A Matter of Trust: London Calling Book One (6 page)

She checked the time, deciding it would have to do. Reaching for her phone, she pulled up the familiar numbers and pressed the button to dial. Within moments, she leaned her head back on the couch as the call connected.
 

“Dad? It’s me, Devon.” Pausing, she added, “No, everything’s
not
okay. I messed up. Do you have a minute?”

John Sinclair never failed his daughter. Her eyes bright with unshed tears, she heard her father say the words she needed.

“Devvie, I always have time for you. Now tell me what’s wrong.”

***

Across town, Bennett tried to explain to Aidan Kennedy that Devon wouldn’t be coming in.
 

The other man questioned, “But why? We had plans to finish this valuation study. Is she sick? You know what, I’ll go to her place and check on her. She’s alone here in London. No family.” Before he could leave, Bennett stopped him with a firm hand on his arm.
 

“Aidan, she’s not sick. She resigned.”

“
What
? No, that can’t be right. She wouldn’t do that. This job meant too much to her. There’s been some misunderstanding.”

Sighing, Bennett released his arm. “I’m not sure she was the right fit.”

“Not the right fit? Are you kidding me? She already caught us up on projects that were backlogged for a month. She’s a genius, Bennett. We couldn’t have
designed
a better fit.”

“Sure you’re not letting personal feelings cloud your judgment, Aidan? You sound like her damn protector.”

Considering, Aidan replied, “I’m starting to think she might need one.”

“Listen, I’m not going to let some new employee walk in here and wrap my team up in knots. I didn’t like the vibe I got yesterday.”

“What? So now she’s gone?”
 

“I told you, Aidan.
She
quit. I didn’t fire her. So, put your sword away.”

“You know, Bennett, I’ve worked for you a long time, and known you longer. But I have never known you to be irrational or unfair. Right now, you’re being both. And I have a feeling that doing so lost us the best team member we had.” Shaking his head, he walked to the door, and turned back to say, “You’re wrong about her. And you’re wrong about your staff. You should have given us all more credit.”

Bennett was rapidly tiring of other people walking out after getting the last word in. He rubbed the corded muscles of his neck in a quick massage. Reflecting on what Aidan said, he came to a decision.

“NATALIE!”
 

Despite being summoned by a shout through the walls, she appeared in his doorway, unruffled. “Yes?”

“Get me Devon Sinclair’s address. And clear my schedule for the rest of the day.”

***

Devon hung up the phone with an action plan. Her father hadn’t placated her with empty assurances that everything would be fine. Instead, he’d listened while she talked. He hadn’t pressed for explanations, but encouraged her to focus on solutions to her current problem.
 

What’s done is done. Move forward.

For that, she was grateful. When he’d asked if she wanted him to fly over to help, she declined. She needed to fix this for herself, especially as she’d most exceptionally broken it.
 

The buzzer interrupted her thoughts, and she unfolded herself to see who was calling.
 

“Hello Devon.” Bennett seemed to enjoy her surprise. “May I please come in?”

Instinctively, she glanced behind her to see if everything looked okay. When distracted, she got messy.

Following her look, he asked, “Unless I’m interrupting?”

With no sign of effort, he catapulted her from relaxed to irritated. He
would
assume she was entertaining. He must think she was some sort of man magnet. Honestly, she’d been in London for weeks, not months. Who would she have met?

“No, Mr. Sterling, it’s just us.” At his look of satisfaction, she added, “It’s too bad, since you’ll be quite alone with me here. Your reputation could be compromised. Then what will we do?”

Her words didn’t seem to have the desired effect. Coming close, Bennett’s lips curved in a slight smile as he lingered in her space a beat too long. Her breathing quickened as she stepped back, and he moved away to the sofa where she’d been seated.

He asked, “May I sit?”

She hesitated, but curiosity won out. “Certainly.” She moved a stack of papers onto a near table and asked, “Tea?”

“That would be nice, thank you.” He settled himself in, looking for all the world as if he were planning a lengthy visit. She shot him a glance, narrowing her eyes before leaving the room.
 

