The Playboy's Proposal (Sorensen Family)(30)

Chapter Seventeen

"You Sorensens are really a competitive bunch," Henry said, following Benny after a backbreaking game of badminton-a game that he thought was supposed to be more  tame. Gentrified.

"We just like to keep things interesting. It was better than beating each other up."

"I thought that was what we were doing."

"Not even close."

She took a seat on a bench tucked away at the back of the flower garden. It was hard not to stare at the pretty pink flushness of her face, now highlighted by the fading summer sun, the way several more pieces of hair had fallen around her face to frame it just so. The way he wanted to pull her in his arms and tilt her chin up and kiss that full mouth, feel the warmth of this woman who had made him laugh more than he'd laughed with anyone.

Maybe sitting in such a private location out of sight of the rest of the Sorensens wasn't such a good idea.

He cleared his throat and took a seat next to her before handing her one of the two plates he'd been carrying. Chocoflan was what Daisy had called it. Benny took it, her eyes widening even more as she coveted the dessert that had a thick, gooey chocolate cake on the bottom and a rich caramel-covered flan on top. She took the first bite and closed her eyes over the richness.

Damn. Now he wanted to know what that mouth would taste like even more.

Best to keep his gaze from hers. Instead, he looked back toward the house. From their position, they could see inside the house, where the kids were playing a mean game of Apples to Apples with their mom and grandparents at the dining table, Dominic and Kate were at the kitchen window laughing and doing the dishes together, having lost the bet made in the heat of the game, and Cruz and Payton were whispering and laughing together out on the deck, their arms around each other as they rocked in a porch swing.   





 

He supposed this was what it meant to have a family. This happy, warm contentment of just being in one another's presence one minute, even if an hour before they'd been shouting threats of pain and torture as they egged one another on. Of knowing that they had somewhere they fit, where they belonged.

There was a strange tugging sensation around his heart. The scene was something out of a Norman Rockwell painting. Something he'd never really believed existed outside the painter's mind.

"I'm glad I came. This was fun."

"Me, too." She took another bite of the rich dessert and kept her gaze on the house. "You know, when I was growing up, I used to come out here at night and sit with my dessert, too. Watching everyone inside. Of course, back then Daisy wasn't playing board games with her kids or our parents. She was usually where Cruz and Payton are now, whispering and laughing with some jock. She was never at a loss for a boyfriend." Benny said this wistfully. Maybe even a little begrudgingly.

"How about you? You didn't have any high school boyfriends over? No one you liked?"

"When I was fourteen, the only boy I liked was too in love with another girl to see me as anything but a kid." She smiled a little sadly.

"Then he was an idiot."

"No, quite the contrary. He was heading to college on a full scholarship," she said, missing his point. How could anyone not appreciate this woman? But she was lost in her own memory now as she continued. "Scottie was the lifeguard at the community pool and I'd been kind of stalking him all summer. I knew his schedule and always made sure to be sitting in whatever vicinity he was, usually reading Tolkien while sneaking glances at his near-godlike physique from behind my sunglasses. One afternoon Daisy and a couple of her friends decided to come by. He took one look at her and was as instantly in love with her as I'd been with him. Daisy has that effect on people."

"Did you ever tell her?"

"Tell her what?"

"Tell her that you were in love with Scottie the lifeguard. She's your sister. She might not have dated him if she knew what it was costing you."

"No, of course not. I mean, he was this gorgeous creature and I was-I was  me. Still a tomboy with twenty pounds of baby fat. No one was going to look at me."

She said that with such certainty that it angered him as much as it made him want to hug her. "Ridiculous. I think you sold yourself-no, I think you still sell yourself short, Benny. I don't know what you were like back then, but there are some things that time and age don't change. Like the fact that you're easily the most stubborn but also strong and determined and fiercely loyal woman I've ever met. That you're not only smart and intelligent but have a sharp wit that makes me laugh and wonder what you're going to say next. And when you look at me sometimes, with those large, expressive eyes, I am utterly convinced you're the most beautiful woman on the entire planet."

She swallowed and looked at him, almost as if waiting for a punch line.

