by Nia Arthurs
Benjamin opened his mouth to answer when her cell chirped in the purse at her side. Surprised that the service was so good out in the middle of the Caribbean Sea, Kelly answered the call.
“Hello?”
“Babe?” Clayton’s voice washed over her. “Are you home?”
She pursed her lips, her mood turning sour. Clayton was probably near his wife. Why else would he be whispering like a prisoner in a jail cell? Disgust washed over her skin, a surprising reaction.
She glanced at Benjamin from the corner of her eye. He smiled in return. The man was such a breath of fresh air that returning to Clayton felt like running straight out of the shower and into a pit of mud.
You love this mud, girl. Get yourself together.
“No, I’m not home. What do you want?”
“What’s that noise in the background? Where are you? Who are you with?”
“I’m out with friends. Do you need something?”
“I’m coming over tonight. I can’t take this anymore. I’m leaving her for real now.”
The words had lost their weight. Kelly accepted them as part and package of Clayton Neely, but didn’t expect him to see them through. If he really planned on leaving his wife he wouldn’t be off in a corner whispering his intentions.
“I expect you to be home by the time I get there,” Clayton instructed.
“Get over yourself, Clay.” She hung up and swiveled toward her host. Kelly could feel Benjamin’s regard though she could not see his eyes. “What?”
“Boyfriend?”
She winced. “It’s… complicated.”
He rumbled low in his chest, but thankfully did not pursue the topic. For a brief moment, Kelly felt panic overtake her chest. They lived in the same apartment—the men were bound to run into each other sooner or later. What if Benjamin found out who Clayton was? What would he think of her then?
Why do you care?
She brushed off the concern and forced a smile. Benjamin’s opinion of her life choices meant absolutely nothing to her. He was her boss. Not her friend. What she did after working hours was her business.
“You good?” Benjamin asked. “We’re almost there.”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
They continued to converse about shallow, inconsequential things until the strip of San Pedro’s pier appeared in the distance. Bianca and her friends returned to sit beside Benjamin and Kelly—their excitement filling the entire cab of the boat.
By the time the vessel had docked and their feet hit the pier, Kelly had forgotten about Clayton and his demand that she be available to him at the drop of a hat. How could she think of anything so annoying in the middle of paradise surrounded by good people?
Bianca latched on to her hand and the other girls huddled around her as if they had all communed and appointed her their honorary big sister.
Kelly had never been around females so open and welcoming. The fact that they were all white girls equally astounded her. Kelly’s experience with girls revolved around fighting over ‘stolen’ men and gossiping, and her opinion of rich white girls had been—largely—fostered from the movies she’d seen on TV.
Bianca and her crew demolished all her preconceptions with their friendly and generous manners.
She was truly in another world.
Silver sand filled the beach and a cool breeze wafted through the towering coconut trees. The water that had provided the way for their transportation welcomed them to take a dip beneath its waves.
“Whoo!” Bianca yelled. “We’re in Pedro, baby!”
Kelly grinned and glanced over at Benjamin. They were in paradise for a whole weekend. Anything could happen.
Animalistic
The nurse sharks and dolphins were a delight to meet, seeming to thrive in the frolicking sea more than the humans did. Salt water burned her eyes as Kelly dove and bobbed, but she didn’t even mind the sting as the dolphins engaged with her, bumping against her hand and showing off.
Bianca and her friends took a bit more time to warm up to the sharks, but eventually, they dove headfirst into the swarm and took a million pictures with the fancy waterproof camera that Benjamin had brought along.
For all his manly bluster, Benjamin was the only person in their group who did not warm up to the animals.
“Bianca, be careful!” the big brother yelled as his sister disappeared beneath the huddle of sharks. Benjamin swam forward and, when she didn’t immediately resurface, grew frantic. “Bianca!”
The young lady burst up from the depths, water sprinkling down her eyes and sparkling on her pale skin. She had abandoned the wig long ago, but Kelly thought that Bianca was extremely beautiful even without the long locks.
