Saving Bennett Reid (Book 3)

Past is Past

(Carter)

Overthinking, but where's the harm in dreaming?

Did that mean I have a chance? Could I sweep him off his feet and show him a love like he's never known?

Was their relationship that bad? I mean, who says 'perhaps, more than he deserved' if the relationship was probably really great? No, it wasn't.

Obviously.

It was the same thing with Kelly and me. I loved her more than she deserved and boy, did she school me on carelessly tossing caution to the wind.

Wait...

Now that I think if it, I was doing the same with Bennett. I was eager to jump into a relationship with him and couldn't wait to gain that intimacy mated wolves that love each other have. I wanted every part of him and to hell with whomever thought differently. To me, it was probably the most exciting experience I couldn't stop thinking about.

But I knew that it wasn't the same. Sure, I was eager to spend every possible moment with him, but he was nothing like Kelly. He wrapped himself up in thick blankets barricaded by tall walls that it was going to take so much work just to get a glimpse of what was on the other side. Don't get me wrong, there were little moments where I got a peek.

But he never let his guard down for very long. Even when he seems relaxed and comfortable, he was still sharp as ever. And that, above all else, was the main challenge.

Then again, I didn't want him to just drop his defenses to cater to my feelings. He has to let me in on his own terms. That was the only way we could ever work.

"Dammit! Why isn't it coming out right?" my mother cursed just as Bennett and I walked passed by the kitchen. We'd gotten back to the beach house over thirty minutes ago and had gone our separate ways to take a shower and change into fresh clothes.

Coincidentally, we ran into each other coming out of the rooms we were staying in, and what I loved about it, I personally arranged it so that my room was directly opposite his.

What a lovely surprise it had been to open the door and the first thing I see is a freaking god.

My mother huffed, flinging her oven mitts off to the side in frustrated manner. Sitting on the counter was...

I think it was supposed to be my birthday cake?

"Why didn't you just pre-order it like you do every year?" I queried coming to lean against the frame of the kitchen's entryway. I crossed my arms over my chest, my eyes unconsciously following Bennett as he moved closer for inspection of the catastrophe sitting on the island counter.

"That's just it, sweet. You're eighteen today and when I'm old and useless, I'd like to say that I baked my son a birthday cake at least once."

Some success that turned out!

Mom expelled an exasperated sigh, one hand on her hip as she stared down at the 'cake' in defeat. "Unfortunately, baking isn't my strong point."

I shook my head at that. She didn't have to put herself through all that trouble. If she did, she could always bake me a cake next year when she got better at baking. My gaze returned to Bennett, and I frowned as he poked at the caved in cake in the pan. And by the looks of it, I'm not even sure what flavor it was supposed to be.

"I know. Horrible!" my mother exclaimed, and Bennett only smiled at her sweetly as if to say, 'You'll get it right next time'. And then, he made an offer I least expected that it caught both my mother and me off guard.

"I could help, if you want." he offered. My mother gave pause, tilting her head to stare at him in awe. As if realizing he suddenly held our undivided attention, he blushed carefully averting his gaze to the cake as though it were the most interesting object ever.