“I should have told you, too,” Liam said. “Because he’s right. I also want you as my girlfriend.”
“Well…” She let out a deep breath and tossed her hands into her lap. “This is a lot to take in. And now I’m assuming that you boys want me to pick between you or something.”
Benson and Liam glanced at each other.
“What?”
“She’s not getting it at all, is she?”
Benson couldn’t blame her. “Angel…” he said, forgetting that he didn’t want to use his pet name for her in front of Liam, but did it, anyway. “We’re not saying that at all. Especially right now.”
“But aren’t you jealous? You’ve been losing it for half of this dinner, Ben.”
“Of course I’m jealous. I’m furious at the thought ofhimbeing the one to give it to you when I’m not looking.”
“That’s one way to put it,” Liam said with a whistle.
“Fuck off, Ashe.”
“You first, Smith.”
“Boys.” Eden’s voice was a balm on Benson’s bruised ego. “Are you saying that we should move forward as we were before?That I just keep dating both of you? Until… the heat death of the universe?”
Benson realized he didn’t want to eat the rest of his food, but with the way this was going, having it boxed up didn’t make sense, either. So he forced more of it down his gullet and drank it down with the last of his second beer.
“I’m down for whatever,” Liam said.
They both looked at Benson. He was also down for anything, but had trouble expressing it in front of present company.
“Well, then!” Eden folded her hands behind her head, leaning back and making her chest more prominent than ever. “Let’s get the check, guys. I think it’s time you both show me what you really have in mind.”
Somehow, Benson figured this was what she had in mind all along.And she says we’re perverted?He glanced at Liam, who grinned back at him.
“Just like old times, Ben.” He already had his wallet out.
Over my dead body.Benson was in charge here. He’d take care of the bill… and drag them back tohisplace. Becausehewas in control. That was theonlyway this was happening.
Or he’d go insane, wondering what he had missed out on.
Chapter 19
Eden
Nobody turned on the lights inside Benson’s apartment, although everyone there knew where the switches were by now.
The man who lived there went straight into his kitchen and searched for something to drink. Eden kicked off her shoes in the entryway, lining them up next to Benson’s other shoes while pulling out the pair of dollar-store house slippers she had purchased to keep for her visits.That way, if we blow up, I don’t have anything of value here.That also went for the sundries in his bathroom. She kept a toothbrush, her favorite toothpaste, and some backup makeup that wasn’t horribly expensive to replace. A woman never knew when she’d have to leave in a hurry – or when she wouldn’t be invited back.
“You okay?” Liam took off his shoes once he saw Eden doing it first. “I’m sorry things went this way.”
“You are?”
They both stood in the entryway, voices low while Benson grabbed three shot glasses for whatever he wanted to pour. “I mean, I feel like that’s what I should say,” Liam responded. “Ben can be so temperamental when he’s put on the spot.”
“Is he on the spot?”
Liam cocked his head, as if he wasn’t sure if she played a game.I don’t.Eden had the same attitude as in the restaurant.I’m along for the ride.Hopefully, on either end of them before the night was over, and all of this awkwardness had been sorted.
“I know him well,” Liam said. “Granted, it’s been five years since we’ve regularly seen each other. Doesn’t seem like he’s changed much.”