Page 33 of Planning on Happily Ever After

“Yes,” she shouted happily and started to dance. Holly really had very little rhythm, but the look of pure joy on her face made up for her lack of skills. “I’ll take a butterscotch milkshake with whipped cream, please.”

Ben smiled at her giddiness before leaning down and lightly brushing his lips against hers, just a brief taste to keep him going. When he pulled back, Holly’s triumphant smile had turned into one of soft satisfaction. She was stunning. “Anything you want. Just remember, you’ve got a dare to complete now.”

Her eyes narrowed as she pulled on her coat. “Just don’t make it anything involving the ocean. It’s too cold to have to go jumping in the waves right now.”

“Oh, it’s much better than that.” The two of them walked next door to Shakey’s Ice Cream Parlor, and Ben purchased her butterscotch shake and a vanilla one for himself. Holding the door open for her, he followed behind like a loyal puppy, eager to be wherever she was.

They walked toward her apartment, drinking their ice cold treats and talking about everything and nothing as they went. “I can’t believe you got vanilla. It’s so boring,” she remarked, her voice filled with humor.

Ben rolled his eyes playfully at her. “It’s not boring, it’s classic and more complex than people give it credit for. Besides, you don’t have much room to talk, ordering the same flavor as my grandpa’s favorite hard candy.” He pinched her side, smiling when she yelped. “Are you secretly an eighty-year-old man?”

Holly bumped his shoulder with hers as she laughed. “Stop. Butterscotch is the best milkshake flavor, and I will die on that hill.”

They continued walking and talking about their shared interests, though most of the time was spent just silently enjoying one another’s company, exchanging no words, only meaningful glances. It wasn’t until they reached the small alley near her apartment that Ben realized Holly had accomplished her mission. He felt much better than he had earlier, and he hadn’t had one worry or anxious thought the whole time they were together.

After tossing their empty milkshake containers, they stood next to the side door of the bakery. The temperature had dropped considerably and they had just consumed a large amount of cold liquid, so it shouldn’t have surprised him to see Holly trembling.

Ben reached over and rubbed his hands up and down her arms to warm her up. “Who drinks milkshakes in forty degree weather?”

Holly shrugged a shoulder before stepping into the warmth of his body. “It’s never too cold for milkshakes.” Wrapping her arms around his middle, she burrowed into his chest. Everything about it felt soright. It was as though from that first moment when they’d collided, she had knocked something loose in him, a desire to have more, to be more and with her, it all felt possible. “Maybe it was part of my elaborate plan to have a reason to cuddle up to you.”

Ben held her tighter, his heart swelling and pressing up against his ribs, he was that happy. Holly wasn’t the sole reason, but she had definitely been the catalyst, and he would never be able to thank her enough for what she’d given him in their short time together. Ben leaned his cheek against the soft stands of her hair.

“You never need an excuse to cuddle up to me, sunshine.” He huffed a laugh, wondering how he could possibly express just how much he enjoyed her nearness. “Hell, you don’t even have to ask permission.”

“Really?” Her eyes filled with surprise, but at the nod of his head, they filled with a mischievousness as she licked her lips. “And do I need permission to kiss you?”

Ben shook his head in the negative and moments later Holly’s lips were on his. They were soft and surprisingly warm given how cold she had been, and as he moved his tongue into her mouth and tangled it with hers, he tasted butterscotch and the sweetness that came from who she was. Their mouths danced together as beautifully as their bodies had hours earlier at the studio, and Ben didn’t ever want it to end. Pushing his hands into her dark waves, he caressed the silky tresses before tilting her head to the side, moving his mouth away from hers and trailing kisses along her cheek and down her neck until he reached the base, nipping at the slight curve there.

Holly gasped, but it quickly turned into a moan as he kissed the sting of his teeth away, continuing to nibble and suck at her soft skin until the hands clutching his shoulders squeezed so tightly, he could feel her nails through the thick fabric of his coat. As her body writhed next to his, he pressed the evidence of his arousal into her center, seeking to ease his aching as well as hers. Ben continued to grind against her, but pushed back the moment he felt her palm slap at his shoulder, as if she were tapping out of what had been the most pleasurable wrestling match of his life.

Ben took in her mussed hair, blown pupils, and heaving chest. The swells of her breasts were covered with a blush that continued all the way up to her cheeks. She looked beautiful, and Ben couldn’t wait to see what Holly looked like the morning after they finally slept together. From the slightly startled look in her eyes though, that wouldn’t be happening tonight.

“Was that too much?” he asked, suddenly anxious that he had taken things too far.

She chuckled lightly and shook her head. “Uh, no. That was really good actually. I just...” Holy leaned against the door and looked up at him sheepishly. “I guess I just kind of want to know where our relationship is headed before we go any further. I mean, we haven’t even been out on an official date.” She held up her hands. “Not that I’m not having a great time on our non-date outings. I would just like to know where we stand.” Ben smiled at her as she studied his face. “What are you smiling about?”

“My dare,” he told her nonchalantly. Now that the fog of lust had cleared from his brain, he finally remembered what he’d been hoping to ask her.

“Really? That’s what you’re thinking about right now?” She looked puzzled, and slightly offended.

Ben took her hand and held it in his. “It is, and while my mind will definitely be revisiting that kiss later, I was thinking about our bet because I was going to dare you to go out on a real date with me.” Her eyes widened, the frustration from moments ago vanishing replaced with wonder. “I really like you Holly, and I know we said we’d take things slow, but I would like to pick up the pace a little bit. If you’re okay with it.”

Before he’d even finished uttering the last sentence, Holly leapt into his arms and hugged him. “That’s more than okay with me.” Her lips brushed against his cheek as they held each other.

“Good.” Ben leaned down and kissed her lips, chastely this time because he couldn’t handle getting wound up so tightly again without some kind of release. That would have to wait until the second he got home. “I’m going to call you later this week and then we are going to go on the most amazing official date you have ever been on.”

Holly bounced happily and kissed him one last time. “I can’t wait.” She opened the door and peered at him over her shoulder, the sparkle in her blue eyes rivaling the stars above them. “Goodnight, handsome.”

“Sweet dreams, sunshine.” It was the way they ended every conversation, though it had been getting increasingly difficult to end them at all.

Ben wanted more of what they had, the speed with which he wanted it scaring him slightly. He strolled back toward the dance studio to retrieve his car, thinking about Holly the entire time and looking forward to seeing her again. Now all he had to do was come up with the perfect date to take her on. His anxiety started to creep back in, a nervous feeling settling in his belly. How on Earth was a guy who had never really been on a date supposed to plan the perfect one?

***

Three days later, Benstill had no idea what to do with Holly on their first date. They had continued to talk and text over the phone, but when he asked for a hint of what she might like, Holly merely reiterated that spending time with him was all she needed. The sentiment was sweet, but Ben wanted to do something really special for her. He even went so far as to search the Internet for ideas, but they had already gone dancing and when he thought of a picnic on the beach, the only thing he could picture was sand in the food. It was still decently cold out anyway, and he didn’t want Holly to be uncomfortable.

The circular thought pattern his mind had fallen into over what to do was starting to annoy him. Luckily, a little bit of his frustration was being worked out at the moment as he and Henry jogged through the downtown adjacent neighborhoods, the rhythmic sound of shoes on pavement and the occasional evening birdsong their running playlist. Ben enjoyed this type of movement, especially on days like this where his anxiety was at a constant simmer beneath his skin. What if he screwed up their date? He wasn’t a romantic guy, and Holly deserved someone who could make her feel special.

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