The words were there, in his heart and his mind, just waiting to be said. He swallowed and took a step forward, clearing his throat. When he was just inches from Benny, he tipped her face up with his hand. “What I’m trying to say is…I love you. I love and adore you and want to show you each and every day how happy you make me and how good our life is going to be as long as we’re together. Whether we’re here or following your passion on a golf course in Scotland”—he saw her mouth twitch into almost a smile—“or in Africa doing whatever you need to do to save the world, I’ll be there to support you. And love you. Always loving you.”
It was funny, now that he’d finally spoken the words, he found it easier to say and believe in. Now he just hoped Benny believed the words he’d uttered.
Believed that she was the one, the only one, for him.
And that he was still the only one for her.
…
Benny had managed to get through most of the past couple of hours by pretending that Henry Ellison didn’t exist and that the gnawing pain in her heart was merely indigestion from too much of Daisy’s guacamole.
The last thing she’d ever expected was for Henry to be standing in her parents’ kitchen while half a dozen pairs of ears listened to each and every word he spoke. Words so wonderful and perfect that she had to be dreaming.
Only…in her dreams she couldn’t see and experience the warmth and humor in those deep brown eyes, or smell the heavenly and seductive scent of Henry’s skin. She wanted nothing more than to kiss that slightly twisting grin right off his face, which with him just inches away would be so easy. But she had her own confession to make first.
“I shouldn’t have said those things. Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned in the past few weeks it’s that you have so much to give, so much to share with people. You have a lot more layers under that easy grin and that pretty face than even you know. We both do.”
He lifted his brow up. “Pretty face?”
“Don’t pretend you don’t know.” But she smiled, unable to suppress the crazy joy and giddiness that were making her dizzy and breathless. She knew it was crazy to just let all her doubts slip away and accept that this was really happening, that what Henry said was true.
But she also knew that Henry wouldn’t have said any of those things if they weren’t true. He was and had always been honest with her from the start. Often brutally so. And if he was finally ready to accept what was in his heart, what she knew was in hers, then she wouldn’t question it for even a minute.
Because that’s what you do when you love someone.
You trust.
Her arm slipped so easily around his shoulders, and she couldn’t stop the laughter that finally bubbled from her chest. Yes, she Benny Sorensen, ardent member of the cynics-‘r’-us club, believed that she and Henry were going to have their happily-ever-after.
“Say it again.”
He knew what she meant, and his arms wrapped around her waist, that sexy grin of his sliding in place. “I love you. Even when you are cracking nine irons against my skull, I’ll still love you.”
He didn’t hesitate as he pressed his lips to hers. Lips that were sweet and tasted surprisingly like cherries as he crushed her against him.
Someone whooped next to her, and she realized it was Daisy, then another shout rang out that sounded an awful lot like her mother, and she smiled against his mouth.
“I love you, too, you know.”
“I do. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way,” he said and took a step back, keeping his arm firmly wrapped around her waist, “let’s get this cake lit. Because I saw a dance floor out there and it’s calling your name.”
“Oh, no.” She shook her head and laughed, backing away from him playfully. “No, no, no. I don’t dance, I told you. You already suffered one near concussion at my hands—do you want another one?”
He smiled smugly, and her heart tripped again in her chest. “I’ll take my chances.”
…
It was hours later, when the sun had finally sunk in a blazing halo of purples and pinks against the night sky and the twinkle lights that someone had spread around the backyard lit to life, when Henry finally got Benny out onto the dance floor.
Her mom and dad danced seamlessly under the night sky, as did Cruz and Payton, Dominic and Kate, Paul with Daisy, and Natalie and Jenna with each other. Even Morgan and Ella were dancing and having a great time.
As she’d promised Henry, her moves weren’t quite as graceful or seamless, and she stepped on his foot at least eight times. But the moment in his arms was no less thrilling or fun when, despite her objections, he twirled her around until she couldn’t catch her breath from laughing so hard.
Finally a slow song came on, and he pulled her close, his breath tickling the hair around her ear.
“I think dancing is one more thing we can add to that list of things you’re going to need to work on with me.”
His hand squeezed her waist, and he held her impossibly tighter. “There were actually a number of things I thought we might work on together,” he said not so subtly.