felt good to sit here, providing comfort. Jacob felt badly for her, and wanted to help. And, if he was totally honest, he had to admit that he was beginning to feel a physical attraction to her as well. He did his best not to let his eyes linger on her ample curves, but it was hard to avoid at times.
It has been a few days since he and Ellie had been intimate, first there was that fight they had, and now her trip to Phoenix. His body was not accustomed to such a long, dry spell.
But Jacob was a married man, and he had no intention of betraying Ellie. He knew that his physical needs were coming to the surface, and he was also sensing that in Sarina's vulnerable state, she may also be susceptible to seeking physical comfort from him.
Jacob looked down to her and gave her a squeeze on the shoulder.
"Sari, I should go," he said.
She looked up at him with the saddest expression he thought he had ever seen.
"I'll think about a solution for your boys. We will come up with something. I will help you find a way to keep them," he said.
As Sarina walked him to the door, she said, "Jacob, thank you so much. You are such an amazing man."
Jacob drove home thinking about possible solutions to Sarina's problem. Apparently, he couldn't have a baby with Ellie. He definitely couldn't bring her uncle Emery back. But maybe he could find a way to help Sarina.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
After what felt like an eternity, the doors opened.
Mr. Bennett led her to the waiting limo. She was grateful to have his arm, as her instability was greatly reduced with his strong stature there to support her.
Once safely in the limo, Ellie cleared her throat.
"Mr. Bennett?" She glanced in his direction, then back to the front again, not wanting to maintain any kind of eye contact or encourage a moment that may test her willpower.
"Mr. Bennett," she said again, this time with a little more confidence in her voice. "I was wondering. Is there..." she paused, remembering that Mr. Bennett had been close friends with her uncle. "I don't mean to be indelicate, but back home my husband and I, we lead a simple life, and I, uhh..." She placed an extra emphasis on the words my husband, and glanced his way again to see if he noticed.
He did. He acknowledged it with a crooked little smile. She straightened her spine and continued, "Is there...? Is it complicated? I mean to say, the businesses... are they difficult to run?"
I am still a bumbling idiot, s he thought.
"I thought I covered this with you yesterday," he replied.
She dropped her jaw and shifted in her seat to face him.
With a chuckle and a glance toward her cleavage, he continued, "He had just made a big play to acquire additional resorts. This tapped all his cash. This is one of the reasons you will be selling the assets on the open market."
I will be selling? Is he asking or telling me, she mused.
"One of the reasons?"
"Yes. We were right in the middle of this big play in the resort arena and are currently in a pivotal point. You aren't tough enough to see this through. The portfolio is highly leveraged. We have debt, not much cash, and in the current state, we don't have much income either. It is best for you to sell." He patted her on the arm and resumed looking out the window.
Is he patronizing me? And what is with the lingering glance at my chest? Remembering the Great Elevator Debacle, no doubt, she thought.
"What is left to be done for these projects to be complete?" Ellie held her breath as she waited for her answer. No sooner had the words come out of her mouth did she wish she could rewind time and take it back. What was she thinking?
Mr. Bennett shifted to face her. She could feel the charge between them, but at the moment, she was too angry to allow herself to take any notice of it. She fixed her eyes to his.
Is he amused? Or maybe it is anger. I wish he would say something.
After what felt like an eternity, he finally said, "We had just purchased a handful
It has been a few days since he and Ellie had been intimate, first there was that fight they had, and now her trip to Phoenix. His body was not accustomed to such a long, dry spell.
But Jacob was a married man, and he had no intention of betraying Ellie. He knew that his physical needs were coming to the surface, and he was also sensing that in Sarina's vulnerable state, she may also be susceptible to seeking physical comfort from him.
Jacob looked down to her and gave her a squeeze on the shoulder.
"Sari, I should go," he said.
She looked up at him with the saddest expression he thought he had ever seen.
"I'll think about a solution for your boys. We will come up with something. I will help you find a way to keep them," he said.
As Sarina walked him to the door, she said, "Jacob, thank you so much. You are such an amazing man."
Jacob drove home thinking about possible solutions to Sarina's problem. Apparently, he couldn't have a baby with Ellie. He definitely couldn't bring her uncle Emery back. But maybe he could find a way to help Sarina.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
After what felt like an eternity, the doors opened.
Mr. Bennett led her to the waiting limo. She was grateful to have his arm, as her instability was greatly reduced with his strong stature there to support her.
Once safely in the limo, Ellie cleared her throat.
"Mr. Bennett?" She glanced in his direction, then back to the front again, not wanting to maintain any kind of eye contact or encourage a moment that may test her willpower.
"Mr. Bennett," she said again, this time with a little more confidence in her voice. "I was wondering. Is there..." she paused, remembering that Mr. Bennett had been close friends with her uncle. "I don't mean to be indelicate, but back home my husband and I, we lead a simple life, and I, uhh..." She placed an extra emphasis on the words my husband, and glanced his way again to see if he noticed.
He did. He acknowledged it with a crooked little smile. She straightened her spine and continued, "Is there...? Is it complicated? I mean to say, the businesses... are they difficult to run?"
I am still a bumbling idiot, s he thought.
"I thought I covered this with you yesterday," he replied.
She dropped her jaw and shifted in her seat to face him.
With a chuckle and a glance toward her cleavage, he continued, "He had just made a big play to acquire additional resorts. This tapped all his cash. This is one of the reasons you will be selling the assets on the open market."
I will be selling? Is he asking or telling me, she mused.
"One of the reasons?"
"Yes. We were right in the middle of this big play in the resort arena and are currently in a pivotal point. You aren't tough enough to see this through. The portfolio is highly leveraged. We have debt, not much cash, and in the current state, we don't have much income either. It is best for you to sell." He patted her on the arm and resumed looking out the window.
Is he patronizing me? And what is with the lingering glance at my chest? Remembering the Great Elevator Debacle, no doubt, she thought.
"What is left to be done for these projects to be complete?" Ellie held her breath as she waited for her answer. No sooner had the words come out of her mouth did she wish she could rewind time and take it back. What was she thinking?
Mr. Bennett shifted to face her. She could feel the charge between them, but at the moment, she was too angry to allow herself to take any notice of it. She fixed her eyes to his.
Is he amused? Or maybe it is anger. I wish he would say something.
After what felt like an eternity, he finally said, "We had just purchased a handful
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