Audrey appears from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dish towel. Her face lights up when she sees me, and she pulls me into a warm hug, squeezing tight.
“I’m so happy you’re here. This is such a wonderful surprise.”
Over her shoulder, I catch her shooting a triumphant smirk at Ben. It’s quick, but it’s loaded with meaning. Like she knows something I don’t.
“Thanks for having me,” I say as she releases me. “And I’m so sorry to show up unannounced. The restaurant had a water main break, and?—”
“Nonsense. Don’t apologize.” Audrey waves her hand dismissively. “We have enough food for an army. And honestly, this is the best thing that’s happened all day.”
She’s beaming at me like I’ve given her a gift just by walking through the door. I don’t know what to make of it.
Reign appears from the living room with Leo cradled against his chest. He’s as large as Ben, maybe even broader through the shoulders, with the same dark hair and intense eyes. He takes in the scene—his brother standing close behind me, Audrey practically glowing with satisfaction—and gives a small nod of acknowledgment.
“Evening, Tilly,” he says. “Good to see you.”
“You too.” I try to sound normal, like I’m not completely overwhelmed by everything happening right now. “Thanks for, uh, letting me crash your dinner.”
Audrey loops her arm through mine and steers me toward the dining room.
“Come on. Let’s get you fed. You must be starving.”
I let her lead me, acutely aware of Ben’s presence behind us. He hasn’t touched me since we walked through the door, but I can feel him there. Watching.
Waiting.
The dining room takes my breath away. A massive wooden table dominates the space, surrounded by heavy chairs that look like they were built to last generations. A fire crackles in a stone hearth along one wall, casting warm, flickering light across everything. Through the windows, I can see the dark shapes of mountains against the night sky.
It’s beautiful and intimidating. It’s so far removed from my tiny apartment above the shop that I feel like I’ve stumbled into someone else’s life.
Audrey gestures to a seat, and I sink into it gratefully. Ben takes the chair beside me and sits close enough that his thigh presses against mine.
I suck in a breath.
Stop being weird, Matilda, I tell myself.It’s just a leg. People sit next to each other at dinner tables all the time.
But my skin is on fire where we’re touching. Even through my clothes, I can feel the heat of him, the solid strength of his body.
I reach for my water glass and take a long sip, trying to cool the flush rising up my neck.
Audrey sets a plate in front of me piled high with roast beef, roasted vegetables, and crusty bread. The smell is incredible, rich and savory, but my stomach is too knotted with nerves to feel hungry.
“This looks amazing,” I manage. “Thank you so much.”
“Audrey’s the best cook in the county,” Reign says, settling into his seat across from us with Leo still tucked against his chest. “I married up.”
“You definitely did,” Audrey agrees, leaning over to kiss his cheek before taking her own seat. “And don’t you forget it.”
They’re so easy with each other. So comfortable. I watch the way Reign’s hand finds Audrey’s on the table, the way she leans into him without thinking about it. They fit together like two pieces of the same puzzle.
I’ve never had that. I’ve never even come close.
The guys I’ve dated—if you can call a handful of awkward coffee meetings and one disastrous movie night “dating”—were nothing like this. They were nervous grad students who talked about their research for three hours straight. They were nice enough, I suppose, but I never felt a spark. I never felt anything except vague relief when the evening ended.
I certainly never felt like my skin was too tight for my body. I never felt like I might spontaneously combust if someone touched me.
I feel that way now. Every time Ben shifts beside me, every time his leg presses against mine, electricity shoots through my entire nervous system.
What is wrong with me?
