by M. Malone
Grant stiffened. “Can I tell you something?”
“It’s never stopped you before.”
“You’re the smartest dumbass I know. I’m not trying to steal your girl. I’m hoping you won’t be as dumb as I was.”
Bennett shifted, suddenly feeling guilty. His cousin was for once being sincere and he’d reacted out of jealously. “Grant, I’m sorry–“
“Whatever’s going on with the two of you, fix it. Whatever she needs, be that. It’s really that simple,” Grant interrupted. “Or you might find yourself with a little competition.”
Bennett sighed. Just when he was getting used to seeing the softer side of Grant, the arrogant side he was used to reemerged. “I’m starting to wonder why I talk to you.”
Grant washed his hands again. “Because it gets lonely being the only brilliant one. I get it.” After drying his hands on a paper towel, he reclaimed his clipboard from the bed and left.
His cousin might be arrogant but he was also pretty damn smart. Katie had said they’d talk and she just needed some time but that didn’t mean he couldn’t be useful in the meantime.
She’d arrived with Ridley in the ambulance so she didn’t have her car. It was likely that she’d be here for quite some time, possibly even overnight. But maybe she’d need a ride home in the morning. If so, Bennett planned to be the one taking her home.
Whatever she needed, he would be there.
♥
Early the next morning, Katie walked out of Ridley’s hospital room starving and in desperate need of sleep. She had told Ri that she could stay longer but it seemed she wasn’t needed.
As soon as she heard her twin was in labor, Raina had flown straight home. With her twin sister and Jackson there, Ridley was back in her comfort zone. Katie was both relieved and sad that she was no longer needed. Because helping out her friend had been the perfect distraction from thinking about Bennett.
Bennett who had kissed another woman at the first opportunity.
As if she’d conjured him by her thoughts, Bennett pushed off of the wall across from Ridley’s room. Katie stopped, startled. Had he really been waiting out here the whole time? Then she noticed that he was wearing different clothes and carrying a paper bag.
“What are you doing here?” Her question came out crankier than she’d intended, mainly because she’d been awake for what felt like three days and was in desperate need of food and a shower.
“Waiting for you,” he replied. He held out the paper bag.
Katie took it tentatively and then almost dropped to her knees in gratitude when she saw that it contained a breakfast sandwich and a bottle of apple juice. Now she really felt like a bitch for sniping at him when he was just trying to do something nice.
“Thank you. I really needed this.”
Bennett held out his arm for her to precede him down the hall and Katie was happy to oblige. She cracked open the bottle of juice first. It was still cold so she could only guess he’d purchased the items in the hospital cafeteria.
“How long have you been waiting in the hallway?” she asked.
Bennett inclined his head back towards the room. “Not long. Jackson texted me so I’d know when to come pick you up.”
Katie should have known. Jackson probably thought he was helping her out. She couldn’t fault him. He didn’t know that she’d been hoping to avoid his oldest brother for a little longer. After such a long and exhausting day, she wasn’t ready to hear about his sexual experimentation with his first love.
“I’m not sure that was a good idea. We didn’t leave things at a good place.”
“I know. But you needed a ride home. When you need something, I’ll be there. Always.”
Intense hazel eyes fixed on hers and Katie could barely breathe. How had she thought this would get easier? There was never going to be anything easy about knowing that she wasn’t Bennett’s first choice. Could she really accept a relationship where she had to compete with the memory of someone else? It had been bad enough dealing with Don’s wandering eye but with Bennett it would be worse because he wasn’t a jerk. With time and distance, she could admit that she hadn’t really been devastated at Don’s betrayal. Furious and humiliated, yes. But she hadn’t really even been all that shocked.
But Bennett … Katie had to work hard to swallow over the sudden lump in her throat. He was a fantastic human being and it would hurt like hell to know he preferred someone else.
They were silent the entire ride over to his place. She checked her phone for no reason other than to give her something to do besides stare at him. Julia had texted her a picture of all the kids finger painting last night so she knew they’d had fun. For the first time, she had nowhere to be.
No one who needed her.
“Did you get any sleep at all last night?” Bennett asked just as he pulled into the driveway next to his barn.
Katie shook her head. She climbed out of the truck and followed him inside. It was weird to be back after taking a week off. She hadn’t realized just how much she’d missed being here. It drove home how different things were without Bennett in her life.
He took her hand and led her upstairs. Considering how they’d left things, she should probably stop him but then he gave her a look and she clamped her lips together.
“Get comfortable. I’m going to tell you about my weekend and then you’re going to take a nap.”
Amused by his uncharacteristic show of bossiness, Katie went over to the chest of drawers and pulled out one of his long T-shirts. Too tired to even care that he was watching her every move, she shed her clothes and pulled the shirt on. Bennett pulled back the covers on the bed so she could climb in. He took off his own T-shirt and jeans and then climbed into the bed next to her wearing just his boxers.
He turned his head to look at her. “First, I’d like to apologize for the way I handled things with your ex-husband. I didn’t give you the chance to explain what I saw that day. That’s something I regret.”
