Looking at Ed, Ben could see his love for these women clearly, but he was also a little embarrassed about this public disclosure.
Finally, Ben locked eyes with Grace, and she gave him a little nod and smile, sharing their mutual awareness of the unique and wonderful dynamic of their complex home life.
Ed recovered the conversation as he felt a little uncomfortable with the teasing. “This home is Zoe’s, and she redesigned it so we could all live here with her. Maybe we should start the tour?”
Rachel moved closer to Ed and smiled up at him as she placed a hand on his shoulder. His eyes once more dipped to her deep cleavage, then back to her eyes.
“I don’t want to keep Angie waiting, so Grace, Zoe, and I will head over with the girls.” She tilted her face up, and Ed’s eyes flicked to Ben before he leaned forward to kiss the woman.
Pleased with the kiss, Rachel turned to Ben. “It was nice to meet you. Hopefully, you’ll be able to join us at Angie’s or up at the Dumas/Saxon mansion for one of their parties in the future.”
Ben smiled and nodded as he shook her offered hand. “I look forward to it,” Ben said, and her smile widened as she became a little starry-eyed again.
Zoe skipped over to Ed and pressed her body against his as she turned her face up for a kiss too.
Red-faced, Ed bent down to capture her mouth with his, and she purred when he pulled back.
She turned to Ben and his entourage and nodded to them as she helped Rachel collect the three girls and guide them to the door.
Grace kissed Ed too and patted his chest as she looked into his eyes. “Enjoy the tour, and I’ll see you at Angie’s.” He nodded to her.
Next, she walked to stand before Ben and held his eyes with hers. “You’ll take care of Ed on this round the world tour?”
“I’ll guard him with my life,” Ben said honestly.
She smiled and went up on tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “Thank you.”
They watched her join the group and head out the door.
Taking a deep breath, Ed turned back to Ben with an embarrassed smile.
Ben could see he was struggling to explain that little display of affection from the ladies. He held up a hand and smiled at the man. “Ed, you’re a lucky man. I completely understand the complexities of living in your situation as my household is very similar.”
Ed’s smile relaxed and became a grin. He nodded and gestured for Ben to follow. The tour had begun.
They returned to the foyer roughly ninety minutes later and stepped outside to stand by the truck. Ben’s head was packed with ideas for the new homes he would build.
“I wish I’d thought of building loft bedrooms!” Ed sighed. “Having a deck for each would have been so nice!”
“See how they turn out with the two houses I’m building, and maybe you can do an add-on for this home,” Ben suggested. Ed nodded with a smile.
“Thank you so much for the tour, Ed. We won’t keep you from your party any longer. Please thank Zoe for us for allowing us to see her place.”
“Will do! See you at the airport tonight!” Ed said with an excited grin, and Ben shook his hand.
Ben climbed back into the passenger seat, and his bodyguards slipped into the backseat as Evelyn got behind the wheel again.
As she drove them down the lane and through the opening gate, Evelyn glanced over at Ben. “That was a very impressive home. Perfectly suited for so many to share!”
Ben nodded. “Zoe knew what she was planning when she designed it.”
“A woman of extremes,” Tatiana offered out of the blue.
Ben looked over his shoulder and saw the brunette watching his reaction. He nodded. “Yes, she certainly seems to be.”
“Will you be kissing her in the future?” Tatiana pushed.
Ben’s eyes narrowed as he tried to understand where she was going with this. “I won’t interfere with Ed’s relationships.”
“Not even for such a bountiful prize? I imagine she must feel like a marshmallow!” Tatiana snorted.
The comment caught Ben by surprise, and he snorted in amusement as he imagined Tatiana wasn’t wrong. When the truck stopped, he looked forward as three women were getting out of a red SUV just inside the driveway. They looked toward his vehicle with hopeful smiles on their faces. Liliya stepped out of the truck as Ben opened his door.
“Hi,” he said as he stepped out.
A lovely and tall platinum blonde wearing a glittering silver bikini and a gauzy white coverup stepped forward with her hand outstretched. Ben shook it, and her smile trembled a little as it widened. “Hi! We were just coming up to collect Ed for the party. Down at my place. I’m Angie Spencer. These are my neighbors Stephanie Mathews and Carolyn Patterson.” She seemed to be babbling, just a little.
She pulled her hand back so the other two could move forward. Stephanie, a slim, pretty brunette with a pixie cut, trembled with excitement as her hand disappeared in Ben’s larger one. Carolyn had light brown shoulder-length hair with blonde highlights and wore a broad smile. She was much calmer but no less delighted to shake his hand. Stephanie and Carolyn were wearing one-piece swimsuits that showed off their trim figures.
