Makes me wonder what else is under his persona. Behind his facade…if it is a facade. I know the drugs made him say things hedidn’t mean. I know he likes my body and enjoys annoying me. But is he really so freaking nice? All the time? So happy?
Can’t be.
I shake my head free of all these thoughts.
What do I care what Ben—whatBossman’sdeep dark secrets are? We’re not even friends. We’re business partners. Sixty-four days and then we’ll part ways. I will have the money I need to start reassembling my life, and he will have fulfilled his obligations to his family.
Simple.
Contractual.
I start to turn to go to bed and hear him murmur. I look back and his face is twisted, a quick flash of pain. A flash of something else twists in my gut in response. I go back to him.
“Benedict? Ben, wake up for me.”
“What? Apples. Janelle.” He mutters, eyes still closed. More twisting inside me.
“Boss!” I say much louder. “Time for more medicine.”
He finally stirs and opens his eyes. “Right. Okay.”
I grab his water off of the coffee table and hand it to him. As I put two pills in my palm and hand them to him, he smirks. The eyebrows start their wagging.
“Benedict Clark, if you drop a pill on purpose to make me bend over again, I swear, I will go back to Gran’s and leave you here to rot on your own.”
“Wifey already knows me so well.”
“Really? You’re in this state, I just threatened you and that’s what you’re going with? Wifey?” I pretend to poke his ankle, and actually make contact, but just barely.
“Ow, woman! What made you so mean?”
I flinch, feeling bad, “Sorry. I didn’t mean to actually hurt you.”
“You didn’t, love, I was only joking.” He says gently. “You’re notthatmean.”
I glare at him. “I see your meds are kicking in just fine, so I’m going to bed.” I turn and walk across the room but pause. When I turn around, his gaze is on me. He doesn’t even try to hide watching me walk away. I ignore it, since he’s probably just trying to get a reaction anyway. Still, he’s pretty pathetic right now. “Do you think you’ll be okay here on the couch all night?”
His face lights up, “Are you offering to sleep—”
“Ugh, never mind! Goodnight!”
“Goodnight, darling wife! Dream of me!” He calls, his words a little slurred.
I disappear quickly into the hallway but I feel like he can still see me somehow, still sense that I’m smiling wide like a dork. Why does he always make me smile like this? How?
I blink hard and shake it off. I just need some good sleep.
_____
“Oh good, you’re up.” I say when I enter the living room and find my billionaire standing at the kitchen counter. He’s keeping his weight off of his foot, leaning on the island. I’m about to ask how his ankle is but before I can, he drops his mug. It breaks.
“Bollocks.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t be up!” I rush to help. I grab the pieces, glad it broke off in big chunks rather than tiny shards since we’re both barefoot.
“I’m fine, just, uh, startled. You startled me.” He murmurs. Then goes silent. I toss the pieces in the trash and straighten to look at him. But he isn’t looking at me and…is he blushing?
“Benedict? Are you okay?”
