Page 145 of Taken Away

“What?”

Aubrey sighed.

“I thought maybe I got it wrong.”

Something shifted in his expression.

Not amusement.

Not anymore.

Understanding.

“What did you get wrong?”

Her eyes met his.

“This.”

The single word landed harder than she’d expected.

“Us.”

For a moment Bennett simply looked at her.

Then he reached up and brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

“The night I kissed you on the patio at Drift,” he said, his voice gone quiet, thoughtful, “I felt something I hadn’t felt since Claire.”

Aubrey felt her heart stumble.

Neither of them said Claire’s name often.

He shook his head. “That scared the hell out of me.”

“Bennett—“

“No. Let me finish.”

“When I walked into Eleanor’s office and realized you were Aubrey Langford…” A humorless laugh escaped him. “I knew I was in trouble.

“I spent half the drive home from Drift telling myself it was nothing,” he went on. “And then I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”

He didn’t seem embarrassed by the admission.

“I’d be working and you’d pop into my head. I’d be in a meeting and realize I hadn’t heard a word anybody said because I was wondering what you were doing.”

Despite herself, Aubrey laughed.

Bennett smiled.

Then the smile faded.

“Vanessa doesn’t even enter into it,” he said quietly. “Truth is, she hasn’t for a while.”

His hand tightened gently around hers.

“I don’t know where this goes, Aubrey.” His gaze held hers. “But I know I want to find out. With you.”