Tori repeated, ‘Come with us for a short break.’
Rita shook her head. ‘No. The nurses have been wonderful with a continuous supply of coffee and anything else I want. You both need to get some fresh air, and...’ She held up her hand, palm out. ‘Before you even think it, I don’t need one of you staying here while the other takes a break. Go somewhere decent, take your time. Have a shower back at the hotel. Grab a couple of hours’ sleep.’ Was that a wicked glint in her eye? Couldn’t be. Not after the night she’d just endured. But she certainly sounded far more confident this morning. Guess John’s improving condition would do that. ‘Then, Tori, can you please bring me a change of clothes so I can make the most of the bathroom facilities here.’
Tori hugged her. ‘You sure know how to twist my arm. We’ll go but only if you promise to phone if anything changes.’
‘Anything at all,’ Ben underlined her comment. Then dropped a chaste kiss on Rita’s brow.
‘Promise.’
Outside Tori shivered and rubbed her hands up and down her arms. The sky was overcast for the first time since she’d arrived in Nice. As though the weather had come out in sympathy with Rita and John. Rita and that look. It was almost as if she was playing at matchmaking. Sometime when Rita was less preoccupied, she’d have to explain to her that she and Ben getting back together was impossible.
Why? Because—just because.
But Ben didn’t seem to be having any hesitation about them getting along together. He said, ‘Come here.’
When he tucked her in against his body she didn’t resist, pushed all her doubts aside for a while. His strength helped her walk across the road. Until now she hadn’t realised how exhausted she was. It was nearly eight o’clock. ‘That was a long night.’
‘Interminable. We should be used to it, but somehow this was different.’
‘Personal.’ And she’d only met this couple three days ago. They were Ben’s best friends. ‘Are you okay?’
‘I don’t mind admitting this has rocked me. John’s only a couple of years older than me. Yes, I know that means zero in the scheme of things and that hearts will do what they do regardless of what we mortals think is normal, but this time it’s different. Frightening, to be truthful. He hasn’t been unwell.’ Ben paused on the edge of the pavement. ‘Want to go back to the hotel for breakfast and that shower?’
‘I don’t fancy being questioned by people interested in knowing how John is, however well meaning they are.’ She presumed word had got around. Working in hospitals had taught her there was no such thing as a secret amongst medical personnel. Discretion, yes, sometimes; out and out keeping quiet, no. A yawn ripped through her. ‘Let’s see if there’s a decent café close by.’
Ben waved down a taxi. ‘I’ve a better idea. We’ll order room service at the hotel. It does mean running the gauntlet in Reception but hopefully most people will be at breakfast, or they’re taking a leisurely start to the day since the conference is over.’
Suddenly Ben’s idea seemed the best thing she’d heard in ages. ‘Let’s go.’
She barely noticed the ride down to the hotel or the ride up in the lift. But even through the fog of exhaustion she was aware of Ben at her side, of him following her into her room.
‘How long?’ Tori asked, as Ben put the phone down from ordering full English breakfasts for them both. Tori was thankful they’d come to her room because it meant she didn’t have far to go to crawl into the shower and ease the aches in her body as soon as they’d eaten.
Ben ran a hand down his face. ‘Twenty minutes max. I hope I can stay awake that long.’
‘So do I.’ Ben falling asleep in her room wasn’t an option.
Ben paced to the window and jammed his hands on his hips. ‘I could kill John for frightening us like that.’
Tori found the energy to get up and cross to him. Winding her arms around his waist, she laid her head on his chest. ‘You okay?’
‘I guess.’ Ben’s hands spread across her back, holding her gently against him.
They stood there saying nothing more, holding each other, taking and giving comfort. Tori didn’t mind if breakfast never arrived. This was way more energising—as long as she didn’t have to move.
But eventually there was a loud rapping on the door. ‘Room service.’
