True North: A Flirt Club Duet

by Rebecca Gallo

  Ben

  Last night was hard for both of us. It was hard for me to open myself up to her like that and it was hard for me to walk away from her. We haven’t yet had a long, honest discussion and the clock is ticking. For now, I’m going to respect her request. No more talk of marriage.

  Except I can’t get over how fucking gorgeous she looks right now. Her brown hair is glossy and wavy, her lips painted a perfect red. All I can think about is how she’ll look on our wedding day dressed in white with a veil covering her face.

  “Ben?” The sound of Milly’s voice cuts through my thoughts and I notice she’s standing by the front door of the cabin.

  “Sorry. Did you say something?”

  “Are you ready to go?”

  “Of course,” I stammer. I grab the keys to the Range Rover from the dining table and follow her outside.

  The drive to the main house is short but Milly is glued to her window, marveling at the grounds and the buildings on the property. When we pull up to the front entrance, my mum and dad are waiting.

  “This is your last chance to escape,” I tell her.

  “It’s going to be fine,” she assures me but one glance at the grim expression on my mother’s face tells me this day might be anything but fine.

  I push open the car door and step out before rounding the corner to open Milly’s door. I grasp her hand firmly in mine as I lead her up the steps.

  “Hello Benjamin,” my mother says coolly as I step forward to greet her with a polite kiss on the cheek. My mum is very traditional and set in her ways. Everything I’ve done has been a disappointment. And now I’ve brought home an American, which means I’m definitely out of the running once again for favorite son.

  “Lovely to see you mum,” I murmur before extending a hand to my father. “Hello dad.”

  “Are you going to introduce us to your friend,” my dad asks cheerfully. He’s got a goofy grin on his face that makes my mother roll her eyes and tsk.

  I turn to see Milly standing awkwardly behind us. She looks stunning in a slate blue silk blouse and white trousers. I couldn’t be prouder to have her by my side. “Milly, I’d like you to meet my parents, Howard and Jessica Waterstone.”

  She walks forward and smiles politely. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Waterstone.” Her smile is tight, and she looks back to me for reassurance. I place my hand on the small of her back and instantly, I feel her relax.

  “Welcome to Waterstone Hall,” my mother says.

  “Your home is stunning,” Milly replies.

  “It’s not my home; it belongs to my sons. I just live here,” my mother snaps.

  “Mum!”

  She turns away and walks back into the house. My father, however, smiles proudly. “Thank you for coming. We’ve worked very hard on the renovations.”

  “I’ll be happy to take you on a tour later,” I murmur to Milly.

  We follow my father inside and I have to constantly tug on Milly’s hand because every few seconds, she stops to gawp at something.

  Breakfast is set up in the dining room that overlooks the walled garden. The garden is my mum’s only pride and joy and she’ll take any opportunity to show it off.

  “Where’s Alistair?” I ask my father.

  “He’ll be here soon.”

  Both of my parents keep making eye contact with one another which makes me suspicious. They have something up their sleeves and I’m positive all will be revealed the moment my brother arrives.

  Milly gravitates toward the windows which not only bathe the room in sunlight but also provide guests with spectacular views of the walled garden. I never resist an opportunity for physical contact, so I walk up behind her and place my hands around her waist.

  “This is where you grew up,” she asks, a wistful tone to her voice.

  “Yeah,” I breathe out, surveying the view. “Alistair and I used to chase each other in the garden. It was magical but it was so easy to get lost.”

  “Sounds like fun.”

  The sound of voices behind us means Alistair has arrived and he’s not alone. Milly and I turn at the same time.

  “Benny! So good of you to come!” My brother, Alistair, approaches me but I can’t help but notice the woman standing next to my mother, talking to her conspiratorially. Vanessa Hargreaves. The biggest bitch in Yorkshire and my ex-fiancé.

  “Al, what is she doing here?”

  Alistair turns and extends his hand toward Vanessa. She dutifully approaches, her heels click-clicking against the hardwood floors. “We were going to wait but since you’re my brother, I suppose we can make the exception.”

