Page 135 of An Indecent Longing

“Where’d you get that?”

“Take a guess.” Ben threw the ball at him. “Guess the bandages pushed her over the edge. Good call.”

Holy shit.“Lucky guess. We make a good team.”

Ben nodded but he didn’t look happy and he didn’t respond.

“What’s wrong?”

“I think you should go see her.”

Ian thought about his response for a few seconds. “You want me to go without you.”

It took a second but Ben finally nodded. “Yeah.”

“Why?”

Ben’s sigh made Ian shake his head.

“No.” Ian tossed the ball back to Ben, a little harder than Ben was expecting. “That’s not how this is going to work.”

“Ian—”

“Fuck that, Ben. Just don’t even bother. After all this pushing, the one thing I absolutely know is this… She needs both of us.”

“Goddammit—”

“You made me realize that. And you know why? Because she’s Antonoff’s daughter. She’ll be safer with both of us watching her back. She needs both of us to watch her back. Between the two of us, we’ll be able to handle her. Hell, we’re gonna need to have each other’s backs because she’s more than capable of kicking both of our asses. You do realize that, don’t you?”

“And what if that’s not what she wants?”

“Then we’ll just have to show her the error of her ways.” Ian put both hands on Ben’s desk and leaned over. “All those fucking medals on your uniform. You didn’t get those for giving up.”

“Fuck you.” Ben’s gaze narrowed and his hands clenched around the ball. “I’m not giving up. I’m stepping aside. There’s a difference.”

“Did she send the ball only to me? Is that what set you off?”

His jaw clenched. “No. It’s addressed to both of us.”

“Then you get your ass out of that chair and come with me because she’s expecting both of us and I don’t want to disappoint her. I think I’ve done enough of that already. Don’t you start.”

“And if I’m the one disappointed?”

Ian shrugged, knowing it would piss Ben off. “Then you’ll just have to change her mind. No pain, no gain, cuz.”

Ben rolled his eyes. “You’re an ass. I don’t know what that smart woman sees in you.”

“My sparkling personality.”

Ben stared at him for several long seconds before he huffed out a laugh. “At least you haven’t lost your sense of humor. You’re sure this is what you want?”

“I’m sure that I’ve never wanted any woman as much as I want her. Knowing you’re going to have her back, that you’re going to be there to take care of her, too… That’s a bonus. I trust you with my life, Ben. I always have. We’re just making that circle a little larger so she fits inside.”

“Damn, when did you become a philosophizer?”

Ian’s turn to roll his eyes. “Come on, asshole. Let’s go before I decide to take you out myself.”

Ben’s smile made a reappearance and the rest of Ian’s nerves calmed.

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