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"I just wondered how much of that standoffishness happened after you accepted your dominant nature Like if you let the people closest to you see that part of you, you were afraid they wouldn’t accept it"

He muttered, "They won’t accept it" He stroked her skin "You came up with all of these observations just today?"

"I’e of people, Ben My ex-husband notwithstanding I worried about that same kind of stuff with him He didn’t accept that sexual part of s to me that you’ve done to me So I understand your need to keep that part of your life secret Dean…actually threatened to tell our friends, my boss, our coworkers, and our parents about my kinky sex requests For , I worried he’d over-shared at the water cooler"

Ben rolled and brought her on top of hi away The other hand held her jaw "One--I don’t do things to you, I do things for you Big difference Two--I’-ups are not yours and for takin’ a chance to live the life you want Three--if I everer sin than breaking a confidence He was your husband for Christsake He was supposed to be a safe haven for you, not lead the charge in ridiculing you"

This rasp on her, on who she was at the most basic level, and yet embraced her complexities and understood her insecurities, better than any man ever had No one in her past--man or woman--had ever stood up for her like Ben No one had ever built her up by knocking down the walls she’d been hiding behind That knowledge both buoyed her and brought despair, because this thing between her and Ben had an end date

Didn’t it?

She closed her eyes, feeling those stupid, unwelco to break free She jerked froo

But Ben didn’t release her He merely returned her to her previous position and held her while she composed herself He let the brush of his hands on her skin soothe her in ords couldn’t So a man a feords had its benefits

She whispered, "Thank you"

"Anytime"

"I’m tired"

Ben kissed her te?"

"For a little while"

She punched her pillow "I knoe haven’t spent the night together lad you’re here"

"Why is that?" He bumped his pelvis into her backside "’Cause I’ the sa she felt evenin his bed surrounded by his war more? More of what she couldn’t have?

"Ainsley?"

"Sorry I started to doze off" She kissed his biceps

"Liar," he whispered in her ear "And just so you know, you’re welcos out for you"

She laughed "Well, I doubt "

Chapter Nineteen

Before he got busy filling his day cutting logs and boards for a furniture order, Ben loaded up his dogs and headed to Rielle’s

Unlike Chase, he didn’t consider it strange Gavin had chosen to stay at Rielle’s bed and breakfast It was neutral territory and he wasn’t beholden to anyone’s schedule He hadn’t talked to Gavin much yesterday, and he realized he’d never had a one-on-one, face-to-face conversation alone with his oldest brother and it was past time

Plus, he had to approach Rielle about her financial situation, as Tell and Dalton had reardless of what kind of ardless if he was uncertain about where his portion would cos jumped out of the truck bed and raced off into the trees with Rielle’s three mutts

Rielle met hier"

"Mornin’, Rielle Soood"

"There’s fresh coffee and warood mood, which boded well for hionna say no now that you offered" He followed her into the kitchen

"I don’t iine you stopped over to talk to s "Help yourself"

"Is Gavin up?"

"He hopped into the shower as you pulled in"

Ben sat at the counter, poured himself a cup of coffee and set two blueberry "

"Sounds serious"

"It is I wanted to bring it up in private"

"Now you’re really scaring me"