  The two of them smile at each other and it churns my stomach. Vanessa places her hand on Alistair’s arm and the sun catches something on her finger. Fuck no.

  “I’ve asked Vanessa to marry me and she’s agreed,” Alistair announces. My parents, who clearly already knew this information, clap politely and extend their congratulations.

  But all I can see is the ring on her finger. “That’s Nan’s ring,” I say, my voice wooden. “Why’s she wearing Nan’s ring?”

  Even when we were engaged, I didn’t ask my parents for my grandmother’s ring. That was probably a sign that things weren’t going to work out between us. But I had planned on asking my father for it this weekend because Milly deserves the honor of wearing it.

  And now Alistair’s gone and given it to Vanessa.

  There’s an uncomfortable silence in the air and all eyes are on me.

  “Benjamin, don’t you have anything else to say to your brother?” My mother’s admonishing voice cuts through the tension like a knife.

  “No, I don’t,” I spit out before storming out of the dining room.

  Milly

  Well, this is awkward.

  Ben’s parents, brother and his fiancé are all staring at me after he stormed out of the room. Thanks for throwing me to the wolves Ben.

  “I should go after him,” I say through a tense smile.

  “He’s probably in the garden,” Alistair tells me.

  “Of course,” I reply. “If you’ll excuse me.”

  My feet couldn’t possibly move any faster as I leave and head toward the front door. I have absolutely no idea where I’m going, only a general idea. A sigh of relief escapes my lips when I find the garden entrance.

  “Ben!” I shout the moment I step inside. From the dining room, I know the walled garden is an elaborate labyrinth of hedges and shrubbery. It would be so easy to get lost if you don’t know your way, which I clearly don’t.

  “Ben!” I shout again before heading down a path on the right side of the garden.

  My head swivels as I search for Ben. Several times my feet slip on the gravel but I’m able to catch myself before I fall.

  “I swear to God, Ben, if I fall and ruin these pants, I’m going to murder you,” I growl out loud.

  And then it happens. My heel gets caught on something and I go down. Hard.

  “Son of a bitch!” I cry out. My heel is caught in a root and my foot is twisted. And holy balls does it hurt. “BEN! Where the fuck are you?”

  As if to make matters worse, I look up at the house. Everyone is standing in front of the windows overlooking the garden, watching this horrific shit show. Hot tears spring from my eyes and begin streaming down my cheeks. This isn’t how today was supposed to go.

  The sound of gravel crunching underfoot is music to my ears. Ben is finally here to save the day!

  Except, it’s not Ben. It’s some old man in dirty clothes. “Are you alright, miss?”

  I pound my fist into the gravel out of frustration. “I tripped,” I pout. “And I think my ankle is sprained.”

  And my pants are ruined, I mentally add. The knees are stained with dirt which I doubt will come out.

  “Oh dear,” the old man frets. “Well, there’s a bench just over there. Let me help you up and we’ll hobble on over to it.”

  “I’ve got her George.” Ben’s voice is wa
rm, and I sag with relief even though I want to snap It’s about fucking time.

  Ben’s familiar hands slide under my arms and gently, he lifts me until I’m balancing on just one foot. Then he bends and lifts me into his arms and carries me the short distance to the bench. His hold on me is firm as we sit down and he reaches up to brush away my tears with the pad of his thumb.

  “I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” he says softly. “I didn’t mean to just dash out like that.”

  “Why did you?” It seemed like he was jealous of them which makes me wonder if his desire to get married has something to do with his anger at his brother and Vanessa.

  “I agreed not to talk about marriage, remember?”

  “Are you jealous they’re getting married?”

  Ben looks disgusted. “God, no! Vanessa is an awful person and I’m sorry to say that once, I was engaged to her.”

  “Really?”

  “At the time, I thought it was the right thing to do. We’ve known each other since primary school and have similar backgrounds. It seemed like a good match.” He rests his forehead against mine. “Thank god it wasn’t otherwise I wouldn’t have met you.”

