by Wren Mingua
Zoe made a brief stop in her bedroom, grabbing her purse. She didn't have time to grab anything else--she needed to leave as quickly as possible, as she didn't want to give Lewis a chance to catch up to her. She ran out of the house, down the driveway, down the road. She had no destination in mind; her only goal was to put as much distance between herself and Lewis as she possibly could. Shuddering, Zoe tried to cuddle herself in her arms. It was freezing cold, and she could still feel Lewis' hands on her body, which was making her tremble even harder.
"What an asshole..." she whispered to herself. "Unbelievable.."
Zoe charged down the country road, her sock-covered feet stomping on the ground. When she heard the rumble of an approaching vehicle, Zoe dove into the nearby hedges. If it was Lewis, the last thing she wanted was to be found. She waited for the vehicle to pass, then she took out her cell phone and forced her trembling fingers to write a text.
To Ben: Something really bad happened. Will you come get me?
Ben was the only person she could turn to, the only person who might help her. But what if he was asleep? She would wait a few minutes, and if he didn't reply, she would have to give him a call.
It only took him thirty seconds to respond.
To Zoe: im on my way. What happened?
To Ben: Lewis went nuts. I had to run out of the house. I'm hunkering down in the bushes and I have no idea where I am.
To Zoe: did he hurt you??? where are you?!
Zoe peered out of the hedges and looked around. She picked a spider from her hair, which would have made her panic under normal circumstances, but the circumstances were hardly normal.
To Ben: I'll tell you more later. As for where I'm located, there's a red cottage across the street, and a sign pointing to Dorchester. I was running for about ten minutes I guess.
To Zoe: I think I know where you are. Is there a fork in the road? I'll try to get there as soon as I can. Stay put. are you alright?
Before she could respond, the phone rang. She was a bit hesitant to answer, thinking the caller might be Lewis. Then she noticed the incoming call was coming from Ben, and she breathed a sigh of relief.
When she heard his voice, a second wave of relief washed over her.
"Zoe? Are you alright!?"
A tear dripped down her cheek, but she tried to keep her cool. She whispered into the phone, "I think so..."
"What did he do!?"
"N-nothing," she lied, because it was the first word that popped into her head. How much did she want to tell him? That his brother jumped on top of her and started removing his clothes? That he pinned her down with the intent of forcing himself on her? It was bad enough that those images were running through her mind, she didn't want them running through Ben's.
"It wasn't nothing. I can tell you're upset. If he did something to hurt you, I swear--"
"He... he didn't hurt me. Not really," Zoe said. "But he did throw me down on the bed and started kissing me all over, so..."
"He did what?!"
"Trust me, I did NOTHING to encourage it!" Zoe exclaimed. "He just started shoving me down and... I don't know if I want to talk about it..."
"Zoe, I'm so sorry," Ben said. "I'll be there as soon as I can. It shouldn't take as long because there's hardly any traffic. I'm in Jordan's car right now, so you might not recognize me right away. It's a dark green Fiat."
"Okay."
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," she said. "I'm just shaken. I can't talk long because I'm running out of minutes. In fact, I better hang up now in case you have trouble finding me later on."
"Alright." He sounded reluctant.
"Thanks for coming to get me," Zoe said. She wiped another tear from her eye before it had a chance to fall.
"You don't have to thank me," he said. "You know I'd come for you anytime."
"Well, I really appreciate it." Zoe started rubbing on her ice cold arm, hoping to create some friction. "Oh, and Ben?"
"Yes, sweetheart?"
"It was really good to hear your voice," she said. "It makes me feel better."
Chapter Nineteen
Excerpt from Zoe's blog--
Zoe453 last visited: 2 days ago
When she saw the dark car stop on the road, Zoe was a bit reluctant to reveal her hiding spot. She tiptoed from the bushes, held her breath, and approached.
Ben came flying out of the car, which meant she could breathe a sigh of relief. She was tempted to run over to him, to throw her arms around him and thank him a thousand times. And she might have done just that, were she not such a reserved person.
