As he twirled a strand of my hair in his fingers, I wished I could stay. A chill made me shudder, and Ben pulled the blanket over my shoulder.
Burrowing under it, I said, “I can’t believe how chilly it gets here at night. Even in the summer.”
“No humidity,” he said, brushing his lips over my cheek.
“In the city, we would roast no matter the time of day. We’d head home late at night after having dinner or drinks and the lights would be flashing, horns blowing, and the humidity was no joke. But it was okay. The city felt so alive. Electric, almost.”
As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I regretted them.
“I’ll bet it was,” Ben said evenly.
He didn’t stop rubbing my back or occasionally kissing my neck, but the air around us changed. I’d tipped my proverbial hat, which was why I had to leave Vermont. Eventually, I was going to move to a big city. Not New York, but somewhere I could make a name and a new life for myself.
“Shhh,” Ben whispered into my temple. “I can feel you thinking. Don’t do that. Enjoy this moment.”
Agreeing, I nodded, scrunching my nose as the ends of his hair tickled my face. “I still need to go. It’s a weeknight. Tomorrow, I work noon to five at the Bean, and I still have to finish up some details for Hunnie.”
“Okay,” he grumbled. “But I’m going to keep you in my bed one of these nights.”
“You’re pretty confident nowadays.” The words spilled out before I could stop them.
“I am.”
In the next second, he was thoroughly kissing me. His lips parted and my tongue entered his mouth. We’d already had a perfect evening, and if I wasn’t careful, he’d be inside me again and I’d be spending the night.
Ben was the one to finally break the kiss. Slapping my butt, he said, “Let’s get you home.”
* * *
Tucked into his Jeep, the world totally dark around us, I saw the clock flashing a few minutes after eleven on the dash. “I’m sorry you have to drive me all the way back to Colebury. Another difference between here and the city. There I could get an Uber or taxi or town car.”
Ben kept his focus on the road, but mumbled, “Whatever your fancy, right at your fingertips, huh.”
I wasn’t sure what his tone was laced with. Resentment? Jealousy? Or was it envy?
“You know, I’ve never spent the night at anyone’s place. Yours was the first I ever considered ... staying all night.”
Not taking his eyes from the road, he said, “Murphy, you’re thirty-two years old. That’s not believable.”
“My mom would’ve had a fit if I were spotted coming out of someone’s place in the morning or vice versa, so I never did it. The thought of disgracing her was my worst fear for most of my life. And then I did exactly that.”
Glancing at me, he asked, “Were you happy then?”
Swallowing my pride, I gave him the truth. “No. I had this dream job and a fabulous apartment and all the salon appointments in the world, but no.”
“Are you happy now?”
His words took me by surprise. So blunt and to the point, but exactly what I needed to hear.
“I think so,” I said slowly. “Yeah, I think so.”
“Well, there you go.”
Ben reached over to turn on some music and began humming along to Dave Matthews Band.
“No classical?” I teased.
“Not this time of night. I need to get you home in one piece and myself back home the same way I left.”