  He kisses the tip of my nose and smiles.

  “So, why did you storm out of the dining room?”

  “Because Alastair will finally have the money to buy me out.” He pinches the bridge of his nose and winces like he’s in pain. “Vanessa’s father owns a large development company and he’s long coveted the land Alistair wants to buy.”

  “Shit.” Even though Ben is adamant about not running the estate, he seems hell-bent on making sure his brother doesn’t gain sole ownership of it.

  “And now you’re hurt because of me,” he says, glancing down at my ankle which has started to swell. “We should get some ice on that.”

  “We should,” I agree. “But first I want you to kiss me.”

  “I kiss you all the time, Milly.”

  I shake my head. “You haven’t kissed me in days.”

  Ben slides his hand up through my hair and leans forward until his lips barely touch mine. His kiss is soft and hesitant but, in an instant, he deepens it. My hands clench the lapels of his suit jacket as I reciprocate, kissing him hard.

  I want to marry you; I tell him with my kiss. I’m afraid to lose you.

  As if he could read my mind, Ben breathes out, “Marry me.”

  “Yes,” I reply in barely a whisper.

  He kisses me harder, deeper, swallowing my answer.

  “Do you mean it?” There’s a glow in his eye and a hint of a smile on his lips.

  “Yes,” I assure him.

  His smile turns into the biggest fucking grin I’ve ever seen.

  “You’ve made me the happiest fucking man in the world.”

  “Take me back to the cabin,” I suggest. We’ve wasted so much time over the last few days. It feels like a huge weight has been lifted and all I want is him. Correction: I need him.

  He presses his lips against my neck and hums. “I’ve got a better idea.” Ben’s hands slide under my ass as he stands. He carries me farther into the garden, away from the house until he stops at a what could only be described as a shed.

  “It’s not ideal but it’ll do,” he says once he’s set me down. He twists the handle on the door and with a little effort, it opens with a loud creak.

  It smells like wet dirt inside but who am I to complain when the moment I enter the shed, Ben has me pinned to the back wall. His mouth covers mine, claiming me in a hungry kiss and his hands drag down my front until his fingers find the waistband of my trousers.

  “I’ll buy you a new pair,” he murmurs right before he rips them open. He shoves his hand inside and his fingers brush against my panty-clad pussy. He smiles with approval because it doesn’t take much to make me wet and wanting.

  “Take these off,” he commands as he steps back and shrugs out of his suit jacket. I push my trousers and panties down my thighs and step out of them until I’m wearing nothing but my silk blouse and heels. He unbuttons his pants and pushes them down his thighs before freeing his cock from the confines of his red boxer briefs.

  I lick my lips appreciatively but there’s no time for extra fun. Ben’s gaze is dark, and I can tell he means business. He steps forward and lifts me, draping my legs around his waist. With one arm holding me steady, he reaches between our bodies and positions his cock at my entrance. His head bends slightly as he kisses me sharply right before he thrusts into me.

  Sharp splinters dig into my back from the rough wall as Ben presses me against it, driving his cock deeper and deeper into me. But I feel no pain because all I feel is the overwhelming fullness of Ben. He’s everywhere and from the way he’s fucking me, he has no intention of ever letting me go.

  Ben

  “I suppose I’ll have to buy you a new blouse too,” I tell Milly as I cradle her in my arms.

  She snuggles into my neck and makes the cutest fucking sounds. “You don’t have to buy me a damn thing.”

  “I’m glad but we can’t go back to the main house like this.” My suit is dirty and a bit wrinkled but it’s still wearable. Milly’s clothes, on the other hand, look like they’ve been mauled by a fucking wild animal. I smile proudly because when it comes to Milly, I’m practically feral. “I’m sure George has some extra coveralls around here.”

  She wrinkles her nose at the suggestion of wearing a pair of George’s dirty, greasy coveralls. “What a first impression,” she groans, covering her face with one hand. “They all watched me fall right on my ass and I’m sure they stayed to watch you carry me away like a caveman.”