“My gosh, Benji! I’m fine! I’m fine! Chill, would you? It’s embarrassing.”
“The sharks won’t bite,” Alejandro, their guide, explained to the overprotective big brother. He pulled at his lips, the wrinkles around his dark eyes deepening with the movement. “They have no teeth and are carnivores.”
“What if one of them has a lifestyle change?” Benjamin grumbled.
Kelly laughed out loud and waded toward her boss. “Come on, sir. You haven’t even touched one of the dolphins.”
“Nature and I… we have our differences.”
“He’s a pansy when it comes to things like this, Kel,” Bianca yelled, her hands parting the water. “You won’t get him to come near the sharks. He’s only here right now because of me.”
“When does our session end again?” Benjamin asked the guide.
“You’re being ridiculous!” Kelly grabbed his hand and pulled.
Benjamin responded by digging his toes into the sand at the bottom of the crystal clear water. “You go ahead.”
“Come on, Benjamin!”
“No!”
Courtney and Jenna giggled at their tug-of-war, cheering Kelly on. She was sure that Benjamin was holding back—his large arms exposed in the short-sleeved swim shirt were twice the size of hers—but Kelly figured she could outlast him.
Benjamin refused to budge. She was about to give up when a sudden gust of wind tossed a giant wave at her back. They all bobbed closer to shore, the girls cackling as the dolphins took cover.
Kelly squealed, the force of the surge slamming her against Benjamin’s chest. Her face pressed against the fabric of his swim shirt and her chest brushed against his. The contact lit her body like a Christmas tree.
Kelly’s blood began to boil. The embers of attraction that she’d thought were under her control flared so fiercely that—if the girls had not been present—she would have flung her legs around Benjamin and acted out on the feelings zipping through her middle.
Benjamin gazed down at her, his bright eyes mirroring the hue of the Caribbean Sea. A drip of water kissed his forehead, stroking the surface of his temple to his right ear. Her lips parted and a rushing sound filled her head.
He was clutching her around her waist, keeping her steady and upright—just as he had the first day they’d met. She couldn’t look away. Couldn’t hide how much she wanted him.
His Adam’s apple bobbed and he ducked his head closer to hers. For a brilliant, gravity-defying moment, Kelly thought that he would kiss her. She arched up, eager to receive the taste of his permission before she abandoned her promise to play nice for the weekend and consumed him the way she’d been longing to.
Instead of a kiss, however, his lips shifted to her ear. Her heart shuttered when he said. “That expression of yours is… very dangerous.” The slight growl at the end of the word nearly drove her mad. Was he teasing her? Did he know the strength of the fire he was playing with?
Kelly froze—hesitating between kissing him anyway and backing off—when a spray of cold water stung her face. She whipped around and got bombarded with another shower.
“Water fight!” Bianca yelled.
Benjamin set her away from him and walked until he was slightly in front of her. “That wasn’t nice, Bee,” he teased his siste
r before swiping his palm through the water and delivering an impressive arc her way.
The splash war that ensued dragged Kelly out of her half-crazed state and gave her something to pour her energy into. By the time they were through, everyone—even Alejandro—looked like a wet rat.
The sharks and dolphins had long scattered and the sun baked the top of their heads. Their fingers were pruning the more they tried to hide out in the refreshing sea. Eventually, Bianca pressed a hand to her stomach.
“Is anyone else hungry?” she asked.
“I could eat,” Jenna said, her dark eyes twinkling. “I heard Belizean rice and beans are the best.”
“You heard right,” Kelly said with a wink.
“Let’s head back to the villa.” Benjamin ran a hand through his hair. “We can push the barrier reef tour until later this afternoon.”
“Works for me!”
“I’m in!”
The chorus of agreement chimed from the girls and they made a game of running to the shore.
When Kelly arrived on the beach, she regretfully grabbed a towel and covered herself up. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Benjamin drying his hair with his towel.
