Page 20 of No Kind Words (Calston Cove #3)

“Um, I made a reservation at the bistro.

Is that okay? I haven’t eaten there for a while, but it still gets rave reviews, so it should be good.

Would you have preferred somewhere else? There’s a great fish restaurant or a Chinese.

I’m sorry.

I should’ve asked you. You haven’t gone vegetarian. Of course not. You had bacon at my house.”

Ben is rambling, likely because he’s nervous, and it’s adorable.

I’m going to have to do something to calm him down.

Something he’s not going to expect.

I wait until he’s parked his car and we both get out, then approach him.

I step so close he has to lean back against his car. As his eyes go as wide as saucers, I get even closer, bend my head, and run my nose up the edge of his.

“You need to relax, Ben.

It’s only me.”

My words are low and wash over his lips in a warm breath on this cold night.

I press my lips to his, soft but firm.

His are cold and smooth but not rigid or unwelcoming.

I slide my hands from his shoulders to his neck, up to his jaw, my thumbs on his cheeks.

The surprise comes when he parts his lips and tentatively touches my tongue with his.

A possessive growl grows in my throat as I sweep my tongue inside his mouth and deepen the kiss.

He swallows down another of my moans.

Ben slips his hands under my leather jacket, pressing his fingers into the cotton of my shirt.

Goosebumps break out over my body.

I shudder, relishing his touch. It’s like no one else has ever touched me. I’m right back to being eighteen and desperate for more of him.

The slam of a car door and laughter jolt us apart.

The street light glows on Ben’s face, the wetness on his lips.

The darkness in his dilated eyes highlights his beautiful face.

“Let’s get some dinner.”

He nods and moves away from me, looking dazed. As we walk into the restaurant, I take his hand. This seems to bring him back to the real world, and he approaches the host, greeting him by name.

I forget that there are many people who aren’t familiar to me. I expected the town to have been stuck in a time warp. That everything and everyone would be the same, apart from my parents. But I wouldn’t be here if they were.

Once we’re seated and alone, Ben scrutinises me, looking for what?

“Why did you do that?”

“What? Kiss you? Because you were so nervous. I thought it might relax you. And I’ve been thinking about it for too many years. Was it wrong? Shouldn’t I have done it? You seemed to like it.”

Ben shakes his head. “No, I mean, yes, it was okay to do it. It surprised me, is all. A good surprise.”

He straightens the knife next to his plate, taking his time choosing his words. “You seem to have it all worked out like nothing else matters. The last fifteen years just brushed away. I don’t know how you do that.”

“Because I want you. I want to see how great we can be together. Not many people get a second chance at love. We loved each other then. I want to see if we can love again. If it doesn’t work, at least we’ve tried.”

The waiter arrives, takes our drink order, and leaves us alone again.

“This wasn’t what I had planned for tonight. I thought it would be a good way to get to know each other again, to talk about our pasts. I wasn’t planning on being kissed.”

Ben gives a wry smile and a dry chuckle. “But as always, you get straight to the point. You haven’t changed as much as you look.”

He gestures to my jewellery and tats. “All this is new, but it suits you.”

I wondered when he’d get around to mentioning it. I can tease him with the hints of more to find under my clothes. With a tip of my head, I grin back. “There are more for you to find when you’re ready.”

Ben’s eyes go wide. If only I knew what he’s thinking. Is he interested? Maybe he has some for me to find. Before he can speak, our drinks arrive, something he looks relieved about. He’s going to be so much fun to tease, but not now, not yet. He’s right. We do need to know more about each other. As we both sip at our drinks—a lager for me and a red wine for him—we peruse the menu.

“What’s good in here?”

I ask. It has seasonal food with plenty of fish, which all look amazing.

“Honestly, all of it. I’ve never had anything I didn’t love.”

He bites on the corner of his lip as he reads the list of today’s dishes.

“What do you want to know?”

I ask Ben after we’ve given our food order.

He’s quiet, but I can tell he’s thinking.

How far back does he want to go? “I don’t know what to ask.

We got through the shitty stuff on New Year’s Eve.

You’ve told me that you want me, that you want to try this again, and I’ve spent the time since you left wanting the same thing.

We were both stupid and held on to a grudge more than our feelings for each other.

We should’ve been either together all this time or split up and have closure.

What I’m saying is, do you want to find out which way it would’ve gone, or are you serious and want to make a relationship with me work?”

Okay, that wasn’t what I expected.

I thought we’d be catching up on lost time.

Telling tales of our past, the friends we have, and the antics we got up to.

He’s right to ask, though.

What’s the point of falling back into this if I’m only testing the water before jumping in? “I don’t know the answer to that, but I know above anything I want to start over.

To have a chance at being with the man you are now.

We’re both different.

Not only to look at, but we also probably have secrets we don’t want to share.

If I’d just moved here and didn’t know you, you’d be the man I was hitting on in the pub.

You’re so totally my type. Add the fact that I also know what you look like naked, and it’s a win-win. I’ve seen you check me out too.”

I waggle my eyebrows and laugh loudly when he blushes.

“Saved by the food.”

He sighs in what looks like fake relief.

He’s right. I lay off any contentious topics. Instead, we talk about Hope. I tell him I reported the owner to both the police and the RSPCA. Not that they will be able to do anything, but it clears my conscience.

“I made Amy, one of my staff, the manager today,”

he says. “I want to be around more for Hope. She can’t go into a commercial kitchen, and I’d rather be at home. I’ll go in a few times a week to bake and keep the freezer stocked. I’m going to enjoy the time off. I’ve worked there solidly since it opened.”

The food is as good as Ben claimed, and soon, we’re both full and ready to go. Ben takes the bill with a smirk. “You can pay next time.”

Outside, I reach for his hand again. This time, when his brain isn’t fried from me kissing him, he looks more hesitant. Then he smiles and takes it. “That wasn’t too hard, was it?”

“No, I’m just not used to it. I don’t think I’ve ever held hands with someone here.”

“Never? How? Haven’t you ever had a date in town or with someone on holiday?”

How can he not have dated here?

“That’s not the same as being with someone long enough to want to hold hands. I’ve managed to keep my personal life out of the prying eyes of the people in town.

I didn’t want to be the name on the gossipers’ lips and prefer my privacy. I like to be able to show my face in the café.”

“Even when everyone in town is watching us like hawks as if they know something is going to happen? Which is weird because where would that idea come from?”

“That may be all on your friend Maeve’s shoulders. She’s not subtle about wanting us to hook up. The only thing she’s left out is the time we had together before.”

“That woman is a bloody nuisance,”

I say, but I laugh.

Trust Maeve to open her mouth.