He only smiled, shaking his head. "Any man would be lucky to be with you. Don't ever believe otherwise."

And he'd never meant anything more. From the long, graceful arch of her neck to her expressive face, the dark lashes that framed the most beautiful set of blue eyes he'd ever seen. But he knew beneath the soft, demure picture she painted now, Benny Sorensen was a tough, independent and strong woman who had a lot to offer some lucky guy.

It pained him to think of that lucky guy being Luke Seeley.

No. If he were honest with himself, it pained him to think about that lucky guy being anyone other than  him.

Unable to help himself, Henry reached out and ran his finger across Benny's full bottom lip. "If a guy can't recognize how special you are, then you don't want them." Without taking his gaze from hers, he lowered his mouth until he was inches away from that delectable mouth. He could smell chocolate and caramel on her breath.

He wanted her to know what he was about to do.

He cupped the side of her head in his hand and moved slowly until he was kissing that bottom lip, sucking on it and then parting her mouth open with his. Tasting her. Feeling the softness and strength of her. There was the sound of a fork clattering against the bench as she released her hold on her plate, then her hand was gripping his shoulder as she leaned into him. Embracing him. Tasting him as well.

It was almost like this was where she belonged.

In his arms. Her mouth opened to his, demanding as good as she got.

Almost.

 

Benny knew that she should stop him. That she wasn't supposed to want kisses from Henry. But what she knew was entirely different from what her body wanted.   





 

She wanted to kiss him more than anything. The moment he'd smiled wickedly before letting a birdie fly her way she'd been hit with a sudden wave of desire. She'd wanted to bolt over the net and toss him to the ground right then and kiss him senseless for challenging her like that. And it hadn't let up.

And now he was kissing her, his tongue tangling with hers as the heat grew around them almost like they were in a fireball of energy and she could shut everything out but the taste of him. The feeling of his mouth, his lips, his hand on her head, and his other hand resting-no, gripping-her right hip as he held her closer.

It was like before, but now she could hear the subtle chirps of the crickets and smell her mom's lavender surrounding them and Henry's sure and haunting scent.

She never wanted this to end. She wanted to hold him like this, kiss him like this  forever.

But something outside their cocoon was happening, and she felt Henry freeze and start to pull away, but she resisted, trying to pull his mouth back to hers.

"Henry," Jenna called out, echoed by Natalie a moment later.

Benny froze. Her nieces were looking for him.

Oh. Lord.

She was making out with Henry in her mom's garden as her nieces scoured the backyard with their laser-beam eyes looking for them.

If they saw them kissing, the girls would shriek the news to everyone. And it would be impossible to convince anyone that Henry was just a friend.

Henry came abruptly to his feet, his face turned away from her.

A sudden fear reached her heart. Was he regretting what had just happened? Had she misjudged him, misjudged the moment when it seemed everything had faded away and it was just him, and they'd kissed-

No. Wait. She was almost sure that it had been Henry who'd initiated it. Right?

Well, she didn't have time to analyze right now. She had to minimize damage. Picking up her plate, she crossed the lawn, the grass soft and warm under her bare feet. "We're right here, girls. But I think we are going to have to call it a night. We both have early days."

There was no way she could risk any scrutiny from any of her family who might see her undoubtedly flushed skin and guess the truth.

Not when she didn't know what any of it meant.

 

They'd driven home in silence, which was fine with her. The wind whipped her hair, and she savored the rush of the air against her face, trying to clear her thoughts. She caught him watching her a few times, his expression impossible to read. Maybe he was giving her some time to process. That's it. Not that he was  regretting anything.

It was only as they stepped onto the elevator that Henry finally spoke. "About earlier. That kiss. I'm sorry. That was entirely inappropriate."

Her stomach felt like it was dropping through the floor, and they hadn't even started their ascent. He was sorry?

She couldn't say anything, only stood there frozen. Nodding. Like she understood.

"I think we'd just had such a great day and there was this sudden rush of adrenaline as I saw you sitting there, your face flushed and bright. I couldn't resist. It just felt like the most natural thing to reach down and kiss you. Only  " He paused and raked a hand through his hair, trying to find words as the elevator grunted and started to climb.