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  “No, my father has a thing for cars,” she explained.

  “That makes sense. It had to be either that or motorcycles with a first name like Bentley,” I remarked.

  “Motorcycles would have been great,” she mused. “Then I might have been named Harley. That is a much cooler name than Bentley.”

  “I can’t picture you as a Harley,” I told her.

  “Can you honestly picture me as a Bentley?” she asked.

  “It is your name, so I don’t have any trouble seeing you as Bentley,” I replied.

  “And if I’d introduced myself as Harley, you’d have no trouble picturing me as a Harley,” she argued.

  I shook my head before responding. “Sorry, but you definitely don’t look like a Harley.”

  “I would have been more badass,” she told me. “How could I have been anything less with such an awesome name?”

  “Do you have a nickname?” I asked.

  “I usually go by my middle name because it’s easier for people,” she replied. “People mess up my name all the time. I get called Whitney or Betsy.”

  “Those names don’t even sound like Bentley,” I said with a shake of my head.

  “People don’t do well with unusual names,” she explained.

  “It is a unique name,” I agreed before adding, “I mean that in a good way. Gage was uncommon when I was a kid. All the boys were named Michael, Matthew, or Christopher.”

  “There were several Jacobs in my classes, too,” she added. “It seemed every girl in my class was named Jessica or Ashley. Back then, I wanted to have a more common name. Now, I realize how lucky I was that I could just go by my first name in school.”

  “Our teachers used to add a letter to everyone’s name. I remember having a Michael S, a Michael A, and a Michael M in one class.”

  “It was so confusing,” she agreed. “At least, outside of class we could use nicknames. In my group of friends I had Jessica, Jessie, Jessa, and Jess.”

  “Guys do things a little different,” I explained.

  “I have a brother, so I know,” she assured me. “You can’t simply call someone Chris. You have to add some description to the name. My brother was friends with Crack-head Chris, Corvette Chris, and Chris Cross.”

  “I’d like to say I’ve outgrown that, but it would be a lie,” I admitted. “My friends didn’t need a name for me. That didn’t stop them from calling me Twelve Gage for a year.”

  “That would have been hard for a bunch of preteen boys to resist,” she said around a giggle.

  “How about you?” I asked.

  “I can resist calling you Twelve Gage,” she said with a straight face.

  “Smart ass,” I accused. “Do you have a nickname? I mean other than your middle name.”

  “A few people call me Bennie, mostly family,” she replied.

  “I like Bentley better,” I told her.

  Our discussion of unusual names was interrupted when a flight attendant came by to take drink orders. After he left, I looked over at Bentley again. “So, what do you do for a living?”

  “My job title is executive assistant, but I’m not sure that accurately describes what I do,” she began. “I basically put out every fire and make every arrangement for my employer.”

  “That sounds stressful,” I remarked.

  “It is, but I seem to thrive on the stress,” she replied. “How about you, Gage? What do you do for a living?”

  I wasn’t ready to answer that question. I liked that she thought I was just some guy with a hole in his pants. I wanted to continue with our easy banter.

  “What do you think I do for a living?” I asked.

  Chapter 4

  Bentley

  “Let me think,” I mused as I studied Gage, trying to figure out what he might do for a living. He was definitely nice to look at. His dark blond hair was a little on the long side and sticking out from his baseball cap. He had broad shoulders and a narrow waist. I imagined he was quite impressive when he stripped off his tight t-shirt. My cheeks flushed as I forced my gaze to meet his warm brown eyes. I needed to stop ogling my seatmate. “Based on the calluses on your fingertips, I’d say you do something with your hands.”

  “Good eye,” he praised.

  “You don’t strike me as the type to wear a business suit, so I’m certain you aren’t working an office job,” I continued. “Unless you’re in an office where they keep things low-key. I suppose those calluses could be from a hobby.”

  “I definitely don’t work an office job, relaxed or otherwise,” he told me.

