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“My life is in Arizona,” my voice shakes. He sounds like all of this is a sure thing. Like he’s actually on board with all of it.
“Why did you want this job?”
I frown at the change in subject.
“Your life is in Arizona, but you wanted this job. I’ve talked to Max. I know this project is going to be a six-plus month endeavor. Maybe not so long for the landscaper, but still… It’s not just a week in Montana. Why did you want this job? And not because of your portfolio…”
Swallowing, I admit, “Because I’m tired of the desert. But I can’t justmovehere! My life–”
“Is in Arizona. You keep saying. Listen though, Nell. This is your chance at the job. We take the next nine months getting to know one another and you get to become a resident of Forever. Win-win.”
“You can’t mean any of this, Ben!” I whisper-yell. I can’t get past the scared, frantic mess of my emotions.
“I do. I want to explore what’s between us–”
“Nothing is between us! We had sex–”
“Really good sex.”
“Yes. It was good. Great, even. Is that what you want to hear? But relationships aren’t built fromsex.”
“I know that today scared you. Three weeks ago, you were the most confident woman I’d ever met–”
I scoff at that.
“You were!” He has the audacity to grin.
“Only because I was feeling on top of the world and knew I’d never see you again.” I lower my voice to add, “So who the hell cared if I was fat?” His eyes darken and he frowns, but I push on, “If you wanted to fuck me, then I wanted to fuck you, because you’re the most gorgeous man I’ve ever met.”
“You are not fat,” he practically growls.
I throw my hands out to my sides. “Look at me, Ben! I probably weigh as much as you, if not more.”
“You’re curvy and so goddamn beautiful, I can’t take my eyes off you.”
“Because you’re holding my face.”
He drops his hands and damn if that doesn’t make my heart skip a beat in fear.
Ben takes a step back but keeps his eyes on my face. “Still can’t take my eyes off you.”
I let hope fight with the fear of the future. “You can’t mean any of this…”
Once again, his hands are on my face. “I mean every word. My world changed, I just didn’t know how pivotal of a change it was. I want this, Nell. Let’s get to know each other. Move into my place. We’ll get your dog. Become a resident of Forever. Take the job. Have my kid. And if after the bed and breakfast project is complete, you’d rather be in Arizona… I’ll go to Arizona.”
Knowing the auto shop is a family business, I wouldn’t ever let him do that.
But the idea…
“This is crazy,” I whisper.
“Some of the best stories start out a little crazy.”
“What if we hate each other?”
“But what if we end up loving each other?”
“You sound like you read romance novels,” I try to tease, but my world is spinning.
