Benjamin Kempball: The Way To A Banker’s Heart

Chapter 6: Violet

For a few days, I actually thought I might have seen the last of him. That Benjamin was just one of those fleeting, once-in-a-lifetime encounters—a man who appeared briefly and left an impression so deep it would linger for far longer than it should. I thought those few hours we spent together were all I’d have, that they would remain suspended in my memory as an almost unreal moment of connection.

It wasn’t the first time I’d let myself hope, only to watch the reality of my situation drive someone away. Most men didn’t stick around after learning I had a little girl. They’d smile politely, feign understanding, and then slowly disappear. I was used to it by now, though it didn’t make it hurt any less. Maybe Benjamin wasn’t any different. Maybe he’d vanish too, just like the others.

But then, one day, when I was in the middle of an opening shift, he walked in.

He looked almost exactly as I remembered, though something about him seemed even more striking this time. He wore another suit, this one charcoal gray, the kind of color that made him seem simultaneously refined and just a little dangerous. It fit him perfectly, every line tailored to emphasize his broad shoulders and lean build. His blonde hair was immaculate, each strand seemingly placed with intent, and those piercing blue eyes... they were as captivating as they’d been the first time I saw them.

“Violet,” he greeted simply, his deep voice smooth and calm, as if him strolling into my bar and sitting down was the most ordinary thing in the world.

Before I could respond, he turned his attention toward Tony, who was stationed near the TV, his eyes glued to whatever game was playing.

“Tony,” Benjamin said with a nod, his tone warm and familiar.

Tony beamed, like they were old pals who went way back. “Hey, Benjamin! How’s it going?”

“Alright. How about you? The Giants winning?”

I raised an eyebrow at the exchange, my mind spinning with questions. Since when were these two friends? How did they even know each other beyond that one random encounter when Benjamin first came in? It felt like I’d missed a lot, like there was an entire backstory I wasn’t privy to.

“Not enough,” Tony grumbled, shaking his head, his eyes flicking back to the screen with a dramatic sigh.

Meanwhile, Benjamin’s focus shifted back to me, and I suddenly found myself under the weight of his gaze. His blue eyes moved over me slowly, not in a way that felt invasive or objectifying like most men tended to do, but in a way that felt... protective. As if he were checking on me, silently asking himself if I was okay.

“A beer, please, Violet,” he said, his lips curling into a small smirk that made my stomach flutter.

“Sure thing,” I replied, my voice more even than I expected, though my heart raced. I turned toward the fridge, retrieving a cold bottle of beer. Popping the cap off, I placed it in front of him. “There you go.”

“Thank you,” he murmured, his fingers curling around the bottle in the same way they had before. The gesture was so familiar it made something warm stir inside me.

He cradled the bottle casually, drumming his fingers against it in time with the soft Ariana Grande song playing through the bar’s speakers. Of course, the music was barely audible—Tony had made sure the TV volume dominated the space for his beloved sports.

Trying to ground myself, I busied my hands drying glasses fresh from the dishwasher. It was Friday, and I wanted the bar to be fully prepped before Kieran came in to take over my shift. If I left him with a mess, he’d grumble about it for days.

Despite the low-level hum of activity around us, Benjamin sat quietly, his attention seemingly fixed on the bottle in his hands. He didn’t engage in small talk or ask me how I was doing. Instead, he just... existed there, in my space, as if his presence was the most natural thing in the world.

It was unnerving. I felt like I was the odd one out, like I didn’t quite fit into whatever unspoken dynamic had formed between him and Tony. The silence pressed against me until I couldn’t help myself.

“Killed anyone lately?” I asked, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. As soon as they did, I winced internally, chastising myself. What if he didn’t remember our strange, offbeat conversation from the last time we’d talked? What if he thought I was being serious?

Benjamin’s head tilted slightly, his blue eyes lifting to meet mine. For a moment, I thought I’d blown it, but then the corners of his mouth lifted into a faint smile. His eyes softened, the icy sharpness in them melting into something warm and amused.

That smile—it shouldn’t have been possible for something so small to make me feel so alive. My whole body seemed to spark, every nerve waking up at once. It wasn’t fair, the way he could do that to me with so little effort.

“Define lately,” he said, his voice low and teasing, the slight curve of his lips never faltering.

Heat crept into my cheeks, and I couldn’t help but grin back at him. As much as I hated to admit it, I’d missed him. Missed this—the banter, the easy way he managed to draw me out of myself without even trying.

“Within the last week?” I countered, raising an eyebrow at him. “Or just since the last time we talked?”

“Afraid I’m making money without you?” he asked, his voice dipping into that lovely, rumbling tone that sent an involuntary shiver through me.

“Of course,” I shot back without hesitation, crossing my arms and narrowing my eyes at him playfully. “If I find out you’ve been making lamps without me, I’ll sue your ass.”

