Wow, that’s unexpected. “And what if I had said yes moments ago to calling it a night?” I tease.
“Hmm.” He twitches his lips side to side in thought. “Then I guess I would be spending my evening binging on sushi alone.”
“We can’t have that now, can we? Although maybe I don’t like sushi, and then that will become a reality anyways.” It’s a total lie, but Ben doesn’t know that. Italian is my favorite food. My motto may or may not be “give me carbs or give me death,” but sushi is a quick second. I prop my elbow on the table and rest my chin on my fist, challenging him.
I am usually not this bold, but there’s something about Ben that brings me out of my comfort zone.
He matches my stance, still holding my gaze. The longer he does, the more I feel as though someone has turned up the temperature in here. His eyes are burning a hole in my flesh as if he were marking me as his. My skin warms as a blush creeps over my neck and chest.
“Now, Lex”—I wish my body didn’t react the way it does when he says my name shortened, almost like it belongs on his lips—“I would never assume, but I have walked past your office on numerous occasions and have noticed you eating sushi at your desk.”
Does he notice things that like with all his employees? Does he walk past my office often? I hope he didn’t walk past me the day I dropped a spicy tuna roll down the front of my blouse.
“I guess I also shouldn’t have assumed you didn’t have dinner plans.” He arches a brow, confirming that I don’t.
“No, my roommate has gotten used to me not home most nights for dinner. She knows how much of a workaholic I am. I usually stop on my way home and pick something up.” He must think I sound so pathetic; I feel like I am when I hear it like that.
“I’m the same actually.” He nods in understanding. “So, you live with a roommate?”
His arms are extended in front of him as he rolls up his white dress shirt, exposing the colorful lines of the ink on his forearms. It had been dark in the club, so I wasn’t able to take in the intricate detail of his tattoos. And when we were in the bathroom, my focus had been on, well—other things.
“Lexi?”
I pop my head up, my mouth suddenly dry, and my cheeks redden in embarrassment as my eyes meet his. The smirk on his face indicates he watched me thoroughly checking him out. I want to crawl in my seat and disappear just like that funny cat couch gif Brynn uses all the time in our group chat when she wants to avoid talking about certain things.
I shift in my chair, pulling one leg under the other. I’m thankful to be wearing dress pants today instead of the usual skirt or dress; otherwise, I might be slipping and sliding. Just because I want to crawl in a hole right now, it doesn’t mean I’m not turned on.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked. That’s none of my business.”
His words finally register. “No, it’s fine. I’m pretty sure everyone around here knows.” Of course, it’s because they were here to witness the demise of my last relationship that left me technically homeless, but that is too heavy of a conversation for now. “I share an apartment with my best friend Hadley. Oh,” I say with a little too much excitement, “you actually met her.” Ben looks confused. “Well, sort of. I mean, she was with me that night…” I don’t need to explain what night—he knows. His eyes darken at the mention of our first meeting. I watch as his Adam’s apple bobs and the muscles in his jaw tighten.
“Ah, I see.” Silence and tension fill the room, and I wonder if we’ll ever be able to move past that.
Ben clears his throat. “So, shall we?” He extends his hand to my neatly organized piles of papers on the table in front of us.
“Yes, we probably should.” Otherwise, we might end up being here all night.
He sits up and folds his arms on the table. “All right, Lexi Baker, I’m all yours.”
Oh, if only that were true.
We make it through going over the winners for twelve categories before Ben’s phone chimes, alerting us our dinner has arrived downstairs. Ben leaves to meet the delivery guy, and I not only clear space on the table for our food but take advantage of the distance now put between us.
“Sweet Jesus, are you feeding an army?” I ask when Ben returns with enough sushi to feed the entire Art department.
Ben finishes setting the containers out in the newly cleared space. With his hands on his hips, he takes in the scene in front of him. “Yeah…” He trails off. “I may have overdone it. But the last thing we needed is me getting hangry.” I snort at his use of the word “hangry.” He smirks. “Oh, believe me, it’s not pretty.”
“Don’t let me stop you. Let’s dig in.”
I use my chopsticks to pick up one of the colorful rolls in front of me, and I can’t hold back my moan when the flavors explode in my mouth.
When I open my eyes, I find Ben staring at me, his mouth gaped. I quickly cover my mouth. “I’m sorry; it’s just so good.”
Ben sets his food down and leans forward. “Lex, never apologize for something that you enjoy.” Is he referring to the food or him?
It’s incredible that we accomplished almost getting through the entire list of winners after eating a gross yet delicious amount of sushi, yet I still can’t get his comments out of my head. Did he say those things on purpose just to mess with me?
While I have my feet now propped up on the conference chair next to me, Ben has been attempting to walk off his meal, pacing back and forth.
“How many more of these are left,” he asks from across the room.
“Just two more actually,” I respond, chewing on the tip of my pen.
Ben comes up behind me, one hand perched on the back of my chair, while his other hand is flat on the table. His palm is now splayed as he leans his weight over me. When I glance down, I am close enough to see the veins in his muscular forearms bulging against the colored lines in his tattoos. I want to rake my nails up and down his arm to trace the intricate details.
As he leans over further, reading over my shoulder, his scent pulls me in. I take a moment to catch my breath as memories of that night assault me. I must be losing my mind because I swear I hear Ben inhale as his nose is right near the top of my head.
Neither of us moves. I assume he is still reading, but I’m worried that if I move, I’ll be right back in his arms. The moment has us frozen in time. I savor the closeness of him. My breathing quickens when I feel his breath on the skin on the back of my neck. What is happening? Is either of us prepared for this? I can feel the heat radiating off his body.
The moment is quickly broken when Ben’s phone buzzes on the other side of the table. We both separate as he puts distance between us. I quickly gather up the paperwork, shuffling them into one pile.
I try to gather my things before he is done responding to whoever has his attention on his phone. I am almost free when Ben lightly grabs my arm, causing me to startle.
“Hey, where’s the fire?”
I refuse to meet his gaze. I’m so confused about everything tonight. “Sorry, I just figured I took up enough of your time tonight, and we were all done. Plus, I’ll let you get to whoever that was.” Do I sound jealous? I don’t even know anything about him or whoever is on the phone.