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“Hey.” Ben walked toward me, giving me a peck on the mouth. “Are we in a hurry this morning? Why don’t you come inside for a bit?” Ben asked, peering into the truck.
I grinned. “If I go into your house right now, we both know we’re going to end up naked in your bed.” Not that I thought it was a bad idea, but we had somewhere to be. I nodded at the passenger seat. “Let’s get going.”
Ben’s face flushed a deep shade of crimson, and his hazel eyes danced with embarrassment and excitement. I laughed at his surprisingly sweet reaction—I’d always assumed he’d be cool and aloof as a boyfriend, but this shy boy thing got my blood pumping, so I pulled him in for another, longer kiss that sent shivers down my spine.
“Alright, let’s go,” Ben said, breaking away and climbing into the passenger seat. His cheeks were still flushed from our exchange, and I found it achingly endearing.
As I put the truck into gear and began driving, I glanced over at Ben. He looked relaxed, yet there was something about the way he tapped his fingers against his thigh that suggested he was thinking about something important. Did it have to do with our upcoming weekend getaway or something else?
We headed out of town, merging smoothly onto the highway. “So, how did last night’s football game go?” Ben asked, turning his head towards me.
“Alex’s team won their first home game of the season.” Excitement crept into my voice despite trying to remain neutral. “He picked up a fumble and scored a last-minute touchdown that helped seal the win.” The crowd had gone wild, and my heart burst with pride at my younger brother’s accomplishment.
As I spoke, I felt a twinge of frustration that Ben had missed the game because of work. It wasn’t his fault, especially since this last-minute trip of mine was eating into any work time he’d normally do this weekend, but I had to admit to myself that his absence disappointed me, that he hadn’t been there to share the excitement with my family. My younger brothers were let down when I told them that Ben wouldn’t be able to make it to watch Alex play.
Ben seemed to sense my hidden frustration and apologized again. “I’m really sorry I couldn’t be there, babe. I got stuck on this work project, and I couldn’t leave until we completely debugged my code.” He paused for a moment, looking remorseful. “I promise I’ll make it up to you soon.”
“Stop saying that you’re sorry. Work is important, I know that.” Ben’s job could be demanding. I knew that going into this and I refused to let my disappointment get in the way of our relationship.
That’s what fucked it up for those other guys in the past, and that wasn’t happening to us.
Besides, the weekend getaway that we were currently embarking on would more than make up for it.
“Hey,” Ben said softly, placing a reassuring hand on my thigh. “We’re going to have a great time together this weekend, right?” he said, reading my mind.
I smiled, glancing over at him, and giving his hand a gentle squeeze. “Absolutely,” I agreed. “This weekend is going to be amazing.” The two of us, in crisp hotel sheets, a couples massage, pool and spa and sauna and dinner—it sounded like heaven to me.
“Tell me more about this place. I meant to Google it, and just forgot.” Ben fiddled with the air conditioning vents on the car until he was comfortable. “What made you choose this particular spa retreat?”
I snorted. “So, I had originally booked it as a birthday gift for Leigh months ago when we were still dating. She’d raved about the place after hearing about it from her sister, and I thought it would be fun. After we broke up, I completely forgot about it until the spa called to confirm my reservations.”
“That sounds like you,” Ben said with a soft snort.
“Rude, but true. Anyway, not wanting to lose the money I had already paid, I decided to take you instead.” The more I thought about it, the more excited I was at the idea of the two of us together at the spa—more excited than I’d been when I imagined being there with Leigh. “I figured we could make a weekend out of it and just have fun together, you know? Get away from everyone’s opinions and judgments for a while.”
Ben nodded, reaching over to take my hand and lace our fingers together. “That sounds perfect, babe. A private retreat just for us—I’m really looking forward to it.”
An hour and a half later, we arrived at the secluded hill country spa resort. The picturesque landscape and serene atmosphere instantly put me at ease and as we stepped out of the truck, I took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh air that carried with it the faint scent of lavender and something else familiar, a scent I associated with lotions and soaps.
“Wow, this place is beautiful,” Ben remarked, looking around in awe. We grabbed our bags from the truck and made our way into the main lobby.
At check-in, we met Diane, one of the attendants, who escorted us to our private spa suite, which was decorated with fresh flowers and linens, giving off a sense of luxury and relaxation. A refreshing pitcher of cucumber water sat waiting for us on a small table near the window.
“Welcome to your home away from home for the weekend,” Diana said cheerfully, handing us our personalized itinerary before leaving us to settle in.
After surveying our accommodations, Ben looked over the itinerary, reading it aloud to me. He seemed excited about the activities we had planned, which is what I wanted to hear. I had been certain that Ben would come on this trip with me if I asked.
But what I really wanted was for Ben to want this as much as I did.
Reaching for him as we sat on the bed, I rubbed his thighs with my hands. “Thanks again for coming with me.”
Ben leaned in and kissed me, the softest brush on my lips. “Anytime, babe.” He glanced at his phone. “We better head out soon, or we might miss all the activities.”
I agreed, and after a quick change of clothes into something more comfortable, we stood and headed out the door.
First up on the list was a private yoga session on an outdoor platform overlooking rolling hills. As we made our way there, I tried not to feel self-conscious about participating in yoga—it wasn’t exactly something I did often. However, a lot of my apprehension disappeared when I saw the breathtaking view and felt the gentle breeze on my skin.
“Alright, let’s get started,” the instructor said, an older woman who guided us through various poses. “Remember to breathe deeply and focus on your body.”