Katie nodded. “Thank you for saying that. I would never do that to you. Don was drinking that night and I just didn’t want him driving drunk and possibly hurting someone.”
“I was jealous,” Bennett admitted. “He was bragging about how he’d tired you out the night before and I couldn’t see anything past that.”
Katie was quiet for a moment, thinking about her own reaction to hearing that he’d kissed Olivia. “I was jealous when you told me you kissed Olivia.”
Bennett turned over so he was facing her. This close, the space between them seemed even more intimate. Even though she was still filled with lingering doubt and insecurity, Katie felt like she could tell him anything in that moment.
So she hesitantly added, “I know you said that the kiss didn’t mean anything. But when you said that Olivia is in love with someone else, it felt like it did when Don cheated on me. Like I’m not really the one you want, just the one who’s available.”
Bennett listened, his eyes on her face like he wanted to absorb the words straight from her mouth. “This is one of those times when I need a translator. Because what I meant to say was Olivia is in love with someone else and I’m thrilled about it. Because I’m in love with you.”
Her heart squeezed so hard that Katie let out a little startled puff of breath. This whole time she’d been ready to hear stammered excuses or rationalizations about why his kiss with Olivia didn’t matter. She’d expected him to deny it was a real kiss or claim that he’d been surprised and hadn’t meant to kiss her back.
Not that he’d kissed another woman and decided he loved Katie. Anything other than he’d chosen Katie as the one he truly wanted.
“You’re not saying anything. Please tell me I haven’t ruined things between us.” Bennett placed his hand over hers. The warmth of his touch brought her out of her state of shock.
“No. You haven’t ruined things between us. I was just surprised. I wasn’t expecting you to say that. That you love me.”
His eyes softene
d. “You should get used to hearing it. I plan on telling you for a very long time.”
Katie held in a sigh as his head lowered. When he placed his lips on hers, she melted beneath him. She’d missed this so much. Bennett had a way of making her feel like she was the only thing he needed.
When he tried to pull back, Katie wrapped her arm around his neck to hold him there.
“Aren’t you tired?” Bennett asked.
Katie pulled him closer and kissed him again. “Not that tired.”
♥
Bennett allowed Katie to pull him down closer so she could steal another kiss. He was happy to let her take whatever she wanted from him. He settled on top of her, allowing his full weight to press her into the mattress. Katie responded with a soft, satisfied sigh that made Bennett smile.
Then she reached down and cupped his hard length and he stopped breathing.
“You are going to kill me.”
Her husky chuckle sent even more blood below his waist. Her slender fingers moved over him gently, stroking him through the thin fabric of his boxers. Bennett wasted no time getting her T-shirt off. She stretched beneath him, her full breasts bobbing temptingly in front of his face.
“How the hell did I get so lucky?”
The smile that crossed her face lanced through him like a blade. She probably thought it was just flattery but Bennett truly wondered why a vivacious creature like Katie was attracted to him. But he certainly wasn’t going to argue the point. Sometimes you got lucky and that’s how she made him feel.
Like he was finally the lucky one in the family.
Katie tugged at the edge of his boxers, pushing them down over his ass. He sat up long enough to kick them off before he came back. The first contact, skin to skin, made them both groan.
“I missed you so much,” Katie whispered in-between soft kisses to his neck, jaw, and finally his lips again. “I survived being left behind before but I won’t be okay if this doesn’t work between us, Bennett. This is so much more.”
She sighed and shook her head, like she couldn’t figure out how to finish the statement. But she didn’t need to. Bennett understood her completely. She was telling him not to start this if he wasn’t ready to finish it. Not to play with her heart because she was in this thing all the way.
Which was exactly how he felt, too.
“I’m going to show you, over the next few days, weeks, months, that this is it for me. You, Katherine Mason, are it for me. So get ready to be courted.”
Her answering laugh was filled with wonder and hope. “Courted? Wow. I can’t wait to see this. What does courting look like?”
Bennett slid one hand under her back, holding her in place so he could trail kisses over her neck and shoulders. Her breathing was getting faster as he moved lower.
“It looks like dinners out and nights in. Spending time with Hunter and Matthew so they can get to know me.” He raised his head from where he was currently hovering over her breasts. “It means proving to you that I’m here to stay. That I’m serious about us being together. It’s showing you what our life together can be.”
Her eyes glittered. “I’m scared how much I want that.”
Bennett pressed his face between her breasts, listening to the beat of her heart. Katie wrapped her arms around his back, holding him against her. He was overwhelmed with the love and protectiveness he felt in that moment. He vowed right then and there that he was going to show her love was nothing to fear.
Just then she surprised him by locking her heels behind his back and rolling them over. She settled on top of him, rocking her hips over his erection. Bennett moaned at the contact and her eyes went dark and sultry. Then she reached down and caressed his hard length, positioning him so he could slide deep.
Her eyes closed as she took him inside, the look on her face one of sublime pleasure. Bennett wanted to remember it forever, the moment she let herself go, trusting him to catch her.
