Page 25 of Candy Hearts
That comment made Benji grin for some reason. He smacked a kiss on William’s mouth, loud and obnoxious and amazing.
“What do you eat forlunchevery day?”
William sighed. “A turkey and avocado wrap from the deli across the street from my office. Also carrot sticks.”
“Tomorrow, we’re eating candy for lunch.”
“Oh my God, we are not.”
“Valentine’s Day candy. It’s like regular candy, but in pink wrappers and sold at a markup. Super-special stuff.”
Happiness washed through William. He couldn’t remember ever feeling so … so exhilarated over a relationship. Even if this was sort of a possibly fake, weekend-only relationship.
William kissed Benji because he was at major risk of saying something bizarre and too revealing.
Please date me for real, Benji.
Ilike youlike you.
Stay with me. Give me sunshine and excitement and unexpected laughter and you.
Give me you.
Much better to coax Benji’s tongue into his mouth. Better to stifle the crazy impulses sneaking up on him.
“Wanna fuck in a bed this time. Your bed,” Benji said.
“The futon?”
“Of course I don’t mean the futon!”
“Oh, your bed. Upstairs.”
“Yeah, plus we already lit the wood-burning stove up there. It should be warm.”
“That was smart of us,” William said.
“Very. I’ll bring the roses. You figure out the lighting situation.”
Benji jumped out of William’s lap, easy-peasy like a breakdancer, and jogged up the stairs. Shit, William felt old. He had to go to his hands and knees and stand up slowly. Fucking in a bed was a brilliant idea.
It was dark in the house now that the sun was down. The fire in the fireplace had burnt down to embers, and he’d turned off the kerosene lamp. He closed the screen on the fireplace and made sure it was safe to leave it.
Luckily, William was an overly prepared control freak, so he’d gathered all his candles and put them in a box earlier. They were in the laundry room off the kitchen. He grabbed the box and started up the stairs, moving slowly in the dark. When he finally reached the top floor, he found Benji deconstructing the roses and littering the sheets with petals. He was using precious phone battery to light his way.
“Romance,” Benji said, evidently in explanation.
Those poor roses. “We’re good at it. I have candles.”
“Guess what I don’t have,” Benji said, taking the box from him.
“What?”
“Condoms. I don’t know if we’d need them, but—”
“Oh. There are some in your bathroom. I’ll grab them.” Further proof that this was meant to be the master suite. William had stocked it with essentials years ago.
“Fabulous.” Benji pushed him toward the bathroom. “Stay in there until I’m ready. I’ll yell for you.”
