you tomorrow, Prescott," he said and stood up.

Benjamin walked slowly from the solarium with his thumbs hooked through his two front belt loops. George met him in the front hall, a distressed look on his face. He waved Benjamin over to him with a fervent hand.

"Benjamin, I"ve been looking for you for half an hour."

"I was in the solarium. What"s wrong, George?"

"It"s Ms. Kincaid."

"What about her?" The hairs on the back of Benjamin"s neck bristled and his insides clenched in immediate dread. "Did something else happen with her and Jon?"

George shook his head. "I called a cab for her twenty-five minutes ago. She's going to the airport to rent a car. I believe she's returning to Boston."

"What? Where is she now?"

"She just came down with her bag," George clarified.

"Shit," Benjamin cursed and sprinted to the front door.

Jewell sat near the bottom of the front stairs. Her knees were drawn up to her chest and the autumn breeze shifted her loose hair around her shoulders. Benjamin slowed his stride to walk to the end of the landing and took a deep breath before he took the first step. From his position behind her, he saw her wipe her fingers across her cheek.

Benjamin knew her reason for leaving. He had made a royal ass of himself. Again. Could he blame her? Absolutely not.

She turned and looked up at him just before he reached her. Her smile was small and hesitant, but there nonetheless. Jewell took one hand from her coat pocket to give him a small wave and mouthed, "hi." Benjamin sat down on the cold marble step beside her. He tried to read her face, to judge her level of anger, but saw none in her soft expression. Her appearance wasn"t one of sadness or melancholy, but more like defeat. The loss of spark in her usually bright eyes made Benjamin feel about an inch tall.

"Were you going to leave without telling me?" he signed.

Jewell shook her head. "I left you a note. Just to let you know I"d see you when you got back to Boston."

Benjamin took in the details of her beautiful face. Jewell"s cheeks were milky white with the slightest shade of pink from the November wind. A smattering of freckles bridged her nose. As always when he looked into her eyes, the dazzling depth of them amazed him. The color itself was alive, despite the diminished glint, as alive as the burnished copper of her hair. He took in a deep, tired breath.

"Why are you leaving?"

Jewell seemed to focus on the movements of his hands more than what was necessary to understand his question. He caught a slight quiver of her chin before she shifted her gaze past him. His gut sank like a lead weight.

"I came here to be a help. Something tells me I"m more of a hindrance."

"Why would you think that?"

She waved her hands in frustration. "I don"t know what to do for you. Or what to say."

"I don"t expect you to do or say anything."

She tucked her chin into her chest and covered her eyes with her hands for a moment before looking at him again. "I"ve caused more friction between you and your parents. Just look at this morning."

Benjamin adamantly shook his head. "No. No. This morning had nothing to do with you. It"s my fault. I knew the animosity against me would carry over to you. You could be Mother Theresa and he wouldn"t respect you, just because you"re with me. For that I apologize."

A yellow cab came through the open front gate and pulled up the drive, and Benjamin read the name Hartford Cab Company on the side of the sedan as it stopped. Jewell stood up and reached for her suitcase. He jumped to his feet and stopped her hand before she picked it up.

"Don"t leave."

Jewell"s chin lifted slowly to meet his stare, and moisture glistened in her eyes. "Benjamin, I"m not trying to be a drama queen or to get your attention. In fact, I think you need as little drama in your life as possible right now. I had wanted to be gone by the time you found out. From the moment we heard the news, I"ve wanted to do whatever I thought was best for you. Right now, this is what I think is best."

She took the last couple of steps to reach the cab and opened the back door. The old Benjamin would have let her climb in and ride away. The choice was hers to make, and he wouldn"t have thought twice about letting her decide. But he was a different Benjamin now. Different because of her and now he couldn"t let her leave.

He took the one step needed to get between her and the cab. Her eyes rounded in shock.

"Don"t leave," he said again.

