Blood Luster

Chapter Thirteen

The pizza was delivered quicker than expected. Her stomach grumbled when Benjamin sat it on the counter and opened the box. He placed three pieces of pizza and four slices of cheese bread on a plate and handed it to her. I'll never eat that much.

"If you want more, please help yourself. Me casa es su casa."

She laughed. "I will never be able to eat all that."

Benjamin sat down beside her and leaned his elbows on the counter. I guess it makes sense that he doesn't eat.

"So, it's a no for food?" she asked.

"I can, but it's extremely bland and doesn't react well."

"What do you mean?" She bit down on a breadstick.

"It usually makes me sick if I eat enough of it," he said.

"That really sucks, I'm sorry." She continued eating as they sat in silence, then she turned to him. "Remember when Ricky showed up randomly and you told him to leave?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I heard you through the door. What did you mean when you said last time?" she asked.

"A few months ago, he got caught on someone's property. The owner's decided not to press charges, therefore it's not on his record. But I heard the sheriff told him if he ever caught him doing anything suspicious again, he'd arrest him. I wasn't there and I don't know the full story, but it didn't look good. I only found out because some of Ricky's workers told Nat and he told me."

"Who was it?" she asked.

"I have no idea. I just know it was one of the locals, you'd probably recognize them."

"That doesn't sound like him – then again, what do I know? His behavior around me isn't like him either."

"Are you done baby?" He grabbed her plate after she shook her head yes.

It was evident that Benjamin didn't want to discuss Ricky, therefore she dropped the subject. After all, Ricky was a tough topic for her too.

"It was delicious, thank you."

"Anything for you baby. You want to watch something? We could continue our movie night," he said.

"That sounds perfect." She stood and walked over to the sink.

Her arm snaked around his head, pulling him into her. She planted a soft kiss on his lips. His eyes appeared dreamy as she pulled away from him, the stir in her lower belly told her it wasn't just dreamy –it was desire. He leaned down, picked her up, and placed her onto the counter. His hands clasped tightly onto her shirt collar, swiftly ripping open her button up nightshirt. The sounds of buttons scattering across the room rung in her ears as his lips crashed down on hers with a fierceness he'd never shown before. His lips trailed kisses down her jawline to her ear. Her fingers gripped his hair and pulled him in tighter as moans pierced the silence around them.

"I've thought about this since I left. Being here with you –touching you," He ran his hands down her sides and locked his hands behind her kneecaps, pulling her closer.

"Me too," she whispered.

She grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head, tossing it to the side. Her pointer finger traced the small line of freckles on his collar bone, willing herself to never take for granted the privilege of touching him. Mine. Her hand grabbed his, pulling his arm as he followed her through the living room to the stairs. A tug on her arm broke her concentration, then before she knew it her face was buried into his chest. The heat from his chest on her cheek made her skin flush, more than it already was.

"We probably should wait," he muttered.

"Why? Do you not want to?" She felt deflated as the excitement faded.

"I absolutely do baby." An electric jolt shot through her as his hand glided down the back of her arm. "I think we should wait until you feel more secure with me. I want you to feel safe when you're with me, but especially in there." His eyes shifted up the stairs.

Even though he was right, she became riddled with disappointment and insecurities. Maybe he doesn't want me anymore. Her thoughts only served as proof he wasn't wrong. Until she could feel secure within their relationship, they had no business being in the bedroom. Her desire to be with him had little to do with the sex, it was wanting to be touched and adored by him. The way he attended to her every need, loving every movement her body made –absorbing every sound she made. In the moments she allowed him to have her, they'd become one. Without knowing it, she had been craving him the way an addict craves their next fix.

His gaze signaled she needed to respond. "I understand." She nuzzled tighter into his chest as his hands locked together, creating a firm hold.

"We've got all the time in the world baby." He kissed the top of her head and released her. "I'll grab you a shirt." He sprinted up the stairs.

Her hands were wrapped tightly around her chest when he returned with a black cotton t-shirt. After grabbing the shirt, she turned her back to him and quickly removed the nightshirt and pulled the shirt over her head. Fresh citrus.

They spent the evening watching movies and enjoying each other's company, learning about one another. Excluding the bombshell Benjamin dropped on her earlier in the day, their time together felt as though they were two ordinary people. If someone had stumbled upon them, they would've saw two people falling madly in love with one another. He told her about his life in California, about growing up on the ocean, the culture shock when he moved, his first kiss behind his parent's house at his sixth birthday party. She shared about her secret indulgence of Haribo Gummies late at night, her love for reading –especially the cheesy romantic ones, her infatuation with her seventh-grade history teacher and how she stole his picture from the bulletin board. She failed to tell him she still had the picture, not because she held the same infatuation but because it was the last innocent thing she had done before Grace died, the incident happened a week later.

"Do you want to watch another movie?" She yawned.

"You're exhausted, let's get you in the bed."

"Are you not tired?"

She tapped her hand against her forehead. "Duh."

"Do you want me to sleep on the couch? I don't mind if it'll help you feel safer," he said.

"I want you there." She yawned again.

He grabbed her hand and squeezed. "Let's go baby, I'll get the popcorn bowls cleaned up in the morning."

They gathered their things and went to bed, his hand at the small of her back. Her body began to drift as her head rested onto her pillow. No sleep methods tonight. His arm snaked its way under her arm and around her torso, pulling her body to his.

***

Her adrenaline rushed as she sat outside the bar, her eyes followed every individual as they exited the bar and walked across the street. The middle-aged man began walking down the alley. She could hear his blood hammering against his veins, begging to be released. As the man passed the dumpster, she grabbed him from behind and pushed his head to the side –forcing his neck to be on display. She pierced the carotid artery instantly, the blood flowed faster and more freely. A shadow from her peripheral forced her to drop the man and rapidly turn around. Unsure of what to do, she was frozen in fear. The figure stepped out from the shadow holding a stake, shaking.

Ricky? 

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***Next Chapter Available 10/15/2022***