Feels Like Love by Jenna Hartley

Chapter Four

Istood at the kitchen counter making River’s lunch when Bennett emerged from the hallway. He looked absolutely delicious in a pair of gray slacks with a lavender-colored button-down shirt. His biceps strained against the material, and for a minute, I wondered what it would feel like to have them wrapped around my body.

I swallowed hard and returned my attention to River’s lunch, as if that would distract me from the hot veterinarian who had taken up residence in my kitchen.

Apple? Check.

Turkey and cheese roll-up? Check.

Just needed—I turned to grab some tortilla chips from the pantry and ran straight into Bennett. I squeezed my eyes shut and held out my hands as if to brace myself. Which only made the situation worse since I was now groping his chest. His very firm chest.

Damn. I knew he was strong, but getting acquainted with his muscles up close and personal was…wow.

He cleared his throat, his blue eyes sparkling with mirth. “Unless you need a six-pack for River’s lunch, I don’t have what you’re looking for.”

“Ha-ha.” I rolled my eyes and lowered my hands, but the sensation of touching him lingered. My fingertips felt tingly, strangely alive or something.

I headed for the pantry and stuck my head inside, grateful I could hide—at least for a minute. Ever since Bennett had moved in a few days ago, I’d found myself needing to escape more and more. Not from him. But from the way he made me feel. Alive. As if my body were vibrating. As if…

“Mom?” River nudged my side with his head. “What are you doing?”

“I’m just looking for—” I made a show of reaching to the back of the pantry “—this.” I grabbed the chip bag.

“I’m off,” Bennett said, waving from by the door. “Have a good day, you two.”

“We will!” River grinned, then said, “Wait! I need another hug.”

“Of course.” Bennett waited patiently by the door, crouching down for another hug. He whispered something in River’s ear that made him giggle, and I melted a little more at the sight of them.

River—with his blond hair and blue eyes—looked like he could be Bennett’s son. Though Bennett’s hair was a dark blond with hints of red. And the beard that lined his jaw was darker still, darker even than the dusting of hair on his arms and legs.

When River tugged on my hand, I realized I’d been staring at the door long after Bennett had left. Fantasizing about my brother’s best friend. I shook my head as if to clear it.

“Shouldn’t we get going?” he asked. “I’m going to be late for school.”

Right. School.

“Do you have your homework?” I asked, needing to ground myself in the familiar.

We hadn’t seen much of Bennett over the weekend. River had hung out with my parents while I had several photo shoots. And then we’d spent the afternoon and evening with my family. River had passed out on the short drive home, and I didn’t hear Bennett return until late.

I’d lain awake for a long time, wondering where he’d been. Who he was hanging out with. My brother had been with us, which made me think perhaps Bennett had gone on a date. I hadn’t liked that idea, though I had no claim to him. Even so, I wondered who she was. What kind of woman was Bennett interested in? I’d never seen him with anyone, except the girlfriend he’d had in high school.

He’d come home during college, but at that point, my brother and all his friends were more interested in playing the field. Around the time Bennett had started veterinary school, his parents moved to Florida to be closer to his sister and her kids. And there’d been a gap of several years where I hadn’t seen him. Despite having known him my whole life, I sometimes felt like there was so much I didn’t know about him. So many things I wanted to know.

River returned, holding up a piece of paper. “Here it is!”

“Great. Let’s get going.”

He skipped out to the car, his pink button-up shirt tucked into the front of his jeans, his sparkly loafers catching the light of the sun like a disco ball.

I backed out of the driveway and turned on our going-to-school playlist. Apart from our dance-party favorites, it was the best. He wiggled and danced in the back seat, and I sang along as we drove through town.

“I’m really glad Bennett’s living with us.”

I smiled at him in the rearview mirror. “Me too, kiddo.”

“He let me pick out his clothes this morning.”

“Did he?” I asked, touched that Bennett had taken time out of his busy morning to do something that meant a lot to my son. “That was nice. But you need to make sure you give him his privacy when he’s at our house. ’Kay?”

“He likes having me around. He said I’m his best friend.”

I bit back a smile, loving Bennett even more for the way he treated my son. While others in town stared or mocked River and me, silently ridiculing my parenting, Bennett had never been anything but supportive. Anything but accepting.

