Chapter 19 - Sarah
SARAH
There’s a very famous saying: trust your gut.
I knew that it was true, but I went against it and agreed to let Ben carry me upstairs, and now I could confirm with a thousand per cent certainty (I know that’s not technically possible, but you get the point) that it was right.
I’d only been in his arms for all of ten seconds and I knew this was a very, very bad idea.
‘You okay?’ He looked down at me, and as our eyes locked, my stomach flip-flopped. Exercise was supposed to help cramps, so at least that was a positive.
I wasn’t sure that the same could be said for staring at him with love-heart eyes or drooling, which I was also doing right now.
As he’d promised, Ben had scooped me up into his athletic arms with such ease, you’d think I weighed less than half a feather.
That one swift action was enough on its own to make me swoon.
But when you added the feel of his solid biceps, the sensation of his heart beating against my body, his intoxicating manly scent (I didn’t know which aftershave he used, but if I had the money, I’d buy shares in whatever company made it), and his insane hotness to the equation, it was easy to understand why I was feeling lightheaded right now.
I was barely holding it together before he looked into my eyes, so Lord knows how I was going to conjure up the ability to speak.
His eyes were even more beautiful close up. Today they looked more hazel than brown.
And I’m sorry, but there’s no way those lashes weren’t fake. It was impossible for them to be natural. He used eyelash curlers too, I was sure of it.
‘Earth to Sarah.’ Ben raised his voice. ‘I need to know if you’re okay. If you’re in too much pain to speak, just give me a thumbs-up or something.’
Oh, thank God. I was glad I’d been let off from the whole talking thing, because honestly, I wasn’t sure if I could manage it.
This was nuts. I was supposed to hate Ben. I couldn’t start liking him! We had to work together. And, fuck, we had to go to Adrian’s wedding too.
No. It was fine. I was just feeling all giddy because of the paracetamol and the kind things he’d done for me. Once I felt better and was back at work tomorrow, I’d be thinking more clearly and would see sense.
I quickly lifted my thumb as he’d suggested.
‘Where’s your room key?’ he asked. ‘I’ll need to lock up and obviously you’ll need it to get back in.’
I pointed to the table near the door and he strode over, picked up the key with his free hand, then opened the door like it was nothing.
How was it even possible that he was carrying me with one arm?
Now he was just showing off.
I hated to admit it, but if he was trying to impress me, it was working.
He shut my room door behind him, then pulled the handle to check it was locked. The B&B was safe and I was pretty sure that even if I left my door wide open for a whole day, no one would take anything, but it was sweet of him to make sure my belongings were protected.
Ben marched down the hallway, then started climbing the steep flight of stairs. The angle made me shift in his arms a little, and he gripped me tighter.
‘You good?’ he said and I nodded. ‘Hold on tighter if you’re nervous, but don’t worry, Jeffries. I’ve got you.’
Warmth flooded my belly. I didn’t know whether it was the fact that he was making sure that I was okay, the use of the nickname which was growing on me, or the fact that he’d just reassured me that he had my back or everything, but I felt safe. Secure. Cared for.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt that way. Or if I ever had.
When we reached the top of the staircase, he headed towards a large white door, reached into his pocket for the key, unlocked it, then pushed it open.
I’d never been up to this floor before, so I was curious to see what it was like.
As Ben stepped inside, I turned my head to get a better view.
Wow.
It was very different from my room. I’d say it was probably double the size. The decor was old-fashioned just like mine, with floral wallpaper and duvet covers, but the net curtains had been drawn, so I could see that the balcony was huge.
It had a cute little white table and chairs and the sea views were incredible.
This had to be the most expensive room in the B&B. If I had the money, I’d stay here in a heartbeat.
When he carried me into the bathroom, my jaw fell open.
There was a huge round bath, filled with bubbles and surrounded by candles.
‘The candles are fake,’ Ben added. ‘They came with the room. Glenda offered free rose petals too, because this is normally the honeymoon suite, but I said that’d be a bit weird, right?’
‘Yeah,’ I said, surprised that I’d recovered the ability to speak considering I’d just been carried upstairs by a literal god who’d set me a gorgeous bubble bath because he didn’t like seeing me in pain.
‘Are you going to be okay getting in and out?’
‘Hopefully…’ I said, genuinely unsure.
‘Where’s your phone in your room? I’ll bring it up so you can call me if you run into any difficulty.’
My eyes popped. He was still willing to do more to help me?
‘I have zero battery.’
‘So I’ll charge it.’ He shrugged like it was no big deal. Considering what he’d already done for me, I supposed it wasn’t. ‘What else would you like for the bath?’
‘What?’ I frowned.
