by Lexy Timms
The waitress returned to the table, “Would either of you like dessert?”
“I’m stuffed,” Katherine shook her head.
“I guess that’s a no, then. How about you just bring the check?” Ben suggested, and the waitress quickly went to retrieve the bill.
Setting the black leather billfold at the edge of the table, she left Ben and Katherine alone. To Ben’s surprise, Katherine didn’t make mention of the bill at all. It was a fight he was prepared to have with her at least three more times before she relinquished the power to him. She was the type of woman who liked to pay for meals, he knew that when he first saw her at the bakery. But tonight she allowed him to spoil her, and he appreciated the concession.
By the time the waitress returned Ben’s credit card, his mind was racing for ways to extend his time with Katherine. As always, he spent the last few minutes wither her already plotting for another way to see her.
“Would you like to go for a walk?” he asked.
“Yes.” She answered so quickly, Ben was certain she had must have been wishing to spend more time with him as well.
Leading her through the restaurant, Ben decided to take a walk around the block, interlocking their fingers with ease as Katherine leaned her head against his shoulder. She felt comfortable beside him and he could already tell he would miss her when she left. Her scent of jasmine and roses always lingered long after they separated.
“Are you like the relationship expert of your friends?” Katherine asked, shocking Ben.
“No. Absolutely not. What would make you ask that?”
“Well, you just said you were hooking your two friends up. I figured they must trust your relationship advice to ask each other out,” she explained.
For a long pause, Ben contemplated telling a simple answer he would usually share with a woman on a date. But something in him told him to just be open with Katherine. He wanted her to know that there was nothing to hide, so he told her what he hadn’t admitted in a long time.
“I was in a long-term relationship a few years back. When it fell through, I kind of kept to myself. It was a lot to invest and then just see it fall to nothing. I focused on work, and Rachel could tell I was closing myself off. She pushed me to go out with you, so I guess I’m just returning the favor,” Ben said, happy to share more of himself.
As difficult as it was to open up when that wasn’t his comfort zone, he never regretted telling Katherine anything. In fact, whenever he let her know more about him, it felt like a relief and he was happy to allow her to know him better.
“I can understand that,” Katherine began before taking a deep breath. “I was in a long relationship, too. It ended two years ago, and I’m just now beginning to heal,” she revealed, and he could tell it took a lot for her to share that part of herself.
“Was that why you resisted me initially?” he asked, pressing her on.
“I guess so. I was afraid of liking you,” she revealed a truth she had been hiding. She knew that her lifestyle wasn’t conducive to a budding romance, but that didn’t stop her.
“I understand the feeling,” Ben smiled.
Like Katherine, he didn’t feel he had the time to court anyone, but ever since he had met her, spending time with Katherine was his top priority. Nothing was more appealing than watching the day pass him by with Katherine tucked beneath his arm.
Satisfied with both of their efforts, Ben led them further through the park, pulling Katherine closer as the crispness of the fall wind brushed by them.
Chapter Twenty-One
Katherine
“LET’S SIT DOWN,” BEN suggested and Katherine happily accepted.
They had walked so far she wasn’t sure which way led back to his car. Having wanted to extend their time together, she would have agreed to walk to the end of the world with him if it meant their hands would be intertwined a little while longer.
“You look really nice tonight,” Ben said, as she sat on the black wrought iron bench.
“Thank you. I’m beginning to notice you have a bit of a uniform,” she teased, noting his white button up shirt and blue jeans.
“It makes my day easier,” he explained, shrugging his shoulders with a carefree smile.
“And you look nice in it,” she added, watching his eyes brighten.
He was too handsome to not know his impact on women, so Katherine was amused when he appeared shocked by her compliments. He had to know how attractive he was, and being the center of his attention felt a bit overwhelming for her.
She was used to getting occasional scraps of attention from Tim, but Ben doted on her like she was the most beautiful woman in the world. She felt special and valuable when he looked at her, something she hadn’t experienced in a while.
Ben was everything she knew she wanted in a man, and whenever she was around him she felt more like herself than she had in years. He helped her find her way back to herself, and she never wanted that feeling to end.
With her hand on his knee, she settled beside her, pressing her hip to his. Space was the only thing she didn’t want with Ben, and thankfully he seemed to feel the same. His hands were magnetic to her, pulling and tugging as a nervous sexual tension coursed through them.
“I think we’re going to go to every restaurant in the city if it’s the only way I can see you,” Ben smiled, flashing his pearly whites at Katherine.
“That's why I have to go on a walk after every meal. I’m trying to keep off the pounds,” she laughed, tilting her head up as she offered herself to him.
When Ben finally pulled her close, pressing his lips to hers, she didn’t resist at all, eager to taste him. His tongue slid past her lips, dancing alongside hers as she moaned into his mouth. She’d thought of nothing but his touch, smell, and taste, since their last kiss. Katherine wanted to feel his hands all over her, and she pressed her body to his from the pressure she craved.