River wasn’t an ordinary kid, and some people couldn’t get past his colorful clothes or affinity for glitter. Which was why I was even more selective about the people he was around. And it was one of my biggest hesitations when it came to dating. Finding a man who was okay having a built-in family was one thing. But finding someone who would love River and appreciate him for the person he was without trying to change him was an even bigger ask.

I knew that, but I was tired of using River as an excuse not to date. Now that he was older—me too—I was even more determined to find a partner, someone to love. Even so, dating was still intimidating as hell. But I was trying. I’d never meet someone if I didn’t put myself out there.

* * *

When I walkedin the door after work, I thought I was dreaming. That, or someone had broken in but done the opposite of stealing. No. I blinked a few times. The house was immaculate. I could smell something cooking on the stove. Was that…tomato sauce?

I set my bag down by the door and walked farther inside as if under a trance. I discovered Bennett in the kitchen, sweeping. Sweeping!

I just stood there, mouth agape, watching him as he worked. The muscles of his back and arms contracted and relaxed from the movement, and he hummed along, completely oblivious to my presence. Why was watching a man do chores so unbelievably sexy?

I wanted to blame it on the fact that I’d never had a man to help around the house or with River, but I knew there was more to it than that. I couldn’t imagine just any man would provoke such a response in me. I’d always harbored a secret crush on my brother’s best friend, but I’d never had the opportunity to actually entertain the fantasy. At least, not like this.

And boy what a fantasy it was. Not just about what it would be like to sleep with him—though the thought had crossed my mind more than once. Okay, more like a million times. But the fantasy of having a family, a partner. Ever since Bennett had moved in, it felt as if he belonged here. He belonged with us.

He swiveled his hips, and when he spun to face me, he faltered. “Hey.” His sheepish grin was endearing, as was the way the tips of his ears pinkened like River’s often did when he was embarrassed.

I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen Bennett embarrassed. To be honest, I hadn’t believed it was possible until now. He was always so cool and calm. The guy who was laid-back and remained level-headed under pressure. It was probably a big reason why he was such a good veterinarian. He handled both animals and humans with ease.

I grinned, resting my hip against the counter. “Don’t stop on my account.”

He rubbed the back of his neck and then knelt to sweep the debris into the dustpan. His cotton T-shirt stretched and wrapped around his broad shoulders, and my mouth went dry. Holy…wow.

He stood and dumped it in the trash, and I glanced toward the table. It was already set. I blinked a few times. Am I dreaming?

“What can I do to help?”

“Nothing.” He smiled and moved to stir the sauce bubbling on the stove. It smelled like garlic and oregano and something else. He took a little taste. Considered it as he smacked his lips. Then added some more spices.

“Seriously. What can I do?”

“There is one thing.” He crossed the kitchen with a spoon filled with sauce, his hand cupped beneath it to catch any spills. “You can taste this for me.”

I lifted my hand as if to take the spoon from him, but he merely shook his head. Not knowing what to do with my hands, I tucked them behind my back, gripping the edge of the counter as if it would stabilize me.

“Open.” His tone was gentle, but there was grit to it as well. Coaxing while commanding.

I parted my lips, and he seemed intent on my mouth. Tracking my every move. My skin heated, my thin shirt suddenly hot and heavy like a flannel blanket on a warm summer’s day.

He slid the spoon between my lips. Everything about it felt so erotic. Like what we were doing was somehow more than tasting a sauce. Something forbidden, even. And despite that realization, I couldn’t seem to stop myself. I didn’t want to.

The air between us crackled with electricity, my cells thrumming pleasantly from his proximity. And then I closed my lips around the spoon, and the minute the sauce hit my taste buds, I hummed with pleasure. My eyes closed of their own accord as I savored the robust flavors dancing in my mouth. The tomatoes bursting with ripeness, the salty tang, the bite of the garlic, and then…beneath it all, something sweet.

When I opened my eyes, Bennett was watching me with a funny look on his face. I couldn’t decipher what it meant. And before I could even attempt to dissect it, it was gone.

“Ohmygod,” I said around the spoon and then laughed, all but drooling on myself.

Bennett laughed and pulled back, while I grabbed a towel and dabbed at a spot on my shirt. He stared at that spot, surely thinking I was a freak. When he returned to the stove, I couldn’t see his expression, but I wondered if he was feeling as off-kilter as I was.