Her heart sighed in disappointment. She was sure her crop top bikini was doing her figure right. Maybe if Benjamin had gotten a good look at her in the water earlier, he wouldn’t have hesitated to kiss her.
“Let’s go, Kel!” Bianca crooked an arm through her elbow and dragged her to the showers set up along the beach.
Kelly had never had a large group of girl friends. Whenever she went out on school trips or events, she eventually wandered off to a dark corner with the boy she had her eye on.
Bianca and her friends never allowed that to happen and, strangely, Kelly enjoyed spending time with them. They were all sweet, funny, and mature for their age. If anything, Kelly was the more reserved addition to the group of cheerful musketeers.
Her appreciation for the rated-PG company didn’t negate the fact that she had tasted more ‘adult’ fun. There would be a time and place for that. In this case, however, laughing and horsing around with the trio of college students was like diving into an ocean of sweet nostalgia.
The day continued in the same, light-hearted vein. The barrier reef was fantastic, the coral formations too breathtaking for words, and the schools of fish that passed by paid them little heed. It was a fantastic experience, and Kelly was proud to live in a country that hosted such devastating beauty.
When the group finally returned to the villa that evening, they were tan and tuckered-out but content. The girls changed off and locked themselves in their room while Kelly wandered the villa that Benjamin had rented for the weekend.
The lavish setting boasted a crystal chandelier, a large, sweeping staircase, and tiled floors. A huge television was bracketed on the living room wall and the kitchen held the latest appliances.
She wandered to the cupboards and found the shelves fully stocked. Kelly chewed on her bottom lip, wondering if Benjamin and the girls would mind if she cooked dinner. It would be an honor to even touch the stainless steel stove with its handmade cooktop range, lava rock grill, electric plates and natural convection gas oven.
“Hey.” Benjamin appeared then, his hands in the pockets of his faded jeans. His sun-kissed skin emphasized the blue of his eyes. “What do you feel like eating? I researched a few restaurants online.”
Kelly cast her eyes to the floor. “I was actually wondering if I could cook.”
“Really?” His eyebrows shot up. “You cook?”
“Why did you say it like that? Do I not look like I can cook?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m sorry. You didn’t strike me as the kitchen type.”
“Oh, so there’s a ‘kitchen type’? I’m insulted.”
“Forgive my assumption. I’d love to taste your cooking. Do you need some help?”
“How hungry do you think the girls are?”
He scrunched his nose. “Bianca eats every four hours. Like clockwork, but I can give her a snack to tide her over.”
“Give me two hours.” She slapped her hands together. “I’m thinking of making steak.”
“Well, put me to work.”
Kelly gave Benjamin the vegetables and instructed him to dice. He did so, striking up a conversation about the highlights of their day. In the middle of his recount of Bianca’s encounter with a huge stingray, Kelly froze, her hand absently clutching the pot on the stove.
This unassuming moment with Benjamin was nothing close to sexual and yet the peaceful, intelligent chatter and gentle atmosphere was as satisfying as her wildest night with Clayton.
Have mercy. If a simple conversation with Benjamin Levy was enough to arouse her, Kelly was in big trouble.
Don’t Put It In Your Mouth
She was freaking out. Internally. Under the radar. Completely oblivious to the human eye. Kelly couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t figure out how to calm the racing of her heart and the buzzing in her core.
Heat seared her hand, but she was so caught up in the silent meltdown that it took her a moment to register where the pain was coming from. At last, the heat demanded her attention and she jerked her hand back—the hot pan she was clutching cluttered to the floor.
“Kelly, are you okay?” Benjamin bounded over and grabbed her hand, hissing at the redness of her fingertips. “Were you touching that while it heated?” He pointed to the pan.
“It’s okay.” She shook her head. “I’m okay.”
Benjamin brought her arm up and blew on her fingers as he dragged her to the sink. The sight of his puckered lips made it harder to think rationally. She tried to tug her arm away before she did something stupid, but Benjamin refused to let her go.
