She'd hesitated, and Ben stiffened. He tried to think through how he could flee this situation gracefully once she found the courage to come right out and tell him she didn't want him there... but then she didn't. Ben let out a breath he'd been holding, and with it a good deal of the tension in his shoulders. He made his way into the room and hesitantly crawled up onto the bed next to her. It had been months since he'd held her properly, and he didn't know how to do it with the way her body had changed shape. Was she sore? Tender? Was he going to accidentally hurt her if he wrapped his arms too tight on any given piece of her? He felt awkward and blocky, the opposite of himself — he was supposed to be suave and smooth, but he just couldn't muster it right now. Haltingly, he put his arms around her and hugged her up against his chest.

Ben closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I wish there was something I could do to help."

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