“Was that so bad?” he asked, and she rolled her eyes.

“It was torture. That girl drives me to no end,” she said, moving her nose along his, her fingers biting into his neck. “But I feel better. I don’t like keeping secrets from her.”

He nodded, kissing her top lip. “You know she’s right.”

“Good Lord, about what?”

“That prayer does work,” he said, his lips curving. “’Cause I’ve been praying for you for the last ten years.”

And thank God the big guy was listening.

Pushing through the back door, Lucy found Benji at the counter, looking up at her with wide eyes. Probably because she came through the back door like a bull in a china shop. Quirking a brow, he said, “Hey, you.”

“Hey,” she said, looking around frantically.

“Need something?”

“Scissors! I can’t find mine anywhere.”

“Did you look in the bottom drawer on the left on your workstation?” he asked as she came around the counter, searching his kitchen drawer.

She paused. “No.”

“Well, they are in there,” he said as she slowly rose to look at him.

“They are supposed to be in the right, top.”

“Well, I didn’t know that and put them in the left,” he said, leaning over to kiss her cheek.

“Why didn’t you ask me?” she asked, striking her hips, and he grinned.

“Because you weren’t there, and I wanted it done so you could work.” She rolled her eyes as he kissed her once more. “I like when you’re frazzled. Really cute.”

Giving him a deadpan look, she pursed her lips, eyeing the leftover potpie he was about to eat. All of a sudden, she was famished. Waggling her eyebrows, she nodded her head to it. “Hey, you gonna eat that?”

He grinned. “I am. There is some in the fridge if you want some.”

She grinned, leaning into him, batting her lashes. “Can I have yours?”

He laughed. “Are you serious? Get your own.”

“But yours tastes better,” she whined, leaning into him more, nuzzling her nose into his jaw. “Please.”

Letting out a sigh as his fork dropped, he pushed the plate to her. “You suck.”

She giggled, taking the plate and the fork. “You rock. Thank you.”

Leaning up for a kiss, she pressed one to the side of his face before going around the counter. “One day, I’ll learn to say no to you.”

Her eyes widened. “Oh, I hope not,” she said with a wink, reaching for the door.

Taking a bite, she was almost out the door when he said, “Hey, want me to get Angie? So you can leave from here for practice? Or do you have it?”

She paused, thinking for a second as she chewed. She had a lot to do, but she didn’t want to put him out. “If you can get her, that would make life so much easier.”

He grinned, looking up as he placed a slice of potpie on his plate. “Well, I do like making your life easier, so I’ll get her.”

“Are you sure? No big deal?”

“No big deal,” he promised, his eyes locking with hers. “I like picking her up. She’s a hoot.”

“She’s something,” she said around a bite. “Okay, I’ll run by the house and get her stuff when I head to the warehouse. You are a lifesaver. Thank you.”

“Anytime. Did Rick get back to you? Are you meeting him tonight, or is he coming up to the rink?”

She let out a frustrated breath, shaking her head as her heart pounded with anger. Rick never did this, never ignored her, and it was driving her insane. Communication, even if it was rude, was better than this silent crap he was pulling. “Not yet. I’m gonna call him in about an hour during his lunch break.”

Benji rolled his eyes as he placed his plate in the microwave. “I don’t know if I want you going alone if you have to drop her off. Maybe I can try to go. What time?”

She smiled sweetly. “Six thirty, you’ll be at the rink.”

“Shit. Yeah.”

“Benji, I’ve been meeting this man for four years. I’m good. I promise.”

He shot her a look as he leaned on his forearms on the counter. “That was before you had a boyfriend who refused to let you be disrespected.”

Oh, heart. Yeah, I know you can’t be still.

Shutting the door, she came to the counter as he watched, his lips curved before she leaned over and pressed her nose to his. “And while I love that my boyfriend wants me to be treated right and not disrespected, I can handle Rick Hart, believe me. But, thank you. For being you and for caring about me.”

Moving his nose against hers playfully, he smiled. “Wow, are you feeling okay? Did you hear what you said? ’Cause I heard you actually like that I want to help and be there for you.”

Meeting his gaze with a dry look, she rolled her eyes as the buzzer sounded from the microwave. “Way to go, ruin the moment.”

When she tried to pull away, his hand came to the back of her head, holding her in place as he grinned widely at her. “Where are you going?”

“I’ve got to work, and since my boyfriend likes to tease me, I’m going back to my office. With my food.”

“You mean my food,” he corrected and she grinned as he kissed her nose. “And also, have I told you I really like when you say boyfriend? It gives me this little girlie feeling in my gut.”