However, Ben came running over to her. He tore off his jacket and draped it across her shoulders. He even buttoned her up a little bit, which she appreciated, because she could no longer feel her hands. Running around chilly England in a t-shirt and shorts probably wasn't the smartest thing to do, but what other option did she have?
"Are you okay?" Ben asked. He pulled her against his chest and cradled her head in his hand. After going through such an ordeal, Zoe had to admit--it was nice to be held.
"I'm okay."
"God, you're freezing." Ben kept his arm around her as he led her to the car. "Where are your belongings? Do you have anything?"
Zoe shook her head. "Just my purse. I had to run..."
"Do you want to go back and get your things?" Ben asked. He opened the door for her and helped her into the front seat. "I can deal with Lewis. In fact, I'm tempted to do him some bodily harm. I'd love to break his arms... shove his cock down his throat..."
"No. I don't want to go back!" Zoe insisted. "Let's just go. You don't mind, do you?"
"Not at all." Ben climbed into the driver's seat and continued down the road. She hugged herself in her arms, but she wished he would hug her. Of course, that would be impossible, at least while he was driving. However, Ben's jacket smelled like his cologne, so snuggling his coat was the next best thing.
"Are you mad at me?" she asked. "I don't even have a toothbrush."
Zoe's whimpered question made him chuckle. "No, of course I'm not. I'll buy you a toothbrush. I'll buy you anything you need."
"I don't even have any underwear," she reported with a sigh.
"That's alright. I'll buy you some knickers too."
Zoe chuckled. In spite of her situation, she was actually laughing. She wiped another tear from the corner of her eye, hoping he wouldn't see it. "I don't have any clothes..."
"That's okay. You can wear my clothes... at least until we can buy you some new clothes, or recover your missing ones," Ben said. "In fact, if you wore my clothes, I imagine that would be pretty sexy. Just the thought of you prancing around in one of my loose-fitting, button-down shirts..."
Zoe slapped his arm. "Ben!"
"What? Sorry!" He gave his arm a rub. "Was that bad timing?"
"No. It's alright." Zoe turned to the window, where the scenery was whipping by. Reckless Ben was driving well over the speed limit, but she didn't care. The further away they got, the better she felt. "You don't mind if I stay in your flat, do you?"
"Of course I don't mind! Silly Zoe...you should know I would love to have you there. I've been quite lonely... ever since you left my company." He turned toward her, displaying his exaggerated pout.
"I just don't want to be a burden."
"You could never be a burden."
"I guess I don't even have a job anymore. That's two jobs I've lost in the last two months..."
"I haven't even had a job in the last two months," Ben admitted with a sigh. "So you can safely say you're doing better than I am."
* * *
As soon as they entered his flat, Zoe marched into the room and crashed on the couch. She felt like she was in a daze. It was almost four o'clock in the morning and she hadn't gotten any sleep. After the night's events, she doubted she would be able to rest her mind enough to actually fall asleep.
Then she looked over at Ben and realized he wasn't getting any sleep either. He was just as s
leep-deprived as she was, and it was her fault.
"I'm sorry," the apology popped out of her mouth.
"Why are you apologizing, sweetheart?"
"Because..." Zoe's lips were quivering, so she pressed them together. "I made you come get me... I've kept you up all night."
"I usually don't sleep until around two o'clock in the morning anyway, so this isn't much different," Ben said. "Besides, you didn't make me come get you... and it wasn't too far out of my way. If I had to, I would have driven to Scotland and back to come get you."
"Really?" Her voice was so tiny, she barely recognized it.
"Really!" Ben grabbed a blanket off of his mattress and draped it across her body. With a grin, he added, "I would have swum to Ireland too."
Zoe chuckled. "You would not!"
"Oh, I believe I would!" Ben was lost in thought for a few seconds. He put his hands on his hips and scoured the room. "Hmm... what would you like to wear? You're freezing to death, so I need to get you some warm and snuggily clothes. ...I know!" He went to a chest of drawers--a new piece of furniture since her last visit--and pulled out a pair of fuzzy black pants. "How about these?"
