CHAPTER THREE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A

Benny Wilder was a vile human being. Still her body responded to him in a way she couldn’t understand. There was a flutter in her belly that only came when he was near. From the first time she’d ever set eyes on him, he’d caused an avalanche of desire inside her. His force had been too much to resist then, but she wasn’t the same naïve eighteen-year-old girl who’d begged for him to stay. He’d charmed his way into her heart and her panties, taking her virginity before dropping her like a hot potato. She was no longer a slave to her hormones. Or so she hoped.

She stepped away from the door and gripped the edges of the sink. The blue eyes staring back at her in the mirror were a combination of scared and aroused. Seeing him brought so many emotions to the surface. She’d put the past behind her and hadn’t thought of those days in ages. Her plan to forget him hadn’t panned out. She covered her heart with her hands. Some pain never faded. The damage was too deep to heal.

Hiding in the washroom wouldn’t change the fact he was out there. Eventually, she’d have to deal with his presence in her city. This was her city and she wouldn’t let him run her out of another province. Beth washed her hands and then washed them again. Any minute, Joe would come looking for her. She owed it to him to pull herself together. The waterproof mascara held up against her tears, and her cheeks had more color than usual. A reapplication of gloss, a few deep breaths and she was ready to face the world again.

Once she unlocked the bolt, she opened the door only a crack. Peering into the hall as though a monster lurked. In some ways that was true. The man who haunted her dreams was out there. The tiny glimpse revealed an empty corridor. He hadn’t stuck around. She didn’t know if she was thankful or angry he hadn’t stayed to face her. Relief won. She stepped outside and headed towards the limo.

The ice castle painted an ethereal backdrop, straight from the pages of a fairytale. The prince and princess were married, and all was well in the world. Only it was far from okay for Beth. The evil villain was out there. Each unsteady step confirmed how not even close she was to being good.

Her heart rate sped up when she noticed Joe wasn’t alone. Benny’s broad shoulders filled the space next to him. He wore a hat, covering his shaggy mop of curls, but she knew it was him. Her steps faltered. She wanted to scream at him to go away, but she couldn’t. The men had their backs to her. She took a moment to compose herself.

“Please, give me the strength to endure this evening and ignore him,” she whispered. She crossed her fingers and her toes, hoping with a little luck she’d make it through this in one piece. She swallowed past the anxiety and stepped forward.

Her heels crunched against the snow, announcing her presence. Joe turned and smiled. She kept her focus on him. He did not understand he was fraternizing with the enemy. “There you are. I started to think you’d gotten lost. Is everything all right?” He walked around the stretched limo towards her.

“It’s perfect,” she lied, taking his offered hand when he reached her.

“These two are going to catch a ride over with us.” He hitched his thumb towards the limo. “Unfortunately, that means there won’t be any funny business on the ride to the hotel.”

A giggle followed. Beth tracked the sound and caught her first sight of Benny’s date. She suspected he wouldn’t be alone. Men like him never stayed single for long. But the woman looked nothing like who she expected. She was elegant and refined; her polar opposite. She was older, most likely in her mid-thirties, with short blonde hair and tanned skin. The pixie cut suited her oval face and sharp features.

“I thought I’d share a cab with Benny, but he changed his mind,” the woman said, in a singsong voice. “It was awfully nice of Joe to offer us a ride.” She batted her lashes at Joe while running her hand down Benny’s arm.

Beth’s pulse raced faster. She wished she hadn’t caught that act of affection. Moreover, she wished she didn’t want to rip the woman’s hand from its socket. The reaction caught her off guard. She exhaled slowly, processing the situation. No part of her wanted to be trapped in a confined space with her ex and his date.

“Plans change.” Benny’s voice had a sharp edge to it that sent shivers over her body.

“We should let them have the car, and we can walk over. It’s not far,” she whispered to Joe.

“Walk,” Joe scoffed as he looked down at her three-inch heels. He tapped the hood of the car and the driver emerged. “You won’t make it a mile in those fuck-me heels. Plus, you’re already shivering.”

Her shaking had nothing to do with the cold. She attempted to protest but got cut off.

“Don’t be absurd. It’s freezing out here. Get in the car.” Benny’s voice brokered no argument. He rubbed his gloved hands together for dramatic effect before he opened the passenger door for his companion.

If she wasn’t boiling over with anger and something else she didn’t want to admit, she would have been an icicle. “Fine. Let’s go.” She could handle a five-minute car ride. Then she never had to be near him again.

The driver opened her door, and she slid across the plush leather bench seat. Joe followed behind her, but it was Benny’s leg that touched hers. She bolted upright and smacked her head against the roof. “Shit!”

Everyone laughed as she rubbed the newly formed lump. “Relax, Beth. I’ve never seen you so jumpy. Sit.” Joe patted the seat next to him and she sat down.