She set her suitcase on the floor in the back of the cab before facing him. "Benjamin, deep down I don"t think you want me here. We"ll have time later. When you get back to Boston. I swear, I"m just giving you space here. I"ll be waiting when you come home."

He shook his head and cupped her face in his hands. "Jewell, sweetheart, it isn"t a matter of wanting you here or not. If you don"t want to stay, I won"t make you. I can"t. But you are the only sanity I have right now."

She pulled her lower lip through her teeth and met his gaze. "I don"t think so, Benjamin. I"m just something else you have to deal with. You need to focus and get through what you need to get through." She touched his cheek and stood on her toes to kiss the corner of his mouth. "I"ll be waiting for you. I promise."

Jewell pulled away and slid into the back seat of the cab. She wiped a tear from her cheek before she looked up at him again. Benjamin"s insides were in knots and his pulse pounded in his temples. What was he doing! Why was he letting her leave? She blew him a kiss from her fingertips.

"Goodbye," he read on her lips.

She spoke to the cab driver and pulled the door shut. Benjamin stepped back as the car slowly pulled away. Jewell said something through the window he didn"t catch. Something suddenly burst in his chest and he made the decision. With a quick sprint, Benjamin caught up with the cab and banged on the trunk to get the driver"s attention. The car stopped.

Benjamin pulled open Jewell"s door and crouched down to see her face. Tears streaked her tender cheeks and her lips parted in the unasked question.

"I need you,"he told her, hoping he could somehow express just how much he didn"t want her to go. "Jewell, I need you."

She held his gaze for an eternity and several new tears rolled down her moisture-spiked lashes. An almost indiscernible quiver shook her chin and she brushed back a wave of hair from his temple. The touch of her fingertips warmed his cheek. Benjamin held her palm against his lips and kissed the soft flesh.

"Please," he asked. She shook her head, but he squeezed her hands tighter. "Please."

Jewell"s lip trembled when she attempted a smile. "Okay."

A soothing rush spread through Benjamin"s chest and he released a long breath, pressing into lips into the palms of her cool hands. She turned to the driver and apologized for making him come out for nothing. The middle-aged man smiled earnestly at them and said it was no problem at all. Benjamin gave the man two twenties for his trouble. Then he stood and offered his hand to Jewell to help her from the car.

When they stood alone at the foot of the front steps, Benjamin turned to her and pulled Jewell in a hard embrace. He pressed his face into her fragrant hair and felt the softness of her skin against his cheek. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and he cursed the jacket she wore and cursed his reluctance for the last two days to hold her like this. Benjamin tightened his hold and felt a surge of energy in his blood as Jewell fed him with her touch.

She pulled back, looked up at him, her eyes bright, and touched his face and neck with her fingers. "You"re cold. Let"s go inside."

Benjamin shook his head. "Why do you worry so much about me?"

She smiled and slipped her hand into the bend of his arm. "Because you need me."

* * *

Jewell sat on the bed with the day"s Wall Street Journal spread out on the duvet. She glanced over a variety of stock quotes and market closings with marginal interest. Her true interest was the sound of the shower running in the bathroom. Without question or reservation, Benjamin came up to the bedroom with her after dinner. As he showered and shaved, she waited with intense anticipation.

The bathroom door opened and she looked up. Jewell"s heart leaped to her throat and a hot flush ran over her entire body. Benjamin stood in the doorway with a bath sheet wrapped around his narrow waist and a smaller towel around his shoulders. He rubbed the smaller towel vigorously over his damp hair.

Jewell tried to remember why they were there, and the solemnity of the whole thing, but the sculpted beauty of Benjamin"s torso was undeniable. Moisture glistened in droplets on his arms and chest. He turned his back to her and bent over to retrieve something from his suitcase. The way the damp towel clung to his backside made Jewell"s stomach flutter and she groaned loudly. She ran her hand over her face and forced herself to look away. With a sharp rustle, Jewell folded the newspaper and stood to toss it in a nearby chair. She took off her reading glasses and set them on the bedside table.

