I took his words and held them close, letting them resonate inside me for a moment. One blinding, happy, euphoric moment. And then it passed.
“He may have been into me for a few days but he never called or texted once.”
“That’s because he’s waiting for you to come to him. He wanted to give you some space and I gotta say, that’s pretty big of him. It’s up to you, G, but if you want to see Ben he’s out at his new place. Got the keys yesterday.”
Matt gave me a hug before sliding off the bed. “I’m meeting some guys at O’Reilly’s later, so if you want to borrow my wheels, feel free.”
He tossed his keys onto my dresser and left.
I stared at them for so long my vision began to blur and with a groan I rolled onto the bed, fingering the edge of my pillow as my eyes drifted toward the sunlight streaming in from the window.
I wanted Ben. I wanted him badly.
But was I brave enough? Strong enough?
After a few moments I rolled back over and got to my feet, taking the three steps it took to bring me to my dresser. I scooped the keys into my hands and held my breath, and then something broke apart inside me, like a little valve had just released. I exhaled nervously.
I guess I was going to find out.
Chapter Thirteen
Ben
I heard the doorbell from my perch in the back yard just as I cracked open a cold beer. I was hot, thirsty as hell, and had just doffed my dirty T-shirt when my sister Eden poked her head outside.
I had gone home to Canada for a few days and she’d come back with me. She was supposedly ‘helping’ me get settled but we both knew that was bull. She’d just ended a pretty shitty relationship—a guy she had lived with since college, a guy who had fucked around on her more than once—and was feeling blue. I had offered her a distraction and she’d taken it.
“Pizza?” I said, taking another swig. I’d worked my ass off trying to get the yard cleaned up—cutting back the weeds, running the new riding lawnmower around like a hillbilly—while she’d sunbathed on the deck. I had a landscaping crew coming out in a few days to do the real heavy work, but I couldn’t stand to look at the mess until then.
Besides, I needed an outlet for all the nervous energy that had been building inside me for days. Ever since that morning with Georgia.
Eden shook her head. “No, sorry I forgot to call our order in.”
Her brow furrowed and she stepped out onto the deck. She wore a skimpy black bikini top and a pair of old, worn jean shorts. Her long dark hair was tied loosely on top of her head, her brown eyes direct as she looked at me.
“What?” I took another swig of my beer but her words stopped me cold.
“There was a girl at the door but she left before I got a chance to tell her you were out back. She looked a little upset and she seemed real surprised to see me.”
My heart took off and I jumped from low slung bench near the barbecue. Georgia. It had to be her.
Shit.
“Who is she?”
I hopped the railing, ignoring Eden’s question, and ran around the house hoping like hell she hadn’t left yet. I rounded the corner and caught sight of Matt’s car as she tried to maneuver it around my truck.
The relief I felt was short lived because she’d just managed a three point turn and was about to take off. With a burst of speed I shot forward, jumping in front of her, a grin on my face, my hands outstretched as she slammed on the brakes, the bumper missing me by an inch.
She could have knocked me down but I would have been right back up and in her face. Now that she was here I wasn’t letting her go anywhere.
I’d been thinking about this girl every single minute of every single day for the past week and to see her so close, to be in her space, filled me with something I wasn’t going to even guess at. But it was good, whatever this was…hell yeah, it was good.
I’d decided the day before to give Georgia until tonight before I made a move to get in touch with her. I wanted to respect that Georgia needed some time and space, but on the other hand, I was so hot for her that I found it hard to concentrate on anything. Hell, I’d played the shittiest round of golf ever, because I couldn’t get her of my mind. And considering it was in my own charity golf tournament, well you can imagine the ribbing I took.