Page 48 of Love, Rekindled

Natalie claps her hands. “God, this is going to be the best place to work again.”

For the first time since the wedding, I feel like I can breathe. My lungs don’t hurt and there’s not this dull pain in my chest. The issue is that I’m not sure if I’m more upset that Harold and I are over or that I lost my job.

“All kidding aside.” I smile and put my professional face forward. “I’m really happy to be here. Whatever I can do to help, I’m up for the challenge.”

“Mark,” a deep, throaty voice says from behind me. “I have the next?—”

I turn, and he stops.

Everything stops.

The world. My breathing. My heart. Time.

It just...dissipates.

I’m at a total loss for words because this man is gorgeous. He’s at least six-foot-four with huge arms and a broad chest. There’s a dark stubble on his face that makes him look both scary and yet trustworthy. The most important feature on a man, in my opinion, is his hands. This man has perfect hands.

But there, underneath the ridiculously sexy body, are eyes I remember. Ones that seem to know me too.

“Gretchen?”

Well, Ben has grown up and...wow. “Ben?”

He smiles and that boyish look is still the same. “Catherine said you were coming down to work here, but she didn’t mention...”

“Mention what?”

He shakes his head and scratches the back of his neck.

I know my best friend failed to mention that he is sex on a stick and I shouldn’t just dress cute, I should’ve dressed for any possibility of seeing GI Joe on crack.

“Didn’t mention you’d be working together on the client Ben is heading?” Mark finishes. “Or that you’d want to undress her six ways till Sunday when you saw her?”

Natalie slaps his chest. “Really, Mark? Idiot.” She steps forward. “Gretchen, I’ll show you to the office you’ll be working out of.”

Ben puts his hand up. “I’ll show her. No need to have you do it, Lee.”

My heart accelerates a bit. Totally just nerves. Yup. Nerves.

“You’re such a good guy, Ben. Unlike the other tools!” Natalie yells and they all grunt or groan. “Don’t let any of these boys get an inch with you, got it?”

I’ve worked with men before, but I have a feeling this is a little different caliber ofmen. “I won’t. Thank you. Maybe we can do lunch?”

She nods. “I’d love that.”

Ben turns and I take my cue. We walk down the hall in silence, and then I clear my throat. “So, a SEAL?”

“I did my time in college, hated wearing a suit, and one of my buddies said he was joining the Navy. One thing led to another and I was following him right into my first commission.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah.” He cracks his neck. “I figured if I was going to join, might as well try it all.”

“How long were you in?” I ask as we stop in front of the door.

“Not as long as I would’ve liked.”

I crinkle my eyes, confused because if he wanted to stay in, why didn’t he?

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