by Wren Mingua
"Socks." Zoe looked down at her socks and wriggled her toes.
"I know. But they're absolutely atrocious!"
"Oh, they're not that bad!" She kicked him with one of her atrocious-sock-covered feet. "I had to run out of Lewis' house in the middle of the night, remember? These were the socks I was wearing... my pajama socks. If you hate them so much, then buy me some new socks!"
"Actually, I rather like them." Ben gave her little toe a playful pinch. "They make me hot."
Without warning, Zoe sat up and lifted her shirt over her head, revealing a matching blue bra. Ben could feel himself getting dizzy with lust.
"You're such a tease." Reclining in the bed, Ben clasped his hands behind his head.
"Am I?" Zoe could feel her rationalization slipping away. She sat on her knees and leaned over him; her breasts hovered close to his face. "Do you like what you see?"
"Ohhh, I believe I do!" Ben's voice squeaked a bit. "If you were on top of me right now, I think you could feel that I do!"
"Is that an invitation?"
"Sweetheart, you have an open invitation," Ben told her. "You can climb on top of my body any time you wish."
Surprisingly, Zoe accepted his invitation. She slid on top of him and straddled his waist. Ben immediately grabbed onto her hips, holding her in place.
"Ohhh," Ben groaned. "Why would you torture me like this? Devilish girl!"
Zoe pouted. "Is it torture?"
"Well... you said I only get the knickers... no birthday suit," Ben explained, "which leads me to believe I might be blue-balled by the end of the night."
"Well, I can leave if you want me to...I wouldn't want to torture you..."
"No, wait!" Ben held onto her hips as tightly as he could, ensuring she would not leave. "Despite the torture, I'm rather enjoying this turn of events. I like having you on top of me."
"You do?"
"Ohhhh, yes," he said with a chuckle. "If you'd like, you can take off my shirt."
"I would like." Zoe started plucking at the buttons of his shirt. She unbuttoned it half-way, then leaned back to admire her work. There was something infinitely sexy about his disheveled state, and she wanted to burn his half-exposed chest into her memory.
"This is the best birthday ever," Ben declared, grinning.
"Good to know you're enjoying yourself." When she finished with the last button, Zoe pulled open both sides of the shirt and exposed his bare chest. She raked her eyes over him, over his sculpted abs. She even licked her lips a little bit, which she hoped he didn't notice. "You are so gorgeous," she purred.
"You're the gorgeous one."
Zoe, who was well beyond the point of return, leaned down and started trailing kisses across his stomach. She kissed his abs, kissed his navel, kissed his perfect pecs. Her tongue even slipped out to give him a lick.
"Zoe..." Ben whispered her name, a bit breathlessly. "Can I touch you?"
"I dunno. Try me."
Ben moved his hands away from her hips. They drifted to her legs, where he caressed the warm, soft flesh of her inner thighs. Then he reached around, cupping her panty-clad butt in the palms of his hands. "I wonder..." he mused. "How much would you let me get away with?"
"N-not much more..." Zoe thought she could hear someone snapping their fingers in her head, snapping her back to her senses. "In fact, I should probably put an end to it before we go too far..."
When she rolled off of his body, Ben whimpered audibly. "And why do we have to put an end to it?!"
"Because I'm not that kind of girl," she informed him. "Because you're not even my boyfriend!"
"I'll be your boyfriend," Ben said. He rolled on his side and started toiling with her hair, sifting the tendrils through his fingers. "Do you want to be my girlfriend?"
"Yes!" Her answer flew out of her mouth, but it was premature. "And... no. You only want me to be your girlfriend because you want sex!"
"Hey!" Ben flinched a little, as if in pain. "That's not fair. And you're wrong, by the way..."
"You really want me to be your girlfriend? You really like me? You're not just..." Surprisingly, it was a British expression that popped into her head. "You're not just taking the piss?"
"No!" Ben seized her hand and brought it to his lips. He kissed her inner wrist several times, inhaling her milky skin. "I really like you. I want to be with you... exclusively. No matter what you might believe about me, I am the committed type."
"I just don't know... I just don't know if it would last." She sighed. "I really like you, Ben... I just--"
Ben let go of her hand and coiled an arm around her waist. "Will you at least let me hold you?"
