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“The waters are already muddied,” Benicio said in a harsh tone.
Frustration coursed through him, and he sprang to his feet, running his fingers through his hair.
“What am I doing here in the middle of the night drinking wine and eating chocolate croissants and talking about the past? Why? To torture myself? No, because I miss you, and I hate being apart from you, and I grab at every moment you allow me to spend in your presence.” He muttered a Spanish curse.
“I told you what I wanted,” Rose said quietly behind him.
Eyes trained on the fireplace, his jaw tightened. “Yes, you did. It’s my fault, I know,” he said in a heavy voice. He turned to face her. “But if you don’t want me, why do this to me? Why invite me to stay in the middle of the night?”
“I wanted some company,” she said quietly.
“That is the difference between you and me, mi amor. I don’t only want company. I am a rich man, and I can find company anytime, anywhere, but that’s not what I want. That’s not what I need. I don’t want company. I want you.”
Resignation and defeat filled his voice.
Rose didn’t respond. She kept her head bent, staring at her fingers folded together on her lap.
Time for him to accept that his relationship with his ex-wife was truly and completely over. He needed to stop torturing himself. He hovered around, hoping they could get back together again, optimistic because they had such an amicable relationship.
She, on the other hand, simply wanted someone to spend time with. She didn’t like being alone in this big house by herself.
“Thank you for the wine and the croissant, but the hour is late, and I have a long drive home.”
He picked up his jacket and took two steps but stopped. Did she say something?
Benicio turned to face Rose. “What did you say?”
“Don’t go.” She spoke in a soft voice.
“I don’t understand,” Benicio said in a thick voice.
Rose came to her feet. She took a deep breath, as if the next words pulled a lot out of her. “Stay the night.”
Benicio swallowed, his heart charging into a gallop. “You want me to… to stay in one of the guest rooms?”
“No,” Rose said, shaking her head and speaking in the same quiet voice. She moved closer, gazing up into his eyes. “I want you to stay the night in my room.”
“Rosa…” Was he dreaming?
She took his hand. “I don’t only want company, either. I want you. I miss you. I don’t know… something about the wedding and seeing Skye and Ethan so happy. They reminded me of us and how we were on our wedding day. Excited about the future and spending the rest of our lives together. I’ve been trying to work up the courage to ask you to stay, while at the same time thinking I’m crazy.”
“You’re not crazy,” Benicio said quickly.
She let out a little laugh, and then tears sprang to her eyes. “I miss you so much, and I… I don’t want to make any promises.”
“I know. I know, mi amor.”
“But I would love for you to stay the night with me.”
He tossed his jacket on the sofa and pulled her into his arms. Their lips touched, and they both let out a low moan. Her mouth was as soft and sweet as he remembered. His arms closed around her slim body, fingers tightening in the soft material of her dress.
Benicio deepened the kiss, ravaging her mouth as desire surged through his veins. Her arms slipped around his neck, and she kissed the corner of his mouth and jaw, fingers threading through the white hairs on his head.
Squeezing her tight, his body trembled from the electricity of her touch. Benicio buried his face in the side of her neck. She smelled like vanilla and honey.
He didn’t know how long they stood wrapped together—his arms tight around her waist, her palms gently caressing the back of his head.
“Ben?”
