she’d ever thought possible. There was no going back for her, no other man she’d ever want more.
CHAPTER 18
Bennett was icy the entire drive back to the resort. She resisted the urge to push him to talk about his feelings (such a chick move) and simply allowed him space. She just had to have faith that he’d come around.
When he pulled up to the front of the hotel, she turned and gazed into his stormy blue eyes, wanting to say so many things, but knowing this moment wasn’t about her or what she wanted. It was about him trying to dig himself out of the deep dark hole he’d been living in for the last decade. If she loved him, really loved him, she’d reach out her hand and wait patiently for him to take it. Metaphorically speaking, of course. Physically, she wasn’t feeling at all patient. She wanted him so badly she ached. Ached with the need to feel his body against her and inside her. Ached with the need to feel his strong arms around her and his powerful hands gripping her hips. She didn’t mind if he was emotionally distant or not ready to “face” her. She’d take anything she could get, any way she could get it. Even if it meant sitting in the car with him in silence.
“Can I come stay with you at your place tonight? I’d love to see it.” It was the only thing she could think of to say that signaled she wasn’t running for the hills and still wanted to be a part of his life.
He let out a deep, anger-laced sigh, and dropped his head against his arms as they rested on the steering wheel. “I don’t think that would be a smart idea.”
She nodded calmly, ignoring the sting of his rejection. “I understand.” She reached for the door handle and got out. “Bennett, thank you for today. Thank you for letting me in and trusting me. I know it’s not something you take lightly.”
He looked away. “I’ll call you.”
She bobbed her head and closed the door. He sped away, and the moment he was gone, the emotions gushed out of her. Tears flowed from her eyes in a steady stream as she thought about that horrific story. Bennett had stood high on a hilltop and watched the ocean carry away his child and his child’s mother. She couldn’t imagine a more horrifying experience. But damn, that Bennett had a will of iron. He may not have forgiven himself, but he turned his pain into an undertaking she could have never imagined—trying to change the lives of an entire community. But more than that, he’d come back to face the people he’d hurt. And not just to say, “I’m sorry,” but to make things right.
That took a man of unspeakable strength and character. That took some damned backbone.
A few hours later, there was a break in the rain and the sun came out. Taylor didn’t want to sit around, waiting for Bennett to call—it could be a long, long wait—so she took a walk along the white sandy shore and finally got to see the hypnotic greens and blues of the Indian Ocean. It was just as spectacular as she imagined.
When the rain returned, she retreated back to the private resort beach house and decided to check emails and send everyone a quick note, letting them know she was still in Bali. That was when she noticed the Google Alert she’d set up to stalk Bennett. Apparently, they hadn’t been coming through on her phone until now.
“What the fuck?” Sitting on the porch, she leaned in closer, unable to believe the words on the screen. It was a press release from Lady Mary Fragrances.
Merger offer rejected by Lady Mary Fragrances? Taylor’s eyes quickly skimmed the article. Words like “clash of cultures” and “different values” were sprinkled throughout as speculation for the failed deal, but the final line, a quote from Lady Mary nearly stopped Taylor’s heart. “I would never take the company in a direction that compromises Lady Mary’s integrity or the foundation of equality I’ve built.”
Oh shit. Oh shit. Mary had to be referring to something Bennett had done or said. He used my fucking training. Or some part of it. But everything seemed to have been going well at the dinner. Yeah, but you never really told Bennett flat out that your training was a bunch of B.S.
Fuck. It must’ve happened after I left. This is all