I couldn’t quite put into words why I was rallying so hard against this. In the back of my mind, I was aware Ben’s net worth was greater than I could comprehend, but he was just Ben—the guy I was starting to bereallyinto. And while we were more complicated than most new couples, I wanted us to start on even ground with a clean slate. But…we’d never have that, would we? Even though we were new, we had history.
“Of course I’ll accept support, but this is far too much,” I argued weakly.
Miranda clicked her stylus against her tablet. “Given Mr. Wells’ income, the amount isn’t unreasonable.”
Ben’s lawyer made a strangled sound behind his stack of papers, and Ben just brightened, that crooked grin dawning again like he’d been waiting for this very moment. “See? Your boss agrees with me.”
I twisted around to glare at him. “I can’t accept this—not after what you’ve already given us.”
He reached over and took my hand with a slow, deliberate slide of his palm over mine. “Try again, baby. You can and you will.” His thumb brushed my knuckles in maddening circles. “You’ve carried everything on your own for a long time, and you’re kicking ass. Money isn’t going to be a barrier for you ever again. I want my daughter’s mom to breathe easy and know she can take care of herself and our girl, no matter what. This isn’t an argument you’re going to win. Let me do this.”
My chest tightened. “Make a counteroffer.”
“This is theonlyoffer.” He squeezed my hand. “I’m not letting you struggle. Never, Mazzy.”
I tried again, weaker this time. “It’s too much. I don’t want you to think I’m taking advantage.”
“I would never think that,” he said. “Think about it this way: you wanted me to sign this agreement so neither of us has any questions hanging over our heads. I want you to say yes to the amount of support for the same reason. You aren’t ever going to be beholden to me. You and Kat will always be okay, no matter what happens between us.”
My heart thumped in its melting cage. Ben was being so earnest and sincere, I couldn’t find it in me to argue. Besides, using the same reasoning made it easy for me to see where he was coming from.
“Mazzy,” Miranda said briskly, “you’re within your rights to reject this level of support, but think about what you would tell a client.”
I pinched my bottom lip between my fingers and sighed. “I…hate that you’re right.”
She gave a sharp nod. “I’m glad you agree. I advise you to take the money from the giant man happily shoveling it at you and get on with it.”
Ben puffed up even more, looking dangerously close to preening, like giving me money was the very best part of his day.
And dammit, I was going to accept.
As soon as Ben walked out of the locker room, he grabbed my hand and pulled me into the same room we’d met in the first time. This time, though, he spun me around and pinned me against the door as he reached down to lock it.
“You drive me crazy, Mazzy Belle.” He braced his forearms beside my head, his eyes bouncing over my face. “How are you?”
“I just saw you this morning.” I leaned my head against the door to take him in. His hair was damp from the shower he must’ve just taken, and his scruff was a little thicker than usual. My stomach flipped, and my pulse kicked. What was it about him that did it for me?
Oh. Right. Everything.
“But I didn’t get to make out with you,” he argued. “Now, tell me how you are.”
He’d brushed my lips once before leaving Miranda’s office with his lawyer, in a rush to get to practice. It had only been a few hours, but before that, it had beendays.
“I’m relieved that part is over.”
“Me too.” He dropped his forehead to mine. “Now you can go out on a date with me.”
“Isn’t that what this is? Lunch isn’t glamorous, but it counts.”
He grunted. “I fully intended on feeding you, but I gotta say, Mazz, I’m more interested in eatingyou.” His hands slipped down the slope of my back to cup my ass. “This dress…yeah, I’m gonna need to see what’s under it. Let me?”
I stopped breathing as heat flooded my core. I clutched his T-shirt. If he hadn’t been holding me, my knees would have given out.
“We’re at your work,” I protested in a whisper. “We could get caught.”
“Nah.” He spun us around and began walking me backward. “The door’s locked, and everyone knows I’m having lunch with my Mazzy Belle. No one’s going to bother us. But you can tell me no if you don’t want me to—”
“No,” I squeaked. “I mean, I’m not telling you no.”
