“That isn’t your right anymore. You gave that right up,” she said. Erica glanced back and saw Ben on his way towards her.
“If he comes over here pawing at you, I won’t be able to control my actions, Erica.” It sounded like a warning. She looked at him and saw the small amount of control he held.
“Why are you behaving like this?” she asked. His quick mood changes were startling to her. The control he usually held was slipping.
“Because I fucked up. Watching Blaze with Cassie has shown me the mistakes I made. You were my biggest mistake.”
“I know. You regret being with me at all—”
“No. I regret letting you go and being a callous ass. I’ve paid for it dearly. Do you think I like being this way with you? I can be nice with everyone else, but the moment I’m near you I turn into this monster, and I hate it.” He cut her off, moving closer to her. He grabbed her shoulders, staring intently into her eyes. She saw the conflicting emotions inside him.
“What are you trying to say?”
“I want another chance. I want to show you what it could mean to be with me. I’m asking you to take a chance on me.”
There wasn’t enough time to answer. Ben would be there, and Erica couldn’t stop the pounding in her heart or the hope that flared inside her. “You can’t do this,” she said.
“Can’t I? I’ve witnessed a woman be in love with a man for twenty-five years only to be second-best to a woman who’d passed away. I’ve already wasted three years. Please don’t let me waste any more time.”
This wasn’t fair. Chris had pushed her aside, and she’d left the company to be away from him. Ben wrapped his arms around her waist, his warmth doing nothing to soothe her.
She saw Chris fist his hand. The violence inside him was so clear to her.
“Hey, baby. We were missing you.” Ben kissed her neck, and Chris took a step towards her.
“Ben, I want to introduce you to an old friend. This is Chris Sinclair. He’s my old boss. Chris, this is Ben Williamson.” She didn’t know how else to introduce her friend. Ben shook Chris’s hand. She stared at their joined hands and witnessed the pressure Chris was exerting.
“You must have been one lucky man to have such a fine woman working for you,” Ben said.
“Yes. I was just going to ask her out to dinner tomorrow night. What do you say, Erica? Would you have dinner with an old friend?” he asked.
Chris was a sly bastard. If she refused Ben would start to ask questions. He’d put her on the spot in front of the man she’d claimed was her boyfriend. Turning away from him, she glanced up at Ben. He was smiling down at her.
“Yes. I would love to,” she said. The words were out of her mouth before she could stop herself.
“I’ll pick you up.” He nodded at Ben, smiled at her and then walked away. She watched him go with a mixture of anxiety and excitement. After three years, Chris still had the power to undo her.
“Wow, that guy is intense.”
She smiled and followed Ben back to the campfire. He cooked some marshmallows for her, which she took gratefully.
“So, have you thought about what I asked?” Ben said when most of their friends were skinny-dipping in the ocean. The beach was clear of everyone. A few drinks and all inhibitions had been left behind.
“No. I haven’t.”
“Do you at least have any thoughts?”
Erica watched her friends while thinking about his words. She hadn’t been able to think of much else. No other man had asked her to marry him. The one man she’d given herself to pushed her away. For the last three years she hadn’t given her heart—or her body—to anyone. Her heart and body were her own to do with as she saw fit.
“I’m not ready for this, Ben. I care about you, but I think you’re moving too fast for me. We need to have some space.” She patted his head before getting up to leave, grabbing her sandals in the process. They were staying in a beach house owned by Ben’s parents. She entered through the back porch, which went straight through to the kitchen. Erica put her shoes down then headed for the fridge. Food was in order.
She selected several items in order to make a sandwich. Talking with Chris in the past had always made her nervous, especially as she knew what had passed between them. She spread some butter over a slice of bread before adding a slice of ham and a piece of cut cheese. It had been over three years since the situation with Chris.
Why was he determined to see her again?
Taking a bite of her sandwich, she packed the ingredients away in the fridge, then made her way upstairs to her room.
Did he get a kick out of throwing her off balance? Whatever his reason for taking her to dinner, Erica couldn’t deny the thrill the invitation had sent through her body. The moisture between her legs made it more than clear to her the power Chris Sinclair still had over her.