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“Well, when I went to meet Dad and Ria for breakfast this morning, Ria was keen to introduce me to her son, Bentley.”
Kenzie gave her a puzzled look. “And?”
Bentley chuckled beside her. “And Mom was keen to introduce me to Alyssa, also known as Lizzie.”
Kenzie laughed out loud. “You’ve got to be kidding me? So, Lee is Bentley?”
Alyssa narrowed her eyes at her friend. “He is. So much for you saying that there was no way he could know my dad.”
She had to laugh when Bentley shot her a puzzled look. “What can I say? When Kenzie here told me that I should talk to the hot guy at the bar, I told her that I wouldn’t dare because you might somehow know my dad. I wouldn’t want him to hear that I was out chatting up guys. Kenzie assured me that you didn’t know him.”
Kenzie held her hands up. “Hey, I’m sorry. What can I say? I assessed the situation to the best of my knowledge, and I toldyou to go for it.” She grinned at them. “I have to say, you guys make a cute couple. I don’t think I was wrong.”
Alyssa’s smile faded. “It’s complicated, though, isn’t it?”
Kenzie frowned. “Complicated how?”
Alyssa looked up at Bentley. Was she just making too big of a deal out of this? It didn’t need to be as complicated as she was making it sound. Okay, so they’d spent last night together. She was still hoping that they’d spend tonight together, too. If that was the end of it, how would it be so complicated? Yes, they were bound to run into each other again in the future. Family gatherings would probably begin with a few minutes of awkwardness, but that would pass. The trouble was, she didn’t want him to be the guy she’d spent a night or two with.
She looked up at him again. So, what did she want him to be?
She was relieved when he answered for her. “It’s complicated because, as you said, we make a cute couple.”
All her breath caught in her chest when he smiled at her and added, “If we just wanted to be Lizzie and Lee for a couple of nights, then it wouldn’t be too bad.”
She looked down to where he covered her foot with his own as he smiled.
“But I have a feeling that things are going to get way more complicated for Alyssa and Bentley.”
Chapter Seven
Bentley couldn’t resist putting a hand on the small of Alyssa’s back as he guided her out of the restaurant after they’d eaten. It had felt like a special kind of torture to sit across from her over dinner and not be able to touch her. That should be worrying in itself.
The way her eyes shone as she smiled up at him when he held the door open made it impossible to worry about a damn thing. All he could think about now was getting her back to his room.
Despite having to keep his hands to himself, dinner had been great. Alyssa was good company. She was bright and funny, and she was possibly the most genuine woman he’d ever met. She was, undoubtedly, the most genuine woman he’d ever dated. Well, they weren’t exactly dating – how could they, given the circumstances? But tonight had felt like a date.
He reached for her hand as they started to walk toward the lodge. He had to smile as she wrapped her fingers around his and squeezed. He’d reached for her without a conscious thought; it felt like the most natural thing in the world. If he thought about it, it should be unnatural to feel so attracted to the woman who was about to become his stepsister. He pursed his lips – so he was trying not to think about it.
“Hey, Bentley!”
He froze at the sound of his name being called by a voice which, although it was familiar, he couldn’t immediately place. He quickly let go of Alyssa’s hand as he turned to see who it was.
Cole Hamilton – or Smoke, as everyone called him these days – was grinning at him as he walked across the square with his wife, Laura, at his side.
Bentley’s mind raced as he plastered on a smile and greeted his old friend. “Cole! It’s good to see you.”
“And you. Russ mentioned you were coming this weekend, but I thought you’d be hanging out with the family. If I’d known that you were here with your lady and would be up for coming out, I …” His words trailed off as he looked at Alyssa. “But you’re …”
Laura slapped his arm and smiled at them. “Don’t mind him. He’s …”
Cole narrowed his eyes at Bentley. “You two are …?”
“Smoke!” Laura slapped his arm again, harder this time.
Bentley turned to Alyssa; she looked uncomfortable, to say the least. That made his mind up for him. He caught hold of her hand and drew her back to his side before wrapping his arm around her shoulders. No way was he going to make her feel that he was embarrassed to be seen with her. The situation was far from ideal, but he’d rather come clean to everyone – including their parents – than make her feel bad.
He gave Cole a rueful smile. “We are, but we haven’t told anyone yet.” That was the mildest way he could think of saying that their parents didn’t know. He didn’t think he’d need to explain all the implications to his old friend.
