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The rest of the weekend went much like I’d expected it to...with one major difference.
For much of the weekend my co-workers and I were put through a course of activity's from rope climbing to scavenger hunting.
And every chance I could, I stole moments alone with Ben. Wandering off from the group was now my MO. But instead of getting lost in the woods, I would find myself lost in him.
Kissing Ben was now my new obsession. And as the weekend came to a close, I wasn’t ready to leave Ben behind as a wistful memory.
I wanted more.
And so as I prepared to climb onto the coach, (that would ferry my co-workers and I back home to the city), I hung around at the back of the group.
Scanning the parking lot, I pretended not to notice Evan gesticulating at me, as he tried to corral everyone onto the coach.
‘Evan and his god damn seating plan’, I grumbled, as I kept an eye out for Ben. Ben had promised to be here to wave me off, but he was running a little late.
“Casey!” Evan called out, when he finally realized that waving at me wasn’t working. “We need to get everyone on the coach. Wheels up in ten!”
Half of my co-workers were hurrying onto the coach. While the other half were jostling to get their suitcases into the carriage.
I spotted Janet in amongst the group. From the way she was hanging off the arm of another one of my co-workers, it seemed like she’d found someone else to flirt things up with. She obviously hadn’t taken my disinterest in her to heart, and had moved on to someone else in the sales team.
‘And good for her,’ I thought to myself, because I’d definitely moved on from my crush on her.
And with that thought, I finally caught sight of Ben making his way over.
Ben nodded shortly at Evan, who was waving enthusiastically at him. Without breaking stride, Ben continued to make a beeline straight for me. And I can’t say I wasn’t at least a little bit thrilled when Evan’s face dropped a little, as Ben breezed past him.
“So, you’re off back to the Big City,” Ben said as he approached. A small smirk quirked his lips. “I’m guessing the first thing you’ll do when you get home, is check for WI-FI.
“You already know me so well. But, for your information, I am going to be checking for that connection the moment we hit the road. The second I even so much as get a hint of a signal, I’m checking my email.”
Ben shook his head with an exasperated chuckle. “I honestly thought this weekend would have had you appreciating the quiet of nature.”
“It made me appreciate some things,” I said taking a long languid look up and down Ben's body. “All though, you could hardly say we were anywhere close to being ‘quiet’ in nature, when you took me behind that tree yesterday.” I enjoyed how Ben's eyes widened at the memory of it.
“Casey, we need to get a move on.” Evans surprisingly loud voice interrupted our conversation.
Ignoring Evan, I addressed Ben with my next sentence. “Give me your phone.”
Ben did nothing other than tilt his head and raise an eyebrow at me. I rolled my eyes with a sigh. “Give me your phone, please.”
Ben smirked as he slipped a hand into his jeans pocket to fish out his phone. I bit back another sigh.
‘He really does like it when I beg.’
“I’m gonna give you my number,” I said once I had his phone in hand. Keeping one eye on the last of my boarding co-workers, I flipped the phone open. “Wow! I haven’t seen one of these cells in years,” I said, tapping my number in.
It was an old style flip phone. It had gray casing, and a small dark screen that only showed text messages.
Ben shrugged. “I’ve had it for a while. Margaret insisted I get one,” Ben waved a hand dismissively, “I’m not one for all of that tech.”
As I pressed the over-sized buttons, I couldn’t help but wonder how grainy Ben’s dick pics were going to be, when he sent them to me.
“Well, when you come to visit me, first thing we’re doing is going phone shopping.” I handed the phone back to Ben, my number now saved to his contacts list.
“When I come visit you?” Ben’s voice was filled with sarcasm, but I could see a touch of caution in his hazel eyes.
“Yes, when.” I assured him, grasping his arm, turning us so that we were slightly out of view of Evan. “You showed me around your natural habitat. So, let me do the same.” I reached up to clasp him to me in a warm hug, my face nuzzled into his neck.
We lingered like that — for maybe a moment too long if the curious expression that came across Evans face was any indication. And then I stepped back.
I wanted to stay with Ben, for a lot longer than a weekend. And I wasn’t ready for this — whatever it was between us — to be over.
“Call me.”
Ben nodded. “I will.”
THE END
Thank you so much for reading Hard Case!
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