They moved together, her hips riding him until they were in perfect sync. He watched her, taking in every inch of this woman he loved, wanting to imprint the sight of her on his brain. He couldn’t look away. He wanted to drink up the sight of her.
“You are so perfect. And all mine.”
Her eyes met his at the softly growled words. Then her mouth fell open when he reached down to stroke her clit as she moved her hips. She shuddered at the extra stimulation, her inner muscles clenching desperately.
“Oh god.” He couldn’t hold back, even though he wanted this to last forever. It was too good, being held in her tight heat while she looked down at him with slumberous eyes. He stroked her faster, wanting her to go first.
He would always put her first.
Katie cried out helplessly as her orgasm took hold, dropping her hands to his chest to stabilize herself while she rode out the waves of pleasure. Bennett kept his eyes on her the whole time, the sight of her coming so intensely arousing that it brought him down with her. He moaned as his own orgasm coiled low and then unleashed, wringing every last bit of strength from him.
Katie collapsed on his chest, panting softly. He grabbed the sheet and threw it over them both. He was suddenly exhausted after a night spent worrying over whether she would forgive him. He patted her back gently, reminding himself that she was there with him and would be there when he woke up.
She must have felt the same because she rubbed her face against his chest and sighed. “I’m so glad you came to get me.”
“Me too. Now sleep, sweetheart. I know you’re tired.”
As she drifted off, Bennett knew that she was still worried about a multitude of things but he vowed to show her that the promises he’d made to her were solid.
He fell asleep with visions of how he wanted the next few months to pan out. Now that he had his mission, he wouldn’t rest until he’d achieved his objective.
To show Katie what it meant to be truly and completely loved.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
♥
One month later…
Bennett watched Katie wiping down the counter in her kitchen. He’d offered to help but she’d shooed him into the living room where Hunter and Matthew were watching television along with Chris and Jase. Katie was babysitting so Ridley and Jackson could have a little break. Jackson had described baby Zane as being able to sleep while simultaneously screaming his head off so the new parents were both exhausted.
Although Bennett wasn’t sure what his little brother was talking about because Zane was sleeping in his arms just fine.
“I can’t believe it. You got him to sleep.” Katie appeared at his elbow, looking down at the sleeping baby in awe. “How did you do that?”
Bennett shrugged, not wanting to speak aloud and possibly wake up Zane. Moving carefully, he walked up the stairs and into the guest room Katie had set up for the baby. She’d set up the crib Matthew had used since she’d never gotten rid of it, and Bennett approached it with all the caution he’d use when handling liquid nitrogen.
Katie had followed him and she tiptoed forward to lower the side of the crib for him. Slowly, carefully, Bennett settled the sleeping baby on his back in the middle of the crib. He’d been so nervous before tonight that he’d read up on infant safety so he already knew not to cover the baby with any blankets or sheets. Instead, he raised the side of the crib and let out a sigh of relief when it latched silently.
With a triumphant smile for Katie, he walked back into the hallway. She closed the door behind them.
“Well done, Mr. Alexander. I’m impressed. It takes a special touch to put a cranky baby to bed.”
Bennett was pretty impressed with himself. It took a lot of trust for Jackson and Ridley to allow someone to care for their children and he knew that it was the highest of compliments that they trusted Bennett with their son. Katie’s presence had a lot to do with that, he knew, but it was still an honor. And one that had him thinking.
He pulled Katie into his arms. “Do you ever think about having more kids?�
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Katie froze and he could feel the tension in her body. He didn’t allow her to pull back and eventually she relaxed, resting her head on his chest.
“I do. Sometimes. I always wanted a big family but then after a while I stopped wishing for that.”
Bennett held her tighter. Over the last few months, he’d been relentless in his mission to court her. It was an old-fashioned concept but then again, he was an old-fashioned kind of guy. He wanted Katie to know how serious he was about working toward a life together so he’d worked hard to insinuate himself into every aspect of her life. From helping out with the kids, to bringing her flowers and little gifts to show her his feelings, to encouraging her to go after her own dreams, which recently included working part-time with a local mid-wife.
His goal was to show Katie that he loved her wholeheartedly and that her happiness was important to him. Soon it would be time to show her exactly what it meant to be the owner of his heart. Waiting for the perfect moment was getting harder and harder. Because if his Katie wanted children, then damn it all, he wanted to give them to her.
“What about you?” Katie asked. “Do you want children?”
“Absolutely. As many as possible.”
Katie laughed softly. “That’s a little scary. How many are we talking here?”
Bennett figured this was one of those times when blunt honesty might not be the best route. He was pretty sure that if he said he wanted five that she’d run away screaming. So he exercised his newfound diplomacy skills that Katie had been helping him develop over the last few months.
“I’ll be happy with whatever happens as long as it’s with you.”
She patted his chest. “Good answer, babe. You’re getting good at this. Sorry if I was a little intense. It’s a bittersweet thing for me. After all, I’ve been blessed with two amazing kids but I failed at the most important part, finding a father who would appreciate them.”