The last one was one she’d never seen before, but she remembered the day it was taken. The elementary school had a harvest festival fundraiser. Each class sponsored a booth, and the event was open to the community. The festival was full of games, prizes, baked goods, arts and crafts, and entertainment. Paige had talked Ben into going with her and her parents. When they thought she wasn’t looking, her father had given Ben money to enjoy some of the activities, and she remembered having a blast with Ben at her side.
The festival had a game called a cake walk, and Paige remembered their teacher explaining how the game was played. All she needed to know was that it was like musical chairs, and the winner won the homemade cake that was offered. When the double chocolate fudge cake came up as the next prize, she and Ben decided to compete for it. They were certain one of them would win, and they fell over themselves trying to beat each other.
Ben had won the cake, but then he presented it to her. She insisted it was his, but he told her he didn’t want it. He only wanted to have fun with her. Their teacher said the gesturewas so sweet, she wanted to take their picture. She captured the image of the two six-year-olds, with their rumpled clothes, messy hair, and crooked grins, holding the sugary dessert between them like it was gold instead of cake.
“I had the best time that day.”
She jerked, her hand flying to her chest. “Where did you come from? I didn’t hear you come back.”
Ben grinned. “It happens. Becky says sometimes I sound like a herd of elephants charging through, and sometimes my footsteps are quieter than church on communion Sunday, whatever that means.”
Paige chuckled. “I’ve never heard that phrase before, but it fits. I’m wondering where you got this picture.”
“I stole it.”
She gaped at him. “Ben, are you serious?”
“Yep,” he said, looking very pleased with himself. “I saw it on the teacher’s desk with a bunch of other pictures she took at the Harvest Festival. When no one was looking, I took it and hid it in my notebook. The edges are kind of bent because it came with me to basic training and deployment when I was in the Army.”
Her eyes widened. “Really? I, uh, I don’t know what to say to that. I just never…Well, I guess I’m surprised…”
His finger touched her lips, effectively silencing her. “I never forgot you, Paige. Outside of my brothers, you were the best friend I ever had.”
She lightly grabbed his hand and lowered his finger. Then, rising on her tiptoes, she touched her lips to the corner of Ben’s mouth. The roughness of his five o’clock shadow caused her skin to tingle in the most delicious way.
“I feel the same about you.”
Her voice was soft, and she was acutely aware of how close their bodies were. She released his hand and placed hers on his chest. His heart thudded underneath her palm. Ben tangled his fingers in her hair, drawing them through the strands slowly, sensually. A shudder wound through her body.
“I’m glad.” His voice was deep and low, causing heat to flood her belly. “But I’m no longer interested in being your friend.”
His head lowered, his lips hovering over her mouth. If she wanted to stop him, he gave her every chance to do so. But she didn’t. She would bet good money she wanted this kiss more than he did.
His lips touched hers, and her mouth opened in response. His tongue dipped inside, tasting her. He pulled her flush against him. Her hands wrapped around his neck to steady herself. Her knees weakened, and she was grateful for his hold keeping her upright. A haze clouded her mind, her senses attuned to his taste, his touch, and the feel of him. Fireworks exploded behind her eyes when he deepened the kiss. Her lungs tightened, begging for air, but she wasn’t about to pull away. Desire swept her in a dizzying web, holding her prisoner to the passion lacing the kiss.
Ben was the first to break away. They stared at each other, panting and pulling in deep breaths. His eyes had darkened to almost black, and she was captivated by the fathomless depths. Her fingers tangled in his hair, her eyes memorizing every slope and plane of his face. All traces of the boy she once knew were gone. Left in their place was the evidence of a man who was strong, battle-hardened, and weathered by the tests of time.The result was potent, the substance of every fantasy she’d ever had…only better.
“If friendship’s not what interests you,” she began, her voice breathy. “What do you want?”
He pressed his forehead against hers. “You, sweetheart.”
“And if I tell you that you can have me?”
“Don’t say it unless you mean that I can have all of you. I want to explore every inch of your body. I want your heart and your soul to belong to me. I’ve never had much to call my own, and I’ve never cared. But you, sweetheart? You were always meant to be mine.”
“I want that too. I don’t want to focus on the fear or my problems or anything but you. I don’t want to feel anything but you, Ben. I want you to touch me, to kiss me, to make love to me, until I forget everything else.”
He kissed her again, hard and unforgiving. She tried to push her body closer to his, craving the feel of him, but they were already as close as two people could be. Lowering back to the pads of her feet, she released her hold on him without breaking the kiss. Her hands glided up his torso under his shirt, and she groaned at how smooth and solid his abdomen felt.
With his hands wrapped around her biceps, he gently set her back until the kiss broke. He backed up several steps, and she saw his internal struggle to collect himself. Something she definitely didn’t want to happen.
“Why did you stop?” She ignored her whiny tone.
“We can’t . Not like this.” His voice sounded ravaged, and Paige felt a surge of pride that she had affected him that way.
“I want this, Ben. More than I’ve wanted anything in a long while.”
He shook his head, and she couldn’t tell if he was doing it to respond to her or to clear his mind. “Not true. You want your freedom. You want to live without fear. I want that for you, too, but I won’t be a distraction to help you forget. When I make love to you, it’ll be because we’ve started something we don’t want to end. Not because we’re trying to avoid reality.”
