Memoirs of a Wild Child (16 page)

After we’d finished eating, we sat quietly for a while contemplating the fact that I was going to be boarding soon. Ben reached across the table and took my hand in both of his.

“So…” he looked up at me. “When you get home, where do we go from here?” he asked almost, nervously. I swallowed, hard.

“Honestly, I don’t know. I’ve never done this, Ben, not like this.” I chewed my cheek, and my heart fluttered as his mouth curved into a half smile.

“Let’s just figure it out then.” He linked his fingers with mine, “I have waited long enough for you, I can’t let you go now. So, when you land back in this airport, I’ll be here, and we can just, figure it out.” Ben leant back in his chair casually, and I mirrored his action, grinning.

“Deal.” I agreed.

Ben held my hand as we walked to departures and kissed me like I had never been kissed to say goodbye, slapping my ass as I walked away, just for good measure. I was in! Absolutely, bloody hooked!

I take a sip of my coffee and realise it’s gone cold; I look at the clock; I’ve been writing for an hour. I turn to look at Ben; he’s still fast asleep. I make myself another coffee, and climb back into bed, I lean down and kiss my husband on the temple, and get back to work.

Two weeks in Portugal did me the world of good. Ben and I were texting pretty much the whole time, when I wasn’t busy visiting family, shopping with Mum or playing chess with Dad that is.

We called each other on FaceTime a few times as well. It was so nice to be able to talk to him before I went to bed and just laugh and unwind from the days. I had a great time with my family, as always, but I was so eager to get home and see where this thing was going to go. I knew in my heart that this was something real, but I didn’t want to jinx it by pinning my hopes on it. I’d never done the relationship thing before.

For the first time in my life, I kept both Rosie and Rafe completely out of the loop. This was just about Ben and me; something that had been on the cards for over a decade was finally starting to become real, and I didn’t want any added pressure. It wasn’t difficult really, they were both too wrapped up in their own love stories to worry about mine, and that suited me just fine.

Ben wasn’t kidding about being there when I landed. As I walked through arrivals on a particularly cold January morning, I was greeted with the sight of him leaning against the wall in dark jeans and boots, a hoodie, with the hood pulled up and ‘that’ beanie hat. The one he wore when he came to collect me that night, the one that he looks so damn sexy wearing. He was looking down at his feet as I walked through, giving me a moment to just drink him in, before he looked up and spotted me, and gave me a heart-stopping grin. ‘He’s mine’ I thought, and I felt like I had won the bloody lottery.

“You took your time,” he said sarcastically, and he pushed away from the wall and stepped towards me, oh so casually.

“Well, I was busy with that sexy Portuguese dude you warned me about,” I replied, tilting my head to the side and raising an eyebrow.

Ben looked upwards and let out a laugh as he snaked an arm around my waist and pulled my body against his. My breath caught in my throat as he looked into my eyes, a devilish smile etched on his face.

“Well, that dude is history, you’re mine now.” My heart pounded hard in my chest at his words, and even harder as he pressed his lips against mine, encouraging them apart as his tongue brushed against mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and my knees began to weaken.

“Work it, girl.” Someone said from behind me and I broke our kiss to look. Just in time to see the gay guy that I’d sat next to on the flight wink at me and snap his fingers as he walked past. I had told him on the plane that I was dying to see Ben and showed him a picture of how hot he was, clearly he approved.

Laughing, Ben smacked my arse and leant down to pick up my bag.

We headed straight back to Ben’s flat and to the bedroom. For once in my life, I took off my trousers and bra and climbed into bed with a man that I fancied the pants off, and just fell to sleep. It was still early, and we were both exhausted. Ben wrapped an arm around my waist as he spooned me and I had never felt so comfortable.

I woke with the feeling of Ben’s morning glory poking me in the arse; he was still asleep, and I had to fight the urge to reach around and grab it. Instead, I shuffled away from him and reached for my phone. Ben stirred at the movement and then spoke sleepily from behind me.

“I poked you in the back didn’t I?”