  “Your hands are too clean to be a mechanic,” I continued. “Even the ones who try to wear gloves end up with some grease stains.”

  “You’re right. I’m not a mechanic,” he agreed. “Do you have a guess?”

  “Some type of contractor?” I guessed.

  “Not quite,” he replied with a shake of his head.

  “Fine,” I said with a playful huff. “Don’t share your career with me.”

  “How about if I promise to tell you over dinner some time?” he asked, his voice sliding along my skin like a caress.

  “Dinner?” I asked. “Are you asking me out?”

  “Yeah,” he admitted. “If I didn’t need to change my jeans and rush to make a connecting flight, I’d offer to take you out as soon as we land.”

  “Are you from the Bay Area?” I asked.

  “LA,” he replied. “I come up this way with my friend, Austin, when he visits his family sometimes. I’m also trying to reconnect with my brother who lives in the Bay Area. What do you say?”

  “Sure,” I agreed. I hadn’t dated in a very long time. I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d been on a date. My lack of love-life wasn’t the result of any horrible experiences with men. I wasn’t turned off to men or dating. There were no bad breakups or wretched exes in my past. I simply didn’t have time to date, but I wanted to spend more time with Gage.

  “I should give you my phone number,” he began. “My phone is dying, so I’m trying to leave it off until I land.”

  “I’ll text you later,” I told him as I pulled out my phone and opened up my contacts to add Gage’s number.

  “Here, let me enter my number,” he offered with an outstretched hand.

  I nodded and handed him my phone. Gage set his drink on the tray and quickly entered his number before returning my phone.

  “This is not how I expected my day to go,” he mused.

  “I’m also surprised,” I admitted. “This is nice.”

  “Just nice?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

  “Are you looking for a compliment?” I asked with a laugh.

  “Always,” he replied with no shame.

  Something told me this man didn’t need to have his ego stroked, so I decided to change the subject. “Are you really going to make me wait until you take me out to dinner to tell me what you do for a living?”

  “I am,” he insisted. “It will give you something to look forward to.”

  I was certain I already had plenty to look forward to. “Where are you heading?”

  “Portland,” he replied. “I need to check on my mom.”

  “I hope everything’s okay,” I told him.

  “Me too,” he said with a sigh. “She was vague when she called me. My mom has been known to blow things out of proportion.”

  “But you don’t want to take any chances,” I finished for him.

  “Exactly,” he agreed. “I hate living so far from her, but LA was the best place to start my career. Before you ask, no, I’m not an actor.”

  That had been my next question. “Is Portland where you grew up?”

  He nodded.

  “Los Angeles must be a big change from Portland,” I remarked. “I’ve only been to Portland a handful of times, but it seems much more laid-back.”

  “It is,” he agreed. “It took me some time to get used to living in LA. Where are you from?”

  “I grew up nea
r San Francisco, and I can’t see myself moving,” I replied. “My family is there, and I love being close to them.”

  He nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face. I wondered if he was suddenly going over all the reasons it was insane to consider asking me out. Neither of us planned to move any time in the near future from the sounds of it.

  “Are we crazy for talking about going out when we live so far from each other?” I asked.

  He shook his head. “I want more time with you than this flight’s going to give us. There’s nothing crazy about that.”

  “I feel the same,” I admitted with a smile.

  I was suddenly very glad my training seminar had been cut short.

  Chapter 5

  Gage

  What I’d expected to be a huge pain in the ass had turned into a great flight. I was enjoying Bentley’s company, and I was disappointed when we landed. If I weren’t so worried about my mom, I’d be tempted to spend the night in the Bay Area. I wanted more time with Bentley.

  “Which bag is yours?” I asked when I stood and opened the overhead compartment.

  “The bright green one,” she replied.

  “That is one bright bag,” I told her as I pulled it down and set it in the aisle so she could drag it out.

  “I like green,” she explained.