"Are they clean?"
"I don't know. I should probably perform a sniff test on them." Ben held the pants under his nose and inhaled deeply. "Yes, I believe they might be clean!"
Zoe wrinkled her nose. "Umm... eww?"
Zoe's reaction made him double over with laughter. As soon as his laughter subsided, he insisted, "Of course they're clean! I wouldn't give you anything that needed a wash. Here." He tossed her the pants. "Do you want a sweatshirt or something?"
"I'm okay." Despite Ben's claim, Zoe performed her own "sniff test" on Ben's pants. They smelled nice enough, so she slipped them on, over her shorts.
Ben went to the kitchenette, which wasn't too far away. His one-room flat was so small, it didn't take him long to cross the room. "Would you like me to make you some tea? That should warm you up."
"Tea would be nice."
"Earl gray or green tea?"
"Green tea." It didn't take her long to decide. Earl gray was a popular choice for Brits, but it must have been an acquired taste because she didn't really like it.
Ben started heating up some water in his electric kettle. While he waited on the water to boil, he turned toward Zoe. When he saw her smiling at him, he almost melted. After everything she had been through tonight, he didn't expect to see a smile on her face. Her smile could only mean he was doing a good job cheering her up.
"Is there anything else you need?" he asked. "A toothbrush or something? Damn... I don't think I have one. Unless you want to use mine, which I doubt you would. I'll run over to Boots and get you one tomorrow. Is that alright?"
Zoe nodded.
"Do you want something to eat? I have..." When Ben opened his fridge, he realized its contents were disappointing. "Beer. And, um... more beer. Also, some milk."
"I'm okay!" Zoe said with a chuckle.
"I think there's some cereal in the cupboard. I probably meant for that to be used with the milk." Ben laughed at himself. "I'll go shopping tomorrow. We can go together, if you'd like. I--"
"Ben!" she interrupted.
"What?"
"Thanks for taking care of me." Zoe pulled the blanket, warm and woolly, around her body as tightly as she could. The difference between Ben and his brother was so vast, she could hardly believe they were related.
"Well... I'm happy to help." His water started boiling, so he poured it over a teabag and let it steep. While the tea was underway, he went back to the bed and started removing his clothes--first his shirt, then his--
When Zoe turned around and saw him in his black boxer-briefs, she nearly had a heart attack. One top of everything else, he really did have a perfect body: chiseled, lean, muscular.
"Uh... Ben? Do you think you could give me some warning before you start taking off your clothes?"
"Oh. Sorry." He quickly hopped into a pair of sweatpants. "There. Problem solved." He went back to the kitchenette and turned his attention back to her tea.
"Um... Ben?" she repeated. "You're not going to put on a shirt?"
He started preparing her tea the way he liked it, with a bit of milk and sugar. "Does it bother you?"
Bother wasn't the correct word. Hot and bothered would have been more appropriate. "No."
As soon as he delivered the tea to Zoe, he grabbed a shirt off the floor and popped it over his head, much to Zoe's disappointment. Ben really did have an incredible body, complete with sinewy forearms and perfect pectorals. He looked like he belonged in a Gladiator movie. She would have gladly stared at his bare chest all night long if he would have given her the chance.
"How's your tea?" Ben asked, his voice snapping her out of her reverie.
"Good!" She took a sip, hoping he wouldn't realize it was actually the first sip she was taking. "It's good." The tea generated a warming sensation throughout her body, which she desperately needed, so she drank it down quickly.
"I moved the television closer to the mattress... because, well, sometimes I like to lay in bed and watch it."
"Aww..." Zoe gave him a little nudge. "Did you say television just for me?"
"The telly," he corrected himself with a smile. "I moved the telly."
Zoe finished her tea in a few minutes' time, so she set the mug aside. "I'm going to go lay down in bed then," she announced.
"Alright."
"And I want you to come with me."
