rent. I'm not gonna be some mooch."
"Will you shut up?" she interjects. "Of course, you can stay with me for as long as you want. It's weird when you're not there. I like having you with me." She leans over the center console and kisses my cheek.
"Now, stop rambling and get us home." She sits back in her a seat with a wide grin.
"Well, okay then, but I'm serious about helping out." She waves her hand at me.
"Okay, we'll figure it out later."
The conversation seems to have lightened her mood. I didn't want to spook her by asking to move in, but that's what I want. My grandmother's house is in a trust account in both my uncle’s and my name. We both have to agree before any decisions are made. It's not something I have the energy to think about now, and with him still traveling, I can’t do much anyway.
As soon as we walk in the door, Ari rushes off to start a load of laundry. I change and sit in front of the TV while she finishes preparing for the week. I wake what seems like minutes later to the feel of her soft lips on my neck.
"You fell asleep on me," she whispers.
"Hmm . . . what time is it?"
"A little after ten. Time for that rain check." A grin spreads across my face as she continues to trail kisses up my neck. She brings my earlobe between her teeth, and I'm done for.
Monday always comes around so damn quick. I smack my hand blindly across my nightstand as the incessant foghorn alarm is screaming for me to get up.
"Whyyyyyy?" I whine out into the dark room.
"You need to get up," Ben answers. His voice is still gravelly with sleep. He wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me to his chest. I snuggle into it and sigh.
"You're not helping. I want to stay home."
"I'm sorry. I'll make dinner while you're gone." That gets my attention. I lift my head off his chest to look at him.
"You cook?" I ask , confused.
He chuckles. "Yes, I cook. Why do you sound so surprised?" Amusement laces his tone.
"Like real food?" He leans up on his elbows causing me to sit back on my haunches.
"Yes, real food. What, did you think I lived off ramen and cereal? I used to cook at the frat house," he says getting off the bed. I follow him into the hall.
"Really?"
"You're starting to hurt my feelings," he says pressing a hand to his chest. "My nana taught me a few things. I'm no chef, but I can hold my own in the kitchen."
I step toward him and wrap my arms around his waist.
"Did I mention that you could stay as long as you want?" I say sweetly making him chuckle.
"Oh, is that right?" he says kissing my neck.
"Unless dinner sucks. Then I may have to change the locks." I pull out of his embrace, and he swats my ass playfully as I walk into the bathroom.
"We'll see, funny girl."
The whole morning seemed to move in slow motion. I had a serious case of the Mondays and was dragging ass. Ben filled my travel mug with coffee just the way I like and toasted me a bagel. I'm about three miles away from my exit when my cell rings. The radio volume lowers, and Vonne's name appears on the screen.
"Hey, lady," I answer.
"She is alive. Well, it's about damn time you answered your phone," she retorts sarcastically.
"I'm sorry. Ben accidentally took my phone, and by the time we got that squared away, we were running late to my parents’. What's going on?"
"Nothing. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. How are you feeling? You scared the shit out of me."
It kills me that I've never shared this with her. She would go batshit crazy if I told her now. I wouldn't even know how to start that conversation. I'm sorry that not only did I never tell you, but the guy who used to torment me is back in my life, and oh, did I mention he's related to Ben. Yeah, that would go over real well.
"I'm okay, really. I just got a little overwhelmed and didn't eat. I'm good."
"All right. You better take care of yourself. Doesn't the trial start this week?"
"Yeah. It got moved up. I'm scrambling to get everything they need for the
"Will you shut up?" she interjects. "Of course, you can stay with me for as long as you want. It's weird when you're not there. I like having you with me." She leans over the center console and kisses my cheek.
"Now, stop rambling and get us home." She sits back in her a seat with a wide grin.
"Well, okay then, but I'm serious about helping out." She waves her hand at me.
"Okay, we'll figure it out later."
The conversation seems to have lightened her mood. I didn't want to spook her by asking to move in, but that's what I want. My grandmother's house is in a trust account in both my uncle’s and my name. We both have to agree before any decisions are made. It's not something I have the energy to think about now, and with him still traveling, I can’t do much anyway.
As soon as we walk in the door, Ari rushes off to start a load of laundry. I change and sit in front of the TV while she finishes preparing for the week. I wake what seems like minutes later to the feel of her soft lips on my neck.
"You fell asleep on me," she whispers.
"Hmm . . . what time is it?"
"A little after ten. Time for that rain check." A grin spreads across my face as she continues to trail kisses up my neck. She brings my earlobe between her teeth, and I'm done for.
Monday always comes around so damn quick. I smack my hand blindly across my nightstand as the incessant foghorn alarm is screaming for me to get up.
"Whyyyyyy?" I whine out into the dark room.
"You need to get up," Ben answers. His voice is still gravelly with sleep. He wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me to his chest. I snuggle into it and sigh.
"You're not helping. I want to stay home."
"I'm sorry. I'll make dinner while you're gone." That gets my attention. I lift my head off his chest to look at him.
"You cook?" I ask , confused.
He chuckles. "Yes, I cook. Why do you sound so surprised?" Amusement laces his tone.
"Like real food?" He leans up on his elbows causing me to sit back on my haunches.
"Yes, real food. What, did you think I lived off ramen and cereal? I used to cook at the frat house," he says getting off the bed. I follow him into the hall.
"Really?"
"You're starting to hurt my feelings," he says pressing a hand to his chest. "My nana taught me a few things. I'm no chef, but I can hold my own in the kitchen."
I step toward him and wrap my arms around his waist.
"Did I mention that you could stay as long as you want?" I say sweetly making him chuckle.
"Oh, is that right?" he says kissing my neck.
"Unless dinner sucks. Then I may have to change the locks." I pull out of his embrace, and he swats my ass playfully as I walk into the bathroom.
"We'll see, funny girl."
The whole morning seemed to move in slow motion. I had a serious case of the Mondays and was dragging ass. Ben filled my travel mug with coffee just the way I like and toasted me a bagel. I'm about three miles away from my exit when my cell rings. The radio volume lowers, and Vonne's name appears on the screen.
"Hey, lady," I answer.
"She is alive. Well, it's about damn time you answered your phone," she retorts sarcastically.
"I'm sorry. Ben accidentally took my phone, and by the time we got that squared away, we were running late to my parents’. What's going on?"
"Nothing. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. How are you feeling? You scared the shit out of me."
It kills me that I've never shared this with her. She would go batshit crazy if I told her now. I wouldn't even know how to start that conversation. I'm sorry that not only did I never tell you, but the guy who used to torment me is back in my life, and oh, did I mention he's related to Ben. Yeah, that would go over real well.
"I'm okay, really. I just got a little overwhelmed and didn't eat. I'm good."
"All right. You better take care of yourself. Doesn't the trial start this week?"
"Yeah. It got moved up. I'm scrambling to get everything they need for the
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