Page 21 of Planning on Happily Ever After

Ben may not have much experience with the type of romance she was used to, but he knew how to be helpful and could do things for her. “Give me your keys.”

Holly looked up at him like he was a crazy person and brought her keys to her chest protectively. “Did you not bring your own car? Because I only have the one and I might be okay sharing food but my little sedan is all mine.”

“No, smarty-pants. I’m going to warm up your car for you.” He held out his hand to her. “Now, may I please have your keys?”

“Oh, okay.” Smiling shyly, Holly passed over her keys and Ben jogged out of the building and over to her car. Luckily, she had parked right near the front, so Ben didn’t have to spend more than a minute in the biting cold before he had her car on and the heat going. When he stepped back into the building and brushed his hands together to warm them up, Holly beamed up at him, her eyes shining with emotion as if he’d just performed a miracle and not done the most obvious thing in the world. “Thanks, Ben.”

“You’re welcome.” He reached over and tucked a stray hair behind her ear, the strands like silk beneath his fingertips. “It should be warm enough in another minute or two.” Despite just coming in from the cold, Ben was already feeling the heat from both how beautiful she looked and how badly he wanted to hold her against him.

“Sounds good.” They stood there for a moment, Holly biting her lower lip again and shuffling on her feet as Ben wondered what it would be like to kiss her.Slow, remember?“So, I guess I’ll see you at your tuxedo fitting next week?”

“I’m looking forward to it.” Ben wasn’t looking forward to the fitting itself, but he was absolutely looking forward to spending more time with her. He glanced at his watch and noticed the time, getting home to sleep and staying with Holly as long as possible battling for dominance in the decision-making center of his brain. He had a long day of work and reviewing Kelly’s game files ahead of him, and as much as he enjoyed Holly’s company, he needed to go. “Your car is probably warm now. How about I walk you?”

Ben offered his hand, delighted beyond measure when she took it, and led her out in to the cold wind. Ben tried to block as much of it from her as he could, but it was pretty brutal. They scurried to her driver’s side door and she turned around to say goodnight. “I’ll see you, soon.” He leaned down to give her a hug and a kiss on the cheek, but as he turned to brush his lips against her skin, Holly turned her head and their lips met in a chaste kiss. It was nice, her lips soft, supple, and warm in spite of the cold, but it took him by surprise. That must have registered in his expression because when Holly pulled back her eyes were wide with horror.

“Oh, god. You were going for my cheek, weren’t you?” She rested her head against his chest, grumbling something aboutscrewing it up already.

As much as Ben enjoyed her head resting near the heart that was starting to beat for her more and more, he couldn’t let her spiral unnecessarily and tucked his finger under her chin, lifting her gaze up to his. “I was going for your cheek, but I didn’t mind getting a little taste of your lips.” He leaned down to whisper near her ear, his breathing shaky, and not from the cold. “I’d ask for another, but we agreed to take things slow.”

Holly’s body shivered and when he saw her face again, it was wide with wonder. “So, you still want to do this?”

He nodded, not a single doubt in his mind about her or continuing to pursue what had already been one of the best things to happen to him lately. “Absolutely.”

“Good.” She opened her car door and started to climb in, shooting a shy smile over her shoulder. “I’m going to go before I make things awkward again.” She chuckled at herself and got into her vehicle. She drove her car out into the night with Ben standing in the thick blanket of snow, his feet rooted to the ground until she was out of sight.

Ben chuckled to himself as he made his way over to his own car, liking Holly’s particular brand of awkwardness. The fact that she acknowledged it so freely and with little embarrassment made him feel better about his own gracelessness. Everything in his gut was screaming at Ben that it wouldn’t last and that she would get sick of him sooner or later, but when Ben thought about Holly, taking the time to truly consider what a wonderful person she was, his stomach stopped churning with worry and he felt a little calmer.

Holly Baker was a good influence on him, and as much as he would have liked more time with her and definitely more kisses, Ben was glad they had agreed to take it slow. He was already heavily invested in making this work, now all he had to do was make sure he didn’t give into his more cynical nature and push her away. It was easier said than done, but for Holly, Ben would try just about anything.

***

Holly: So, is textingyou the second I get home still considered taking things slow?

Ben beamed at the phone in his hand, a giddiness bubbling up in his chest that was very reminiscent of the time he’d found a box of old PC games at the thrift store. Thirty games for five dollars had been the deal of a lifetime, and yet somehow that now paled in comparison to the simple text he was currently staring at. They’d agreed to take things slowly for both their sakes, but it seemed his Holly was slightly more impatient than she’d admitted. Ben didn’t mind, liking that she was taking the lead when he felt like he was walking a tightrope when it came to this. Fingers trembling, Ben took a deep breath and typed out his reply.

Ben: I don’t think it would qualify, no, but honestly, I don’t really mind.

After staring at the words for all of two seconds, Ben made a quick amendment to his previous statement, stepping closer to the edge of vulnerability, hoping his bravery would pay off.

Ben: I like that you couldn’t wait to talk to me again.

Three little dots danced on his screen, each jump they made mimicking his heart that beat rapidly with nerves and excitement. How could one person make you feel this way? If this was what his mom felt with each of her previous boyfriends, it was no wonder she never went without one.

Holly: Good, though I promise not to make it a regular thing, unless of course you wouldn’t mind that either. ;)

Ben chuckled at the cheeky text, the knot in his stomach that always accompanied his anxiety loosening.

Ben: You can text me anytime, Holly. Day, night, weekends, holidays. Whenever you want to talk, I’ll be here for you.

Holly: That’s a pretty bold promise. Are you sure you want me to hold you to it?

The promise was fairly heavy for someone who had never made it before, but Ben actually felt confident in his ability to keep it. Holly was a lot of what he wasn’t, but that was what made being around her so wonderful. She was the light to his dark, and the more time he spent with her, the less burdened he felt by the reality of who he was. He would probably never be as optimist as she seemed to be, but when Holly was around, things didn’t seem so bad.

Ben: Hold me to that and anything else you want to.

Ben felt his dick stir at the thought of Holly holding him against her, and as much as he wanted to leap down a rabbit hole filled with that and more sexy images, he was keeping a promise.

Holly: I will. Now, I’m going to let you go before I push things a little too far, but I wanted to let you know that I had a great time tonight and am really looking forward to seeing you again.

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