Just as Ben pulled away, she felt a large rain drop fall onto her face. “Oh no!” she squealed, quickly wiping her face. The rain rushed down her face, dripping down the cleavage of her dress.
“Should we get somewhere dry?” Ben asked, leaning over Katherine to block the rain. Glancing up at him, she felt seductive and bothered. She wanted him more than anything, and was ready to stop pretending she didn’t need the pressure of a man between her thighs.
Living alone had forced independence on her, but being around Ben brought back all the longing she had suppressed for years. A flood gate had been opened, and Katherine had no plans of closing it off. She wanted the feelings to continue, and even more than that, she wanted to feed the hunger.
“I’ve always wanted to make out with a hot guy in the rain,” Katherine heard herself say, shocked by her boldness. Being the quiet and demure lady had not gotten her far in her life, and she was tired of accepting whatever was thrown her way. She wanted to boldly claim what she wanted, and there was no better time to start making requests.
Ben stared at her for what felt like minutes before leaping into action. The nape of her neck was becoming his territory, and he loved controlling the angle of her neck, tilting her head to get the best access to her mouth as his tongue explored her flavors.
She bent to his every command, making her mouth and body all his for the taking. The park was completely empty thanks to the rain, but to Katherine it didn’t matter. She didn’t mind if there was an audience, she just wanted Ben, in all of his muscular glory.
Reaching between her legs, Ben slid his hand up her thigh and Katherine felt herself become undone, pressing her thighs together. With desire pooling, she curved her hips, inching her body forward on the bench. Water fell around them in melodic harmony, and their bodies curved with need, reaching and grabbing for more.
Ben’s free hand traveled from her hips to her waist, where he gripped her tightly, pulling her small frame closer to him. She felt weightless to his strength, moving in his direction without resistance. She wanted to be putty in his hands, forced into w
hatever position he wanted so she could take whatever he wanted to give her. He was powerful and Katherine liked to let go, submitting to his will.
When his hand drifted up her stomach, gripping at the fabric, she pressed her chest forward, silently begging him to clench more of her. Finally, his hand found her breast, roughly stroking through the thin fabric of her dress before finding her nipple. His fingertips worked in soft circles as he teased the sensitive tip of her breast until her nipple stood sharp as an icicle.
“I want you,” she moaned, when his lips pulled from hers. Katherine was wet in more ways than one as the rain dripped from her arms and down her legs.
“Sweetheart, I have to get you out of this rain,” Ben insisted.
Katherine loved when he called her sweetheart, and she nodded, as she would have regardless of what he asked. When he stood, his arms still wrapped around her, she stood with ease, lifted by his strength. The rain was pouring, leaving no way for them to dodge the rain drops as they made their way through the park.
Maybe it was the precipitation, or the way Ben’s shirt clung to his chest as he continued to hold Katherine with both arms, but something about the moment was just hysterical to Katherine as she took it all in. Without a word of warning, they both took off running, gliding through the park like children as the rain fell in every direction around them.
Felling very childlike, Katherine laughed loudly as Ben looked from one direction to the next, searching for a way out of the park.
“Let’s get a cab at the end of the park!” He pointed toward the line of yellow cars waiting to take pedestrians home.
Katherine nodded before following behind Ben, the two of them caught up in a laughter that encompassed all the joy and excitement they’d brought to each other. They had both been caught up in a hamster wheel of the seriousness they thought had to accompany adult responsibility, but being around each other was a reminder of something brighter.
Katherine gave Ben permission to be himself, forgetting all that he was responsible for, and all the many people who depended on him. Ben, on the other hand, allowed Katherine to relax and forget the fear that resided deep in her bones, no matter how far she ran from her troubles.
They each were everything the other needed, without any discomfort. They were unaware of what they needed, but their souls had sought each other out, providing the energy they needed to thrust forward.
Now, soaked from the rain, their clothes hung heavy as Ben hailed a cab, waiving aimlessly with heavy arms. Katherine laughed loudly as he slung his arm over her shoulder, howling with laughter. It was the most random experience of their lives, but somehow they were equally as amused as others stomped and grunted, upset to be caught in the rain.
It was a weird moment of clarity for Katherine as she saw for the first time how an experience as common as getting caught in the rain had the power to frustrate someone if they allowed it. On many other occasions, she would not have found it funny to laugh and play in the rain, but with Ben her outlook changed full circle.
Everything was an adventure with Ben, and she enjoyed every step of the way. Katherine didn’t care how wet her clothes got, or even if they were destroyed altogether. It was fun to run with him, watching as he struggled to protect her from the onslaught.
“Here! Here!” Ben called out to a cab through his chuckles.
“We can’t get a cab, you drove!” Katherine reminded him of his parked car at the top of the block. They had walked down from the restaurant, but they needed to go back to get his sports car.
“I’ll come back and get it,” he explained quickly, as if that was clear enough, but to Katherine it was absurd.
Why would he possibly want to take another car when his car was just up the street? She was racking her mind trying to understand when a taxi pulled to the curb. Holding the door open, Ben ushered her in, his body falling over hers as they rushed to pile into the backseat, still laughing.
