Coffee sounded great.Seeing her first love again while she had smudged make-up, bad breath and hair that looked like she’d just been electrocuted, did not.
“I’ll be down in a sec!”she called out, hoping he’d get the hint.
Last night, once his friends had left, Benny had left her alone with her beers, only knocking once to let her know her bags were by the door.She appreciated the time alone.She needed it.But now it was time to face the music.
“You sure, I brought it up so you can have it in bed?”
Of course he did.He knew she liked her coffee in bed before she even thought about getting up and ready for the day.But as much as she wanted coffee in bed, she wanted her dignity more.Which was why she declined and braved leaving the bed in search of a bathroom.Another good sized, adult room just next to the bedroom, with a fancy whitewashed brick wall behind the vanity and her dream walk-in shower with black metal framing around the glass.
Is he an interior designer now or what?
Seeing just how put together her ex’s life was, really wasn’t helping her feel less like shit.He’d clearly done well for himself.And he seemed happy.
Without me.
Yes.Without her.Not that she expected him to have spent the last decade pining after her.That was highly unlikely, not just because of who he was, but that sort of thing doesn’t tend to happen to the person who made the decision to end things.All that fun stuff was left for the dumpee.Her.
Okay.Time to wash her dumped ass and sort her life out.
***
Feeling slightly lesslike a hot mess, Bethany was back in the kitchen twenty minutes later, this time in her own clothes.She’d thrown on some jeans and a black tank and let her hair dry naturally around her shoulders.
With a fresh mug of coffee in her hand, she was in the middle of eyeing some extremely tempting muffins when Benny’s voice boomed from the doorway.
“Lemon curd poppy seed.”She looked up to find him casually slumped against the doorframe, “and yes, they’re for you.”
“For me?”Bethany’s head tilted suspiciously with the question.
“Yup.”Benny straightened, and she couldn’t help but admire the view as he swaggered over.He was freshly showered too, the tips of his hair still damp.She didn’t know what she liked more, the navy fire department T-shirt on him or her.Or maybe it was the waft of freshly sprayed cologne tickling her tongue.“Rachel owns a bakery in town, she thought you might like them.”
She thought right.
Plucking one of the soft, golden treats from the linen, Benny held it out for her, a knowing glint in his eyes as if daring her to resist.
As she reached for the muffin, her fingers brushed against his, sending a spark she wasn’t quite prepared for, shooting all the way up her arm.Rendering her frozen.Instead of pulling away though, Benny’s touch lingered.His eyes never leaving hers as his fingertips grazed her palm.Softly.Deliberately.Enough to make her breath hitch until she finally remembered to pull back.
She’d never been very good at resisting.Especially when it came to Benjamin Tucker.
Would you please stop.You’ve been single eighteen freaking hours.And he’s your fucking ex!
Only he wasn’t just an ex.That was the problem when it came to Benny.She wished he was just some guy she dated for a few months, even a year.But he wasn’t.He was her first everything and always would be.Her first love, her first kiss, her first time.But more importantly, the first and only person to break her heart.We’re talking shattering here.Like, some of the pieces that broke off were so small she still isn’t completely sure where the bits went.Or if they would ever be found again.
Shouldn’t you be feeling that now...after ending things with Doug?You know, the man you were supposed to marry!
She didn’t want to think about why she didn’t.Or the volumes that spoke.She was way too embarrassed for that.
“NeNe?Did you hear me?”
She must have spaced out because she had definitely not heard him.
“Huh?”
An easy smile tugged at his lips.“You gonna eat that muffin or challenge it to a dual?”
“Adual?” She didn’t hide the amusement in her voice.“Actually, I was thinking more like pistols at dawn.”
A deep throaty laugh echoed around the small space, sending more tingles to more places that definitely shouldn’t be tingling.