"Yeah." Zoe squinted her eyes as tightly as she could. Deep down--or perhaps not so deep--she wanted him to do way more than hold her. She wished she could trust him, that she could ignore her inhibitions. She didn't want to end up nursing another broken heart. "Just give me some time, okay?"
"Okay. I can give you time." Ben's eyes were so sincere, he looked more adorable than ever. "I'll just have to try harder to win your heart."
He already has my heart. She tried to ignore the voice in her head that was telling her that, because it didn't make sense. "Thanks for being so understanding."
"Of course." Ben pulled the blanket over both of them, and took the time to tuck her in. "By the way, Zoe... your arm."
"My... arm?"
"There were bruises on your wrist," Ben pointed out. "Is that what I think it is?"
Zoe expelled a huge sigh. She was hoping he wouldn't notice the bruises, the last remnant of Lewis' attack. "I..."
"It was Lewis, wasn't it?" Ben asked through gritted teeth. "I know it was. You don't have to tell me."
Ben made a mental note to punish his brother.
Chapter Twenty Two
Excerpt from Zoe's blog--
The other day, I heard a British person pronounce the word "fillet" with a T. Fill-It. I'm tempted to ask my friend if they'd pronounce "fillet mignon" as "fill-it ming none."
On the way back to London, they stopped in the town of Stevenage and walked three blocks to Gemma's place of residence. She was living with her sister in a two-family duplex, which was a far cry from the Eastham mansion. When she rang the doorbell, Zoe held her breath.
Ben squeezed her shoulder, noting the tension in her body. "Are you okay?"
"I'm alright," Zoe assured him. "It's just that... Gemma hates me."
"I'm sure she doesn't hate you."
"Oh, I'm pretty sure she does!"
A few seconds later, Gemma opened the door. Her bright red hair was curly and kinky, which suggested a bad perm. She had a cigarette in her hand--a "fag," as the Brits would call it. She was wearing way too much black eyeliner, which did little to conceal the puffiness of her eyes. Had she been crying? If that was the case, Zoe almost felt sorry for her.
Until she saw Gemma's sneer.
"What do you want?" Gemma snapped.
Zoe exchanged wary glances with Ben. "To visit Chris. Would that be okay?" she asked.
"I..." Gemma stepped out of the doorway and motioned for them to come inside. "If you must."
Zoe spotted Chris as soon as she stepped inside. He was sitting on the sofa, engrossed in his Nintendo DS. As soon as he saw Zoe, he cast his game aside and ran over to her. He threw his arms around her, capturing her in a hug.
A hug!? Was this the same boy from before?
"Hey, Chris," she said, giving his hair a ruffle. "How have you been?"
"Alright. I've missed you."
If Gemma wasn't glaring at her from a few feet away, Zoe would have been grinning. Now that Chris liked her, she was no longer his nanny. It seemed like such a shame. "I've missed you too. Ben and I got you some treats in York."
"Oh... hey, Uncle Ben," Chris finally acknowledged the other visitor's presence. "What did you get me?"
"Straight to the point," Ben said with a chuckle. He handed Chris a bright blue bag, which was filled with an assortment of goodies: maple c
remes, rock candy, fudge. When Chris peeked into the bag, he let out a whoop of excitement.
"Wow, thanks!" Chris dashed over to the couch so he could thoroughly inspect his loot.
Ben turned his attention to Gemma. "Sorry we didn't get anything for you."
"It's not like I expected anything," Gemma said with a roll of her eyes. "And since when did you start buying things as a couple? Are you two... together?"
Ben snaked an arm around Zoe's shoulders and pulled her closer. "Not quite, but I'm working on it."
"Hmm... I had assumed she was shagging my husband. Are you trying to tell me she's shagging you?"
"Heeey," Ben countered, his voice cautionary. "Zoe's not like that. Lewis was the one who acted like a complete twat."
"Ben..." Zoe whispered. "Don't worry about it."
"No!" Ben went on. "Gemma needs to know where the fault lies. Zoe did nothing to provoke my brother. And if you're imagining some sort of an affair in your head, well... it's just that! It's in your head."
