“‘Bring him to me’?” I repeat with a raised brow. Is he kidding me? “What are you, Henry VIII now?” Unable to help it, I smirk. “What are you going to do, Ben? Behead him?”

His eyes hold mine for an extended moment. “Possibly.” He must realize how ridiculous he just sounded because he smiles sexily. “It’s tempting.”

Our eyes lock and a ripple of electricity zaps in the air between us.

Cut it out.

Silence hangs, but he finally breaks it. “It’s good to see you, Didge. I’ve thought of you often.”

My eyes search his. I get a lump of regret in my throat and I just want to shake him for putting me through hell.

I force a smile. “You, too.”

I don’t mean it. Seeing him only makes it hurt that little bit more, knowing we didn’t work out. Unfortunately, I wasn’t imagining the chemistry we had. I always had hoped that maybe it had been a dream. I thought that if we ever saw each other again it would be like seeing an old friend in the street—I would feel nothing and be happy that I had moved on and made a life without him.

That’s not even close to the truth, though. I feel mad, hurt, and it feels like only yesterday that he left me without a care in the world.

Time has changed nothing. In fact, everything feels magnified.

Damn it!

You’re an idiot, Bridget. Stop it. It doesn’t matter; it’s in the past.

He hesitates for a moment, as if wanting to say something. I feel like I do, too, but I don’t know what. I mean, there obviously isn’t anything to say.

So many things have changed since he left, but one thing sure hasn’t: that feeling of affection between us. I just want to wrap my arms around him and tell him I missed him. I frown; the magnetic pull to him is weird… and strong. So strong.

Snap out of it, stupid.

He’s an asshole.

“Here you go.” The bartender smiles as he hands over the tray of margaritas. I smile, pay, and lift the tray to turn back toward Ben. “I’ll see you back at the table?” I ask.

He nods once, clearly distracted, and I make my way through the crowd with my heart hammering in my chest.

Fucking hell. Calm down, I try to tell myself. It’s okay. Just because he’s here doesn’t mean anything.

Stop overreacting, Bridget.

I place the tray on the table and fall into my seat between Tash and Abbie, passing them their drinks. Cameron is telling a story, and everyone is listening attentively, laughing when appropriate, and I find myself looking around the table with a broad smile on my face. I’m here with my favourite people in the whole world tonight. Tash and Josh, Cam, Adrian and Abbie—it doesn’t get better than this. With Cam, Adrian, Josh, and Tash all living in the States, the times when we get together are sacred.

My people. My favourite people.

Adrian reaches over, takes my hand, and squeezes it reassuringly. My beautiful Adrian.

When he broke up with his boyfriend, Nicholas, and I broke up with Ben all those years ago, we became very close. We even lived together for six months in L.A. when I moved in with him. We speak daily, and he’s such a blessing in my life. He knows that I’ll be rattled from seeing Ben. I don’t have to tell him what I’m thinking… he just knows.

I wonder if Tash knew Ben was coming. Why didn’t she say anything?

My question is answered when Natasha’s mouth drops open in shock as Ben approaches the table. “Ben!” she shrieks, standing up in excitement.

Abbie’s eyes widen, and she snaps them to me. I fake a smile… one that says, Oh, I know.

Natasha and Abbie both stand, and Ben grabs them in an embrace.

“Oh, my God, it’s so good to see you.” Tash smiles into Ben’s shoulder.

“It’s been too long,” Ben replies as his eyes find me across the table. He turns and kisses Abbie.

“Hey, Abs.” He smiles. “Still hot,” he teases.

“You know it, big boy.” She smiles as she kisses him on the cheek.

He takes his seat next to Joshua, and all eyes fall on him.

“Joshua. Why didn’t you tell me Ben was coming?” Natasha asks excitedly.

“Because I didn’t know.” Joshua smirks. “Sneaky bastard didn’t tell anyone but Wilson.”

“Why not?” Abbie asks.

Ben’s eyes find mine again. “I thought I would surprise you all.”

“Surprise!” Tash and Abbie laugh in unison.

“Where have you been since I saw you last?” Cameron asks Ben.

The conversation falls to Ben up the other end of the table. As he answers, I pick up my phone to try to stop myself from hanging on his every word. I can’t believe he’s here.

Impeccable timing.

I notice a little number ‘1’ on the microphone picture on my phone and I frown. What the hell is wrong with this stupid phone? Why does it keep doing that?

Without realizing it, I frown and try to clear the damn thing.

Adrian frowns across the table, in question, sensing my frustration.

I shake my head, confused. “This stupid phone keeps recording things,” I reply.

“Huh?” He frowns.

I shrug. “I don’t know, it just randomly comes on and records stuff.” I pass it to Adrian and he studies it carefully while I sip my margarita. My nerves are shot with Ben here. I need to be careful and not get drunk, or tell him what I really think. Although, what that is I just don’t know. You’re hot, you’re an asshole, you look completely fuckable. Oh, let’s just start with Bridget is an idiot!

