I’m impressed by Ben’s birthday gift for Ashton. Those pictures were perfect and the locket itself is perfect for her. When he said he had a gift for her I assumed it was an iTunes gift card or a book. Then again, I shouldn’t be surprised he went out of his way to get her the perfect present. He’s that guy.
I watch Ashton subconsciously finger the locket on the chain as she rambles on and on about, well I don’t really know. I’m a horrible friend because instead of listening to her, I’m more interested in watching the way Ben moves his arms while talking to his dad in the front seat. I can’t help but imagine what those arms would be like holding him over me as he kisses me. His hands really are quite big, have I ever noticed that before? His fingers, I bet they can create magic.
“Hello!” Fingers snap in front of my face, pulling me from my less-than-innocent thoughts. “Are you even listening to me?”
“What? Oh sorry, I was just thinking about how much I love you and how much fun we’re going to have.” Liar, pants on fire.
“Well, of course we are! Are you going to dance with me? I feel like dancing tonight. Plus, you’ve got on your dancing boots!”
Ben laughs and turns around from the front seat. He looks at me with eyes full of questions and mischief. I roll my eyes at him and turn toward Ash. “First, stop shouting, we are all right here. Second, I’m pretty sure I don’t dance. Like ever. And last, I always have my boots on. Look, we’re here.”
Chuckles from the front seat won’t sway me from my “no dancing” rule. I’m laughing to myself and shaking my head as we head inside Country Road. I will never understand why Ashton would want to spend her nights off at her place of employment, but here we are. Of course, this thought on my part may be the fact that my place of employment smells like glue and crayons. Regardless, I don’t understand.
Ash links arms with me and attempts to get me to skip with her to the door. “Ashton, you did just turn twenty-five. Maybe you should give up the skipping.”
“Pish posh. I’m twenty-five not eighty-five! Come on, girlfriend, let’s boogie!”
It has been two hours since we arrived for the “Ashton turns twenty-five extravaganza” and so far so good. Ashton is having a blast and there has been zero drama, aka no Tony sightings. I’ve enjoyed watching Ash float around laughing and dancing. I’ve also managed to dodge her demands for me to join her on the dance floor.
“Whew, it’s hot in here. Are you having fun, Pipe?” Ashton shouts at me as she flops into the booth next to me. She literally flops, almost laying down as she does it. Giggles and snorts abound as I slide a water toward her. “Drink up, Ash, you need to have some water.”
She doesn’t even argue and takes a few hearty drinks. The guys are all up at the bar right now taking shots. Well, all except Ben. I noticed he’s taken the same path as me and hasn’t been drinking. I have been stealing glances in his direction far too often.
“Shit. I knew it was too good to be true,” Ashton hisses.
I follow her sight line and notice my night of fun is about to end.
“Hey, sweetheart. Ashton.” Addressing Ashton must have killed Tony.
“Dickhead and dickhead’s friends. Could you leave, please? You’re ruining my good time.” I laugh as Ashton attempts to dismiss Tony and his friends.
“Nice to see you too, Ashton. But no. Last I checked you don’t actually own this place. Plus, I want to see my girl. How about a dance, Piper?”
I glance toward the bar and see that Ben has caught sight of our newly arrived guests. He turns to walk toward us and Jameson stops him. They exchange a few words and now all the guys are headed our way. This can’t be good.
“Tony, hey. What’s up?” Jameson asks, offering his hand to Tony.
“Hey, man. Not much, just seeing if my girl is up for a dance.”
I hear a low rumbling of a growl come from Ben as Ashton hops up from her seat. “No can do, dickhead. She’s already got a full dance card. Ben, weren’t you just about to take Piper for a spin on the dance floor?”
My eyes go wide as I look up through my lashes. “Ash, hush. Ton…”
“You bet I was,” Ben says as he extends his hand to me and I take it. “Shall we? Excuse us, guys.”
Holding my hand, Ben leads me to the dance floor as a slower song comes through the speakers. My heart can probably be heard over the music, it’s beating so loud. My palms are sweating and my breathing is questionable. It’s possible I’m having a heart attack. At twenty-five.
As he pulls me to him with ease, I find my body melting into Ben, my nerves easing, and the tension leaving my body. Just as I’m starting to relax, his right hand comes around to grip my lower back and I let out a little gasp and he laughs. My eyes shoot up to his to find him smirking and his eyes hazy with more than humor. Lust? It’s not something I’m really privy to but if I were to put a label on it, lust would be the one.
“Relax, Princess.”
“Sorry, I am not much of a dancer and I feel like everyone is watching us. It’s nerve-wracking.”
“Well, they are all watching us, but I think that is a good thing. If they are over there they can’t talk to us. I don’t know about you but being sober around that group is exhausting. I’m ready to call it a night and them a cab.”
I couldn’t agree more and laugh at his comment. “I thought it was just me. I love your sister but the more she drinks the higher her pitch goes.”
We manage to relax. Okay, I manage to relax for the rest of the song. And the next two. I don’t know who decided to play all of these slow songs but I’m not complaining. Three songs in this man’s arms is nothing to avoid. With each song I find myself closer and closer to his body. At this point, we are practically one person.
As the final song ends, I begin to pull away. Ben clears his throat to say something but is interrupted. “Well done, you two. Captain asshole and his friends left. I guess he figured out Piper wasn’t interested. Thanks for taking one for the team, Ben.” Ashton has managed to separate us and is standing between us as the music switches over to something faster.
I offer Ashton a small smile, the kind that is forced and not sincere. I feel disappointed that our moment has passed but that’s exactly what has happened.
“I think I’m going to call it a night, Ash.”