I laughed, loudly before turning my head to see him squinting at me through tired eyes.

“Little bit,” I admitted, “but I don’t mind.” I winked, and then got out of bed and walked towards the door, almost forgetting that I was only wearing my pants and a vest top.

“Christ, Pip, it’s no wonder he got excited snuggled up to that arse.” Ben said approvingly, and I laughed, playfully smacking my own backside before leaving the room and going to the bathroom.

We spent the day on the sofa watching films, talking, laughing and play fighting. We ordered pizza and even napped again in the late afternoon, this time at opposite ends of Ben’s massive sofa.

When it was time to go home, I felt sad. I was going literally, two streets away, and yet I was pouting like a small child that someone had taken a dolly away from.

“Are you free tomorrow?” Ben asked quietly in between kisses on my doorstep. My parents, having flown home a day earlier than me, were in bed inside, and he was terrified of my dad finding out about us. He was terrified of my dad full stop. Eduardo had always known that Ben wanted me, and he used to try and look menacing every time he saw Ben, warning him away from his sweet, innocent little daughter. He was such a big softie really, but tell that to a thirteen-year-old boy when he stands sharpening knives in front of him, staring him straight in the eyes the whole time.

“I am. I was supposed to go home tomorrow, but I’ve cancelled a few things, so I’m here for another week.” I smiled at Ben’s wide grin and sank into the embrace that he pulled me into.

“In that case, let me take you away at the weekend.” He was speaking into my temple, and I was thankful that he couldn’t see my face. I must have looked like a rabbit in headlights, I thought we were taking this slow? “No pressure, just a night in Manchester, so that I can take you to a nice restaurant and for a few drinks and not have to drive home. That’s all.” His last two words made me think he had sensed my confusion on the whole ‘taking it slow’ thing.

I tilted my head to look him in the eyes, silently thanking puberty that he finally grew taller than me and smiled. “That would be nice.” I was genuine. I’d had guys say ‘no pressure’ to me before and then they had whipped their dick out the second the door was closed but with Ben, I knew, without a shadow of doubt, that he meant it. I was certain that if I had wanted separate rooms, he wouldn’t have minded, but I didn’t. If I was totally honest with myself, I was actually hoping that we would have sex this weekend, he was just so beautiful, I couldn’t help it.

I knew without uncertainty that he cared deeply for me and respected me totally, and it was mutual. If he wanted to wait longer, I was okay with that, but if he was happy to go for it, then I was more than okay with that too. He was, and still is, the sexiest man on the planet as far as I’m concerned.

“I cannot believe you didn’t pick me up,” I said, playing at unimpressed as Ben opened his front door and invited me in.

“Pip, I couldn’t let your dad see me picking you up with an overnight bag, he’d kill me.” Ben looked genuinely worried, and I laughed out loud. He shushed me and leant in to kiss me, smiling as his lips met mine. “You ready?” he asked against my mouth, and I nodded.

“Born ready, baby.”

We drove to Manchester, singing out loud to the radio and then laughing at my terrible singing. My complete inability to sing in tune is something that I’m oddly proud of, embrace the faults you can’t change I say, screw it, embrace them all.

When we pulled into the car park of the hotel that Ben had booked, I was a little surprised. I hadn’t really considered what it would be like, assuming it would just be a run of the mill, one-night stopover in the city budget hotel, which would have been absolutely fine. But it was really nice. The huge open lobby felt very plush as we walked through, with my stiletto heels clicking on the marble floor and the sound echoing due to the high ceiling. We were greeted at the reception desk by a smiling girl wearing an immaculately fixed purple headscarf.

“Hello, how can I help?” she asked brightly.

“Hi, I’ve got a room booked under the name Benjamin Long,” Ben said confidently, a strange business-like tone to his always pleasant-sounding voice as he checked us in. I felt a little like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, standing next to him, redundant.

“Here are your keys, Mr Long, You’re on the fourth floor, the lifts are just round the corner to the left.”

