Free Jane Eyre Austen by Doyle MacBrayne Page A

wanted to take me to lunch.”
    They ordered lunch and sat down in a booth. Ben sat next to her, close enough that his thigh was leaning against hers. 
    He spoke quietly in her ear, “Janie, will you ever spend the night with me?”
    She laughed, but answered quietly, “No.”
    “No?  That’s it? Not ‘I’m sorry’, not ‘I’d love to’, just ‘no’?  You know you want to…” He gave her a seductive look that wasn’t entirely lost on her.
    She raised an eyebrow, “No. I might be curious, but no, I don’t want to.”  She took a bite of sandwich and then held his gaze. “Ben, you love someone else-- really, truly, once in a lifetime love. Why the hell would you screw that up?”
    He sighed and leaned back, “Ok, I get it. No.”
    She laughed, relieved that he would move on.  He looked at her carefully, “You really do look nice today, Jane.  I spent some time looking into Grayson Poole.  The man is interested in you; I’m pretty sure that is why he interfered with Richard at the Symphony.”  He took a bite of his sandwich and said quietly, “I hate that Patrick loved you.”  He looked up quickly, “I love you, Janie, but I hate that he knew you first.”
    She nodded, “I can’t change that, Ben.  I love you too.  You and Patrick are my best friends.  He loves you, adores you, will do anything you ask.  Don’t hurt him, please.  Work on your damn issues. You are crazy jealous, Ben.”
    “You seem to attract crazy, Janie.”  Ben nudged her shoulder.
    She grinned, “I do.”
    “Do you like him, Jane?”
    She sighed, “I do…”
    Ben nudged her again and grinned, “Ok, then.  You know your step brother Richard has been busy?”
    Jane froze, “No, what did he do?”
    “Richard purchased a tract of land that Poole was interested in.  Paid more than it was worth.”  His eyes flicked around the room before he continued, “Like he’s trying to screw with Poole because of his interference with the symphony.”
    Ben watched her carefully, “This is what you’ve been waiting for.  He can really screw with Richard.  Richard’s put a lot of money into this deal. He’s gone to a lot of his usual investors and if it backfires, Richard’s name will be toast.”
    He sat back and they continued their lunch in silence.  She looked up at him and whispered, “I don’t know. I don’t think I should involve Poole.”
    Ben nodded, “It’s time, Janie.  You need to take this chance.” 
    She looked at him, “What’s your impression of him?”
    Ben shrugged, “Direct, probably loyal.  Why?”
    She felt her cheeks blush and groaned, “He talked to my mother about courting me.  James put him up to it, suggesting that it would stop the excruciating brunches for me, and that he could take me to social functions.”
    Ben grimaced, “Hey, that’s our thing.”
    “I know, but Mom knows I’m not. . .” she shrugged, “you know. . . interested in you like that.”
    He shot her a seductive look, “Really?”  He sat back rolled his eyes and stared at the ceiling, “It wouldn’t be a bad gig for you.  Your mom would be thrilled.  He can court you for a year before your mom catches on.”
    She nodded, “It’s just that, I think he wants more in the arrangement.”
    Ben leaned forward, “What do you mean, Janie?”
    “I mean he made a pass at me, and then warned me that I was playing with fire.  Like, sometimes he’s so polite, then sometimes he’s distant, and occasionally I get the feeling he would very much like to take me to bed.”
    Ben shrugged, “Just sex then?”
    “I think so.  It’s not like he’s asked me out to get to know me. But then he was really sweet about asking about mom, and now this thing with Richard.  I don’t know. But Ben, I don’t think I can handle playing this game.”
    Ben nodded, “Oh.  Then don’t, Janie. Don’t go out with him.  We’ll find another way to screw with Richard.  You’re right. We won’t involve him.”  He