“I’m sure I can find him.”
I was taking out my phone to send Ben a text when a familiar voice cut through the lobby.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Drat.
I’d seen Ben look fierce and dangerous on the pitch. In real life? Nothing seemed to get to him. He was either cool and easygoing or an excitable puppy. Right now, however, he looked ready to charge, plowing down anyone who got in his way.
Murphy’s hands dropped off my shoulders like he’d touched a live wire.
Ben strode toward us with purpose, his gaze locked and loaded on me. My heart kicked with anticipation, and my mouth twitched, unsure if I should’ve been smiling or trying to defuse this situation.
“Oh, hey, Wellsie. There you are,” Murphy chirped.
Ben did not look away from me. “Stop calling me that.”
I snorted a laugh and tried to cover it with my hand, but Ben caught it. Our eyes met, and his softened. The way he looked me over was entirely different to Murphy. His gaze was warm, filled with affection, desire, andwonder. Like, even though he’d flown me here, he couldn’t believe I had actually come.
When he reached me, he slipped his arm around my waist and pulled me against him. “You look incredible.”
I leaned in, pressing my nose to the base of his throat, inhaling his clean scent. “I missed you a lot.”
“Yeah? That’s good, because I missed you too.”
He brushed a thumb over my cheekbone, ignoring Murphy completely…until Murphy muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, “I was just greeting her.”
Ben turned his head slowly. “Greet her from a six-foot radius next time.”
Murphy threw his hands up. “Wow. That’s rude.”
Ben rotated us both to face his teammate, keeping me tucked securely by his side, his hand sliding to the small of my back, thumb drawing lazy circles that made my knees weak.
“We don’t flirt with our teammates' girlfriends. Cut that shit out,” Ben intoned.
I looked up at him. “I’m your girlfriend?”
He scowled at me, though I knew he didn’t mean it. “Damn right you are.” His forehead crinkled. “Right?”
I didn’t have to think about it. “Right.”
Murphy’s eyebrows shot up. “Is this an official announcement?”
Ben didn’t even blink. “I guess it is. Would you like me to get a megaphone, or is me telling you to back off enough?”
Murphy held up his hands. “Dude, relax—”
“I am relaxed,” Ben replied, his fingers curling into my waist. “Just making sure the message is clear.”
Ben looked at me again, and his whole demeanor shifted into a smile so warm I sagged against him like melted honey.
“You’re a sight for sore eyes,” he murmured.
“You are too,” I said, smiling back.
Murphy gestured between us. “Okay, great. Established. Together. I’ll go…be somewhere else.”
“Fantastic plan,” Ben said, not taking his eyes off me. He turned to face me, cupping my hips. “You wore this dress for me?”
