Page 23 of Benedict’s Rejuvenation (Dark Patriots #5)

“Ah ha, and that’s why we’re here. You did say those things, but then we turn around, and Beau gets a vague text from Ben.

All it said was not to expect him last night.

He was staying with you, and he’d talk to him today.

When Beau asked if you were okay, the answer was yes.

Do you know how worried I was last night?

I had a hard time sleeping. I want to know what’s going on.

If you’re upset over what that dumbass Ambrose said yesterday, why not tell us?

If you were scared to stay here alone because of that asshole, I would’ve stayed the night with you.

Why ask Ben?” Keeley spewed out in a rush.

When she was done, Keeley studied her sister through narrowed eyes. Shit, I hadn’t thought my text would cause this much trouble. I sent an apologetic smile in Kensy’s direction. She accepted it and gave me a reassuring one.

“Sis, I’m sorry you were concerned and didn’t sleep. You should’ve called or texted me if you were worried. Yes, Ambrose has me apprehensive. We talked about it yesterday. As for last night, no, I wasn’t afraid to stay alone, though, thank you for offering. As you can see, I’m great.”

“I didn’t think my text would be a big deal. Kensy and I spend hours together when we’re at your place. You know that. We were on a roll last night, and I didn’t want to leave or have you wait up for me,” I added.

“It was more than that. Ben, I appreciate how supportive you’ve been all these months with my sister.

And I know she appreciates it too. But that doesn’t explain why you’re staying alone with her.

I don’t think it’s right. Kensy should feel safe in her home.

I’m not saying you’d do something to her.

I mean, she’s likely skittish about it and not willing to speak up.

You should return to our place for the remainder of your time here.

And it’s time to cut back on your visits, or better yet, stop them altogether.

Kensy is doing well. Further visits aren’t necessary,” Keeley stated, as she gave me a look daring me to object.

Beau groaned and muttered, “God, Keeley, you didn’t just do that.”

I was about to tell her why there was no way on earth I’d remain away from Kensy; however, my woman beat me to it. Kensy leaned forward and glared across the table at her sister.

“What the hell has gotten into you? Better yet, who do you think you are? You come into my home, insult my guest and friend, and embarrass me. You’re acting like I’m a child who doesn’t know or can’t speak my mind.

If I don’t want Ben here, I’ll tell him.

However, that’s the last thing I would say to him.

I love you, Keeley, but this is ridiculous.

You don’t need to treat me this way or tell Ben to leave.

He’s staying and is welcome for as long as he can stay and to come here, for all his free time. ”

“I’m trying to protect you from unwanted sexual advances!

You’re not ready to be involved with a man.

The way Ben looked at you moments ago, along with his actions yesterday, showed me that he’s thinking along those lines.

I should’ve warned you then, rather than leaving him here alone with you.

Now, do you see why he needs to leave? It’s for your own good.

Ben, there are plenty of women you can use for sex.

I can’t believe after everything she’s been through, and you were there when we rescued her, so you know, you’d think she’d say yes,” Keeley hissed at me.

“Babe, stop right there. You don’t know—” Beau started to say, but stopped when I held up my hand and shook my head.

Kensy was sputtering next to me, her face red. I didn’t want the sisters to fight or for me to end up on the wrong side of Keeley. I liked her as a friend and as my woman’s sister. I reached over and took one of Kensy’s hands. This move made her focus on me.

“It’s time,” was all I said.

Kensy knew what I meant. She nodded and said softly, “I agree.”

“Time for what?” Keeley asked sharply.

“Listen,” Beau ordered her.

Not wanting to dick around, I went for it. “You’re right about how I look at her, and after that whole Ambrose experience, I was very concerned. He upset your sister, and she’s now asking if he might expose us all. I assured her we’d make sure he didn’t, and it calmed her.

“I admit freely that I look at Kensy as a desirable woman with whom I desperately want to be intimate. She’s unlike anyone else I’ve met. Your mistake is thinking she’s unaware of my desire and unprepared for it. Kensy knows what I want.”

“She might think she does, but she can’t. It hasn’t been a year since all those horrors happened to her. Kensy isn’t ready for a fling!” Keeley stated adamantly, and her fist came down on the table as she finished.

“Why don’t you let me decide what I’m ready for? You don’t know what I went through, sis. Sure, I told you the bare outline. All of you know that, but not the details. That said, it leaves me as the one who knows what I can and can’t handle,” Kensy snipped.

“But you’ve never been one to have a fling with a man! There’s no way that’s changed,” Keeley argued.

Beau let out a shrill whistle, causing them to stop. We all gazed at him, and he was scowling.

“Keeley, I need you to hush and listen to your sister and Ben. Let them finish,” he ordered.

Keeley’s astonished expression showed that Beau didn’t usually act this way with her. I rushed to say the rest and head off a possible fight between them. Christ, it had gotten complicated all of a sudden.

“You’re right, she isn’t any more into casual sex now than she ever was. What I want with your sister is far from casual, Keeley. It’s about a committed relationship between the two of us. As in Kensy is my girlfriend, and I’m her boyfriend. It’s exactly how you and Beau started out.”

“And before you ask, Keeley, yes, everything Ben said, I agree with. I’m his girlfriend. We decided on this a couple of weeks ago, but I wanted time for us to get used to it before telling anyone. I hoped for more private time before announcing it,” Kensy tagged on.