My thoughts are interrupted.

“And you don’t turn it on?” Adrian asks.

I shake my head. “Nope. It’s got a mind of its own.”

He frowns as he clicks into my settings to try to work it out.

“It’s annoying because it’s using up all the battery and it keeps running out.”

“Joshua?” Adrian asks across the table.

Joshua looks up from his conversation with Ben, unaware what we’re talking about.

“Have a look at this,” Adrian says as he passes my phone up to him. Joshua is our resident tech-head. Being an app developer and all, he can usually work out most things.

He takes the phone from Adrian and starts to fiddle with it.

“What have you been up to, Abs?” Cam asks across the table. “Still banging like a barn door?”

The table erupts into giggles and I choke on my drink. That is such a Cameron thing to say. Cameron is Joshua’s younger brother, and someone very dear to us all. He’s never serious for a moment, and it’s hard to believe he’s a doctor in L.A. He’s cheeky as all hell and keeps us amused with his wicked one-liners and sense of humour. He has every woman he meets eating out of his hand.

“Cameron!” Abbie snaps, feigning shock. “For your information, I do not bang like a barn door.”

He smiles into his beer. “I beg to differ.” His eyes dance with delight as he teases.

“You wish you knew if I banged like a barn door, Cam,” she replies flatly.

He raises his glass with a grin.

Joshua frowns. “I think you might need a new phone, Didge.” He narrows his eyes as he concentrates. “The engage seems to be disabled.”

I roll my eyes. “Will you speak English? What does that even mean?”

He looks up at me and raises a brow. “It means it’s fucked.” He hands it back over the table to Natasha, who hands it to me, and I set it on my lap.

“Great,” I mutter under my breath.

“God, will you look at this place?” Tash smiles excitedly as she looks around in wonder.

We all look to our backdrop. I forget to look at it sometimes.

“This is the most beautiful city in the world.” Tash sighs. “There’s just no place like home.”

I smile and raise my glass to her. Abbie joins me, and we clink glasses in celebration.

We’re at the Opera Bar at the Sydney Opera House, sitting outside on the water’s edge at one of the hundred tables. The lit-up Sydney Harbor Bridge is behind us and the reflective lights from all the skyscrapers dance on the water. White circular lanterns line the water’s edge. The music has a trendy low beat, and the place is buzzing with eclectic people. This is our hangout. It seems surreal that this is where Abbie and I come for drinks at least once a week. We’re truly blessed.

Life is busy, with me being a travel agent and Abbie being a PA for a law firm, but we always catch up at least once a week, no matter what. I came back to Australia just over two years ago. I went to L.A. with Natasha when she moved to be with Joshua, and then sort of fell into the L.A. lifestyle. I love it over there, too. I could easily settle in the States and be happy forever, but I missed my mum and Abbie, and with Tash being out of town on their property in Willowvale, and Adrian being so busy at work—he’s the CEO of Joshua’s app development company—my time was up. It was good while it lasted, and I’m lucky enough that Joshua flies me back and forth whenever I want on his private jet.

In Stanton Land, money is no option. Natasha married into money, big money, and it has flowed into all our lifestyles. Designers send Natasha clothes, hoping she’ll wear them, and she sends them to Abbie and me. Adrian spoils me rotten and buys me everything he thinks would look good on me—the perks of having a gay best friend with impeccable taste and a love of shoes and handbags. Joshua does everything he can to ensure that Natasha is happy living in the States, and if that means flying me, Abbie, and Mum over whenever we want, so be it.

So, effectively, my sister married a billionaire and I live on her coattails. It works well.

“When do you go away, Didge?” Adrian asks, pulling me from my thoughts.

“Two weeks.”

“Is this the work trip?” Tash frowns.

I nod as I sip my drink. My eyes flash to Ben, who’s watching me intently.

“Where to?” Cameron asks.

“I go to London, then Ireland and Scotland.”

“Lochness Monster territory,” Abbie interrupts.

Cam glances over at Ben, who breaks into a cheeky smile. They both drop their heads and begin to chuckle at a private joke.

“What’s funny?” I ask.

Ben shakes his head, not wanting to elaborate, and I turn my attention to Cam.

He laughs into his drink.

I narrow my eyes. Private jokes annoy me. “Do tell,” I encourage flatly.

Cameron sips his beer, as if deciding whether to elaborate. “Ben and I picked up these girls once and we promised them a sighting of the Lochness Monster.”

The table all scrunch up their faces and groan.

“Oh, God.” Adrian sighs. “That’s so lame. I don’t know where you find these stupid women.”

Ben laughs out loud, and he pinches the bridge of his nose as he remembers.