Ben tilted his head, as if he hadn't heard her correctly. "Pardon?"
"I want you to lay in bed with me!" Zoe grabbed his t-shirt--which she wished he wasn't wearing--and tugged him in the direction of the bed. "I want to cuddle."
"Oh boy." Ben leapt from the couch and ran to the mattress. He didn't need to be asked twice. "What did I do to deserve cuddle time?"
When Zoe slid onto the mattress with him, he was greeted with another surprise. She kissed his lips a few times, softly and sweetly, before settling her head on his chest.
Ben started running a hand through her hair, and her scalp tingled every time he touched her. "I'm so sorry about what happened to you tonight, Zoe," he whispered. "I would kill Lewis... if you'd let me."
"No," she protested. "Don't worry about it."
"I want you to feel safe while you're here," Ben sad, cupping her cheek in his hand. "I want you to feel safe... with me. You know I wouldn't let anything happen to you."
"I do feel safe with you."
"Good." Ben started stroking her hair again, determined to caress her until she fell asleep. "You have no idea how much that means to me."
Chapter Twenty
Excerpt from Zoe's blog--
Hindsight is 20/20, or so they say. I probably shouldn't have told my mom I'm living with a guy.
The next morning, Ben told Zoe she could use his laptop, and she felt obligated to tell her mother what was going on. She sat on the couch, her hair looking like a mess, and logged into her email.
Hey mom,
I just thought I'd give you an update on what's happening across the pond. Chris, the little boy I was looking after, went to live with his mom (I told you about the parents separating, right?) So that means I'm currently without a job. Yep... I'm joining the ranks of the unemployed yet again! That didn't take long, did it?
I moved out of the Eastham house last night. So you don't panic, I thought I'd let you know where I'm currently staying (although it'll probably make you panic even worse!) I'm currently staying in London with a guy named Ben, but I probably won't be here long
Zoe didn't realize Ben was standing over her shoulder, reading her message. When he read her last line, he shouted, "Hey!"
She tried to cover the laptop screen. "Ben! Why are you reading my personal messages?!"
"Sorry." Though he apologized, his apology was far from genuine. Ben sat on the couch beside her and unabashedly reread her email. "Do you really have to tell her you won't be here very long?
And maybe you should use the word living instead of staying. As long as you're here, I want you to feel like this is your home!"
"Ben?"
"Hmm?"
Zoe gave him a gentle knock on the head. "Don't read my messages, okay? Git!" She rotated 90 degrees on the couch, hoping to use her body to shield the computer screen from his view. Even though she didn't approve of Ben's spying, she deleted her last line.
I moved out of the Eastham house last night. So you don't panic, I thought I'd let you know where I'm currently staying (although it'll probably make you panic even worse!) I'm currently living in London with a guy named Ben... I've mentioned him before, haven't I? He's my former employer's brother. And before your mind jumps to conclusions, Ben and I are just friends. He's been nice enough to give me a place to stay, and I have graciously accepted.
I'll leave you the address so you can contact me in the event of an emergency. Write back and let me know what's been going on over on your side of the pond!
-Zoe
When she finished composing her message, Zoe logged off, closed the laptop, and handed it back to Ben.
"What did you write?" Ben asked. "Did you tell her I was ridiculously handsome, that I'm the epitome of virility?"
"Uh-huh," Zoe lied. "You must have been reading my mind, because that's exactly what I said... and I left her a footnote about your massive ego."
"Hey! What ego?"
Before she could respond, Ben grabbed her by the waist and dragged her onto his lap. When he started bouncing her on his knee, she had to ask, "WHAT are you doing?"
"Am I wrong to assume we've progressed far enough in our relationship that I can put you on my lap whenever I feel like it?" he asked, smiling cheekily. "Besides, I thought you'd like to go for a ride on the horse."
"Horse?" She raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah." Ben kept bouncing her on his knee, up and down, up and down. "It's a bit like riding a horse, don't you think? Now that we don't have access to Rassy, this is the best we can do."
