Choosing Family

Chapter Forty Two

Mal made her way over to Ben's office, hoping beyond hope that he hadn't gotten changed back into his suits. Inwardly cursing her newfound attraction to Ben, Mal couldn't help but smile slightly as she saw that Ben was in fact in his office.

Of course, she wasn't sure where else she'd expect him to be what with the Tourney season over but that was neither here nor there.

"Hey Mal," Ben said as he looked up at her with a small smile.

"Hey," Mal said as she walked in and closed the door. Don't stare, dear gods don't stare, she thought. It didn't help that Ben's pectoral muscles were much more defined in that short sleeved shirt than they ever were in the suits.

"You okay?" Ben asked gently.

"What are you working on?" Mal asked, leaning against the desk to see.

Ben smiled. "I'm trying to figure out the best way to sneak onto the Isle," he joked before shaking his head. "Nah, it's just more coronation paperwork. The fun never stops."

"You know, the best way to sneak onto the Isle would be for Jay and I to take you," Mal said matter of fact as she looked at the paperwork, not noticing Ben stop and stare at her.

"Really?"

"Well yeah I mean it's still risky but as long as you stayed away from Angel or Caster territory, you shouldn't have a problem," Mal told him, still looking at the paperwork. "Oh and of course stay out of Maleficent's territory but that's half the Isle so you shouldn't have an issue there."

If she kept her eyes on the paperwork then she wouldn't be staring openly at Ben. After all, Tourney had definitely been kind in terms of Ben's muscle definition. He wasn't bulky like Jay or Harry but at the same time, that honestly wasn't a problem. He looked good.

Honestly I think I prefer this to the 'bulky' definition of Jerkules or Jay or Harry, Mal thought. Just enough muscle definition to know it's there.

Okay I really don't need to think about my cousin going gooey over a guy!

Uma! Honestly, do you lurk on the mental link?!

Well yeah, there's nothing good on TV. Now, who's got the muscle definition that seemed to finally catch my cousin's eye?

...Ben

I'm sorry, Beastie Jr?!

Shut up!

"Mal? You okay?" Ben asked softly, bringing Mal back to the present.

"I'm fine, just studying," Mal told him, making sure the connection to the mental link was disconnected. The last thing she needed was for Uma to randomly appear again...or worse her mother.

"Studying? My paperwork?"

"It seems fascinating," Mal shrugged, finally looking away from the document that seemed to be all about the security measures at coronation. "Hey, why do you guys need security measures anyway? Aren't you all good?"

"It's being insisted on," Ben sighed.

"Because of Jay, me, Evie and Carlos?"

"No—"

"Ben, you're many things but you're not a good liar," Mal said gently as she hopped onto his desk, sitting beside him.

Ben sighed. "Some members of dad's council believe security measures would be a good idea. Dad argued that they'd have to pay for them."

"Really?" Mal asked, slightly impressed by King Beastie.

"Yeah," Ben nodded, "especially since these measures are such last minute. I was almost done with my paperwork before these were added."