“Haven’t you learned by now that I don’t care about money?”
She had no idea how to respond. A hundred questions bit at her tongue but she forced herself not to ask them. Quizzing Ben about his donation or his presence here didn’t matter right now. Not when they had more important things to say. Not when she had something important to say.
“I’m sorry I asked you to leave,” she finally whispered.
“You had every right to.”
He reached out and stroked her cheek with the pad of his thumb. She held her breath, waiting for him to pull her toward him, anticipating his kiss, but it didn’t come. Instead, his features creased with remorse and his hand dropped to his side.
“I made a mess of your life, babe, and I don’t blame you for asking me to go.” His Adam’s apple bobbed. “I knew I couldn’t try to get you back until I fixed everything.”
“You didn’t mess up my life, Ben.”
“You lost your job.”
“And I got a new one, here at the center.” She stepped closer and pressed her palm to his chest. “And I figured out quite a few things.”
“Like what?”
He covered her hand with his and gently moved it against his heart. She could feel the loud thump-thump of his heartbeat and it brought a smile to her lips, knowing his heart was pounding as hard as hers.
“I figured out it’s okay to allow a few complications into my life, that sometimes complicated is better than being alone. Being lonely.”
“You’re lonely?”
“Ever since you left,” she murmured.
“Me too.”
He gripped her hand and lifted it to his neck, then reached down and encircled her waist. Twining her arms around him, she leaned up on her tiptoes and brushed her lips over his. “I missed you, Ben.”
“I missed you too, Red.”
He covered her mouth with a crushing kiss, one of his trademark rough and greedy kisses that left her absolutely breathless. She pushed her tongue into his mouth, wanting more, needing more.
It was Ben who finally broke the kiss, groaning softly in her ear as his obvious erection poked against her navel. “We’re in the middle of a children’s gymnasium,” he muttered, his warm breath fanning over her forehead.
“Then let’s go somewhere private. I’m sure the Lester Hotel has a few rooms available,” she teased.
Ben shot her his movie star grin. “First we need to get a few things straight.”
“I should’ve known you’d get all demanding on me.”
“I’m making it clear, right here and right now, that I’m not leaving you ever again,” he said in a stern voice. “If you don’t like it, tough.”
“I like it,” she assured him, fighting a smile. “I’m not going anywhere either.”
“Even when the press gets in our faces again?” His cobalt eyes clouded over. “And I do mean when, honey. If you choose to stay with me, you’ll need to get used to the vultures.”
“If being with you means getting my picture taken every now and then, it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.” She quirked her lips. “Like I said, I’m not going anywhere.”
He tossed out another hurdle. “Even if I force you to take some time off work and join me in Prague when shooting starts for Alan Goodrich’s latest film?”
She gasped. “He gave you a role?”
“Yep. With lines and everything, not just car chases.”
“That’s great.” Her eyes lit up. “I’ve never been to Prague.”
“Well, you can’t stay too long,” he warned. “My mom is anxious to start all the wedding plans.”
Her heart stopped. “Wedding plans?”
“Oh right.” He grinned sheepishly. “I forgot, we’re getting married.”
“That was the worst proposal ever,” she complained.
He squeezed her butt and laughed again. “And there it is, that infamous Maggie honesty.”
“Get used to it, pal, because I don’t sugarcoat anything and you know it.”
“That’s precisely why I love you.”
She slid one hand down his back and gave his butt a squeeze of her own. “I love you too.”
He chuckled arrogantly. “Of course you do. I’m Ben Barrett, remember?”
Epilogue
“Ohhh. Oh God. Oh, Ben…”
“Quit acting like a baby,” Ben ordered as he clutched Maggie’s right hand and squeezed it.
“But it hurts,” she shot back.
Greg, the tattoo artist, a man with the build of a pro wrestler and the buzz cut of a Navy SEAL, cast her an apologetic look. “I’m trying to be gentle.”
He lowered the needle back to her skin and she could swear she heard her tailbone crack. God, this was awful. She wanted to throttle her husband, but it really wasn’t Ben’s fault. It had been her brainchild to get a tattoo to celebrate their one-year wedding anniversary.
Husband. Anniversary. It amazed her even thinking the words. Who could have foreseen that one?
“You wanted to do this,” Ben reminded her after she let out another soft whimper of pain.
“You could have tried to stop me.”
He grinned. “Why would I do that? I think you’re going to look hot with a tattoo.”