Running From the Devil

Chapter 9

A/N  This is a short chapter but it had to end where it did.  Lots of ugly in this one as well. 

Laney (Continued)

It was surprisingly comfortable to wake up with Ben's arm around my waist.  He looked at me with a light smile on his face for a long time before we got up and went to breakfast.  My body still tingled from this morning.  It had been a long time since I had felt good about someone touching me in that intimate way.  It had been a long time since that meant good feelings and not pain.  I touched my fingers to my lips remembering how he'd kissed me right before I exploded.  The need I had felt had shocked me and delighted me while simultaneously scaring the shit out of me.  Our time left together was so short, my cast was coming off in a month, maybe less, and then I had to be on my way.  No amount of good feelings would keep Daniel at bay and the only way to protect Ben was to leave him. 

I was pushing my eggs around my plate, my sadness draining my appetite when Jenna and Mark joined us at our table in the kitchen.  As usual Mark had an entire plate of bacon and another plate of pancakes.  How maintained his physique with such a diet was beyond me but he clearly knew what he was doing.  Muscles bunched and rippled under his shirt with every move.  I wasn't attracted to him it was just impossible not to notice.  He had been very gracious to me this week, only approaching me when we were in large rooms with lots of people around.  I knew that Jenna must have talked to him and I was truly touched at his thoughtfulness.  Jenna seemed very excited as she sliced her stack of pancakes into wedges. 

"So Laney, you know Martha is taking the women to the new location next week right?"  At my nod she continued  "Well that same week we are having Mark's birthday party up at our main office site so not many people will be left here and we wanted to know if you'd like to join us for the week?  Since they'll be gone and there won't be much of anybody else left here. You'd have your own room of course.  It's a lot like here but so much better."

Thinking about the supplies I gathered I asked "Will we come back here before it's time to get my cast off?" 

She nodded around a bite of pancakes.  "We can if you want, it will be up to you.  Doc has an office up there too so he could always take it off there but if you really want to come back here we can do that too." 

I glanced over at Ben.  He was trying hard to pretend like he wasn't interested in my reply but I could see the tenseness in his shoulders and neck.  He must be really homesick.  That decided it, if Ben wanted to go home I would go with him.  I was curious about the place anyways.  Every time people started talking about it they got all stary-eyed and started sighing happily. 

I nodded with a smile and everyone at the table beamed at me.  It was funny to see so many smiling faces in my direction.  Everyone was always smiling here.  The first week I was here it really bothered me, people just shouldn't be that happy all the ever loving time, but after awhile I got used to it. 

While we were eating Steve sauntered over to the table. 

"So old man, I heard you've gone soft." 

Ben choked on his pear slices.  "I know you're not talking to me." 

"Oh I think I was, I heard you haven't trained in a week.  I bet you twenty bucks I'll take you down today." 

"You're on." 

They were grinning at each other like idiots.  Teenage idiots with too much testosterone clouding up their brains.  Ben jumped out of his chair and grabbed my hand. 

"Come on Laney, come watch me teach this pup a lesson!"

He didn't even give me a chance to answer he was just pulling me along out of the kitchen to the gym.  He sat me on the bleachers against the far wall and leaned in to kiss my lips lightly before pulling off his shirt.  Raising his arms he danced to the center of the mat like boxers do, giving his own introduction.