Chapter Fifteen
I hear my alarm come to life and I open my eyes.
There's a weight against my back and it takes me a few seconds longer to remember what happened last night.
A smile creeps across my face and I turn my alarm off before turning around to greet Bennett for the day.
I have to get up and help with the animals, but I don't want to just slip out of the bed.
I lean forward and kiss the tip of his nose.
He makes a grunting noise and tilts his head back, away from me. He's still fast asleep.
I give him a minute before I try to wake him up again. This time, I run a finger down the side of his face. His eyes flutter open slowly and the sight takes my breath away for a moment. Then he groans and buries his face back into the pillow. "It's too early."
"You're the one that agreed to go watch the sunrise," I remind him.
We talked for nearly three hours yesterday, mostly about past relationships and the lessons we've learned from them or the memories that still linger in Bennett's case.
We ended up going back into the city to his place so he could grab some clothes and ingredients to make us dinner tonight.
He insisted, saying that it was the least he could do.
I really don't mind cooking for someone else, but he wouldn't have it.
"But that was before I realized how sleepy and warm I'd be at five-thirty in the morning.
" Bennett's voice is muffled, still in the pillow.
I sneak my hand below the blanket and rub up and down his side.
I can feel the dips between his ribs and the smooth skin that's exposed just above his hip.
I wouldn't mind staying in this bed either, but I don't know if we're both ready for where my mind is taking me.
"It's actually five," I say. He lets out another groan, but rolls onto his back. "We have to get up and get to the spot before five-thirty or we'll miss the first rays. Come on. I promise, you can come back and sleep after."
"Fine," he says. I help him sit up and he leans his head on my shoulder immediately.
"You're worse than a kid," I say with a laugh. "Come on. We're going to miss it."
I finally get him standing on his feet. He's wearing a pair of blue pajama pants and a tank top.
It shows off his biceps, which are surprisingly defined given that he's a professor.
His body definitely doesn't scream nerd.
I direct him to grab the pillows while I fold up the blanket and bring it out to the truck with me.
The porch light illuminates enough for me to drop the tailgate and fold back the cover on the bed.
I put it down last night because I knew we'd be using it and didn't want it to be wet with dew.
Bennett comes sauntering out slowly, one hand rubbing at his eyes. He looks equal parts hot and adorable.
I take the pillows from him and the help him into the passenger side. He gives me a sleepy smile and leans down to kiss my lips quickly before I close the door. I don't know how long it'll take him to actually wake up, but I hope it's in time to see the sun coming up.
The ride across the farm is bumpy and I try to take them slow, but a few dips are unavoidable.
I turn down an unmarked path we use often.
It leads up a hill and there's a clearing that my dad made decades ago that leads to the perfect spot to watch the sunrise.
For the longest time, there was a double swing up here and we could almost always find both Mom and Dad sitting and talking.
I'm sure Charlie used this area to impress past girlfriends as well.
I… Well, I tried once and that didn't end well.
It was the story I told Clark the other day.
I haven't even thought about bringing anyone else up here until now.
"You're quiet," Bennett's voice says, pulling me out of my thoughts. I glance over at him and smile. He seems more awake now.
"I was just thinking that you're the first person I've brought up here," I say honestly. "My parents cleared this area and my brother definitely brought girls here, but I've never used it to my advantage."
"To your advantage, huh? Is this some magical place that's going to make me fall in love with you?"
"Oh, I don't need anything but myself to help with that," I say with a joking tone. "But no, it really is magical here. I'll sometimes ride Zula up here to get away or just relax. It's set perfectly that you don't see anything but nature. No cities, street poles, roads. Just land."
I park the truck just right and we get out to unfold the blanket.
I help Bennett up into the bed and climb in myself.
It isn't the most comfortable with just the one blanket, but that doesn't stop either of us from cuddling together.
I spent all night wrapped up in Bennett's arms, so this time I offer him to rest his head on my shoulder.
