Chapter 2 #2
She shook her head as she headed down the hall. Lorielle stopped at the threshold of the kitchen, spotting Benny rummaging through her refrigerator.
She propped a hand on her hip. “Found what you’re looking for?”
“Yep. Jo good?”
“Out like a light,” she said as she moved into the kitchen.
He gave a slight chuckle as he pulled out some rotel dip she made earlier. “You got chips for this?”
“Sure!” she said with fake enthusiasm. “Let me get you a bowl too.” She rolled her eyes as she pulled a bowl and plate from her cabinet and a spoon from the drawer.
“It’s the least you could do for having me come out and get y’all. I was in my nice warm house before I was begged to come out in the cold to get Gina and Pam.”
She laughed at the reference while handing him the things she collected. “I didn’t ask you to come get us, but I said thank you in the car.” She went to the pantry and came back with the chips he asked for.
“Yeah, I heard you, but this is more my speed. Thank me in food.”
Lorielle rolled her eyes as she grabbed the pint of cookies and cream ice cream from the freezer. She lifted herself up, sitting on the island. She was glad to be off her feet.
“Is it just me or is this shit with Jo and Trey rough? She is taking it hard.”
“Nah, she definitely taking this a lot harder than I thought she would.” Benny agreed as he put the food in the microwave.
Lorielle nodded as she finished the ice cream she just put into her mouth. “The payoff will be worth it, though, right?”
“I hope so.” He looked over his shoulder at her. “Why won’t you tell her?”
She snorted. “Because I can hear her in the back of my head telling me not to be a weak bitch and ruin the surprise.” She giggled.
Benny walked over, and her body stiffened. She was aware of the fact they were pretty much alone. She tried to avoid moments like this at all costs, but now she was in the deep end.
“Relax, I’m just going to help you with your shoes. I know you want some relief.”
He had no idea of the relief she was craving. That’s why she was so tense.
Benny lowered the zipper on one of her ankle boots, slipping it from her foot. He did the same with the other before dropping them to the floor.
“Better?” he asked, resting his hands on her knees.
Tonight, she wore a lightweight, charcoal gray sweater that hung off her left shoulder.
It was tucked into a plum, pleated skirt that was pulled to her waist and accessorized with a black belt with gold hardware.
The skirt was so short she paired it with a pair of sheer black stockings.
They did nothing to reduce the sensation of his touch. If anything, it enhanced it.
“Better.” She cleared her throat. “Thank you.”
“Good.” He moved back to the microwave to get the dip. He prepared his plate then moved over to the island where she sat. He set his plate beside her, and he stood there eating.
“Tell me something, Lorielle…”
“Yeah?” She looked at him as she spooned some of the ice cream in her mouth.
His eyes were on her mouth as she cleaned the spoon. He didn’t speak until she finished, dipping it back into the container for more.
“So why won’t you give me a chance? You know I’ve been wanting you. Is it the age?”
She wasn’t expecting the question at this moment, but she had a feeling it was coming. “I thought we’ve been through this?”
“Refresh my memory.” He motioned with his hand for her to talk as he ate.
“Why? What’s going on with you and Tara?”
Benny became super serious. “My question has nothing to do with Tara, but if you need to hear me say it, we’re done.”
She went back to her ice cream. “I’m sure the two of you will be back together.”
He snatched the container from her hands.
“That’s just another excuse for you to put distance between us.
” He moved between her legs and placed the ice cream beside her.
“You tried the age thing, but we both know my age doesn’t mean shit.
I can hold my own whenever, wherever. I own a successful company and run that motherfucka like a boss.
You tried the ‘you’re my best friend’s brother’ thing, but that flopped immediately because my sister doesn’t give a fuck.
We both grown. So, what do you have to say now? ”
Lorielle leaned back, splaying her hands on the counter behind her to create some space between them, though it didn’t do much to simmer the fire that was burning within her. “I don’t have to make excuses. I don’t want to be with you, and I don’t have to explain that to anyone.”
He leaned into her, placing his hands on the counter close to hers. His lips were only a few inches away from hers. He whispered, “Except you do want to be with me.”
“I don’t want to be with anyone.”
Lorielle had done everything by the book.
She stayed out of trouble, kept good grades, went to college, and graduated from an elite school.
She only had dated one man who was her husband, who took her virginity the night of their wedding.
She had done it all right and still got screwed. That was life, though.
She had been angry for years until she met Jo five years ago.
Lorielle had been living it up, downright careless with her life, doing whatever with whoever until Jo.
She was on a date with a guy she had just met.
She went to the bathroom and Jo had come in to tell her the man she was with had slipped something into her drink.
Jo and Trey may have saved her life that day.
From that day on, she was more careful, and she had found friends for life.
“You were married to the wrong man. I’m trying to show you what the right one would look like. You know, you’re so tough, but you’re afraid of a little love?”
Lorielle pushed him back to slide off the counter, but he came right back in her space, trapping her between the island and his athletic body. She was five-foot-six. He was taller coming in at six-foot-one, so she was staring at his chest until she looked up.