Cameron smiles cheekily. “It worked, though.” He shrugs. “I unleashed the beast. The myth became a legend.”

Ben shakes his head as he laughs, and I stare at him flatly.

When was this?

Was this after he was with me? It would have to be.

We haven’t been together for five years. Fuck, it annoys me to no end that nothing has changed for him, and he’s carried on picking up girls with Cameron every chance they get.

Fucking men. Ugh.

I sip my drink in annoyance. “Poor girls were promised monsters and got teeny tadpoles,” I murmur into my drink.

Everyone laughs, and Tash holds her drink in the air. “Hear, hear.”

Thank God, I have a boyfriend. I don’t have to put up with this shit.

Stop it, why is this even an issue?

Who cares?

Not me.

I start to feel my face getting hotter, and I sip my drink as I try to calm myself.

“When do you start, Cam?” Tash asks.

The topic of conversation goes to Cameron’s work. He has just started to train to be a cardiologist and is super excited.

“Next week; I can’t wait.”

I blow out a breath as I turn my attention to the harbour in front of me and hold my glass to my lips, running my hand up and down my neck as I think.

I wonder… does he have a girlfriend?

He could be married with kids by now.

Probably is.

I’ve never asked about him, not once. I’ve wanted to. God, how I’ve wanted to, but I wanted to get over him more. I didn’t want the others to know I still thought about him. I don’t even like admitting it to myself.

My phone beeps with a text, and I look down to swipe it on. It’s a text from Ben.

I frown. Huh? I click it open.

What?

I frown and lift my eyes to his. He holds his beer up and takes a drink as his mischievous eyes hold mine. He’s sitting back in his seat, legs wide, and his huge shoulders show off all his power. Unable to help myself, my eyes roam down to his strong, muscular forearms and I swallow the lump in my throat. Honestly… why the hell is he so freaking hot?

The conversation carries on around us as my heartrate picks up.

Okay, what the actual fuck is going on here? I’m not imagining this.

That was a definite flirty text.

But what do I write back?

Fuck off, asshole. That’s what I need to write. I text back:

He reads my text and smirks. I pick up my drink and sip it as I make eye contact with Adrian, who frowns subtly in question. My phone beeps again.

I swallow the lump in my throat and immediately text back.

A reply bounces back.

I feel my cheeks start to heat.

“So, Didge, tell me about your trip.” Tash smiles. “Gosh, it must be so exciting to go away for your job.”

I smile with enthusiasm. “It is.”

My phone beeps again and I glance down to my lap to read it.

I glance over the table at Ben, and he gives me his best come fuck me look as he sips his beer.

Dark, wanting eyes hold mine.

Holy hell. I haven’t seen that look for a long, long time. He used to look at me like this, when we were sneaking around and nobody knew we were seeing each other. I feel myself start to melt into a puddle.

“Erm…” I stammer as my eyes flicker back to Tash guiltily. I seem to have lost all coherent ability to form a sentence. “Erm.” I glance around at the table as they all wait for my intelligent reply. Yeah… I got nothing.

He craves me?

Crazy vampire sex is all I can see.

“I… I…” I stammer.

Adrian and Tash frown as they wait for my answer.

“I need a drink. Does anybody need a drink?” I stand abruptly, midsentence.

“Yes. I’ll help.” Adrian stands.

“Me, too,” Tash mutters as she stands.

Abbie sits still, drinking her drink.

“Want to come, Abs?” I ask.

She doesn’t even look my way. “No, I’m good.”

Adrian fakes a smile and grabs her arm, pulling her from her seat. “We need help, Abbie.”

“God, you’re such babies,” she snaps as she follows us through the crowd. “Why did I have to come?”

“What’s going on?” Adrian asks over my shoulder as we walk through the crowd, his hands on my hips from behind.

“This is a bad fucking situation,” I whisper.

“Did I miss something?” Tash calls from behind us.

We get to the bar and all huddle together, out of their sight.

“He sent me a text and said he wants to bite my neck,” I blurt out.

Tash and Adrian frown at each other, and then at me. “Who?”

I widen my eyes at their stupidity. “Ben!” I shriek.

Adrian screws up his face. “What?” He scratches his head.

Tash looks back over toward the table. “When?”

“Just now.”

Abbie fidgets with her underwear under her dress. “These undies are getting up in my regions.”

Adrian screws up his face in horror. “Oh, my God. Don’t talk to me about your regions.”

Abbie rolls her eyes. “For your information, my regions are a fantastic holiday destination. Five-star luxury.”

“Eww.” We all screw up our faces as a text comes through and I read it.

My eyes widen in horror.

“Your regions are a backpacker’s hostel.” Adrian winces in disgust as he turns to order the drinks.

“Oh, my fucking God,” I snap as I read it with wide eyes. Another text bounces through. “He knows I’m telling you.” I wave my phone around in horror.

