Page 73 of The Rules
Ben.
Sitting alone at the edge of it all. Sleeves rolled, chin locked, eyes locked on the legal pad in front of him.
Silent. Still. Watching.
Kath's breath caught in her throat, the laughter dying on her lips. She knew him better than anyone—knew that blank facade concealed something far more complex. And just as she parted her lips, perhaps to say something, to acknowledge the tension crackling between them...
Ben’s gaze shifted. He turned slightly away, not leaving the room, but retreating into himself, back to the page in front of him. No reaction. No words. Just silence.
And fuck, why did that sting so much?
Kath followed Joshua to a table near the window. They sat, trays between them, and she began unwrapping the cinnamon roll she'd been saving. The warm scent of spice and sugar curled up into the air, almost decadent.
"Best cinnamon roll in the city," she murmured, more to herself than anyone else.
She tore off a bite, sweet icing clinging to her thumb, and giggled as she popped it into her mouth. “Ohhh, that’s sinfully good,” she said with exaggerated delight, licking the sugary glaze from her skin.
Across the room, Ben’s head turned—just slightly.
She felt it. Felt the flick of his gaze the second her tongue touched her thumb. Felt the way it seared.
Joshua chuckled beside her, oblivious. He nudged the plate closer. “You always say that,” he said with a teasing grin.
Kath blinked. “What?”
“Sinfully good.” Joshua smirked, tilting his head toward her. “It’s like your personal stamp of approval.”
Her cheeks flushed, but she forced a laugh. “Well, this one earned it.”
From across the lounge, Ben didn’t move. Didn’t speak. But the page beneath his pen remained blank.
She glanced at him—quick, sideways, casual.
He was watching. Only for a heartbeat. Then his gaze dropped, focused again on absolutely nothing.
And yet—she suddenly wasn’t hungry anymore.
???
Kath hadn't planned to overthink it. It was just dinner.
Just Joshua. And yet—she’d changed her outfit three times.
By the time she stood in front of her mirror, smoothing a hand down the soft fabric of her dress, it was already too late to pretend this didn’t matter. The restaurant was booked, her makeup was set, and her stomach twisted with a low, fluttering dread she couldn’t quite name.
The hours had rushed past in a blur of eyeliner and excuses. And still—when she stepped out the door, she didn’t feel ready. Not really.
The world felt too quiet. Too normal. And she? She still hadn’t decided which version of herself she was bringing tonight.
Katherine hadn't been nervous. Not really. Not until she saw him.
Joshua strolled into the dimly lit restaurant, and Kath's breath caught in her throat. He looked like something out of a dream—sharp cheekbones, that easy dimple, hair tousled just enough to make him feel effortlessly human. And those eyes. Not piercing. Not predatory. Just... kind. Steady. Safe.
He slid into the seat across from her, a confident ease to his movements, like he belonged there. Not cocky. Just confident. The kind of man who made it easy to smile.
Kath sipped her wine, trying to steady her thoughts.
She should feel lucky. This is what she should want. A man who doesn't make her second-guess every breath.
