I - New End: Danielle ✔️

Part 9 - Tempting

Dannii/ A loud knock on the door makes me hold my breath and cover Ben's mouth with my hand.

"Dannii? Are you alright?" Charlotte whispers at the door before opening it.

"I'm fine, I slipped on the carpet." I get up as quickly as possible. I don't look at Ben but I hope he is hiding underneath the bed by now.

"Can I ask you something?" Charlotte sits down on my bed. Oh god, she's making herself comfortable.

"Can't it wait until tomorrow, I'm tired." I try, knowing very well that my sister won't give up. If she wants to talk, she'll talk.

"How does Ben seem to you?" And she talks. "I mean, now you live with him. He's home for Christmas for the first time in 6 years, but he doesn't come and say hello to our mom? Don't you think that's a bit rude?"

"I don't want to judge, Charlotte. She's not his mom! Besides, I don't want to talk behind his back." I try again.

Please Charlotte, stop talking!

"Are there any old feelings creeping up, or is he still treating you like shit?" Her eyes burn on my face. Which makes my cheeks turn a darker shade of red. She did not ask me that, did she?

"Charlotte I'm tired." I sigh as I pull her from the bed and politely push her through the exit.

"Ok fine. We'll talk in the morning." She smiles at me before I push the door in her face. "Goodnight."

I dim the lights and walk to the bed. No Ben yet. I slide down on the floor, leaning against the bed, head in my hands, elbows on my knees.

"I'm so sorry for my nosy sister!" I wait for him to appear.

"I'm sorry for this morning! I didn't mean to yell at you. I don't take the subject of my dad dying, very well." Giving me a little nudge on the shoulder as he sits down next to me.

"It's fine, I get it." I look at the door. "Charlotte only wants my mom to be happy. I guess she was hoping to see you, now you're here in New End. But don't let Charlotte get to you. You know how she is. If you're not ready, then you're not ready!" I smile to reassure him it's ok.

"What did she mean by 'is he still treating you like shit'?" Ben's eyes are searching mine, looking for an answer. "Was she still talking about me? Because I would never..." he stops the moment I divert from his gaze.

"That was..." How can I explain?

You've been avoiding me, ignoring me, making a fool out of me, ever since I showed you I liked you. I was 12 and you were 16 years old. I had a crush on you and you crushed my fragile young heart.

"... nothing." I faintly smile.

"Don't. Don't do that." He cups my cheek to make me face him. "Don't dismiss this, like she didn't mean anything by it." Ah dominant Ben is back. I was wondering when he would show up.

"Look! This past week was great, you were so nice to me. But before..." I wait until I can find the right words. The truth then. ... "I don't know what changed, before you avoided me, made fun of me..."

"No I..." I stop him mid sentence by cupping his hand that's still on my cheek.

"I need to say this Benjamin!" I look at him firmly, I need to be strong now. "You never took the time to get to know me. I'm a fun person to have around if you give me a chance. Instead you just decided to ... I don't know, hate me."

I get up and walk to the window. I don't want him to see me like this. My eyes sting from withholding my tears. All my defenses are down now. I hate this vulnerable side that he brings out of me.

The room bathes in a horrific silence, to the point where I'm questioning if he's still here with me in the same space. But after a few minutes of silent staring throughout my dark window, I feel his hands on my shoulders.

"I never felt anything, but the opposite of hatred for you." He whispers in my ear. Hardly touching me, his fingers gently slide down. First traveling over the fabric of his T-shirt that I'm wearing, smoothly over the rim to my arms. As his fingertips descend, they leave behind a tingling feeling on my skin. Which makes it hard to keep a steady breathing while I focus on the words coming out of his mouth.

What is he saying?

"I always kept my distance because of my brother."

Kept?

My heart spontaneously goes out of ritme. If I could think straight I would tell him to stop, but I can't. My brain is temporarily out of service. I feel his warm breath calmly flowing through my hair, inhaling his lemon-minty scent. Just like that I'm starting to calm down.

His hands simultaneously travel all the way to mine, carefully braiding our fingers one by one. Then in one swift movement he wraps our arms around my waist. The primitive growl that leaves his throat echoes pleasingly against my ear as he firms his grip on me.

"I was wondering where I left my T-shirt this morning." He chuckles. After a brief moment of nuzzling in my neck he kisses my shoulder through the fabric.

"In case I needed a warm body to hold on to!" I state. Giggling as Ben starts to nibble on my neck.

"Stop..." I whisper.

I can feel him holding back for a moment."You don't need me then!" Surprising me by letting go of my hands so he can walk towards the open window. "I guess I'll just go home."

I grab his hand and jerk at it, before his foot hits the balcony.

"Since you're here..." I raise a brow and nod my head towards the bed. "I can take it off...".

What am I suggesting here?

"Tempting, but unnecessary." He smirks. "I like my T-shirt on you. Almost as sexy as when I'm wearing it."

He leans in for what I think is a swift kiss on my nose but he ducks down at the last moment. Throwing me over his shoulder. "Let's go, warm body!" He laughs as he slaps my ass and then throws me on the bed.

Can't decide if I like cheerful Ben better than sexy dominant Ben 🥵.

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