Marry Me (2 page)

He twined his fingers with hers and they turned the corner.

Ben couldn’t remember the last time he’d held hands with a woman. The feel of her silky palm against his was driving him wild, as was the anticipation of kissing her good night. They arrived at her apartment in far less time than he would have liked.

“This is me.”She glanced up at the white building.

“Which floor?”

“Three.” She pointed. “The windows with the plants.”

He craned his neck to look, then gazed down at her. The streetlight cast a pearly glow on her skin. His heart raced. “Thank you for joining me for dinner.”

“You’re welcome.” She fumbled in her purse for her keys then tilted her head up. Their eyes met and he couldn’t wait any longer. He brushed his lips lightly against hers. She stiffened but didn’t pull away, so he kissed her again. To his delight, she leaned toward him, pressing her full lips against his.

Ben ran his fingers along her cheek before sinking them into her satiny hair. Her mouth opened beneath his. Warmth poured over him like a summer rain. The salty taste of her lips mingled with the sweetness of her tongue as they melted into each other. His mind raced ahead to what it would be like to be immersed inside her, to feel her all around him. He stopped before he got carried away, carefully keeping his lower body angled away so as not to disclose just how much he was responding to her. His nose grazed hers and he placed a finishing kiss on her lips.

He opened his eyes to find that hers were still closed.
Beautiful.
“I’d better let you go.”

She nodded. “Yeah. Busy day tomorrow. Oh, your jacket.” She let go of his hand and shrugged out of it, dropping her keys in the process. He bent to pick them up. “Thanks.” She traded the jacket for her keys and with a quick smile she unlocked the door and disappeared inside the building.

He waited, staring up at her windows until the lights flicked on, then turned to head to his hotel.

Chapter Two

Julia’s hands were shaking so hard she was amazed she’d been able to use her keys.
Holy shit, that was some kiss.
Her lips were still tingling. She couldn’t remember the last time a guy had made her feel like that. The phone rang, startling her.

It was Marissa, her old college roommate. “You must have ESP.”

“What?” Marissa’s voice was barely a whisper. “I just got the baby to sleep and you’re the only person I know who would still be up after midnight. Why do I have ESP?”

“You’ll never believe who I was just out with.”

“Who?” Marissa’s voice brightened and Julia could imagine the excited look on her face.

“Just the drummer from your favorite band.” Julia tried to sound as nonchalant as possible, but she couldn’t contain the excitement.

“Get out.”

Julia giggled.
Oh my God, what’s wrong with me?

“I can’t believe this. I want details. Spill.”

“I did a couple of fittings for the band and he’s been flirty, but I didn’t take it seriously. Then tonight he asked me to dinner. Well, first he asked me to marry him.”

“What?” Marissa’s voice boomed into the phone, immediately followed by the sound of the baby crying. “Oh fuck. Just a minute.”

Julia could hear Marissa cooing to the baby, trying to soothe him back to sleep, but the continued wails made that seem unlikely.

“Shit, I’m sorry, Jules, he’s teething.” The cries grew louder. “Promise me you’ll call me tomorrow with details.”

“I’ll be at work most of the day. And he kinda asked me out for tomorrow night. But I’m not sure I’m going.”

“Why the hell not? Aiden, shhhhhhh, Mommy’s trying to find out why Auntie Julia’s gone insane.”

“I’m not insane. I just don’t know if I’m ready to date yet. And you know my policy on celebrities.”

Aiden’s shrieks took on a new level of urgency and Julia had to take the phone away from her ear. “I’m sorry,” Marissa yelled over the din.

“No worries, go take care of him. I’ll talk to you soon.”

Julia hung up and took a deep breath, surprised that she was still electrified from her evening. She shifted against the sofa cushions, unable to alleviate the pressure building between her legs. Her hips rocked back and forth and she wished she’d been able to forgo the “no men in the apartment rule” so she could have invited Ben upstairs.

She closed her eyes, reliving the sensation of his lips on hers, his tongue spiraling until she was breathless. Her hand slid across her belly to the waistband of her jeans. The button popped open and she slipped her fingers inside her panties.
Oh, Jesus.
She sank back into the cushions as she dragged her hand back and forth over her own wetness. How long had it been since she’d had an orgasm? Weeks? A month? She moaned, stroking her clit in small circles before dipping a finger inside. She’d forgotten how good it felt to be touched, by anyone. She ran her tongue over her lips, tasting Ben. It was his long fingers she pictured as she rocked against her hand. His body, hard against her, his hair brushing her cheek, his mouth on hers. The sound of pleasure rushed out of her as she came, her hips bucking off the couch.

