Page 24 of Beni

Her friend was already walking away.

August watched her go until—

“Ciao.”

Oh, wow.

His voice.

She knew it was him without even needing to turn around to see him. Because his voice caused her skin to pebble with goosebumps, and her heart picked up speed all over again. His close proximity had her body heating up like nothing else, and a grin started to form on her lips as she nibbled on her bottom lip.

“You here with someone?” he asked.

August squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, still not ready to turn around. If she did it before she was ready, she would probably embarrass herself, and that was not what she wanted to do here. Not by a long shot.

“Just my friends,” she said.

“Cam, yeah. Her husband is a friend. Your name?”

August finally decided to turn around, then, coming face to face with a man who looked like the gracious and good God above had spent just a little more time creating him. Up close, it was far more apparent to her just how beautiful he was.

Strikingly so.

“August Rivera,” she said.

He held out a hand.

She took it.

And that heat?

Only burned hotter.

“August,” he said, as though he were tasting her name in his mouth. And goddamn, it sounded good coming out of those full lips. “Beni.”

“Cam let me know.”

“Did she?” He winked. “Can I get you a drink?”

She waved that bottle. “On the house—I’ll get you one, how about that?”

“I do like a woman that wears Frankie Zombie, and gets her own drinks.”

Yeah, wow.

She was fucked.

August knew it already.

“How much did that custom cost you?” he asked.

August turned a bit, showcasing the strap near the buckle on the side of the leather jacket with Frankie Zombie’s custom graffiti that spelled out PAY FOR ART. “Exactly what the artist thought it was worth, you know?”

Beni nodded. “I respect that.”

“So, a drink?”

“Absolutely, bella.”