Chapter 2
Ben was impossible.
After chasing him for a month, I was getting tired.
Last time, I braved a storm to get to his lecture, and I caught a cold.
Today I was feeling pretty crappy.
I laid my head on the desk and fell asleep.
I woke up to the sound of Ben saying my name.
I lifted my head, feeling foggy.
He touched my forehead, looking worried. “You’re burning up.”
He started to pull back, but I grabbed his hand.
My face pressed against his hand, sighing, “So cool…so nice.”
Ben froze up. His lips were drawn tight.
I was probably delirious, but I was treating him like my
husband.
My eyes filled with tears and I said, “Babe, I feel terrible.”
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Chapter 2
Ben picked me up and carried me out of the lecture hall.
I was in and out of it.
I just knew I was being carried to his car.
I was clinging to him so tight that he had to call a driver.
In the backseat, I was like a koala bear, wrapped around him.
There were lots of red lights and the car kept stopping.
I pressed against him for comfort.
Ben’s expression darkened.
He tried to push me away, but when he did, I was poked by something and grabbed at it, saying, “Stop poking me.”
Ben went completely stiff. He was breathing faster.
He covered my hand with his, his voice low and controlled.
He tried to soothe me, saying, “Okay, let go.”
“No.”
I buried my face into his shoulder.
Ben’s voice had a sharp edge, “Taylor James!”
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Chapter 2
I pressed my luck and said, “Will you be my man?”
That was when Ben had enough. He pushed me off him.
Up until that point, he’d been tolerating my nonsense.
But this time, he was pissed.
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He took the belt off his waist and used it to tie my fidgeting hands.
Then, with those gorgeous hands that got right at my core, he grabbed my chin.
His tone was a warning. “If you don’t calm down, I’m kicking you out
of the car.”
I looked at him, stunned, and the fevered fog lifted a bit.
I saw a familiar darkness in his expression.
It reminded me of someone.
My uncle’s son, I called him ‘Cousin,” the guy involved in some shady stuff, with a dangerous aura.
He tried to hide it when he was around us, but he still had this menacing thing about him.
Chapter 2
I was always scared of him.
Ben squeezed my chin a bit tighter.
He hissed, “Taylor, stop messing with me.”
“And don’t come to the school anymore.”
“Nod if you understand.”
I winced and nodded.
Ben studied me, and then he released me.
He stared at my lip and frowned.
He muttered, “You’re such a drama queen.”
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I knew that the spot where his fingers were, was probably bright red.
For the rest of the ride, I was quiet.
Then, I passed out.
I woke up in the hospital.
My best friend, Sarah, was there with me.
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Chapter 2
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I hugged her, acting all dramatic. “You finally got back from your honeymoon?”
“Did you forget about me now that you have a husband?”
She just laughed, “Stop it. You were running a fever of 104. You almost turned into a vegetable.”
“You’re still on an IV, lay down.”
I lay down and looked around the room.
Then, I said, “Wait, how did you know I was here?”
“Whoever took you to the hospital, that’s who called me.”
Sarah was giving me a hard look. “How did you get mixed up with Matt’s brother?”
When she said Ben’s name, the image of the car flashed into my
mind.
I blushed, all the way to my roots.
Sarah was shocked.
“Taylor, you don’t like, like, Matt’s brother, do you?”
I pulled the blanket over my face.
Chapter 2
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Muffled, I replied, “I wanted us to be sisters–in–law. And Ben is so good–looking and single, perfect!”
I explained my campaign of chasing Ben.
Sarah laughed. “Taylor, it touches my heart that you care about me so much.”
“But this isn’t a game. You have to marry someone you love.”
а
“I should have known, you’ve always had guys chasing you. You never cared about them.”
“You were always saying all men are scum. So, now you’re suddenly pursuing someone? And just for me?
“You’re like a little kid. That’s not how love works.”
I argued, “Ben’s so hot! It’s love! Lust, too!”
“He’s always dressed so professionally. It drives me crazy. I wanna see him naked.”
“And his hands are my obsession. I want to bite them.”
I got carried away.
Then someone knocked at the door.
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