Waiting It Out - Benny Rodriguez - Book 1

Math

"Come on, Benny. It's not that hard." I tell him.

"Yes it is." he argues. "I've been looking at numbers for too long and I can't focus now."

"Fine. I give up." I admit in defeat, returning to my math homework.

These questions aren't actually that difficult but it is a little late and we've been doing homework in my bedroom for a few hours at this point.

I stopped paying attention to him so I could get this done before school tomorrow. I didn't do it yesterday since we were at the sandlot and I didn't want to do homework after all that.

"Why don't you take a break." I hear Benny suggest.

"No. I'm good." I respond.

"It could be good though. Help you focus more." he continues.

"I don't need a break. I just wanna get this done." I tell him.

"Okay, fine! I just want your attention. Is that too much to ask?" he complains.

"No. I can still give you attention while doing this." I say.

"Really?!" he asks, his tone becoming excited.

"Mhm. We can talk while I'm doing this."

"Oh." he lets out dissapointed. "That's not what I meant. Talking's great and all but... not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?" I ask him, never taking my eyes off my homework.

"I want your physical attention."

I look up at him with wide eyes and furrowed brows, hoping he doesn't mean what I think he means.

He notices my expression before reassuring me.

"No, no! I didn't mean it like that! I just mean..." he mumbles the last part and I can't catch what he says.

"You just mean what?"

"I want to... uh... cuddle you."

"Okay."

Why was he nervous about asking me that?

He looks at me for a second, looking for any sign that I'm kidding before quickly crawling over to me.

He ushers me to move from the wall I'm leaning against and I do.

He sits down behind me and pulls me towards him so I'm in between his legs with my back laying on his front.

"Happy?" I ask him.

"Mhm." he hums while wrapping his arms around my torso.

I go back to working on my math homework and he happily sits there, not saying anything.

"You do know I'm gonna make you do your homework after I'm done with mine, right?" I tell him and he groans.

"Why'd you have to ruin the moment?" he complains.

"Cause I felt like it."

"How much do you have left?" he asks into my neck.

"I'm on the last question." I answer. "You'll only have to finish the question we were working on and 3 others. Plus, I already know the answers."

"So you can just do them for me?" he asks me hopefully.

"Have you been watching me do these?" I ask him.

"Oh, yeah." he tells me unconvincingly.

"Then no. But I'll work it out and you'll watch. I'll be doing most of the work."

"Fine. Can we keep cuddling after?" he asks hopefully.

"No. I'm too hungry."

"I'll order the pizza. Where's my phone?"

"Dunno. Just use mine." I tell him and take my phone from my pocket.

I hand it to him before crawling over to his abondoned math homework and bringing it back over to where he's sitting to put it in his lap.

"You want garlic knots, right?" he asks me.

"Always."

He calls Paranormal's number and orders.

"It's gonna be $15 when it gets here." he tells me, hanging up the phone.

"Okay. We have to get this done before it gets here. I won't care after that." I say.

"Alright. Fine. But come back to where you were." he says, picking up the paper from his lap so I can sit there.

I move back to where I was and take the paper from his hand.

It's a struggle but I manage to get him to pay attention over the next 10 minutes and we barely got out of my room in time to hear the doorbell.

I go over to my wallet to get the cash for the food plus tip but Benny throws me onto the couch before I can.

"Hey!" I yell.

"Hi." he responds calmly, pulling out his wallet and getting the money.

He opens the door and gives the delivery guy the money, then taking the food and putting it on the coffee table in front of me.

"You want a napkin?" he asks while heading into the kitchen.

"You could've at least let me get the tip." I say.

"I'll let you know right now. I will never stand by and watch you pay for something." he tells me, walking back into the living room. "As long as there is a breath in my lungs, I will never let you pay for something that I can. I don't care if I'm not gonna use it or if other people think I'm just throwing money away. It's not gonna happen."

"Yada, yada, yada. What if you don't have any money on you? I'll have to pay for it then." I say.

"Nope. I'll shoplift if I have to. If it's something you really want." he says.

I start laughing and he keeps a straight face.

"You think this is funny?!" he asks before he starts tickling me.

I'm fighting him but it's no use.

He lets up and now it's me laying on my back and him hovering over me.

"I like this." he says with a smile.

"The position?" I ask.

"Well, I definitely don't hate it. I was talking about us though." he tells me.

I look at him with a confused face.

"How do you mean?"

"You know... us. Together. As a couple. Boyfriend, girlfriend. Practically betrothed." he says the last bit with a posh accent and I realise a small laugh.

"Me too." I tell him.

He leans down towards me and I lift my head up slightly so our lips meet in the middle.

We move our mouths in sync for a few seconds before I break away. He takes this as an opportunity to kiss my jaw. Kiss by kiss he slowly makes his way down my neck and I almost forget how hungry I am. Almost.

"Alright, get off. I'm actually starving now." I say and he sits on the couch beside me as I sit up.