Is It New Year’s Yet? #4
“I’m feeling better than I have in a long while,” he said, his knuckles brushing her spine. She turned back to face him, and he wrapped his arms around her middle, pulling her closer.
“I meant what I said, Win,” Ben said. “This isn’t some one-night–stand thing for me. I love you, and I want all of you.”
Win blushed and clasped her hands behind his neck.
“No running this time,” Ben said with a smirk. “Got it?”
Win grinned. “Got it.”
“Good.” Ben kissed her so fiercely it took her much restraint to resist climbing back on top of him. When they pulled apart, they were both smiling, and Win still couldn’t believe this was real.
“We should probably clean up,” Ben said. “Your lipstick is smudged, and I can imagine where it went.”
Win laughed as she wiped a thumb over his mouth.
“Yup, it’s all right here.”
Ben grabbed her wrist and took her thumb in his mouth, sucking it clean before letting it go with a soft pop. Win had to lock her knees to stop herself from pressing into him again.
“If you want us to actually get cleaned up, you’re going to have to stop doing things with your mouth,” Win said, breathless.
“Sorry,” Ben said, though he didn’t look sorry at all.
Win shook her head in admonishment, but it was so forced. Even she knew she didn’t mean it. Kissing him quickly, she made herself pull away. Grabbing her bag, she headed to the bathroom.
Ten minutes later, and with great effort, they went back upstairs to the party, promising to keep their hands to themselves.
It didn’t take long for Bria to find them among the throng of people.
“Where have y’all been?” Bria asked, looking between them. “I have a bottle of whiskey in my room that still needs finishing, and it’ll be midnight soon. You know once the clock strikes twelve I only drink champagne.”
“I ran into Ben on my way to the bathroom and we ended up talking,” Win said.
“Yeah, we lost track of time,” Ben said.
They locked eyes and Win pressed her lips together to stop the ridiculous smile spreading on her face.
Bria looked between the two of them skeptically, eventually rolling her eyes. “Whatever, I’m just glad you two are speaking again,” Bria said. “If Ben asked me one more time, ‘Have you talked to Win lately?’ I was going to lose it. You are both aware you live in the same city, correct?”
Win looked up at Ben. “You were asking about me?”
“Perhaps,” Ben said, shuffling in place.
Win smiled. “Cute.”
“Ugh, whatever this is, please stop,” Bria said, her face scrunched in disgust. “Everyone’s in my room. We’re playing Kings.”
Win was sure Bria knew exactly what was going on between Ben and Win, but if Bria wasn’t going to address it directly, neither would Win. At least not tonight.
“Kings?” Win said. “Are we trying to die tonight?”
Anytime Win played the drinking game with Bria, she ended up with only vague memories of the evening.
“You can sip water,” Bria said with a wave of her hand. “Now come on before the ’rents find us and try to make me network. Mom is convinced if I talk to one of the three senators here, I could become one of their assistants. As if I even want to work in politics.”
Win laughed, and when she looked at Ben, the way he was looking at her made her face heat, so she quickly looked away.
“Let me grab some of those,” Win said, taking a couple of the bottles of water from Bria.
“Thank you. At least someone is helpful,” Bria said pointedly.
Ben rolled his eyes and grabbed the rest of the bottles from her.
“Perfect, let’s go.”
Win and Ben followed her upstairs to her room, where there was indeed a small crowd of people waiting. They literally cheered as the three of them walked in, which signaled to Win that they were already a little drunk.
Bria got to work setting up the game on the floor, and Ben and Win hovered near each other.
Win could feel Ben’s body heat next to hers, and every so often their hands would drift together, fingers brushing.
It was torture being teased this way, and she had half a mind to ask him if he wanted to get out of here, but she knew leaving would be impossible now that Bria had gotten hold of them.
“All right, everyone gather round and grab a drink,” Bria said. “Let’s get wasted.”
Ben and Win joined everyone else in the circle. Win tucked her legs under her dress, her knees pointed in Ben’s direction. He shifted slightly until their legs were touching, and they stayed like that throughout the game.
By the time Mrs. Jackson came to get them for the countdown to midnight, Win, who decided halfway through to try the whiskey, was a bit buzzed, but in a warm happy way. Ben, who’d stuck with water, helped her stand and took a second too long letting her hands go.
“Good?” he asked.
Win nodded, and Ben placed a hand at her back as he guided her out of the room with everyone else.
“All right, party people,” Mrs. Jackson said, once everyone was downstairs in the living room. “Everybody grab a glass.”
A server walked around with a tray of champagne flutes, and Win took one, as did Ben and Bria.
Mrs. Jackson was standing on the bottom step of the staircase with Mr. Jackson, who had his arm around her waist. Win looked around the room and found her parents standing off to the side, in a similar pose.
In fact, many couples were wrapped around each other.
Win looked up at Ben, who was standing to her right.
He must’ve felt her stare, because he turned to her with a raised brow.
He lowered his head so he could hear her over the chatter of the room. “What’s up?” he asked.
“Kiss me,” Win said.
It was silly and ridiculous, and everyone would see, but Win didn’t care.
It was New Year’s Eve, and you were supposed to kiss the person you loved at midnight.
So what if she’d just figured out that person was her best friend and neither of their families knew about it yet?
They could deal with that later. Right now, she couldn’t imagine standing around watching everyone else kiss with Ben right beside her, not kissing her.
“What?” Ben asked.
“Kiss me,” she repeated. “At midnight.”
Ben looked around the room, and over at Bria, who was talking to one of her friends. Finally, he looked back at Win.
“Are you sure?”
Win grinned. “Yes.”
“Here we go, people!” Mrs. Jackson said. “Ten… nine… eight…”
Win stepped into Ben’s arms. Everyone else faded away as he looked at her with the same goofy grin she was sure was on her face.
“Five… four… three,” the crowd chanted.
She stepped even closer to him.
“Two… one! Happy New Year!”
“Happy New Year!” Win said to Ben.
“Happy New Year!” he murmured back, lowering his head and pressing his lips to hers.
Win breathed him in, and she swore she saw fireworks.
When they pulled apart, everyone was still hugging, kissing, or cheering, and no one seemed to notice them at all. Win laughed and Ben joined her, before pulling her in for another kiss.
By all accounts, Win’s year was off to a great start.