Page 15 of Hush

“Because I don’t really know you,” she said.

Ben flexed his jaw as a surge of energy seized him.

“I mean, you are taking wonderful care of Jaden, and I’m so thankful…“ He could sense her pull inward, chewing on whatever she wanted to say next.

“Hey, Ben,” Mark interrupted as he fought through the crowd toward them. “Do me a huge favor, will ya? Shelly’s setting up for the Ugly Sweater contest, and I’ve got to make another batch of the wine. Can you go to the garage and grab more beer? Half of each case. And the bag of pretzels?”

Ben pushed off from the counter. “No problem,” he said.

“Can I help?” Elise asked.

“Sure,” Ben said, leading Elise through the small kitchen to a side door. Inside the garage, the smell of dust and old motor oil hit his senses, the cold air smacking his cheeks. They skirted the front of Mark’s car to a workbench lined with brown paper grocery bags. Cases of beer were stacked on the ground.

Elise began peeking into the bags, her body pressed close to the workbench. She bent forward slightly, her firm calf muscles flexed as she rose on her tiptoes. Ben shook his head to clear the dirty thoughts spooling loose in his mind. He bent and opened both cases of beer, then filled his arms with what he could carry. Elise found the giant bag of pretzels, adding several beers to her load. “We’ll have to make trips,” he said.

Elise nodded, and they set off for the kitchen. Stepping back inside, the loudness hit him full force, the sweet warmth of cinnamon and cloves enveloping him like a cloud. He and Elise placed the beers into the ice tub, both crouching, then refilled the pretzels and returned to the garage for the rest.

He loaded several beers into Elise’s arms, but noticed one of the loops tied at her hip had slipped through the knot.

“Your, um, sash is loose,” he said, nodding in the direction of her hip.

“It is?” She glanced down, but the beers in her hands made it hard to see.

“Let me,” he said, stepping close.

His fingers practically shook as he pulled the remaining loop loose to retie it. Her body heat radiated outward, her spicy-sweet scent filling his senses.

Elise inhaled a tiny breath as he tied the bow snug, the dress’s fabric shifting.

“There,” he said, letting the loops fall.

“Thank you,” she said, her voice sounding tight.

He swallowed. “You’re welcome.” His heart banged like a gong inside his chest. He slid his hand along the small of her back, the delicate little scoop in her frame firm beneath his touch.

Her body gave a little jolt. “We should probably get back,” she said, turning slightly so his hand snapped back.

“Of course,” Ben said, then grabbed the remaining beers from the box. On the way back inside, he chided himself for making a move.Danger, ghost rider.But what he’d felt from her as he’d stood close was unmistakable, like she’d wanted him to, like she’d wanted a whole lot more.

Elise

As she re-entered the kitchen, Elise felt the room spin around her. Caitlin caught her eye, giving her the “you okay?” look they’d practiced many times. Elise nodded. She refilled her mug of mulled wine before drifting in her direction. Caitlin was talking with a group of guests she didn’t know, but she recognized one of the women from her class. Elise stood mute, nodding and laughing in the right places while her brain returned to the scene in the garage.

It had felt good being open with Ben about the dating site. It was obvious she felt safe with him, like a friend. But her body had other ideas. When he had stood close to her like that, his capable hands so close to touching her, she’d felt a tingling in her core that, at first, she dismissed as awkwardness. After all, how long had it been since she’d felt flutters like that? But then, he’d touched her lower back, his strong hand against her body. Why had she suggested they get back to their chore? What would have happened if they’d stayed?

Nothing, she thought.He was probably just trying to steady me.

As the party progressed, she caught Ben watching her several times, but she always looked away. She lasted through the Ugly Sweater contest, a rowdy affair with lots of cheering and shouts, but then slipped her arm through Caitlin’s.

“Ready to bail when you are,” she said in a low tone.

Caitlin regarded her with surprise. “After you disappeared into the garage, I thought maybe you’d be leaving with Dr. Delicious,” she said with a giggle.

“Hush,” Elise said sternly. “We were just helping bring in beer from the garage.”

Caitlin’s eyes widened. “Then why were you gone so long?”

Elise pressed her lips together. “Nothing happened.”

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