“I’m scared. We already tried this once, and it didn’t work out.”
“We’ve got a better chance this time.”
I shake my head, still looking anywhere but at him. I want to believe that, but …
“How do you know for sure?”
I hear him shift, see his hands fall to the benchtop in my peripheral vision. “Because I’m not going anywhere and I’ll do whatever it takes to get you back.”
I bite my lip, torn between my head and my heart.
“Do you,” he says, “wantme to force you?”
My pulse spikeshard, and I skip my gaze around the room—over the set of frames drying on the rack; the tools hung along the opposite wall, so perfectly aligned; to Benji’s wet socks and boots in the corner.
But as hard as I try, I can’t keep my eyes away from him. “No, notforce,” I say. “Just …” I blow out a breath. Why is this so hard to say? “Convince me. Don’t just say you’ll do anything. Show me you mean it.”Help me get past this.
His chest rises and falls, steadier than I feel. I’m drawn to the defined muscle of his pecs. That’s new. His nipples are tight little peaks, and—oh, right, he must be cold right now. Meanwhile, I’m overheating.
“I can do that.”
He reaches for something, and I finally see the set of dry clothes that are sitting on his workbench. A choked sound escapes my throat, and his hand immediately stills.
The slow drag of his eyes back to mineburns.
“Benji,” I whisper, “please.”
Leaving the clothes where they are, he faces me, his eyes dark. “Tell me what you want, Paige.”
“You,” I confess. “That’s the problem.”
“I don’t see a problem,” he says.
I whimper when he slides one hand over his stomach.
“You know, you haven’t stopped staring since you walked in.”
Fuck. I want him to touch his cock, which is definitely hard now, but he goes for his chest instead, cocking his head and exhaling hard as he pinches his nipple.
I can’t take my eyes off him. “Sorry,” I breathe.
“I like it.” His voice is as thick as gravel. “I want you to look. I’d like it even better if you came over here and touched me.”
“I can’t … I …” I’m frozen by the fear that if I cross the gap, if I do what I’m so desperate to do and touch him, it might ruin this tender thing we’re rebuilding. Like it’s okay to want him as long as I don’t act on it. “I want to,” I admit. “It’s all I can think about, but if I start, then I’m not going to want to stop, and I’m trying really hard to be responsible right now. Shit. Can you get your dick under control? You’re not making this easy.”
He brings his other hand to his hip, skimming hisfingertips at the edge of his pubic hair, teasing both of us. “Hey, the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever met is struggling to contain her lust for me. Forgive me for enjoying that.”
“Can you enjoy it a little less?”
His smile is gorgeous. “No can do.”
“Fuck.”
“Is that a request?” He trails his hand over his hardened chest to his other nipple.
“Benji,” I groan, gripping at my jeans. I don’t think I can take much more of this.
“You can leave.”
