Chapter Thirty Four
Benjamin
You’re so fucking overdramatic.” I narrow my eyes at him, clenching my hands into fists.
“Well—maybe if you weren’t such a fucking thief.” I shoot back and Aaron scoffs, waving a hand to shoo me away.
“Please—I stole nothing.”
“Liar! Fucking liar! You piece of fucking shit—come here!” I jump up, trying my hand at running around the dining-room table, but Darian snatches me up, so I look like the fucking Road Runner in midair.
“Guys—it’s Monopoly.” Cammie deadpans.
“Should have seen ’em during puberty. Monopoly was banned.” Felix is grinning as he reveals our shameful past.
“No—it was banned because Button likes sneaking hotels from the bank.”
“Aaron Archer! Come here. Darian—let me have at him. Just this once.” Darian’s laughing at me as I squirm—my face certainly red.
“I think we should let him try.” Josh offers in my defense, earning a glare from Aaron.
“I wouldn’t. I’ve watched Bear almost drown Aaron in the pool before.” Amber reveals, which earns a shocked and appalled gasp from Jenna.
“It was justified.” When everyone stares at me and waits for that justification, I sneer. “He was being a fucking bitch.”
“No—he has a point.”
“Alright Josh—you and me then.” Aaron stands up, pointing at him. A couple of the people around the table groan and stand as well—prepared to grab if needed.
“Is the prize Bear? I’m in.” Aaron lunges across the table, knocking over Cammie’s houses.
“Hey! Asshole.” She complains as Kade and Alex pull Aaron back—laughing at the whole ridiculous event.
“Listen!” I yell. “Let’s circle back to the matter at hand.
Aaron—baby—give me my fucking money back.
I know you took it.” Slowly, so sweetly, he grins at me from across the table.
“Alright!” I’m on the table—Darian having loosened his grip while watching the boys bicker.
Everyone’s cackling at us but I’m totally beating his ass and Aaron knows it. That’s why he runs.
After clearing the table, I get him cornered in Felix’s bedroom—blocking the exit and glaring at him.
“I didn’t take it.” He says, hands up defensively.
“Then why are you running?” Aaron looks at me like a wolf who led a bunny right into his trap.
“Because you get scary when you’re mad at me.”
“I feel like you’re being a bit condescending right now.” He’s getting closer and closer.
“I would never, baby. You know I wouldn’t.
” I scoff, letting him wrap an arm around my waist as I glare up at him.
“Here—I’ll pay you back.” Aaron kisses my neck—my cheeks, my forehead, my collarbones.
Then—finally—my mouth. He licks into me, hand in my hair to keep me against him.
He’s trying to eat me again—just as he always does, and I’m trying not to get hard at my best friend’s house.
“Aaron?” I use my best whiny, horny Benjamin voice, praying it works.
“Yeah, baby?” Aaron leans back—kissing my temple, hands on my hips. I have a guess as to where the money is and if I’m wrong, I’ll be very embarrassed. But if I’m right….
I shove a hand into his back pocket, feeling the two bills. Ripping them out I run, swinging the door open and booking it. I skid to a stop in the dining room, and everyone looks at me—quiet and confused.
Slowly—I grin—raising the two fake hundred-dollar bills.
“Holy shit! He actually had it!” Angie yells, pointing at me.
“I thought they were fucking.” Josh laughs out, shaking his head.
Aaron walks in—hands raised in defense.
“He seduced me and shook me down. Played very dirty.” I turn to where he’s taking his seat and pin him with a glare.
“Stealing is a crime, Aaron Archer.” Darian makes the ohhh sound you make when the teacher calls you to the office.
“You’re in trooooublee.” He sings. Aaron groans, dropping his head onto the table.
About thirty seconds after I sit and rearrange my money, I hear Amber whisper to our friends—
“Aaron most definitely got caught on purpose. Kinky bastard.” The end of the table chuckles. And I look at Aaron who’s grinning right at me.
◆◆◆
“Baby—I would never steal from you just so you’d fuck my face!” Aaron tails me as I walk through the living room, dropping my wallet and phone on the couch and heading to our room.
“If you keep lying about silly things I’ll start thinking everything you say is a lie, Aaron Archer.” I tell him—still very mad that he won the game of Monopoly! He groans.
