CHAPTER ELEVEN | Holly
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Holly
H olly breezed through the crowded streets of downtown Sunset Cove, excitement about seeing Ben propelling her forward as her unfortunate choice of footwear tried to hold her back. The nude, peep toe heels weren’t exactly conducive to speed walking, but they went with her beige jumpsuit so perfectly that she didn’t want to ruin the look she was going for with sneakers. Holly may have also spent a little more time in front of the mirror before she left to meet Ben, but when she had glanced at her reflection and seen how nicely put together she looked, she decided it was worth it. While the weekend meeting was more conducive to a casual look, Holly always liked to look the part of a successful wedding planner, and today was no exception. As comfortable as she was around Ben, she wasn’t quite ready to let him see her in yoga pants and a ratty t-shirt just yet.
After the initial text the night of their food tasting, they’d continued to message one another over the last week. The topics were always light, but it was nice to share her day with someone, and even though they weren’t spilling their deepest, darkest secrets just yet, Holly felt like she was really getting to know him. Anyone who thought Ben was nothing but gruffness and stoicism was missing out on the sweet, caring man beneath all that.
Ben always asked her about her day first and listened intently without trying to offer solutions unless she asked, and he praised her ability to multitask and remain cheerful in the face of her more demanding client. Holly reciprocated, loving the tidbits he would give her about his job and how he had been reticent to socialize with his coworkers in the past, but he had gone to two virtual happy hour gatherings with them and marveled at how he hadn’t offended anyone yet.
The texting was good, but Ben going one step further and calling her one evening before bed had been even better. The low rumbling sounds of his voice was a welcome change from the frenzied speech of her biggest client she’d been exposed to during the day, and eventually the soothing sounds coming from the other end of the phone lulled her into a deep sleep filled with sweet images of her and Ben. Holly had been embarrassed that she’d fallen asleep on him, but the text she saw waiting on her phone the next morning made her feel a million times better.
Ben: Good to know I have the magic touch when it comes to helping you relax. ;)
The words not only erased any shame she felt, but it had her thinking of other ways in which he might have the magic touch. Every night he wished her sweet dreams, and they were, but they often took a steamier turn, and Holly was nervous for the time when things between them became more than hand holding and accidental kisses.
She shook her head as she relived the cringe-worthy moment when she’d gone for Ben’s lips and he had intended to kiss her cheek. Luckily, he hadn’t seemed too bothered by it, and he had actually mentioned looking forward to doing it again. The thought of more kissing was as exhilarating as it was frightening. When Holly had confessed to Ben that she hadn’t made it past date two with anyone, she wasn’t sure whether or not he had read between the lines and figured out she was a virgin.
That would be an interesting conversation if they ever took things that far, but Holly was focusing her energy on their agreement to take things slowly which would give her plenty of time to work up the courage to admit that she was beyond inexperienced when it came to sex. Though she wouldn’t mind having Ben for a training partner. In fact, she had thought about Ben the last few times she had played with her battery-operated boyfriend.
Luckily the cold air and icy wind whipped past her and cooled the flame of desire her thoughts of Ben had lit, but it also had the awful side effect of freezing her skin as she continued toward Giovanni’s. Holly cursed herself for not wearing more than a light blazer, having forgone an overcoat in the name of fashion. She was definitely paying the price for that now, the air coming off the ocean still bitterly cold and causing her to shiver almost violently. Finally, the storefront came into view and Holly practically jogged toward the entrance, eager to both see Ben and defrost her extremities. Throwing open the glass door to the shop, she stepped inside, enjoying the central heating as it pumped through the air, warming her skin as she rubbed her hands together.
“What are you doing running around outside without a jacket and gloves?” a deep, stern voice called over to her, and when Holly looked up, she saw Ben scowling as he walked toward her.
