Page 9 of Our Promise
She was shocked he was coming on to her so strongly after not pressuring her for years. “Benny, what has gotten into you?”
“You know I want you.”
“But why?”
“You really want to know?”
Did she? “Yes.”
He turned to her, doing that thing he did with his eyes—reaching out to her soul.
“Lorielle, you’re a thought that’s never far from me. No matter what I’m doing or who I’m with. It’s been like that for five years and it has only grown these last couple of months.”
“While you were with Tara? Very convincing, Benny.”
“I wasn’t with Tara like that this time around, and the other time was because you had turned me down. My feelings were hurt.”
“So, you got with Tara to get over me?”
He shrugged. “I was trying to move on with my life, but the farther I got away from you, the harder it was to do anything other than think of you. You’re like the air, without you it’s hard to breathe. You’re like the sun, without you I’m cold. You’re like the wind, I feel you even when I can’t see you.”
Benny’s words about her were unlike anything she had experienced, even when she was married.
She was trying to put a barrier between them, but he wasn’t making it easy. “Benny, I’m too drunk for this.”
“Then let me hear your drunken words, and in the morning, I’ll let you blame it on the alcohol.”
She relaxed against the cushions of the couch. She wished they could swallow her because she was about to say too much. “There’s nothing to say that you don’t already know.”
“That you would be with me?”
“I would fuck you.” She corrected him. “And real good.”
“Mm, but you wouldn’t let me love you?”
“I was burned by love.” She turned her head, looking at him. She wanted to see his reaction. “That’s not what I’m looking for anymore.”
His face didn’t give away anything. “So you’re scared?”
Lorielle didn’t say anything. She wouldn’t say she was scared. She just hadn’t been interested, but she could admit since getting to know Benny more, he had her wondering how it would be if she did take a chance with him.
Benny tugged at her hand, pulling her into his arms as he leaned back on the arm of the couch. Now she was on top of him. Too tired to fight, she fell against his chest. She still asked what he was doing, though she knew already.
“I just want to hold you. Only if it’s for tonight.”
It was a miracle she had stayed awake this long. At this age, after a night of drinking, she was ready for bed.
“Only for tonight,” she confirmed, snuggling into his neck. He smelled so good.
“Only for a lifetime.”
She tried to fight to respond, but sleep claimed her.
Benny held her securely in his arms all night.
When Lorielle woke in the morning, it was to a small gasp. She jumped up. She saw Jo by the couch with her arms folded, shaking her head with a smirk on her face.
“Jo…” Lorielle warned. She knew what was coming.
