Page 31 of Broken By the Bad Boy

My brows nearly disappear into my hairline. I squeeze Ben’s hand. “What do you mean you kind of lied?”

That indifferent shrug follows. Hayden throws his leg over the table. “We are not going anywhere to eat. Mom said he was coming to surprise you, and I didn’t want to ruin it.” My jaw ground in frustration. Argh. Hayden makes a face at me. Ben keeps his gaze trained on my brother. “How else was I supposed to get you into a cute dress without lying?”

My dress is not cute. It’s sexy, I think. “I don’t know. You could have tried something else.”

I stand and pull Ben to his feet. Smoothing the creases on his jacket, I press another warm kiss to his lips. “You have a lot of explaining to do.” Ben chuckles. I slap his arm, and he laughs harder. “Not funny.”

Ben’s smile dies off when his phone pings. He walks over to Hayden, and they do the brotherly hug thing, clapping each other’s backs and grinning like idiots. Why can’t they hug normally like girls do? My heart races as they exchange hushed conversation. Ben looks my way, and his lips crack in a sexy smile.

I love that idiot. They talk some more and end their chat with another handshake and a pat on the back. Ben returns to me with a grin so wide I have to smile. He offers me his hand. I tuck mine into the crook of his elbow as he guides me to the front door. The front door opens, and a gust of cool air sweeps in.

We take one step out, and Hayden screams behind us, “Be back by 12.”

“Yes, Mom.”

I’ll be back whenever Ben wants me back.

Fourteen

Benand I are still holding hands as we trudge down the stairs. A sheen of wetness covers the street. San Francisco gets cold in December with a bit more rain, but nothing to make us worry. We stop by a car parked in the driveway, and Ben brings out a fob. A beep echoes, and the front and back lights blink. Ben drags me to the passenger side and opens the door. I place a hand on the roof.

“What’s going on?” I ask, a note of doubt creeping into my voice. “Where’s your bike?”

We are the only two out in the cold nipping at my skin. Ben scratches the back of his head. “At home?” He pushes me gently into the car, but I refuse to budge. “Gracie, get in. I’ll explain soon.”

With a big frown, I slide in, and Ben shuts my door. He rushes over to his side and jumps in. My teeth clatter and I tug on the short sleeves of my dress. It is not appropriate for this weather, but it flatters my lean figure. Ben turns on the heater to warm his hands and offers me a tight-lipped smile. I tap my fingers on the dashboard, impatient for an explanation. I swear to God, if he broke into someone’s house and stole their car, I’m leaving. But can he do that? He can’t. He won’t.

Ben sighs softly, and I nearly forget my question when he sandwiches my hand between his. I push one leg over my chair and tilt my upper body to get a full view of my boyfriend. He does the same. His fingers stroke my temple and trail a line down to my chin. I fan myself with my free hand because the car grows warmer. He grabs that hand and litters kisses on my wrist.

His lips press harder against my knuckles when he looks up to say, “I missed you, Gracie.”

I swallow twice before the words form, silently appraising him. “I missed you too, Benny.” If Hayden is the reason my boyfriend showed up in a suit today, he can have my cookies and the best big brother award. Ben is hot. But in a suit, he’s hotter. I tug on his collar. “You look good.”

He starts the car. “You look better,” he says. Heat creeps up my neck. “Come on, don’t be shy.”

Laughter colors his tone. I become self-conscious and hug myself. My hair falls over my face when I duck my head. “I am not shy.” I am fucking shy and curious to know if this is it. Is our date finally happening? He must be here for a reason. I clear my throat. “Where are we headed?”

“Somewhere nice.” I tuck a piece of hair behind my ear, expecting more, but nothing comes.

The drive continues with a song playing on the radio. The volume is so low I can barely make out the lyrics, so I make up my own. Ben places a hand on the console, and I cover it. He steers the wheel with the other hand, and a fuzzy feeling spreads through my chest when he squeezes my hand.

We sit in silence. I doubt I could have spoken if Ben had made a comment.

The roads are almost empty. Most people are indoors with their families, but here we are. I curl against the window, watching light rain settle on nearby buildings. Ben takes a smooth curve to the left, and I hum in approval. I didn’t know he could drive. Bikes and cars are not the same.

“I love your relationship with your brother,” Ben says.

Talking about Hayden always makes me smile. This time is no different. “I like to annoy him.” That’s the best part about having a sibling. Is that what he meant about Olivia? She’s infuriating. I kick thoughts of her out of my mind. I need to forget about her. “Benny, you called my mom?”

He doesn’t look away from the road, but his head dips in a nod. “To get her permission.”

The darkness in the car conceals my heated cheeks. I tug the hem of my dress over my knees, knowing it can’t go beyond that. Ben turns off the radio. I look up, but he’s staring straight ahead.

“How did you get her number?”

We turn into an unfamiliar street. The Christmas decorations become more visible. A row of restaurants with their names written in Christmas lights lines each side of the road. Ben drives the car through thick gates, which automatically open on our arrival, and my heart skips a beat.

The place is enormous.

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