He tugs my hand, pulling me onto his lap. “I know.”
Cupping my cheeks with his rough palms, he brushes a thumb over the apple of my cheek.
“I’ve regretted that decision every single day for the last five years,” I say. “I just didn’t know how to fix it or if you would even forgive me.”
He tucks a stray strand of damp hair behind my ear. “I forgive you,” he says without hesitation, and his words shock me. “Baby, I need you to listen to me and hear me, okay?”
I nod, my eyes burning with unshed tears.
“It’s okay to cry in front of me. It’s okay to scream, yell, whatever you need to do to get it out. I want to be your safe place.”
“I want to be that for you, too,” I murmur as the tears begin to fall. “But I’m emotionally stunted, you’ll have to teach me.”
Benson chuckles, kissing my forehead, then my temple, before coming back to kiss my lips. “We’ll learn this dancetogether.”
I smile as warmth settles in my chest. “Deal.”
His mouth claims mine as one arm wraps around my lower back, the other fist in my hair, sealing the deal in a kiss. He hardens beneath me, and I rock against him, anxious to seal our newfound union in other ways.
“In the spirit of sharing, I have a little confession to make,” I whisper.
He raises an inquisitive brow. “I’m all ears.”
I rub my hand across his cheek, the stubble rough beneath my palms. I can’t believe I’m touching him again. That I’m back here with him. The only place I’ve ever felt safe and cared for.
“You’re the reason I came back to D.C.” I swallow around the emotions clogging my throat as I try to get the words out. “I had job offers in two other cities, but I turned them down because I wanted to be close to you. Even though I couldn’t have you, and I knew you hated me, I still wanted you. I’ll always want you, Benson. Only you.”
He blinks several times, absorbing my confession, then his lips claim mine, branding me with a searing kiss. He pulls me closer, holding me tighter to him, and my arms wrap around his neck.
After a few moments, he slows the kiss. “I could never hate you. Never.” He tucks a strand of damp hair behind my ear. “I just wish you had told me you were here sooner.”
This time, I take his lips, plunging my tongue deep inside his hot mouth. God, I want him more than air. I need him more than I’ve ever needed anything or anyone. I rock against him, grinding my hot center along his hard length. The delicious friction pulls a moan from my lips.
“As much as I want to strip you down and take you righthere on this island, I think we should first address the other elephant in the room,” he says, nodding behind me.
The envelope lies ominously on the counter. I slide from his lap, pick up the envelope, and carry it into the living room. I take a seat on the worn sofa, the fire still going strong.
“Have you looked through the jump drives yet?” I ask, still staring at the envelope.
“They were all encrypted. I sent the files over to Oakley. He’s working to decode them now. Reid said he’d let us know what they find.” He takes a seat next to me, gently grasping my chin and turning my head to look at him. “No matter what happens, or what’s in that envelope, we’re in this together. I’m with you no matter what.”
Fighting back the tears, I nod.
“Say it,” he commands, his voice soft and gentle.
“Together,” I whisper.
Satisfied, he releases me, and I inhale a deep breath before unfastening the clasp and pulling out the papers.
Her body is stiff, and her face is filled with trepidation as she pulls the papers out of the envelope and scans each page one at a time. I remain quiet, giving her the space she needs to absorb the information.
“These papers state my mother is my biological mother and that I was adopted by my dad, who is not my biological father. There is no mention of him here.”
“And your original birth certificate?” I ask.
“My copy lists Ashford as my biological father.”
“With his money, he probably had it altered.”