‘What do you usually do in the bath? Listen to music? Read? Do you have an audiobook you want me to play?’
‘Oh! Er, it depends on how much pain I’m in. I can’t focus on my Kindle or paperback if it’s bad.’
‘So an audiobook, then. Is that also on your phone?’
‘Yeah,’ I said, conscious that he was still holding me. ‘You can put me down if you want. I’m feeling better.’
Much better.
Who knew that being carried by a hot man was an effective painkiller too?
‘Okay.’ He lowered me to the ground. ‘I’ll grab your phone and charger.’
Ben left the room and I sat on the edge of the bath.
I scanned my surroundings. It was kind of Glenda to let me use the room.
I’d better check what time I needed to be out of here.
I couldn’t get in the way of her paying customers.
And if I wasn’t feeling well enough to clean the bath to her high standards, I’d give her some money to pay for her cleaner to do it.
Ben returned to the room a few minutes later and stood at the bathroom door with the charger and phone in his hand and a mini speaker.
‘Glenda lent me this speaker. It’s not a good idea to charge your phone in the bathroom, so I’ll plug it in outside the door and play the audiobook through the speaker for half an hour or so, then I’ll come back and once the phone has a decent charge, I’ll slide it into the bathroom so you have it nearby. ’
My eyes widened.
‘Don’t worry,’ he said, ‘I won’t come in or look or anything. But if it makes you uncomfortable…’
‘No, it’s okay. Thank you.’
‘Let’s give it a few minutes to charge enough to switch back on,’ Ben said as he plugged in the charger and attached it to the phone. ‘In the meantime I’ll bring some refreshments. Back in a sec.’
This man.
I pinched myself to check this wasn’t some sort of crazy dream.
Ben was being so lovely to me and I didn’t deserve it. I’d snarled and glared at him almost constantly since we’d officially met and now he was treating me like a queen. Guilt washed over me.
I was starting to think that what Jess had said in the beginning was actually true: Ben was a good guy.
Today I’d seen none of his cocky arrogance or swagger. Only selflessness, care, kindness and consideration. How had I got him so wrong?
And if I thought about it, this wasn’t the first time. When we were filming our debut video a few days ago, he was really patient and kind then too. We’d even cracked up several times. I’d actually enjoyed it.
Maybe we could use some of those funny moments for a bloopers reel? I reckoned that’d be popular. Good idea. I hadn’t had many of them lately, but maybe I was starting to get my creative mojo back.
‘Here,’ Ben said as he returned. ‘Glenda gave me a bath tray, so you’ve got some water, chocolate and fruit. And I brought up some of the pads and tampons. Is that enough?’
‘More than enough! Honestly, Ben, I don’t know how to thank you. Even Ben-evolent isn’t a good enough nickname for how much you’ve helped me today. I’m starting to think you are a saint after all.’ I flashed him a warm, genuine smile.
‘Saint Ben will be fine for now. Unless you prefer to call me Superman, or God or—’
‘Okay, I walked right into that one,’ I laughed. ‘But seriously, thank you.’
‘You’re welcome.’ He shifted on the spot like the compliments had embarrassed him.
Which was weird again, because I thought he’d use it as another opportunity to gloat.
‘But my work here isn’t done yet.’ He stepped out of the bathroom and picked up my phone.
‘It’s back on. Do you want to bring up your audiobook? ’
‘Sure.’ I walked slowly outside, wincing a little as my stomach squeezed. It was nowhere near as painful as earlier, though.
After unlocking the screen and logging into the Audible app, I brought up the audiobook. I couldn’t remember if I’d synced it because I was reading it on my Kindle last night when I was trying to distract myself from the cramps, but I had to give up mid-chapter as the pain was too much.
‘Is it okay?’ Ben asked.
‘It needs to be synced with where I got up to on my Kindle. But I need the loo…’
‘Go, I’ll do it. Then I’ll connect the speaker via Bluetooth so it’s all set up.’
‘Thanks!’ I said, flying back into the bathroom and shutting the door.
When I’d finished, I flushed the toilet and was just washing my hands when the sound of the male narrator speaking bellowed around the room.
‘Oh yeah, baby, that’s right. Suck my cock. Fuck yeah…’
Shit.
Using every ounce of strength I had left, I quickly flung the bathroom door open to stop the audiobook playing. I’d completely forgotten that the chapter I was reading was spicy.
Ben stood there with a grin the size of the Atlantic Ocean on his face.
‘I… I…’ I stuttered, scrambling for my phone to stop it playing.
‘Don’t stop it on my account.’ Ben smirked as my cheeks heated with embarrassment. ‘Sounds like it’s just getting interesting. I’ll leave you to it!’
Ground swallow me up.
Now.