Your Forever Love (The Bennett Family 3)

Pippa

I spend the rest of the week working late every night, whether I stay at the office or take work home with me. Today, I’ve decided to leave the office early and work from home.

It’s six o’clock when my doorbell rings, startling me. I wonder who it is. I haven’t ordered food.

When I open the door, my face instantly cracks into a smile. Eric. At the sight of him, my heart somersaults, filling me with energy. I’ve been running on caffeine and sugar for the past few hours, and they had started losing their effectiveness, but seeing him fills me with a jolt akin to having a caffeine pill.

I take his hand, pulling him inside and closing the door.

“What are you doing here so early?” I ask him.

By way of answering, he pulls me in to a kiss, plastering me against the wall and pressing his body against mine.

“I wanted to surprise you,” he says after we pull apart. Eric walks straight to the couch and I climb in his lap, lacing my fingers at the back of his neck. “Julie might like your mom more than she likes me. She’s now sleeping there twice a week, in addition to the weekend.”

“Mom loves Julie, and I believe she’s trying to give us some couple time.”

“Ah, makes sense.”

“Anyway, since Julie is sleeping at my mom’s house today, I thought you’d stay up late at the office.”

“Well, I was in a meeting and thought, ‘Do I really want to spend the entire evening talking to the insufferable dickheads in my office, or with my woman?’ You won.”

I pinch his abs, which is no small feat considering how ripped he is.

“Glad I rank above insufferable dickheads. I rank you above vegetables a

nd flat shoes too.”

Eric frowns. “That’s a random combination of objects.”

“No,” I insist. “It makes perfect sense. I don’t like to eat vegetables or wear flat shoes.”

“Your mind will forever be a mystery to me.” He cups my jaw, pulling me into a smooch. Afterward, he adds, “I’d hope to rank above cupcakes, at least.”

“Only if you rank me above risotto.” In a small voice, I add, “You wormed your way into my heart, Eric.”

His smile falters as his eyes become more serious. “Back at you,” he says, and the words fill me with warmth and joy.

“So now I have a hole inside that’s mine?” I ask.

He smiles my favorite smile, his arms encircling my middle. “Yeah, you do.”

“A big one or a small one?”

He drags his thumbs over my lips, and I bite it slightly. He groans as he says, “You’re very focused on size, you know that?”

“Of course,” I reply seriously. “Size does matter. Anything else is a myth. So… how big is that hole?”

“Come here.” He cages me between his arms, leaning his forehead on mine. “You’re becoming so important to me it scares me, Pippa.”

“Let’s be scared together,” I whisper, shuddering with emotion. As I pull back a notch, the skin on my arms has turned to goose bumps. Eric must notice this because he smooths his hands up and down them.

“It’s been a long time since I felt this way,” he continues. One of his hands finds its way to my hair, fisting it and pulling me to him. “I don’t know what to do about it. But I know you’re mine.”

“Yours,” I whisper in agreement. Our lips meet halfway, as our hands roam hungrily over one another. I want more of him, right away. I flatten myself against him, seeking his warmth, and he wraps me in his arms tightly.

After we pull apart, we remain silent for a few minutes, listening to each other’s breaths. I sit up, squirming in his lap.