Page 75 of Resisting Fate
“You’re always safe with me.”
She put a palm to his cheek, giving him soft Missy eyes, before getting out of the car. He followed behind, turning on lights and then heading for the family room to light a fire in the fireplace.
“You got a tree!” she exclaimed, rushing over to check it out.
He flicked the switch for the multicolored Christmas lights on the tree. “It’s artificial, but yeah. Looks real enough.” He always did the tree up, each ornament a reminder of his mom. She’d given him one every year for Christmas, usually related to food (the pizza ornament had been his favorite as a kid) or his favorite sports teams. He also had ornaments from their vacations and crafty ornaments he’d been forced to make at school. Some of his masterpieces—a pinecone with glued-on sequins, a toilet paper roll turned into a Christmas tree (sort of), and a plaster handprint from preschool. His mom had loved every crappy last one of them. Maybe one day he’d have his own kids’ crap on the tree and think it was special.
He smiled to himself as he got the fire going, listening to Missyoohandaahover the tree. After he finished with the fire, he retrieved the flat box he’d wrapped in the colorful Sunday comics for her weeks ago from under the tree. The comic wrapping paper was another Christmas tradition with his mom.
He held the gift out to her. “Here. Merry Christmas.”
She clapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide.
He laughed. “Don’t look so shocked. It’s Christmas. Of course I got you something.” He pulled her hand from her mouth and placed the box in her hands.
She stared at it, then at him. “Ben! I didn’t get you anything.” She stared at the box again, shaking her head. Then she gave him the soft eyes. “You’re so wonderful. I was miserable without you.”
He smiled big time.
Her lower lip stuck out. “You don’t have to look so happy about it.”
He took her by the elbow and walked with her to the sofa. “I’m glad you were miserable without me because I felt like I’d lost a limb.”
She set the box on the coffee table and hugged him tight, burying her head against his chest.
He hugged her back, took a deep breath, and spoke in a rush. “Missy, the reason I was so mad when we kissed at work was because I couldn’t risk looking unprofessional. I was falsely accused of sexual harassment by a woman I hired and fired.”
Her head shot up.
“I was cleared of all charges. I was never even alone with her. I was sure another strike against me would destroy my career and ruin our chances with investors. I couldn’t risk being seen as inappropriate with you. That’s why Logan was taking the lead for those meetings. Word had leaked out about the sexual harassment charge.”
“But you said it was cleared.”
“I know, but it still looks bad even to be accused.”
She scowled. “Anyone who knows you at all would know you’d never do anything like that! You’re the best man I’ve ever met!”
A surge of love shot through him, his chest puffing out with pride. “Thank you.”
She scowled some more. “It’s true. I can’t believe someone would do that to you.”
He framed her face with his hands and gave her a quick kiss. “Even though I was being professional with you, every day I was building on our friendship, hoping when the time was right, it would be more.”
Her eyes went soft and she leaned her cheek into his hand. “Oh, Ben. I-I love you.”
His pulse skyrocketed, all of him charged and alive. He was about to say it back, but she kept talking straight from the heart, her eyes shiny with unshed tears. “I haven’t said those words to a man since my ex-husband. I’ve been afraid to love. I thought it would make me weak, but with you I can still be strong. And safe.”
He felt like dancing on the coffee table, pure elation surging through him. “That is the best gift I’ve ever been given.”
“Really?” she asked uncertainly. She’d taken a risk on him, and he knew that was big for her.
He stroked her soft cheek with his thumb. “Really. I love you too. I’ve loved you since you tried to sell me a bird sweater—”
She laughed.
“And I will love you until the day I die.”
“Ben,” she choked out, swiping at her eyes, “don’t say things like that. You make me cry.”