The way in which he had spoken to her didn’t match the same man she’d been texting and chatting with all week, and as cheerful as she could be, she was no doormat. Holly was about to tell him to watch his tone when he stepped in front of her and took her hands in his, gently rubbing them together. The warmth and pressure worked instantly, and she was delighted to once again have the feeling returning to her fingers. When she took a longer look at Ben, she could see the scowl was more out of concern than anger, his gunmetal gray eyes drawing her in, warming her in a much different way than his hands.
The longer she stared, the shallower the furrow in his brow became and once he was satisfied her hands were warm enough, he released them and smiled sheepishly at her. “Sorry. I just don’t like the idea of you freezing to death.”
Holly smiled at his thoughtfulness, even if he’d stumbled slightly while expressing it. That was who he was, and she liked it. “I don’t care for the idea much myself, and I appreciate you helping me out.” She waved her hands in front of her, wishing they were being held in his again. “I’m all better now, thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” He said nervously and leaned down, pausing for a moment before going further to kiss her cheek. It was quite possibly the shyest kiss she’d ever received, but it was also the most enjoyable. Holly loved the sensation of feeling his soft lips on her skin and tried to remain professional and not take a deep dive into fantasies where she would feel those lips all over her body. Down girl, you’re here for work .
“So,” she squeaked before clearing her throat that had become thick with want. “So, your mom mentioned Marvin was going with a traditional black tux, and we could always fit you in the same, but I was thinking it might be fun to go with a navy jacket and bow tie. I think it would bring out the color in your eyes nicely, and even though you aren’t the star of the show, we still want you to look your best.”
Ben smirked and bumped her lightly with his shoulder. “It sounds like you’ve put a lot of thought into what would make me look good.”
Ben didn’t know how right he was, the amount of time she had spent on Pinterest and every wedding site under the sun to find his perfect look bordering on ridiculous. Holly had spent countless hours scrolling through various suits and jackets to find the perfect combo that would accentuate his already gorgeous features. Not that she would ever admit to that.
Holly shrugged a shoulder nonchalantly, trying to play off how quickly she was falling for the man. “No more than usual, really.” Needing a distraction, she walked further into the shop and started rifling through the rack of suits, glancing over her shoulder to find Ben narrowing his eyes at her. She had always been a horrible liar, so he could probably tell she was full of it. Whether or not he liked that she thought about him so much, she wasn’t sure. Hopefully his teasing her about it meant he did.
Ben followed her around the store as she ran her fingers over the different suits, the feeling of different fabrics caressing her skin pleasantly. Holly was a very tactile person, and at the moment, she was enjoying the crushed velvet of a burgundy jacket as it glided beneath her hands and had gotten lost enough in the touch that she hadn’t noticed Ben right next to her until he was idly playing with a lock of hair that rested on her shoulder. The light tug on her scalp sent tingles up and down her spine, and Holly inhaled shakily as he continued to run his fingers through her hair, trying to keep oxygen flowing to her brain when it wanted to travel further south.
Ben’s cheek brushed against hers as he leaned down next to her ear. “Do you like soft things, Holly?” She closed her eyes at the voice that reminded her of thick, sweet maple syrup, reveling in the feeling of his warm breath on her neck. Her head bobbed and leaned against his for a moment before he pulled away, dropping the strands and smoothing the back of his hand along her cheek. “What a coincidence. So do I.”
Holly swallowed thickly and opened her eyes slowly before turning to face him, his hand never straying from her cheek as he lightly brushed his thumb over her cheekbone. Her eyes flicked to his lips that were forming a small smirk, and she licked her own in preparation for the kiss she thought was coming, the one she so desperately wanted. Ben’s eyes tracked the movement of her tongue as he leaned in once again, their lips inches apart when a booming voice rang out from the back of the shop.
“Miss Holly!” A thick, Italian accent accompanied the words, but they were lost on Holly. She was too enamored with the man in front of her. “I am sorry to keep you waiting, but Giovanni can help you now.”
