Benoftheweek

Night like forever

The world felt like it had shrunk down to just us in that moment, the hum of traffic fading into the background. His hand stayed on my cheek, warm and steady, and I found myself leaning into it, savoring the closeness. His gaze held mine with this intensity that made me feel like he could see right through every doubt and fear I'd been holding onto.

"Ben," I whispered, his name tasting familiar and comforting on my lips.

He grinned, that soft, lopsided smirk that drove me crazy. "You good?" he asked, his voice low and teasing, but there was a serious undertone, like he needed to know if I was all in.

"Yeah," I breathed, feeling my heart hammering. "More than good."

That was all he needed. His hand slid to the back of my neck, pulling me in as he closed the space between us. His lips brushed mine softly at first, like he was testing the waters. But when I wrapped my arms around him, everything got more intense, the tension we'd both been holding onto melting away into the kiss. It felt like letting go of everything I'd been overthinking and just *being* with him.

When we finally pulled back, his forehead rested against mine, and he chuckled softly, a little breathless. "If I'd known you'd look this good worrying, I would've found a reason to stress you out a lot sooner."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help grinning. "Shut up," I muttered, giving him a playful shove. But we both knew there was nowhere else I wanted to be than right here with him, in this quiet little corner of the world where we could be completely ourselves.

 His arm stayed around me, holding me close, and the warmth of his touch felt like it melted any worries I'd been holding onto.

He tilted his head, his gaze dropping to my lips with an intensity that sent a thrill through me. "Make me," he whispered, a teasing edge to his voice, his face inching closer. I felt the spark between us flare up, even more electric in the soft glow of the firelight.

My pulse raced, the air charged, and I bit my lip, feeling the tension build as I tried to hold his gaze without completely melting. "You sure you're ready for that?" I shot back, trying to sound casual, but my voice came out softer, almost a whisper.

His smirk widened as he leaned in, his breath hot against my skin. "Why don't you find out?"Before I could come up with a witty reply, he closed the distance, his lips capturing mine in a way that felt both familiar and brand new. The kiss was slow and deep, his hand tangling in my hair as he pulled me even closer. I could feel every part of him, the warmth, the tension, the softness, like he was pouring everything he felt into this single, electrifying moment.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I realized we'd both been holding onto a lot—not just doubts or fears, but this whole universe of feelings we hadn't put into words. But right here, wrapped up in him, all of that melted away, leaving only the two of us, completely connected.

When we finally broke apart, both breathless and grinning, he rested his forehead against mine, his fingers still tracing gentle patterns on my back. "I think you're bad for my self-control," he murmured, his voice low and teasing.

"Right back at you," I replied, laughing softly as I leaned into him. We stayed there, wrapped up in each other, feeling like time had slowed down just for us, like we could live in this perfect bubble forever.

But eventually, the fire died down, the room dimming to just a faint glow. As we settled in to sleep, I couldn't shake the feeling that everything had shifted. This trip had started as a getaway, a break from the noise of everyday life, but it had become something more. It felt like we'd found a new level of trust and intimacy, something that would be with us long after we left this cabin behind.

I drifted off to sleep, wrapped in his arms, knowing that whatever came next, we'd face it together.

****

Morning light filtered through the cabin window, hitting us with that golden glow you only see in movies. I woke up tangled in Ben's arms, feeling like time had hit pause just for us. I shifted slightly, and his eyes cracked open, giving me that half-awake smile that somehow managed to make my heart race even faster. "Morning," he murmured, voice low and sleepy. In that moment, wrapped in his warmth, I thought, *Yeah, I could get used to this.*

We moved slowly through the morning, half-dazed, making coffee and pancakes like we were in our own world. Ben made a face as I added an absurd amount of syrup to my pancakes, and I laughed, nudging him with my shoulder. Everything just felt right, like we'd stepped into this bubble where nothing else mattered. We sat by the window with our mismatched mugs, watching fog roll off the lake, and I swear even the silence between us felt warm, like it was saying everything words couldn't.

After breakfast, we took one last walk around the cabin, our steps slow, neither of us in any hurry to leave. I could feel the end of the trip creeping closer, but I tried to stay in the moment, to hold onto this little world we'd made. Ben pulled me into a hug, and for a second, everything else melted away. It was just him, me, and the scent of pine trees in the air.

The drive back was different—quiet but in a comfortable, knowing way. We didn't need to say much, just held hands, stealing glances as the mountains turned back into cityscapes. I could feel this shift, like we'd left part of ourselves in those woods, and I knew we'd be carrying this trip with us, even as reality came creeping back in.

Back at his place, Ben walked me to my door, lingering a second too long before finally letting go. "Guess I'll see you around?" he asked, like he wasn't sure of his own words. I smiled, a quiet promise hanging in the air between us. "Yeah," I replied, letting the moment stretch, "you will."