Page 84 of Beni

“Hmm?”

“I’m fine.”

She reached out to let her fingertips graze his bruised temple. She had been right, too, as the injury felt warm to the touch, and that only concerned her more. This was scary. That he was involved in something that could end his life. That her best friend married the same kind of man. She had chosen to see the man Beni showed her, instead of the details of his life that promised sleepless nights filled with worry, and days like today.

And still …

She wanted him.

There were just other things she had to handle first. Her thoughts, and feelings. A job back home that she hadn’t loved in a long time. Her parents … all of it. And she wasn’t going to explain or apologize to anyone for wanting to make sure that this—Chicago—was the right choice for her. Even if that meant going back home for a while to figure it out alone.

August leaned down, and pressed a soft kiss to Beni’s lips, and reveled in the feeling of his smile growing against her own. “I’m still allowed to be worried.”

Beni nodded. “You are, and is that a yes on staying the night?”

“Who the hell else is going to make sure you stay awake for twelve or more hours?”

“Are you seriously telling me,” August teased, pointing a confectioner’s sugar-dusted finger at the pile of fluffy pancakes she had let him make for her, “that this is only the second time you’ve cooked pancakes?”

Beni nodded, and tried to tamper down the urge to lean forward just enough that he might be able to suck on the tips of her sweetened fingers. It was a strong fucking urge though, and he really wasn’t in the mood to ignore it. After the night he had before, the few hours of sleep he was finally allowed to have, and the sex he couldn’t have because this woman was sure it wasn’t okay with a concussion … he was ready to just get what he wanted.

Which was August.

On his dick.

That sounded like a really great way to begin a day like today after a shitfest like yesterday. That’s all he was saying.

“Really?’ August demanded again. “And just lick my damn fingers if that’s what you want to do—I can see that, you know?”

Beni laughed deeply, adoring this woman even more for that. Leaning against the counter like he was beside her, it allowed him to be able to look up at her, and he winked. “Listen, yes, much to my mother’s displeasure, I never wanted to learn to cook. Someone else was always willing to do it for me. My brother and I … well, we mostly just ordered in or got easy shit anyone could cook with directions on the box. Apparently, you give me Google and a how-to video, and I can cook just about anything.”

She arched her brow. “So, what you meant to say is you were spoiled.”

Well …

“Basically,” he said, shrugging. “We’re the babies of the family. Probably a little too wild for our own good, and we got away with a lot of shit our brothers never would have been allowed to do just because we were the youngest. It was just these last few months, being here in Chicago, that I chilled out a bit.”

August huh’d under her breath before asking, “And why did you just all of the sudden decide to start cooking?”

Beni glanced away from her, an unusual emotion heating his cheeks.

“Oh, my God,” August said, a laugh coloring her words, “is that the Beni Guzzi embarrassed?”

Fuck, this woman.

She was going to kill him.

In the best way.

Swallowing his pride just to admit she was right andlet her in on another secret that she had probably already figured out, he said, “I thought … fuck, you were the first woman I let stay the entire night—ever. I figured if I was gonna do that again—because I was going to do that again—then I should know how to make you something to eat in the morning … or you know, whenever you needed to eat while you were here.”

August just … stared at him.

Still, and smiling softly.

Beni grinned, remembering the other part of this conversation that he had been trying to have before they got into this one. “And come here …”

His hand darted out, his fingers circling her delicate wrist, so he could pull her to him. He brought those still-sugar dusted fingers of hers to his lips, kissing the soft sweetness on the tips before he enclosed them in his mouth.