Page 36 of Beauty and the Nerd
The thought of doing it with Ben excited her but she knew he was being cautious after what happened with Carter and the accident, and especially after his attempt to grab her and drag her to the ground at the New Year’s party. Thankfully, he wasn’t in her head at all when she and Ben were close now, but she knew if she mentioned him, even to say he wasn’t there, Ben would likely pull back.
In a way she loved that he wanted Carter to be nowhere near what happened between them, especially physically, but in another, he was the one pulling him back there with his refusals to try anything new with her. When she’d tried to take the lead and kiss down his chest last week, he’d pulled back, turning her beneath him until he had them both coming while his hardness rubbed against her clit through their clothes. She was tooexhausted to argue about it then, and it just never seemed the right time to bring it up since then.
Ben gave her a soft kiss as he got up Monday morning to head to his first class of the day. She hated that he was paying for a dorm room he rarely used and wondered how much it would take to convince her parents to let him move in. Probably more than it was worth but maybe she could start to put some feelers out there to make it happen.
“Get some more sleep, baby. It’s still early,” Ben whispered, tucking her into the bed more, and she sighed happily as he pressed a kiss to her forehead, before he left.
She slipped back to sleep and didn’t wake up until after nine, feeling completely invigorated and ready for some fun. That had her getting up and ready to head out to do some shopping to waste some hours until Ben would be back.
A knock on the door before she could leave had her brows furling. She hadn’t buzzed anyone in, but that didn’t mean much. Her buzzer had gone off plenty of times before when someone was attempting to get in—both those that lived in the building who’d forgotten their front door key, and those that didn’t. She peeked out the little peephole and quickly threw the door open, her grin huge finding Megan there with a bag and a laughing smile on her own.
“What are you doing here? I thought you were going to Florida with some of the other girls from your sorority,” Emma said after a huge hug.
“I thought coming to see my best friend sounded like a better way to spend my time off,” Megan said, and she ushered her into the place, showing her around as she dropped her bags off in the guest room. “This is definitely you, girl. You look even happier being here than you did when you were home visiting over Christmas.”
“I love it here and so will you when you see where we’re going,” Emma added before pulling her from the apartment, heading out to the shops they definitely didn’t have back home.
They stopped for lunch, and she grinned as she FaceTimed Ben, turning in her seat to show him Megan across the table from her. There was a millisecond where disappointment entered his eyes, but he gave them a smile so fast she knew it wasn’t because he didn’t like her being out, being out without him, or that Megan was there for the most part. Perhaps it was because he figured she’d be staying with them and he wouldn’t have her all to himself, but he’d never tell her she couldn’t spend time with her friends, unlike other guys she’d dated that wanted to control her. Ben simply wanted to love her, and it was absolutely amazing to have that wrapped around her.
“So, do you want to do dinner at home or go out? We could take Megan to our place,” Ben suggested, and that made her a little giddy.
“Now I’m starving again just thinking about dinner,” she teased him. “I think that sounds perfect. Do you want us to meet you there? It’s closer to your school than the apartment so it doesn’t make a lot of sense for you to come all the way down to us to just go back up to the restaurant.”
“That’d give me time to stop in for some clean clothes unless you girls are going to have a slumber party all week at least,” he said, his brow lifting making her laugh at the little plea she saw in his eyes.
“Nope, I already put Megan’s stuff in the guest room, so yes, grab whatever you need, and we’ll meet you at the restaurant say five-thirty? That’d give you time after your last class to go by your dorm then get there and get us there before the late evening rush.”
“Sounds good, I’ll see you then, baby. Get her something sweet to tide her over would you, Megan?” he added making her laugh but she nodded anyway. “See you all later.”
“Bye Ben,” Megan called out as she turned back around in her seat normally.
“Bye Benny,” she teased, blowing him a kiss that pulled a groan from him. “I love you.”
“Love you too, Emmy. Enjoy your afternoon,” he added before they hung up, and Megan lifted a brow at her making her flush.
“So…should I pick up some earplugs while we’re out?” Megan asked, pulling a choked laugh from her as her jaw dropped. “What? You’re all glowy. I know it’s not from being preggo so that’d leave one other reason, especially since your boo can’t go more than a few hours without talking to you.”
“I wish…he’s still taking it slow. Maybe slower than I want right now,” she added, and Megan’s brows rose swiftly making her grin. “I’m ready even if he doesn’t think I am, but I don’t know how to make him see I am without coming straight out with it and then I worry that doing that will kind of ruin the mood, you know?”
“Well maybe what you need to do is tell him visually,” Megan suggested, and her brows rose this time not quite following. “Doesn’t Satin Touch have their main store here?”
“Yeah, why?” she asked, then had to wait as Megan ordered them both slices of cheesecake, plain New York style for Megan and a turtle style for Emma, from their waitress.
“Ben’s order,” Megan said when their waitress walked away but Emma was more than willing to indulge in it, and it was absolute heaven, making her forget their conversation until Megan steered her in the opposite direction of the thrift shop that usually had vintage stuff she figured her friend would love.
“I thought we’d go by the store where I found that little Rikki dress,” Emma said slowing her steps and Megan paused, her face showing a debate going on inside her friend’s head before she shook her head no making Emma’s brow lift curiously her way.
“We can go there another day. I’m not leaving until Sunday unless you kick me out,” Megan added with a grin, and she just laughed because she’d never do that. “Right now, we’re going to Satin Touch to get you something to wear that will give Ben no doubt as to what you want from him.”
Emma was about to argue but the look on her friend’s face had her caving. Stepping into the place was unlike anything she’d ever experienced. It wasn’t anything close to the normal spots at the malls or outlets. This store was absolutely incredible. Chandeliers and plush seating everywhere. Five floors, each dedicated to a different section, and they couldn’t resist looking through each of them before Megan pulled her up to the lingerie department.
She steered them away from the normal bra and panty matching sets, taking them over to some gorgeous pieces and Emma’s breath stalled at the delicacy of some of them. “I’m afraid to touch it. It looks like it’ll fall apart if you do.”
“Then I’m sure Ben will love it,” Megan said grabbing it and a few other items up before guiding them towards a fitting area that Emma was happy to see was manned by a woman and there were actual doors on the rooms unlike in some places she’d been in.
“If you need any help or a different size just let me know and we’ll have an associate get it for you. Panties and swimwear have protective liners in them. If they’re removed, you’re responsible for their cost,” the woman said opening a room for them and she nodded, trying on a couple of the pieces while Megan waited on her.
She was on her third when she heard her through the door asking, “Come on, you’ve got to show me because I know if I leave it up to you, you’ll discard all of them, Em. So, what’s more important, you being sure you can’t pull them off or how Ben will react seeing you in them?”
