“You do have some, I presume?” He was gleefully toying with me once more. He knew it and I knew it.
“I wish!” I pursed my lips together and glared at him in a way that implied that if I did, I might be forced to use them on him.
A small chuckle escaped his mouth and I hated how playfully adorable he was right now.
“But seriously, do you need some help?” He gestured to the stuck scarf again.
“No, no. I’m fine.”
Now that the one side was free I wiggled out of the scarf easily. I tried to pull it loose from the thorns, but it was stuck, so I abandoned it and slid back out against the wall until I arrived in the garden.
“You’re just going to leave that there?”
“It’s not going anywhere.”
We stood in silence and regarded each other for a moment.
“Li and I were just going to go up and have breakfast, would you like to join us.”
“Oh no! No, no, no, thanks.” I quickly dismissed the idea. It was insane that he would be asking me such a thing, after everything that had transpired between us.
“But we’re having waffles,” Ben said, picking Li up so she was at eye level.
“Thanks for the offer, but . . .”
“Please come.” Li’s little voice rang out.
I looked at her and she looked back at me with those sweet little eyes. “Sorry, sweetie, I have some things to do so I can’t, but maybe next time.”
She looked suddenly disappointed and my guilt-o-meter sky-rocketed.
“Please. I’ll share mine with you if there aren’t enough.” Jeez, dagger of guilt through my beating heart. She looked at me with a sad face and slumped shoulders. How the hell was it humanly possible to say no to that? It was not even an option, and Ben knew it, judging by his smile.
“You can’t say no to that face,” he half mouthed to me.
“Manipulative,” I mouthed back.
“Please,” she asked again.
“On one condition,” I said. “We go out for breakfast. Not up there.” I pointed at the apartments. The idea of being in his apartment again was just so intimate and so wrong.
“Deal!” he said looking pleased with himself and raising a gleeful Li up over his head and onto his shoulders.
“Let me just go and change first.” I walked ahead.
“You look great.” Ben’s words stopped me and I turned slowly. I was wearing one of the worst Sunday morning outfits that I had ever managed to rustle up.
“Doubtful.” I started walking back towards the building.
“Factual,” he shouted after me.
“Hmmph.” I wasn’t convinced. But as I approached the lift Ben’s hand shot out and caught me on the back of my jumper. I turned.
“Come.” He pulled me slightly. “You look . . .” His eyes moved up and down my body. “Great.” His voice was soft and silky again, like liquid gold and I could feel myself falling for it again, until I became aware of the small person looking down at me.
“You’re very pretty,” she said. “Not as pretty as my mommy, though. She’s the prettiest.”
Li was right about that, and in that moment of terrible hair, undress and mess, I didn’t really feel like being reminded of how effing gorgeous his ex-wife was. Ben gestured with his head in the direction of the garage.
