Love Springs Eternal | Benslie

Chapter 6

While Leslie was dealing with her feelings, Ben was being interrogated by his mother. They were busy in the kitchen preparing food.

"Why are you two taking things so slowly?" Julia asked. "I haven't even seen you two kiss or show any sort of physical affection with each other since you got here. Unless you've been getting it all out in the bedroom."

"Ew, Mom, gross," Ben groaned. "And we're taking it slow because I said some horrible things to her and I need to earn her trust back. Jesus, I brought her dead dad into an argument, for God's sake."

"Oh, Ben," she sighed. "I see the way you two look at each other. It's clear you're both smitten. You're just as in love with her as you were in high school."

"Mom," Ben warned.

As if on cue, Leslie and Steph entered the kitchen. Ben's eyes lit up and he rushed over to Leslie, pulling her into him by her hip and giving her a soft kiss to the cheek.

Leslie blushed. "Hey, did you miss me or something?" she chuckled, somewhat nervously.
"Or something," he replied, smiling. "How was shopping?"

"Good!" Leslie exclaimed. "I was worried I wouldn't have an outfit for the rehearsal dinner tomorrow, but your sister helped me find one I love. Can you come and help me out? Julia, do you mind if I steal your son?"

"Not at all," Julia smiled.

Leslie and Ben headed upstairs to his bedroom. "Was that okay for me to do?" he asked her. "I know one of the rules was only kisses on the cheek, so I figured when Mom got suspicious that we weren't being physically affectionate that I'd have to take some form of action."

"Yeah, it's fine," she answered. "You actually covered my ass on the Steph front, too. She was asking way too many questions for me to answer honestly. We didn't make a plan for what we needed to say when they wanted the nitty gritty about how our relationship has been so far."

"Hindsight?" Ben questioned.

"20/20, as always," Leslie laughed, packing away her shopping from the day. "Good acting, by the way. I almost thought you actually liked me for a second."

"Yeah, thanks," he said, a slight hint of disappointment in his tone.

"Shit!" Leslie exclaimed. "I slept in my regular clothes last night so I didn't realise I forgot to pack pyjamas. I can probably sub a pair of shorts I bought today for pyjama shorts but all my shirts are too nice to wear to bed."

"Here," Ben stated, throwing a shirt towards her that he'd dug out of his drawers. "I know it's a bit long, but at least it's a shirt."

"Thanks," she smiled. "I should probably get ready for tonight. We were out longer than I was anticipating."

"I can leave if you just want to use my room to get ready," he offered.

"No, it's fine," she replied. "I'll need the bathroom to do my makeup anyway."

So she did that. She didn't know why she'd bothered packing any outfits for this trip. She ended up replacing everything she'd packed on her shopping trip. For the most part, it was due to Steph's suggestions to dress more casually. And possibly her expertise in what Ben found hot. Leslie had never wanted to win the affections of a man so much in her life, and it scared her.

She was supposed to hate Ben, and be indifferent toward him. Instead she was redoing the wardrobe she'd packed for this weekend away so he'd want to make out with her. It didn't feel like she was herself, and the longer she dwelled on it, the more she came to the realisation that she was falling for him all over again. She shook her head clear of her thoughts as if it were an Etch-A-Sketch and put the finishing touches to her makeup look together.