Page 4 of Take Me Back
Benjie nudged me from behind. “Take the flower, Kitty Kat.”
The man’s intense brown eyes, so dark they were almost black, darted from my face to Benjie’s.
“You’re gonna let another man give your girl a flower?”
Holy hell, his voice. Deep, delicious, and all man.
“Psh, I’d let you give her theDright here on the beach if you asked. God knows she needs it more than I do,” Benjie said in a tone that made me want to throat-punch him.
Way to throw me under the bus, Ben-Ben.
The guy’s eyes widened, and for a moment, I wasn’t sure how he was going to respond.
And then it happened. Rumbling laughter. His whole body got involved, but not a single ounce of him jiggled. No, this hard-bodied man simply vibrated with humor.
It was the best sight-sound combination I’d ever witnessed.
When it faded away, he reached out and tucked the still beautiful hibiscus behind my ear. “I’d rather start by taking her to dinner.”
I shook my head. “We’re on vacation together, so—”
Benjie cut me off. “And I already kinda made plans to meet up with that bartender at seven. She’s all yours.”
I spun around to look at him. “What?”
“Bros before hos,” he said, attempting an innocent tone but coming off like the jackass I knew and loved.
“Seriously?”
“Love you, but I, too, love theD.” He winked.
“I’ll pick you up at your room at seven then,” the stranger said.
“Kat’s in number twelve.” Benjie offered the information since I’d suddenly gone mute.
“Number twelve. Seven o’clock. I’ll be there.” The man’s gaze trailed from my face down my body, and I could feel it like a touch. “If you wear that, I’ll be too busy fighting off the guys who want to take you home to enjoy the evening.”
My mouth dropped open as he gave Benjie and me both a nod before he strode away.
“Holy shit,” I whispered.
“Holy shit is right,” Benjie said, his voice hushed. “No way in hell would I have let you have him if I’d seen that ass first.”
* * *
Present day
“What can I get you to drink?”
The flight attendant’s question yanks me out of the memory. She lays cocktail napkins on the armrest between us, and I snatch one up to dab at the tear sliding down my cheek before Dane sees it.
If only I could rewind it all. I would give anything to go back to that day and make Benjie promise never to lie to me. If I’d only had some warning, maybe everything would be different now.
“Champagne, of course. We’re celebrating our second wedding anniversary,” Dane replies.
The flight attendant smiles, completely missing the note of sarcasm in his tone. “That’s so exciting. Congratulations.”
She bustles away, and I keep my voice quiet. “I’m really sorry. I didn’t get your texts.”
