The Reluctant Cougar (Rise of the Alpha King's Heir)

Music

The sound of the front door softly clicking shut woke him, and Ben smiled.

Nobody was home, and Ben intended to take full advantage of that.

After using the bathroom he grabbed his favorite mix CD, slipped it into the large CD player in the living room, and turned up the volume so loud the bass thrummed through his bones.

Ben quickly bounced into push-up position and loudly sang along as he went through his summer exercises and stretches.

"You know I'm not the little boy that I used to be/I'm all grown up now/baby can't you see? Eileen Grau has got it going on/she's all I want/and I've waited for so long/Eileen can't you see? You're the only girl for me/I know it might be wrong/but I'm in love with my kids' mom/Eileen Grau has got it going on/Eileen Grau has got it going on/Eileen do you remember when I mowed..."

He started into his pushups and nearly hit his head on the floor as a vision of Eileen walking outside in a towel entered his mind and wouldn't leave.

Breathing deeply, he quickly did another thirty pushups, trying to banish the image and give the sudden surge of energy something productive to do. He was glad when the song finally switched but groaned when he heard You're Love by The Outfield beginning to play.

"...You know I like my girls a little bit older...." 

Maybe his mom was right. He did have an obsession. Was that really such a bad thing, though? 

The song switched, and it was time for wall sits as he sang along with JT, "Don't be so quick to walk away...dance with me..."

Wayden how he wanted to dance with her, hold her in his arms, feel her body pressed close to his as they slowly swayed to the music, lost in each other's eyes...

His burning thigh muscles brought him back to reality just in time for In Da Club to come on, and suddenly his mind was filled with images of them dancing in a much different way--the way he saw couples dancing on TV; his school didn't host dances, believing they provoked lascivious thoughts. Maybe they were right, because this was getting ridiculous.

Ben jumped to his feet, turned off the music, and went to take a cold shower. He was going with Eileen to rearrange her classroom, and he needed to have his head on straight.

***

Ten minutes later he heard a knock on the door.

Brows furrowed, he called, "Just a minute!"

Had mom come home early? Did she forget her wallet or something?

He got out of the shower, wrapping a towel around his waist and glancing at the clock.

10:04. It couldn't be Eileen. She wasn't supposed to pick him up until 1.

Ben called, "Hang on!" as the knock sounded on the door again.

He pulled the door open, already asking, "Did you forget your..."

It was Eileen.

The two of them stared at each other in shock for several heartbeats before he stepped back, "Uh, do you want to come in? You're early."

She walked passed him, and he noticed she was carrying a large platter.

Ben shut the door and turned, "So what's in the..."

Words halted and his skin heated as he watched her eyes sweep up and down his body, lingering at the V of his hips before glancing away.

Holy crap, the towel wasn't going to be enough cover.

"I-I'm going to go get dressed. Be right back!"

He ran to his room and quickly shut the door, leaning against it with a heavy sigh. That was close, too close. She knew he was attracted to her, but he needed to demonstrate some control, some maturity. Growing an instant boner from her just looking at him was not the mature impression he wanted to give her.

He quickly rummaged through his dresser, pulling out underwear, a pair of thick jeans, and a long t-shirt; he'd change into his sport shorts and tank top at school.

Just as he was pulling his t-shirt over his head, he heard the CD player kick back on, finishing out In Da Club.

Shit. What was next on that CD?!

He ran down the stairs, heart pounding in his chest and wanting to die when he heard, "So hot in....so hot in here...so hot in..."

Oh no, no, no, no. Right after he'd met her in nothing but a towel! This was NOT the mature, sophisticated persona he wanted to show her. But it was too late now.

He walked slowly into the living room, wracking his brain for what to say. It wasn't like he could blame it on a younger sibling; unlike most Weildon, he was an only child. His mom and dad wouldn't have been listening to it.

Damn. Was he really trying to come up with a lie? He couldn't lie to her.

Fist clenched, he stepped into the doorway and froze. Well most of him froze, but as he watched her shift her hips and dance to the song, the all-too-active part of him stretched with renewed interest.

Daaaamn. Eileen knew how to move.

He never would have guessed based on the modest clothes she always wore, the no-nonsense way she talked, her sweet personality. But there she was, in his living room, dancing like nobody was looking.

Well, as far as she knew, nobody was looking. He knew for a fact that she wouldn't be dancing like that if she knew he was watching.

He wondered how often she'd danced alone in her room, watching herself in her mirror. Who had she thought about as she danced so seductively? He knew it wasn't him, but it still caused his heart to race, wondering if someday she might think about him as she danced like that.

Wayden she was beautiful.

A second later, her movements immediately stopped, and she spun around, hand going to her throat, eyes wide, "Ohmigosh! I didn't hear you come back! How long have you been there?"

Ben tried to shrug casually, "Not too long."

She visibly relaxed, "Sorry, I shouldn't have..."

He cleared his throat, "It's okay. Anyway, what're you doing here so early?"

"Oh!" she grabbed the large tray she'd set down and pulled off the lid. "Mrs. O'Hara thought maybe you'd want some breakfast since your parents are gone today. Have you eaten yet?"

He shook his head, "No, I slept in this morning. Have you--?"

She shook her head, "I figured we could eat before we left."

He nodded, reaching to take the tray for her but freezing again when he heard the song switch over.

Her lips quirked, "Is that the Backstreet Boys?"

He hurriedly shut off "More Than That", his go-to song anytime she had a boyfriend.

"Uh, well...yeah," he admitted sheepishly.

"That's sweet," she said with a soft smile, and the vice around his heart unclenched. She wasn't going to make fun of him? No, of course she wasn't. She wasn't a teenage Weildon female with a set image of what a Weildon male should be--tough, stoic, emotionless, strong. And Eileen had always liked that he had a romantic heart.

"Um... so, let's eat, yeah?" he said, taking the tray from her and leading the way into the kitchen.

"Sounds like a plan," she agreed. "Eat up. We've got a lot of work to do today. And lunch will be my treat."