She glanced at her watch—again—and peered out the large paneled glass at the entryway, searching for any sign of Benji.
Finally, she spied him, sprinting up the walkway with a large black square in his hand.
"Cutting it a little close, are we,professor?" she joked breathlessly as he wrenched the door open.
"You're welcome,Miss Miller," he drawled, handing over her graduation cap. They sped down the hallway side by side.
A light sheen of sweat speckled Benji's forehead. He hastily pulled a handkerchief from his breast pocket and swiped at hisface. Rumpled black waves hung playfully over his brow. His coif had been so immaculate when he'd walked into the en suite. But Frankie had buried her fingers into his thick hair the second he'd knelt in front of her and grabbed her thighs. One thing had led to another (sex, snack, more sex, then a lightning-fast shower to wash off the residual lust), and he never did get a chance to restyle it.
"Where did you find it?"
"Behind the stack of boxes by the closet," he purred, conjuring the graduation role-play they engaged in the night before.
"I can't wait to get to our new place and settle in," Frankie managed through hurried pants as they turned at the end of the corridor. The next forty-eight hours were going to be a mad dash. This time tomorrow, the moving truck would be loaded, and she and her soon-to-be-live-in-boyfriend would be on their way to a little condo in Wenatchee. The digs were temporary. Once she finished her internship, they'd start hunting for a house closer to Leavenworth. Jon and Lucy had offered to sell a chunk of their land to Frankie and Benji so they could build the house exactly the way they wanted. While the gesture was appreciated, Frankie wasn't so sure about livingthatclose to her big brother.
They stopped at the double doors leading into the large auditorium. He wrapped her in his arms and danced a gentle kiss along her glossy lips.
"Let's get you graduated first. I am so proud of you. Proud of your hard work in the face of adversity."—he glanced away sheepishly, fully acknowledging thathewas the adversity—"Proud to call you my partner. Savor this accomplishment. You, Francesca, deserve every ounce of pomp and circumstance of this graduation and all the honors you racked up." He ran his fingers along the stole and cords drapedover her shoulders. His ocean eyes danced merrily as Frankie smiled up at him.
"I love you, Benjamin Clark."
Frankie thought she spied a glistening of moisture gathering behind his lashes. "I love you, FrancescaStanleyMiller."
Her peal of laughter bounced off the walls around them. She leaned in for one more kiss, then shooed him away to join their friends and family in the crowd.
It was hard to believe that nine months ago as Frankie started her fast-track MSW program, she would come out the other side with a lover, a partner, and a new best friend.
The End
