Just One Thing (The Alexanders 6)

“I’m just watching you. I like having you here.”

Katie stilled and her eyes met his. “Really? I felt a little pushy coming over without asking first but … I was worried about you.”

She seemed embarrassed by the admission and immediately went to the end of the bed to rummage in her overnight bag. He watched as she pulled out a pile of clothes and a small toiletry bag.

“Okay, I’m going to get ready for bed. Do you need anything right now? Medication? Water?”

He shook his head and she went into the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

Bennett dozed in and out while listening to the sounds of water running and the soft hum of Katie’s voice as she talked to herself. He smiled. He was willing to bet she had no idea she did that but it was incredibly endearing. Comforting also. It was a strange feeling to be so content while resting in bed listening to the sound of her talking to herself.

Then it hit him why he was so happy despite being hurt. Over the years, he had always felt like he was on the outside looking in. With his family, with his classmates, just everywhere. All around him he saw people pairing off into happy couples and he’d never felt like he could be a part of something like that. He’d never met anyone that made him feel like he could be a part of a unit.

But here, resting

quietly and listening to Katie’s off-key rendition of some random Christmas song, he felt like he belonged. He might not be able to read in-between the lines or take a hint, but with Katie he didn’t have to. She was the only woman he’d ever met who didn’t play games or expect him to read her mind. She was honest and open and entirely genuine.

And he was incredibly happy she was there.

When she emerged from the bathroom, she was wearing a long nightshirt. Her skin was scrubbed clean and she had her hair pulled back into a ponytail. She made her way around the bed and got in on the other side. Earlier she’d set her tablet on the nightstand on that side and she picked it up before arranging the covers over her legs.

“Do you mind if I read for a little while? Will the light keep you up?” she asked.

He shook his head. “I’m a pretty sound sleeper but I’m not ready to go to sleep anyway. Would you … would you read some to me?”

Her eyes betrayed her surprise before a soft smile touched her lips. “It’s probably not your genre. It’s a romantic suspense.”

He moved closer and rested his head on her shoulder, keeping his hurt arm propped up on a pillow. “I don’t care. I just want to hear your voice. Just the sound of your voice makes me feel like all is right in the world. Hearing that when you come to work every morning is the highlight of my day.”

Katie’s fingers tightened around the edge of the tablet. “One minute I think I know what’s going on, that we’re dating and having fun, but then you say stuff like that. Bennett, what are we doing here?”

He tilted his head and kissed her bare shoulder. “I don’t know what you’re doing but I’m pretty sure I’m falling in love.”

Katie’s gasped softly and her dark eyes searched his. He wasn’t sure what she was looking for but he hoped she could see his sincerity.

“You are? But it’s so soon. We’ve only been on one date.”

“And I knew before we left your driveway.”

Her eyes welled slightly before she gave her head a slight shake. In the blink of an eye an entire conversation passed between them. Bennett liked that he knew her well enough now that he could intuit what she was thinking. But if she thought he was going to let her go another minute without telling her how he felt, well she hadn’t been paying attention. He may not be socially adept but he’d never been accused of lacking initiative. When he wanted something, he went after it.

And he wanted Katie. Every sweet, no-nonsense, bubbly bit of her. From the moment she’d entered his life, he’d experienced what it was like to feel not only accepted but appreciated. She made him feel that all of the odd things about him were fascinating and special. Being around her made him stand just a little bit taller and it wasn’t an exaggeration to say that Bennett suspected he was getting addicted to the way she made him feel.

He’d drink her up like champagne if she let him.

“The things you say sometimes. You’re so unbelievably sweet, Bennett.”

Although it was a compliment, Bennett found that he didn’t want them from Katie. Those were the kinds of words you said to someone when you didn’t feel the same way but didn’t want to hurt their feelings. He didn’t want platitudes. Hell, he’d rather her hate him than to think of him as just a sweet guy. At least hatred was a strong emotion. He wanted to invoke that kind of emotion in her. He wanted to affect her in the same way that she affected him. Overwhelmingly.

“I’m not sweet,” he grumbled.

Katie’s laughter soothed some of his wounded pride. She was happy and that was really all that mattered. Even if the time they’d spent together didn’t mean as much to her as it had to him, as long as he could see a smile on her face, Bennett would count it as a success.

“Yes, you are. You’re such a contradiction. Brilliant but unsure. Serious but funny. Composed but so … lovable.”

When her words registered, Bennett peeked up at her. “Lovable?”

“Very lovable,” she whispered. “Just today, I was worried that I was getting too attached to you because it seemed so foolish to fall for someone else after being hurt so badly.”