The Bottom Line

by Sandy James

  Suddenly, all was right in the world again.

  “Looks like the voters have spoken,” Bethany said, drawing Mallory’s gaze back to center court. “You all want Ben bald? Then you’re gonna get Ben bald!” She held the clippers high.

  With an exaggerated shrug and a goofy smile, Ben sat down on the stool while a student draped a towel around his shoulders.

  He believed her cancer had returned. That thought kept slamming through Mallory’s brain. Even though he thought she was sick again, he was here, ready to make this sacrifice, this penance, as a way to make amends.

  “Amber…” Mallory turned the girl so she could see Ben. “You should watch this.”

  “And away we go!” Bethany handed the microphone to a student and flipped on the clippers.

  Standing beside him, she started at his widow’s peak and cut a wide swath through his thick, dark hair, leaving behind a reverse Mohawk.

  Ben picked up a large lock, held it up, and laughed as though he were having the time of his life.

  The crowd went wild as Bethany continued running the clippers over his hair. The swatches perched on Ben’s shoulders and chest or cascaded to the floor. Within a matter of minutes, it was done.

  Ben stood up, whipped the towel off like a cape, and held his arms up as the applause rose to a deafening level. Then his gaze searched again, finding hers. With an arrogant smile, he crooked his finger at her.

  What was he up to now?

  Bethany retrieved the microphone and handed it to Ben. Then she signaled the crowd to quiet down as her Service Learning kids did the same.

  “One more act in this play, folks, if you wouldn’t mind,” Ben said. “I need Mallory Hamilton to come out here and join me.” He pointed at her and then crooked his finger again.

  “He’s insane,” Mallory muttered, feeling self-conscious as every eye in the gym turned her way.

  “He’s in love,” Danielle said with a laugh. She gave Mallory a gentle push. “Well, what are you waiting for? Go down there!”

  “Let’s go, Mallory.” Amber took her hand and dragged her down the aisle.

  While she could’ve resisted, Mallory realized her embarrassment would triple if she sat down and refused to move. Better to find out what Ben had up his sleeve and then make a hasty exit.

  When she reached the tarp, Amber released her hand, which was promptly picked up by Ben.

  He led her to the stool before kissing the back of her hand. His smile made her weak in the knees.

  “Have a seat, Mal,” he said, holding the microphone away so no one else could hear.

  She took advantage of the moment of being close enough to talk to him. “Ben… we need to talk. It’s about the CAT scan…”

  “Sit now. Talk later.”

  “But…”

  “Please?” His dark eyes begged her to cooperate.

  “Fine.” There would be plenty of time to talk after this circus ended.

  Mallory sat on the stool and put her hands on her knees. “Now what?”

  “Now, you listen.” Ben winked and then spoke into the microphone again. “I love this woman.” He pointed at Mallory as hoots and cheers filled the gym. “And now I need to ask her a question.”

  When Ben went down on one knee as he fumbled for something in his pocket, Mallory’s heart beat so roughly, she feared it would explode. Adrenaline rushed through her, making her tremble.

  “Mallory Hamilton… will you marry me?” He set the microphone on the floor and put a small black box on his palm. Then he extended his hand toward her.

  The crowd had gone berserk, the noise louder than any pep session ever held there.

  Fingers pressed against her mouth, Mallory fought back tears. All of this, especially Ben’s proposal, was overwhelming.

  “Please forgive me, Mal,” Ben asked, his voice gruff. “I never meant to hurt you. Marry me. Let me take care of you. Be with me for whatever time we have left. Six days or sixty years, I want to spend them all with you.”

  She dropped from the stool, landing on her knees to look Ben in the eyes. Words wouldn’t come.

  “I mean it. I love you, no matter what happens in the future.” He opened the box. “This is for you.”

  The ring was perfect: a gold band with a square diamond.

  “Marry me. Please.”

  All she could do was cup his face in her shaking hands and press a kiss to his lips. She moved her mouth to say yes, but her voice held no volume. Just to be sure he understood, she nodded.