  “I’ll have to remember that,” I murmured. Walking behind her, my eyes immediately went to her ass. Damn! She looked just as good from the back. I was definitely a pervert for checking out her ass, but I couldn’t help it. Bentley had curves worthy of a second look. I’d love to have all those soft curves pressed against my body while I slowly explored her mouth. I needed to rein in those thoughts. My dick was already taking too much notice of Bentley.

  When we were standing in the crowded airport, I smiled down at her. “Don’t forget to text me.”

  “I won’t,” she assured me with a sweet smile.

  “I wish I didn’t have to rush off,” I said on a sigh. Before she could reply, I leaned forward and brushed my lips against hers. “I have to go.”

  Bentley brought a hand up to her lips, looking a little dazed. With a pleased smile, I waited for her response. “I’ll text you later,” she finally said. “I hope everything is okay with your mom.”

  “Thanks,” I told her and reluctantly walked away. I barely had enough time to change my jeans before boarding. It wasn’t long until I was seated by the window with a bubbly blonde at my side.

  “Excuse me,” the blonde began quietly. “Are you Gage Addison?”

  “Yes, I am,” I replied.

  Her eyes lit up like she’d won the lottery. Had I not met Bentley, I might have been tempted to flirt with her. She was attractive, and she seemed to be doing her best to keep her voice down to avoid outing me.

  “You’re my second favorite member of Reckless Release,” she gushed quietly.

  “Who’s your favorite?” I asked with a slight smile.

  “Harley,” she breathed out. “She is so incredibly hot. I know she’s only into guys, but she’s my dream girlfriend.”

  After only ten minutes of talking to my new seatmate, I could tell she wouldn’t have been receptive to my flirtations. I clearly wasn’t her type. She was still a good distraction from my worries about my mom and thoughts of Bentley.

  Chapter 6

  Bentley

  I couldn’t help but smile when I thought about my flirtation with Gage, and the kiss he’d given me. Granted, it hadn’t been much of a kiss, only a brief touch of his lips. The thought of that brief touch made me tingle all over. I could only imagine what a real kiss from him would be like.

  Shaking off thoughts of Gage, I made the mistake of returning my mom’s call. I should have waited until after I got my luggage. For the next twenty minutes, I listened to my mom rant about my cousin’s ex-husband. There was no getting my mom off the phone when she was in the middle of a good rant. She finally settled down and ended the call after my suitcase made a fourth trip around the baggage carousel.

  I set my phone on top of my carryon bag and raced forward to grab my suitcase. I realize it was a stupid move. They tell you all the time to keep your eyes on your belongings. In the short time it took me to retrieve my suitcase and drag it back to my carryon bag, someone had stolen my phone.

  So much for my great day. I’d met an awesome guy, but I had no way of contacting him.

  Chapter 7

  Gage

  “What took you so long?” my mom demanded as soon as I walked into her condo. At fifty-five, my mom still looked good. There were a few wrinkles around her soft brown eyes, and her short, dark blonde hair was streaked with gray. Still, she was in good shape, especially considering her rough life in and out of mental institutions.

  “I got here six hours after you insisted you needed me home,” I pointed out as I dropped my bag on the ground inside the door.

  “Don’t get smart with me, Gage,” she warned. “I’m in no mood to deal with two inconsiderate men.”

  I bit back a curse. “Please, don’t tell me you’ve been talking to my dad again,” I muttered. It had been more than a decade since I’d spoken to him, but he still called my mom on occasion. In my opinion, he did it to fuck with her.

  “I’m not sure he has my new number,” she remarked thoughtfully before continuing. “This has nothing to do with your father.” She hesitated before adding, “Mostly, nothing to do with your father.”

  “Then what’s going on?” I asked gently as I took her hand and led her into the living room. Her hesitation worried me.

  “It’s Colin,” she replied with a sigh.