Shazia, as I had read on her name badge, pointed us in the direction of the lifts with a bright smile and Ben leant down to pick up our bags, before walking towards the lift.

We made our way up to the fourth floor and walked along the corridor, my heels sinking into the soft carpet and making me eager to kick off my boots. It was still only early afternoon, and I wasn’t sure what Ben had planned, but I would quite happily have just ravished him all afternoon. I watched his tight little backside as he walked a little ahead of me and was more certain than ever that if he was ready then I bloody well was.

“Whoa.” My eyes widened as Ben opened the door to the suite he booked us… yep, I said suite. “This is gorgeous, Ben, bloody hell.” I couldn’t see the bed the room was that big, okay, exaggeration, but it was a long way away. There was a sofa and coffee table in front of a massive flat screen which hung above a colour changing plasma fireplace. A full-size fridge and kitchen area was off to the right as we walked into the room, with the bathroom to the left. A huge bed was dressed with incredibly soft cotton sheets, a faux fur throw and cushions and when I sat on it, even with my stupidly long legs, my feet hung about half a foot off the floor.

There was a rainfall, ceiling shower in the bathroom, opposite the large Jacuzzi bath, and the whole bathroom had remote controlled mood lighting. The suite must have cost an absolute fortune.

“Ben, this is amazing,” I said, wide-eyed as I smiled at a confused Ben, clearly trying to figure out how to work the TV. “Ahem,” I cleared my throat dramatically, making him turn and look at me. “Thank you for this.”

Ben walked towards me, and my heart beat a little faster; there’s always a fire in his eyes when he looks at me, and it still to this day burns me up. He placed his hands on my hips and pulled me in close, wrapping his arms around my waist and holding me against his body.

“It’s worth every penny, to have you to myself.” He grinned, cheekily, before kissing the tip of my nose and backing away, “Now, I made plans for this afternoon, I hope you don’t mind?” He turned to his bag on the bed and started rifling through the pocket. “I got you this.” He held up a black and purple, polka-dot bikini, and I frowned, confused. “It’s a spa hotel, Pip. I booked us in for the afternoon, massages, steam room, swimming pool; whatever you fancy really.” He shrugged his shoulders, nervously awaiting my response.

“Seriously?” I screeched, excitedly. “Ben, you have no idea how much I love spa days, like, I can’t even tell you.” I rambled, pouncing towards him and wrapping my arms around his neck, placing kisses all over his face in thanks as he laughed and stepped backwards to escape.

“You have told me, Philippa, numerous times.” He nodded and side-eyed me as he pulled a pair of swimming trunks from the pocket on his bag. I tilted my head, contemplating two things. One, I must have only told him about my love of spas in random passing moments during our younger years, and yet, he had remembered. And two, I was going to see him pretty much naked soon, I couldn’t wait.

We made our way down to the spa, armed only with our swimwear. I tied my hair up into a loose bun on top of my head and Ben let out a low appreciate growl when I asked if it looked okay. The noise, and the look in his eyes, as well as the curve of his mouth and the way his tongue darted out to lick his lower lip actually made me moist.

Dear Vinnie, I’d like it to be noted at this point that I’m using this word to piss Rosie off, she hates the word moist… what else should I use, wet, soggy, juicy? None of them are any better, right? Whichever way you want to say it, my fanny was dripping and desperate for him!

Anyhoo…

When Ben checked us into the spa were we given locker keys and directed to the changing rooms. I wanted to follow him into the men’s changing room and watch him strip off, but I was a good girl and went to the ladies’ changing room instead. I found my locker and opened it to find a fluffy white dressing gown, a towel and some sexy spa slippers. I changed into my bikini and smiled at myself in the mirror, he did a good job. It fit perfectly and looked great.

I wrapped the robe around myself, tying it at the waist before sliding my feet into the towelling mules and making my way out towards the pool area.

Ben met me at poolside, He was wearing his robe too but was sitting on one of the loungers, his legs open, reading a treatment menu. He looked up as I approached and smiled wide.