She lay flushed and breathless as she recovered. Without her permission, thoughts of her ex popped into her head. Trey had been the last man who’d laid hands on her, and that had been in a fit of rage. She buttoned her pants and headed straight to the bathroom, trying to shake the image from her head. He’d always been controlling and had a nasty temper, but the day he’d hit her had been the worst day of her life. Although she’d ended the relationship, it had left its mark. She hadn’t been with anyone since.

The water gushing from the faucet was ice cold but Julia lathered up her hands, twice, then went to work scrubbing her face. By the time she finished rinsing, she felt calm and in control. She got a glass of water and headed to bed. The moment she lay back against the pillows she thought of Ben again. His sideways grin. His soulful eyes.
Oh God. I’m in trouble.

* * * * *

Ben glanced at his watch as he rode up the hotel elevator. It was barely 1 a.m. and he was certain Niles would still be up. He knocked on the door rapid-fire until Niles answered.

“You’re so bloody annoying,” Niles said. His shirt was rumpled, black hair matted on one side and sleep lines crossed his cheek.

“Sorry, mate.” Ben strode past him straight to the wet bar and helped himself to a beer. “Want one?”

“Might as well now that I’m awake.” Niles scrubbed his hands through his hair and rubbed his eyes. “Where’ve you been? I popped by to go over tomorrow’s schedule.”

Ben couldn’t keep the grin off his face. “Out with Julia.”

Niles’ eyebrows shot up. “Finally got some action with her, did you? Well done. Surprised you’re home so early.”

“I walked her home. Like a gentleman.” Ben took a swig of beer, remembering their good night kiss, the smile returning to his face.

“Walked her home after…”

“Dinner, you perv.”

“So you’re grinning like a loony because a girl let you walk her home?”

“Yes.”

Niles shook his head and took a long drink. “Please tell me you at least snogged her.”

“At her door.” He ran his hand along the edge of the beer bottle, fiddling with the label.

“So I suppose you’re seeing her again?”

“Dunno.”

“Did you ask?”

“Yes. Said she didn’t know. I’ll ask again tomorrow.” The nervous flutter in his stomach felt good. It had been ages since he’d looked forward to something like this. The anticipation was intoxicating.

“Bloody hell. You’ve got women lined up at shows ready to shag you and you’re after one who says maybe?”

“She’s different.”

“I’ll say.”

Ben finished off his beer and set it on the coffee table. “Go back to bed, you’re cranky.” Nothing Niles could say was going to put a damper on his mood. He knew he could turn the maybe into a yes and that was all he wanted.

* * * * *

A flutter of nervous energy ran through Julia as she rushed to work. Ben’s fitting was her first appointment and she was anxious to see him. She strode into the studio and was surprised to find Niles lounging on the waiting area chair.

“Sorry, luv,” he said. “I needed to snag Ben’s time slot, seems I’ve had a bit of a wardrobe malfunction.” He waggled his fingers through the open seam in the side of his jacket shoulder.

Julia tried to mask her disappointment. She’d been looking forward to spending time with Ben, hoping she could amp things up a bit from the night before, or at least make it clear that she liked him.
Maybe he’s already lost interest. I played it too cool. Dammit.

Niles stood and handed her the jacket. She spread it out on the worktable, examining the split seam. When she looked up, Niles was studying her, his dark eyes taking in her every move.

“This didn’t just pop open on its own.” She ran her fingers over the tiny holes in the fabric. “Someone snipped the threads.”

Niles’ face crinkled with a smile. “Guess I’m not as clever as I like to think. Sorry. I needed an excuse to have a chat, that’s all.”

“I’ll be at rehearsals later, couldn’t you have just talked to me then?” Worry coursed through her. She busied herself matching the thread color, but her mind was racing.
Did Ben send him to tell me to stay away?

“I wanted to speak privately. I don’t imagine Ben would give me a moment alone with you, so I thought this was best. I’m just trying to look out for him.”

Julia pricked her finger on the needle. “What do you mean?” She stuck her finger in her mouth to avoid getting blood on the fabric.

Niles cracked his knuckles. “Ben’s like a brother to me. Not just because of the band, we’ve been friends all our lives. I’m a bit protective of him and I don’t want to see him hurt.”

“And you think I’m going to hurt him?”
What are these two up to?
She sat down on the edge of the loveseat and rested the needle and thread on the curved arm. She turned the jacket inside out and went to work stitching.

