Page 23 of Planning on Happily Ever After

“What are you doing running around outside without a jacket and gloves?” a deep, stern voice called over to her, and when Holly looked up, she saw Ben scowling as he walked toward her.

The way in which he had spoken to her didn’t match the same man she’d been texting and chatting with all week, and as cheerful as she could be, she was no doormat. Holly was about to tell him to watch his tone when he stepped in front of her and took her hands in his, gently rubbing them together. The warmth and pressure worked instantly, and she was delighted to once again have the feeling returning to her fingers. When she took a longer look at Ben, she could see the scowl was more out of concern than anger, his gunmetal gray eyes drawing her in, warming her in a much different way than his hands.

The longer she stared, the shallower the furrow in his brow became and once he was satisfied her hands were warm enough, he released them and smiled sheepishly at her. “Sorry. I just don’t like the idea of you freezing to death.”

Holly smiled at his thoughtfulness, even if he’d stumbled slightly while expressing it. That was who he was, and she liked it. “I don’t care for the idea much myself, and I appreciate you helping me out.” She waved her hands in front of her, wishing they were being held in his again. “I’m all better now, thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” He said nervously and leaned down, pausing for a moment before going further to kiss her cheek. It was quite possibly the shyest kiss she’d ever received, but it was also the most enjoyable. Holly loved the sensation of feeling his soft lips on her skin and tried to remain professional and not take a deep dive into fantasies where she would feel those lips all over her body.Down girl, you’re here for work.

“So,” she squeaked before clearing her throat that had become thick with want. “So, your mom mentioned Marvin was going with a traditional black tux, and we could always fit you in the same, but I was thinking it might be fun to go with a navy jacket and bow tie. I think it would bring out the color in your eyes nicely, and even though you aren’t the star of the show, we still want you to look your best.”

Ben smirked and bumped her lightly with his shoulder. “It sounds like you’ve put a lot of thought into what would make me look good.”

Ben didn’t know how right he was, the amount of time she had spent on Pinterest and every wedding site under the sun to find his perfect look bordering on ridiculous. Holly had spent countless hours scrolling through various suits and jackets to find the perfect combo that would accentuate his already gorgeous features. Not that she would ever admit to that.

Holly shrugged a shoulder nonchalantly, trying to play off how quickly she was falling for the man. “No more than usual, really.” Needing a distraction, she walked further into the shop and started rifling through the rack of suits, glancing over her shoulder to find Ben narrowing his eyes at her. She had always been a horrible liar, so he could probably tell she was full of it. Whether or not he liked that she thought about him so much, she wasn’t sure. Hopefully his teasing her about it meant he did.

Ben followed her around the store as she ran her fingers over the different suits, the feeling of different fabrics caressing her skin pleasantly. Holly was a very tactile person, and at the moment, she was enjoying the crushed velvet of a burgundy jacket as it glided beneath her hands and had gotten lost enough in the touch that she hadn’t noticed Ben right next to her until he was idly playing with a lock of hair that rested on her shoulder. The light tug on her scalp sent tingles up and down her spine, and Holly inhaled shakily as he continued to run his fingers through her hair, trying to keep oxygen flowing to her brain when it wanted to travel further south.

Ben’s cheek brushed against hers as he leaned down next to her ear. “Do you like soft things, Holly?” She closed her eyes at the voice that reminded her of thick, sweet maple syrup, reveling in the feeling of his warm breath on her neck. Her head bobbed and leaned against his for a moment before he pulled away, dropping the strands and smoothing the back of his hand along her cheek. “What a coincidence. So do I.”

Holly swallowed thickly and opened her eyes slowly before turning to face him, his hand never straying from her cheek as he lightly brushed his thumb over her cheekbone. Her eyes flicked to his lips that were forming a small smirk, and she licked her own in preparation for the kiss she thought was coming, the one she so desperately wanted. Ben’s eyes tracked the movement of her tongue as he leaned in once again, their lips inches apart when a booming voice rang out from the back of the shop.

“Miss Holly!” A thick, Italian accent accompanied the words, but they were lost on Holly. She was too enamored with the man in front of her. “I am sorry to keep you waiting, but Giovanni can help you now.”

She and Ben didn’t spring apart, but rather backed away from each other slowly, as though they couldn’t bear to put more distance between them than absolutely necessary. His expression was one of frustration and she was sure it matched her own, though hopefully she was better at masking it. There was also a gleam in his eye, a promise to continue where they’d left off later, perhaps? If it was a promise, Holly would definitely be holding him to it.

Smiling, she winked at Ben before turning to Giovanni. “Gio, it’s so good to see you again. Thank you for making time for us today. I know how busy your weekends can be.”

The shop owner sauntered over toward them, his silvery hair and white teeth shining in the fluorescent lights. “It is never a hardship to make time for one of my favorite ladies,” he said as he pulled her into a hug and kissed each cheek. “How is that father of yours? He still owes me from our last poker game.”