  Bethany’s voice filled the gym. “She said yes!”

  * * *

  Ben pulled his truck up behind Mallory’s SUV. She gave him a shy smile after she’d crawled out of the driver’s side and stood waiting for him by the garage door.

  Robert hadn’t been lying when he said he was a clever bastard. When he’d come with Bethany to the town house to explain their plan for a basketball game proposal, Ben had thought they’d both lost their minds. Mallory had kept her illness so private he couldn’t help but think he’d only piss her off more by putting on such a public display. Bethany changed his mind, explaining that so much of Mallory’s life was vested in the school, a proposal in front of her fellow teachers and students would please her.

  He ran his hand over the light stubble that was now his hair, wondering just how bad he looked. There had to be stray tufts Bethany had missed, and no doubt his sideburns and the back of his neck would need a razor to make a clean line. Didn’t matter. Losing his hair was a small price to pay to prove to Mallory that he loved her and was truly sorry for what had happened.

  Her hair had grown back. So would his.

  The only thing dimming his joy was the knowledge that they still had a battle to fight against her cancer. But fight they would with every ounce of their strength, and he hoped that Mallory would be stronger with him and Amber standing by her side.

  “Hey,” she said when he got to her. “We need to talk.”

  Talking was the last thing he wanted to do, but he nodded, resisting the urge to kiss her.

  “How about we have a glass of wine?” she asked.

  “Wine sounds great.” Anything to help him relax.

  Ben was wound so tight he wasn’t sure he could form too many coherent sentences. He wanted to make love to her, to reclaim what he’d lost with his mistake. He wanted inside her incredible heat, to join their bodies. Repeatedly. On the couch. In the bed. In the shower.

  It was too soon. Hell, he didn’t even know if they could make love. Although she was sick, she didn’t look as though she was hurting. He had no idea if she was on chemotherapy or radiation or… what.

  “Are you sure we shouldn’t check on Amber?” Mallory asked.

  “She’s fine. She has a new friend named Kelsie. They’ve been spending a lot of time together. Kelsie’s mom will keep an eye on her tonight, some sleepover for a few girls.” He tossed her a lopsided smile. “I think Amber finally has a BFF. Isn’t that what you call it? A BFF?”

  “Yeah,” Mallory said with a chuckle. “That’s what they say. It sounds weird coming from you.”

  He followed her inside, hovering close as she chose a wine and let him open it. Her cat came to rub against his leg, and he gave it an affectionate stroke.

  “Rascal missed you,” she said, nodding at her cat.

  “I missed him, too.”

  Watching her closely, Ben searched for anything that might help him know how she was feeling. Nothing appeared to be different. She was the same Mallory she’d been two weeks ago when he’d been foolish enough to hurt her.

  “I’m sorry.” The words would never adequately express how remorseful he was. How could two words convey the depth of sorrow that had gripped him when she’d locked him out or express the weight on his heart at knowing he’d hurt her so much? “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I was afraid for Amber.”

  “I know that now,” Mallory said. “I should’ve given you a chance to explain.” She led him to the great room. She took
a seat on the sofa, turning to face him as she sipped her wine. “We need to talk about the CAT scan.”

  “It’s okay, baby. I know. The cancer’s back. That’s why you moved in with Juliana. But I’m here now.”

  “You’re willing to move in with me? I’m gonna need you close.”

  “I—I hoped you’d want me to. I want to help you through your treatments, and that’s hard to do when I’m all the way across town.”

  “Good. I want you and Amber here like we’d planned.”

  “So what does your doctor say?” The last thing he wanted to do was ruin their reunion by talking about her disease, but he needed to know everything he’d missed.

  A smile lit her face.

  How in the hell could she smile in the face of cancer? The woman was the epitome of courage.

  “My doctor doesn’t say much of anything,” she replied. “I haven’t talked to him in almost two weeks.”

  “What?” The word burst from him in a shout, sending the cat running from the room.

  She snatched the glass from his hand, probably to stop wine from flying around with his animated gestures.