Ben placed a light kiss on her brow before going to let the waiter in. As the aroma of hot bacon tickled her senses Tori had to admit she might’ve been premature in thinking she could forgo eating. But it was one heck of a toss-up—being in Ben’s arms or breakfast. Her finger traced where his lips had touched her. Yes, she could forgo eating to spend time kissing Benji, but that would be the most unwise thing she could ever do.
‘What’s making you smile like that?’ the man who’d left his kiss on her brow asked, after seeing the waiter out with a hefty tip.
Tori shook her head. ‘Probably exhaustion.’
‘I know what you mean.’ Ben’s gaze strayed in the direction of the big bed dominating the room. ‘I’m worried if I lie down for those couple of hours Rita suggested I might not wake up until nighttime.’
We’re not sharing a bed so that we can wake each other. Even in this state we wouldn’t go to sleep. ‘Both of us need to catch some shut-eye. I’m going to set the alarm on my phone and ask Reception to call me at ten-thirty.’
That wasn’t disappointment in Ben’s eyes. Was it? He turned slowly to the small table and sank onto a chair. ‘Let’s eat.’
The food perked up Tori’s spirits. ‘Think I’ll go and get Rita’s clothes in case we have to head back to the hospital in a hurry.’
Ben nodded. ‘Okay with you if I have another coffee? I’ll be gone in a few minutes.’
‘Take your time. I won’t be long. Rita and John’s room is only one floor up.’
‘If it’s rush hour in Reception, with people checking out, it could take for ever to get an elevator.’ Ben yawned and rubbed his hand over his stubbly chin.
Tori turned for the door before the urge to run her hand over those sexy angles got the better of her. ‘Meet you downstairs at eleven, unless anything changes.’
Ten minutes later she was back in her room and staring at the man sprawled across her bed—sound asleep. ‘So you do still take up all the space.’
Ben must’ve collapsed onto the bed in a daze. He hadn’t even removed his shoes. Tori carefully undid the laces and pulled the shoes off. Then she slipped out of her own, tugged her dress over her head and slid under the covers, squeezing into what little space wasn’t held down by some part of her husband. Ex-husband. Benji or Ben. Didn’t matter which. He was the only man she’d ever loved so completely, but he was an ex. Unfortunately. Shut up, Tori.
A soft snore broke the silence and she smiled. She remembered those, too. It’s a snore, for pity’s sake. Her eyelids slowly closed, her breathing deepened as she listened for Ben’s next sound. It was warm in here, and awkward when she tried to move her legs because there was nowhere to put them in the small space left by Ben. Citrusy pine scent relaxed her further, so that her body softened into the mattress. Carefully rolling onto her side, she curled up and gave in to the sleep tugging at her.
The alarm was harsh, the bleating phone worse. Tori blinked awake and reached first for the hotel phone. There was a weight around her waist. Warm and heavy, and comfortable. Familiar.
‘Merci,’ she muttered into the phone and hung up, slid her mobile phone alarm to Off.
‘That went too fast,’ Ben growled in her ear.
Rolling over, Tori came face-to-face with him, and this time she did run her fingertips over his stubble-darkened chin. ‘You were asleep when I got back from Rita’s room.’
‘I was drinking coffee. How did I end up on your bed?’ he whispered. Then, ‘Who cares how? I’m here and I slept.’ His eyes hel
d the rest of that sentence. With you.
Sort of with her. Ben still lay on the outside while the bedcover hid her body from sight. Her dressed-only-in-lingerie body. ‘You’re going to have to leave so I can get up.’
‘In a moment.’ His head was inches from hers. Those startling eyes watched her with an intensity that reached deep inside her. That mouth that could do the most amazing things on her skin looked soft after sleep. His arm was still on her waist, only now she was being pulled closer to his body. ‘I’ve missed you, Tori. I’ve missed us.’
‘We were great together.’ What was she talking about? Their lovemaking? Or everything? Their life, their love, everything.
‘Did we give up too easily?’ he whispered, just before his lips brushed her forehead, then trailed down her cheek to her mouth.
‘Ben,’ she cried softly against his mouth, and her lips opened, pressed against his. Ben. Benji. Her heart.