Husband With Benefits-Chapter 903: Love of My Life

Grant’s shirt was nearly soaked through with her tears by the time Innocensa finally regained her composure and stepped back, her breathing uneven but steadier. Her hands, however, remained firmly planted on his shoulders, her nails digging into his skin as if anchoring herself in the moment. The faint sting barely registered in his mind, a trivial discomfort overshadowed by the way she looked up at him with a trembling, hesitant smile.

He couldn’t help but marvel. How could someone be so heartbreakingly beautiful, even like this? Her swollen eyes glistened with remnants of tears, her nose reddened from crying, and yet, in her vulnerability, she radiated a kind of fragile grace that took his breath away. She was, without question, the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

"Sorry for the waterworks," she said shakily though her voice was tinged with a hint of humor. A faint blush crept up her cheeks, making her even more prettier, "And thank you for lending me your shoulder. I didn’t mean to... do this. I... I thought this office would be empty and I’d have a chance to be alone...I just... Thank you again for letting me cry it all out and not trying to pacify me."

Grant shrugged. He would have had no idea how to pacify anyone. And what was he even supposed to say when he did not even know the reason for crying.

***

Innocensa looked up into the man’s hazel eyes and felt her heart beat faster. Grant was a jerk. She’d come to know that much in the last week while working with him. Either that or he didn’t like her. But now, this jerk was the one who had consoled her.

As her gaze met his, something else seemed to light up between them. She, who had never taken the initiative, leaned up on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his thin lips.

She felt him stiffen in shock or surprise and it was then that she realized what she had done. Did she just kiss someone... just like that?

As the realization of what she’d just done crashed over her, Innocensa’s eyes widened in panic. She began to step back, her hands dropping away from his shoulders, but before she could retreat, Grant’s hands moved swiftly, pulling her body closer to him as his hands settled over her hips, holding her in place and then pulling her closer.

She could feel the warmth of his palms through the fabric of her dress, sending shivers of need down her spine.

Then, before she could process what was happening, he tilted his head, broke the kiss and then leaned in to capture her lips once more. This time, the kiss was deliberate, unrestrained, and undeniably hotter.

His tongue licked her lips before invading her mouth and she could only suck on it, wanting and needing more. His lips moved against hers alternatively tender and then aggressive, as though he was discovering something he hadn’t expected to find. Innocensa’s breath hitched, her hands instinctively found their way back to his chest, clutching his shirt as she leaned even closer to him.

The world around them faded—no office, no lingering traces of her tears, no tension from moments before. It was just the two of them, caught in a moment that neither had anticipated but neither could deny. All she could remember was this man who was kissing her.

A sudden ringing in her ears caused Innocensa to return to the world of the ’living’ and she broke the kiss, even as she continued to stare at Grant who stared back at her with a heat that made her want to ignore the ringing.

Blindly, her hand fumbled over the desk behind her, searching for her phone as her eyes darted down to the screen. The name flashing there made her chest tighten all over again: Dad.

Her breath was still uneven, her voice tinged with raw emotion as she hurriedly answered, muttering a quick, "Excuse me," and turning her back to Grant. She didn’t need him to overhear this. Thankfully, her father seemed to attribute the breathlessness to the crying and not the way she and Grant had almost ’ate’ each other.

The moment his familiar voice filtered through the line, her tears almost started all over again. Though, Grant had really purged most of them.

"Yes, Daddy," she whispered, her tone trembling. "I... I gave him a proper send-off. Just like we talked about."

She sniffled, nodding absently as if he could see her through the phone as he talked. "No, no," she added quickly, her voice soft, "Vinny was there with me. I didn’t go through it alone."

"I know you couldn’t come," she murmured understandingly.

And then, as if her father’s next words had struck a nerve, her breath hitched audibly. She closed her eyes tightly, gripping the edge of the desk for support as she took a deep, shuddering breath.

"I know, Daddy," she said in an almost broken voice, "But he was the love of my life." Her lips trembled, and her tears fell faster now, unchecked. "Even if... even if he was sick for so long. Even if we knew this was coming... even if I was there to send him off, it doesn’t make it hurt any less."

"But, I’ve said my goodbye, I’ll be back to myself in a little while. Hmm. Bye. Love you too."

After disconnecting the call, Innocensa took a moment to turn around. She would have to talk to Grant about what she had done just now. She couldn’t let him think that she had used him to forget her pain or something. He was a smart man whom she wanted to know more about.

But as she turned around, Grant was already gone. Confused, she turned her eyes towards his office and frowned. Well. That was odd. Was he shy or something? She raised her hands to her lips. If they had not still been tingling, she would have thought that she had probably imagined him being here.