Chapter 9 Benny
BENNY
Ever since this afternoon, Sophie has been acting weird. Well, weirder than usual I guess. Maybe it’s the breakup, or maybe it’s Eli kissing her, or hell, maybe it’s Matthew and the obvious hearts in his eyes every time she walks in the room, I don’t know.
But I can’t help but feel like it’s something I did. Except, I know it’s selfish and crazy to think Sophie’s moods have anything to do with me. Obviously.
“You just about ready in there, princess?” I ask, knocking on the door. I swear she’s been in there for hours at this point and I’m starting to get concerned.
“Yeah, be out in a sec,” she says, and I take the moment to look over my outfit. Black dress pants and a black and red silk button-down with chili peppers on it.
One of my exes got it for me because she said I was “spicy” like one of the characters in her books, and though it’s not my favorite print, I know it was pricey because it’s pure silk.
And honestly, I don’t have a ton of dressy shit in my closet.
My daily wardrobe consists of black T-shirts, black jeans, and either my Converses or my studded boots if it’s nippy out.
Nice thing about owning your own tattoo shop is you can wear whatever the fuck you want when you’re the damn boss, and I like it that way.
I also like being the only employee, though Eli says I should hire some help. But I reason that it would take more energy and time for me to train someone, and why bother when I can just do it myself?
The door opens behind me and I see her in the mirror first. I turn around, looking at the stunning creature before me.
Her hair is pulled back behind her shoulders, some thick, highlighted tendrils framing her round, perfect face.
Dark black eye liner frames her eyes, her lashes full and thick.
She smiles, her lips pouty and shimmering with fresh gloss as she takes her bottom lip between her teeth and I have to resist the urge to groan because fuck…
I swear every time she does that I feel my cock harden and start to leak.
It also makes me want to bite that lip with my own teeth and show her who’s boss around here, but I know I need to rein it in.
That’s never going to happen.
Not because I don’t want it to, but because contrary to popular belief, I know my boundaries. I know where I stand with Sophie. I also know pursuing Sophie, even if she is single, on a whirlwind vacation fresh from a breakup with her brother’s wedding on the horizon, is a bad fucking idea.
But the problem with me is, I love bad ideas.
Bad ideas are always the most fun…
Eli’s words reverberate in my head. The ones he said to me when I was drunk after my ex left me to stay with her husband. I think back to that moment, how low I’d been. I opened up to fucking Eli of all people…
“If you want to be someone’s good idea, Benny, you need to see yourself as a good idea.”
I’m not sure if I can see myself that way, but I wish Sophie could, even if I know it’s crazy.
“You look stunning,” I tell her, because it’s true. The pink and purple floral print mini dress she’s wearing hugs her curves perfectly.
“Thanks,” she says with a soft smile which turns to a smirk rather quickly as she roves her gaze over me slowly. Appraising me. Judging me.
The way she’s looking at me right now makes me feel more on the spot than I’ve ever felt before. And when she gets to my waist, I don’t miss the quick flash as she dips her gaze to my groin or the flush of scarlet in her cheeks.
“See something you like, princess?” I tease her, knowing the reason.
“No, sorry, I just uh—” She squeezes her eyes shut as she shakes her head. “Can I ask you a personal question?”
I laugh, knowing what she’s going to ask, because it’s the same question most women ask if they know my name.
“The answer to your question is yes,” I say, sliding my hands into my pockets. I smirk at her.
“You don’t know what I was going to—” She opens her eyes and I shrug.
“You were going to ask if the rumors are true.” I clear my throat, holding her gaze. “They are.”
Her chest rises and falls as she purses her lips, keeping her gaze trained on me. “What rumors?” she says, flashing her eyelashes at me.
My lips curve into a devilish smile. “I think you know.”
“Maybe the rumors I heard and the rumors you think I heard are two different things. You shouldn’t assume things, Benny.”
I take a step closer to her. “It’s not an assumption. It’s fact.” I push some hair behind her ear without thinking. “Just like the fact that you look perfect like this.”
She looks away, or tries to, but I can’t resist touching her. I grasp her chin with my hand, turning her to look at me, and she follows my touch without question.
Fuck, that’s dangerous.
I could get used to obedience like that…
“I mean it,” I say, dropping my hand. Though I’m not sure if it’s for my sake or hers. Maybe both.
“So how about that drink?” I ask, my voice strangely darker than it should be.
Sophie nods. “Yeah, I could use a drink,” she says with a smirk. “Or two. Since you know, you do owe me.”
“That I do.”
