I, Love

38 - Jennifer!!

Ben's POV

The time Jennifer and I got to spend was incredible and precious. I treasured every moment we got to spend together and we were the happiest we've been in a while.

She wasn't distracted by Leah as much and I didn't have to worry about her leaving to be with her.
I saw her texting and smiling from time to time and I knew it was with Leah and maybe they were even calling sometimes, but I could handle that.

I had her to myself, her presence, her body. Her mind may be with her sometimes but she kept it on the low or made sure I didn't even notice.

She worked incredibly hard on her movie and when I wasn't working, I watched her, stunned by her power and her work ethic. She's just a force.

I was almost sad when we had to leave, because that would mean getting back to normal, and to her seeing Leah again. The whole two weeks we didn't speak about it. I was tired of fighting.

We were on the plane and she rested her head on my shoulder. I ran my fingers through her hair and kissed her on the top of her head, while she grabbed my shirt with her hand.
„I love you.", I whispered.
„I love you too.", she replied softly and her grip tightened.

At home I had to pick up on some work stuff I had missed and needed to fly to New York for two nights. I hated leaving, but that's part of the job.

„Do you really have to leave?", Jennifer asked while we were standing at the door.
I cupped her beautiful face.
„I'll be back in a hurry.", I said and kissed her.
My heart jumped and simultaneously hurt a little, because I knew she would be seeing Leah when I was away. She didn't say anything about it, but I knew. It was even better that way, because then I didn't have to „see" it.
But still. Those two weeks of having her exclusively filled my heart with irrevocable joy.

We shared a last deep and passionate kiss, before I turned around and left.

Jennifer's POV

I sighed. Spending two weeks with Ben was a dream. We had deep conversations, a lot of cuddles and kisses, we ate together, we had amazing sex and we worked together.
If only it could...

My phone buzzed and snapped me out of my thoughts.

It was Leah.

I picked up.
„Hi baby.", I answered.
„Jennifer! Are you ready?", she asked.
„Ready for what?", I asked.
„Shopping! I'll pick you up in 30 minutes. Don't tell me you forgot?", she asked reproachfully.

I clenched my teeth and sucked air through them.
„I'll be ready!"
Leah chuckled.
„See ya!"
She sounded excited.

I remembered we had agreed on going shopping a few days ago.

I got ready and my phone buzzed again. It was my mom. I rolled my eyes, but didn't pick up.
Her calls got more annoying and I just wanted to spend the day in peace with Leah. I'd call her back tonight.

Leah rang the bell and when I opened up she immediately took me into a firm embrace.
„I missed you.", she said.
I giggled.
„I can't breathe, baby!", I gasped and tapped her back.
„Oh sorry.", she said and let got of me. We shared a quick kiss, then went to her car.

„That looks so good on you!", I said stunned looking at Leah who had tried on a white tight dress, complimenting her curves.
„Wow.", I got up, gazing at her, remembering why I was so attracted to her, physically.

I squeezed her ass. „Jennifer! Not here.", she giggled. „You have to contain yourself until we're home."
„I'm trying.", I said and bit my lip.
„I guess I'll take this one, then.", she grinned.

We arrived at my house with bags full of new clothes. My eyes were glued to her ass when she walked up the stairs to my door and I couldn't wait to finally kiss and touch her.

I unlocked the door and as soon as we got in I threw my bags to the side and she did the same. We started kissing hungrily and walked into the kitchen while doing so, where I picked her up to make her sit on the kitchen island.

Our kisses got more naughty as I pulled her shirt over her head and she did the same. There was so much heat between us when I ran my hands over her body, making her groan into my mouth.

„Jennifer!", I heard a familiar voice yelling at me.
I stopped kissing and touching Leah and froze.
This can't be true. I knew it was but I hoped I was wrong. I had to be.

My heart dropped and I pressed my lips and my eyes together.
Then opened my eyes, clenching my teeth.
I looked in the direction of the voices origin.
And spotted who I already knew was standing there.

„Mom.", I said.
Leah immediately picked her shirt up and dressed herself, saying „I better leave.", softly, got her bags and left quickly.

My mom stood there with her mouth open and her eyes widened, in pure shock.
Understandably, she just saw her straight daughter, who is in a relationship with the love of her life, almost doing another woman. In fact, her best friend. That's a lot to process.

I had no idea what to say.
„What in god's name Jennifer?", she yelled.

I picked my shirt up and dressed myself.

„You're cheating on Ben?", she kept on going.
„No!", I responded.
„Did you guys break up?", she asked, and still had her voice raised on me.

We were standing about 6 feet away from each other.
The shock was written on her face.
„No!", I replied.
„But you said you're not cheating?", Lupe was confused.

I walked over to her.
„What are you doing here anyway?", I asked her in a high and loud voice.
„I wanted to see you. I tried to call you several times today.", she said and raised her brows.

„The key I gave you was for emergencies!"
„Don't try to distract me and put the focus on me. Explain to me what I just saw, Jennifer!!", she used her hands to talk and she still spoke loud.
„What you saw is none of your business!", I yelled back, attempting not to cry.

„Don't you talk to me like that! You were about to have sex with Leah, right here!", she pointed towards the kitchen island. „And you are with Ben!! What's going on here, are you crazy?"

„I'm not...", I yelled, but then lowered my voice: „...crazy. I'm just...", my voice started trembling: „I don't know what I did, mom."

My mom saw me fighting with my emotions and with the tears I tried to hold back.

She came and took me into her embrace. „Oh my baby. What have you done?", she said as her embrace brought my emotions to break through and I started crying.

We walked into the living room and sat on the couch. I tried to explain what happened, I cried and sobbed in between and she held my hand the whole time.

When I was done, she put her palm on my cheek.
„Baby... oh baby...", she spoke and pulled my head on her lap, where she caressed my head, while I tried to calm down.

„So you love them both? Are you sure?", she asked.
„I think so.."
„Thinking is not knowing, Jennifer. Ben has always been your dream. What happened to that?"
„He still is."
„You can't go on like this. I knew something was wrong."

She was right. She saw what I couldn't see, what I didn't want to see. I suppressed those feeling of doing everybody wrong and of not knowing exactly what this is for so long, because I was afraid of losing someone and because it worked and I got everything what I thought I wanted.

„I know..", I whispered.

„I'll make a bubblebath for you.", she said and got up, but put my head on the couch gently.

She knows bubblebaths are the one thing I always love and they always help me in whatever situation. Whether it's to relax or to cheer myself up or to think.
She just knows.

When it's clutch, Lupe comes through.