Chapter Two
Ava
I enter the office with my chin high, shoving a strand of my blonde hair away from my face. My little navy suit fits this place perfectly. The two men inside greet me with smiles.
Well, damn.
I’ve seen photos online of the Bennett brothers, but I was convinced their looks were at least partly due to some photoshopping. I was wrong; they’re just two very fine specimens of the male variety.
One of them walks up to me and extends his hand. “Ava, I’m Logan.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m happy to be here.”
I shake his hand firmly, knowing the first impression counts. Logan is about six feet tall and has dark hair and striking blue eyes. “And this is my brother and our CEO, Sebastian.”
As Sebastian walks closer, he fills the entire room with his presence. He’s a few inches taller than Logan, and his eyes are as dark as his hair. Otherwise, the brothers share the same fine features: sculpted cheekbones, strong shoulders. Still, something about Sebastian makes it impossible to look away from him.
“Welcome to Bennett Enterprises, Ava,” Sebastian says.
God, even his voice is sexy. He holds out his hand. I shake it without thinking. His touch is like a magnet, pulling me in, sending my pulse into overdrive. I swallow hard as he keeps my hand a fraction too long. Finally, he lets go. To my embarrassment, I discover my palm is sweaty. As discreetly as I can, I wipe it on my skirt.
Well, as far as first impressions go, Sebastian sure knows how to make himself memorable. Before I stepped inside this office, I was already fascinated by his story: the billionaire who rose from nothing, who donates a large chunk of the company’s profit to charities and shuns the spotlight. A rarity by all accounts.
Now, I’m fascinated by him.
He gestures for Logan and me to sit in the chairs in front of the desk, and he drops in the seat behind it.
“You come highly recommended.” Sebastian nods at me. “I expect the next marketing campaign to be a success.”
“It will,” I assure him. His lips curl up in a half smile, as if he’s enjoying a private joke. I squirm under his gaze. It travels from my face further down. His gaze dwarfs and undresses me at the same time. Squaring my shoulders, I make myself taller. “Where will my office be?”
“Next to mine.” Sebastian points with his thumb to the left. “It’s a room we use for small meetings. However, for the four months you’ll be here, it’ll be your office.”
“I’ll be on your other side,” Logan says. “It’s best if you’re close to us. Sebastian and I take an active interest in the advertising campaigns.”
“We practically did all the marketing in the early days,” Sebastian adds.
“Very well, I’ll keep you both informed.”
“I will attend the first meetings you will have with our marketing team to make sure everything goes smoothly,” Sebastian offers.
“Great,” I say appreciatively. CEOs usually don’t bother with me, instead sending me to deal directly with their teams. I usually spend a few months on each project, and there were instances I never met the CEOs.
“Did you fly here directly out of Sydney?” Logan asks, referring to my last project location.
I shake my head. “New York. The consultancy’s headquarters is there, and I always fly into the office between projects.”
“Why don’t I give you a tour of the company?” Logan suggests, looking at his wristwatch. “That way I can tell you more about us. We can go down to the creative department where all the magic happens. If we’re quick, we can grab lunch afterward. I should still make it in time for my afternoon meeting. Unless you have other plans? I know your official start date is tomorrow. It was great of you to come today.”
I relish the compliment. It’s little things like these, on top of my usual work, which make clients remember me. “I only have plans later.”
I’m about to add that a company tour is a wonderful idea, when Sebastian interjects, “I’ll take her.”
Logan shoots him a confused look. “Why?”
“I want to be nice to our consultant. Is there a problem?”
“You don’t do nice.” Logan’s voice is stern, but his lips form a smile. “I’m the nice brother, everyone knows that.”
“Fuck off, Logan,” Sebastian says good-naturedly. I barely withhold a grin.
“See,” Logan tells me, as if to prove a point, “that’s his idea of being nice.”
“I’ll take my chances,” I reply, charmed by the playful rivalry between the two brothers. I expected them to be arrogant and cold, and they’ve proven me wrong. Their fun side is a pleasant surprise. I’ve read about the Bennett family. There are nine siblings, and most of them are involved in Bennett Enterprises. As an only child, I can’t even grasp the idea of such a big family—though I’ve always wished to have one. I imagine you never get lonely.
Logan clutches his heart theatrically. “You choose my brother over me? I am profoundly hurt.”
“I don’t want to make you late for your meeting.” I try to be diplomatic. Truth is, I long to be alone with Sebastian, against my better judgment.
“I’ll see both of you later,” Logan says, taking off.
The second he leaves the room, the air thickens with tension. Sebastian gazes at me intensely with thinly disguised curiosity. Being the object of his attention sets me on fire. The burning spreads through my body, filling me up, but I hold his gaze.
Abruptly, he stands up. “Let’s go. Do you want to do the tour first or grab lunch?”
“I’m not hungry yet. Let’s do the tour first. I’m looking forward to it.”
He nods, gesturing me to join him. He shows me my office briefly, and then we walk in silence down the corridor. When we step inside an empty elevator, he puts a hand at the small of my back. It electrifies me, sharpening my senses, zapping to life all my nerve endings. Damn it, Ava, get a grip.