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“Holly. It’s Ben.”
And there go the shivers down my spine at the sound of my name coming from his rumbly voice.
“Hey, Ben. What’s up?”
“How do you feel about parties?”
“Birthday or drunken frat?”
His laughter drifts through the speaker, and I smile as I walk down the busy city street.
“Neither. Just your basic college house party. I agreed to go tonight, and I want company.”
“What time does it start? I have to be at work by ten for my shift.” This isn’t a good idea. I know that, even as I make plans without hesitation.
“I can work with that. What if I pick you up at seven, and we can head over? Then, I’ll drop you off at work.”
“I don’t want to make you leave your party early.”
“Believe me, when you’re the only sober one in the room, early is a perfect time to leave.”
“You sure?”
“More than sure. I demand you come with me.” The regal tone he uses makes me grin.
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to go. I’ve been missing out on a lot of social opportunities because of my busy schedule, and now, my crush is asking me to attend a party with him. Ignoring the fact that I’m not supposed to have the aforementioned crush, I embrace what I want.
“Well, if you demand it, I guess I don’t have a choice. But this had better be fun!”
“Trust me; I’ll make it fun.”
Those words from his mouth sound dirty. Or my mind is making them dirty. More likely, the second of the two.
“We’ll see. I’ll text you my address.”
“See you tonight, Holly.”
BEN
The worn button next to Holly’s apartment number lets out a mechanic buzz as I press it. A moment passes.
“That you?” Even the crackling quality of the speaker can’t fully extinguish the melody that is Holly’s voice.
“Yeah.” A second later, I add, “It’s Ben,” just in case I’m not the one she’s expecting.
“Be down in a second!”
I back up, so I’m not crowding the doorway, disappointed she didn’t invite me up. I just want a glimpse into her home. To find out more about her.
Holly hasn’t been to my place yet, which I’d be happy to remedy.
We’d start with my bedroom. I can imagine escorting her in, watching her explore my private space. Maybe she’d sit at my desk, opening my laptop to see what I’d been browsing on the internet. Or maybe she’d settle on the bed, sinking slightly into the soft navy comforter. The bed is large, so there’d be plenty of room for us to lie down next to each other. We wouldn’t even have to touch.
I’d want to touch her though, run my fingers along her neck and comb them through her hair. I’d cradle her face before pulling her in for a—
“Hey ya, Ben!” Holly bursts through the entryway, shoving my risqué thoughts to the back of my mind. But they push back when I take in her appearance.
She’s wearing a green coat with golden buttons and a belt that ties at her waist. This comes to about mid-thigh, revealing her slender yet muscular legs, which travel down to a pair of black heeled boots that cover just to her ankles.
