Page 76 of Crimson Promises
“Yes,” I screeched. “No need to get up. I got dizzy suddenly. I need a minute.”
In and out. In and out. In and out.
I heard Ben say he was going to the washroom. I kept my eyes closed until I was sure he had left.
Think, Aurora, think.Could it all be a coincidence that he knew all this stuff about you?Of course. I couldn’t deny the initial attraction and whatever this thing was that seemed to connect us. I never got the impression that he was evil. If anything, I felt the complete opposite. I felt safe enough to be bold with him, tease him, and kiss him. But my gut feeling told me that there was more that Ben was not saying. Somehow, he knew these things about me. I didn’t know how, but I was going to make sure I found out.
When Ben returned to the room, I was composed. His one lock of inky hair had fallen over his eye, and I covered my hand with the other to stop from reaching across the table to move it back into place.
I’m not normal. Nothing about my life has even been close to normal. Why not add this to the list?
Ben’s broad shoulders dwarfed the view of the uncomfortable black chairs we both sat on. “Feeling better?”
“Much. I’m not sure I can push through on the final part of the assignment today, though. I wouldn’t mind getting some fresh air and maybe a nap.”
“Cool with me. Do you want to finish the rest individually, and then we can meet at some point to work on the final edits?”
“Sure,” I breathed. I pulled out my paper agenda. I was old school that way. Still preferred paper for keeping track of my appointments and keeping myself organized over a digital calendar. There was something satisfying about scratching things off a list once you’ve completed it. I flipped to next week. There was a rainbow of due dates coming up. “If we can aim to have it completed by the first half of next week, that would go a long way in making my life a lot easier.”
Ben bit on his plump lower lip. “Next week is super busy. I’m not sure I will be able to make it.”
“Shit, okay.” I tucked my hair behind my ears. There must be something I can move around to accommodate all of this.
He chuckled darkly. “I’m only kidding. I can have it done for whenever you need.”
I narrowed my eyes at him.
“You get worked up so easily, sweetheart. I like the feisty side of you. Normally, you’re so calm, but you seem to save the sassy side just for me.” He pushed his chair back so it was balancing on its hind legs.
I was pretty sure my entire body looked like a hot tamale.
“Where’s my bossy and demanding girl from last night?”
Anger tore through me like a hurricane. It was easier to focus on the anger than the building desire or anything else. Last night, under the cover of darkness, I had no problem asking for what I wanted, practically demanding it from Ben. I know I was the one who pushed the envelope of what we both wanted. But here, under the buzzing of the overhead lighting, for him to talk about it so plainly wasn’t something I was ready to relive quite yet. Facing things in the light was a lot more complicated. There was a schism between Aurora and Ben’s Aurora. I wasn’t sure how the two fit together quite yet; nighttime me gave no fucks about decisions and their consequences, but in the light of day, it was tougher to embrace those types of feelings. Yet, at least I had been consistent in my affection for him. He had been the one who was playing games. Anger, though, was one I decided I could easily wield as a shield.
“I’m telling you that I only needed you for my release. That was the first and last time you’ll be laying your hands on me, Bennett.”
He grinned like a Cheshire cat. “What about that bet you were so intent on me filling my end of the bargain last night? No longer interested?”
I scowled at him. “You’re a jerk!”
“A jerk who you rode without any second thoughts less than twenty-four hours ago.”
I balled my hands into fists. “Consider our bet null and void. I’d rather be naked in a glass case full of scorpions than be near you again.” The chair scraped back with a screech as I grabbed all my books and hastily shoved them into my bag. There was no way I would spend any more time with him than necessary. I grabbed all the snacks he bought us and shoved them into my bag for good measure.Stalker.
I walked around the desk, ensuring I kept a wide berth from Bennett. I reached for the handle, which, lucky for me, was on the opposite side of the room from him. In a flash, his hand landed on top of mine.
“Get off!” I tried to jerk away, but he kept his hand firmly on mine.
“Calm down, Aurora. I was joking around. I didn’t mean to piss you off.”
“Really? That wasn’t intended to piss me off?”
“Okay,” he relented. “Maybe I had meant to get under your skin just a tiny bit, but my intention wasn’t to offend you.”
I exaggerated my eye roll.
He uncurled my hand from the door and flipped it so my palm was facing up. Taking a seat in the nearest chair, Ben got a closer look as he started tracing the lines of my palm. Then he yanked me down until I was sitting in his lap. Wrapping both arms around me and squeezing me tight, he said, “Don’t be mad. I still need you to finish this project.”
