Page 65 of Only You and Me

I smile at my phone and my shoulders feel lighter, my stress a little less, just from texting with him.

Trina: If you’re sure you don’t mind, that’d be great.

Ben: Okay, consider it done.

Trina: I’m seeing some perks of this secret husband thing. I could get used to this.

Ben: That’s the idea…

Ben: Minus the secret part. But baby steps… See you in about an hour.

CHAPTER21

TRINA

I squeeze my eyes shut and suck in a deep breath. After all, I’m supposed to be giving this marriage a chance, so strangling my husband here on the sidewalk in front of his brother and soon to be sister-in-law’s house is probably not the best way to end this argument.

It’s early June, and it’s humid out, which is making me more irritable by the moment. As I open my eyes, I glance over at Ben’s partner, Rachel. I wonder whether she has any social skills at all, since it seems she doesn’t realize that standing four feet away from Ben and me while we’re arguing is annoying.

I force myself to smile at her. “Could you please give us a minute?”

Rachel just cocks her head and rolls her eyes at me. “You know I don’t want to be doing this either, right?”

I’m not sure she could sound any bitchier if she tried.

“Then why are you?” I toss the words at her, throwing her the worst glare I can muster.

“For him. Not you. You could show a little gratitude.”

“And you can shove your?—”

“Okay, okay,” Ben interrupts and we both turn to look at him. But he isn’t looking at me, he’s looking at her. I don’t like that at all.

“Rach, please?” His voice is calm with her, even though he and I were just pretty heated with each other.

She looks at Ben. “Fine,” she says with a huff and walks away, taking a seat on Annie and Jack’s front porch.

“Trina—”

“I don’t need an escort to a bachelorette party, Ben. Especially not ‘Rach.’ I’ll be with more than a half dozen other women and the party bus driver. What do you think is going to happen?”

“For fuck’s sake. You. Have. A. Stalker.” Ben has the gall to hold his hands up in front of him and chop at the air with each word like I won’t get it otherwise.

I step closer to him. “Yet, you’re the one. Acting. Like. A. Lunatic.” To make my point, I jab my finger at his chest with each of my words since he started it.

This man makes me lose my control and act like I normally wouldn’t—in this case, childish.

Ben grabs a fistful of his hair and growls before turning and taking a few steps away from me. He stands there for several long seconds before turning back to face me.

I narrow my eyes at him, my arms folded across my chest, and basically dare him to tell me again that I ‘can’t’ go with my friends without his partner accompanying us.

Just when Ben opens his mouth, Janie, Annie’s best friend and maid of honor, yells to me from over at the party bus.

“Let’s go. We’re gonna be late to our first stop if you continue this lovers’ quarrel.” I swivel my head to give her my most intimidating leer and she just shouts back. “You don’t scare me, Trina. Move it.”

“I’ve got to go.” I take a step to move toward the rest of our group and Ben grabs my wrist, stopping me.

He leans in close to me. “I have half a mind to find somewhere private and fuck this stubbornness out of you until you quit fighting with me. But that wouldn’t help us in the long run. Instead, I’m gonna try honesty and communicate my feelings here because I want this—you and me—to work and sex can’t be the answer to everything. So, here goes… I’m worried. The idea of you being out at multiple bars tonight, drinking alcohol and maybe something happening to you terrifies me. I’ll lose my mind, Trina. I know you can handle yourself, but I need you to do this. For my peace of mind, please.”

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