Page 59 of A Stealthy Situation

“That too. I really should hate it.”

Should is a fantastic word. “But you don’t because you can’t because I’m amazing. I know. I get it. I’m obsessed with me too.”

His puff of his laugh hits my arm, and I ease back a little so he has to look up.

“What’s going on?” I ask. “You’re quiet.”

“Yeah, no. We’re not talking feelings. I won’t fall into your trap.”

“Feelings, huh?”

“What? No. No feelings. No one said anything about anything.”

He looks so stressed that it’s impossible to smother my amusement. “Fucking relax. We’re not going to talk about anything you don’t want to. All I want is for us to have dinner together, maybe kiss some more … oh. And I want you to tell my plants you love them.”

“You what now?”

“Kiss some more. I really like kissing you. Duh.”

He holds up a hand to make me stop talking. “That part’s a given. Go back to the plant thing.”

“What plant thing? I want you to tell them you love them. No biggie.”

“I’m not doing that.”

I gasp the biggest gasp. “Benny Roger Phillip Frankie Dalton?—”

“None of those are my middle names?—”

“Do you really want my babies to think you don’t like them? Rich has been sick. It’s been a hard time for us all.”

“Anyone ever told you you’re a drama llama?”

I smirk. “Anyone ever told you you’re a grumpy lumpy?”

His cute nose wrinkles up, and it hits me again how fucking gorgeous he is. “I won’t say it.”

“Come on. Just once. For me.”

Benny throws a quick look over at them.

“Just one time,” I push.

“You’re such a pain in the ass.”

“Eh. Didn’t hear you complaining before.”

“You weren’t in my ass before. So, I was definitely complaining.”

I love hearing how he talks about sex. No embarrassment, just exactly what he wants. And he wants it from me, which I’m still struggling to process. I have zero self-confidence issues, but Benny is … I don’t even have words. I just know that the more of him I get, the more of him I want. He takes away my ability to breathe, to think, to function like a normal human. It’s on the tip of my tongue, heart beating out of my chest, to ask him to come home with me after this. To spend the night. Maybe get more naked time in.

Fuck, I’m craving it.

I don’t ask though. I’m still feeling this thing out, and the last thing I want is for us to go full pelt into sex and some kind of relationship, only for it to fizzle out. I don’t want that with him.

I pull Benny in front of me so we’re both facing my plants and wrap my arms around his waist.

“Say it.”

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