Page 66 of Collision

“You’re like a freaking furnace.” Her comment is made with a small grunt, but no effort to move.

“You’re hardly an ice-box, Mikaela.”

She laughs as my fingers run up and down her arm in soft strokes.

“So we’re agreed. We’re two hot people in bed together. Remind me why our clothes are on?”

I bark out a laugh and she grins again as she pulls her head back to look at me.

“Because -” I start, only for her to cut me off.

“You don’t think I want that.” She finishes, rolling her eyes as she untangles herself from around me. “Right.”

“Is that a pout?” I wink when she scowls at me. “Are you pouting?”

“No.” She pouts again as she sits up and I tug on her t-shirt a little.

“You know, I can’t get a read on your mood right now.” I breathe in and watch as she shakes me off and gets to her feet.

“I’m fine, Ben.” She shoots me a quick smile as she shuffles down towards the kitchen. “I just need coffee.”

“Mik.” I push myself upright and watch her. Her shoulders are tense and her movements are suddenly stiff and awkward. “What is it?”

She fills the coffee pot with water and digs in a drawer for a filter. “Nothing.”

So it’s something.

I stretch as I stand up, watching her still, before moving down to her. She’s scooping coffee into the machine, a small v puckering between her eyebrows as she concentrates. I take the spoon from her, placing it on the counter, and slip between her and the coffee machine.

Wrong move.

Like this, she’s so close I can breathe her in and the lazy haze of early morning has left my guard down. I want to lean in, to trap her lips with mine and to hold her hips as I pull her close. I want to believe her when she says she wants it too.

“Mikaela.” I breathe her name as her eyes darken and she gazes up at me. “Talk to me.”

“I don’t want to talk, Ben.” Her voice is barely a whisper. “I want - I just - dammit.”

She takes a step back and I just stand watching her.

“I want you to believe that I know what I want. I want you to stop looking at me and seeing what he did. I want you to seeme, Ben. But you don’t. And everything you are doing - everything you keep saying - it all reminds me you don’t.”

“I’m sorry.” I drop my eyes, hanging my head low as she paces before me. What else can I say? She’s right. I see what he did to her all over her. “I do see you, Mik. I promise. But how can I not see what he did?”

She turns to face me and I step forwards.

“Your wrists are bruised, Mik. Your back is torn up.” She flinches and it kills me, but I continue. My voice stays steady even though just saying it hurts. “You have fingerprints on your hips. And every time I see a single mark on you, I want to put his head through a wall, Mikaela. I see you, but I see what he did too. And I just want you to be okay.”

She nods, her lips set in a grim line, as I take another step towards her. Gently, I place my fingers beneath her chin and lift her face so that she will look at me.

“I want you, Mik. Please don’t think I don’t. But I want you to be sure. Take some time to heal, okay? Then, if you really want me, I’m yours.”

She nods again, this time with a sigh, and I take one of her hands, pulling her towards me and wrapping my arms around her.

“How much time?” She grumbles against my chest and I laugh as I run my hand through her hair.

“I don’t know, Mik. Let’s just take this one day at a time.”

“Whereareyougoing?”Mikaela steps out of the bathroom in a light green dress, her hair wet as she scrunches it with a towel.

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