CHAPTER 19 BENNETT #2
I watch her carefully. There’s a small hitch in her chest, a pause in her breathing before she takes another sip of her wine.
“That’s, uh, that’s great for her, then. We appreciate a king who will go down. Do you, uh, do you do that often?”
“When I’m with a girl, yes.”
“Good for you.” She gulps some more wine. “Really, really great. Pleasuring your partner is the way to go. Some might say the best way to go; others might say the only way to go—”
“You’re rambling,” I say as I let my finger twist a piece of her hair.
“Because I wasn’t expecting you to…to, I don’t know, say you like eating women out.”
“Favorite dessert.” I glance around the rooftop. “Think they’re serving up pussy tonight?”
“Bennett,” she shout whispers, her face turning bright red. “Oh my God.”
I chuckle and lean back in my chair, completely pleased with myself.
“The tartare was eh-eh,” Bower says. “And the deconstructed Caesar was like sucking on a fish, but this pasta, fucking hell, I might propose.”
“Too late, I already did and it accepted. Save the date for November eighteenth. It’s going to be the wedding of the century.” I finish my last bite and hold back my moan, because damn, that was good.
The chef made it in front of us, wheeling out a giant block of cheese and dropping the spaghetti in the center, swirling it around, and then serving it on a plate for each of us.
“Think the chef will let me tongue the cheese wheel?” Bower asks.
“Ask. If he says yes, I get first dibs.”
“You don’t get first dibs. It was my idea.”
“Yeah, but that’s my goddamn wife, and I’ll be damned if she’s tongued by anyone else.”
Bower lets out a wallop of a laugh, drawing the attention of everyone at the table.
“Bower,” Adalade says with amusement. “Please, tell us what has you laughing so hard?”
Yeah, Bower, go ahead and tell her…
Bower dabs her napkin at her lips.
Pauses.
Glances at me with a devilish smirk and then says, “Bennett was just telling me how much he wants to tongue the cheese wheel.”
Oh.
My.
Fucking.
God.
I didn’t think she was going to tell the truth.
The table goes silent and I know we’re both drunk at this point, but for fuck’s sake, have some goddamn decorum.
I stiffly turn toward the table, ready to apologize for how crass that was, until Adalade holds up her wine and says, “Get in line, buster, the tonguing will be done by me first.”
Bower clamps her hand over her mouth as the entire table erupts in laughter.
“If anyone is tonguing the cheese,” Anita says, “it would be me. I paid for it, therefore I am the rightful owner.”
“Some might consider that prostitution, Anita,” an older gentleman says.
“Fine by me.” Anita tips her wineglass back, taking down the rest of her drink. When she’s done, she waves her finger around the table. “Another round for the group.”
“How long have you two been together?” Anita asks, motioning to me and Bower.
Dessert has been served—no, it wasn’t pussy, but rather a raspberry sorbet that melted on my tongue—and now we’re all drinking our lives away, enjoying the evening under the stars.
Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect when it came to dining with a bunch of people I didn’t know, but I don’t think I’ve had this much fun in a while.
The group is witty, not at all prudish as I’d expect, and all out for a good time.
“Only a few months,” I say as I tug Bower out of her chair and directly into my lap. She comes willingly and loops her arm around my neck, so I wrap my arm around her waist.
“Only a few months?” Anita runs her tongue over her teeth. “Seems like years to me.”
“We’ve known each other for several years,” I say. “And then one day, she gave me a chance after I’ve been pining for her for so long.”
“Isn’t that the sweetest?” Anita brings her attention to Bower as she says, “Why did it take you so long to give in to this man?”
“Didn’t want to get in the way of his dreams,” Bower says, as if it’s the truth, not some fabricated lie to placate the group sitting around a dinner table with us.
“So darling.” Anita pats her chest. “And look at you two now, happily in love.”
“Yup,” I say, looking Bower in the eyes. “Happily in love.”
She smiles, her cheeks going pink as she clears her throat.
“I remember Bower telling me all about Bennett,” Adalade says, swirling her wine in her glass. “It almost seemed like he enamored her. Then, how could you not be? The man is the whole package. Sweet, interested, infatuated, handsome…”
“Can I get that in writing so when she gets mad at me, I can remind her why she’s with me?”
Adalade chuckles. “Want me to write you a letter of recommendation?”
“That would be greatly appreciated. I can’t have this woman running away from me.”
“Oh she’d never,” Anita says. “I can see the way she looks at you, and that means wedding bells should be coming soon, right?”
“Oh, I don’t know about that—” Bower starts to say, but I butt in.
“If I knew she’d say yes, I would have proposed already.”
