8

Ben

“Sweet Cami, I can’t begin to tell you how much joy it gives me to see Ben so happy,” Mrs. Morello coos from across the table. Cami’s hand tightens in mine, and I watch as she relaxes into her chair. It was a fight to get her here tonight, but now that she’s met Mrs. Morello, I can sense her relief. “The ladies at the auxiliary club will be thrilled, too.”

“That’s very kind of you,” Cami replies with a warm smile. Her brown eyes shine brightly in Mrs. Morello’s dimly-lit kitchen.

“We’ve all been so worried about him,” Mrs. Morello continues, but not before standing and adding more pasta to my plate. She throws me a wink and an extra meatball. “He’s been alone for too long. It’s high time he finds a woman to share his life with. The ladies and I did everything we could to keep our weekly dates with him, so he had a least three good meals during the week. Do you cook, Cami?”

Cami swings a look my way, but from the frown on my own forehead, she knows I have no idea what the old woman is talking about.

“I do. Very well, actually. My sister is a chef, and she taught me everything I know.”

“Wonderful,” Mrs. Morello exclaims with a clap of her hands. “Tonight, before you leave, I will give you my recipe for Ben’s favorite meatballs. It was my mother’s recipe, but since I never had children of my own, and Ben has become somewhat of a son to me, I’d be happy to pass it on to you. Of course, you’ll have to promise to pass it on to your own children. I mean, that is if you plan on having any. Do you?”

“Mrs. Morello—” I start, but Cami gives my hand another squeeze. I’ve never known the woman to be this intrusive, but then again, I had no idea my weekly date with her was something done strictly to take care of me because I’m not married. Learning that my other two weekly standing dates are based on the same reasoning, I don’t know what to think. Here I thought I was doing something good for them.

“One day,” Cami answers softly. She keeps her gaze on Mrs. Morello, but her cheeks brighten as she speaks. “I’d like to have children of my own.”

“What about you, Ben? I know you have two girls, but would you want more? With Cami?” Mrs. Morello beams, but I know what’s she doing here. Most of what she told us tonight might be news to me, but her line of questioning isn’t.

“Mrs. Morello, are you trying to play matchmaker?” I ask, smiling at her.

“Guilty,” she laughs, throwing up her hands.

“As I’ve told you in the past, with the right woman, I’d love to have more children,” I answer, looking at Cami and meeting her gaze. I let her see the truth behind my words.

The right woman.

Her.

The soft look in her eyes strikes me in the chest. She feels it, too.

“Do you hear that, girl?” Cami nods but doesn’t look away. “What do you think about my sweet Ben here?”

“I think he’s… very special,” she answers, finally breaking her gaze and looking at Mrs. Morello. I watch as she smiles, giving the old woman the same warm smile she’s given me time after time.

I’ve never wanted a woman like I want her. I’d give her babies and have fun making them. As many as she wants. I want them to have her brown eyes, natural wit, and love of books. I want her to be a part of Kinsley and Katie’s life, and not just as the librarian they work with.

“Well, would you look at that,” Mrs. Morello coos, sitting back in her chair to take in the sight of Cami’s heated blush and my inability to look away from the beautiful creature beside me. “Looks like this is going to be my last Sunday night dinner, Benjamin.”

Cami

I kiss Ben one last time before wrapping my robe around me and exiting the room in search of my cell phone. We both fell asleep after another fantastic night. But I was woken moments ago by the sound of my phone going off for what has to be the hundredth time tonight.

My sister, despite the multiple text messages I’ve sent, reassuring her of my wellbeing has refused to stop calling me. I know if I don’t call her back soon, she’ll be pounding on my door looking for better answers.

I close the door softly behind me and make my way toward the front of my house, dialing her number as I go.

“It’s about fucking time you called me back. You’re too late, though. I’m walking up to your front door right now.”

“No, Rachelle, you can’t come here,” I panic, freezing mid-step to look around the room. Ben’s clothing, along with my own, trails from the front door down the hall to my bedroom.

“Too late,” she replies, hanging up on me and knocking on my front door. The sound of her knock jolts me out of my panic, and I scramble to pick up the proof of my weekend activities. Except for last night—when he had the girls—and dinner with Mrs. Morello, we’ve spent our time exploring one another without clothing.

Rachelle knocks again, this time louder. “I know you’re home, Cami. You said as much on the phone.”

Throwing the large pile of clothing into the spare room, I look around one last time for any sign of Ben. Seeing none, I take a breath and walk over to the door to let my sister in.

“I told you I was fine.” I open the door, not bothering to mask my annoyance at her presence.

“And you promised me the juicy details in exchange for privacy Friday night.” She pushes past me and heads into the kitchen. “It’s Sunday, and I have no juicy details. What gives?”

I watch as she reaches into my refrigerator and cracks open a bottle of water. She chugs it, and I realize she’s decked out in her running gear and looks like she just ran a marathon.

“Did you run here?”

“Yup,” she gasps, using the back of her arm to wipe the sweat off her upper lip. “Spill.”

I glance down the hall, hoping she doesn’t see me do it, before answering. “Rachelle, it’s really not a good time for this.”

“Why not? I thought you said you were okay?” She looks me up and down, her eyes searching for something to be wrong with me.

“I am, but I was about to jump in the shower.” I tighten my robe around me and flick my head to the back bedroom, hoping she’ll get the hint and go.

She looks at me, her brow puckering in confusion. “You’re kicking me out because you were getting ready to take a shower?”