She performed the now common ritual of boiling water and preparing tea. After giving herself several minutes, she brought it back into the sitting room, balancing it on the low table in front of the sofa. The nearby armchair was stacked with files and books, as well as her laptop where she’d been researching other London financial firms.
 

She poured both their cups and offered accompaniments before impatiently taking the only other seat available next to him on the sofa. She eyed him expectantly. “How can I help you?” She kept her tone polite. Despite her earlier regrets, she still felt raw from their last meeting and her insides were a quivering mass of nerves.

Bennett took his time savoring the tea before pronouncing, “This is quite good.”

The man was impossible. “You don’t have to sound so surprised. It
is
merely tea, you know. The British don’t have some monopoly on it.” A flush started to warm her cheeks, but he interrupted.
 

“Now, before you reach for a shoe, I come in peace.”
 

Astonished at the humor crinkling his eyes, she stared. Finally, she let loose with a reluctant chuckle, followed by a throaty laugh. “Oh, all right! I’m sorry. You’ve discovered my fatal flaw.”
 

At his inquiring look, she announced, “I hold a grudge.”
 

Barking with laughter, Bennett relaxed back into the sofa. “It’s good to know you
have
some flaws. I spent the better part of the morning being dressed down by Aidan. He fully informed me about your utter perfection and how wrong I was to let you escape.” He reached out a hand in invitation. “Truce?”

She considered his hand before slowly taking it. “Truce.” She was relieved to put some of the ugliness of yesterday away. “Although we won’t be seeing each other any more.”

His hand tightened fractionally on hers. “That brings me to the reason for my visit. I’d like you to reconsider your decision to leave the company.” He shifted forward, meeting her gaze squarely. “Devon, I want you to come back.”

Involuntarily, she glanced over at the now empty table where she’d stacked her CV and other notes. Her eyes darted back to Bennett’s.

He waved a hand containing all her documents. “Forgive me. I was just looking them over while you made the tea. I hope you don’t mind, since I’ve seen them previously.”

She couldn’t refute that. They’d been in her application to his company. “No. But why are you looking at them now?”

“Devon, I made mistakes.” He pointed to her CV. “This reminds me how large one of them was. Come back to Sterling International and I’ll make certain you don’t regret it.”

“What do you mean?”

“I can offer you stock options and bonus incentives,” he paused, letting her ponder the bait.

“An apology would cost less.”
 

“Excuse me?” His brow lifted in puzzlement, replacing the pleased contentment from moments before.

“You could apologize. It would be cheaper, but perhaps not easier.” A muscle in his jaw tensed. She hurriedly continued, “You admitted you made mistakes — in the plural. What else?”

He shifted to set his empty teacup down on its saucer. Leaning forward, he suddenly seemed closer in the small, shared space. “Kissing you. I overstepped the boundaries of our professional relationship. If you return, it won’t happen again.” He hesitated and added, “I don’t date staff. It’s a personal rule with no exceptions.”

Devon blinked. Hurt from his comments caught her unprepared and she visibly swallowed.

He continued speaking, seemingly unaware of her distress. “The offer stands. You can take the deal or leave it, but I do have other places to be.”

Devon rapidly remembered how the day had started and how much she’d wished for another chance. “That’s fine with me, Mr. Sterling. I’ll take your deal. And you can keep the apology.”
 

Bennett narrowed his eyes before giving a short nod. “I’ll expect you back in the office tomorrow morning.”

Devon nodded in return, not trusting herself to speak. Things had gone far more in her favor than she could ever have hoped. Yet, she was wary, feeling like prey before his watchful gaze.

He rose to leave. “I do have one condition, Devon. If I hear you refer to me as ‘Mr. Sterling’ just one more time in that prissy tone, you won’t have to quit, because I’ll gladly fire you myself.”
 

She stood, astounded, as he turned and quietly shut the door.

***

Devon walked to work the next morning with frowning deliberation. With rapid and long strides, the scenery passed, unnoticed. She needed to gather herself, prepare for what lay ahead, while putting to rest what lay behind.

 
After Bennett left last night, she’d quietly rejoiced in having her job back. But with the threat of eminent disaster averted, she had time to revisit that
other
evening. Before tempers had flared, passion flamed.
 