Zoe went to the couch and sat next to Chris. She didn't want to get involved. Maybe Ben was right--maybe she was too non-confrontational.
Fortunately, Chris paid little attention to the adults' argument. He was too busy gnawing on a bit of fudge. He tried to offer Zoe a piece, but she politely shook her head.
"Well... it's nice to know Zoe has found such a champion in you, Ben. I'm sure she loves that," Gemma said, rolling her eyes again. "I knew she had to be shagging someone in this family."
"She's not," Ben shook his head. "We're not."
"I don't know what it is about her. She's not that special." Gemma crossed her arms. "I mean, she's sort of pretty, I suppose, but--"
"Gemma," Ben interrupted. "If you managed to get past your ridiculous jealousy problem, you might find out Zoe is a good, sweet girl!"
"Of course you would think that, Ben!"
"Gemma, why do you have to argue with us as soon as we step through the door. Huh? Why does it have to be like that? Why can't you just let us visit with Chris? Why do you have to start slinging around ridiculous accusations?"
"Ben!" Zoe tried to get his attention again. "Just sit down. It's not worth it."
Gemma's hands slid to her hips. "Are you saying I'm not worth it?!" With her current hairstyle, she looked like an angry clown. Even her eyebrows had been dyed a bright, flaming red.
"No, Gemma, that's not what I'm saying," Zoe sighed. "I just don't like to argue."
"I'm not arguing. This isn't an argument!"
"Mum!" Chris finally got a word in.
"What?"
"Shut up, mum." He pulled out a box of assorted chocolates and held it out to Gemma, who sunk into a chair across from the sofa. "Would you like some?"
"No." Gemma tugged at the straps of her tank top, which kept slipping down her shoulders. "Anyway, I suppose it's nice of you to visit Chris. He's been asking about you."
A kind word from Gemma!? It was like an oxymoron had come to life!
"It really is good to see him again,” Zoe said.
"In fact," Ben cut in, "I was hoping Chris could visit us in London sometime. Maybe next Saturday?"
"Visit us in London," Gemma repeated. "Are the two of you living together now?!"
Before Ben could answer, Zoe spoke up, "It's just temporary... until I figure out what I'm going to do. I might be moving back to the States."
"Not if I can help it..." Ben murmured under his breath.
Gemma leaned forward and cupped a hand behind her ear, from which a gaudy orange earring dangled. "Pardon? Did you say something, Ben?" Zoe was wondering the same thing.
"Nothing." Ben turned toward the window and pouted, like a little boy deprived of his favorite pastime. Why didn't Zoe think he was reason enough to stay? Were her feelings for him really so paper thin? Was he wrong to think they had a breakthrough last night? "Anyway, we can't stay long. The next train departs in about twenty minutes..."
Chris grabbed Zoe's wrist. "Aww... you can't stay?!"
"I'm afraid not," Zoe said. "But I'm glad we got to see you. Do you think you'd like to come visit us in London next week?"
At least she'll be with me another week, Ben thought with a frown.
"Yeah. I would." Chris dipped into his candy bag and pulled out another chocolate treat. "Thanks for the candy."
"Of course." Zoe tried to kiss Chris on the head, thinking he'd pull away. But he didn't. He not only accepted it, he accepted it with a smile.
"Can we play some games together when I visit you in London?"
Ben winked and said, "if you think I'd miss game time, then you don't know me very well." He took Zoe's hand; together, they made their way to the door. After exchanging formal farewells with Gemma, they headed back to the train station.
"You know, Zoe..." Ben spoke up, "you don't have to leave me. You don't have to go racing back to the States. You can stay with me as long as you'd like."
"I know you say that... but I don't think I should overstay my welcome. Besides, my mom keeps telling me I should come back home, so--"
"Is that what you want?" Ben asked. "To go back to the States? Have you already made up your mind? Am I just wasting my time?"
"Ben..." Zoe whimpered his name.
"What?!" Ben's retort was slightly acerbic. Not only that, he let go of her hand, which is something he never did. He was never the one to break the hold. He must have been really upset with her.
"I haven't decided anything yet, okay? Please don't give me a hard time..."
