“Didge.” He pulls out of my grip. “We have to go. We can spend a week in bed once we get to Washington.”
I blow out a deflated breath and tear the blankets back angrily. “You’re really beginning to piss me off,” I snap as I get out of bed.
He smiles.
“What’s funny?”
“You when you’re tired.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I growl.
“Nothing.” He widens his eyes to accentuate his point.
I put my hands on my hips. “What do you mean, nothing?”
“You get this snarky attitude when you’re tired.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “I do not.” I pull my fingers through my rat-nest hair. “I do, however, have vivid fantasies of drowning you in a hotel bathtub.”
He chuckles. “And here we have exhibit A.”
I turn to him. “Ben.”
He smiles cheekily and raises a brow. “Yes, Bridget?”
“If you want to survive this plane trip to Washington today, it’s probably best you don’t speak.”
He smiles. His eyes have a delighted twinkle to them, and I narrow my own to stop myself from smiling.
“Whatever you say, dear,” he replies.
I put my hands on my hips. “Are you patronizing me now?”
He stands in a rush and takes me into his arms and kisses me softly. “I wouldn’t dare,” he whispers.
I smile against his lips. “Good,” I murmur as I wrap my arms around his strong shoulders. “Because I don’t want to hurt you.”
He laughs and holds me close. “Because you are so badass when it comes to blood, right?”
I smile against his lips. I don’t even have a reply for that one. He’s totally got me.
“I’ve missed you, Didge,” he whispers.
We stand for a moment in each other’s arms, and I could just fall asleep right here standing up.
I pull out of his grip. “Can you make me some coffee while I shower, please?”
“Yes, make it quick.” He snorts.
I glance at the clock. 4:00 a.m. I widen my eyes at him. “Don’t dare rush me. It isn’t even morning yet.” I walk into the bathroom and close the door behind me. I’m so delirious, I can hardly focus my eyes. I wonder if he’d notice if I slept for another ten minutes on the shower floor.
He comes into the bathroom and turns the shower on. “In…” he commands.
“Out,” I snap as I point to the door.
Man, he is pissing me off.
We wait in the cab line at Washington airport. I’ve slept most of the way and I feel kind of human again. I go to grab Ben’s hand, but he subtly pulls it out of my grip.
“Why won’t you hold my hand?” I ask.
He glances at me and rolls his eyes. “I’m not really a holding-hands kind of guy.”
“Since when?”
“When have you ever known me to hold your hand?”
I frown as I try to think. “Come to think of it, never. You don’t ever hold my hand.”
He kisses me quickly on the lips and fakes a smile. “My point exactly.”
I cross my arms. “I like holding hands.”
He glances around at our surroundings, distracted. “Yeah, well, I don’t.”
“Hmm,” I huff. “I’m finding out annoying stuff about you.” Funnily enough, Ben and I haven’t really spent a lot of time together just being normal. We’ve either snuck around or been together as friends. It’s nice to finally get to know all the different sides of him.
“Like what?” he mutters as he moves our bags forward in the line.
“Well…” I continue. “You don’t sleep on planes.”
A trace of a smile crosses his face. “That’s because you snore on planes and it’s impossible for me to sleep.”
My mouth falls open. “I do not.”
He smirks and I smile. Okay, maybe I do. I wouldn’t put it past me. God, I need to cut that shit out.
“You have a very high pain tolerance,” I add.
He looks straight ahead as he listens to my latest discoveries.
“You’re very neat…” I continue.
He looks down at me and raises an eyebrow in question.
“You think I don’t notice that you fold all my clothes?” I ask.
He smiles sexily, and I feel it all the way to my bones.
“You are a complete sex maniac.” I raise my eyebrows sarcastically.
“No, I’m addicted to you and your body. Sex has nothing to do with it.”
“Hmm,” I grunt as I shrug. “Sure.” I roll my eyes, too.
“I’ve found out a few things about you this week, too,” he replies.
“Like what?” I bite my bottom lip to stifle my smile. I like this game.
“You hate blood,” he continues.
I listen attentively.
“You’re cranky when you’re tired.”
“Truth,” I mouth.
“You don’t drink enough water.”
I frown. That’s a weird one.
His eyes hold mine. “You have the most beautiful smile I have ever seen.”
My heart swells.
“And I could eat you up and swallow you whole.”
I smile on cue. “And you do.”
The air crackles between us. I want to hear everything he has to say. “What else did you learn about me this week?” I whisper in wonder.