Page 22 of Saved By Love at Christmas
“I think you should tell the police.”
“Tell them what? That I’ve had a nuisance call?”
“Not only that. Tell them about the incident in Spain. Did you take any photographic evidence?”
I stood and paced the room, coming to halt by the window overlooking the garden, which Marie was patrolling. I turned and leaned against the windowsill, arms folded across my chest.
“Yes, I took pictures, but all they prove is a mirror was smashed, and I have bruises on my face. There’s no evidence to link Jamie to what happened.”
He huffed out a breath and came to stand in front of me. I turned and faced the garden. Marie was at the bottom, checking the bushes. Two hands rested on my shoulders.
I shivered, not with fear or cold, but something else.God help me, please stop this.My feelings towards him were confusing me. He was my best friend, yet I was beginning to see him as more than that. My tummy fluttered with warmth.
He turned me to face him. “Can I see them?”
“See what?” I shrugged and spread my hands wide. I was playing dumb, but I knew what he meant.
“The pictures.”
“What good will that do, Ben?”
“I… I just need to see them.”
I blew out a shaky, frustrated breath and retrieved my phone from the table. I found the pictures, grimacing as I looked at them, reliving that awful night. I thrust the phone into Ben’s hands and went back to the window. I didn’t want to face him when he looked at them.
“Jesus Christ, Rubes. He could’ve killed you.” I’d never heard Ben sound so angry.
I turned and walked back to him. His hands were shaking as he looked at the photos.
“Yes, he could. And that’s why I left when I did. The next time, I didn’t think I would escape quite so lightly. It was just good luck that he had an event to attend.”
A groan came from him. It sounded like a wounded animal. He grabbed hold of me and crushed me against him. He was shaking so much that I thought he was crying.
“The thought that I could’ve lost you. I…”
The fear in his voice was palpable. I reached up and caught his face in my hands. There were unshed tears in his eyes. I blinked back my own. Seeing him like this made me realise I wasn’t the only one suffering here.
“It’s okay. I’m safe now. You said so yourself. It’ll all be fine, Ben.”
He kept on looking at me, and I couldn’t seem to tear myself away from the magnetic pull of his blue eyes. Eyes that were brimming with many different emotions. I went up on tiptoe and placed the softest of kisses to his lips. I moved away before either of us was tempted to deepen the kiss, although we continued to watch each other.
“There’s no one out there and no sign of any other vehicles,” Marie said as she entered the room.
We turned to see her looking at us with speculation in her expression. I needed to act fast. I slipped out of Ben’s embrace and hugged her tight. We both ended up sobbing. This time, they were happy tears. It had been so long since we’d embraced like this. I’d missed her smile, her confidence, and most importantly, her friendship.
“It’s so good to see you again,” I said.
“You too. Don’t ever skip town on us again, okay?”
“Don’t you worry, I have no intention of leaving ever again. There’s nowhere I’d rather be than here.”
“I’ll put the kettle on.” Marie squeezed my shoulder and headed for the kitchen.
“Thanks for coming over,” I said once Ben and I were sitting in the living room.
“That’s what friends are for. You scared the hell out of us.”
“I was furious after he called. What I ever saw in that bully I’ll never know. I guess I was in love with the idea of being in love.” I sighed.
