I - New End: Danielle ✔️

Part 4 - This means war

Dannii/ Today it's Christmas Eve and I'm taking a lazy day off. The shop is closed and I have the whole house to myself, so I sleep in and have a big breakfast. When I'm totally satisfied with my meal. I take a nice long relaxing shower. Then I put on my yoga pants and an old sweater. I finish on the couch, for a rerun of a classic Christmas movie and a bowl of popcorn.

God I love little moments like these.

Jackie is doing some grocery shopping and Ben... I actually have no idea where he took off to this morning.

I sink into the couch and enjoy my, me time.

'Sisters, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters...' as Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen start singing, I hear the front door slam shut.

"White Christmas? Nice!" Ben beams as he walks into the living room, surprising me, by jumping over the backrest of the couch. He plops down next to me. "I haven't seen that movie in ages." He looks overly excited.

I frown as my eyes scan his body. He's wearing black sweatpants and a white T-shirt that's nicely stretched around his muscled shoulders and pecs. His hair is damp and pushed back.

"What?" He shrugs. "I like Christmas movies. As a little boy, I wanted to dance and sing like Bing Crosby." When he realizes he actually said that out loud he quickly adds. "If you tell anybody about this. I will have to kill you!"

I laugh at the thought. This bad boy wanted to be a dancer? I'm having a hard time picturing this. "Kill me, with what, ballerina? Your pointes?" I tease.

He smiles his devious smile, I know what that means!

"No... with my popcorn!" He grabs a handful and throws them at me.

I playfully gasp for air "No you didn't! This means war, Benjamin Rivers!" Throwing one back and so the battle starts. I stand up to seek cover behind the couch. Instead of taking cover himself, he runs after me.

"Why are you chasing me?" I laugh as we run a few laps around the room throwing popcorn at each other.

"Not chasing, catching !" He jumps over some of George's toys.

"Oh shit!" I practically scream. In his grasp we fly over the couches backrest and flip a few times. To finally end up on the floor. He breaks the fall, when I land on top of his body.

I laugh so hard, I snore.

Well, that was embarrassing!

"You snorted!" Ben's body is shaking, he's laughing so hard.

"Don't laugh!" I hide my face in his neck. Unintentionally inhaling his scent.

Lemon and mint...

I like the way we act around each other lately. It's a bit more physical and a lot more fun. Apparently he doesn't hate me, like I used to think. At least he doesn't act like it when we are alone.

A giggle escapes when I try to grab the popcorn that's left in the bowl, next to me on the table.

"Don't even think about it, Peeterson!" He protests.

"Whatever do you mean?" I lift my face to give him my most angelic smile, fluttering my eyelashes.

"Let go of the popcorn!" He warns, not actually looking at my hand.

"Or what?" I hastily sit up, so I have a better aim. My legs straddling his lap as I do so.

Ben/ I grab both of her wrists before she can launch the projectiles.

"Benjamin, let go of me!" Dannii puts up quite a fight.