Ben’s warm breath against her ear sent a ripple of desire through her. He was doingsomethingright. Forcing herself to concentrate on his words, she pulled back. “Are you sure you’re ready?”
“To kiss you again? I’m so ready, Amy.”
Amy pushed against his chest as he leaned in to kiss her. “To move on, I mean. I don’t want to rush you.” She held her breath, waiting for his answer.
Ben cupped her cheek and gazed so deep into her eyes, she was certain he could see the very depths of her soul. Could he see how much she loved him?
“A part of my heart will always belong to Melanie, but since you came to Providence, my heart has grown, and my capacity to love has increased. I can’t guarantee I won’t still experience some grief on occasion, especially as Cassey grows up to look like her mother, but I’m ready to move on... as long as it’s with you.”
Amy leaned toward him, tipping her chin up. “Then kiss me already.”
He slid his fingers into her hair and lowered his lips to hers.
A sigh escaped her as she welcomed this long-awaited kiss. Warmth seeped into her body as she responded to him the way she’d dreamed of doing ever since their first kiss.
The feel of his lips on hers erased any lingering doubts. Ben was the first man to come along after Lance, but he was the one she was meant to be with. The one who would commit to her, always protect her, and treat her right. And more importantly, without even knowing it, he’d taught her to love herself.
He moaned and tightened his arms around her, kissing her as though he’d never get another chance to do so again.
She returned his kiss with the same passion.
When he finally ended the kiss, he rested his forehead against hers. “Please, don’t ever leave me.”
Amy struggled to catch her breath. “I love you, Ben Young. I don’t care whether you’re a mechanic or a lawyer. I love you. More than I ever thought it possible to love another person. But I can’t promise nothing will ever happen to me.”
Ben pulled back enough to look at her. “I know, but you’ve been talking about moving out. I couldn’t bear it if you left and took Kallie with you.” His voice grew ragged as he spoke, “I love that little angel like my own, and if you left, it would leave a hole in my heart that could never be filled.” When Amy opened her mouth to speak, he hurried on, “and I’m afraid if you leave, Cassey would be heartbro—.”
Amy pressed her lips against his to quiet him. Ben quickly overcame his surprise and deepened the kiss. She placed her hand behind his neck to prevent him from ending the connection before she was ready. She loved the taste of him and couldn’t seem to get enough.
She finally loosened her hold and broke the kiss. “I thought if I moved out it might make it easier for you to bond with Cassey. But, don’t worry, after tonight, I can’t afford to move out. Besides, I love Cassey too much to leave her.”
He smiled. “Good.”
She touched his dimple with her index finger.
Ben wrapped her in a tight embrace, sweeping the air from her lungs. “Thank you.”
She pulled back. “For what?”
“For rescuing me.” Tears filled his eyes. “You’ve told me more than once I rescued you when you broke down, but the truth is, you rescued me. When you and Kallie came to Providence, you brought a ray of sunshine with you. It took me a while, but I finally figured out how to let go of some of my grief and allow myself to be happy. I thought I’d never be able to love another woman. Then you and Kallie showed up, and I found myself feeling things I never thought I’d feel again.”
Ben caressed her cheek, then let his thumb linger for a moment on her lips before his fingers traced her jaw and the length of her throat, leaving a trail of fire in their wake.
She stopped breathing in anticipation of another kiss. Her pulse throbbed as he slipped his fingers to the back of her neck and lowered his lips to hers again in another passionate kiss.
Warmth filled Amy’s body, and she had a sense of coming home. She’d found what she’d searched for her entire life. A man who would love and cherish her.
When his lips finally left hers, she sucked in a shaky breath. “Wow. I’m definitely getting my money’s worth and we haven’t even gone on our date yet.”
Ben chuckled and held her close.
Amy leaned her head against his chest. His racing heartbeat brought a smile to her face. She wasn’t the only one affected by their kissing.
“Seeing as we haven’t even gone out, it’s probably too early to ask you to marry me. So, maybe you were right—one of us should move out. I’ll move back to the apartment tomorrow.”
Amy lifted her head. “Ben, no. That’ll be hard on the girls.”
He groaned. “It’ll be hard on me to live in such close proximity to you without doing something horribly inappropriate with you in my parent’s house.” He wiggled his eyebrows, eliciting a chuckle from her. His expression sobered. “Besides, people in small towns can be pretty judgmental. When word gets out that we are in a relationship, it won’t look good for your reputation if we are living under the same roof.”
