This is my first real attempt at writing and thank you to Todger65 for taking the time to edit it for me to. I welcome any constructive feedback.
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He could hear her on the phone as he put the wet clothes into the dryer and turned it on. Ben picked up the two cups and walked back through to the living room, placed them on the coffee table and sat down onto the sofa. He watched as she paced the room, her tiny frame swamped in his dressing gown, until she stopped to look out of the patio doors.
"Yes. Fine. I will see you tomorrow then." Chelsea's voice was strained as she spoke. With a final sigh she hung up the call then put her phone on the table and picked up the cup. It felt good in her cold hands and she closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth.
After a moment she slowly opened her eyes and looked across the couch at Ben, she noticed the slight furrow in his brow as he looked at her. Chelsea had been walking down the road in flip flops and no coat during one of the worst storms anyone had seen so far in the year. She had been putting the bins out when the wind had blown the door shut, with her keys inside. She had watched as bins had been blown across the road as she walked, and the rain has been so hard it had stung as it hit her skin. Ben had luckily been passing in his car and stopped and offered her a lift. She had shyly told him how she didn't have her house keys and he didn't question any further. He had driven them back to his, gave her a towel and his dressing gown and offered to dry her clothes for her.
"Thank you again Ben." A sudden shyness came over her, her voice small as she looked down at her mug. They had been talking for a few months and she had come to enjoy their evening discussions over text; however more recently she had begun to realise there was something more there for her and she had withdrawn a little. Now sitting in front of him, Chelsea felt nervous.
Ben smiled, what he hoped was reassuringly, at her. She looked so young, so vulnerable without her make up on and he wondered if she realised how pretty she was without it. Striking wasn't a word that was used to describe her features; she had a more subtle beauty.
They had been talking for what felt like hours. Chelsea had moved subconsciously closer to Ben; she didn't notice the dressing gown had slipped open leaving her thigh on full view until she followed his gaze. Her other leg was crossed underneath her and with a slight adjustment she felt it press against Bens. Her breath caught as she waited for him to move, but he didn't.
As she glanced up at him, she saw he was already watching her. Her heart raced as she put her hand out and rested it on his thigh. Ben didn't move; he could feel the heat seep through his jeans. He suddenly wished he had been wearing shorts so he could have felt her skin against his and then cursed himself, remembering he couldn't think like that.
Ben closed his eyes for a moment, everything about her suddenly overwhelmed his senses. The pressure of her touch as she gently squeezed her fingers on his leg. The sound of her breathing as it slowed. The smell of her perfume mixed with her own scent filled his nose and the taste of her lips against his... shit!
"No. I can't do that." Ben jumped up; his voice hard. Chelsea watched him walk into the kitchen.
Ben stood and looked out the kitchen window, it was dark outside so all he could see was his reflection. He cursed himself, how could he have let that happen. He was too busy battling with his thoughts that he didn't see her come into the kitchen.
"Ben?" her voice was a mere whisper, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. If I could have my clothes, then I will get out of your hair." She blinked back the tears, his rejection had hit her hard and she just wanted to get out of there as quick as possible. Had she had her clothes, she would have just gone, but she could hardly run off down the street in his dressing gown.
He turned to face her, the look in her eyes haunted him. He willed his body to move, to walk the few steps towards the dryer to get her clothes, so that the temptation would be gone. But instead he stood there watching her as she fiddled with her hands, her eyes cast down to the floor. He couldn't shake the thought that if he let her leave now, he would never see her again.
"Screw it" he thought he had said to himself until he saw her head snap up to look at him and he realised he had spoken it out loud. Before he could change his mind, he had closed the distance between them and was now stood in front of her. Without her heels she was about half a foot shorter than he was. Ben wrapped his arm around her waist and lifted her chin to look at him with his other hand. His eyes searched hers for permission, when he got it, he pulled her mouth to his.
His stubble was coarse against her skin, but she didn't care. She pushed her fingers into his short brown hair and pulled his lips harder against hers. She heard a groan escape from his chest as she probed his lips with the tip of her tongue. She felt his hands on her waist as he pushed her against the table. He broke their kiss leaving Chelsea breathless.