Chapter 31 #2
“Sorry, that’s our fault. We invited her to hang out with us,” Rae says as she and Savannah approach.
“More like forced her hand. You made me threaten to kidnap her if she didn’t show up,” Savannah says.
“And I meant it.” Rae shrugs like the mention of casual kidnapping is the most normal topic of conversation. “Just because Wolf wanted to be a dick doesn’t mean she can’t come enjoy a show.”
The air around us goes cold, and Ben’s face falls from the other side of the circle we’ve formed. Savannah sighs, shaking her head. She glares at her best friend with a look that says shut the fuck up.
When his eyes find mine, I give him a soft smile. He exhales, breathing out whatever response he had geared up.
“I’m sorry,” Rae finally says, rolling her eyes. “That was uncalled for, but it doesn’t make it any less true. She’s our friend too now, and it’s not like she’s Harper.”
“Stop talking,” Savannah groans.
“No, she’s right,” Ben says, gaze fixed on me. “Sloane is not Harper, by any means. And you guys are friends. I wouldn’t want to stand in the way of that, regardless of how I felt about things.”
“Oh, just kiss and make up already,” Rae says.
“Well, we did one of those already.” He smirks, adding, “But the other one wouldn’t be appropriate for live television.”
“Bennett James!” His name explodes from me, warmth rushing to my cheeks. He chuckles, stepping forward to pull me into his side and pressing a lingering kiss to the top of my head.
“What are we all doing standing around?” A booming voice echoes down the hall.
Every head turns to see Brody and Brooks walking toward us, both changed out of their ring gear after their matches earlier.
Brody Wilder was in a tag match alongside famous rapper Cream Puff (who wasn’t as terrible as I feared he would be) against Aaron Zimmerman and Garbage Man.
Brooks Taylor was in an “I Quit” match against Spencer Austin, one of his long-time rivals, who officially retired tonight after their match.
“I’m fuckin’ starved. I thought we were going to get food, unless you all prefer to stand around holding hands and singing kumbaya,” Brody says.
“Only if you lead the chorus, Brod,” Ben says, giving my hip a gentle squeeze.
Brooks rolls his eyes before he steps forward to shake hands with Ben and pull him into an embrace. “You looked great out there, you fuckin’ liar. How’d it feel?”
“Glad it’s over. Whose idea was it to handcuff Austin and hang him from the post?”
Brooks laughs a full belly laugh, one that makes his wife smile. She wraps her arms around his torso and says, “That was me and Viv. She thought of the cuffs. I added the kendo stick.”
Ben’s mouth falls open. “Savannah Brooks, you’re evil. Talk about kicking a man while he’s down.”
She shrugs, a smirk on her lips, as Brooks pulls her in a little tighter, whispering something in her ear and kissing her temple.
“Now that we have established we’re all a bunch of assholes, can we go eat, please?” Brody asks.
“You guys go ahead,” Ben says, before staring down at me. “I think Sloane and I are going to eat in tonight.”
“Yes, Ma. Yes, I will make sure I warn you next time I am faking an injury,” Ben says, the phone pinched between his ear and shoulder as he twists the key in the lock of the James family townhome.
From the sounds of it, she wasn’t very happy he lied to her about the injury.
He pushes the door open, allowing me to walk ahead of him, before motioning to the elevator.
“Yes, we just got here…We, as in—No, that wasn’t part of the script. No, I didn’t even know she was there.”
I bite down on my bottom lip, trying to hide my smile when I look up to meet his stare as he steps onto the elevator.
Ben winks at me, closing the door and pressing the lift button.
“Yes, I will tell her to call you so you can schedule lunch…Yes, I promise.” The ride up to the second floor seems to go faster than I remember, or maybe it’s because I’m too busy trying to decide whether I should be nervous or not for the conversation that follows the end of this phone call.
I follow him out of the elevator and through the front door.
Lexi must be staying here, too; she left a lamp on in the foyer and in the library, but the rest of the house is shrouded in darkness.
“I have to go, Ma. We’re about to eat something,” I can hear him say ahead of me in the kitchen before the flick of the light switch.
I cross my arms, leaning against the doorframe, and watch him move around the kitchen, still attempting to bring the phone call to a close. He heaves the bag of takeout on the island, pulls out silverware, napkins, and two wine glasses, and then shuffles through the wet bar for a bottle of wine.
Ben returns with a bottle of red, setting it on the counter beside with a sigh.
“Yes, I will make sure she does. Tell Dad I’ll call him tomorrow.
Goodnight, Ma.” Hanging up, he plants the phone facedown on the counter with a sigh before looking up at me.