“I’m not kicking you out,” I argue, lowering my voice a little. The last thing I need is for her to wake Ben. I’m not ready to tell my sister anything about him, but she catches on to the level of my voice, my appearance, and my cagey behavior.

“Oh, my God, he’s here, isn’t he?” she asks, her eyes wide with shock and awe. “You dirty little slut… Wait, is it the same guy? The one from Friday night?”

“Wow, who do you think I am? Yes, it’s the same guy.” I scowl, crossing my arms.

“I think you’re a grown-ass woman who has every right to explore life as she pleases.” Rachelle cocks an eyebrow and smirks. “And if he’s who you’re exploring life with, well, then I’m one jealous bitch.”

I feel an arm slip around my waist as Ben steps up behind me. “Everything all right in here?” he asks. His deep voice fills the air, sending a shiver through my body. I look up at him, in awe of the way he’s looking at my sister without a sliver of the annoyance I feel toward her. He’s poised to protect but without being an ass about it.

Will I ever get enough of this man? I wonder to myself.

“You must be Cami’s sister.”

“Yes, I’m Rachelle,” she flounders, reaching out a hand to him. He takes her hand without letting his hold on me go.

“Nice to meet you, Rachelle. I’m Ben,” he replies nonchalantly, giving her a devilish grin. Rachelle looks the Adonis behind me up and down before stopping on me. She’s dumbstruck and absolutely speechless. Her jaw flaps as she struggles to form words, but nothing comes.

She looks to me, but I’m enjoying seeing her struck like this. It reminds me of the first day I laid eyes on him and how he made me feel.

Ben has that kind of effect on women, and he has no idea of it. He’s always too busy to notice the way women turn to look at him as he walks by. The way they stare and murmur behind his back.

“Can I have my hand back?” Ben asks, interrupting my thoughts, and I see Rachelle snatch her hand back, shocked at the indecent time she spent holding his.

“Ben, do you think you can give me a moment with Rachelle?” I ask, turning in his arms and reaching up to kiss him lightly on the lips.

“Sure,” he murmurs before stepping back and nodding to my sister. “It was nice meeting you, Rachelle. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you again.”

She nods dumbly, but the moment he’s out of sight, she’s on me.

“Holy fucking shit,” she swears in a harsh whisper. “Do you know who he is?”

Shit.

All my blood freezes in my veins, and for the first time since walking into The Meat Market, I realize my sister might know all about the place and the men who are a part of it. She does own one of the hottest restaurants in the city.

“Yes, he’s the architect who did the renovations on the library I was telling you about,” I answer, hoping it’s enough to sway her away from his other job.

“You’re kidding me. That’s the Adonis?”

“Yes, why?”

“So, he doesn’t work for Jason Somers at that butcher shop?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Rachelle,” I say, but her eyes light up a second later.

“I thought you said he was a blind date—”

“Rach—”

“Oh, my God, you went down there and booked a date with them, didn’t you?” Instead of being shocked at my behavior, Rachelle has the biggest smile plastered across her face.

“It isn’t like that with him—”

“I bet they all say that—”

“No, it isn’t.” Ben’s voice rounds the corner, and he pins my sister in place with a cold stare. “Yes, I used to offer services at Jason’s shop, but I haven’t taken on a new client in a long time. Until Cami.”

“Until Cami?” she asks.

“Jason is one of my best friends, has been since college. He knew about Cami the first day I met her, and he called me the second she walked out of his shop.” He wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me hard against him. I feel the tension in his body. “I was going to ask Cami out the next time I saw her, already had it planned, but fate had another plan for us. Guess I wasn’t moving fast enough for it.”

“I didn’t mean to insinuate—”

“I’m guessing you didn’t, but I’ve been to your restaurant a time or two with a client, and I thought it best this came from me and not Cami. I have a past, one I’m not exactly proud of, but I did what I had to do to survive,” he continues, but he’s made his point, and Rachelle knows she crossed a line.

“I’m sorry.” Her voice is soft, and her eyes dart between the two of us. She swallows hard before speaking. “Um, Cami, I think I should get going.”

“Do you want me to give you a ride? It’s really late.” I don’t want her running the three miles back to her house this time of night. She shouldn’t have been out running this late to begin with, but then again, she probably wouldn’t have done it in the first place if I had called her. My sister runs when she’s worried or stressed out over something.

“No, I can text Jeremy.”

“Text him and stay until he gets here,” Ben tells her, but it’s more like a command. I wait for Rachelle to fire back, but she doesn’t. “I’m going to go back to bed. I’ve got to leave earlier than I expected. Kins texted. Girls need me to pick them up in the morning and drop them off at the library.”

I nod, noting the way he kisses my head softly this time and breathes in my scent. He lets go and turns to leave the room again, but Rachelle’s voice stops him.

“Please don’t hurt her,” she tells him, crossing the room to stand in front of him. I can feel the seriousness pouring off my sister. “I can see you care about her, but I know my sister. She’s already decided you’re the one.”

“If I had my way, I’d marry her tomorrow.” My heart flutters hard in my chest. The confession rocks me hard. I watch as he gives my sister a nod and leaves us hens to it.

“Holy shit, did he just say he wanted to marry me?” I ask out loud to no one in particular.

“I better be your fucking MOH.” Rachelle chuckles and throws an arm around my shoulder. “Word of sisterly advice… Watch your teeth.”