Page 25 of One Weekend in Perth

“I know but let’s not ignore the fact that Fern did her best to keep my focus on her.”

“Maybe, but I knew if I needed you, you’d drop everything. And you did when I got shot.”

Ben rolled his eyes. “Yeah, your second hospital stay, considering you busted your stitches saving your wife.”

Reed glanced over to where Lauren and Clara were laughing together. “Worth every moment. And I’d do it a million times over.” He faced Ben, his eyes serious. “And I’d do it for you too.”

“I know you would.” He gave Reed a one-armed hug. “I’ll call you in a couple of days and we can arrange to get together.”

“Sounds good. I’m glad you got your head out of your ass.” Spoken like only a brother could say to a brother.

“Meaning?” Ben queried, but had a good idea what Reed was alluding to.

“Clara. It took you long enough, and I’m glad you worked it out before you tied yourself permanently to Fern.”

The very idea that he was so close to fucking up his life had the ice cream Ben ate not long ago, threatening to come up again. “Me too. She was right in front of me and I didn’t even know it.”

With his free hand, Reed clapped him on the shoulder. “You did. You kept her close all these years because deep down you knew, but for whatever reason you weren’t able to pull the trigger. Now you have, and I know you haven’t regretted it.”

At that moment, Clara lifted her head and their gazes connected. His heart swelled with love, and standing talking to his brother was the last thing he wanted to be doing. “No regrets at all. I’ve made the best decision of my life.” He enunciated the words so that, not only did Reed hear them, but Clara could understand them.

A slow smile spread across her face, highlighting her high cheekbones and, even from this distance, he could see the sparkle of happiness in her blue eyes.

“Later, bro.” Clara met him halfway. “Ready to go?” he asked.

“Yes.”

Chapter 12

All through theride back on the ferry and the walk to the hotel, via a stop to get condoms, Clara’s blood fizzled with anticipation. There were many times at the zoo when she’d wanted to blurt out that she loved Ben. When he had hugged Charlee after they arrived. The kiss he’d given her in front of everyone. Her toes had curled, and if they’d been anywhere other than out in public, she would’ve dragged him to the nearest flat surface and ravaged him until they were breathless and boneless.

The conversation she overheard between Ben and Reed before they’d left was intense, but she hadn’t been worried Reed was trying to warn Ben away from her. Lauren had just finished telling her how happy Reed was that Fern and Ben hadn’t gotten married, and he told Lauren that he fully expected her and Ben to finally realize they were meant to be together.

Clara hadn’t corrected the woman, because it was true. They were meant to be together; they had just taken their time to get to that point.

Now they were about to enter their hotel room, and Clara couldn’t wait until the door closed behind them and she had Ben all to herself again.

Like the previous evening, the second the door clicked shut, Ben had her against it and kissed her as if he was a starving man. It was as though he couldn’t get close enough to her. They ripped at each other’s clothes, and somehow Ben had a condom on his cock before she’d even dropped her pants.

“I need you so much, Clara. It’s going to be hard and fast.” Ben kissed his way down her throat until he found that spot, the one where her neck met her shoulder. A spot she had no idea was so sensitive and turned her on so much until Ben had found it.

She moaned as he nipped her flesh and slammed into her at the same time. She was more than ready for him, and when he started moving she met him thrust for thrust. It wasn’t long before her legs were shaking and she was ready to tip over the edge.

Her orgasm burst through her at the same time as Ben’s, their cries mingling in the air. Clara clutched onto him, grateful that she had something solid behind her and Ben in front of her, otherwise she would be a puddle on the ground.

“Was I too rough?” Ben asked as he carried her over to the bed, laying her gently on the soft mattress.

“No, far from it. I loved every second of it.”

Ben went to pull away from her, but Clara grabbed his hand tugging him down so that he was lying on top of her. Her pants were still trapped around her ankles, but she didn’t care. This moment with Ben was perfect.

“I love you, Bennett Bolton. I think I always have but have been too scared to tell you.” The words she’d kept trapped inside of her for so long, escaped.

Ben’s eyes widened and a soft smile played around his lips. “Fuck, Clarabelle, I love you too. I know it’s probably hard tobelieve, considering what I should’ve been doing two days ago, but it’s true. You are my soul mate. The person I was made for. Like you, I was scared to believe what I felt for you was more than friendship. I can’t imagine you not in my life.”

Tears welled in her eyes at his confession. Deep down she’d always thought he’d felt the same way as her, but she also hadn’t trusted herself enough to believe it to be true. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

Ben moved so that he was lying on his side, facing her. His hand came up and smoothed her hair away from her face, the touch and gesture sweet and gentle. “Believe it. Because now that it is, it’s not going to stop. This is the start of the rest of our lives.”

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