Chapter Seventeen — Marissa
The last person I expected to see at my doorway was Ben Price. As surprised as I am to see him there, though, I am more surprised to see that the paparazzi aren't there: I expected they would be following him everywhere now that news of his trade was leaked.
I want to be covering that story so badly, but instead, I only know little snippets of what was happening. It seems that everyone is being kept in the dark until Ben has a smooth transition to wherever his new home will be—so that he can take a little break from the crazy fan girls and everything else that comes along with his fame.
But everyone knows that Ben is going somewhere, and no one really seems to know what to think of it.
I open the door, only hesitating for a moment. Because even though Ben is responsible for my losing my job and everything else, I also know that I can't really be upset with him, not when he's proven himself to be pretty selfless as well. It would have been easy for him to throw me under the bus and accuse me of trying to extort money from him and the team. But he didn't do that. Instead, he gave up his own dream and helped me out a little.
I respect that.
Anyway, I can't seem to stop thinking about that one night that we had shared together. It doesn't help that practically everywhere I go, there's some sort of reminder of it, either because the press have come after me again and are begging me for a quote or for some sign of our ongoing relationship, or because I find myself walking past that barbecue joint that we'd gone to after our day at the children's hospital, or because…
He's in my head, and I can't seem to forget about him.
“What's up?” I ask a bit nervously as I let him into my front hall.
Ben smiles at me, and he almost looks surprised, as though he didn't even expect that much from me. “I just wanted to come by and see how you were doing,” he tells me.
I shrug a little, wondering just how I'm supposed to respond to a question like that. I've been looking for a new job, but it's been pretty fruitless and frustrating—partly because I just don't know what I want to do with myself anymore. Of course, I don't really need to worry about it when I have such a generous settlement coming to me from the Chicago Kings. But even if I put a bunch of that money into savings, it won't last forever, and anyways, I would get bored if I had nothing to do with myself during the days.
“Things have been all right,” I finally say. “Not great, but they've been okay.”
“That's good,” Ben says. It seems as though there's something else that he really wants to say, but he can't seem to find the words for it, and I don't know that I want to press him.
“Was there...anything else?” I ask timidly.
Ben laughs a little. “Sorry, I know I'm making things kind of weird, just showing up like this. I had this whole speech written out in my head, but as soon as I saw you, it was like it went out the window.”
He took a deep breath, and I suddenly wondered if it was possible that I made Ben Price nervous! “Do you want a drink or something?” I ask, leading the way into the house without waiting for his response. Maybe that'll loosen him up a bit.
Ben catches my wrist, though, and the words come out of him in a rush. “I'm going to be moving,” he tells me. “I don't know where yet, but the Chicago Kings have decided to trade me.” He frowns. “They're going to give me a choice of where I'll end up, and of course I have some ideas in the back of my head. But there's no question about it: I'm going to be moving. Probably in a few months, as soon as my leg has healed up a little.”
“Oh,” I say, surprised—even though I know that I shouldn't be. It will be strange to see Ben playing for a different team, though, after watching him play for the Kings for so many years.
“Yeah, oh,” Ben says, grinning. “Anyway, that thing is… Well, Marissa, I was wondering if maybe you'd consider giving me a second chance. I can't seem to stop thinking about you, and-”
I can't even let him finish what he's saying before I'm surging up to kiss him. It startles both of us, I think, and his hands have to come up to catch my waist and steady me as I threaten to topple both of us—I have to remember that he's still on crutches.
Ben pulls away, laughing a little, his eyes twinkling. “Hey, Marissa, I’ve fallen in love, with you. I know it’s crazy, rushed, and serious, but I’m hoping wherever I am, you will be there too.” he says quietly, brushing back my hair and gazing deep into my eyes, as though checking to make certain that this is really what I want.
And I know that's not a decision that I can really make right now. And love? Not sure if that is what it is – maybe for him. But me? I’d have to observe his actions to see if he was for real. I wince a little and look away from him, feeling as though I've just misled him. “Ben, that is so sweet. Believe me if we had been dating for a while, I would say yes…but you have to understand, I’ve been through a lot the last few weeks. And you're not going to be in Chicago anymore,” I say flatly.
“No,” Ben agrees. There's a long pause, and I can tell he's struggling to say something. “But now that you won't be working for the Chicago Kings, maybe you won't be here in Chicago either.”
My first thought is to reject that outright—because there's no way I can move to a different city just to be with a guy that I barely know. Only it feels as though I do know Ben—even this new Ben that I'm seeing in front of me right now, the Ben who might actually be a good guy.
And anyway, he sounds so hopeful that I can't help considering it.
“It would depend on where you're moving to,” I tell him finally.
Ben laughs. “Why, because you already know what kind of job you're looking for?”