She and Ben didn’t spring apart, but rather backed away from each other slowly, as though they couldn’t bear to put more distance between them than absolutely necessary. His expression was one of frustration and she was sure it matched her own, though hopefully she was better at masking it. There was also a gleam in his eye, a promise to continue where they’d left off later, perhaps? If it was a promise, Holly would definitely be holding him to it.
Smiling, she winked at Ben before turning to Giovanni. “Gio, it’s so good to see you again. Thank you for making time for us today. I know how busy your weekends can be.”
The shop owner sauntered over toward them, his silvery hair and white teeth shining in the fluorescent lights. “It is never a hardship to make time for one of my favorite ladies,” he said as he pulled her into a hug and kissed each cheek. “How is that father of yours? He still owes me from our last poker game.”
Holly rolled her eyes. Her dad loved playing poker with some of his fellow shop owners, but he was notoriously bad at the card game. “He’s good, and I will remind him about the money.”
Giovanni laughed, his brown eyes sparking with joy. “Oh, sweet girl. He doesn’t owe me money. He owes me a tiramisu.”
Of course. Apparently, food wasn’t just the Baker’s love language, but also their favorite commodity. “Yea, that sounds like the kind of bet he would make,” she replied with a chuckle. She gestured to where Ben had stood next to her and introduced the two men. “Gio, this is Ben. He’s our customer for today. Ben, this is Giovanni Lanaro, the best tailor in Sunset Cove, if not the entire world.” Holly may be practiced in the art of speaking with others and making them comfortable, but she wasn’t one for empty flattery. Gio really was the best tailor she knew, and she had every confidence that he would create an amazing look for Ben.
The two men shook hands and Gio steered her and Ben toward the fitting area, approaching a rack and pulling the tux she had talked to him about the day before. The blue jacket with black lapels and matching black pants would look spectacular on Ben, and Holly couldn’t wait to see him in it. “Here we are,” the tailor said as he displayed the suit over his arm. “Miss Holly estimated your suit size, and now that I see you in person, I think she was pretty accurate.” Gio looked at her with pride in his eyes for a job well done and Holly preened under the praise. She always enjoyed hearing when she had done a good job, even when it was something as small as guessing the correct suit size.
Ben met her gaze, a cheeky expression on his face as he stepped up to Gio and took the suit. “So, you were checking me out long enough to guess my suit size, huh? I don’t know if I should feel flattered or objectified.”
He winked and Holly’s checks flushed instantly, her body warm all over. She started to laugh hysterically, but hopefully managed to cover it with a cough. “Flattered, definitely flattered.” God her flirting game needed so much work it wasn’t even funny. Ben seemed to be making leaps and bounds in that area and she still felt like a beginner. “Anyway, why don’t you go try that on and Gio can make any adjustments needed.”
She practically shoved Ben into the changing room, hoping that with him gone she would be able to clear her head. The truth was, it didn’t take much time for her to be able to size someone up, the ability to do so quickly coming from practice and experience. That being said, she had spent an inordinate amount of time ogling Ben, and he was way too good at calling her out on it.
While they waited for Ben to change into the tux, she and Gio made polite conversation about his family and planned trip back to Italy over the summer. Summer was her busy season, but she hoped to maybe squeeze in a trip to the mountains or maybe to Boston to see a Red Sox game. In addition to all things romance, Holly loved baseball. She had always been closest to her mom, but baseball was one thing she was able to share with her dad, and since he was a lifelong Red Sox fan, she was too. Maybe Ben could come with her if they were still together this summer, although, they weren’t necessarily together now. Mentally shoving those less than pleasant thoughts into a box, Holly sighed. Taking it slow was really throwing her for a loop.
Finally, Ben emerged from the changing room and any attempt to clear her thoughts of him instantly failed as he came out and stood on the small platform. Gio moved to take measurements and pin the areas that needed adjusting, but Holly wasn’t sure he would need to make any. The tuxedo fit Ben like a glove, and Holly had a difficult time keeping her eyes, and tongue, in her head. The suit jacket rested on his strong shoulders and clung to his biceps like it was made just for him, and the black pants hugged his muscular thighs in a way that should be illegal.
