paint?” He lets out a loud snort. “You honestly think they don’t remember?” His hand escapes my pocket, freeing his arm to drape over my shoulders again. “I was just letting him know that I don’t care if my girlfriend is a complete whack job. I want to hear more about it sometime, though. I’m betting it’s a good story.”
“Way to take advantage of the situation. Ten points for being a douchebag,” I mutter as we stop on the sidewalk and wait for the light to change.
“I just helped you make your ex-husband jealous, so you’re welcome. I don’t do pretend boyfriend shit. I’m normally Switzerland. I went rogue for you, so be grateful.”
“All out of the kindness of your heart?”
“Definitely for an organ of mine,” I think I hear him mutter under his breath, and then I catch the crooked smile as he says more loudly, “Exactly. Don’t be a chick and read anything into it, okay?”
The arm around my shoulder slides off, allowing him to reach up and grasp my chin. He pulls my face up to meet his crystal-blue eyes. “You still have a thing for him?”
“No.”
Obviously not believing me, he adds in a much softer timbre, “You know it took both of them, right?”
“I know.”
He sighs, and for the first time I don’t see humor anywhere in his face. “You’re not stupid, Reese. So don’t be one of those stupid girls who pines over an asshole. Especially one who’s married.”
I hear him but I don’t, latching onto something he said earlier. “Do you really think that made him jealous?”
“Damn straight it did. I saw the look on his face and so did that little tart wife of his. No way a guy who’s been in you wouldn’t be bothered watching someone else stick his tongue in your mouth.”
“I think you should send that straight to Hallmark.” Ben sure knows how to boost a girl’s ego, I’ll give him that. If I weren’t so distraught over seeing how Jared permanently erased me from his arm, I might actually be capable of a smile.
Ben’s typical charming, dimpled smile is back as he stares at me. “And thanks for not biting off my tongue back here.” There’s a pause, and then his eyes flicker behind me. “They’re coming out right now—no, don’t.” His fingers tighten their grip of my chin to keep me from turning back, keeping my eyes locked on his. “Too obvious. Want to really get under his skin? And hers, because I can guarantee you she didn’t like seeing the way he gawked at you.”
The urge to irritate Caroline is impossible to ignore. My single nod is all the invitation Ben needs. Setting his boxed pie on top of a newspaper stand beside us, his hands find their place on the back of my neck and my ass as he pulls me into his body, this time with a kiss that should be reserved for behind closed doors. It even earns a few honks and hollers as cars drive past.
When Ben finally releases me, it takes me a moment to remember why he was kissing me in the first place. “Are they still watching?” I whisper, a little breathless.
“Shit. That wasn’t them after all. I should get my eyes checked.” His frown lasts two seconds before it twists into an impish grin and I know I’ve been duped.
I pick up the pie sitting on the newsstand beside us.
And I smash it into that broad chest.
“How are you and Mason even friends?”
Ben looks up from his file at me, his eyes glancing off my socked feet that sit on top of his desk. If that’s a hint, I don’t take it. If I’m going to sit in his office all weekend, I’m going to be comfortable. “What do you mean?”
I answer with an eye roll. “You know exactly what I mean.”
He leans back in his chair and stretches, giving me an appealing view of the ridges in his chest and shoulders. “What can I say? I’m a friendly guy. People like me. Especially hot little purple-haired chicks.”
“Did you meet a lot of those in Cancún or did you branch out?” Great . I was just thinking how nice it was that Ben
“Way to take advantage of the situation. Ten points for being a douchebag,” I mutter as we stop on the sidewalk and wait for the light to change.
“I just helped you make your ex-husband jealous, so you’re welcome. I don’t do pretend boyfriend shit. I’m normally Switzerland. I went rogue for you, so be grateful.”
“All out of the kindness of your heart?”
“Definitely for an organ of mine,” I think I hear him mutter under his breath, and then I catch the crooked smile as he says more loudly, “Exactly. Don’t be a chick and read anything into it, okay?”
The arm around my shoulder slides off, allowing him to reach up and grasp my chin. He pulls my face up to meet his crystal-blue eyes. “You still have a thing for him?”
“No.”
Obviously not believing me, he adds in a much softer timbre, “You know it took both of them, right?”
“I know.”
He sighs, and for the first time I don’t see humor anywhere in his face. “You’re not stupid, Reese. So don’t be one of those stupid girls who pines over an asshole. Especially one who’s married.”
I hear him but I don’t, latching onto something he said earlier. “Do you really think that made him jealous?”
“Damn straight it did. I saw the look on his face and so did that little tart wife of his. No way a guy who’s been in you wouldn’t be bothered watching someone else stick his tongue in your mouth.”
“I think you should send that straight to Hallmark.” Ben sure knows how to boost a girl’s ego, I’ll give him that. If I weren’t so distraught over seeing how Jared permanently erased me from his arm, I might actually be capable of a smile.
Ben’s typical charming, dimpled smile is back as he stares at me. “And thanks for not biting off my tongue back here.” There’s a pause, and then his eyes flicker behind me. “They’re coming out right now—no, don’t.” His fingers tighten their grip of my chin to keep me from turning back, keeping my eyes locked on his. “Too obvious. Want to really get under his skin? And hers, because I can guarantee you she didn’t like seeing the way he gawked at you.”
The urge to irritate Caroline is impossible to ignore. My single nod is all the invitation Ben needs. Setting his boxed pie on top of a newspaper stand beside us, his hands find their place on the back of my neck and my ass as he pulls me into his body, this time with a kiss that should be reserved for behind closed doors. It even earns a few honks and hollers as cars drive past.
When Ben finally releases me, it takes me a moment to remember why he was kissing me in the first place. “Are they still watching?” I whisper, a little breathless.
“Shit. That wasn’t them after all. I should get my eyes checked.” His frown lasts two seconds before it twists into an impish grin and I know I’ve been duped.
I pick up the pie sitting on the newsstand beside us.
And I smash it into that broad chest.
“How are you and Mason even friends?”
Ben looks up from his file at me, his eyes glancing off my socked feet that sit on top of his desk. If that’s a hint, I don’t take it. If I’m going to sit in his office all weekend, I’m going to be comfortable. “What do you mean?”
I answer with an eye roll. “You know exactly what I mean.”
He leans back in his chair and stretches, giving me an appealing view of the ridges in his chest and shoulders. “What can I say? I’m a friendly guy. People like me. Especially hot little purple-haired chicks.”
“Did you meet a lot of those in Cancún or did you branch out?” Great . I was just thinking how nice it was that Ben
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