“No,” I say, tossing my hair a little. “But I refuse to support one of Chicago's rival teams, even if you do end up as a star quarterback for them!”
Ben snorts and shakes his head. “The hazards of dating a woman who is interested in sports,” he says with mock exasperation.
I shrug a little, ducking my head and looking up at him through my eyelashes. “Ben, I don't know-”
“Shh,” he says, laying a finger over my lips. “I want you to think about this—I don't need an answer right now. I just wanted to let you know that the door was open.” He grins ruefully. “And I'd prefer to know sooner rather than later so that I can make sure I'm looking at the right apartment size if you do choose to come with me.”
I laugh and shake my head. This is all moving so fast, but it feels so right…
I cock my head to the side. “Is that enough talking for now, then?” I ask. “Can you just shut up and kiss me, please?”
The kiss is sweltering hot, right from the start. I'm immediately impatient with the number of layers between my breasts and his hands as he strokes his talented, calloused fingers across my nipples, making me shiver with desire. He teased me with his tongue, until I was brimming with desire, desperate for him to fill me.
“Are you sure you're okay with this?” he asks as he pulls away.
For a moment, I can only stare breathlessly up at him, trying desperately to process his words. Then, I laugh and shake my head. “Just don't film it this time!” I tell him.
He grimaces, but I manage to smooth away the expression with another kiss which is just as heated as the last. I need more, though.
“Ben,” I whine, taking a step back so that I can begin stripping off my clothing. Ben just stares at me for a moment, looking almost dumbstruck, but then he quickly gets with the program, removing his clothing as well.
Then, he looks around, seeming suddenly uncertain. “Here?” he asks, gesturing around the hallway that we're still standing in.
I shrug a little, pulling him back close to me and nuzzling against his neck, breathing in his heady scent of cologne and skin. “I honestly don't care where it is, Ben, I just need you now. Inside of me.”
There's a curious flush that spreads across Ben, from his face down along his neck and into his chest, and I wonder what that's about. When I look questioningly up at him, he's looking tenderly down at me. “Marissa, I want to do this right,” he tells me.
I frown at him, my brow furrowing. “This isn't my first time,” I remind him. “That was-”
“I know,” Ben interrupts. “But that's all the more reason to do things right this time. I know I can never give you back your life or your virginity or anything else. But I want every time that we make love to be...special. To be what that first time never got to be.”
His words are like a sucker punch of feeling right to my gut. I can only stare at him for a moment, feeling how wet I'm already becoming—and his hands have never strayed lower than my ribcage.
“I want that,” I agree.
“One day, we'll have fun exploring other places around your place—or our place, maybe,” Ben promises me. “But for right now...”
“Bed,” I say, leading the way.
In my room, Ben tumbles me back on the bed with practiced ease, and I can't help but giggle. Ben looks amused by the sound and bends down to capture it on his lips. Then, he nudges my legs open and slides a hand down there, testing the waters. He groans and buries his forehead against my collarbone.
“Marissa,” he says, sounding awed.
“What?” I asked, suddenly afraid that I've done something wrong.
“I just forgot how tight and hot you are,” he says, and it's my turn to blush at that. “Sorry, but seriously. You're such a special woman, do you know that?”
My lust spikes then, though, and I can't help rocking my hips a bit impatiently. Ben laughs but gets the picture, and his fingers slither inside of my feathery folds. That's about all that I can take before I'm climaxing hard.
Ben looks astonished when I finally open my eyes again. “Did you just-” he begins to ask.
His fingers are still working inside of me, though, so all I can manage is a weak whimper, my eyes falling shut again.
“Oh darling,” Ben says tenderly. He pulls back a little, giving me a second to catch my breath and recover. Then, he nudges my legs wider apart. “Ready?” he asks.
I nod—but I'm pretty sure that words would still fail me if I tried to speak. Ben seems to read me like an open book, though, and he moves slowly to slot himself up against my entrance. I can still feel the stretch of the breach, but it's not as painful as it was last time. And this time, I can't help but feeling-
“Fuck,” I hiss as Ben seats himself fully inside of me.
“Too much?” he asks immediately, making a move to pull back. But instead, I hook my ankles behind his lower back and tug him forwards, desperate to feel that friction and that delicious angle again.
Ben seems to get the picture, and he begins moving almost frantically against me, setting a pace that I know will leave me aching in all the best ways by the time we're done. It isn't long before we're lying sticky and sated in the sheets, staring up at the ceiling.
“Yes,” I finally manage to whisper, putting all my promises into that simple word. Yes, I'll give him a second chance. Yes, I'll move to whichever city he ends up in. Yes, yes, yes.
I don't elaborate with words, but Ben understands me anyway. He pulls me closer against his side and kisses my hair, tracing idle patterns on my skin.