Holly shook away the lustful thought. There was no doubt about it. Ben was gorgeous enough to be gracing the cover of a magazine, and for the umpteenth time, Holly wondered what he saw in her. Holly wasn’t normally self-conscious, but she was self-aware enough to know she was more girl-next-door than supermodel. Sucking in a deep breath, she tried to dispel the negative thoughts. Ben was interested in her and she would focus on that.
Holly took a moment to appreciate Ben one more time, drinking in the sight of him in that tux for as long as she thought appropriate. Gio excused himself to the back to get more pins, and Holly took advantage of his absence by stepping up on the platform next to Ben. There was no way she would ever do this with any groom or other member of a wedding party, but she and Ben were exploring something, so she decided to push the boundaries a little.
Holly moved to his front, smiling when he peered down at her curiously. “I’m just going to check the fit if that’s okay.”
His eyes filled with amusement and the corners of his mouth twitched. “By all means,” he told her. Holly could tell he was stifling a laugh, but as she started to smooth her hands over his shoulders and down his arms, he wasn’t laughing anymore.
Keeping things completely professional, or as professional as one could be when they were essentially feeling someone up, Holly tugged at the end of his shirt sleeves before running her hands up his arms once more, squeezing the hard muscles of his biceps. Reaching higher, she gripped his shoulders and played with the short hairs at the back of his neck. The need to kiss him was great, but Holly kept her wits about her and moved her hands down to his chest, resting them there for a moment while enjoying the firmness underneath. When she dared to meet his gaze, there was a veiled expression that turned heated when she skimmed her hands down to his stomach. Smirking, she crept around to his other side, dancing her fingers over the hard muscles of his back before placing her hands on his waist and resting her chin on his shoulder.
“Perfect fit.” Holly hardly recognized herself, not only because her voice was breathy and low in a way it never had been, but because of just how comfortable she’d been touching him, feeling his body under her hands. Clothes separated them, but it was still the most satisfying physical encounter she’d had in a long time, possibly ever.
Ben’s body trembled under her touch, and Holly gave herself a mental high-five for eliciting such a reaction. Ben peered at her over his shoulder, a wry grin on his face. “Aren’t you going to check the fit of the pants?”
Her eyes widened and her mouth opened slightly as she stammered a response. “N-not today.” So much for the seductress act. Annoyed at how easily she’d gotten flustered, Holly stepped down from the platform just as Gio returned from the back.
Ben tutted and shook his head. “Shame,” he said with a knowing smirk.
Damn him and his ability to flirt better than she could. I thought he was anxious around everyone. Holly was normally cool and collected, but he had the innate ability to turn her into a complete mess. Was this Freaky Friday? Had they somehow swapped personalities? Holly slumped down in a leather chair near the platform and exhaled sharply. She normally didn’t like feeling off-kilter, but somehow with Ben, it was more entertaining than frustrating, and when she saw him smiling at her affectionately, she wondered if maybe he liked their topsy-turvy dynamic too.
Twenty minutes later, Ben was back in his street clothes of blue jeans and a green sweater, and both he and Holly were giving their thanks to Gio and heading outside. The temperature hadn’t warmed over the last hour, and Holly shivered in the cold. Ben noticed this and shook his head at her, but he was smiling. “You really need to dress for the weather, Holly.” He shucked his overcoat and placed it around her shoulders, the cinnamon spice scent from his cologne wrapping around her. Holly tried her best not to inhale deeply like some kind of creeper, but it was difficult.
She gazed up at him with appreciation, another gentlemanly act warming her more than his coat. “Thank you.” Hopefully, Ben would attribute the blush on her face to the cold air and not to how quickly she was falling for him.
“You’re welcome.” He smiled at her before narrowing his eyes in thought. “We need to warm you up. Do you have any other business this afternoon?”
