Wednesday was a near repeat of Tuesday, except Ruth showed up at ten in the morning with homemade cinnamon rolls, orange-glazed rolls, and a cheese-and-egg casserole. The woman must have sensed something was off because she laid a soft, comforting hand on Willow’s cheek. “With the rising sun, fear dies and hope thrives. No matter how bleak things look, it will change for the better.”
For some reason it made Willow think of that old man Henry, and his play on her name. So she tucked into Ruth’s cooking, not surprised when her bodyguards showed up only moments later, begging for a bite. Soon, the horrible loss that had shredded her heart into a thousand pieces was nothing but a memory.
Amazingly enough, everything on Ruth’s list was completed before she took her leave just before six, with a wink and a good-luck wish for Willow’s date with Ben. Ignoring Willow’s stammered denial, Ruth headed home with a pleased grin on her face.
Now the only thing left for Willow to do was get ready for her date, which was really another non-date, with Ben. Granted, Willow was looking forward to stretching and working her muscles, especially after two days straight of sitting, and the idea of a Jacuzzi sounded like heaven to her aching knee.
By five after seven, Willow decided, after peeking out the front door a zillion times, Ben had forgotten. Or maybe changed his mind.
Or, oh God, had been in an accident!
The sound of a vehicle pulling up had her racing to the door once again. Then she counted to ten, trying unsuccessfully to quell her nerves. It took Ben’s tired countenance to do that.
Concern immediately replaced jitters. “Are you okay?”
He gave her a half-smile, one that didn’t reach his eyes. “Just a bit sore. Helped a friend move.”
Willow’s mouth dropped open. “Today? After work?”
“Not a big deal.” His shoulders lifted in a shrug as if he did that sort of thing all the time. Which he just might have.
“But you look exhausted. Maybe we should cancel the gym thing so you can go home and get some sleep.”
The incredulous look on his face was a balm to her self-esteem. “Are you kidding me? Of course we’re not canceling. I want to go to the gym. Hell. It’ll help loosen some of the knots moving put into my muscles and if that doesn’t do it, the Jacuzzi will. Best part”—the smile this time reached his eyes, turning them into bottomless pools of glowing bronze embers—“I get to be with you.”
He cupped her cheek much like Ruth had done that morning, only Willow wasn’t comforted. She was aroused and trembling, all from the touch of his hand. Then he bent his head and his mouth was on hers, and the arousal and trembling surged into gut-wrenching need.
Hanging on as the world began to spin, Willow slid her hand up the soft cotton of his blue sweatshirt and wrapped her arms around his neck, his hair a damp tickle on her fingers. Then there was only heat and Ben and how she felt pressed up against his masculine strength. She parted her lips on a sigh of pleasure and he deepened the kiss, their tongues dancing and mating, his taste heady, seductive, familiar.
His hands were everywhere, tracing her spine, squeezing the curve of her butt over the gray sweatpants, sliding up her hips and under the hem of the matching gray sweatshirt. Shivers of anticipation washed through her as his hands moved up her sides towards her breasts.
“Whoa. Sorry.”
The male voice broke through Willow’s fog of lust and she jerked her head from Ben. She would have pulled completely out of Ben’s embrace except he held her close, his arousal a hard press against her belly. “What do you want, Scott?”
Her face aflame, Willow forced herself from burying it in Ben’s neck, reminder herself they weren’t doing anything wrong. It was just a kiss. A kiss that made her think she might need a change of undies, as she was as slick with arousal as Ben was hard.
When Willow did finally peer over at Scott, the man seemed unperturbed, as if catching people making out in the open doorway of a cabin was a common occurrence.
“I was just wondering if you had any more of those enchiladas Kaylie brought over last night.”
Willow flicked her thumb over her shoulder. “Help yourself. There’s plenty for both you and Joe.”
While Scott whistled to his partner, Ben reached down and grabbed the plastic bag containing her swimsuit, towel and change of clothes, telling Willow to get her coat.
Once they were in his truck, Willow asked if Ben was really okay.
He rolled his shoulders experimentally. “A little sore, but honestly, I’m good.”
They talked about this and that, comfortable small talk while Ben drove through and out of town. When he turned down an unmarked road, she felt her first frisson of fear in his company. “Where exactly is this gym?”