Page 29 of Stick Side
Chapter 11
Ben
Benwokeupfeelinggreat. He hadn’t slept deeply or for a particularly long time, but he came to with vibrant energy and the type of enthusiasm that was synonymous with an exceptional day.
He pillowed his arms behind his head as he replayed the events of the previous evening in his mind. As had happened so many times last night, a happy smile rose to his lips.
He could still picture the astonished expression on Melody’s face when she’d first seen him walking toward her table. He could get very used to a woman looking at him the way she had. He was no Sherlock Holmes in his powers of observation and deduction, but he could swear he’d made a very positive impression on her by the end of their speed date.
He’d seen a most alluring combination of emotions cross her face. Surprise. Delight. Anticipation. Shyness. Attraction. It had all been there, wrapped up in such an enticing package that he hadn’t known whether to thank his lucky stars or groan in frustration because it was once again the wrong venue forpulling her into his arms and seeing if her lips tasted as sweet as they appeared.
Melody had looked as beautiful yesterday as she always did. He thought he might have detected a light coat of mascara—giving extra length to her already alluring lashes—along with a coat of lip gloss, but that was about it makeup wise. It was the perfect combination to subtly enhance her stunning features while making him wonder whether she was wearing makeup at all. She’d left her hair to fall in long dark waves around her shoulders. His fingers had itched to comb through it. Her look was natural, but extremely appealing.
Seated at the table as she was, Ben hadn’t been able to see what she was wearing on her lower half, but her upper half had been draped in a fitted gold top that brought out the warm, honeyed tones in her skin and made her big brown eyes look even more luminous than normal. The cowl neck had brushed her upper breasts, hinting at a rich valley of cleavage. The understated sophistication of her attire was more tempting than a revealing scooped neckline would have been.
Melody had reminded him of a present waiting to be unwrapped. Only, it wasn’t Christmas morning, so all he’d been able to do was stare and appreciate the gorgeous gift before his eyes as anticipation built within him.
He’d been practically mesmerized by the sight of her. It had taken some serious strength of will not to let his eyes linger where they shouldn’t. Fortunately, the willpower that had gotten him into the NHL and kept him there had prevailed and he’d managed to keep his gaze focused on her face. For the most part.
Ben sighed in contentment as he rolled over in his bed and reached for the cellphone on his bedside table.
Opening his email, he found a message from Cupid Connections. It looked like it had come in late last night. He clicked on the message and read its contents.
Dear Mr. Benjamin Logan,
Thank you for joining us at our speed dating event at the Brookstreet Bistro this evening.
We are pleased to inform you that you have a match!
Please find Melody’s email below.
Wishing you all the best in your romantic future,
Maureen Spencer
General Manager
Cupid Connections
Feeling even more stoked than he had mere moments before, Ben piled a couple of pillows behind his head and leaned back against them. Now comfortably propped up, he opened his texting app and started to type. He supposed he could have sent Melody an email at the address Maureen had provided him with, but texting felt like the faster, better, and more convenient option.
Ben:Good morning, beautiful. I hope you had a pleasant sleep and woke up to find everything as right with your world as I did with mine.
Was his remark a little cheesy? Probably, but it was what was genuinely going through his mind, so he went with it.
It was 8:00 a.m. on a Sunday morning, so he wasn’t sure when Melody might see his text. He was an early riser by nature, but he wasn’t sure what her routine looked like. Did she like to hop out of bed and greet the day along with the sunrise, or did she prefer to take the opportunity the weekend afforded to remain curled up in bed under a pile of fluffy blankets? These were some of the details he hoped to learn about her. And soon, if he could help it.
He had to be at O’Hare to catch an 11:00 a.m. flight, so he had some time to spare, but not much. A car service was scheduled to pick him up in just under an hour. With his travel schedule in mind, he threw off his sheet and walked to the bathroom.
He took a quick shower and toweled himself dry before wrapping his towel around his waist and wandering back into his bedroom. He gave into temptation and checked his phone to see whether Melody had responded to his morning text. To his surprise, she had.
Checking the clock to make sure he was still on schedule, he took a seat on the edge of the bed. Getting dressed could wait a few minutes. He settled in and proceeded to read Melody’s reply.
Melody:Good morning. I’m just waking up, but I’m feeling pretty good so far. Thank you for wondering. :-)
Ben smiled as he pictured a gentle blush rising to color her cheeks. There was something charming about such shyness in such a smart and accomplished woman. Given the way she responded to him, he would think no one had ever flirted with her before. His inner caveman delighted at the idea, even though his rational mind dismissed it as improbable.
Ben:I’m just getting ready to head to the airport, but I imagine you might have guessed that. ;-)
