SARAH
There’s a very famous saying:trust your gut.
I knew that it was true, but I went against it and agreed to let Ben carry me upstairs, and now I could confirm with a thousand per cent certainty (I know that’s not technically possible, but you get the point) that it was right.
I’d only been in his arms for all of ten seconds and I knew this was a very, very bad idea.
‘You okay?’ He looked down at me, and as our eyes locked, my stomach flip-flopped. Exercise was supposed to help cramps, so at least that was a positive.
I wasn’t sure that the same could be said for staring at him with love-heart eyes or drooling, which I was also doing right now.
As he’d promised, Ben had scooped me up into his athletic arms with such ease, you’d think I weighed less than half a feather.
That one swift action was enough on its own to make me swoon. But when you added the feel of his solid biceps, the sensation of his heart beating against my body, his intoxicating manly scent (I didn’t know which aftershave he used, but if I hadthe money, I’d buy shares in whatever company made it), and his insane hotness to the equation, it was easy to understand why I was feeling lightheaded right now.
I was barely holding it togetherbeforehe looked into my eyes, so Lord knows how I was going to conjure up the ability to speak.
His eyes were even more beautiful close up. Today they looked more hazel than brown.
And I’m sorry, but there’s no way those lashes weren’t fake. It was impossible for them to be natural. He used eyelash curlers too, I was sure of it.
‘Earth to Sarah.’ Ben raised his voice. ‘I need to know if you’re okay. If you’re in too much pain to speak, just give me a thumbs-up or something.’
Oh, thank God. I was glad I’d been let off from the whole talking thing, because honestly, I wasn’t sure if I could manage it.
This was nuts. I was supposed to hate Ben. I couldn’t start liking him! We had to work together. And, fuck, we had to go to Adrian’s wedding too.
No. It was fine. I was just feeling all giddy because of the paracetamol and the kind things he’d done for me. Once I felt better and was back at work tomorrow, I’d be thinking more clearly and would see sense.
I quickly lifted my thumb as he’d suggested.
‘Where’s your room key?’ he asked. ‘I’ll need to lock up and obviously you’ll need it to get back in.’
I pointed to the table near the door and he strode over, picked up the key with his free hand, then opened the door like it was nothing.
How was it even possible that he was carrying me with one arm?
Now he was just showing off.
I hated to admit it, but if he was trying to impress me, it was working.
He shut my room door behind him, then pulled the handle to check it was locked. The B&B was safe and I was pretty sure that even if I left my door wide open for a whole day, no one would take anything, but it was sweet of him to make sure my belongings were protected.
Ben marched down the hallway, then started climbing the steep flight of stairs. The angle made me shift in his arms a little, and he gripped me tighter.
‘You good?’ he said and I nodded. ‘Hold on tighter if you’re nervous, but don’t worry, Jeffries. I’ve got you.’
Warmth flooded my belly. I didn’t know whether it was the fact that he was making sure that I was okay, the use of the nickname which was growing on me, or the fact that he’d just reassured me that he had my back or everything, but I felt safe. Secure. Cared for.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt that way. Or if I ever had.
When we reached the top of the staircase, he headed towards a large white door, reached into his pocket for the key, unlocked it, then pushed it open.
I’d never been up to this floor before, so I was curious to see what it was like.
As Ben stepped inside, I turned my head to get a better view.
Wow.
