Page 30 of Benji

“I would never leave the balcony if I lived here,” he murmured.

I sighed, the sun making me sleepy. “I forgot what it feels like to take a minute of sun for no other purpose than to feel it warm my skin.”

He opened his eyes slowly, smiling at me. “You’re so poetic.”

I chuckled and stretched out. “Poetic? I was going to say if I was a cat I’d be purring right now.”

That made him laugh, and when he stretched his legs out too, his foot brushed mine. He didn’t move it away orapologise. He just sat there, smiling at me with our feet touching.

It felt oddly intimate.

A rush of butterflies flittered in my belly, and I was reminded of the first time I’d held a boy’s hand in high school. That jittery rush...

God, I haven’t felt that in so long...

“Are you getting through your work?” he asked quietly.

“I am.”

“What time will you be working through till?”

“If I were at the office, it’d be six or seven.”

“Damn.”

“So maybe six?” I hedged. “Did you want to order something in for dinner?”

“No, I want to cook you something. I don’t know what yet. I’ll go through your pantry and fridge and see what I can come up with. I feel bad for not doing anything. I hate being lazy.”

“You’re not being lazy. You’re resting. Is your back feeling better?”

“Much. You were right about your bed.” His eyes held mine. “Great spinal support. I bet its real comfy to fuck in.”

I very nearly sputtered but managed to rein it in. He chuckled at whatever my face did though. “You’re so easy to rankle.”

“Rankle?”

“Yes. It means to make someone annoyed.”

“I know what it means. I’m not annoyed. I just find your blasé commentary about sex somewhat shocking.”

“Shocking?”

“Yes, it means to cause a feeling of surprise or dismay.”

He laughed and he tapped his foot to mine. “Ah. The man has wit.”

I found myself smiling at him, and as much as I shouldn’t have enjoyed this banter, I really freaking did. “The man needs to get back to work.”

He sighed then, pouting with huge puppy-dog eyes. “Aww, but we were just getting to the good part.”

Yes, we were.

Which is why I needed to stop it.

“Thank you for suggesting lunch out here,” I said, taking our empty plates. “It was most enjoyable.”

He very deliberately raked his gaze down my body to my crotch and he licked his lips. “Oh, I bet it is.”

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