The blonde gave her ponytail a tug. A cute nervous trait. “I’m sorry you got hurt. I should probably never have given you his number. I knew he didn’t date.”
“Don’t,” I chided her. “I was a little obsessed with him, truth be told. One way or another I would have seen him again. He just gets to me. I didn’t even think I had a type, but somehow he’s it, from top to toe.”
“He still should have thought of what he wanted, long before he came near you with his sperm.” Anne’s eyes narrowed in that deadly familiar way.
“Do you love him?” asked Lena, head tipping to the side.
I stared at the ceiling, my mind in a whirl. “Ah, like I said, I have feelings for him.”
“Are those feelings love?”
“I don’t want to answer that question.”
“No?” Ev set her cup back on the table, setting her elbows on her knees.
I was surrounded. Encircled by well-meaning friends. Now I got it, why Anne was so taken with these girls. They were authentic, kind, and funny. And while it was nice, knowing their questions came from concern, I squirmed in my seat at the thought of airing mine and Ben’s slightly soiled if not completely rank and feral laundry. I barely had a handle on the situation between us in my head, and by “barely” I mean not really at all.
“Because I’m not ready,” I told the crystal chandelier hanging above our heads. Sunlight reflected on the walls, prisms splitting the white light into small slices of rainbows. Beautiful.
“No need to rush,” said Anne, grabbing for my hand. “Slow.”
“Slow,” I agreed.
The suite’s door pushed open and Jimmy and Ben strode in, both dripping sweat. Basketball shorts hung low on Ben’s hips. He’d removed his T-shirt and was using it to mop his face.
“Hi, babe.” Lena held a hand up and Jimmy grabbed it, leaning over the back of her chair to kiss her cheek.
“Cute T-shirt. How’re my girls doing?” he asked, sliding a hand down to cover her belly.
“We’re all good. Taking it easy, just like the doctor ordered.”
“Girls?” Ev’s eyes lit up like twin full moons.
“Oops. Secret’s out,” laughed Lena.
“A baby girl! That’s so exciting.”
No response from Lena, on account of her being busy trading spit with Jim. Whoa, they were really going for it. I wasn’t so certain her obsession with pie was the only hormone enhancement.
“Hey.” Ben kneeled beside my chair, sweaty shirt slung over one thick shoulder. His smile was all for me. It melted my insides, turning me to mush. What terrible power he had over me. The man should be ashamed of himself.
“Hi.” I smiled. “Good workout?”
“Yeah, Dave even tagged along. It was fun.”
Like a dinner bell had been rung, Ev jumped to her feet. Pavlov’s dogs couldn’t have been better trained. “Which means my hot husband’s in the shower. Later guys.”
And she was gone.
“Um, yeah. Meeting adjourned,” Lena managed between kisses.
With a final evil-eyed look at my new boyfriend, Anne likewise got to her feet. “I should go see what mine’s up to. Leaving him alone for long periods of time is dangerous. See you all on the flight to New York.”
“Later.” I waved.
“Am I going to have to let your sister take a swing at me too?” Ben grumbled in a gravelly voice.
“She’ll come around.”
“Thought letting Mal have his shots sorted all of this out.”
“She worries about me.” I tucked his long fringe aside, reveling in the freedom to touch as I liked. Sweaty or not, I’d take him and then some. “Give it time.”
A scowl from the man.
“What? No.” Jimmy barked tersely from the other side of the lounge chair.
“Just a little one,” said Lena, stroking his face.
“I’m not growing a fucking beard. They itch.”
“But—”
“Where the hell is this coming from, anyway?” Jimmy pierced me with a cranky look. “You been talking up beards or something?”
I gave him my best innocent face.
The broody lead singer shook his head. “You girls shouldn’t be talking sex, for fuck’s sake. We’re all living on top of each other as it is.”
“Liz just happened to mention the enhanced benefits of oral,” said Lena, her face the picture of serenity. “You want me to be happy, don’t you?”
“I keep you plenty happy,” said Jim, rubbing the back of her neck.
“Of course you do, babe. I just thought you might want to think about growing one. You know, just to try something different.”
Smirk in place, Ben took up the cause. Sort of. “Takes a real man to grow a beard. You’re just not there yet, Jim. Don’t feel bad.”
“Go fuck yourself, sunshine.” Jimmy hid a smile. “Both of you, out. I apparently have to prove my oral prowess to my girl, yet again.”
“Sorry. My bad,” said Lena, looking not the least bit sorry.
Ben snickered, rising to his feet, drawing me up by my hand on the way. Holding hands was nice. What was especially nice was how he didn’t let go. Out we went, the suite’s door locked soundly behind us.
“What’ve you been saying?” he asked, heading toward our own room. “Thought sex shit was private.”
“Sorry. Girl talk. I got carried away.”
“Hmm.” His brows became one unhappy line.
“Are you really upset?” I asked, more than a smidgen worried. Relationships were so tricky. Me and my mouth needed to take more care and do no expounding on him or his facial hair’s sexy-times goodness.
“Nuh. Worth it to see the pissed off look on Jim’s face.” He chuckled.
“Oh good.”
“We’ve got two hours before the flight,” he said, dark eyes looking me over. “Plenty of time for some serious slow.”
My pulse took up residence between my thighs. The man had my *’s number and he used it with zero hesitation. Boyfriend-wise he was all over the sex, and I have to say, I really did respect him for that.
“Figure we’ve got some more getting to know each other to do,” he said.
“You do, huh?”