“The best thing to do when you get a burn is to keep the injured area under cold water.” He held her hand under the faucet as the water poured.
“It barely hurts,” Kelly said, her eyes filling with tears. She was gripping the very last drop of her self-control. Who knew restraint required such herculean strength?
Footsteps clattered through the house and soon Bianca, Jenna and Courtney skidded into the kitchen. Their eyes quickly skimmed the scene—bouncing from the pan sizzling on the floor to Benjamin holding Kelly’s hand under the faucet.
“Are you hurt, Kel?” Bianca cried, flying to peer over her brother’s shoulder.
“Let me get some gauze,” Jenna said.
“I’ll try to find burn ointment. I’m sure they have a first aid kit somewhere in the bathroom,” Courtney added.
As the pair disappeared, Kelly squirmed. Their attention was touching, but she wasn’t all that hurt. If anything, her attraction to Benjamin was killing her more than the burn.
“You poor thing.” Bianca slapped her brother’s back. “Benji, how could you let her hurt herself?”
“It wasn’t his fault.” Kelly rushed to defend him. “I wasn’t paying attention.”
“We should have ordered out.” Benjamin frowned. “I apologize, Kelly.”
“Don’t say that.” She chuckled nervously. “You’re making me feel bad.”
Jenna and Courtney returned with the first aid kid and Benjamin accepted the case from them. He turned off the water and brought her to the table where he carefully applied the cream and wrapped up her fingers.
“There,” he said. “Good as new.”
“Thank you.” Kelly shyly closed her injured hand into a fist.
“If you don’t mind showing a bunch of newbs what to do, maybe Jen, Courtney and I can cook dinner,” Bianca suggested.
Benjamin winced. “I’d rather not spend the rest of our trip in the bathroom.”
Bianca sneered at her brother and threw an onion at his head. He caught it cleanly out of the air and grinned.
“I resent your tone, mister,” Bianca said, tossing her head. “In any case, I think it will be fun. I haven’t cooked in a while. What were you making, Kel? Is that steak defrosting
on the counter? That’s easy enough.”
“I’m pretty good at tasting things,” Jenna offered. “I could probably make the sauce.”
“I can steam the vegetables.” Courtney raised her hand in the air. “Don’t worry, Kel. I can cook, so I’ll make sure these whackos aren’t messing things up too badly.”
“I’m excited to see what you’ll do.”
“I’m not,” Benjamin said and leaned toward her. “Bianca burns water.”
“Lies!” His little sister thrust her finger in the air. “Don’t listen to him, Kel.”
Kelly grinned, charmed by the way Benjamin teased Bianca. Their interactions were so genuinely affectionate that it nearly made her emotional. Or perhaps it was the burn on her hand that brought tears to her eyes.
“Let’s get to work and earn our keep, ladies!” Courtney clapped her hands and pointed to the cutting board. “That includes you too, Benji. Get back to chopping.”
With the girls in the kitchen, the atmosphere changed completely. Kelly’s mood flipped from ‘thirsty’ to ‘tickled’. She enjoyed listening to their conversation, and they in turn seemed to enjoy whenever a funny comment burst from her lips.
The group’s dynamic was one that thrived in playful banter, and Bianca wasn’t afraid to throw shade at Kelly when she felt like it. She in turn gave it right back.
It was all in good fun and even when a plate of scorched steak, runny sauce, and watery vegetables was set before her, Kelly ate it with a smile… that eventually turned into a grimace.
“Phew!” Bianca tossed her fork down. “That’s disgusting!”
“Who’s idea was it for us to cook anyway?” Jenna demanded. “They must be out of their mind.”
“It was Bianca,” Courtney said, wiping her mouth dry with a napkin and subtly spitting a piece of broccoli into the papery depths. “I’m ashamed to be associated with this mess.”
“Shall we go get some real food?” Bianca asked. “I’m starving.”
“Kelly?” Benjamin gazed at her. “Do you feel up to going out or would you prefer we order in?”