Holly rolled her eyes. Her dad loved playing poker with some of his fellow shop owners, but he was notoriously bad at the card game. “He’s good, and I will remind him about the money.”

Giovanni laughed, his brown eyes sparking with joy. “Oh, sweet girl. He doesn’t owe me money. He owes me a tiramisu.”

Of course.Apparently, food wasn’t just the Baker’s love language, but also their favorite commodity. “Yea, that sounds like the kind of bet he would make,” she replied with a chuckle. She gestured to where Ben had stood next to her and introduced the two men. “Gio, this is Ben. He’s our customer for today. Ben, this is Giovanni Lanaro, the best tailor in Sunset Cove, if not the entire world.” Holly may be practiced in the art of speaking with others and making them comfortable, but she wasn’t one for empty flattery. Gio really was the best tailor she knew, and she had every confidence that he would create an amazing look for Ben.

The two men shook hands and Gio steered her and Ben toward the fitting area, approaching a rack and pulling the tux she had talked to him about the day before. The blue jacket with black lapels and matching black pants would look spectacular on Ben, and Holly couldn’t wait to see him in it. “Here we are,” the tailor said as he displayed the suit over his arm. “Miss Holly estimated your suit size, and now that I see you in person, I think she was pretty accurate.” Gio looked at her with pride in his eyes for a job well done and Holly preened under the praise. She always enjoyed hearing when she had done a good job, even when it was something as small as guessing the correct suit size.

Ben met her gaze, a cheeky expression on his face as he stepped up to Gio and took the suit. “So, you were checking me out long enough to guess my suit size, huh? I don’t know if I should feel flattered or objectified.”

He winked and Holly’s checks flushed instantly, her body warm all over. She started to laugh hysterically, but hopefully managed to cover it with a cough. “Flattered, definitely flattered.” God her flirting game needed so much work it wasn’t even funny. Ben seemed to be making leaps and bounds in that area and she still felt like a beginner. “Anyway, why don’t you go try that on and Gio can make any adjustments needed.”

She practically shoved Ben into the changing room, hoping that with him gone she would be able to clear her head. The truth was, it didn’t take much time for her to be able to size someone up, the ability to do so quickly coming from practice and experience. That being said, she had spent an inordinate amount of time ogling Ben, and he was way too good at calling her out on it.

While they waited for Ben to change into the tux, she and Gio made polite conversation about his family and planned trip back to Italy over the summer. Summer was her busy season, but she hoped to maybe squeeze in a trip to the mountains or maybe to Boston to see a Red Sox game. In addition to all things romance, Holly loved baseball. She had always been closest to her mom, but baseball was one thing she was able to share with her dad, and since he was a lifelong Red Sox fan, she was too. Maybe Ben could come with her if they were still together this summer, although, they weren’t necessarily together now. Mentally shoving those less than pleasant thoughts into a box, Holly sighed. Taking it slow was really throwing her for a loop.

Finally, Ben emerged from the changing room and any attempt to clear her thoughts of him instantly failed as he came out and stood on the small platform. Gio moved to take measurements and pin the areas that needed adjusting, but Holly wasn’t sure he would need to make any. The tuxedo fit Ben like a glove, and Holly had a difficult time keeping her eyes, and tongue, in her head. The suit jacket rested on his strong shoulders and clung to his biceps like it was made just for him, and the black pants hugged his muscular thighs in a way that should be illegal.

Holly shook away the lustful thought. There was no doubt about it. Ben was gorgeous enough to be gracing the cover of a magazine, and for the umpteenth time, Holly wondered what he saw in her. Holly wasn’t normally self-conscious, but she was self-aware enough to know she was more girl-next-door than supermodel. Sucking in a deep breath, she tried to dispel the negative thoughts. Ben was interested in her and she would focus on that.

Holly took a moment to appreciate Ben one more time, drinking in the sight of him in that tux for as long as she thought appropriate. Gio excused himself to the back to get more pins, and Holly took advantage of his absence by stepping up on the platform next to Ben. There was no way she would ever do this with any groom or other member of a wedding party, but she and Ben were exploring something, so she decided to push the boundaries a little.

Holly moved to his front, smiling when he peered down at her curiously. “I’m just going to check the fit if that’s okay.”

His eyes filled with amusement and the corners of his mouth twitched. “By all means,” he told her. Holly could tell he was stifling a laugh, but as she started to smooth her hands over his shoulders and down his arms, he wasn’t laughing anymore.

Keeping things completely professional, or as professional as one could be when they were essentially feeling someone up, Holly tugged at the end of his shirt sleeves before running her hands up his arms once more, squeezing the hard muscles of his biceps. Reaching higher, she gripped his shoulders and played with the short hairs at the back of his neck. The need to kiss him was great, but Holly kept her wits about her and moved her hands down to his chest, resting them there for a moment while enjoying the firmness underneath. When she dared to meet his gaze, there was a veiled expression that turned heated when she skimmed her hands down to his stomach. Smirking, she crept around to his other side, dancing her fingers over the hard muscles of his back before placing her hands on his waist and resting her chin on his shoulder.

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