Then last, final.
"Do you want me to kiss you?" And suddenly he was there.
I tilted my head up, eyes on his lips, mine parting before Iknew it and then—believe it or not—I said, "No."
Shocked even myself.
The smirk he gave me was slow, doubtful. "You sure?"
Was I sure? Hell no. My heart slammed against my ribs like it was ready to come out and scream the truth for me, but still, for reasons fully unknown, I couldn't get it out of me.
When I didn't say anything, he frowned, probably scanning his mental Rolodex for any time this had happened before.
I'm sure it hasn't. No woman hated herself like I did.
"It's just... it's only been a month since David. We dated for four years and, well, I'm still thinking about him." That part was true and I kicked the sand, hating to admit it and hating David's guts for screwing me up. "I don't want to drag anyone through my baggage. I want to be ready."
Ben's jaw tensed, as if he pictured breaking his nose. "David was a dick. He didn't deserve you."
I gave him a fleeting smile, basking in the fact that it made him so furious. "Thanks. Wish I'd figured that out before he started cheating with everyone."
Ben shook his head, falling into slow step again, and that's when he opened up too.
"After my last breakup, I jumped into another relationship. Thought it was different," he said and let out a mocking breath. "No. Same person in a different body. I could've moved mountains for her, and she would've complained they were on the wrong side. Then I found out she cheated."
I frowned. "That sucks. Sorry to hear that."
"I can't stand disloyalty," he hissed, his jaw tightening. Then he looked down and added, "Honestly, I'm still healing."
I thoughtwow, he didn't even care to be a tough guy, just said it as it was, and that vulnerability made me want to take back everything I said, kiss him, patch up all the broken pieces myself.
"Me too," I whispered. "It cuts deep when your best isn't enough."
"It breaks you. But life goes on, and you hope someone stays while you—"
"Put yourself back together?" I finished for him and he looked at me like he was surprised I guessed it right, then nodded.
"That's rare though," I said.
"Maybe."
The wind whipped against my skin and I shivered.
It took him one second to shrug off his blazer and set it on me while he sat half-naked.
I wanted to ask him if he wasn't cold, but then I realized the blazer was heated like some private sun, and his body ran on its own temperature, so I snuggled it, secretly hoping his scent would ingrain in my skin.
He slipped off his shoes by the heels and walked barefoot toward the water.
"I wish we'd met on a different timeline," he said over his shoulder. "But you know what? I can be there for you. Like... a friend."
"Friend?" I smirked. "What kind of friend? The once-a-yeartext kind—'Hey, you alive?' but somehow misses your housewarming, your divorce, and your funeral? Or the kind who's in on every joke, every meltdown, every midnight confession?"
"Thatone." He pointed, smiling. "I could be that for you. Could use one too."
"Thought you had enough friends?"
"I want you—" he said deliberately slowly, turning his whole body to mine. "As my best friend."