“Alright fine, I totally did that.” He drops to his knees in front of me after I sit on the edge of our bed, staring up at me with a pleading gaze.
“But I was desperate. I would have stolen one million dollars if it meant you’d put your dick in my mouth.
” I’m trying so hard not to laugh—to not get hard, but it’s incredibly difficult.
“Look at me, Button. I’m starving.” Aaron pouts—resting his cheek on my thigh as he stares up at me.
His black hair laying over his temple, curls resting over his ear.
Green eyes so mischievous and enticing. All muscle and sex.
“You’re such a little manipulator.” I tell him, standing up to unbutton my jeans. Aaron just grins up at me. He always wins—fucking asshole.
The past year—give or take—has been just like this.
Suspiciously peaceful. I guess that’s a given when Ronnie is probably petrified of Aaron—so I haven’t seen him since the day he got his ass beat.
But outside of that everything else is going so smoothly.
Too smoothly. Yet—I’ve not had that feeling that you get—the one that tells you the shoe will be dropping now. My stomach has just been… settled.
Living with Aaron is great. He’s very organized and clean so we never have any issues in that department.
We’re both pretty busy too—so if we won’t be home for dinner or have to cancel a plan at the last minute, we make sure to communicate that way both of us can adjust accordingly.
It’s comfortable—but I expected that. We did basically live together for years before college. It was just a different… environment?
Aaron started interning at a publishing house in town—one that handles the newspaper and the local news page. He’s in his last year so it’s that time when you get really serious and spread yourself way too thin. It does make me miss him, especially when I have to fall asleep alone.
But I finally decided on a career path, which is very exciting.
I never really gave it much thought before.
Back when Felix decided on Computer Sciences, I just jotted down Environmental Science.
It was the first thing I could think of.
I don’t even know if that’s an actual career path.
But now—after everything that’s happened in the past few years—I’ve decided to pursue a degree in Psychology.
I imagine I’d make a good therapist as someone who’s lived through some shit—right?
Anyway, this new career path has given me motivation as well.
We spend time with our friends when we can—have date nights with Felix and Kayla and visit the Archer house. And spend a lot of time in bed. If it hits the two-day mark Aaron will drag me right back to it—ready to tear me in two. He’s not very patient.
Like now—as he’s trying to convince me to go home early from whatever event it is Felix has invited us to.
“Benjamin—I’m being very serious with you. I will explode.” I roll my eyes, standing under the tree we were told to wait under. There are people here I don’t know and a bunch of our friends. When I see Greg and Tina pull up, I’m completely sure of what’s happening.
“I think Fe is proposing.”
“What?! No way—he would have told us.” I think otherwise.
Aaron stands behind me and pulls me against him—his bulge pressing into my ass.
“Button, your pants are so flattering it’s driving me crazy.
Hey—wanna have my kids? I can fuck so far into you we have twins.
” I choke out a laugh, looking up at him over my shoulder.
“Aaron!” His face tells me he’s completely serious.
“We could figure it out. Our babies would be so cute we’d have to lock them up.” He’s staring down at me with so much intensity I just know he’s picturing it in his head. Every moment—including locking up the babies.
“It’s probably best that we can’t have children then.” I laugh. His eyes narrow—fingers digging into my hips.
“How fucking dare you. Those are our children.” He’s always doing this—talking like we’re already settled down. Joking about babies and mortgages. I think he has some weird kink about it. Luckily—Felix saves me from this spiraling conversation.
“I fucking told you. Look!”
Felix is in a well-fitted white suit with no blazer. His hair is left down—the curls smooth and tamed and falling to his collarbones. He looks so nervous as he goes to stand under a tree not that far from us. Fairy lights turn on, lighting up the branches.
Felix’s eyes find us and then he’s grinning at me. I give him a big thumbs-up and lean back against Aaron—soaking in his warmth. Fuck. My best friend is proposing to his high-school girlfriend. Am I getting old?
Kayla comes walking down the path to this secluded section of the park—clearly dolled up but still shocked about this turn of events.
Her hands over her mouth as she cries—a beautiful silk—navy-blue dress hugging her figure.
Her long ginger hair is hanging down her back in big loose curls.
Everyone cheers until she reaches Felix—then it’s silent.