“You said you want to date, right?” Ben sounded more than a little defensive. “Yeah...” Maddox was seriously struggling to keep up.” — Annabeth Albert Copy Share Image
“You want us to date?” Maddox was blinking so rapidly that Ben feared for risk of stroke. “As in you and me? Together? Each other?” “It’s not such a ludicrous proposition.” Ben sat in the chair opposite Maddox because looming… — Annabeth Albert Copy Share Image
“God, please spare Ben. I don’t care about my sorry self. Just save him. Maddox’s hurried prayer was his last conscious thought. *” — Annabeth Albert Copy Share Image
“And there, in the doorway someone had left open was Ben. Ben, wearing jeans and an old Pride T-shirt, one that might have been… — Annabeth Albert Copy Share Image
“Your ass is flapping in the breeze,” Maddox warned with what felt like his first real laugh since this whole thing started. “Shut up.”… — Annabeth Albert Copy Share Image
“Transport got in sooner than we thought.” Still in uniform, Ben sounded exhausted and looked worse, dark circles under his eyes. But he was… — Annabeth Albert Copy Share Image
“I can’t say too much without putting my neck on the line, but this isn’t the Navy forcing him out.” “Oh, we’ll talk.” Ben’s… — Annabeth Albert Copy Share Image
“I just don’t think dating’s going to make you as happy as you think. You could wait—” “Ben.” Maddox touched his arm lightly, making… — Annabeth Albert Copy Share Image
“This may be your craziest idea yet, and considering you followed me over the side of a cliff that’s saying something, but all right.… — Annabeth Albert Copy Share Image
“I had another idea.” Ben rolled so that he could grin down at Maddox. “Yeah?” Maddox generally liked Ben’s big ideas—not that he wasn’t… — Annabeth Albert Copy Share Image
“It wasn’t until Maddox said no that Ben realized that he’d wanted the repeat more than he’d wanted to get laid, and that knowledge… — Annabeth Albert Copy Share Image
“Maddox had been kissed there before. Polite little explorations, tentative tongue flicks, quick forays before the main event. But Ben made a meal out… — Annabeth Albert Copy Share Image
“Yeah, I figured you’d be down about that.” The LT sighed and leaned against a shelf, an uncharacteristically casual gesture from the man. “But… — Annabeth Albert Copy Share Image
“You cannot die on me. Not now. Okay?” Ben’s voice broke because he simply wasn’t sure what else he could do for Maddox. He’d… — Annabeth Albert Copy Share Image
“We’ll go to Napa. I’ll be a better friend. A better man. Just don’t die on me. Maddox’s” — Annabeth Albert Copy Share Image
“I’m trying here.” Ben leaned forward, all earnest concentration. “You were my best friend, and I used that as a...shield, sort of. It was… — Annabeth Albert Copy Share Image
