Page 94 of Let Me Love You (Excess All Areas 5)

But the words Nan had written bolstered her for the rest of the day.

Love always leads you to the person who completes you. Not this two halves of a whole bullshit. But the person whose presence just makes you the best version of yourself. Life, however, leads you on a merry fucking dance so you don’t know which way is up. Sometimes, you make good decisions. Sometimes, you make purely selfish ones. Sometimes, life doesn’t work out the way you hoped. Sometimes, it knocks you on your arse. But every time, love finds your battered heart and brings you home. Nan #goldenager #stayawayfrommygrandkids #BenYa4Ever

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Luke stood up and tossed his sticks back into their holder in Matt’s recording studio. “How can it be seven o’clock already?”

Alex stood up and yanked a hand through his hair. “Fuck. I’ve got half an hour to get to Bridgewater Hall for Zoe’s opening night.”

Ben laughed as Alex threw all his stuff haphazardly into his bag. “Chaya’s not home for a bit, so I can drive you.” He began to pack his own things.

“Well, Cerys and Iz are in London for separate business meetings, so me and Matt are going into town, if anyone wants to join,” Jase said.

Luke shook his head. “I feel like I haven’t seen the little fella as much as I’d like, so hopefully I’m home in time to give him his bath. Then, maybe bathe his momma.”

“TMI,” Ben said, sending Chaya a quick message.

What time are you home? Want me to grab takeout?

It took a few seconds before she responded.

8 and yes, please. Busy now. Sorry.

No worries. See you later.

At a little after eight, after dropping his brother off and watching him sprint into the Hallé Orchestra’s Manchester home, he knocked on Chaya’s apartment door. When she opened it, she wore little shorts and a tank, no bra, with a plaid shirt, his, open over the top. He placed the bag of food on the small table in the entrance and lifted her up into his arms, kissing her soundly.

Chaya threaded her hand into his hair and kissed him back. He turned them so they were pressed up against the door, and she wrapped her legs around his waist.

Shit, how could she take him from zero to sixty in two seconds?

“I missed you,” she murmured. “But is that vegetable yakisoba from Kyotoya I can smell?”

Ben grinned and pressed a few last kisses against her neck before placing her on the floor. “You open the door with your nipples pointing through your tank, looking like a snack, and I have to wait to fuck you against the door over Japanese food.”

Chaya grabbed the bag of food and glanced back over her shoulder. “Yes, but think about how much more energy I’ll have once I’ve eaten.”

His shirt covered her arse. Pity. “But I would have done all the work, and sushi could have been refuelling.”

She placed the bag on her small table and began removing all the dishes. “If I reverse it, you show up at my door, wearing a T-shirt that fits you like a second skin while carrying a bag of my absolute favourite takeout, and after twelve hours on my feet, where I thrived off leftovers from last night, I have to wait to eat because you’re horny?”

Ben grinned. “If we’re repeating each other, think about how much hungrier you’ll be once I’ve fucked you.”

Chaya burst out laughing. “I can’t come up with anything to beat that except, please, be merciful, let me eat.”

He’d always intended to let her. “Fine. I’ll get plates.”

Once they were seated, tucking into the delicious Japanese food, Chaya groaned. “I had no idea I was this hungry. I’m barely taking a breath between mouthfuls.”

Ben took a salmon-stuffed sushi roll and dipped it in soya sauce before eating it whole. “Same,” he muttered over a mouthful. He chewed thoughtfully and swallowed. “If we lived together, for a Kosher household, how much different would it be to what we do now? Like, could I eat this?”

Chaya swallowed and sipped some water. “Not too different. It’s keeping meat and poultry separate from dairy. Meat must come from an animal with split hooves, who chews the cud, though. So, think cows and lambs are okay but rabbits wouldn’t be. No shellfish or pigs, which includes anything with gelatine. Shopping is a bit trickier, reading labels closely, or shopping at kosher stores. You need to check ingredients a bit more. Separate pots, pans, plates, chopping boards.”

“I wouldn’t need to be vegetarian like you?”

Chaya shook her head. “Not at all.”

“I just figured it might be more complicated. I don’t have separate pots, though, when you come to mine, now.”

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