He dropped his head, shaking it slightly, as if I was being utterly ridiculous—though I couldn’t blame him. I was being ridiculous. But even in my embarrassment, I couldn’t help but admire him. Everything about Benjamin seemed crafted to perfection, from the broad expanse of his shoulders to the powerful curve of his arms, which looked ready to burst through the fabric of his tailored suit. The charcoal fabric clung to his frame in a way that was both refined and maddeningly distracting. His tapered waist and the way his trousers sat just right on his hips only added to the magnetic pull he seemed to have over me.

“So, I’ve been thinking,” I blurted out, my voice just a bit too rushed. The words escaped before I could stop myself, and his head tilted up to look at me. Those blue eyes of his, piercing and unwavering, locked on mine, making my heart stutter.

“I think you do owe me for cheating me out of my five percent,” I continued, pushing forward despite the nervous energy buzzing through me. My palms felt clammy as I gripped the edge of the bar, my heart racing in a way that was almost audible to my own ears. “We’re having a summer party next weekend,” I said, forcing my voice to stay steady, “and if you’re still... interested, we could perhaps go together?”

There. I’d said it. I’d actually asked him out—a man who had been living rent-free in my head for the past ten days. Benjamin wasn’t just a fleeting thought; he had become a constant presence in my mind, weaving his way into every quiet moment. He joined me in the shower at night after I tucked Rose into bed, his image lingering as I washed away the day. He was there when I drifted off to sleep, his smile, his voice, everything about him refusing to leave me alone.

The next day, I’d even talked to my mother about him. I told her about this incredible, frustrating, perfect man who had walked into my life and turned everything upside down. She’d scolded me—actually scolded me—like I was a child again, for not taking him up on his original offer to go out. “If you ever see him again,” she’d said, “you ask him out. And when he says yes—and trust me, he will—I’ll take care of Rose. No excuses.”

Now here I was, looking down at my hands, pretending to focus on drying glasses while trying to ignore the lump in my throat. I could feel his eyes on me, their intensity almost tangible, and when I glanced up, I found him staring. Those blue eyes seemed to pierce right through me, as if he could see every nervous thought rattling around in my head.

I hadn’t dated since Rich—if I could even call that disaster dating. And now, faced with Benjamin, I realized I had no idea what dating as an adult looked like. Was it drinks at a quiet bar, sharing small talk over low music? Or dinner and a movie? Did people even go to the movies anymore? I hoped so. I used to love going to the movies before Rose came along.

“You don’t have to work that day?” he asked, his voice breaking through my spiraling thoughts. His head tilted slightly, his gaze curious and steady.

I shook my head quickly, grateful for the chance to respond to something concrete. “No, I never work on those days. Jack and Denise take the shifts, and the rest of us just get to have fun.” A small smile tugged at my lips as I added, “Of course, it’s really just Jack’s ploy to make sure we all spend our money here instead of going somewhere else.”

“Wise man,” Benjamin mused, his lips curving into that subtle, crooked smile that sent warmth flooding through me. His eyes searched mine with quiet amusement. “So... you want that to be our first date?”

I blinked, caught off guard by the directness of his question. “You make it sound like there’s already going to be a next one,” I said, trying to laugh it off, but my voice wavered slightly under his intense gaze.

He didn’t laugh. His expression turned serious, his eyes locking onto mine with a quiet resolve. “Of course there is,” he said simply, as if it were the most obvious truth in the world.

“You seem so sure,” I murmured, unable to resist the gravitational pull of his presence. I found myself leaning toward him, drawn in by the magnetic energy that seemed to hum between us.

A teasing glint sparked in his eyes as he leaned forward as well, resting his weight on his elbows, his focus unwavering. “Let me tell you something, Violet,” he murmured, his voice low and deliberate. His gaze roamed over my face, as if memorizing every feature. “I don’t like wasting my time, and I sure as hell don’t like wasting other people’s time. You’re breathtaking, you’re funny, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. I know you don’t want to play games, so I won’t. I want you—and I always get what I want.”

Everything else around us seemed to fade away. The distant hum of the bar, the clinking of glasses, even the faint music playing softly in the background—it all disappeared. There was nothing left but the steady thrum of my heart and the electrifying presence of Benjamin sitting in front of me.

How was I supposed to respond to that? What could I possibly say that wouldn’t sound utterly foolish? Men didn’t talk like this—not in real life. This kind of unflinching honesty and raw intensity was something I’d only ever encountered in the steamy romance novels I used to sneak into my earbuds.

But Benjamin was no fictional hero. He was here, very real, and very much staring at me like I was the only thing that mattered. And I couldn’t believe it, but I believed him. The hunger in his eyes wasn’t just lust—it was something deeper, something more profound. Men who only wanted one thing didn’t look at you like this.

“Um,” I rasped, my voice barely audible over the pounding of my heart. “Thanks.”

The subtle tug at his lips blossomed into a full-blown smile, one side curving higher than the other in a way that made my knees feel weak. His smile was crooked and perfect, every bit as devastating as the man himself.

“You’re welcome, Violet,” he said softly, his voice a gentle rumble as his gaze remained locked on mine.

For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.