“Move,” she demanded.
“Can’t stand the heat?”
“No. That’s why I’m trying to get out of the kitchen.”
He laughed, stepping back. She immediately swooped up her ice cream and moved to the living room. “When are you going home?”
“You kicking me out?” He followed her to the couch with his plate that he set on the coffee table.
“You can stay but stop pressing up on me.”
“I can respect that. Plus, I figured out what I needed to know.”
She was curious, but she knew not to question him.
“Do you want to watch something?” she asked.
“I’d rather talk. You can put on some music.”
“What do you want to talk about?” she asked after putting on the smooth R&B & Jazz mix.
He chuckled. “Just let it flow.”
Lorielle had a question. “What’s up with you and Tara?”
“When you admit you want me, then I’ll tell you what happened between me and Tara.”
Her mouth twisted. “I guess I’ll never know.”
He laughed. “Yeah, all right. Tell me something you’re passionate about. That’s not tech related.”
He added the last part because she worked in tech as an IT manager for a successful company.
“I’ll let you guess.”
“Pottery?”
Lorielle grinned. She indeed was passionate about pottery. Pieces she had made were on the shelves in her home office. She had all her necessary materials in the shed out back she had made into a studio.
“You got it right.”
“I remembered the story Jo told me about you taking her to a pottery class. Then the mug you made for my mother is at my house now. I stole it.”
Her eyes went round. “Why? That was for her!”
“You didn’t make me anything. No matter how many times I asked you to.”
“I thought you were joking. I’ll make you one.”
“You promise? And before you agree, just know promises are permanent.”
“I promise.”
“Good. I’ll hold on to the mug, though, until you make me something. I need a little piece of you at my house until you can call it your home.”
She was shocked he was coming on to her so strongly after not pressuring her for years. “Benny, what has gotten into you?”
“You know I want you.”
“But why?”
“You really want to know?”
Did she? “Yes.”
He turned to her, doing that thing he did with his eyes—reaching out to her soul.
“Lorielle, you’re a thought that’s never far from me. No matter what I’m doing or who I’m with. It’s been like that for five years and it has only grown these last couple of months.”
“While you were with Tara? Very convincing, Benny.”
“I wasn’t with Tara like that this time around, and the other time was because you had turned me down. My feelings were hurt.”
“So, you got with Tara to get over me?”
He shrugged. “I was trying to move on with my life, but the farther I got away from you, the harder it was to do anything other than think of you. You’re like the air, without you it’s hard to breathe.
You’re like the sun, without you I’m cold.
You’re like the wind, I feel you even when I can’t see you. ”
Benny’s words about her were unlike anything she had experienced, even when she was married.
She was trying to put a barrier between them, but he wasn’t making it easy. “Benny, I’m too drunk for this.”
“Then let me hear your drunken words, and in the morning, I’ll let you blame it on the alcohol.”
She relaxed against the cushions of the couch. She wished they could swallow her because she was about to say too much. “There’s nothing to say that you don’t already know.”
“That you would be with me?”
“I would fuck you.” She corrected him. “And real good.”
“Mm, but you wouldn’t let me love you?”
“I was burned by love.” She turned her head, looking at him. She wanted to see his reaction. “That’s not what I’m looking for anymore.”
His face didn’t give away anything. “So you’re scared?”
Lorielle didn’t say anything. She wouldn’t say she was scared. She just hadn’t been interested, but she could admit since getting to know Benny more, he had her wondering how it would be if she did take a chance with him.
Benny tugged at her hand, pulling her into his arms as he leaned back on the arm of the couch. Now she was on top of him. Too tired to fight, she fell against his chest. She still asked what he was doing, though she knew already.
“I just want to hold you. Only if it’s for tonight.”
It was a miracle she had stayed awake this long. At this age, after a night of drinking, she was ready for bed.
“Only for tonight,” she confirmed, snuggling into his neck. He smelled so good.
“Only for a lifetime.”
She tried to fight to respond, but sleep claimed her.
Benny held her securely in his arms all night.
When Lorielle woke in the morning, it was to a small gasp. She jumped up. She saw Jo by the couch with her arms folded, shaking her head with a smirk on her face.
“Jo…” Lorielle warned. She knew what was coming.
“Ooooo. Benny and Elleeeee sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then come marriage, then comes—”
Lorielle threw a pillow at Jo’s head. Her hair was already all over her head. At this point, she liked her better last night when she was crying her eyes out.
“Don’t be mad at me,” Jo said to her as Lorielle shuffled to completely separate herself from a now conscious Benny. “You’re the one out here all cozied up to my brother.”
“This is all your fault,” she said to Benny as she climbed to her feet, smoothing her hands over her wrinkled skirt. She looked at Jo who still wore a smirk. “You can wipe that look off your face. We fell asleep last night. That was it.”
Benny stood. “You can say what you want, but this was only the beginning, baby.”
“Ohhhhh!” Jo clamped her hands. “Okay, brother! Applying pressure. What’s your next move, sis?”
Lorielle didn’t dignify that with an answer. Instead, she moved down the hall to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.