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“Hurry, just tell me.”
“He's, uh, he's twenty-one, and he's studying business management.”
Emerson shot me a wickedly hot grin. “Play along with me Brooke, okay? Whatever I say, just go with it.”
“What? Are you serious?”
He winked at me. “I've never been more serious in my life.”
I didn’t get a chance to respond. Ben was already at our table wearing a shit-eating grin. “Well, look who it is! Hey there, Brooke. Damn, it's been a long time, girl. How you been?”
I forced a smile. “Hi, Ben. I've been good. How about you?”
“Can't complain.” He moved his attention to Emerson, looking him over.
“Who's this?” Ben asked me while extending a hand to Emerson.
Emerson grinned savagely as he shook Ben's hand.
“Where are my manners?” I said apologetically. “Ben, this is—”
“I'm Emerson. Brooke’s boyfriend,” Emerson cut in.
Ben raised an eyebrow as he let go of Emerson’s hand. “Is that so, huh? So, what, are you guys at the same college or something?”
“No. I finished college three years ago,” Emerson responded matter-of-factly.
“Really? You look a bit young to be a graduate, no offense.”
“None taken. I get that a lot. I’d like to say it’s because I take care of myself, training for MMA and such, but it’s probably just good genes as much as anything.” Emerson exuded an air of confidence and maturity. It was really something to watch.
“So, how old are you, if you don’t mind me asking?” Ben eyed Emerson curiously.
“I don’t mind at all. I'm twenty-five,” Emerson replied.
Ben raised his eyebrows.
Emerson chuckled just a little, a very controlled reaction. “Yeah, people are often surprised when they show up in my office, especially the older guys, and I’m sitting behind the desk. They're not used to seeing a twenty-five-year-old CEO, especially since I look even younger than my age.”
“Whoa, seriously? Where do you work?”
“Pullman-Gretsch Aeronautics. Spacecraft engineering. It’s a multinational company. In fact, I just got back from a meeting with an engineering firm in Shanghai. So, of course, I had to take my girl out to dinner.” Emerson turned and reached his hand out, caressing my face.
It was a gesture so genuine and intimate, even I believed he meant it. His eyes met mine and an electricity shot through me. He held my gaze until Ben spoke and I redirected my eyes to Ben.
“Well, alright then. So, uh, you two are pretty serious, huh?”
“Absolutely,” Emerson said with a smile, still looking at me. “Brooke is the best damn thing that's ever happened to me.”
My attention went back to Emerson, who was looking at me with such conviction I almost had to catch my breath.
“The guy that let this girl go is a real tool,” Emerson announced with more sincerity than I expected. Then he quickly turned to Ben. “Oh, uh, no offense if that was you, man.”
“Er, no. Brooke and I never dated.”
“Oh good. Well then, I can say without worrying about offending anyone, that whoever she dated before was an absolute grade-A moron for letting her go. But, hey, thanks to that prick, she's mine now. I’m not going to be that stupid,” Emerson said as he glanced at me before turning his attention back to Ben. “So how is it that you know Brooke?” he asked.
“I'm Andrew's friend.”
