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. I look from him to her and I try to figure out what the hell I am going to do. Flee. I practically run to my bathroom and close the door.
    "Tess!" Erin yells from the other side of the door. "What are you doing?" I can imagine her throwing her arms up in the air and pacing the floor, but what I can't imagine is him standing in my home, looking at my personal stuff…god my paintings.
    "Is he still out there?" I ask, while pinching the bridge of my nose.
    I hear a masculine groan and, "Yeah I am."
    "Why?"
    A knock on the door makes me fall back slightly. Wow I didn't even notice I was standing so close to the door...
    "Can we talk?"
    "Go ahead." I throw my hands up over my head, but he obviously can't see that.
    He turns the knob. DAMN IT! I forgot to lock the door behind me! I lunge at the door, but he's already stepping in before I reach it. Crap.
    "Look, I felt really bad the way we left things. Hell, I don't even know why I am really here. This is really unlike me, but I couldn't get through the night before I could at least try and explain myself…or understand this myself..." He motions the space between us but mumbles the last part under his breath.
    I untangle my arms from around my chest and step back toward the shower, giving him room to enter. Are we seriously having a conversation in my bathroom? "Go ahead." I gesture with my hand.
    He looks like he's about to speak when I throw my hands to my mouth. "Erin!" He whips his head back to the door as I come to realize my new best friend is in my living room probably feeling used and abandoned, maybe imagining some dirty bathroom scene.
    I streak past Ben and rush out to the small living space, but instead I run right into Erin. Umph! We tumble to the floor and start laughing.
    "Were you listening through the door?" I ask her, attempting to look serious.
    She bats her eyes and pouts, "But whatever do you mean?" in her best Southern belle voice, while fanning herself with her hand.
    "Yeah, yeah, save it, traitor," I accuse her, while standing up and offering her my hand to help her up.
    She straightens her shirt and grabs her bag off my counter. "Well, now that you have company, I guess I'll be going." She actually winks at me.
    "What do you mean, you're leaving?" I yank her to the side and get really up close and personal with her ear. "What am I supposed to do? I don't know why he's here or what he has planned and you're seriously going to leave me here ALONE?" I yank on her arm a little.
    I'll admit I am excited and frankly a little giddy about being alone with him, but I am still having a hard time believing it, and believing what I might do when it happens. But, then again, what did almost happen that night was in a very crowded space…so what's the difference? Guess I am about to find out.
    It's her turn to get a little too close, and all she has to say is, "bow-chicka-wow-wow." While gyrating her hips ever so slightly. My face goes white… or should I say whiter .
    "We can talk later if you'd prefer. I didn't mean to ruin any plans you had for the evening. I wasn't thinking." Ben steps forward and puts his hands in his jeans pockets, accentuating his toned arms. But it's the look on his face that I can't get over. His features are hard but soft at the same time. He looks derailed and unsure of himself. I find this odd, considering he has been nothing but upfront and pushy. I take notice of his caramel mocha eyes. They are the most amazing and delicious set of eyes I have seen… Yeah, I am a coffee addict, aren't I? Then again I think I just found my new addiction…
    Erin steps to the door. "No, you two obviously have some tension that needs to be resolved. I don't know what it is and I am sure that's why I was invited over tonight…to find out." She elevates her voice when she says I and invited to make her point…what is her point? She volunteers to leave even when Ben offered to take a rain check. I don't know if I want to hug her or slap her. I am about