Rushing the Goal (Assassins #8)(38)
Disconnecting the call, she let her arms fall to her sides, her notebook and phone hanging in her hands. She didn’t say anything, just breathed in deeply, letting out her breaths in a whoosh.
“Lucy? Everything okay?”
She only shook her head, and he walked around her to look at her face. She was holding in her tears, her face flushed red as she sucked in another breath and let it out. “I swear, if I didn’t have bad luck, I wouldn’t have any.”
“Is everything okay?”
She closed her eyes. “Can you, like, turn around or something? I need a moment, and I really don’t want you to see me lose my f*cking shit right now.”
Panic was in her voice, which made him panic a bit. “Can I do something?”
She shook her head and her voice broke as she met his gaze. “I don’t even know what you could do.”
Holding her watery gaze, he knew what he could do.
He didn’t even think, really, he just acted. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her to him, and it was like a fire had been set at his toes. Nothing but heat exploded between them as their bodies lined up, his arms holding her. She tensed, like he expected, as her nose pressed into his chest. But he just squeezed her tightly, resting his head on hers.
Sure of himself, he said roughly, “I think you need a hug.”
She didn’t move at first. She only stood there and he squeezed her, loving the feel of her in his arms. He had wanted this from the moment he saw her. When she dropped her phone and notebook, wrapping her arms around his waist, a grin curved Benji’s lips as she slowly relaxed in his embrace. She smelled so good, felt like pure bliss in his arms, and he wanted to nuzzle his nose in her hair but wasn’t sure how that would go. He was surprised he was able to hug her, but it was obvious she needed it.
When she let out a long breath, her heart pounding against his chest, he held his own breath, fully expecting her to pull away.
But she didn’t.
Instead, she wrapped her arms tighter around him, nuzzling her nose into his chest and whispered, “Yeah, I think I do.”
Oh, why did she hug him?
Why in the world did she let that happen?
Because, now…
Now, she didn’t want to let go.
Every part of her body that touched his was seriously on fire. She had wanted this since the moment he asked her out. To touch him. To feel him against her. Even in her wildest dreams, nothing could touch the reality of him.
Benji.
He smelled like heaven. All rugged and manly, with a side of spice and sex. Mmm, he smelled fantastic, and Lord, he hugged like a dream. Like he was meant to hug and only hug. Nothing else. She’d seen him play hockey and he was great, but she was pretty sure the guy hugged better than he played. She had never been held so tightly, so protectively.
And she just felt safe.
Perfectly safe.
She didn’t want him to stop, which was bad. She wasn’t supposed to be this close to him. No, because deep inside her, the fear that something could come from this was screaming loud and clear. Maybe she was jumping the gun, but if he even made the simplest of moves on her, she was pretty sure she’d be naked in two seconds flat. Her whole body was aware of him. The way he breathed, so deep, so strong. The way his lips felt against her head, it was sweet, almost like she was a child who needed support and reassurance that everything was going to be okay.
And she needed that more than he’d ever realize.
God, how she needed this man’s arms around her. Badly. After the call from the landlord that confirmed the odor she smelled was actually standing water behind the fridge, which led to the discovery of a burst water pipe and then all hell breaking loose, Lucy had found herself homeless. They weren’t even sure if she could work in the building on Monday. Which meant she would be going to her mom’s, and if she saw River’s ass, she was going to lose it. She just couldn’t catch a break. One thing after another, and it was really starting to weigh on her heart. And ugh, her mom had just picked out her wedding dress, which meant they were probably doing nasty things, and yeah, she didn’t want to be the third wheel to that lovefest.
No, she wanted to stay right here.
In Benji’s arms.
No matter how bad that was. No matter how much she knew she needed to let go and move away, she held him. Like a life preserver in rough waters. Because that’s what her life was. Freakish, f*cking monstrous waves of shit that kept hitting her right in the face. She almost started to cry, but then his arms held her tighter, almost like he knew. Knew she was about to lose her f*cking shit.
Oh, Lucy, no. Keep your hands to yourself, she begged herself, but she couldn’t. She just couldn’t.
She needed him.
Moving her hands up his back, she snuggled closer against him as he inhaled deeply, his whole body moving with the breath he took. His hands tucked into her sides tighter, his fingers grazing the swells of her breasts. It was such a simple touch. No big deal, she doubted he even meant to do it. But shit, it felt good and everything went hot inside of her. Her whole body broke out in gooseflesh, totally aware of the sexy man who was holding her.
Hell, she had been aware of him since the moment she met him. If she was honest with herself, turned her f*cking brain off, she’d realize that she’d wanted him more than her next breath since that moment too. But she wasn’t sure she could. She didn’t know how to give in to that need, and that was just sad. Because right now, she could do some pretty naughty things to this man. The only thing holding her back was the regret afterward. It would be a mistake.