  “You just agreed to marry me! If that doesn’t call for a celebratory shag, then what does?” Her laughter is music to my ears. My hold on her tightens as I kiss the top of her head. “You made me the happiest fucking man today, Milly.”

  “I’m terrified of losing you more than I am of loving you.”

  “Why does love scare you?”

  “Trusting someone with your heart, trusting they won’t break it is difficult. I’ve seen too many good women give away their heart way too easily only to have it broken. I don’t want to end up like them.”

  “So, you’ve never experienced a heartbreak?”

  She sighs and starts to shift her body, but I refuse to let her escape. “Yes, I have,” she says after a long silence. “I gave myself to a guy completely to the point where I lost myself. It was my first real, serious relationship. I did what I thought was expected of me. When we broke up, I was devastated because I had no idea who I was without him.”

  There’s a soft sniffle. I place my fingers under her chin and tilt her face up. Tiny rivers of tears cascade down her cheeks. “I will never let that happen, Milly. I love that you’re independent and I will always be your home, waiting to welcome you back.”

  She opens her mouth to speak but no words come out. Honestly, none are needed. Any man lucky enough to earn Milly’s love would promise the exact same thing. Lucky for me, most men are selfish idiots who think with their cocks.

  We spend the next ten minutes rifling around George’s shed, looking for something suitable for Milly to wear. We manage to find a fairly clean t-shirt which is much too big and covers just enough of her arse to get her into the Range Rover without giving the whole family a show. I examine her ankle which is slightly swollen; it’s probably a minor sprain and will heal in a few days.

  “I’ll make our excuses while you wait in the car,” I tell her as we step out into the blinding sunlight.

  Milly uses her tattered clothing to hide some of her bits that dare to peek out as I help her hobble up the main drive. Thankfully, no one is around but I can feel the heat of my family’s eyes on my back. When Milly is situated inside the Range Rover, I make my way inside the main house where my parents are waiting expectantly.

  “Milly had an accident. We need to run back to the lodge park so she can change clothes,” I explain.

  “You needn’t bother retur
ning, Benjamin,” my mum hisses.

  “What do you mean?”

  “First you embarrass your brother and Vanessa with your tantrum. Then you refuse to help your brother achieve his dreams.”

  “His dreams, mum? What about mine? Doesn’t what I want matter in this family at all?”

  My mum’s lips form a tight line and her eyes narrow in a cruel stare. “Your brother will become the Earl of Strafford. He has worked hard to bring Waterstone Hall back to life. He deserves this!”

  My blood is boiling. “Right. Nothing I do matters. I’ve got a fucking degree from the London School of Economics and even that isn’t good enough!”

  “Ben, wait,” my father calls out. I turn back because he’s a good man and an even better father. He might be a bit of a pushover at times but I love him dearly.

  “I’m sorry dad,” I say softly.

  “I just wanted to tell you Milly is a fine lass. You’re quite jammy, my boy.” He claps me on the shoulder and winks.

  “I’m quite lucky, dad. I know.”

  “Mind the road on your way back to London.” He wraps me tight in a bear hug before he turns and walks away. From the corner of my eye, I catch the disapproving glare of my mum.

  I can’t take any more of this. Before either of us can say something we’ll absolutely regret, I turn on my heel and leave.

  “What happened,” Milly asks.

  “Doesn’t matter. We’re going home.”

  Milly

  Ben’s silence lasts longer than the five-hour car ride home from Malton. It lasts for days. While I pack, he sulks and stomps around the house, never uttering more than a few words to me. It’s frustrating but I’m not about to push him for answers. If this is how he wants to spend my last few days in London, then he’ll be sorry once I’m gone.

  I’ve also been researching ways not to go back to the States, and it doesn’t look good. It seems I’m unable to change my visitor’s visa to one that will allow me to stay indefinitely now that Ben and I are engaged. I absolutely have to return to the States.