Her head snaps to mine and all I do is smile up at her fucking gorgeous face, because facts.
I would.
I’d propose so fucking hard.
Because if I know anything, it’s that I want to spend every spare waking hour I have with her.
I’ve thought this for so long, but now that she lives close and that I’ve been able to spend even more time with her, the addiction I have for her has grown to where I crave her before bed, when I wake up, before games.
I want to text her when I’m gone, call her before I go to sleep, and FaceTime her when I wake up so I can see how rumpled and warm she looks in her bed.
I want to spoil her, be the one who makes her throw her head back and laugh.
Fuck, I want to be the one that calls her pet names, not some jackass who has no right being near her.
“Oooo, looks like there needs to be a discussion had between you two,” Anita says.
“Yes,” Kent clucks, his body swaying back and forth from the port he’s been consuming all night. “They need to discuss the love affair he’s having with the cheese.” He hiccups. “Because he was eye-fucking that wheel.”
I snort, along with Bower, while the rest of the table joins in the laughter.
Because Kent is so not the man you would expect to say the words eye-fucking. He has a toupee, for fuck’s sake!
And I know because he told me.
When the laughter dies down, Bower holds up her hand and says, “You know what? I’ll be the bigger person and step aside. Who am I to be the one who gets in between a man and his need to tongue his cheese?”
“And that’s why he’s in love,” Anita points out as I look up at Bower. “Because she’s willing to step aside so he can truly be happy.”
If only she knew what would truly make me happy…
“You, my dear, truly dazzled,” Adalade says while holding Bower’s hands. “I know there was no purpose in you being here, since Draco did not show up, but I know for certain I’m the belle of the ball because you were my guest.”
“Thank you,” Bower answers with drunken sincerity. “It was such a fun night.”
She shivers, so I take my jacket off and drape it over her bare back. She glances up at me with a look of gratefulness.
“Yes, thank you for tonight,” I add. “I had such a good time.”
“I’m glad you could spend your night off with us.” Adalade pats my cheek. “You’re a good one, Bennett. I just hope you find that girl you’re looking for, because you truly are a catch.” Then she smiles wickedly. “If I was fifteen years younger, you very well might be going home with me.”
I chuckle and say, “And I’d take you up on the opportunity.”
“Hey,” Bower says, her face cutely scrunched up.
“What’s your deal?” I ask with mirth. “You’re the one always saying we’re the best of friends. A guy needs to strike when he’s admired.”
“He’s very right about that,” Adalade says while I feel Bower study me, but I don’t give her any indication of nerves.
Even though I feel like fucking melting right here, right now, because it was a bold statement, a statement that if she takes it to heart, she will see that I have been waiting for my moment with her.
“Anyway, thank you for coming. Feel free to take the day off tomorrow, Bower. You’ve done a lot for me today.” With that, Adalade places a kiss on both of our cheeks and then takes off.
So I wrap my hand around Bower’s, my coat still draped over her shoulders, and I lead her to the elevator that takes us to the lobby.
I texted my driver that we’d be leaving, so when we reach the front of the building, he’s waiting with the door open.
I help Bower into the car and then follow in behind her.
Once we’re buckled, I say, “I liked Adalade. Think she was serious about dating me?” I wiggle my eyebrows and Bower’s lips turn flat.
“She is far too old for you.”
“I don’t know. I think we could make it work. She seems pretty interested.”
“Not happening.” She shakes her head and crosses her arms.
“You seem pretty adamant about that.” I poke her side, causing her to laugh.
“The last thing I need is for my boss to date you. You’re so clingy and needy that Adalade will have me running all around San Francisco to purchase items for you.”
“I’d make sure of it.”
Her eyes widen with mirth as her mouth curves up. “You wouldn’t.”
“Oh, I would. I’d be persistent.” I press my hand to my chest. “Oh, my dearest Adalade, Daddy needs those special pastries from an hour away. Please send your minion to go get them.”
“Ew, do not call yourself Daddy.”
I let out a boisterous laugh.
“And there is no way I’d go get them.”
“Then enjoy your unemployment, because I’d demand it,” I tease.
“Fine.” She lifts her chin in indignation. “Then I’ll move to Almond Bay and be with your sister, win her over, and make sure she never speaks to you again.”
“You wouldn’t.”
“Oh…I would.”
“Wow.” I shake my head. “Didn’t think you would stoop that low.”
“Says the guy threatening to date my sixty-six-year-old boss.”
“Age is just a number.”
And I fucking mean that.
“Well, it’s not happening. Keep your willy and your cheese-loving tongue to yourself. My boss is off-limits.”