“No! What? Why? Come onnnnn…Pipes, stay. Please!”
“I’m just exhausted and since I didn’t exactly know we were doing something tonight I didn’t plan on being out late. I have so much to do and besides we leave in like forty hours for the lake. You stay and have fun. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” I grab her and hug her before I turn toward Ben. “Thanks for the dance. I appreciate the intervention from Tony. I guess I’ll see you later.”
Before either of them can respond I return to the table and grab my things. There are usually a few cabs outside Country Road and I manage to grab one immediately. Once I’m safely inside the car, I am overwhelmed with exhaustion. My anxiety has been through the roof since I found those damn roses on my car. If I thought for a second I was going to convince myself they weren’t from Tony, I was mistaken.
As I’m leaning my head back and massaging my temples, wishing it was a real massage, my phone alerts a text. Actually a few in succession.
Ashton: Did ou mae hm!
Ben: Just wanted to see if you made it home safe.
Ben: I think Ash is trying to text you. I’m going to help her.
Ashton: Did you make it home safe?
I smile to myself as the cab pulls up in front of my apartment. I thank the cab driver and pay before exiting. Once I’m safely in my apartment I pull up the text messages, choosing to respond to Ashton before Ben.
Me: I’m home. Have fun and happy b-day. Love you.
Me: I’m home. Thanks for helping her.
Ashton: Luv u 2
Ben: Of course. Sleep well, Princess.
Me: Night, Cowboy.
Ben: I enjoyed having you in my arms.
Is Bentley Sullivan flirting with me? Surely he isn’t.
Ben: Hope for another soon.
Ben: Yes, I’m flirting. Now I have to get the birthday girl some water. Night.
I only allow myself a smile in response to the last text message. Once I have my boots off, I head to my bedroom. Sleep beckons me and my pillow is lonely.
I need to have a conversation with Ben this weekend; the flirting needs to stop.
Sadly.
The best part of our weekend at the lake is the three full days we are out of communication from the outside world. Aside from the land line in Jameson’s cabin we have no phone service. I also use the term cabin loosely. Really, it’s a large bedroom with a bathroom (yay) and a kitchenette where we happily brew coffee (double yay). The worst part of our weekend, well there are actually two, the first is that at the lake we sleep in tents and the second is that it means we are at the end of summer and I go back to work. I love what I do but come on, it’s summer.
Up before the birds, I’m enjoying a cup of coffee while I wait for Ashton to pick me up. After Ben’s flirtatious text messages the other night, I have hardly slept. I’m overwhelmed with feelings I shouldn’t have. Something about being in his presence puts me at ease. The way his voice settles over me is both comforting and panty melting. How can one man’s voice send goosebumps all over my body in sexual desire and comfort me like a familiar blanket?
My phone goes off with a text from Ashton telling me she’s downstairs. I grab my duffel and pillow before locking up and heading downstairs. I stop suddenly at the bottom step when I look up and see Ben standing next to his truck. He begins walking toward me but I’m stuck in place.
“Morning, Princess. Let me take your stuff.”
I silently hand him my bag. “I’ll keep my pillow, thanks.”
I follow him to the truck, and as I approach I see Ashton in the front seat.
“Hey, girl, Ben offered to drive. I agreed as long as I have control over the radio. Who knows what kind of crap music he discovered during his city years. Probably something awful.”
I shake my head at her assessment. I’ve been in this truck and can confirm that Ben’s music preferences are no different than hers or mine.
“Ashton, how much coffee have you had this morning? You’re awfully chipper.”
“Uh, I don’t know. Enough. I’m just excited. Three days of laying in the sun, drinking with my friends, and not a care in the world. You know this is my favorite weekend of the year. Plus, my big brother is here this year. Finally, someone to deal with Jameson and his dramatics. And, hopefully keep Tony from bugging you again.”
“Ugh, do not say his name. He’s like some evil spirit and if you say his name too many times, he’ll appear. And I, for one, don’t want to deal with him.”
“Good point. He isn’t stupid enough to show up at the lake this year. I mean, we all know he’s an idiot but surely he has enough sense to avoid any more scenes.”
I wish I could agree with her but if there’s one thing Tony likes, it is being the center of attention. Plus, he’s not on bad terms with the guys. Except Ben, that is.
“I’m looking forward to the lack of cell service and his inability to keep texting and calling me. I swear, Ash, if you thought that dance the other night was going to somehow keep him from me then you were mistaken. All that did was make him more determined.”
I catch Ben’s eye in the rearview mirror and offer him a shrug, telling him that it’s out of anyone’s control at this point. His response is a shake of his head followed by a sigh of frustration.
“Piper, I told you if he kept bothering you to tell me. Maybe he needs to be confronted. Your niceties don’t seem to be working.”
“Ben, I appreciate it but really he’s harmless. I think it’s less about me and more about the fact that I broke up with him. Other than tears of humiliation I haven’t even cried over it. Obviously he isn’t the love of my life or anything. Plus, since he thinks you are interested in me he’s just going to be like he was in high school and try to win. This time, instead of the role of starting pitcher, I just happen to be the trophy.”
Ashton laughs until she’s bent over smacking her leg like it’s some sort of tambourine. Ben looks at her and I look at him, both of us confused at what she’s laughing at.
“What’s so funny?”
“You. Ben being interested, that’s gross. Tony’s an idiot. You’re like a little sister to him. Now, everyone hush, you’re killing the coffee buzz I have going.”
I shake my head at her comment and cuddle into my pillow; car rides always are a one-way ticket to a nap. Before I doze off I offer up a silent request to the man upstairs. Please make this weekend drama free and encourage Ben to leave the flirtations at home. Amen.