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His throat works, his shoulders tight under the sweater that clings to the body I know almost as well as myown.
“You’ve always been there for me, through everything. Even when I didn’t know you were. That night in college… I was looking for compassion, for understanding. I found it in you. I couldonlyhave found it in you, because you are unique. I would know you anywhere. If every sense I owned was lost, I’d knowyou.”
I start to protest, but he presses a finger to my mouth. "You do this thing when you’re thinking—your lips part and you freeze like that, distracted. It makes me want to kiss you until you come back to me. And when you’re frustrated, you sigh under your breath so low only I hear it. And when you look at me, it’s as if you see everything in my heart, the good and the bad, and you still loveme.”
His hands cup my face, and I draw in a slow breath, my lungs burning but not with pain—withjoy.
Ben’s thumb rubs across my lower lip. “All I’ve seen are examples of relationships not working out, but you’re my exception. I want you to prove me wrong, for us to prove me wrong. I will work every day to make that happen. Because I'm in love with my best friend and I want her next to me every damnsecond.”
Happiness warms me like the candles, like the complete adoration and commitment in hiseyes.
“I love you too,” I whisper. “I spent so long wishing I could rewrite our past. But I wouldn’t if I could, because it brought us here. We were supposed to be pretending this month, but it’s always been real withyou.”
He drags my mouth to his, kissing me with a fierceness that steals mybreath.
My fingers delight in the feel of his suit before threading in his hair. Reassuring myself he’s here, we’re here, that this isreal.
Ben’s arms wrap around me, dragging my hips against him. Something digs into my back—Jet, I realize hazily—and I don’t care. Nothing matters but the man kissingme.
I need to touch all of him, to have his hands everywhere, and when he walks me against the wall to crush me beneath him, I tug on his hair until hegroans.
I already want him, and the growing hardness between us reminds me exactly how much he wants me too, how much time we have to make up for—not only this week, but our entirelives.
“Nice dress,” he murmurs against myear.
“Thanks,” Imanage.
“I’d like to take it offyou.”
“Pleasedo.”
Ben sets Jet on the foyer table next to the flickering candle, a boyish grin on hisface.
We come together right there, nothing between us but love and appreciation and enough wonder to light the room without the help ofcandles.
After, we’re lying on the couch, his arm wrapped aroundme.
“The candles around the Xbox were a nice touch,” Imurmur.
He smirks. “You said you liked candles. This is the extent of my decoratingabilities.”
“I respectthat.”
Ben traces a finger along my bare shoulder, and I sighhappily.
“So I need a date for a work event next month,” Ben says. “Go withme.”
I shift up on one elbow to scan his handsome face. “No.”
“No?” he echoes,stiffening.
I shake my head. "You should take yourgirlfriend."
His eyes darken with understanding. He pulls me down to him, his laughter vibrating against my lips. But a moment later, his kiss is hard and possessive, coaxing meopen.
Yes. This is what Iwant.
“What're we going to tell people?” I murmur when I pullback.
