been through a
lot in the last two years but you haven’t let it break you or leave you jaded.
That’s tough.” He paused to give her a second to absorb his words. “I’d love
nothing more than to spend time with you and see where this goes. This wasn’t a
fling or an affair to me. But if you want me to step out of the way so you and
Ben can have a chance at being a family, I’d understand.” He’d understand but
it would hurt like hell.
“Wow.” She took a deep breath. “That was…blunt.”
“Not much time for games out here. Best to know what you
want and to go after it.”
“I’ve liked you since the first night, too, Dixie. How could
I not? You were like some action movie hero charging in and saving me and my
son.”
His heart raced as he waited for the inevitable “but”. He
felt sick at the thought of losing her. Images of the inevitability of her with
Ben tore at his gut but he refused to show any of it on his face.
“And I won’t lie. I still have feelings for Ben. He was my
first love and he gave me Nate. I’ll always feel something for him. But he’s my
past.” She reached out to him, her fingers gliding over his cheek. “And I think
he’s happiest there. I want a future.”
Did that mean what he hoped it meant? “So what are you
saying?”
Her cheeks turned the most delightful shade of pink as she
looked away from him. “I’d be interested in seeing where this goes.”
His whole body relaxed as he took his first easy breath
since the conversation had begun. “Good.” He rocked up on his heels so he could
kiss her lightly. “Why don’t you get dressed and I’ll go fix things with Ben.”
She looked down at her body as if just remembering she sat
naked in front of him and the soft-pink blush across her checks turned bright
red. “Thank you.”
He didn’t ask for a clarification. He actually didn’t really
care what she’d thanked him for. He was so happy they’d worked things out he
didn’t feel like pressing the matter. “I’ll be right back.”
As soon as he left her behind, though, his good mood started
to fade. She’d chosen him, but Dixie couldn’t help but imagine how he’d feel if
she’d picked Ben over him. The ache that bloomed in the pit of his stomach made
him feel sick, but it couldn’t compare to what Ben must be feeling right now.
She thought Ben still hated her and only tolerated her so they could work
together, but Dixie suspected there was more to it than that. He bet Ben still
had feelings for her. Who wouldn’t? The woman was amazing. And if Dixie hurt at
the mere thought of losing her, he didn’t want to know the pain his friend was
going through right now.
It didn’t take long to find Ben. He always went to the same
place when he wanted privacy—the computer server room. There was something
about the hum of the machines. The sound seemed to comfort Ben. When Dixie
found him there, Ben was sitting at the maintenance station, drowning his
sorrows in a bottle of alcohol. “Mind if I join you?” Dixie asked as he sat
down next to him.
“Doesn’t appear as if I can stop you from doing whatever, or
whoever, you fucking want. Might as well grab a chair and be my guest.”
That was harsh but he deserved it. He grabbed the bottle and
put it up to his lips before tipping it back. When the hot rush of alcohol
filled his mouth he savored the burn for a moment before swallowing. He had to
give Ben credit. He knew his booze. “She thinks you hate her.” He handed the
bottle back to Ben so he could take a drink.
“And what? You used that in your favor?” Ben took a deep
drink before handing the bottle back.
“No. Just thought you should know. You might want to clear
the air with her.” He took another drink before giving the bottle back to Ben.
“Unless you do still hate her.”
“I don’t hate her. Haven’t since your late-night talk about
integrity.” He laughed into the bottle as he tipped it back. “And you called
lot in the last two years but you haven’t let it break you or leave you jaded.
That’s tough.” He paused to give her a second to absorb his words. “I’d love
nothing more than to spend time with you and see where this goes. This wasn’t a
fling or an affair to me. But if you want me to step out of the way so you and
Ben can have a chance at being a family, I’d understand.” He’d understand but
it would hurt like hell.
“Wow.” She took a deep breath. “That was…blunt.”
“Not much time for games out here. Best to know what you
want and to go after it.”
“I’ve liked you since the first night, too, Dixie. How could
I not? You were like some action movie hero charging in and saving me and my
son.”
His heart raced as he waited for the inevitable “but”. He
felt sick at the thought of losing her. Images of the inevitability of her with
Ben tore at his gut but he refused to show any of it on his face.
“And I won’t lie. I still have feelings for Ben. He was my
first love and he gave me Nate. I’ll always feel something for him. But he’s my
past.” She reached out to him, her fingers gliding over his cheek. “And I think
he’s happiest there. I want a future.”
Did that mean what he hoped it meant? “So what are you
saying?”
Her cheeks turned the most delightful shade of pink as she
looked away from him. “I’d be interested in seeing where this goes.”
His whole body relaxed as he took his first easy breath
since the conversation had begun. “Good.” He rocked up on his heels so he could
kiss her lightly. “Why don’t you get dressed and I’ll go fix things with Ben.”
She looked down at her body as if just remembering she sat
naked in front of him and the soft-pink blush across her checks turned bright
red. “Thank you.”
He didn’t ask for a clarification. He actually didn’t really
care what she’d thanked him for. He was so happy they’d worked things out he
didn’t feel like pressing the matter. “I’ll be right back.”
As soon as he left her behind, though, his good mood started
to fade. She’d chosen him, but Dixie couldn’t help but imagine how he’d feel if
she’d picked Ben over him. The ache that bloomed in the pit of his stomach made
him feel sick, but it couldn’t compare to what Ben must be feeling right now.
She thought Ben still hated her and only tolerated her so they could work
together, but Dixie suspected there was more to it than that. He bet Ben still
had feelings for her. Who wouldn’t? The woman was amazing. And if Dixie hurt at
the mere thought of losing her, he didn’t want to know the pain his friend was
going through right now.
It didn’t take long to find Ben. He always went to the same
place when he wanted privacy—the computer server room. There was something
about the hum of the machines. The sound seemed to comfort Ben. When Dixie
found him there, Ben was sitting at the maintenance station, drowning his
sorrows in a bottle of alcohol. “Mind if I join you?” Dixie asked as he sat
down next to him.
“Doesn’t appear as if I can stop you from doing whatever, or
whoever, you fucking want. Might as well grab a chair and be my guest.”
That was harsh but he deserved it. He grabbed the bottle and
put it up to his lips before tipping it back. When the hot rush of alcohol
filled his mouth he savored the burn for a moment before swallowing. He had to
give Ben credit. He knew his booze. “She thinks you hate her.” He handed the
bottle back to Ben so he could take a drink.
“And what? You used that in your favor?” Ben took a deep
drink before handing the bottle back.
“No. Just thought you should know. You might want to clear
the air with her.” He took another drink before giving the bottle back to Ben.
“Unless you do still hate her.”
“I don’t hate her. Haven’t since your late-night talk about
integrity.” He laughed into the bottle as he tipped it back. “And you called
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