There was no way to explain her jitters without confessing the man sitting across from them wasn’t a stranger. He’d been her first love. The only man alive who knew her intimately. A man she’d once held on a pedestal as highly as her father. For a brief moment in time, she’d thought Benny Wilder was her soulmate. She’d been foolish and wrong.

“You met Benny earlier, and this lovely lady with him is Ines.”

“Benny…” Her breath hitched. Even saying his name hurt. A name she’d once called out in ecstasy, now pained her. She made the mistake of looking at him and caught his smoldering gaze. His presence made her knees weak, and if she hadn’t already been sitting, she would have fallen over. “Ines, I… it’s nice to meet you.”

Her eyes drifted to his hands, but they were covered by gloves. Beth wondered if this woman was his wife. The question was on the tip of her tongue. She bit her lip as she looked into his eyes again, searching for answers. This was so much harder than she’d imagined.

Benny smiled at her, flashing his straight teeth and charm. “This is a pleasant surprise.”

Arrogant SOB!

Joe grabbed a bottle of water from the mini fridge. “Ines, are you from Winnipeg or did you move here with—”

“She’s a friend of the brides. We met before the ceremony. Nicolas told me Ines didn’t have a date, so I offered to escort her,” Benny said. His eyes still locked on Beth, making her squirm in her seat. He had one of those deep penetrating stares that held your attention.

The limo pulled out of the parking lot. He blinked, releasing her from his hold. She averted her attention to the window, thankful for the distraction. “That’s mighty kind of you.” Her voice oozed sarcasm but Ines didn’t seem to notice.

“Indeed. Are you two a couple, or just friends?” Ines asked, crossing her legs and leaning towards Joe.

It seemed as though the woman had the hots for both men in the car. Not that she could blame her. But she couldn’t have them. Correction, she couldn’t have Joe. She placed a possessive hand on his thigh. “We’re more than friends,” she responded before Joe had the chance. Her gaze bounced between Ines and Benny.

“How long have you been dating? Is it serious?” Benny leaned forward.

“I don’t do serious. It’s casual.” Joe leaned back and placed his arm on the top of the seat behind her. “Beth and I have fun together. Right, baby?”

Damn, Joe and his honesty. His comment didn’t paint her in the best light. The vein in Benny’s neck pulsated. He didn’t like what he heard. Too bad for him.

“Well, I’ve got two dance partners. Must be my lucky night,” Ines said, inching forward.

“More like unlucky,” Beth muttered under her breath. Joe rubbed her arm as she slunk into her seat. She stared out the window, avoiding eye contact with everyone. Benny remained quiet, but she felt his gaze on her the entire time. She wondered what he thought about her and Joe.

In her mind, their reunion went very differently. It would have happened years into the future after she’d graduated with her doctorate. She’d be a strong, successful psychiatrist. Married to the love of her life, with a litter of kids filling her home. None of that existed yet. Instead, she was a twenty-one-year-old university student, living off student loans. There was no love interest. She’d wanted to show him she’d moved on and was living a full life. Instead, she came across as a slut; the same doormat he’d used and left behind.

When the limo pulled up to the hotel, her eyes had pooled with tears. She quickly wiped them away as the driver opened the door for them. Ines got out first, and she raced out behind her. She didn’t want to spend another minute near him.

Joe took her hand, guiding her towards the ballroom. She kept her focus straight ahead and avoided looking back. At least their table was far away from his, but he was still too close for comfort.

The evening progressed slowly. Dinner and dancing was a blur of anger and wonder. It was the most extravagant event she’d ever attended, but she couldn’t concentrate on a damn thing. Her mind kept drifting to the past. Joe tried to include her in conversation, but she’d shut down, providing one-word answers and zero engagement. Carly and Caroline didn’t get much more from her either.

“I can tell something’s bothering you. Do you want to fill me in?” Joe whispered in her ear as they danced.

She shook her head. The slow song ended and a fast tempo followed. “I will sit this one out. Keep dancing. Don’t let me ruin your night.”

“As you wish.” He let her go without much protest. She watched from her table as he danced with another woman. Not one shred of jealousy sparked, and that bothered her. Joe was a catch. Damn near every single woman there wanted him. Attention followed him everywhere he went. He was the life of the party and she was being a stick in the mud.

The reception was packed with sexy hockey players and drop dead gorgeous musicians, yet none of them held her attention. Not like Benny. Her gaze kept landing on her ex. And each time her stomach flipped. The way his hair curled against the broad slope of his shoulders hadn’t changed. Every glimpse caused her knees to shake. It pissed her off.

Several half-empty glasses littered the table. She reached for the bottle of white wine, but nothing came out when she poured. Her glass was empty. She needed more alcohol to deal with the tragic turn her evening had taken. She found a server with a tray of champagne and headed towards him.

“Champagne Miss?” The young waiter scanned her body and smiled. His eyes took on the heavy-lidded stare of a man in lust.