She tried to rationalize.

It was only a kiss
.
Albeit a good one, but still only a kiss.

Sighing, she struggled with honesty.
 

Good? If that kiss had been hotter, I’d have caught on fire.
 

Hearing friends discuss their love lives over the years had given her a jaded if amused view of relationships. She felt superior for avoiding the drama of soaring lust followed by swift and certain heartbreak.
 

Logically, it was probably an ordinary kiss, by most standards.

She quashed down the uncomfortable twinge in her stomach. Now was not the time to think about Bennett Sterling. It certainly wasn’t the time to think about his mouth or how it had felt on hers and the way he’d kissed down the length of her neck. No, she wouldn’t think about any of
that
.
 

She greeted Aidan before dropping off her bags in her office. Within minutes, she was debriefing statuses, handing off work, and catching up from yesterday’s absence. An hour later, she stopped him, breathless. “So, you’re taking on all my projects?” She hadn’t considered Bennett would carry out his plan to change her work structure, especially not after what happened between them.

Aidan looked at her blankly before understanding settled on his face. “You haven’t been told. I’m sorry, but you’re moving.” He paused to clarify, “That didn’t come out right. It’s not bad that you’re moving.” He swallowed, taking a breath. “You’ll be working upstairs with Bennett. We’ll still liaise, too,” he assured her. “But this is an excellent opportunity.”
 

She moved on autopilot. Stepping off the elevator with Aidan, she stopped in front of Natalie’s desk. Bennett’s door was firmly closed.

Natalie looked up without raising her head. “Yes? May I help you?”

Devon had an insane urge to say, “Reservation for Sinclair. Desk for one.” Instead, she settled for glancing between the boxes she and Aidan carried. “I’ve been asked to move my workspace. Where should I take my things?”

Natalie didn’t answer, just rose, disappearing into Bennett’s office while Devon and Aidan were left standing awkwardly. Several minutes passed until she reemerged, walking back to stand beside them. “Follow me.”

Entering her new office, Devon stopped and stared. Like Bennett’s, it was tasteful and elegant, but much more feminine. Olive carpet anchored the room while a midcentury blonde wood desk kept the space modern. She trailed her hand over a matching bookshelf, turning to Aidan and Natalie.
 

“This is gorgeous. I couldn’t have designed an office better suited to me.” She beamed her pleasure.
 

“That’s good to hear. Bennett just had it redecorated.” Natalie interrupted Devon’s admiration of a stunning oil painting of a London street scene, complete with bright red buses.
 

“Oh, I see.”

“He likes to redecorate the offices and main spaces periodically. It keeps things fresh.”
 

Devon quickly dismissed any ideas that Bennett might have personally chosen everything for her. She smiled weakly. “That’s very good of him.”

“I’ll take the compliment.” Bennett interrupted, surprising all of them in the doorway where he lounged. “For what exactly am I being praised?”

Devon blushed, inexplicably tongue-tied. Aidan looked at her and spoke up.

“Everyone is admiring your good taste.” He raised his chin, indicating the general surroundings.

Bennett pressed a finger over his smiling lips. His eyes never left Devon’s. “I’m glad you like it. I picked it out with you in mind.”

Devon’s heartbeat quickened. She forgot about the other people in the room, seeing only Bennett and his beautiful midnight gaze.

Natalie cleared her throat. “Well this is all very cozy. But perhaps we should get on with things?” She pointedly eyed Bennett before moving to the door.

Bennett lingered for another second, leaning slightly towards Devon as he maintained eye contact. Then, shaking his head a little, he turned to his PA.

“Of course.” Frowning at Natalie’s obvious impatience, he swiveled back to Devon. “It’s good to have you here. Please unpack, settle, and then meet with me to go over your new responsibilities.”
 

He walked out, leaving Natalie to follow.

***

Hours later, Bennett yanked off his tie and unbuttoned his shirt as he walked through his Notting Hill townhouse. Trading his suit for dark denims, he added an untucked button-down in soft cotton. Barefoot, he padded down to his kitchen.