Page 60 of Trial Run

Later, after Marco was asleep, Ben made love to her, like he’d done almost every night this week. This was his person, the only one who’d ever made him feel. She couldn’t say it yet, but she must feel the connection, the same as he felt it, a live wire inside his chest attached to her.

Afterward, he held her tight, part of him unable to believe it could be this easy, and he would get to keep her after all. He stroked her hair and pressed kisses to the top of her head.

Maybe that was why, as she fell asleep against him, he didn’t wake her this time. He didn’t want this to end. He shut his eyes and let himself drift, with the woman he loved right where she was supposed to be, in his arms.

Chapter 17

Nell woke up with the covers rumpled on one side of the bed and no memory of Ben leaving last night. She must have fallen asleep, and hadn’t woken up when he’d left. She’d slept hard for eight hours, and it was after 7:00 already.

She stopped dead at the bottom of the staircase. Ben and Marco sat at the dining room table, Marco eating a waffle and watching a documentary on his tablet. The waffle had been cut into little squares, the same way she normally did it for her son.

Ben was watching the show, too, but he jumped up from the table when Nell came in, a guilty look on his face.

“I’m sorry,” he blurted.

Marco glanced up from the show. “Mom, Ben accidentally fell asleep on the couch last night. So he made me breakfast while you slept.”

Nell looked back and forth between Ben and her son, then turned on her heel and walked out of the room, heart racing. She placed a hand on her chest, rubbing the center of it.

Ben followed close behind her.

“I’m sorry,” he repeated. “I woke up at 6:00 and tried to sneak out the door, but he came downstairs. I was on the couch putting on my shoes, and I made up an excuse. You’re upset, I can tell.”

“I’m not upset.” Was there a word for how she felt right now? Terrified. That was a word. “Did you stay here overnight on purpose? After I fell asleep?”

“I didn’t think about it too long. I was sleepy, and I—”

“You let yourself stay here.” When he knew she wasn’t ready. Her heart refused to slow, pounding against her ribcage.

“Not on purpose. I wouldn’t do that. But after our conversation last night, I did … I hoped things were changing. We’d decided to keep seeing each other. I know you didn’t want Marco to find out about us yet. I don’t think he knows.”

“No.” She folded her arms tightly across her chest. “I don’t think he realizes, either.”

“I know we didn’t talk about this part last night. I’m sorry.”

Nell studied his face, the earnest, pleading eyes. She did believe him. He’d never been anything but honest with her.

“It’s okay. I don’t blame you.”

She shut her eyes, reaching for calm. Beyond her initial shocked reaction to seeing Ben in her kitchen this morning, there’d been something else. A rush of longing that had almost knocked her over. This morning was dangerously close to what she’d always wished for, and it would be too easy to believe it was real.

Her feelings for Ben were complicated, and she wasn’t ready to put a name on them. She definitely hadn’t been ready for him to make Marco’s breakfast.

“Tell me what you want me to do. Should I go now?” Ben’s voice was soft, but it held a thread of worry.

“No. You can stay.” She shook her head to clear it. “Like you said, he doesn’t suspect anything. Do you want some coffee?”

“Okay.” He gave her a long look. “If you’re sure.”

“I’m sure. I was surprised, that’s all. I wasn’t ready to see you here in the morning.”

“I understand. Next time, we’ll plan it. Whenever you want it to happen.”

“Of course.” Nell fixed a smile on her face. “Maybe after we both have coffee, this will seem more normal.”

“Coffee always helps,” he said. Still, he seemed to be analyzing her, and she turned her face away from his probing gaze.

“I’ll only stay a few minutes,” he added. “I have to leave to get ready for work anyway.”

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