Page 69 of Heartsmashed
I looked down at the remaining snacks and held out the plate to him. “Want this last cheese thing? Rome made a face like it changed his life, so it’s probably either amazing or actually butter. He doesn’t get much of that during shoots.”
Beckett’s mouth quirked. “You’re offering me the unknown cheese thing?”
“What can I say, I’m very generous.”
“I feel like this is a trick,” he said, but popped the square in his mouth anyway.
“And the verdict is…?”
“Yep, that’s butter.”
“Well, shit.”
“Want me to go get you one?” he teased, already starting toward the door.
He was joking, but for some reason the fact that he was willing to do something so silly made my throat tighten.
“No,” I said. “Stay here.”
He stopped moving and met my stare.
There it was again. That pull, that need to be closer to him.
Like he felt the same tether, he walked back to me. “I can do that,” he said.
I believed him.
He took my plate, set it aside, and then reached for my hands. His fingers curled around mine, warm and strong, and it wasn’t for show this time. No one else was watching.
I looked down at our joined hands, then back up at him. “You’re making it really hard to keep my head on straight, you know that?”
His thumb brushed over my knuckles. “I could say the same.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
My breath caught, and I was so very aware of how close he was. My eyes traced his mouth, down his neck, the hollow of his throat, and I felt an aching urge to kiss him.
I also wanted to ask him a dozen questions that I wasn’t sure I was ready to hear the answers to.
I stepped in toward him before I could talk myself out of it, letting go of his hands to wrap my arms around his waist and press my cheek against his shoulder, just wanting to feel him and his warmth, to be close to him without complicating things any more by kissing him.
Beckett immediately wrapped his arms around me, holding me tight, and I closed my eyes, breathing deeply for the first time since I’d stepped onto the terrace.
He didn’t ask questions and he didn’t let go first, just continued to hold me as long as I needed him to. His hand rubbed over my back, slow and soothing, relaxing everything in me until my body was putty in his hands.
The door slid open and Drew yelled, “Game’s starting, move it or lose it, lovebirds,” before shutting it again.
I sighed, the sound coming out muffled against Beckett’s shirt. “Okay. We can go back in now.”
He continued to rub my back, making no effort to move away first. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. Before Rome decides I have to wear the lacy lingerie after all.”
“Might be a good look for you.”
I pulled back and pointed at his chest. “Hey, you’re supposed to be on my side.”