I screw up my face, and Tash snatches my phone from my hand to read the text. “What the fuck?” she whispers. “Have I missed part of the conversation?”

I nod. “Yes. The same part that I missed.”

Adrian turns while the bartender makes the drinks, and he takes my phone from Tash. He frowns as he gets to the last text. “Punishable offense?” he mouths in wonder. His eyes meet mine.

Abbie snatches the phone and reads it, smiling deviously. “Oh, dear God. Please tell me you’re going home to fuck him harder than hard. You need to be punished, bitch. Even I can see that.”

“Abbie,” I hiss, annoyed. “I have a fucking boyfriend.”

She cringes. “And your point is?”

“Oh, God, here we go. You and your filthy backpacker regions.” Adrian huffs while he takes the phone from her as another text comes through, and he reads it.

His eyes widen; he looks up at me, puffing air into his cheeks in thought. “Maybe Abbie is right on this one.” He shrugs. I take my phone and read the text.

My eyes widen. “Oh, hell. No, no, no.” I shake my head. “He’s going to get it rough when I strangle him, that’s for sure,” I snap.

Abbie’s eyes dance with delight and I can see her mind ticking. “How rough are we talking here?”

“Ben’s fucking hot,” Tash whispers to Adrian.

Adrian nods. “I know, right?” he whispers back.

I put my fingers on my temples and I feel two hands snake around my hips from behind.

I turn to see Ben.

“What are you doing?” I snap.

“Standing behind you.”

“Don’t.” I pull from his grip. “And don’t tell me you like it rough, either,” I add. “That is way too much information which I do not need to know.”

Abbie grabs Ben’s forearm. “Bridget needs to be punished. You need to take her home right now,” she says seriously. Of all the things she could have said. “In fact, give her one for me,” she adds.

“Abbie!” I snap. “Shut the hell up.”

Tash puts her hand over her mouth and bursts out laughing.

Adrian’s and my eyes widen in horror.

Ben nods. “That’s a good idea, Abs.”

He grabs my arm and pulls me toward the door, and I snatch my arm from his hold.

“Don’t touch me.”

“Cut the drama,” he says as he pushes me forward.

“Drama?” I repeat as I storm toward the door. “You’ve lost the fucking plot.” I exit up the steps, out onto the water’s edge on the cobblestone pavers.

He falls into stride beside me and the ocean breeze whips through my hair.

We walk in silence for a while and I glance over at him, seemingly deep in thought.

“What are you doing here, Ben?” I sigh. The moonlight is dancing on the water.

He frowns as his eyes stay focused on the ground. “I told you.”

I stop on the spot. He keeps walking and then finally stops, turning to face me.

“You told me what?” I frown.

He walks closer. “I came back for you.”

I shake my head and throw my hands in the air in disgust. “So, you just think you can waltz back here and announce that you want to bite my neck?”

“You know I’m not good with words.”

“I want to bite your neck isn’t even English, Ben,” I snap. “It’s fucking booty-call talk.”

He shrugs uncomfortably. “I didn’t mean it that way.”

“That’s what you said.”

He steps toward me and softly pushes my hair behind my shoulders. “I was just telling you the truth,” he whispers.

I stare up at his beautiful face.

He takes my hands in his. “I’ve thought about you every day, Didge.” His thumbs dust over the backs of my hands.

Tears threaten to fall. He has no idea how many times I prayed for this moment, and now that it’s really here it happens to be my worst nightmare. “Even when you were lying beside someone else?” I ask.

His haunted eyes hold mine. “Yes.” He pauses. “Even when I was lying next to someone else. You’re the first and last person I think of every day.” He tenderly tucks a piece of my hair behind my ear and then cups my face.

I blink to try to stop the tears.

“I was coming back for you sooner, but things turned out to be harder than I thought.”

“What things?”

“My work.”

“Fuck’s sake, Ben,” I snap, exasperated as I pull from his grip. “Speak English.”

“I want another chance.”

I frown as the ground rocks beneath me.

I shake my head. “You’re too late.”

“No, I’m not.”

I nod way too fast, as if trying to convince myself. “I’m happy, Ben.”

“I can make you happier. You know I can.”

The tears break the dam and I swipe them away angrily. “No! Stop it.” I shake my head. “Go back to where you came from. Go back to the girl who’s occupied your bed for the last five years when I haven’t. You had your chance and you blew it. You got one chance with me, Ben. You fucking blew it!”

I take three steps backward. I need to get away from him.

“I’m not leaving without you, Bridget,” he replies in his dominant voice—the same voice that brought me to heel so many times in the bedroom.

I shake my head in frustration. “You’re not leaving for where? I’m never leaving Australia, Ben. This is my home.”

His dark eyes hold mine. “Then I stay.”