They reached the station, so Ben clamped his mouth shut. There was so much he wanted to say to her, needed to say to her, but he didn't know if it would make a difference.
Would it matter if I told her I loved her? he thought with a frown.
Chapter Twenty Three
Excerpt from Zoe's blog--
Have you ever thought about how horrified Jane Austen would be if she was alive today?
The trip from Stevenage was a short one. Before she knew it, Zoe and Ben were back in London, riding the tube back to his flat. And they were quiet, too, which led her to believe he was still upset with her.
"Are you pissed?" she asked him during the subway ride.
He stared at her for a few seconds, baffled. "What?"
Then she remembered that "pissed" meant something different in the UK, so she asked, "Are you angry with me?"
"No."
His curt response was hardly convincing.
However, Ben didn't have much time for brooding, because there was more drama waiting for them at home. When they got back to the flat, they noticed a man standing outside the building. He was impeccably dressed, in black dress pants and a button-down shirt. His mahogany hair was sideswept, and there was a hint of apprehension in his eyes. The breadth of his shoulders was striking. He might have been broader than Ben, which was no small feat, as Ben was hardly a small man himself.
"Zoe!" the man shouted her name. He ran forward, seizing her by the shoulders. "I've been waiting out here for hours! Where have you been?"
It was Kyle. As soon as she saw his face, Zoe's knees wobbled.
"Oh my god." Her voice was hollow. "How did you find me?"
"I got your address from your mother. We've been worried about you, Zoe. We've missed you..."
"Uh... excuse me," Ben spoke up. "Do you mind telling me who this is?"
"Who are you?" Kyle snapped, flashing wild eyes in Ben's direction.
Ben put his hands on his hips and delivered his answer with confidence. "Zoe's boyfriend." A couple of teenagers rushed past, giving Zoe a momentary reprieve from the awkward encounter.
Kyle chuckled. "That's funny. Her boyfriend?"
"I am." Ben wrapped an arm around Zoe's shoulders, as if claiming her. And it must have worked, because Kyle's hands slid away from her.
"You're not her boyfriend," Kyle matter-of-factly stated. "There's no way. You're not her type."
"He's not my boyfriend." Zoe confirmed.
"See
?" Kyle flashed a victorious grin at his rival. He wrapped his arm around Zoe's shoulders and proceeded to drag her away from Ben. "Zoe, I can't even begin to tell you how much I've missed you. Why haven't you called me? Why haven't you sent me any emails? After everything we've been through, I have a hard time believing you'd cut ties with me like that!"
"Waaaait..." Ben followed them as Kyle steered her away. "You're the ex-fiance, aren't you? The cheating one?"
Kyle thrust a disinterested thumb in Ben's direction. "Have you been telling people our business? Zoe!"
"Kyle..." Zoe shook her head. "I'm sorry."
"Zoe, wait..." Ben reached out and snatched her arm, which halted their advance. "Why are you apologizing? Isn't this the man who cheated on you?"
The cocky smirk was back on Kyle's face. "I don't know who you are... and I don't even care, come to think of it, but do you think you could give us some space? The adults are talking."
"Kyle!" Zoe exclaimed.
"What?"
"Don't talk to Ben like that. He's been really good to me."
"Oh, has he?" Kyle laid a hand on his hip, copying Ben's self-assured stance. "Are you seeing this guy? Tell me the truth, Zoe."
"Like you told me the truth?"
"I DID tell you the truth!"
"Yeah, but how long were you cheating on me before you told me?"
"Zoe..." Kyle grabbed Zoe's hand. He kissed her palm, laid it against his cheek, breathed her in. "Can we talk about this in private? You smell really nice, by the way."
"Do I?" She sniffed her wrist.
"You do. You always do..." Kyle stared at her with his puppy dog eyes, those eyes that could always melt her. But she wouldn't give in. She couldn't give in. Not this time.
"Anyway..." Zoe went on. "I am seeing Ben. Sort of. But he's not my boyfriend."
Kyle stared at Ben for several seconds. His eyes turned cold and serious, as if he was seeing him as a worthy competitor for the first time. "But he's not your type!"
"You don't know what my type is."
