Page 80 of The Betrothal

“Finish your coffee and let’s get you dressed. Ben’s waiting for you outside.” He removed the tray from my lap.

“He is?” I didn’t hide my surprise. “Why?”

“I don’t know. Ben just said he wanted to spend time with you today. And I am useless in the workshop. The best I can offer is holding the tools and being pretty.” He wiggled his eyebrows.

“And here I thought baking, decorating and cricket were your only shortcomings?” I rose, folding the blanket, thinning my lips to hide the smile.

“So petulant!” Seb laid another slap on my ass, and I jumped at the sting and took off up the stairs.

I twirled my ponytail between my fingers, a rarity but a clear tell of my nerves. Nerves that were now annoying me.

I’d been with Ben, in the cellar, in the house, in my bloody bedroom. He’d seen all of me. Touched all of me. And I was nervous to see him, to be with him in his workshop.

I was being ridiculous.

“Ben?” I called out as I pushed the door open. The whirring of machinery somewhere in the back of the barn was loud. “It’s me?”

Who else would it be, genius? I grimaced.

“Ben?” I called louder, wandering in the direction of the noise. I rounded a large digger to find the source.

Ben was wearing a large pair of ear defenders and running a handheld machine over the surface of the digger, based on the cloud of dust and the mask he wore, a sander.

I waved, strolling closer and feeling absolutely ridiculous, but Ben saw me, killing the machine and ripping off the mask, offering a smile so magnetic it eliminated any and all awkwardnesses.

“Hey, Sugar.” He closed the distance, cupping my neck, the warmth of his skin bleeding into mine. He searched my eyes, then placed a gentle kiss on my lips. These men were being so sweet today.

“Hi,” I muttered against his mouth.

When neither of us immediately withdrew, the electricity between us began to build, bringing with it all the surging sensations of desire, starting where his fingers touched my neck and shooting outwards.

I blinked, pushing that down for later, I hoped. “You wanted me?”

“Did I ever?” he whispered, then stepped back. My lips tingled with the imprint of his. “Do you fancy helping me out today?”

His face was so open, so hopeful.

I slipped my fingers through the tendrils of hair that fell over his forehead, surging with joy at how comfortable he’d become. I pushed the soft strands back and marvelled again at their softness.

“I want nothing more,” I responded honestly. His answering smile almost broke my heart. “I have to tell you, though, I’m deeply inexperienced in metalwork and machinery.”

He caught my hand as I dropped it away from his hair, tugging back the way I’d come. “I’m sure you’d be a quick study, but today I’m working on windows.”

I was placed between two smaller work surfaces while Ben removed a large wooden frame from a vice.

“That sound okay?” he asked, placing the frame in front of me.

“What can I do?” I had no more experience with windows than diggers.

“Well, I have a few frames to finish, but then I have to load up all the glass for Alex to take to the house.” He tapped the frame in front of me. “Could you help me stain and seal them?”

Staining, painting. I could do that, so I smiled. “Absolutely.”

The morning flew by. I tried to be diligent, even though it wasn’t paint, so I was less likely to leave streaks and ruin Ben’s windows. I had no doubt about his exacting standards, and although I was sure he wouldn’t have the same expectations of me, I desperately didn’t want to do a bad job.

If I thought I had woken up happy, that was nothing on how I felt now.

Ben chatted freely with me, and there was no pressure to talk about my life, where I was from, or what my future entailed. Nor he and his. We talked about music, our hobbies, and our loves.