She checked him out in response. He had a nice strong jaw line and a decent build. Most women would find him attractive, but Beth felt nothing. “Two, please.”

He flirted as he handed her two flutes of bubbly, which she took and walked away. She didn’t have it in her to pretend. Her hands shook as she polished off the first glass. She needed a quiet corner. Someplace to escape and collect her composure.

The moment she closed the door, she regretted her decision. Benny stood there, leaning against the wall of the quiet hallway. His eyes found hers and they did not seem happy.

“Elizabeth, we need to talk.” He pushed off the wall and closed the small distance between them.

Hearing her name from his lips was like taking a shot of cheap tequila; it burned and made her hot all over. “No. We don’t. We never have to talk.” She turned, but his hand wrapped around her bicep.

The heat of his touch seared into her flesh, welding them together. She wanted to pull away, to break the connection but she couldn’t. He’d ignited a fire. A flash of arousal blasted through her core, taking her by surprise. He pulled her away from the doors, further down the hall towards an alcove where they wouldn’t be interrupted.

Why she let him, she didn’t know. She blamed his soft spicy scent and the warmth of his touch. Every step felt like she’d fallen further down the rabbit’s hole. The hurt, the disappointment, the pain and the love pounded against her like a series of punches. It left her winded and dazed. “Let go of me! You have no right to touch me. Not anymore.”

He didn’t let go. “Elizabeth, let me explain. I made a mistake.”

“Don’t say my name like you know me! The stupid love-struck idiot you knew is gone. Save your breath,” she yelled.

“Eliz… I never thought you were stupid.” He rubbed her arms, like he couldn’t stop himself. As if he needed to feel her and get a reaction. She stood immobile, but his caress affected her more than she let on. He pressed his forehead to hers. “I promised myself when our paths crossed again that I’d beg you to forgive me. Hear me out.” His voice got louder, and it turned her on even more. Benny didn’t ask; he demanded.

“You made your decision. You left me. There is nothing left to say. Let me go!”

They were both breathing heavy. He touched her chin and pressed their bodies together. “I made the wrong choice. Fate brought us together again.”

His lips came for her, and for a split second she almost gave him what he wanted. But she came to her senses and pushed him away, creating an arm’s length distance. Tears danced around the rims of her eyes. “What do you want?”

“Don’t cry. I hate to see you upset.” He tucked her hair behind her ear. “Give me another chance. The connection between us is stronger than ever. You feel it too.”

Unbelievable. He wanted a second chance. A do over. As if that were possible. As if she’d ever forget the way he dumped her. They couldn’t rewrite history. Fate was a cruel and evil bitch for putting him back in her life.

“Go fuck yourself!” She bolted from the alcove and raced down the hall. Once she opened the doors to the reception, she entered and quickly marched to her table. Joe had several female admirers with Ines vying heavily for his attention. It wasn’t like her to be rude, but she needed him.

“Dance with me.” She held out her hand, and Joe must have noticed her flushed cheeks and watery eyes because he didn’t hesitate.

“Something’s wrong. Will you tell me what’s up?” He pulled her into his arms and hugged her close. Joe might not be husband material, but he was an amazing man. One day when he was ready to settle down, he’d make some woman very happy. But as he held her in his strong arms, she knew it wouldn’t be her.

“Not yet; maybe never. Let’s dance instead of talking.” She rested her head against his chest.

“I won’t press the issue, but does this have anything to do with Benjamin Wilder? I see the way he’s been looking at you all night. If he makes you uncomfortable, just say the word, and I’ll set him straight.”

“Thanks for the offer. You’re like a mama bear, protecting her cubs. I appreciate that about you, but I can handle men like Benny Wilder.” As the words came out, she knew it was a lie. She couldn’t handle him or the way he made her feel. Benny had been right about their connection being as strong as ever. It scared the shit out of her.

They danced and Joe cracked jokes until she laughed. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Ines, waiting for her chance to cut in. “I think there’s a woman vying for your time, Mr. Larson. You should go dance with someone who might put out for you tonight. I’m really sorry, but I think I’m out.”

He chuckled. “You’ve had more than a few drinks. Are you good? Believe it or not, sex isn’t the most important thing to me.”

“Besides hockey and sex, tell me, what else is there?”

“You have a point.” Joe let go of her hand. “Take the limo and text me when you arrive home. For what it’s worth, I’m glad you came with me tonight. We’ll see each other again.”

“Thanks.” She smiled, but it vanished when Benny stepped next to her. He licked his lips and her heart pounded like a jackhammer.

“Mind if I cut in?” He placed his hand on her back. Skin to skin. It was too much. His presence and the attraction were too much to take.

She’d reached the end of her pain threshold for the night. It had taken all her willpower to not kiss him in the hall. Her strength had run out. Staring at his lips, she had no choice. “I’m out of here.” She sauntered away and didn’t look back, giving him a taste of his own medicine.