Page 49 of Wine Whiskey & Lipstick

Dillyn wanted to believe him. The tenderness in his eyes told her she should. Dillyn nibbled on her inner lip. She sighed and glanced down as a tear drop spilled onto his knuckle. “Let me take care of your hand before it gets infected.”

Ben just wanted to pull her into his arms and make all of her pain go away. Instead, he allowed her to lead him. Ben followed Dillyn past the library, the family room, and the kitchen. He didn’t ask where she was taking him until they started to climb the stairs. “Where are we going?”

“I have some peroxide and stuff in my room, and it’s private. We can talk there.” Watery eyes looked up into his. There was something between them, and Dillyn didn’t think it was fair to let Ben get close to her if he didn’t know her full story. “I want to tell you everything.”

Chapter 21

Ben hadn’t been in a woman’s bedroom in a very long time.When he entered Dillyn’s room, he wasn’t surprised at what he found. Her suite suited her personality–soft and classy with a tinge of edge. The walls were something close to a pale pink.She had decorated in soft shades of grays and greens with splashes of darker shades of pink throughout. There were also candles of various sizes on almost every flat surface in the room.Everywhere Ben turned, there were freshly cut white roses. The lemony scent was fragrant but not too strong. White roses. He made a mental note of that. Ben continued to look around. He reared his head back slightly when his eyes landed on Dillyn’s bed. He was more than a little surprised at the size. It was much too big for her. Ben could imagine Dillyn getting lost underneath the covers. A naked Dillyn flashed through his mind.Pull up, Ben.He had to fight to keep his mind from going to places it shouldn’t have. She wanted to talk, but Ben’s brain failed to pass that information on to his libido.

The energy in Dillyn’s room was nothing short of soothing. Ben figured that was intentional—to create her own personal oasis.

Dillyn chewed on her lower lip, her nervousness on display, as she pointed Ben toward the sitting area. “Have a seat on the sofa while I grab the first aid kit.”

Ben sat down on the sofa, looking around and taking stock of the room.

Dillyn came out of the bathroom carrying a little white box with the Red Cross. She sat next to him as she opened it.

“You know this isn’t necessary, right? It’s no big deal.” Ben gazed at Dillyn, but she was busying herself with the kit. She was going through a lot of trouble for basically a few scratches on Ben’s knuckles.

“You’re hurt because of me, and I just want to fix it. I want to . . .” Her voice trailed off.

Ben took her hands in his. “What? What do you want to do?”

“I just want to make everything better, but I swear, I can’t escape.”

“I thought you’d already escaped. Summer is your own piece of heaven, remember?” Ben’s smile was reassuring.

“It’s not that simple. Steven’s in my head.”

“Kick his ass out.”

“I want to, but it’s hard.” Dillyn couldn’t look him in the eyes. “I know you heard what he called me.”

“I heard a selfish prick trying to hurt you. I didn’t take any of the things Steven said seriously, and you shouldn’t either.” Ben took the box out of her hands and placed it on the table. “I’ve only known you a short while, but any man who would let you go isn’t very smart.”

His words had a surprising effect on Dillyn. She needed to hear them. Without thinking or warning, Dillyn leaned in and kissed him.

It was clear by Ben’s nonreaction that he wasn’t interested. Almost immediately, Dillyn regretted her actions. “Oh, God. I’m sorry. I-I . . . I shouldn’t have . . .”Why did I go for a kiss when what I really wanted was his warmth and strength? Because the physical is your default.

Ben held her gaze for just a moment before gently pulling her close. “I want to kiss you. I’ve thought about it a thousand times, but I’m not sure that’s what you need right now.”

Dillyn felt the sting of his rejection and shot up out of her seat. She started pacing and panicking.You tell the man you’re not a slut only to behave like one. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking. I just—”

“Dillyn, it’s okay.” Ben got up and placed his hands on her shoulders, gently turning her around to face him. “Talk to me—or not. It’s up to you. I’ve got nothing but time.”

Dillyn looked at everything and everywhere but Ben.

Gently, he used the tips of his fingers to turn her face toward him. “I see you. The real you, and I think you’re amazing.”

No one had ever said anything like that to her before. Ben almost gave Dillyn the courage she needed. “You might not say that if you knew why Steven said those things to me.”

“Steven and his thoughts don’t matter. But if you want me to know, then tell me.”

Dillyn hated to admit it, but she wanted to be loved completely, flaws and all. That meant Ben needed to know her ugly truth.

“However, I do wish you would have allowed Cat to call the police or at the very least let me whoop his ass.” Ben’s joke didn’t have the desired effect. Dillyn was so tense he was afraid she’d pop a blood vessel.

She wrung her hands together. “Both of those things would have been problematic.”

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