Benjamin turned and ran his fingers through the damp waves of his hair. That intoxicating, seductively slow grin of his made Jewell"s knees weak and it was all she could do to smile back. Suddenly, the short pajamas she wore seemed highly inadequate and overly revealing. They were not intended for seduction, but with the heat and electricity that rushed over her skin, a turtleneck sweater and thermal ski pants wouldn"t have been sufficient. She crossed her arms over her body and walked back to the bed.

"Are you okay?"Benjamin signed with arched brows and a smirk on his face.

Jewell nodded and put one knee up on the mattress to sit down again near the pillows. "I"m fine. Did your shower help with your headache?"

"It did. I think I just needed to come up here and get away from everything else." His brown eyes held her gaze and his lips pursed ever so slightly. "I needed to come be with you."

Jewell lifted one shoulder in a nonchalant gesture. "I"ve been here for three days."

He sighed and picked up a pair of silk boxer shorts in navy blue paisley from the bed. "I know…now."

Jewell gasped as he dropped the towel and pulled on the boxers. The nonchalant expression on his face was a sharp contrast to the unsettling shock that coursed in Jewell"s veins. The mattress was high enough that she didn"t actually catch a glimpse of Benjamin in his fully naked state, but enough was revealed to set off butterflies in Jewell"s stomach and turn her blood to liquid heat. The enticing angle where his thigh met his hip teased her with what hid only scant inches away. She swallowed against the giggle in her throat and the grin stretching her lips.

The elastic waistband snapped against his skin and he tossed the towel through the open door of the bathroom. Benjamin took the edge of the duvet and pulled it back to slip beneath the covers.

"Anything in the Journal I need to know?" he asked.

How could a man with no understanding of adjectives like "husky" and "throaty" make his voice sound so sexy? Even when asking a far-from-sexy question? Jewell shook her head and built up enough nerve to move beneath the covers. She reclined back on the pillow and Benjamin moved closer so he looked down at her.

"The NYSE closed up about fourteen points. The California software firm you wanted to watch is up a dollar twenty-five a share. Bernanke is threatening to lower the interest rates again. Nothing too earth-shattering."

Benjamin leaned closer and touched the base of her throat through the open collar of her pajama top. Despite the restraint she tried to maintain, Jewell closed her eyes and a low moan shuddered up from her chest. Hungry for the simplest touch for the past two days, this sensual contact amplified her senses two-fold. His fingertips ran the edge of the shirt to the valley between her breasts, then back up to her collarbone. With tremendous effort, Jewell opened her eyes and looked up at him.

Benjamin"s eyes were dark with arousal. She couldn"t move, couldn"t breathe. Her body ached. She"d come close to making love to him once, and her body already hummed from his nearness. Her mind screamed for sanity, warning her that this was neither the time nor the place. But for now, she could not deny his touch.

"Thank you for putting up with me," he said and continued to caress her skin.

She nodded, the only answer she could give. In a purely reactive response, Jewell drew up one knee and turned more in his direction. More than anything, she wanted to wrap her arms around his body and pull him down to her.

Benjamin shifted and moved his entire body closer to hers. The crisp hairs on his thighs brushed her legs and she ran her ankle up the side of his calf. His lips covered hers in a slow, drugging kiss that left her short of breath and hungry for more. The heat of his mouth led a path down her throat to her shoulder and along the base of her collarbone. Jewell moved her hands to his side and the muscles of his back flexed and relaxed beneath her palms.

It was so easy to melt into him.

Neither had to explain why Benjamin stopped before it went too far, or why he shifted to stretch out beside her, tucking her head beneath his chin. This place, this house of tension and anger, was not the place she wanted to remember as the place she made love to Benjamin the first time. Or, maybe any time. And if she felt that way, his opinion on the matter was probably much stronger. Jewell closed her eyes, letting out a long sigh as Benjamin turned off the light. He circled his arm around her shoulders, bringing her closer, and kissed her forehead.

"You just wait until I get you back to Boston," he said in the darkness, and she smiled against his bare skin.