Free The Romance Novel Cure by Nina Ceves Page B

eyes.
    “I can’t,” he said. “Are you tired of reading?”
    I shifted uncomfortably. Read the next part? I took a deep breath. I read:
     
    * * *
     
    Sera reached up and held his jaw, tracing his scar, caressing his neck and slipping her fingers into the neck of his silk shirt. He reached up and pulled it off.
    “Everything, everything,” murmured Sera, “all of it — off.”
    He pulled off his boots and trousers and stretched on top of her, burying his head in her neck, pulling her shirt up so he could touch the smooth, warm skin of her belly.
    “I’m shaking,” whispered Sera.
    “You should rest,” said Silas, gritting his teeth. He knew the power she expended had been monumental. He must put her needs before his passion for her.
    “Please,” she said softly, “I need you, right now, so much.”
    Silas began to remove her clothing, carefully and gently, restraining himself. He said a swift prayer of thanksgiving, kissing her shoulders and stroking her arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his hips.
    “You came back for me, Sera, you saved me. You dreamed me into living, into your world,” whispered Silas, into her hair, kissing her jawline and down onto her neck.
    “I love you,” she said in a small voice.
    Silas stopped, frozen. He felt his heart crack.
    “I love you, too. Always,” he rasped…
     
    * * *
     
    I read the rest until I just couldn’t – it was too much. I swallowed, my mouth dry. I took a sip of cold tea from Ben’s cup.
    “Damn,” he whispered.
    I blushed.
    He turned his head and squinted at me. “Are you blushing?”
    I placed the backs of my palms on my cheeks. They were burning. “I sure am.”
    “I think I am, too.”
    Ben looked so handsome in the dim light, his cheeks flushed. I couldn’t believe how gorgeous his shoulders, chest, and back were, when I’d seen him for the first time in so long, without a shirt. All long, lean, defined muscle. When did that happen? I wondered what his legs looked like.
    I shifted, crossing my legs, leaning against the bed, looking up at him.
    “I don’t think I can read anymore,” I said softly. “Do you think you can sleep?”
    “I know what I’ll dream about,” smiled Ben, sleepily.
    “Silas and Sera?” I whispered.
    “No way.”
    I caught my breath at that. I didn’t know what to say. “Sweet dreams. Let me know if you need anything. I hope you feel better.” I left the doors to our bedrooms open.
     
    I couldn’t fall asleep for a long time.
     

Ben
     
    I couldn’t fall asleep for a long time.
     
    In the morning, I cracked one eye open, and moaned in relief. I opened and shut my eyes a few times. No more pain.
    I got ready for work. Greta had left some gluten free oatmeal for me, in the fridge, with a drawing on the napkin that covered the bowl. There was a simple drawing of an open book, and a heart on the pages. I leaned back against the counter, grinning, and ate every bite. The drawing gave me an idea.
    Work was a blur of catching up, yoga, lunch, frantically catching up and finally it was 5:30.
    “I say make, you say over,” chanted Scott, coming into the cubicle area. “Make!”
    “Over!” shouted Laura and Alma.
    “Make!”
    “Over!”
    “Oh, brother,” I sunk my head into my hands. What had I gotten myself into? Then I looked down at my old cargo pants and layered, baggy tee shirts and stood up, holding my arms out to the side. “Project Make Over Ben begins!”
    I had texted Greta first thing after I got to work, when I realized that the make over plan was on. All I said was that I had plans after work with Scott, Alma, and Laura and would check in. She had texted back at lunch with an x and an o, which, I’m not ashamed to admit, made my knees weak.
    “First stop, my place,” said Scott, as we headed for the parking lot.
    We piled into Scott’s jeep and were at his house in the northeast quadrant, in a small, gated community, in several minutes. Patrick greeted us