  “You’ve gotta get on top of this right away, Mal. I figured you might already be getting chemo. When did he biopsy the lump?”

  She put both glasses aside, setting them on the coffee table. “No need for a biopsy.”

  “No need?” His tone bordered on hysterical. “You had a new lump in your breast! How could there be no need?” He couldn’t lose her, not now that he’d finally won her back.

  “The lump wasn’t in my breast, Ben. It was in my abdomen… my lower abdomen.”

  The words took a moment to register, and once he realized what that development meant, he had to hold back the urge to punch a hole in the wall. It was much worse than he thought. “It’s metastasized. Oh God…” When he tried to rake his fingers through his hair, all he got was the feel of sandpaper across his palm.

  Mallory took his hands in hers. “It’s not metastasized.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because it’s not cancer.”

  His whole body tensed. “It’s what?”

  “It’s not cancer, Ben.”

  “It’s not… Then what is it?”

  A slow smile spread over her beautiful face. “A hernia. The lump was nothing but a stupid hernia.”

  * * *

  Mallory watched him closely, trying to capture every nuanced emotion playing on his face. If he hadn’t declared his love, she would have seen it as clear as day in his reaction to her news.

  Ben popped to his feet and tugged her up as well. Then he embraced her, near to crushing her against his chest. “Thank God. He answered all my prayers.”

  To be back in his arms was heaven, even if he was squeezing the breath right out of her. She closed her eyes and breathed in his scent. She’d been so afraid back in the gym—afraid he’d only come to her because Jules had told him she was fine.

  Instead, Ben had proposed to her even though he believed she might be facing another long trial by fire, even though he thought she might be dying.

  And that revelation swept away every last ounce of her anger.

  He really would stay with her through sickness and health. He was still the hero of her dreams.

  “Ben?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Take me to bed,” she demanded.

  Easing back, he lifted her chin with his finger. “Tell me you forgive me first.”

  “I forgive you. Now take me—”

  “Tell me you love me again.”

  “I never stopped loving you. I want you to—”

  “Tell me you’re gonna marry me.”

  “Absolutely.” To keep Ben from interrupting her again, Mallory slipped her hand between them and pressed her palm against his groin.

  He was already hard.

  Grabbing his hand, she laughed as she dragged him toward the stairs.

  “In a hurry, there, Mal?”

  “Absolutely.”

  Once upstairs, she tugged him into the master bedroom and shut the door behind them.

  “Now what?” The teasing lilt of his voice made her smile.

  “Now we get naked.” She jerked her shirt over her head and tossed it to the floor. Then she unzipped her jeans and shoved them down her legs before kicking them aside.

  “Keep going.”

  “Your turn,” she insisted.

  His shirt and pants were gone before she could pull off her socks.

  “Get that underwear off, too,” Mallory ordered as she shed her bra and panties. “Now.”

  Naked, they stood on opposite sides of the bed. The tension and anticipation added to her nearly overwhelming desire. “Ready?”

  Ben didn’t reply. Instead, he crawled onto the mattress and knelt in the middle, holding his arms open.

  Mallory joined him, moaning as he wrapped his arms around her and flesh touched flesh. Although they’d been apart a mere two weeks, she was starved for the feel of him. Their lips met in a kiss that began gentle and loving and quickly turned carnal. Her tongue thrust past his lips, stroking his tongue, tracing the line of his teeth, teasing until he grasped it between his teeth and gently tugged.

  Arm around her shoulder, he eased her down on the mattress, letting her stretch out so he could blanket her. The crisp hair on his chest tickled her nipples, making the real one harden. She rubbed her toes against the hair on his legs, reacquainting herself with the wonderland of his body. His cock rested against her core, sending heat racing through her, fanning from her center to the rest of her body.

  Ben braced himself up on his forearms and stared down at her. “I missed this.”

  Mallory scraped her fingernails gently over his shoulders. “Me, too.”

  “I love you, Mal.”

  “I love you, too, Ben. Make love to me. Now.”

