I lean in, cupping his face gently. “Well, for what it’s worth,” I murmur, “I like Benedict Montgomery.”
I kiss him then, soft and slow, trying to pour everything I feel into that single point of contact. When we break apart, his eyes are shining.
“You barely know me,” he whispers.
“I’m working on changing that,” I reply with a grin. “Now, how about some cheese to go with those grapes?”
As we nibble and chat, I find myself falling deeper. Benedict’s quick wit, his quiet strength, the way he listens like every word matters—it’s intoxicating.
“So,” Benedict says eventually, “what about you? You must have some fascinating stories from your job.”
I grin, thinking of the chaos that is my daily life. “Oh, you have no idea. Just last week, I had to tackle a guy trying to sneak a ferret into a black-tie gala.”
Benedict’s eyes widen. “You’re joking.”
“I wish I was.” I laugh. “But seriously, I love it. Every day is different, you know? And I get to help people, make them feel safe.”
“That’s beautiful, Zeke,” Benedict says softly, and the sincerity in his voice makes my heart skip a beat.
I lean in, unable to resist kissing him again. This time, it’s deeper, more urgent. Benedict responds with equal fervor, and soon, we’re tangled together on the blanket, the picnic forgotten.
When we finally come up for air, Benedict’s cheeks are flushed, his hair adorably mussed. “Thank you,” he murmurs, “for bringing me out here. It’s… I didn’t realize how much I needed this.”
I brush a strand of hair from his face, marveling at how lucky I am to be here, in this moment, with him. “Anytime,” I say, meaning it with every fiber of my being.
The drive back to the city is filled with comfortable silence and stolen glances. Benedict’s hand rests on my thigh, a warm weight that sends sparks through my entire body. As I pull up to his place, the sky’s turned a deep indigo, stars just starting to peek out.
I kill the engine and turn to Benedict. “Well, here we are.”
He doesn’t move to get out. Instead, he bites his lip, looking at me with those soulful brown eyes. “Zeke…would you like to stay over?”
My heart does a backflip. “I, uh?—”
“You don’t have to,” he adds quickly. “I just…I’m not ready for this day to end.”
A grin spreads across my face. “Neither am I,” I admit.
Benedict’s smile is like sunshine breaking through clouds. “Really?”
“Really.” I nod, already unbuckling my seatbelt. “Though fair warning, I might need to borrow more clothes.”
He laughs, a sound I’m quickly becoming addicted to. “I think we can manage that.”
As we walk to his front door, I realize I’m in deep. Like, drowning-but-don’t-want-to-be-rescued deep. Every logical part of my brain is screaming that this is moving too fast, that I barely know him, that there are a million reasons why this is a bad idea.
But as Benedict fumbles with his keys, shooting me a shy smile over his shoulder, I know I’m already gone. I’m falling for him, hard and fast, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
5
BENEDICT
The words flow from my fingertips like water, filling the screen with the story that’s been buzzing in my head all morning. I’m in the zone, that magical writerly trance where the real world fades and all that exists is the world in my head.
A heavy knock on the door nearly makes me jump out of my skin.
Grumbling, I push away from my desk and shuffle to the cottage door. When I swing it open, my irritation evaporates, replaced by a jolt of anxiety.
A royal guard stands ramrod straight on my doorstep.
