I’m Curious About You

 

Kelly sat with her legs crossed and her head tilted as she watched the man she’d been this close to sleeping with slowly regain the clamp on his control. When Benjamin returned from his bedroom with a shirt on and a watch box in his hand, her disappointment mounted.

Please tell me you keep your stash of protection in that fancy case.

He sat beside her and kept very still. “It’s taking every last scrap of my energy to hold it together and pretend I’m a gentleman right now.” He glanced at her, his blue eyes still dark with desire. “I’m only doing this because you’re not just any woman to me.”

The confession helped to soothe her disappointment about not getting any tonight.

“What is it?” she jerked her chin at the box.

“It’s you.”

“Me?” She accepted the case and twirled it over in her hands. It looked expensive, but she wasn’t so familiar with the brand names. Rene would have a better handle on what line the item was from and even when it had been unveiled to the public.

“It’s my Louis Moinet Limited Edition watch. Every stone on that watch was cut by the same jeweler to ensure that the cut signatures remained consistent throughout the piece.”

“Wow.” She opened the box and was impressed by the watch cushioned in the velvety depths. “It must be expensive.”

“It’s priceless,” he said. “A gift from my father.”

“Oh.”

He held out his hand, revealing a leather watch that—though made of fine quality—came nowhere near to the grandiose of the watch she held. “I got this for a couple hundred bucks at the mall. I wear it in the city, and I’m not afraid if it gets stolen or scratched because I can always buy another.”

Kelly glanced at the watch she cradled. “How often have you worn this one?”

“Once. It was a huge gala hosted by my father and several international dignitaries were present.”

“Why are you showing me this?”

Instead of showing me more interesting things? Preferably naked.

Oblivious to her thoughts, Benjamin pointed to the watch on his wrist. “I sometimes forget this watch in my pocket and throw it in the wash with my laundry. I drop it on the floor. I use it how and when I want because I feel like it. To me it has no value.”

“And this—I—do?” She held up the box.

“I would think about where I set the Louis Moinet after I took it off. If there’s water around when I’m wearing it. If it’s too loose on my hand so it could fall off. I make sure it’s comfortable. Clean. Safe. I would never put it in the same place where I keep my cheap watch. It’s too valuable.”

“So you won’t sleep with me… because I’m valuable.”

“I don’t want to treat you the way other men have in the past. I don’t want to treat you the way I’ve treated women in my past.”

“Because I’m valuable to you.” She was starting to get it. “You think I’m worth putting in the extra effort.”

“I know you’re worth that effort.”

Kelly frowned. “But why does that mean no sex?”

He laughed.

“What’s so funny?”

“I’m sorry. You look like a puppy begging for a meal right now.”

“Ignoring the fact that you’ve compared me to a dog, I don’t see anything wrong with two consenting adults sharing a mutually enjoyable activity. It’s not like we’re teenagers standing on the cusps of our future.”

“I’m standing on the cusps of mine.” Benjamin tapped his chest. “From the moment I first saw you I knew it, and that understanding’s only gotten stronger the more I’ve gotten to know you.”

Kelly blinked, blown away by his raw honesty.

“I want you to see that you can trust me,” Benjamin said. “That in the future, even if some other girl tries to capture my interest and even if she gets as far as we have tonight, I wouldn’t give in just because we’re—how did you put it? ‘Consenting adults sharing a mutually enjoyable activity.’”

“You’re promising you wouldn’t cheat.”

“I’m promising that the way I value you would make me think twice about it.”

“You realize that you’re bizarre, right? Any man would jump at the chance to have sex. Whether they value their partner or not.”

“My father raised me to respect women,” he said. “Those are my values. You can take them or leave them.”

“I want to take them,” she admitted. “But I also want to take you. In the physical sense. I don’t see that changing.”

He smiled. “Since we’re being upfront about it, I want you too. In the physical sense.”