  “What’s going on with Colin?” I asked. My half-brother, Colin, had been in a serious car accident about a year ago. The doctors hadn’t expected him to make it. It’s why I was trying to reconnect with him. After he moved out and my mom was institutionalized again, we drifted apart. Then, I’d almost lost him. Now, I didn’t want to risk missing out on having that precious time with my brother.

  My mom slapped down a gossip magazine with a picture of Colin on the cover. He was sitting at a table and smiling at the person to his left. That person wasn’t in the photo. It was him and the woman on his right. His hand was resting on hers. It took me a moment to process what I was seeing.

  “Unbelievable,” I uttered.

  “I know!” my mother exclaimed. “I’ll bet she’s taking advantage of Colin’s diminished capacity to get him to marry her. She’s planning to take all his money. I won’t allow it!”

  Colin didn’t need her consent to marry anyone. He was an adult and smarter than most people. These were things I should mention to my mom, but I couldn’t speak yet. My focus was still on the magazine cover. The woman by Colin’s side looked well put together in her simple black cocktail dress. Her brown hair was elegantly styled. In this photo, Bentley only vaguely resembled the woman I’d met on my flight. Her low-cut black dress revealed just enough of her full breasts to tease a man—my brother to be exact. Her breasts were there to tantalize my brother—a thought that filled me with jealousy. Even as I reminded myself she wasn’t mine, I felt betrayed.

  Snatching up the magazine, I quickly read the article. Tabloids couldn’t be trusted, but I had a hard time doubting what I was seeing. The article painted a lurid picture of a young woman who had been seen with my brother at several social events since his accident. In fact, she was seen out with him nearly as often as James, my brother’s best friend and business partner.

  The image the magazine painted didn’t match up with the woman I’d met. It was likely she didn’t realize Colin was my brother. Colin didn’t have pictures of me around his house, and I’d only recently started visiting him. It was strange that Colin had never mentioned a girlfriend. I felt like a complete dick. I’d kissed my brother’s girlfriend.

  “Are you listening to me, Gage?” my mom demanded.

  “Sorry,” I replied in a distracted tone. “What were you saying?”

  “A reporter fro
m this magazine called to ask my opinion about your brother’s engagement,” she told me. “How could Colin keep this from me?”

  “Engagement?” I practically shouted.

  “Yes,” she replied angrily. “According to the reporter, someone close to Colin let it slip that he’s getting married soon. They told me Colin is marrying that whore.”

  “We don’t know she’s a whore,” I argued. “There may be a logical explanation. It’s possible the rumors of an engagement aren’t true. Did you call, Colin?”

  She nodded. “At first, he basically confirmed he’s engaged. We didn’t have much time to talk before he ended the call, claiming to have an appointment.” She looked down at the magazine and shook her head. “The woman’s name is Bentley. What kind of name is Bentley? I’ve never heard of a woman named Bentley. I like unique names, but that’s not a girl’s name.”

  “Her father likes cars,” I mumbled as I tried to find an innocent angle for all of this. There had to be an explanation. I sat on the sofa and leaned forward with my elbows on my knees.

  “It’s still a ridiculous name,” she insisted before smacking my arm to get my attention. When I looked at her, she continued. “You have to do something.”

  “I’m not sure what you expect me to do, Mom,” I began. “Colin’s a grown man, and I doubt he’ll listen to me. Even when we were kids, he didn’t take advice from me.”

  My mom waved off my argument. “He’s four years older. That made a bigger difference when you were children. Now, you have some sway with him. This affects you, too.”

  It sure as hell did affect me. My brother was marrying the woman I’d kissed earlier that day. This was a total cluster fuck.

  “She could steal your inheritance,” my mom continued.

  “What inheritance?” I asked with a laugh. My brother had money, but I didn’t expect him to leave any of it to me. Colin would eventually have children who would inherit his money. Thoughts of him having kids with Bentley soured my mood even more.

  “After the accident, he told me everything would go to you if he died,” she explained. “With his diagnosis, that may be sooner than we expected.”