“Wow,” Daphne repeated. She eyed his slacks, which were the softest thing Benji had ever worn because Noah was a goddamn sweetheart. “Are you going to make it?”
“Of course I’m going to make it,” Benji told her. “It’s half an hour until the wedding! I can last half an hour.”
Daphne eyed his hand, which was pulling fervently at the cape around his shoulders.
“Iam,” he insisted. “Noah’s just making it difficult.”
His phone vibrated on the counter. Benji growled and grabbed it, swiping to find yet another devastatingly sexy text from Noah detailing what he was going to do to Benji after the ceremony.
A frustrated groan leaked out from behind Benji’s teeth. He was eventearing up, and what the fuck was that about? Sure, he’d had some moments this month where he thought he’d tear his hair out if he couldn’t get hard, usually when Noah was inside him. But there had been many more moments, especially lately, where the denial felt like floating high above the clouds.
Right now, he felt like he was smacking into the ground.
“Ben,” Daphne said, concerned. “You can just safeword out if it’s that bad. Noah won’t care.”
“But it’s just half anhour,” Benji cried. “I lasted amonth! Do you know how hard that was? He’s so fuckinghot, Daph! I’m not going to pussy out at the eleventh hour!”
“You’re crying,” Daphne said, her voice so full of awkward sympathy it made Benji rage.
“I am not,” he snapped, furious to see tears dripping down his reflection’s cheeks. He scrubbed at them, trying to dry them on his shirt before noticing his outfit and stopping. He looked wonderful in the suit and cape Noah had tailors make for him; he wasn’t going to ruin it with an emotional outburst.
“I’m just being stupid,” Benji said. “I can last. Ican.”
Daphne laid a hand on his shoulder. “Tell him to come and see you. I’ll go outside and distract everyone if you run a little overtime, okay?”
Benji snorted, the noise wetter than he’d like.
“You don’t have to throw in the towel,” Daphne said. “Just talk to him. You’reliterallycrying.”
“I’m just being dramatic,” Benji rasped. He wiped his cheeks, annoyed at himself. He didn’t know where this was coming from. He was stressed, sure. But he was genuinely excited for today, and he didn’t want to ruin it.
“I’ll call him,” Benji said. “But we’re just talking. This is nothing.”
“Totally,” Daphne agreed. She kissed his cheek and slipped out of the room, leaving Benji standing there in the dressing room, shaking like an idiot.
He sniffed and picked up his phone.
Noah answered on the first ring. “Benji?”
“I’m fine,” Benji said, grimacing at his croaky voice. “I love you. I’m just having a reaction about the, uh, that thing you were texting me about.”
Noah paused. “Are you in your dressing room?”
“Yeah.”
“I’ll be there in a minute,” Noah said. “I love you, baby.”
“Love you,” Benji replied.
Noah showed up at his door in under forty seconds.
“I feel like there are rules against this,” Benji said as he let him in. “Aren’t we supposed to not see each other?”
“We can do whatever the hell we want,” Noah replied, closing the door behind them and gathering Benji’s blotchy face in his hands. “What happened?”
“Nothing! Seriously, I don’t know why I’m like this.” Benji made a face, wiping at his red skin. They’d have to call the makeup guy back in to touch him up. “This is literally the worst time for this to happen. Why the fuck is this happening?”
Noah stroked his cheeks. There was something seemingly worried behind his calm exterior. Benji could see it flickering.