“How can it work? You’re not ready for sex, even if he believes he’s ready for a committed relationship.

I don’t want you to feel pressured into having sex before you’re ready.

I think we should call Iolani. She needs to know this and talk to you before you make a huge mistake.

It would kill me to see you have a setback in treatment because of this.

If you and Ben are attracted to each other, that draw will still be there in six months or a year, if it’s real.

Don’t rush into anything,” Keeley rambled.

“What makes you think Iolani doesn’t know?

She and I discussed my feelings and desires long before Ben and I did.

He’s been patient and asks every step of the way if I’m sure and to tell him if there’s anything I don’t like or want.

He knows a little about what happened, but I plan to tell him the rest. Iolani told me to take it at my own pace.

There is no right or wrong length of time to wait.

It’s up to me to decide. I’m sorry you can’t support this, but it’s happening whether you can or not,” Kensy firmly told her sister. There was zero hesitancy in her.

Keeley’s mouth was hanging open, and she kept swinging her head from one of us to the other. Suddenly, she gasped. “Have you two had sex already? When? Is this why he’s been coming all these months? You’ve been having a secret affair!”

“We haven’t been having an affair!” Kensy snapped.

“Keeley, stop. You’re gonna regret this.

Ben has been taken with Kensy since the moment he met her.

He knew he’d have to be a friend and more for months, if not longer, until she was ready for an intimate relationship, that he’d have to take things easy with her.

I warned him that if he wasn’t prepared to do it or needed other women during that time, he wasn’t the man for her, nor ready to commit to one woman,” Beau informed her.

“You said that? You knew,” Keeley gasped.

At the same time, Kensy looked at me and said, “You really did want me, even then, like you said. You told Beau.”

“I told you how you struck me, despite it being a horrible time to happen. And I didn’t have to tell Beau. He knew it and took me aside for a brotherly talk. After all, he’d just gone through the same thing with your sister. He knew the look of a man falling.”

“What’s the rush? If you care for my sister, give her more time to heal and to know what she wants. There’s no hurry. Unless you don’t think you can last that long without sex. Or have you been having it this entire time?” Keeley asked.

I wasn’t sure where her animosity was coming from.

It wasn’t like Keeley, but I was over her tone.

“Whether I’ve had sex with other women, or even with Kensy, over the past seven months or not, isn’t anyone’s business but mine and your sister’s—no more discussion.

And we’re not waiting unless Kensy wants to wait. Her opinion is the one that counts.”

“Ben is right. It’s our choice. Now, if that’s all, he and I have plans for the day.

We’d like to get started. I love you, Keeley, and appreciate you so much, but I’m an adult.

I can take care of myself, and I have the help of Iolani if I’m struggling.

She taught me to go with what I feel is best, take it as slowly as I need, and that nervousness is okay.

I had to differentiate between fear and apprehension, which is difficult. ”

Keeley sat there, not saying anything. Beau tried to comfort her, but she had scooted away from him. Christ, don’t let this drive a wedge between them. If my love life fucked up his, Beau would kill me. Suddenly, Keeley came to her feet.

“I think it’s time to go. I do hope you know what you’re doing, Kensy, and that Ben knows what he’s committing himself to. I’m always here for you. I sometimes forget that you’re not a child while I am your big sister.”

Her words were shaky, but they had the desired effect. Five minutes later, the two of them were gone, and I was alone with Kensy. I wrapped her up from behind in my arms. I kissed her neck. She was uptight. I could feel it in the way she held her body.

“I’m sorry for all that. I didn’t mean to upset your sister. I wasn’t expecting her to spring all that on us. I know you would’ve arranged to speak to her about us differently. I wasn’t sure if you’d be alright telling them or not.”

Maybe she was angry that I forced her to tell them. Kensy whirled around in my arms so she could face me. Her eyes were narrowed. Uh oh, here it comes.

“Benedict Madris, bite your tongue. You did not upset my sister. She did that all on her own. As for not telling them until a later date or in a different way, there might be some truth to that, but Keeley is the one to blame, not you. I don’t want anything to ruin this, Ben.

That’s why I wanted to give it time for us to get into the swing of being together.

I’m not hiding you. I’m the one who’s sorry.

She was hateful-sounding with a few of the things she said.

I didn’t expect her to do that. It was like she had something driving her to say those things. ”

“No need for you to apologize to me, and I agree. It wasn’t like her.

Maybe we’d better keep an eye on her. Find out what’s truly causing her to act this way.

I gotta ask, now that they’re gone. Do you truly want to go shopping and spend all day looking in the stores?

” I asked in pretended fear. I wanted to distract her from the conversation with Keeley.

Her sweet laughter filled the room. She had tears in her eyes once she was done. “I should, just to see if you’ll do it, but I’m not that cruel. There is one store I would like to visit to see what they have. If you don’t want to do it with me, I’ll save it for when you’re gone next week.”

The mention of my being gone made me feel hollow inside. I hated to think about it. “No, we’ll go together. As long as it’s not all day, I can handle it. Let’s get ready and head out before someone else shows up unexpectedly.”

Twenty minutes later, we were out the door and headed shopping. As long as I spent it with Kensy, I didn’t care.