Page 106 of Crimson Promises
“I was, but you saved me.” The pride radiated through his eyes so bright I could bask in it.
A hand came up to tenderly tuck a piece of loose hair behind my ear. And then, as if Ben wasn’t recuperating from a near-death experience, he leaned his forehead against mine and skimmed his bare finger against my swollen lips. “You’re amazing, you know that?”
His words made a wave of bashfulness rise up.
“I’m not?—“
He held a finger against my lips. “Shh. Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Minimize what you did. Aurora. Don’t hide from it, embrace it. It’s part of you. And if there’s one thing I know for certain over the years of having the privilege to watch over you, it’s that one thing. You are magnificent, and not for one millisecond should you be ashamed of who you are. You are going to burn so bright. Never kneel for anyone, ever.”
A tear slid down my cheek.
He caught it with his finger. “You’ve been a burst of light like a falling star lighting up my entire life in what has become a dark and lonely existence.”
So softly, I kissed the corner of his mouth.
“Every path that lies ahead will have its fair share of challenges. You must make difficult decisions that will direct the path the rest of your life takes. But those decisions are yours and yours alone. All I can promise, baby, is that I’ll be there.”
I run my eyes down the length of him. Black jeans and navy henley slashed across his knees, chest, and stomach, revealing olive-toned skin. A few uninterrupted hours to explore every inch of him was what I needed right now. The rest of, well, everything else could wait.
“Babe, eyes up here,” he interrupted my thoughts.
“Huh?”
“Seeing me battered and bruised does something for you?”
“No,” I clucked my tongue. “More like noticing you are in desperate need of”—I leaned in close, sniffing the air close to Ben—“a shower.”
“Oh, I get it. You’re offering?” He flashed me a wicked smile.
“No, I never said that,” I responded, staring at the molding of the trim above his head. If I met his eyes, I knew it would light me on fire from the inside out. I cleared my throat. “We both know what would happen if I came in to help you shower. Right now, you are in no shape to participate in those, uh, sort of activities.”
“What happened to the woman who wanted a night together without labels?”
“She’s around…somewhere,” I muttered.
Ben hooked his finger through a belt loop and tugged me closer to him. I didn’t want him to strain himself, so I went willingly.Sure, keep telling yourself that.
“I bet with the right motivation, I could make her appear here real fast.”
“I bet you could,” I trailed my fingers down his ridged abs. As my finger moved closer to his injury, I added some pressure. As I expected, he flinched subtly. “And that right there is the reason why this isn’t going any further today.”
“You sure know how to kick a guy when he’s down.”
I continued running my fingers down the v muscles at his hip to trace his hardened length molded against his thigh. “For the things I have in mind, I need you in peak physical condition.”
He gyrated his hips against my touch. “I assure you that I can manage your expectations perfectly in any condition.”
My mouth went dry. I crossed one leg over the other.
Ben caught my movements. “Exactly,” his eyes shone. “Well, now that I’m hard as granite, I’m going to beat the Guinness Book of Record for the longest cold shower.”
“Rest, please,” I squeaked out. “And I’m going straight to my condo and not planning on leaving until I hear from you. Going to order some pad thai and watch cheesy romantic comedies and reality TV. Help keep my mind occupied.”
His shoulder sagged with relief. “Thank you. I’ll rest much easier knowing you're staying put. Once I’m up, I’ll text you, and we can figure everything out.”