"We have about ten more minutes before the clouds will start to change colors and then the sun will be up about fifteen minutes after that."
"Mmm, whatever should we do to pass the time, Mister Hargraves?" Bennett tilts his head back and I look down at him. This close, we can see each other clearly.
The kiss starts out soft and slow. It's a few pecks, then our lips linger together longer.
We're moving together, anticipating the next one's move.
His tongue brushes against the seam of my lips and I part them easily.
I feel his hand against my chest, traveling up past my collarbone to rest gently around the front of my throat.
He isn't squeezing, isn't trying to choke me, but he does use his thumb to tilt my head to the side as he deepens the kiss.
In the next moment, he's straddling my lap and our lips connect again.
It's hasty now, tongues swirling together and lips smacking with each connection.
"Put your hands on me, Nelson. Please." He says the words between kisses and I oblige readily.
I wrap my arms around him at first, but then my hands snake under his shirt, running calloused fingers up and down either side of his spine.
I feel him shiver at my touch, a silent encouragement to keep going.
He still has the one hand on my throat and the other is running through my hair.
When we do part, I'm out of breath. We stare at each other, smiling, as we share the same breath of air.
The sky around us is already getting lighter.
Bennett seems to realize this too and turns around, still in my lap.
I part my legs and let him settle his head against my chest. We sit quietly and watch the sunrise.
Bennett plays with my fingers while we sit there. It's a perfect start to the morning.
My phone alarm goes off way too soon. Bennett startles at the noise, even though nature has fully woken up with the birds and other creatures singing around us. I turn the alarm off and let out a long sigh.
"I have to go take care of the animals now," I whisper. I kiss the side of Bennett's face before continuing. "You can go back to sleep for a while longer and I'll come back and wake you up."
"Sounds perfect," he says. Neither of us move though. "I would offer to help, but I know nothing about being around big animals like that."
I rest my chin on his shoulder, watching the sun rise more. The whole sky is a beautiful orange and yellow now, the clouds in a pattern that resemble waves. It was a great morning for this.
"It's okay. Maybe one day we can come up here on horseback."
"You'll have to teach me how to ride first," Bennett says. "I've been on a horse twice in my life and both times were in a small arena and I was being led by someone else."
"It's a date," I whisper in his ear. "But seriously, I do need to get back now."
"Fine." Bennett moves to the edge of the tailgate and gets down.
I follow behind him and walk around the side of the truck to open the door for him.
He gives me one more kiss before climbing in and buckling up.
I get behind the wheel on my side and start the truck up, turning on the air because the temperature is already starting to rise with the sun.
"I can cook us breakfast while you're working, if you want. Do you have anything to make?"
"You don't have to do that," I say automatically.
"I want to," he argues back. "I'm a pretty decent cook and it'll be a teaser to what I make you tonight."
"If you insist," I agree. From what I can tell with the ingredients he brought back from his apartment, he's making some sort of dumplings with rice and veggies. "And help yourself to whatever is in the kitchen. I went shopping a few days ago so it's still mostly stocked on all the essentials."
"Do you want to stay again tonight?" I ask after we finish dinner together.
Bennett has been hanging around the house today, which is something that I do not mind in the slightest. We finished the last half of the movie we started last time, cuddling on the couch.
We also may have made out on the couch like we were teenagers.
At least until my back started screaming that I couldn't hold that position anymore.
Bennett laughed at me when I told him why I needed to stop.
"I wish I could," he says. "I have to get ready for class on Thursday. I think if I stay here, I won't want to leave tomorrow either."
"I'm okay with that," I say. I move from the sink to where he's standing by the back of the couch.
He's sitting against it, in his usual teacher stance.
Ankles and arms crossed. He drops his arms though, when I stand in front of him, his hands resting on my hips.
"Are you leaving now or staying for a bit longer? "
"I don't know." He pulls me closer to him and I willingly let him hold me close. My body is bigger than his, taller and broader, but I'm all for letting him manhandle me. "What would we do if I do stay?"