“Ben Shepherd,” he said, then introduced the ladies with him. Then something percolated in his mind, and he turned his face to Angie. “Did you say, Spencer?”
Angie nodded. “My husband was Danny Spencer.”
“Sorry, my neighbor’s cousin is Shelly Spencer, and she lives one town away. I wonder if there might be some relation,” Ben said.
Angie looked back at him curiously. “Danny’s parents were extremely strict and disapproved of his interest in being a musician. He had a major falling out with them when he was in his teens. He left home when he was seventeen, but I recall him mentioning he had younger sisters, but they were twins.” Ben stared at her in surprise, so she continued. “Uh, he never went back home as his parents disowned him. The sisters would have been thirteen or fourteen at the time.”
“Shelly and Patty,” Ben said quietly, and Angie’s face lit up.
“Yes! I recall him mentioning a Patty!” she exclaimed.
Ben’s smile became a little strained, and Angie’s dimmed. “What’s wrong?”
“Patty went missing just after her sixteenth birthday. I’m sorry to say, the police just found what may be her remains in a hidden cellar of a home I bought and was tearing down in my neighborhood,” Ben admitted.
The three women gasped.
“Oh my god! I can’t imagine what that must be like for Shelly!” Angie said in dismay.
Ben nodded. “Her cousin Trish is with her, and she’s getting a lot of support from her and my friends in the neighborhood.”
“Maybe once the situation settles, I can go visit her? Danny didn’t talk too much about his family as it was painful for him, but I think I may have an old photo album stored away she might like to see,” Angie offered.
Ben smiled at her. “That sounds wonderful. I’m sure she’d appreciate that. Thanks!”
Angie watched his expression and smiled. “You have a soft spot for Shelly.”
He blinked at the direct statement. “Uh, yes. She’s a gentle soul and a very sweet woman. I like her very much,” he said self-consciously.
The three women aimed knowing smiles at him, and he looked away as his face warmed up. He spotted Ed walking down the lane toward them and breathed a sigh of relief. “Here comes Ed. We should be heading home as we have to prepare for our trip tonight. It was very nice meeting you.”
Angie, Stephanie, and Carolyn smiled and waved as he got back into the truck.
Ed met up with the grinning ladies as Evelyn got them on their way once more. Ben waved out the window, and they drove down the hill.
“I wonder which house is Angie Spencer’s,” Ben pondered.
“Do you want to kiss her too?” Tatiana asked.
Ben turned in his seat to glare back at the woman. “What the hell is it with you? No, I don’t want to kiss Angie, and more importantly, what business is it of yours who I decide to kiss? Don’t answer. It’s none of your damn business!”
After that, the atmosphere in the truck was downright chilly and had nothing to do with the air conditioning.
When they pulled up to the driveway for One Ashburn Court, Ben turned in his seat again and locked eyes with Tatiana before she could get out of the truck.
“Are you going to be able to get your shit together for the trip, or should we leave you behind?” he asked.
She stiffened but held his gaze. “I will keep it together.”
“Good. See you in a few hours.”
Ben glanced at Liliya as Tatiana stepped out of the truck.
The blonde remained in her seat. “I’m going to pick up Rose to spend some time with her before we leave.”
They continued to Ben’s, and once they were standing in his driveway, Ben turned to her. “I need your honest assessment. Is she getting worse, or is it my imagination?”
Liliya bit her lip. “I think the trip might help her as there will be a higher potential for risk in the unknown environments. She will be able to concentrate more on the job of protection. There is a very low threat level here, and she feels undervalued and unmotivated.”
Ben looked at Evelyn. “I’m aware you’re the one who’ll pull the plug if the arrangement I made for her looks like it’s heading south. I won’t interfere with your call on this. I’ve done all I can.”
The Sergeant looked at Ben with relief and gratitude. “Thank you, Ben. For now, we’ll follow Liliya’s advice. If Tatiana seems to be having some mental break while we are on the trip, I will call in our support team to assist in taking her offline.”
Ben gaped at her. “Can we not use euphemisms? Offline?”
Evelyn gave Ben a contrite look. “Sorry. Assist in taking her into custody to imprison her.”
He nodded. “Right… okay.”
Liliya kept her expression neutral, and Ben assumed she was just being polite for the Sergeant’s sake. Ben was also concerned for the safety of anyone who went up against Tatiana.
Misinterpreting Ben’s unease, Evelyn patted his arm and dropped his keys into his palm. “Enjoy some time with your family, and I’ll be over to drive us to the airport in a few hours.
He nodded, and they watched her run towards her place.
Ben shared a smile with Liliya. “Let’s go play with some kids!”
Chapter 30
“This jet is beautiful!” Ed gushed. Mark just looked awestruck.