Page 48 (1/2)

But even in sickness he’d been in total Doan to sink in

They were at an ier lovers They’d be at this turn in the road anyway, even if the loan business wasn’t hanging over them, with the thirty days at an end So as she still at a tipping point? Unsure of what she wanted and afraid to tell him?

No You’re not afraid of Bennett; you’re afraid he’d see right through you when you lie to him

So an hour later when Ben returned from his trip to town and plopped next to her on his couch after his shower, she had a hard knot in her throat, wondering how she’d keep this discussion etting sick again?" he asked with concern

"No I was sniffing because you smell nice"

He lifted a brow "I’da showered sooner if you’d told me I was stinky"

"You weren’t I just like the scent of your soap" That type of co this neutral, Ainsley

"Duly noted" He grabbed the water bottle from the coffee table

"So your mom stopped by while you were in town"

He choked on his mouthful of water "She did? Shit Sorry about that She probably was a total pain in the ass"

Ainsley had wondered how he’d react to Vi’s surprise visit "No, she was great We talked about our backgrounds growing up with a father in service to God"

That startled hirandfather was a real bastard Kinda sucks that I was named after him Is your dad like that?"

"No Just set in his ways Yourwoman We have a lot in common I liked her She askedwoman"

"Your mother was a lot warmer to me than Rielle"

"Jesus Rielle was here too?"

"Evidently she heard you were sick and brought over a basket of e of jealousy crept into her tone despite her intent to curb it

"Huh That’s weird" He pointed to a colorful ball on the chair "What’s that?"

Why did he blatantly change the subject whenever Rielle wasYou knit?"

"Yes I had to have so around" She crossed her arms over her chest "Why? Do you think it’s a laht type of hobby for a sub? Areto your needs all the tied "Not lame at all You’ve neverin the last ht take that as a complaint Especially when you’re the one who doesn’t wanna talk about stuff"

Ainsley rested her cheek on the couch cushion She’d rehearsed this conversation in her head and noas the time to have it for real "Not a coonna like this observation, am I?"

"Probably not" Her eyes searched his "I like how it’s been between us the last couple days, almost more than I did ere Dom and sub"

The wounded look on his face made her feel as if she’d sliced hiht But that’s the issue I don’t knohat I hed "Sex with you… God, I never drea And it was between us Every single time The alanced away, unsure how to finish

After a minute or so, Ben said, "Can you look at me, please?"

Not a Dom command She looked at him In his eyes she saw fear, honesty, trust and power She saw everything she needed She saw everything she shouldn’t want Everything she was too…scared to reach out and take

"What’s really goin’ on? Didto you?"

She shook her head

His blue eyes snapped fire "Rielle? Did she open her big ers over his lips "Nothing like that They were both just curious about why I was at your house And I didn’t knohat to tell them"

"How about the truth?"

"Which is what, Ben? Wea test drive as Dorowled

"I just…can’t do this anymore We aren’t lovers" She smiled sadly "You don’t want to be my friend, do you?"

"No"

That hurt "So, it’s all sex or nothing?"

"Yep I’ve been following your parah with the business aspect of this loan? I want a chance to put things back the way they were"

"You Doaze pinned her in place "Really? That’s how you sae had together?"

"No" This was not going as planned "I thought I wanted to talk to you about this and now I see why I don’t" She pushed off the couch

"What are you afraid of?"