Page 98 of Let Me Love You (Excess All Areas 5)

“That’s a lot to process. Do we have time to shop, or is this a need-it-tonight situation?”

“It’s a need-it-tonight-and-I’m-broke situation. Don’t tell Ben that, because he’ll only insist on giving me money, which I don’t want. He hasn’t told me where we’re going. He just said to dress up and that he’d be wearing a suit. Do you have something I can borrow?”

“Do I ever, girl. Luke complains I have way too much since all my stuff arrived from the States. Yet, he never complains when I wear one of my sexy dresses.”

“Or heels,” Luke shouted from somewhere in the background.

“He’s such a neanderthal,” Willow said playfully.

“Yes, but you love him.”

“I do. Okay. Details, how are you getting to dinner?”

“Ben is picking me up.”

“Great. Come over now, and we’ll play dress-up for a little while. I have at least four dresses I think will look fabulous on you.”

And five hours later, as Chaya took a selfie of herself in the tall mirror in her room to send to Willow, she had to agree that the red midi dress was stunning. The deep vee of the neckline and nipped-in waist accentuated her best features. She curled her hair to add a wave and left it down, which she secretly knew was Ben’s favourite. Her skin gleamed and her make-up was polished. Willow had admonished her choice of simple gold hoops and had loaned her gold drop earrings that sparkled with diamonds at the end.

Within a minute of sending her the picture, Willow replied.

You’re going to get laid tonight. Keep the dress. It never looked that good on me. It was made to be yours. Wx

The funny thing was, Ben had been right. It would have been way too easy to just fall into bed together, and if the truth was known, she’d enjoyed the anticipation he’d built, making her wait until they were both certain.

Learning what turned him on was exciting.

They’d needed to get to know each other as lovers, not assume everything would work because they were friends. Now, the sexual tension between the two of them was deliciously unbearable whenever they were together. A glance. A touch. A suggestive comment muttered at the most inappropriate times.

There was a knock at her apartment door, and she slipped her heels on before answering it, wanting Ben to see the full effect, but when she opened the door, all she could do was stare.

“That isnotyour old suit,” she said, as she took in the dark black suit with satin lapels, the cut of which highlighted the breadth of his shoulders and narrow waist. He wore a black shirt beneath it, open at the neck, and his hair was tied back from his face. He’d shaved. She could see his dimples as he grinned.

“It’s Tom Ford. And you look incredible in that dress.”

“It’s Willow’s. And thank you.” He reached for her hand, held it over her head, and spun her. Obliging, she pivoted on one foot.

“Gorgeous. Are you ready?”

“I need my bag and jacket.”

“Put your jacket in your overnight bag,” he said, as she ducked back into the living room to grab her phone and slip it into her clutch bag.

“Why?” she asked, returning to the hallway with her wheelie case.

“Because I always wanted to do this.” He slipped his own jacket off and draped it over her shoulders before tugging on the lapels to pull her closer. Chastely, he pressed his lips to hers. “Don’t want to mess up the lipstick,” he said.

Chaya smiled at him and brushed her thumb over his lips to remove the slight smudge of red. “I didn’t know you had it in you to be romantic.”

Ben huffed a laugh as he took her hand and her case and led them from her apartment. “In fairness, I didn’t, either. Guess I’ve been burying the urges.”

“Aren’t you going to be cold?”

“Nah. I’ve got a car waiting for us right by the door. We’ll be outside for a few minutes, tops.”

When they stepped outside, Ben opened the door to a black limousine. “Babe,” she said. “This is too much. You know I’m just as happy going for a cheeky Nando’s.”

Ben ran a knuckle down her cheek. “The fact I know that is why I’m standing here in a Tom Ford suit, in front of a limo, about to do something this outrageous. You were the person I shared everything with, even when we had nothing. When you were in university, and I was a mechanic, and neither of us made great money. So, share this with me too, yeah?”

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