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I shook my head, not wanting to dwell on the unexpected encounter. “My bad. I didn’t realize she’d be here too. I’m not upset about seeing her,” I added, making sure Ben didn’t think this was about my romantic feelings toward my ex. “But I feel shitty for messing up her birthday.” I glanced back to where Leigh and her sister had been walking. “She didn’t know about us.”
Ben exhaled and looked down, then wrapped his arm around me. “Yikes. But you can’t worry about that right now. That’s not on you.” Ben peered up and smiled wryly at me. “This is our weekend. Let’s focus on that.”
I snorted. “This is why I have you around. You’re always so smart.”
“If I was so smart, how come it took a dating app to point out that we're so good together?” Ben tilted his head up for a quick kiss, then grinned, glancing over at the building that Leigh and her sister had just walked out of. “How about some laps in the pool?”
I snorted. “How about you swim while I relax in the sauna?”
Ben chuckled and tugged my hand toward the pool. “Even better.”
Once we entered the pool area, we parted ways. I entered the warmth of the steamy sauna, letting the heat envelop me and clear my mind as I sat on a heated stone and stretched my legs out in front of me. I closed my eyes, focusing on the sensations and the steam entering my lungs, allowing myself to let go of the lingering tension from seeing Leigh.
Today was about me and Ben, and nothing else mattered.
After the steam room, I wrapped a complementary plush robe around my body and went off looking for Ben. I spotted him in the pool, swimming strong, steady laps as his body cut through the water with practiced ease. I watched for a few minutes, admiring how beautiful Ben’s physical body was.
But I also knew his heart and soul, and I was grateful for them just as much as I was for his toned physique. I walked over to the edge of the pool and sat down, dangling my feet in the cool water.
“Hey,” Ben said, surfacing from the water and hanging onto the edge of the pool next to me.
“Hey.” I leaned over to give Ben a quick kiss on the lips.
Ben smiled, his face smoothing out into a relaxed expression. “What’s on your mind?”
“Nothing,” I said with a shrug. “Just feeling lucky.”
“Lucky?”
“Yeah,” I said, grinning. “Lucky to have you in my life.”
Ben’s smile widened, and he pushed himself up to give me a deeper kiss. “Same here.”
I wrapped my arms around Ben’s neck, pulling him in closer. Our lips met again, this time hungry and a little more desperate than before. Ben’s hand traveled up my leg, and I groaned softly into his mouth.
Just then the door opened, and another couple in swimsuits walked toward the pool, and we pulled apart. “I’m gonna go get dressed,” I told him. “Meet me in the front when you’re ready.”
Ben and I, relaxed by our respective swim and sauna, made our way to the next stop on our itinerary. As we lay down side-by-side in heated tiled chairs, an array of ‘hydrating body wraps’ was applied to our bodies. Soft music caressed the room as Ben nudged me playfully. “Feeling relaxed?” he asked.
“Kinda.” The smiling spa attendant spread a warm layer of muddy residue across my muscles and torso as if they had wrapped me in an earthly comfort blanket, clinging to the surface like a second skin, making it difficult for me to move. But laying there next to Ben, any lingering stress of the day seemed to evaporate as we glanced quietly at each other, just enjoying the quiet and the company.
Once the treatment concluded and we washed off the mud, we returned to our suite, feeling refreshed and revitalized. After a quick, slightly handsy shower, we changed for dinner. Ben reached out and pulled me close. “This was a great idea. Thanks for inviting me.”
I pressed my lips against Ben’s temple. This whole day had seemed like we’d stepped out of our busy lives and just spent the day together, quiet and introspective, but constantly touching and checking in with each other, as if this romance was a garden growing on the strong foundation of our friendship.
Yes, there would be more challenges to face once we left this place, but right now, walking to dinner with the most handsome man in this resort, it felt like we could face anything life threw at us.
seventeen
Ben
I laced my fingers with Leo’s as we stepped into the elegant restaurant of the upscale resort. The place oozed charm—a mix of fresh floral scents and the clinking of silverware on fine china. It was like something straight out of a romantic movie.
The maître d’ flashed us a knowing smile, his eyes lingering on our intertwined hands before leading us through the dimly lit room. The warm glow of flickering candles created an intimate atmosphere. “This way, gentlemen.”
Leo’s eyes widened as we took in the ambiance. “This is the kind of place that gives you three forks, and you gotta figure out which one to use,” he murmured.
I laughed. “You’re not wrong,” I said, then froze as I spotted Leigh, Leo’s ex-girlfriend, sitting at a nearby table. Her eyes widened, clearly shocked by the sight of us together again. I released my grip on Leo’s hand, but he refused to let go, holding on tightly as we walked through the restaurant.
