Page 176 of Just for the Plot

Then he takes off, leaving me in the hallway with Bower, looking so damn fine, but not for me. For another man. The thought of that breaks me inside.

“I don’t want to keep him waiting,” Bower says, shifting on her feet, unable to look me in the eyes.

I don’t know how to handle this. I wasn’t expecting to find her going on a date with another man. Out of all the scenarios I ran through in my head on the plane ride back home, they never involved this, so I’ve lost all ability to speak. I’m so fucking caught off guard.

I want to tell her that I’m the man for her.

That she needs to give me a chance, to show her that we can make this work.

That there is no one on this fucking planet who is going to treat her the way I will.

That we’re meant to be together, and the sooner she realizes that, the better.

But every time I try to form a sentence, the pain of seeing her with another man, calling her sweetheart, kissing her…an aching pain I’ve never felt before ricochets around my ribs, nearly bringing me to my knees.

“Bennett, I really need to get going.” She looks me in the eyes, and when I don’t say anything, she starts to walk past me, but I stop her, my hand to her stomach, pulling a small gasp from her lips.

“Don’t,” I say, my voice raspy, full of emotion. “Don’t go.”

“I have to.”

“No,” I say. “You don’t have to go, Bower. You can stay here, with me, we can figure this out.”

“Bennett, you know—”

“I like you,” I say, turning toward her now and gently moving her up against the wall, cradling her beautiful face in my hands. “I like you so fucking much, Bower. You’ve always been the girl I’ve wanted, but I’ve been waiting for my turn to make a move. To show you that I deserve you, and I know I’ve taken so long, but I wanted…I wanted to make sure you’d give me a chance.” Nerves bloom in me as I find my words and throw my heart out on the goddamn table. “I want you, no one else. It’s always been you, and I’m begging you to just give me that chance, to show you I’m the man you need.”

Her lip wobbles as she tries to look away, but I don’t let her. I keep her eyes on me.

“Please, beautiful. Stay with me. I know you. I know there’s still so much more for me to get to know, but I want to be the one who champions you. I want to support all your dreams and walk beside you. I want to enjoy reading books with you, pleasuring you when you need it. Let me be the one to spoil you, to worship you. Let me be the one that gets to sleep next to you and wake up next to you in the morning. You’re it for me,Bower. No one will ever own my heart like you do.” I press my forehead against hers, our noses almost touching. “Don’t go out with him. Be with me, Bower. With me.”

She tugs on the corner of her lip, her indecision written all over her face.

“Please,” I whisper, one hand on her cheek, the other on her hip.

“Bennett…I…I can’t,” she says, breaking the contact between us and moving to the side.

“Bower, you can’t leave. You don’t like him. I know you don’t.”

She walks backward, swiping at her eye, where a tear almost crests over. “It doesn’t matter, because you and me, it can’t happen. I need to move on.”

“But I know you don’t want to or else you wouldn’t be this upset. Please, Bower.”

She pauses, her eyes watering as she takes a step forward, hesitant, so I help her to close the distance as well.

“Bennett…I…”

“Just give me a chance, please, baby.”

Her hand falls to my chest, her eyes searching mine, so much indecision heavy in them.

“I want you, all of you, no one else,” I say as her hand crawls up to my neck. “I promise I’ll take care of you, be the man you deserve.”

Her watering eyes search mine as she cups my cheek.

She wets her lips.

“Please,” I whisper, feeling defeated in the worst way possible.