I hear Micah's voice to my right, whispering to Lu. "Is that Richard? Thought he was blonde?"
Ben turns slightly, extending a hand without the other letting go of me. "No, I'm Ben. Emma's boyfriend."
Oh my god. I'll kill him.
Micah frowns at me, confused. "Oh. I didn't know that. Hey."
I whip my head around at Ben just as he shakes hands with Micah.
That's it. I'm done. Completely undone.
"Okay. That's enough," I mutter, wrenching myself free, leaving Ben behind and pushing into the crowd. Gaze glued to the floor, I rush through, even though I can feel the eyes on me.
Oxygen. Now.
I slam the bathroom door and lock it, leaning against the sink. My reflection stares back, wide-eyed, completely lost. What the hell just happened? What the hell am I doing?
Cold water hits my face, dripping down the front of my dress, but it does nothing.
Rita saw me and she would sell me out for a martini with Richard.
I touch my neck where Ben kissed me.
Shit. That photo—his mouth on me, his hands around my waist—that's me officially ruined. God, his temper turns off that mind and makes him just feel. I should hate him for it. I wish I could.
"You're stupid," I spit at myself in the mirror. "Stupid. Stupid. Stupid."
When I get out, Ben's just across the door, leaning against the wall, arms crossed, and instead of the usual smirk, he looks serious. And so do I.
I swallow the shout, and try to steady my voice, but it trembles anyway. "Ben, what you did out there is not okay."
He studies me for a beat, face hard, then drags in a breath. "No. What I'm feeling is not okay."
I arch a brow. "What do you mean? Why are you even here?"
He peels himself from the wall and takes a step toward me. "Because I can't keep waiting."
I swallow hard, because there's something raw in his expression I've never seen before.
"I’ve been patient, but you move so painfully slow. I’ve tried to play it your way, to let you come to me on your terms, but you don’t," he says and his jaw locks. “I want you to leave him. Today. Come home with me.”
My back thuds against the wall as a sharp, stunned breath slips out of me. I can’t believe he’s saying this. Here. Now.
A part of me wants to say yes before I even think, but the other part rears, panicked—and I'm still angry with him.
"And your marriage?" I say, frowning. "Are you just going to walk away from Lisa? I thought your family—"
"It won't be easy," he cuts in. "But I'll take the fallout over this—" his hand slices between us, "—this endless lying to everyone. Aren't you sick of it?"
"I am sick of it, and tired, but it's not the right time to tell Richard. He needs me—" It slips out, and before I can say anything else, Ben gives me a serrated snort.
"Needs you?! So I'm just some fucking sideshow in your parade of obligations?"
"No. That's not what I meant—"
"Then what? I'm supposed to wait until it's convenient?" he bites out.
"No—"
