“Darcy Fontaine, yes.” He reaches for my hand with a wide smile.
“Well, Scott now,” I correct him as kindly as possible. Benjamin’s brows soar, his mouth curving with approval at my attention to detail and the connection we now share. Marriage is a powerful thing. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Likewise.”
I gesture between them, uncomfortable. “I can wait outside, really…”
“Take a seat at my desk. We’ll only be a couple of minutes.” Oddly displaying affection in his workplace, Benjamin kisses my hair, which not only startles me, but his employee also.
I choose a random magazine and settle into Benjamin’s desk chair while they continue. It ends up being an extreme sport magazine, and I’m deep into an article about snowboarding when Ben stands.
“All right, so Tokyo is out. Send the figures to Singapore. I want word by 8 a.m.”
“Will do, boss.” On his way out, Mr. Chapman regards me with a parting nod. “Pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Scott.”
“Ditto. Goodnight.”
It’s almost laughable the way Chapman’s shoulders slump the moment he’s clear of the room, all tension freed by the absence of Benjamin’s presence.
“Ditto?” Benjamin teases, in a far better mood than I expected when I showed up here.
I roll my eyes. “Shut up.”
He sits on the edge of the conference table while I make my way over to him, remembering the reason I intruded on his day in the first place. He checks his watch, a gift I gave him over a year ago.
“I thought we were leaving to the restaurant from home?”
My lack of response, and the growing smile lighting up my face, should answer his question. I had to come.
“Jaz called you?” he asks, picking up on my cheerfulness.
“Yeah, she did.”
“And?”
His eyes close when I’m between his legs, and I sweep my hands over his hair, gripping the nape of his neck. “Andthank you.”
“I figured it would be good…”
“I know you’re going to be a good father, Benjamin.”
“That makes one of us.”
“Says the guy who spent months by my side without complaint when the worst was coming down on me. Says the guy who knew we were having problems and rushed us to Bali so we could get married and force the problems away.” His expression softens. “Says the guy who offers to abandon this profound world he’s built because he’d rather be on the run than away from me. You underestimate yourself, darling.”
His smile is abashedly pleased. “Keep going and it’ll go straight to my head.”
“I could go on for days.”
He soaks up all the affection I give him, caresses and lingering gazes, thriving on them.
“Darcy, a child is something else entirely. A child is a lot.”
“We’ll learn together.”
When he nods, wrapping his arms around waist, the monstrous weight that had gathered on my chest, weighing me down with uncertainty and confusion, lifts, allowing me a deep exhale of relief.
We’re getting somewhere now.