He catches me staring and raises an eyebrow. “What?”
I scramble for an answer. “Just thinking how much I like hanging out with you. You make it easy.”
He bites his lip, watching the road, but I catch the flush on his cheeks even in the dark.
“Yeah,” he says in a soft voice. “Me too, April.”
We’re quiet for a few moments, but it’s the good kind. The kind that says I could do this forever and not get bored.
We pull into the restaurant parking lot, Ben circles around, parking as close to the door as possible. He steps out first, coming around to open my door like it’s second nature.
His hand rests on the small of my back until we reach the entrance. When the wind blows, he tugs me in a bit closer, using his body to shield me from the cold. I breathe him in, all cologne,leather, and a hint of soap. All of it is so real and intoxicating it makes my head swim.
For once, I let my guard down and let myself want this.
I deserve it.
Inside, the host lights up when he sees Ben. He lets us know our table will be ready soon, asking if we want to wait at the bar.
I look up at Ben to find he’s already looking at me. That same hungry look from before. And inside, I feel nothing but peace.
I feel wanted.
The restaurant is unreal.
All gold light and soft shadows, the kind of place where even the chairs feel expensive. There’s a single candle in the middle of the table, flickering, making Ben’s face look sharp-edged and perfect. I can’t stop staring at his hands, at the little frown he gets when he’s deciding what to order, or the way his lips twitch every time I say something that surprises him.
The sound of soft jazz music fills the air, gentle but seductive, the clink of silverware filling in the rest.
He pours me water from the carafe like a fucking gentleman, then leans back, all confidence and warmth.
“So, April. Tell me something about yourself. Something that nobody else knows.”
I snort, instantly nervous. “You first.”
He eyes me for a second then finally surrenders. “Okay. I’ll give you a pass this time. Hmm… what is something nobody knows about me…” He pauses a moment, thinking. Then, “When I was ten, I broke my arm falling out of a tree trying to impress a girl. She didn’t even notice. So, my first tattoo was this branch, right here.” He points to the underside of his wrist and moves in closer so I get a better look. It’s a faint black line, nothing flashy, but I can feel the history in it.
“That’s kind of adorable,” I say, and I mean it.
He shrugs, grinning. “I was a scrawny little shit. Not much has changed.”
I roll my eyes, laughing. “You’re lying. You probably have to beat women off with a stick.”
He catches my gaze, and the look he gives me is so raw it makes my stomach turn inside out. “Trust me, April. I’m not interested in just any woman.”
There’s heat in the way he says it, promise and hunger, like he’s already undressing me with his eyes. I swallow, fidget with the napkin, needing a second to breathe.
He smirks but doesn’t push.
“Okay, my turn. I like Lilyes. They’re my favorite and have been since I was a kid.” The words come easy, which is weird, but with Ben I feel safe. “My mom used to grow them. Whenever things got bad, she’d say they could survive anything.”
He nods, processing what I just revealed. “That’s badass. I knew there was a reason I liked you.”
He’s so open, so fucking real, and the things he says go straight past my defenses.
He leans forward, with his elbows resting on the table. “Is your tattoo okay? You keep shifting like maybe it hurts.”
Feeling a little embarrassed, I glance down at my lap. “It’s fine. The bandage is a little uncomfortable.”
