“I saiddon’t.”
Their lead-up to Eden’s arrival did not go much better.
“I mean, we could go full custody split,” the man joked, as he always did. “Swap her every other weekend. I get Tuesdays and Thursdays, you get Mondays and Wednesdays…”
“I’m sure she’ll love being treated like my daughter when she was in school.”
“Would you ease up a bit, man?”
Benson, who had already ordered himself a beer and a round of appetizers to settle his stomach, sighed the moment the waiter entered with their drinks. “I’d say I’m sorry, but I’m not. Well, that’s not true.” He thanked the waiter before he left. “I’m sorry for doing this to Eden. When I thought the other guy was someone I had never met…”
Liam filled in the blanks when Benson’s voice trailed off. “I know what you mean. Even though there were many times I thought about you while with her. And not just because of the similarities.” He leaned in, bridging the gap between them at the circular table. “I thought about you that night. You know the one. Went back to my room and almost called you. Had the phone in my hand and everything.”
“Don’t.”
Benson said that one more softly, his gaze cast away, and his cheeks coated in blush he hated to feel in front of Liam.
“We need to tell her.”
“Not tonight.”
“Let’s see how it goes. You might be in a better mood later.”
“What do you think is happening later?”
“Well, it’s been a week. I fully intend on taking my girlfriend somewhere for a good time.” Liam was still a little too close for comfort. “With or without you, amigo.”
Benson was about to bite Liam’s nose when the host showed Eden to the room. She was five minutes early, but not a moment too soon.
He managed to keep it together for most of the dinner. He even laughed at one of Liam’s stupid jokes about a lobster and a blind fisherman. It helped that Eden was so mellow and giggly that Benson wondered if she had an edible before leaving her apartment.I wouldn’t mind one right now.Best he could do was a second beer.
But itdidn’thelp that she showed up wearing a sexy sweaterdress, her breasts on full display despite being covered up. Her dark hair was loose around her shoulders, framing her beautiful face, including those pink, pursed lips she wrapped around her straw and the vegetable pakoras she asked to order when she sat down and perused the menu. Every time she bit her lip while concentrating, she played with the part in her hair, moving it this way and that…She’s so gorgeous.Benson clasped his hand around his glass for lack of anywhere else to put his sexual energy. Of course, Liam kept glancing at him as if heknew.
Keeping it together wasn’t easy. Benson wanted Eden for himself. Before, a stranger was fine. He could fuck Benson’s girlfriend all he wanted for the time being.Doesn’t bother me as long as I know about it.But going steady was in his future. He wanted to lock Eden down and be her one and only.She can rely on me for anything…Including rent and food. Let her lease runout before they broach her moving in with him.She’ll never have to work.Just like with Sydney. Benson’s partners didn’t work unless they wanted to. Part of being so successful was sharing that with his loved ones.
Because he loved her. He knew that beyond doubt when Liam said something self-deprecating – the bastard – and Eden leaned over to reassure him with a touch to his arm and laughter on her lips.
Don’t touch him. Touch me. Don’t laugh at his jokes. Laugh at mine. His aren’t even any good.Benson had heard them all a hundred times before… including the god-awful lobster and blind fisherman one.Absolutely killed Drew with that one.Damn the man.
Yet he also couldn’t stop thinking about how much they would absolutelyrock her world.Much like they had once rocked the worlds of other women who couldn’t get enough of what they could do together in the bedroom.
While Eden told a story from her childhood, Benson glanced at Liam, who happened to look back at him. They quickly looked away again, as if they had the same idea.
No. It’s a terrible idea.They had a falling out for a reason, and it had everything to do with love and sex.
We just don’t work out like that.
“So…” Eden waited until they had their entrees before asking the big question that must have been burning her tongue. “Tell me everything, boys. What number woman am I in your long list of baddies you’ve tag-teamed?”
Liam choked on his first bite of rice; Benson almost dropped his beer.
Well, wasn’t one of the reasons he loved her so much was because she just came out and said what she was thinking? Hadn’t he always wanted a woman who would be honest and forthright with him? Who would tell him no when he needed tohear it, and who would sayFUCK YEAHto some of his crazy sex club schemes?
Benson glanced at Liam.You’re not a woman.Because he did, in fact, check both of those boxes.
Liam was about to answer, but Benson jumped in.You don’t get to be the honest one here all the time.
“Four women.” He held up the appropriate number of fingers. “We both dated the same woman four times.”