Holly would like to have been able to say her mind didn’t immediately go into the gutter, but she was having a hard time not thinking of all the myriad of ways Ben could warm her up. “Um,” she stuttered as she struggled to get her brain functioning. “I need to look at some wedding band videos, but other than that I’m free.”
“Hmm. What if we grab some take-out and watch them together?” Holly exhaled slowly. Thinking about warming up the fun way with Ben was one thing, but actually doing it was another. “Unless you would rather watch them alone.”
Holly chuckled at the concerned look on his face. “No, we can do that. My place?” Henry would likely be there to run interference and she needed the buffer. She slipped her arms into his coat and hugged it closer to her body. “Although, would that count as a real date? I thought we weren’t doing those yet,” she asked with a raised brow.
Ben stood in front of her and gripped the sides of his coat to close it tighter around her, smiling at her with something akin to adoration. “We did say that, didn’t we?” He looked up at the clear blue sky for a moment before his eyes met hers once more, a lightness there she wouldn’t mind seeing more of. “How about we think of this as an extension of the tux fitting. We can even stick to just grabbing some pretzel bites or something if it makes you happy.”
Returning his smile, Holly grabbed his hand, interlacing their fingers together. “Oh, I don’t think so, mister.” She started walking and tugged on his arm for him to follow her, beaming when he followed along willingly. “I’m at least making you spring for a burger and fries from the diner. It’s the least you can do after making me stare at you in that tux without being able to do anything about it.”
Ben stopped in his tracks, Holly’s body automatically whipping back toward his. He tugged at a lock of her dark waves and smiled, his eyes twinkling like starlight. “And what would you have done about it?”
This is where being better at flirting or acting coy would have come in handy, but that just wasn’t Holly, so instead of saying something clever or teasing, Holly took the hand that wasn’t holding his and gripped the back of his neck, taking just a little something of what she’d been wanting all morning.
“Probably something like this.” Raising onto her tip-toes, Holly leaned into him for a kiss, leaving the last inch of distance between them as a silent ask for permission. When Ben immediately crashed his lips against hers, she figured permission was granted.
The kiss wasn’t gentle, but even as urgent as it was, it was measured. They sipped from each other’s mouths, feeling each other out, simply enjoying the softness of the others lips until Ben ran his tongue across hers. Holly gasped slightly at the sensation and Ben used the opportunity to seek entrance into her mouth, their tongues dancing and tangling together as they tasted one another. Holly slipped her hand into his hair and tightened it when she felt his hand gripping her waist from beneath his coat, loving the feel of his hands on her body and pressing herself up against him. The kiss continued to deepen, as did the pressure between Holly’s legs, until finally she had to squeeze her thighs together to relieve some of it. When she thought she might combust from the heat and pleasure that had spread all throughout her body, Ben finally pulled back, the two of them struggling to catch their breath.
Holly smiled at him, incredulous at the feelings she had just experienced. She had kissed men before, but it never felt like that, like the puzzle pieces of her life were locking into place and she was exactly where she was supposed to be. Ben’s eyes were glassy, full of wonder, and it had Holly thinking that perhaps she wasn’t alone in that feeling. He continued to stare for a moment before a light chuckle burst from his lungs.
Shaking his head, he tugged on her arm and started them moving again. “Come on, sunshine, let’s get you fed and listen to some bad cover songs.”
Holly beamed at the endearment and happily followed along as Ben guided the two of them toward the diner. They had agreed to take things slowly, but it looked like that little bit of boldness she had displayed paid off. Holly bit her lip as they weaved through the people on the sidewalk. It had paid off this time, but it just as easily could have blown up in her face. Holly wanted to focus on the positive, but things had felt so right with Ben that she didn’t want to screw it up. Hopefully, she would be able to continue to walk the line between going slow and doing what she wanted without risking what felt like the best thing to happen to her in a long time.