  He responded to her fierce command by kissing her hard and gyrating his hips to rub his erection against her. Yet he avoided every attempt she made to put her hand between them and guide him to her entrance.

  “Now, Ben, please.”

  “Patience is a virtue.” He kissed his way down her throat. Nibbling kisses traced a path across her collarbones to her chest and over her breasts. He stopped long enough to draw her right nipple deep into his mouth before moving lower.

  Lost in a sensual haze, ready to receive his intimate kiss, Mallory put her hands on his head. Instead of being able to tangle her fingers through his thick hair, she found rough stubble—a reminder of his willingness to love her unconditionally. Her smile changed to a whimper when Ben reached her core. He tortured her with his tongue and lips until he gently took her sensitive nub between his teeth.

  She lost herself in the storm he sent through her body. Heat and need and love, none of which could be contained. Too quickly for her to savor his attention as she wanted, her body knotted in tension.

  “Ben! Please…”

  He ignored her plea and sent her tumbling into an orgasm that made her gasp and buck beneath him. He didn’t let up until he’d wrung every last spasm from her body.

  As she slowly came back to earth, his face loomed above hers, a cocky smile on his lips. “Liked that, huh?”

  How easy it would be to smack his ego and tell him it was merely okay. But after the way she’d sung out, he’d have known she was lying if she claimed nonchalance. “Loved that. But…”

  “But what?”

  “Something’s… missing.”

  He quirked an eyebrow.

  “You weren’t there with me.”

  She didn’t give him time to ponder her statement. She sat up, pushed his back to the mattress, and kissed each of his nipples.

  “Mal, you don’t have to—”

  Mallory gave his stomach a playful bite, soothing it with a lick. One kiss to his navel as she wrapped her fingers around his erection. Ben hissed, fisting his hands in the quilt.

  Having power over such a strong, handsome body inflam
ed her every bit as much as his intimate kiss. With a smile, she took his cock deeply into her mouth, whirling her tongue around the crown while savoring his rumbling growl. Just to add the coup de grâce, she cupped his soft sac in her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

  Sitting up, he clenched her upper arms and dragged her up his body.

  She tried to protest. “I wanted to—”

  Ben flipped her to her back and separated her thighs with his knees. “I want this.” Ben grasped his cock and rubbed it between her feminine folds. “Now, baby?”

  “Oh yes…”

  When he plunged inside, her body sprang back to life. Mallory wrapped her legs around his hips, letting him sweep her away with every thrust. There was no teasing, no easy pace. This was a rough race to fulfillment.

  Gripping his shoulders, she matched him, raising her hips each time he pushed back inside her until her body exploded in another shower of warmth. He was a few heartbeats behind, growling as he buried himself deep inside her.

  Chapter Thirty

  “You look amazing,” Ben murmured as he took Mallory’s hand, cradling it in both of his. Although he wasn’t nervous, he worried she might be—after all, she was tying herself to him when she deserved a prince.

  Too bad, because he was never letting her go.

  A blush tinted her cheeks as she gave him a shy smile. “Thanks. You look like a model.”

  He had to resist the urge to preen like a peacock in his black suit. His hair—and hers—had grown out in the months they’d taken to plan the wedding. The warmth of June hadn’t come fast enough to suit him. “Thanks.”

  The minister began the ceremony. “Dearly beloved…”

  And so it went as Ben stood with Mallory in front of their friends and family to tie the knot. He had a hard time concentrating because his gaze kept drifting back to his bride.

  Her dress was a pale pink and fit her curves perfectly, the hem ending just below her knees. She’d worn her hair down. In a few more months, it would touch her shoulders. She was crowned with a small wreath of pink and white flowers. She was everything a bride should be. Beautiful. Happy.

  His.

  When prompted, he recited his vows in a clear, strong voice, stressing the “in sickness and in health” promise, although he doubted it was necessary. She had to know by now that he would never leave her side so long as he could draw air into his lungs. While the future could be a scary thing, Ben refused to wallow in any worry. Today was a day of joy.