Chapter Text
Rey drummed her lacquered crimson nails on the coffee shop table. She couldn’t be nervous, could she?
No. He would come, she was sure of it. They always did.
What was surprising was the realization that she cared if he showed up or not.
There was never any shortage of men willing to give her attention. Money, too, in many cases. Rey was familiar with these types and could spot them instantly when walking into a room. They were the kind that a flash of cleavage and some flattering words was all it took to have them tripping over themselves. She knew she could take whatever she wanted - she just had to find the right strategy.
But these were a means to an end. Scratching an itch, putting food in her belly, or keeping up appearances necessary to reel in the next fish, these were her main objectives. It certainly wasn’t for love.
So discovering what Ben was asking of her was something entirely different - vulnerability - and discovering that as much as her instincts told her to run she was inexplicably drawn in further, was unfamiliar territory.
Vulnerable was a thing she had been, once. Innocent too. But that doesn’t last long in a world spinning on the axis of phallic law. So she learned to get her kicks by turning their own game against them.
She just hadn’t realized until recently that Ben had changed the rules.
Rey wouldn’t pretend that their first meeting was anything but lust at first sight. His body said he could have his way with her without breaking a sweat, but his gentleness said he would in fact be eating out of her hand. A perfect combination of porn star and puppy dog that Rey found irresistible. And there had been no doubt in her mind that he wouldn’t be able to resist her.
But he surprised her. She was used to being fawned over, used to being wined and dined. She was not used to being intrigued - or being valued for more than her body.
She was far from convinced it would work out, and she was almost able to walk away. But something in his voice on the last day of class made her hopeful, against all her better judgment.
If it didn’t work out, she mused, at least she could enjoy bouncing on his fat cock a while longer. You had to pull down a lot of trousers to find a prick that nice.
She checked the time on her cell phone to confirm what she already knew. He wasn’t late, she was early. She liked to command the first impression, it made everything that followed much easier. The power of the primacy bias. Using her front-facing camera, she touched up her lipstick and sat up straight.
A few minutes later, she saw him. He held the door open for an elderly woman, then stood there awkwardly as two other patrons walked through it, trapping him by the entrance longer than he intended.
Finally, stepping inside, he combed back his hair with his fingers and tugged down the hem of his black sweater. What a good boy.
“Ben!” She called, waving and shining the spotlight of her smile his way.
He shuffled over, in that clumsy yet controlled manner so unique to him.
He sat down across from her and offered her a shy greeting. She still sensed nervousness on his part, and she reached over to stroke his hand reassuringly. His shoulders relaxed, pleasing her to see. It was Pavlovian, the way he reacted to her touch: reflexive and instantaneous.
What she hadn’t expected were the little sparks of pleasure zinging through her own body.
“I’m glad you came,” he said softly.
She arched a brow. “You thought I wouldn’t?”
“You’re not exactly predictable,” he chuckled. “Can I get you something?”
“Sure, thank you. I’ll have a peppermint tea.”
“You got it.” He smiled and his crooked front tooth appeared at the edge of his mouth. It was pretty cute, actually.
When he returned with their drinks, she noticed her name was spelled correctly on the cup. He must have told the barista how, because without fail she always got Ray.
The warmth she felt was not just from the tea.
“So listen,” he began. “I’ve been thinking a lot and I want to do things the right way. The last few weeks have been...well, phenomenal, but I haven’t been able to give you the attention I’d like to.” He pushed a stray lock of hair off his forehead. “You deserve a lot more than secret hookups.”
Straight to the point. She could respect that. “Doesn’t it bother you that I’m a decade younger, or that I’ll be staying an hour away?”
He worried his jaw, seeming to choose his words carefully. “Honestly...sometimes it does. Sometimes it scares me. But Rey, that’s what’s wonderful about you. I needed to be scared, to be shaken up. I know we haven’t had the chance to get to know each other as well as we should, but there are things in my past that made me want to numb myself out. It was working - until you.”
Her breath caught in her lungs. How was he so able to lay himself bare this way? Didn’t he know that was how you opened yourself up to crushing disappointment?
“You don’t know me, the real me. No one does.” She looked down at her drink.
He paused, waiting until her eyes were on him again. His expression was resolute. “But I do. I know that you’re smart, and determined as hell, and I know there’s no one else like you. The rest we can find out together.”
There was that penetrating gaze again. The one that peered behind her mask and found the beauty in the chaos. She had set out to steal some kisses and ended up stealing his heart. That part wasn’t unfamiliar - breaking hearts was a regular Tuesday morning for her. What was different was the little voice that whispered, Let him into yours.
It was too much.
“What if you don’t like what you find?”
He chuckled. “I’m pretty sure that won’t happen. But trust goes two ways. You have to let me be the one to decide that, instead of thinking you can make the decision for me. If you can do that...if you can try...”
He squeezed her hand in his large palm, wrapping his thumb around to stroke the delicate bones on the backside. As if reading her mind, he continued on. “I’m not so used to being an open book myself. I’ve got some stretching to do, too. All I’m asking for is a chance. After all, you went through a lot of trouble to get me here. Aren’t you the least bit curious?”
Rey smiled; not coquettish, or devious, or seductive. Just a genuine smile of happiness. “I guess you’re right - you did give me quite the chase. Maybe it’s time we stopped to catch our breath.”
He lifted her knuckles to his lips, pressing them smoothly to her skin with a wink. “Now where’s the fun in that?”