Page 24 of Wicked Deceptions
“No, but a friend of mine did. He’s an avid hunter and has so many of these. He gave this one to me.” He begins messing with the fireplace, adding logs and paper, and before I know it, there is a raging fire warming the entire place. He sets the basket down before me and then sits next to me on the carpet. He looks at me and smiles. “Now, isn’t this cozy.”
“It is.”
He takes things out of the basket, and I am surprised to see he has everything we could possibly need for lunch. He pours me a glass of wine. “Taste this. It’s from my favorite vineyard, and it’s one of their oldest vintages.”
“Mmmmm. That’s delicious.” I know absolutely nothing about fine wine, but what I do know is the wine in my glass is really good.
He lays the cold cuts and cheese out on a plate and slides it toward me. “Not the most wholesome lunch, but I thought this would be romantic.”
“It is romantic. But why?”
“Because there is something I need to tell you and something I need to ask you, and I wanted you in the right frame of mind.”
I giggle. “And you think the wine will put me in the right frame of mind?”
“Yes, along with the bearskin rug and the fire.” He chuckles, and I can’t help but join him. It saddens me a little because I know that this will end.
“What are you gonna do first, tell or ask?”
“Tell, I think.”
“You think?” Is he teasing me?
He takes the wine glass from my hand and sets it on the table close by. After turning back toward me, he takes both my hands into his and says, “Katie, I love you.” He looks at our hands and then back at me. “No, that’s not right. I’m in love with you.”
“Oh, Ben!”
“Wait. Let me get this out.” He takes a deep breath. “I swear I think I have loved you from the first moment I saw you all those months ago, but I never could get up the courage to talk to you. And then the night of the Zeppelin attack when we were at the Piccadilly Underground, I didn’t have a choice but to talk to you. And now that we have spent so much time together, what I always suspected I know now is true. I am in love with you.”
“Oh, Ben.” Tears well in my eyes. “I am in love with you too.” I say the words he wants to hear, but I’m not really sure I love him. I knew love once, real love, and it consumed me. I like Ben. He is kind and attentive, but is it love?
He pulls me into his arms and holds me tightly. Then, he kisses me. This kiss is different from our other kisses. This kiss is full of passion, love, and lust. This kiss promises a future with Ben. I kiss him back and hope I can give him the same promise in my kiss as he has given me.
We continue to kiss for several minutes, and passion builds inside me. I know he feels it too. His breathing has changed, and he can’t seem to pull me close enough to him. I want to be closer too, but honestly, we are body to body right now, and I truly don’t believe we can get any closer. Well, except if we… no, he wouldn’t expect that. He’s too much of a gentleman.Darn.
“I have to stop, Katie. I’m sorry.” He pulls away from me. I feel lost and suddenly cold.
“Why?”Did I do something wrong? Perhaps I was too forward or eager?
He caresses my cheek. “Because, love, if I keep kissing you, I won’t stop and I’ll want more. And I won’t compromise you in that way.”He thinks I’m still a virgin. If he only knew what I’ve had to do to survive this war, he wouldn’t be so considerate.If he finds out the truth, his life will be in danger, and so will mine.
Before I think about what I am saying, words come out of my mouth. “What if I don’t want you to stop? What if I don’t care about the consequences?”
“Even if you did want more, not today, love. We have plenty of time for that.”No, Ben, we don’t have plenty of time.
I’m disappointed, and I don’t want to talk about this anymore. “So what did you want to ask me?”
“Please don’t be mad.” He takes my hand and brings it to his lips. “God knows I want you. Sometimes, Katie, I want you so bad that I forget myself.”
“I’m not mad, just disappointed. You tease me into wanting more and then make me feel like I’ve done something wrong because I do.” I feel my cheeks redden as I blush at our conversation.
“Oh, Katie, it’s a good thing you want more.” He caresses my cheek.
“It is?”
“Of course it is, love. What man wouldn’t want the woman he intends to marry to want him?”
“Marry?”