“And another round of shots…” the bartender says as he doles them out to us.
Matthew and Sophie dive for the shots first as Eli stares at the ceiling, murmuring about how someone has to be the adult in the room, as if we’re not all fucking adults. Seriously, the guy really needs to let loose once in a while…
Sophie’s hand collides with mine as I grab my shot and she pouts. “Hey, that was mine!”
“Mine now, princess,” I taunt her as Lucy and Natalie pose for a selfie. Raegan and Sam have been trying to lick the remainder of their toasted marshmallow off each other’s mouths for the last hour.
“On that note, I think it’s time we turned in,” Mrs. Martin says as she passes us.
Dinner was amazing, as I knew it would be, but our night’s far from over. After dinner, cocktails by the fire was only the start. I meant what I said about buying Sophie a drink or two, as well as Matt and Eli. Though Eli has barely touched his beer and I’m about to chug it if he doesn’t.
“Good night, Mrs. Martin. Mr. Martin,” I say, trying to sound as polite as possible, but I can feel my control slipping.
“Night, boys,” she says. She looks at Sophie as if she wants to say something, but thinks better of it. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.”
Eli sits up straighter. “Absolutely.”
When she and Mr. Martin are gone, Sophie lets out a heavy sigh. “Finally.”
“Aren’t you guys ready to turn in? It’s been a long day,” Eli says as Tiffany comes up, plopping herself between me and Matthew.
“Hey, Matty,” she says, drunkenly leaning into him.
Seriously, does she really think that’s going to work? Matt’s a man with a cock, but he’s not into sloppy drunks. And Tiffany is definitely a sloppy drunk. I know, I’ve been there. With my cock down her throat.
Wasn’t as good as it should have been, all things considered, because all I could think about was Sophie in her teeny little pink polka-dot bikini splashing in the pool at her grad party. All I could do was hope she’d walk in and see me, and maybe then she’d see me.
Not as her brother’s best friend, but as something more…
Though at the time, I didn’t know what more was. I’m still not sure what more is, or if I’m even capable of it, but when I look at Sophie—even now—I want to know.
Maybe she could show me…
“I’ll buy you another one,” I say, shooting another shot.
“Maybe you should lay off the shots,” Eli says carefully.
“Who are you, my daddy?” I snap.
“Just saying, we do have breakfast tomorrow and it’s getting late. We’ve been up a long time and—”
Matthew groans. “I hate to say it, but he’s right, bro. I’m fucking beat…”
Tiffany squirms next to me as Matthew gets up and stretches, and I don’t miss the way both Tiffany and Sophie look at him. It pisses me off.
Because she bites her lip, staring at him.
Matthew fucking Peters.
Someone kill me.
I wish she’d look at me like that.
“Yeah, maybe I should head in too,” Tiffany says, but it’s not genuine.
I roll my eyes. “Fine, losers. Go to bed. Leave the partying to the real animals,” I say as I wrap my arm around Sophie, pulling her closer.
She falls into my embrace easily. Too easily, as she almost falls over, which elicits a laugh from her that soon turns almost maniacal. I can’t help but laugh too as Natalie and Lucy giggle.
Sam and Raegan stop kissing each other for five seconds to announce they’re heading in, and from the looks on their faces, we all know exactly what they plan on doing and I would wager it has nothing to do with sleep.
I order another round of drinks for the girls, including Sophie. It’s nearing eleven thirty by the time Lucy and Natalie leave, but Sophie is still dancing in her bare feet on the deck to the live band, her heels in a pile by the outdoor couch in the VIP area we’ve been hanging out in all night.
The singer drones on about having summertime sadness or blues or something and Sophie sways back and forth, oblivious to the world.
She’s so fucking beautiful. Not just in her looks, but in how she moves.
Her presence is like the moon. Always changing, yet always bright and lighting up everything it touches.
“Dancing?” I say, my words getting stuck in my throat. “Alone?”
“I’m not alone,” she says, but her voice is far away. She turns to look at me, casting me a rueful smile. “You’re here, so I can’t be alone.”
I know she doesn’t say the words the way I hear them.
My brain’s hazy with the filter of jet lag, alcohol, and the most beautiful creature on the planet who’s looking at me right now.
Her hair spills over her back, making my gaze drift to where it ends, just above the small of her back. Above her plump, juicy ass.
“You should be careful,” I say. “Some creepy old man might try to hit on you.”
She giggles. “Are you going to defend my honor, Benjamin?”
Her use of my full name takes me by surprise, or rather the way she says it. Coyly. Tauntingly.