“I think you could, yes.” Niles took a seat on the chair across from her, his expression thoughtful but serious. He rubbed his palms together then took a deep breath. “Look, he likes you. A lot. Apart from Sheila, I’ve never heard him talk about any woman the way he talks about you.”

Julia kept sewing but her eyebrows rose. “Sheila?”

“His wife.”

The jacket tumbled off her lap. “He’s married?” Her brain went cold and tingly.
Oh my God. Are you kidding me?

“Oh Christ.” Niles raked his hand through his hair, causing it to stand up in fiendish black spikes. “I thought you knew.”

“You thought wrong. And I don’t do married men. Jesus. I’m such an idiot.” She felt sick to her stomach.
I knew he was too good to be for real.

Niles shook his head, waving his hands about. “No, no, no. Christ, I’m mucking this up. He’s not married. He’s a widower.”

It took a moment for the meaning of the word to sink in. Julia was speechless.

“I’m sorry,” Niles said. “I’m so used to every person I meet knowing every last detail about each member of the band that I forget that not everyone spends their free time reading gossip magazines.” He jumped up and strode to the water dispenser, then returned with a paper cup. “You’ve gone rather pale, drink this.”

Julia sipped then set the cup on the floor. “Why are you telling me this?”

Niles plunked himself down in the chair. “Sheila was Ben’s first love. They married straight after university. When the band took off, the rest of us were living the life but Ben’s whole world was Sheila.”

Julia realized she’d been holding her breath and forced herself to inhale.

Ben looked down at the floor. “Then she had a car accident. She was killed instantly.” He paused, his gaze steady on hers. “As was their unborn child.”

The air rushed out of Julia’s lungs.

“Ben was inconsolable. After the funeral, he holed up in his house for months. Wouldn’t come to practice. Wouldn’t even consider doing a show. We all tried to coax him out and about but we failed miserably. The band was for all intents and purposes broken up. Then we got a call about an American tour. I don’t know what the manager said to Ben, but it worked, he came back.”

“So he just snapped out of it?”

“No, but I guess the music was helping him heal. He put a bunch of stuff in storage and got himself a tiny flat in London. By the time we left on the tour he’d reorganized his entire life. New wardrobe, new haircut, new Ben.”

Julia remembered the American tour. She’d gone to see the New York show with Marissa and had admired Ben from the first time she’d laid eyes on him. That tour had been what had sparked his coverage in the fashion magazines. That was three years ago, when she was still interning. Being hired by him was beyond a dream job back then.

“The tour was insane. We were in a different US state every other day. It was the first time any of us had done anything that scale. The band went wild. American girls are a bit different than what we’re used to and let’s just say they’re not at all shy, at least not the ones who sneak into dressing rooms.”

“So you’re telling me Ben took on the more traditional rock star persona.”

Niles thought before answering. “He partook of the offerings, yes.”

Julia nodded. “So I’m just one in a long lineup. The one who’s playing hard to get. I get it. Thanks for the warning.”

Niles’ eyes flew open wide. “What? No, that’s not what I was saying. Fuck, I’m bad at this. What I’m trying to tell you is he never got to know any of those girls. At all. Not even their names. Over the past few years, the rest of us were getting serious girlfriends, getting engaged, and he was with a different girl in every city. Complete role reversal. He rationalized it as making up for lost time, but I knew he was just trying to keep from getting hurt again. I honestly thought he might keep at it forever. Then he met you.”

Julia sucked in a quick breath. She remembered the moment they first met. Could still see the way his eyes locked on hers, the smile that played at his enticing lips. She’d assumed the electricity was one-sided. She couldn’t imagine a man who could literally have anyone wanting someone as ordinary as her.

“From that first time you did our wardrobe fitting he’s been smitten with you. Wouldn’t bloody shut up about you. Insisted we hire you every time. And the stream of groupies stopped.”

“Oh, come on.”

“Swear to God. He stopped going out and started writing songs again, for the first time since Sheila.”

“And you think that’s because of me?”

“I know it is. He’s my best mate, I know him better than I know myself. So as much as I’ve mucked up the delivery, that’s why I had to tell you. If you’re not serious, if you’re just in this for a lark, let him go, now, before he gets even more attached. He’s been through enough.”

Julia tried to process everything. Her mind was spinning but her thoughts kept coming back to one thing. Ben. Her stomach tensed as feelings tangled inside her. “Don’t worry. I won’t hurt him.”