Page 74 of Cups of You

Benjamin shook his head. “Hated every minute of it.”

“So why do it?”

“Olivia’s mom was pregnant, and I knew I needed to make money. I was already thinking about a business major, so I just pushed myself in that direction.” Amber nodded in understanding. “I was fine with it for a while, but I’m much happier now. I never wanted to be part of the rat race to begin with. Some people thrive in it and with how much you can conceivably make if you stick it out, I don’t blame them.”

“True.”

“What about you? Do you regret not taking that director position back in Chicago?”

“Not one bit,” Amber replied. She hadn’t thought about the position in a while, but she knew with certainty that she didn’t regret staying in Millensville. “I never wanted it to begin with. I like working with the public and especially working with the kids. There’s something magical that happens when a kid picks up a book that they love.”

She looked up from her plate and saw Benjamin gazing at her with some unnamed emotion in his eyes. It made her cheeks heat.

“I love hearing you talk about books.”

“I bet you say that to all the librarians.”

He chuckled and looked back down at his plate. “Well, I only know two and as much as I like Mrs. Jacob’s, I don’t quite get the same feelings around her.”

They finished their food in silence and every so often Amber could feel his eyes on her like a soft caress. It was only fair since she could hardly keep her eyes off him.

In the soft light, his beard looked brushed with amber, and his skin coated with honey. The food was delicious but gazing at him even more so. When they finished, Benjamin stood up and gathered their plates.

“The next part of this date requires you to get your hands a little dirty.”

Amber stood up and smirked. “A little dirty sounds like fun to me.”

Benjamin’s smile was sharp and molten in a way that should have been illegal. Any more of those looks and Amber might have to excuse herself for some self-love to release the pressure.

They walked to the back room and Benjamin set their plates in the corner sink before waving at the counter. “I figured we could make those croissants you liked so much.”

Amber smiled. “You mean you’re finally going to give me the recipe?”

He chuckled. “Only if you ask nicely.” This teasing was enough to have her on edge. This dance they did—enticing and then backing away—had kept her anticipating the moment they would move to the next level.

She reached up and rested her hands on his chest enjoying the feeling of him breathing deep. The heels she had worn put her barely at his chin, but it was close enough for her to feel the brush of his breath as he tilted his head down.

“Please?”

She was cheating; she knew it.

But she didn’t feel any guilt especially when his hands came up and cupped her cheeks tilting her head up so Benjamin could brush their lips together. She leaned away not letting him deepen the kiss and smirked.

“The recipe?”

He snorted. “You have a one-track mind.”

“When it comes to those croissants, yes.”

His chuckle was soft, but his hands fell away letting her step back. The mood had been set long ago, but something was different about tonight. There was arousal of course; there always was. But there was also a new sense of anticipation that had Amber wondering if they had moved past an unspoken point. The thought marinated in her mind as they moved to the counter and Benjamin began explaining what to do.

Soft music filtered in and Amber had never been so relaxed and yet so anxious in her life. Her awareness of Benjamin as they worked side by side filled every crevice of her senses. His voice fell like petals brushing against her overheated skin. His talented hands danced together as they kneaded the dough, and she wondered again how it would feel if it was her beneath them as they swayed.

Amber felt free without the weight of her past on her shoulders and that freedom brought back her boldness. She and Benjamin had been dancing around one another for months and she was done with pretending she wanted anything but to be under and over him.

She stepped closer until they were connected arm to arm. His hands went still, and Amber’s smile shifted into a smirk.

Their dates had left her wanting, desperately, and tonight she was tempted to show him just how much.

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