“That was delicious. Where’d you learn to cook like that?”

“My grandma.” He softened, eyes crinkling at the corners. “She was an amazing cook.”

I nodded. “I remember. She was the sweetest lady.”

“Maybe to you.” He laughed.

I gave him a pointed look. “Maybe because I wasn’t getting myself into all sorts of trouble.”

“Who, me?” His voice pitched higher as he attempted an innocent expression.

“Yes. You,” I teased. “You and my brother, Tristan, and Asher.” I laughed just remembering some of their antics.

He leaned his hip against the counter, crossing his arms over his chest. “I always knew when I was in her good graces because she’d make me ragamuffins.”

I smiled, seeing the younger version of Bennett in his face. When he spoke about his grandma with such devotion, I saw the boy I’d known. And then I’d look at him and remember the man he’d become. A man who was sexy and good with River and completely off-limits. Not that he’d ever be interested in me.

“What are ragamuffins?” I asked.

“You take the scraps from leftover biscuit dough and flatten them out. Then dust the dough with cinnamon and sugar and roll them up so they look like a swirl.”

“Um. Those sound freaking delicious.”

He smiled. “I haven’t made them in years, but I think I’d still remember how to do it.”

“It’s nice that you have those memories with your grandma. My grandparents passed away before I was born, so I never really got to experience that.”

He nodded. “Yeah. I’m really glad I did too. River’s lucky to live so close to his grandparents and get to see them as often as he wants.”

Just thinking of how close River was to my parents made me smile. He might not have a dad, but he had a family—grandparents, especially—who loved him more than life itself.

“Where is River?” Bennett asked.

I glanced at the time on my phone. “My mom should be dropping him off soon. She picks him up from school on Thursdays and Fridays so I can book later shoots. He loves hanging out at the bookstore with her.”

Mom owned Bibliolater, a cute bookshop downtown. People loved going there for the unique displays or just to hang out, and they traveled from far away just to see her store. She’d really made it into something special, though she was at the point in her life where she worked the hours she wanted.

“I bet. How did it go today?” he asked.

“Pretty good. Tristan and Tessa have the cutest kids.” I smiled. “They came for family photos today.”

“That’s great.”

It was great—for the most part. I frowned, thinking back on the shoot. Tessa had seemed exhausted.

“What’s that look for?” he asked.

“I felt bad for Tessa. She had a migraine or something. I offered to reschedule, but she didn’t want to. She’d already canceled once before, and she felt guilty about it.” I’d told her it didn’t matter, but she’d insisted.

“Hm.” He frowned.

“Hm, what?”

“Tristan’s mentioned headaches to me too. As well as dizziness and nausea.”

“What do you think it means?”

He lifted a shoulder. “Couldn’t say. Though I think she should see a doctor.”

I chewed on my lip then asked, “Do you think she could be pregnant?”

“It’s possible.” Though he didn’t seem convinced. A timer chimed, and he switched it off before opening the oven. “Let’s hope that’s what it is. I know they’ve always wanted a big family.”

I stepped closer, the scent making my mouth water. “Is that…garlic bread?”

“Yes.” He batted my hand away from the loaf he’d set on a cooling rack. “And you can’t have any until dinner.”

“Damn, Bennett. You really know how to spoil a girl. I mean—” My cheeks flushed with heat as I replayed my words. “Not that you were trying to spoil me or anything.”

He stepped closer, turning my face up toward his.

“Maybe I am,” he said, his voice low, dark.

And then the door opened, and River bounded into the house, talking a million miles a minute. Bennett and I stepped back from each other, and I turned to see my mom watching us curiously from across the room.

I blinked a few times, stunned by his response. By the way he was acting toward me. What the heck was that?

“Mrs. Beaudin,” Bennett said as River ran up to give him a hug. His skater shoes sparkled with all the rhinestones he’d begged me to let him glue on. “Good to see you.”

“You too.” She arched an eyebrow and surveyed the kitchen. “Something smells good. You taking good care of my daughter and grandbaby?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She nodded. “Good man.”

Bennett ruffled River’s hair. “How was your day, bud?”

“Great!” River jumped up and clicked his heels together.

“Love the shoes,” Bennett said to River, endearing himself to me even more.

Now if only I could find a man like Bennett to date.