Page 63 of Love, Rekindled

“You left before all of that,” I remind him.

“I still spent my summers at the shore, eating cheesesteaks at Midway and riding rollercoasters. And if I remember correctly, you and I spent time there too.”

I smile as the younger version of us comes to mind. We were in eighth grade, right before he left, and my mom drove us down to Seaside Heights. There was something so simple about my generation when it came to living. We didn’t have this insane fear that we would be taken or lost. We could go down that shore, walk the boardwalk as long as we were back before the lights were on or we checked in. I didn’t have a cellphone and there were no tracking devices, but there was trust.

Ben and I were allowed to walk the boardwalk with our ten dollars, spending it on ice cream and the arcade.

“It was one of my favorite memories with you,” I tell him.

“It was because of my impeccable kissing skills.”

I laugh and playfully smack his stomach. “Please. You sucked. You were all tongue and braces.”

Ben snorts. “You were no better.”

“I was too.”

“Nope. You were definitely one of my worst kissing partners.”

I scoff and stop walking. “Is that so?”

“Sorry, babe, I just speak the truth.”

“I’ll have you know I’m a fantastic kisser.”

“Doubtful. No one could improve that much,” Ben tosses back with mirth in his tone.

I know for a fact I’m a good kisser. No one has ever complained before and the guys I was with always wanted more.

I’m taking that as a testament to my skill. I also know I’m walking into a trap, but the truth is, it’s one I want to walk into.

I want to kiss him.

I want to feel his lips on mine as a grown woman.

There’s not a doubt in my mind that he wants it as well.

“I’ll prove it.” I throw down the first gauntlet.

“No.”

My stomach drops. Oh, God, I’ve been reading it all wrong. He really was just being nice and trying to show me a real date. He doesn’t like me that way and I was so stupid just now. Damn it.

“Right,” I say with wounded pride. I start to turn, but he grabs my arm, stopping me.

“No, you don’t need to prove it.” Ben takes one step, his hands returning to my face. He cups my cheeks, tilting my head to the side. “I’m going to kiss you. Right. Now.”

And then he does.

But it’s nothing like our first kiss. It’s not fumbling, unsure, or soft. This kiss is powerful and full of passion. Benjamin Pryce kisses like he owns the world. My lips are molded to his and my hands grip his elbows. The heat from his touch is felt down in my toes.

I have never in my entire life been kissed like this.

When his fingers slide back into my hair I gasp, and he uses that opportunity to slide his tongue in. At the first feel of it against mine, I lose it.

He controls the tempo, moving swiftly and then slower, making me crazy in the middle of the boardwalk. People move around us, but I don’t give a flying fuck. All I want is to drown in this man’s warmth.

“You’re so beautiful,” he tells me and then his mouth is on mine again.

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