Kelly simply could not wrap her brain around their non-existent problem. “Then go ahead!” She unzipped her skirt. “Take me here. On the floor. On the wall. On the table. Just do it!”

Benjamin reached out, gently slipped her zipper back up and tapped the curve of her butt. Then he closed her fingers over the box.

“I want you to have it.”

“What?” Kelly froze. “I can’t. It’s too expensive. And it’s from your father.”

 “You’re worth more to me than that watch,” he said, his blue eyes boring into hers. “Take it.”

“I’m trying to understand you. I really am, but I don’t get it.” She licked her lips and confessed. “I like you.”

“And I’m… curious about you.”

Kelly had been expecting a similar admission and was momentarily taken aback by his answer. “Curious? What does that even mean?”

He ran his hand down her chin and tucked a lock of her dark hair behind her ear. “Date me.”

She leaned forward. “Kiss me.”

“Trust me.”

“Sleep with me.”

Benjamin smiled. “I’d kiss you, but I don’t think it would stop there.”

“That’s what I’m hoping for.”

“I wish you could see yourself the way I see you.”

“Naked?”

“Priceless.”

She groaned in frustration and gave up on teasing Benjamin out of his clothes. At least for now.

“One of the reasons I don’t understand you is because we barely know each other. It’s been a little over a week since we met.” She reasoned. “How do you know I’m worth so much? What’s so ‘curious’ about me?”

“Every woman deserves respect,” Benjamin said. “And you… for starters, you kissed me.”

Her stomach flipped. “How many times do I have to explain—?”

“I’m kidding.” Benjamin rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “When I met Clayton and he started gushing about this girl who lived in the apartment—how she always took care of him and did everything he wanted, I was curious.”

Kelly tilted her head and listened, not quite sure she liked the idea of Benjamin’s interest arising from Clayton’s description of her.

“When I asked if you were his wife and he couldn’t answer, I was even more intrigued. What kind of girl treated a man with such love when he wasn’t giving her the same? I wanted to meet you and ask you for myself.”

“So basically, I’m a psychology project.” Kelly slapped her hands on her thighs and stood. “Good to know.”

“Not so fast.” His hand snaked out and he tugged her down into his lap. Kelly’s annoyance cleared on impact.

This is what I’m talking about.

“Don’t get distracted,” Benjamin said, lightly kissing her ear. “This is important.”

If he wanted her to focus, he shouldn’t have kissed her. Kelly battled the urge to turn around, wrap her legs around his waist, and build off Benjamin’s first move, but sensing that he really wanted to get his point across, she calmed down.

“Go ahead.”

“The more time I spent around you, the more layers you revealed. The more I thought I’d uncovered, the more you gave me to figure out.” He lightly rubbed her shoulder. “I think… I’m going to be curious about you forever.”

“Does that include sex?”

“Kel…” he made a sound between a laugh and a groan.

“Sorry. Just thought I’d put it out there.” She clasped her hands together. “So… where does that leave us? I’m going to be honest, Benjamin. I’m not comfortable merging my professional and my personal life long term. You’re my boss. You’re an American. I don’t even want to think about the world of wealth and connections that you come from. I’m a simple girl.”

“I’m a simple guy.”

“Oh no, you’re not. If you were a simple guy, you would have bitten off my panties, done your business, and moved on.”

Her words seemed to stir him for he set her off his lap immediately. “You’ve got a gift for visuals.”

“Torture yourself all you want.” Kelly rose. “At the end of the day, it’s better for both of us if you value me like the common watch on your hand and get rid of your curiosity once and for all.”

“You drive a hard bargain,” he said. “But treating a Louis Moinet like a piece of trash won’t make it any less of a Louis Moinet.”

“We’ll see how long you hold out.” Kelly shrugged her jacket more firmly on her shoulders.

Benjamin rose as well and closed her hand over the watch box. “When you understand what I’ve said tonight, you can give it back to me.”

“I guess I’m keeping it forever,” she mumbled under her breath as she walked to the door and closed it behind her.