“Get on in here. It’s coming down out there,” the driver remarked, turning to face Katherine and Ben.
She was half on the seat, half in his lap, her face blushing with happiness as Ben brushed his lips against her cheek. They were so close, the way they were pressed against each other felt intimate, and she wasn’t ready to let the night end.
The driver asked, again turning in his seat. “Where are you headed?”
It was the question they both knew needed to be answered, but one they weren’t sure how to solve. Ben kissed Katherine’s cheek with longing in his eyes before speaking.
“Should I take you to your building?”
Katherine knew what she wanted, but was still afraid to ask for it. She wanted to take things slow and get to know Ben, but that would be more difficult if they complicated their relationship any further. It was clear that he wanted to spend more time with her, just as she did with him, but would it be too much temptation if they were alone together?
Watching how they behaved in public parks and the backseat of taxis was enough evidence for her to know they would not be able to control themselves if left alone, but just like everything else, that adventure with Ben seemed alluring.
Tired of playing it safe, and constantly in fear of who would appear to destroy the life she had so delicately built, Katherine decided to act her age for once. She wanted to live, and continue to feel the chemistry that burned like a wildfire between herself and Ben.
“No. Take me to your place,” she finally answered, her eyes locked on Ben’s.
“We’re heading downtown,” Ben said to the driver, though his attention remained trained on Katherine.
Lifting her onto his lap, he pulled her lips down to his, cradling the nape of her neck in his hand. It was a silent act of agreement, letting her know that she had done just what he wanted. Katherine felt like gold in his hands, and she allowed her body to move freely, pressing against his hard body for the pressure she had been desperately craving.
The city passed them in a blur as the rain slowed. Ben barely noticed when they passed his car, but Katherine took note that they were leaving her neighborhood, and the comfort zone she had just created. She was going into new territory, and it was exciting.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Ben
“THIS IS IT?” THE DRIVER asked Ben as they arrived at his estate.
Turning to face the guard in the small tower in front of his property, he made eye contact and a simple nod before the iron gate opened. He’d been in such a passionate embrace with Katherine that he didn’t even notice when they got close, let alone when they pulled into his home.
“Nice place,” the driver grunted under his breath as they pulled down the driveway.
Watching closely, he could sense Katherine’s confusion when they finally reached the front door. His home was grand, so over the top in fact that he often took women to hotels, just to manage expectations. He didn’t want to display such wealth unless he knew the woman could be trusted.
Katherine had passed all of those tests, and he wanted to invite her into a different part of his life. Ben’s home was his sanctuary, where he was able to be himself without judgment or ridicule. Only a handful of women had received an invitation, and now he was going to show his pride and joy to the first woman to make him see a future for himself in the house he thought would only be for his bachelor lifestyle.
“I thought you said you sold pet accessories,” Katherine mentioned, as she followed him to the front door.
“Hey, that is the absolute truth!” he exclaimed jokingly before continuing, “But I own the company.”
“This is incredible,” Katherine gasped, as she entered the foyer, which was more marble than anything else. It was his favorite feature in the home, and he liked that Katherine found it as impressive as he did.
“Thank you. Come on, I’ll give you some dry clothes and then make us some tea so we can warm up,” he suggested, leading her through the house.
“I want a tour,” she pouted with her arms cros
sed.
“I promise you a tour once I get you out of those wet clothes. I don’t want you to get sick,” Ben reasoned.
“You’re trying to get me out my clothes?” Katherine quipped, unable to let the opportunity for a joke pass.
“If you only knew!” Ben shot back and they both laughed a little more. It was so much fun being around her, and Ben was ecstatic that she had suggested they go back to his house.
Imagining her reaction, he looked at his home through her eyes as they made their way through the living room and passed the kitchen. Her head swiveled from one direction to the next as she tried to take in every detail, and he wondered what she thought of the place.
Ben’s bedroom was mostly gray and black, with accent touches of white. It was very bachelor-esque, but romantic. At least that’s how he liked to think of it. Katherine stopped when they reached the bed, staring up at the twenty-foot ceilings as Ben made his way into his walk-in closet.
She needed a new set of clothes, so he selected a black t-shirt from a drawer before grabbing a pair of gray sweatpants and returning to the bedroom. She was still looking up to the ceiling when he entered the room.
“I brought you a change of clothes,” Ben announced, as he entered the room.
Katherine stood in the middle of the floor, her clothes hanging from her body as she bit her bottom lip seductively. It was too intense for Ben, and he had to look away to stop himself from making a move on her.
Katherine had already told him she wanted to take it slow and he wanted to respect her wishes despite his desires. She was overflowing with sex appeal, and he had to get away before he said or did the wrong thing, misreading her nervousness for an invitation.
She was open with him about her past relationship, and how she had just begun to heal. It was the reason she had pushed him away in the first place, and he didn’t want to do anything to make her revert back to the sheltered place she met him.