We stand there for a brief moment, simply staring at one another, before he meets me in the entryway.
He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, and his fingers gently trace the line of my jaw. “Sloane—”
“I’m sorry.” The words come out in a whisper, so hushed I barely hear them myself. A weight lifts from my chest when I say them, and tears swell in my eyes. His thumb swipes across my cheek, wiping away one that escapes. “I’m so sorry. I should’ve told you, I should’ve—”
“Honey, I love you, and I am so sorry that I let my pride and ego get in the way of that. Yeah, you should’ve told me when I asked, but…I should’ve trusted you. I didn’t read that article until twenty minutes before I went out there tonight—”
I let out a soft scoff. “Tonight?”
“I should’ve read it sooner, but I didn’t know what I’d find, and that scared me,” Ben says, and His dark brown eyes well with tears.
“I was afraid to read something incriminating about the company I love, one of the only constant things in my life that has been there for me through everything…But I was even more afraid to read it and see you found nothing at all, because that would mean I was a complete asshole and had walked away from the woman I love for nothing. I’ve been hurt before, you know that, and I was just waiting for it to happen again.
That wasn’t fair to you, Sloane, and I’m sorry.
I was wrong for judging you based on my past. You are not Harper, or any other girl I’ve dated…
You are Sloane Jenkins, and I love you. I need you.
I don’t want to do this—any of this—without you by my side. ”
Another tear slips down my cheek, but this time he doesn’t wipe it away, waiting to move until I react to his confession. There are probably a hundred different things I could say, but none of them come to mind, except one. “I love you, Ben.”
“You don’t know how good it feels to hear you say that.
” Ben smiles and leans in, claiming my mouth with his own.
This kiss is slow and all-consuming, spreading from my head to my toes until I feel him everywhere all at once.
His hand slides down my back, pulling me closer, the other planted on the wall above my head.
Across the room, his phone vibrates on the countertop, but he refuses to let me pull away from our embrace.
“Ignore it,” he mumbles against my mouth.
“What if—”
“Ignore it,” he repeats, both hands sliding down to palm my ass and lift me off my feet.
His lips move from my mouth to my jaw, inching down the column of my throat.
He nips at my collarbone, sucking on the delicate skin that leaves a delicious sting behind.
Every so often, his tongue soothes over it, only to repeat the process until I’m sure a mark has started to form.
Pining me against the wall with his hips, Ben pulls the top of my tank top down to expose my bra.
My nipples stand at attention through the black lace.
He licks his lips, bringing my left breast to his mouth.
He suckles on the peak through the fabric, and my head falls back at the sensation.
“Ben,” I plead, threading my fingers through the hair at his nape.
He releases my nipple with a soft pop, but his fingers continue to roll the sensitive bud between them.
“I’m going to take my time with you, Honey.
I have three whole weeks of making up to do.
” Those words send a shock of electricity straight to my core.
“First, I’m going to fuck you with nothing but my tongue on that counter until you’re this close”—he pinches my nipple, and I gasp—“but I’m not going to let you come.
” I whimper, and he chuckles. “You will, don’t you worry about that, but I’ll be damned if the first time you come isn’t wrapped around my cock. ”
“Fuck,” I hiss when he pinches my nipple again.
Ben carries me to the island, nudging my legs apart so he can stand between them. His hands cradle my cheeks, tongue delving past my lips to explore every inch of my mouth from this new angle. I reach between us, about to pop the button of my jeans, when the sound of laughter catches our attention.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” His forehead falls against mine with an exasperated sigh. “What is it with this family and interrupting us in the middle of—”
“Wolf? You guys back yet?” Lexi shouts from the foyer, but it sounds distant, like maybe she’s yelling up the stairs. Good, that gives us a few minutes to get situated before they find us.
Ben presses a quick kiss to my lips, lifting me off the counter and setting me back on my feet.
“I told you to answer the phone,” I say, fixing my shirt as he walks around the island.
He rolls his eyes playfully, uncorking the bottle of wine.
My mouth waters as I begin to dig through the bag of takeout, separating the containers.
Our brief interlude made me forget how hungry I was, but now that I’m looking at it, I might have to thank Lexi later for the interruption.
Her footsteps echo from the dining room, signaling her approach.
“Oh! There you are,” Lexi says, standing in the doorway.
A moment later, Sophia follows. Her eyes scan the scene, brow cocked.
I already know what she’s thinking without her having to say anything.
That doesn’t stop Lexi from pointing out the obvious. “Are we interrupting something?”
“Nope,” I say, taking the glass of wine Ben slides my way. “Not at all. We were just about to eat dinner.”