Anchor

Part 17 - Jealousy

    The cool evening breeze soothed me as I stepped outside the front door. I was a fool to think that Ben could be a good guy. Of course I was attracted to him, but to his looks and not his personality. It was something I would try hard to change. I needed to look at him as a temporary means to survive and keep my distance. 

    "Kitty, stop!" The sound of his voice made me frown. I guessed he was back to humiliate me some more. "I'm sorry. I didn't think you'd be this mad." This guy!

    "You didn't think I'd be mad?" I flipped my head round and glared at him. "You're really telling me you thought I would be fine and dandy with you telling everyone about our... intimate moments?" I whispered the last words and avoided eye contact, not wanting to get sucked back in. And damn, it was hard. Under the rising moonlight he looked more godly than earlier. A new face was shown to me, and I saw guilt and confusion. Something I didn't think he had in him. Ben took a step towards me, his hands in front showing he meant no harm. Hesitantly, I took a step back. I was sure he could see the tears in my eyes and I hated him for causing them.

    "It was just a game. I was playing around and I took it too far, I know. Hurting you was the farthest thing on my mind." He took another step forward and I stumbled back. Only this time I hadn't realised the stairs were so close and my footing slipped causing me to tumble to the ground. I closed my eyes but before I felt the cold ground on my thighs, a hand wrapped around my waist and pulled me forward. I opened my eyes and was faced with Ben's sculpted bare chest. His skin was the same temperature as the air around us. He was reluctant to remove his hand from my waist and I was reluctant to look up and meet his gaze. 

    "Why did you do it?" I whispered, now resting my forehead on his chest. I wouldn't tell him that he smelt nice, he didn't deserve another ego boost. He sighed and laid his chin atop my head. 

    "I... I wanted them to know. It was selfish of me yes, but I was jealous, OK. I was jealous." Speak of the unexpected. His words made my stomach do somersaults but my head was more cautious. Maybe I was blind to it, but I had no idea what made him jealous. Jodie fulfilled whatever needs he had. I was out of the room for a brief time and he jumped straight into bed with her, the more experienced woman. The prettier woman. I bet she looked beautiful with her long black hair falling over her shoulders as he kissed her neck.

    "Please, Kitten, say something." I let my thoughts wander for too long. Images of the two of them tangled in his sheets had me ready to scream. 

    I pulled my head back from his chest and replaced it with my hand. "I want... food." I was far too drunk to continue this conversation, I knew it would end up with me back in his bed, that is if Jodie had left... Oh God, I needed to stop this.

    "Not what I was expecting... but OK." His smile melted my heart, it wasn't cocky this time, nor s****l, it was filled with understanding and friendship. He took my hand and we walked back to the kitchen.

     "What do you fancy?" He spoke into the fridge. I parked my bum on the island. "Something with bread. I want bread..." I also wanted sleep but I needed to soak up some of the booze. It's like my stomach was begging for it. Ben laughed and pulled out items to make me a sandwich. I didn't tell him that I would have been happy with just bread and butter, the man was making me a sandwich. I wouldn't ruin the moment. 

    He stood silently analysing me as I munched down every last bite. It probably didn't help that I was moaning in bliss at how good it tasted but I was too engrossed in it to care. 

    Afterwards he walked me back upstairs to his room. He must have noticed my hesitation to enter. "Calm down, Kitten. I don't plan on joining you tonight, the bed is all yours... well actually you might have some company." The door opened and inside sat Stellan on the end of the bed with his head in his hands. He looked drained and I hoped for his sake that he didn't have work in the morning, heck it probably was morning for all I knew.

     Behind him laid a body sprawled out on the bed, the sheets wrapped tightly around her frame hiding everything but her face, shoulders and feet. There goes my suspicions of Ben and her having s*x, in front of me laid the confirmation. 

    Ben placed his hands on my shoulders and guided me through the door. Stellan noticed us approaching and stood from the bed. The open door to the bathroom held the only light as all the lights in the bedroom were turned off. Still, it wasn't dark enough to have to feel my way around the room. I could see perfectly when Stellan slid his arms overs the bed and went to lift Jodie. She stirred in her sleep, unaware of our presence. "Leave her be," Ben followed me towards the bed. "You both can crash here. The guest room is-" 

    "I know where it is." 

    "Right. Well the girls can sleep in here." His words fell on deaf ears as I already had the soft sheets under my knees. I laid on my stomach and closed my eyes. Because of Jodie, the bed was like an oven. She radiated heat. In my drunken state I slipped Ben's shirt from over my head and fell back down on the sheets in the tiny shorts and bralette I had been hiding all day. 

    "I'm not taking the guest room. I'll crash here on the floor," Stellan said to Ben. I heard shuffling in the room but there didn't seem to be any cause for concern so I answered my bodies request for sleep and drifted off.

    Soft snoring rumbled through my ears bringing me from my sleep. The early morning sun was attempting to gain access to the bedroom through the curtains. After an unsuccessful attempt to sit up, I looked down to find a smooth, tanned arm holding me tight. Pressed into my side was Jodie's soft, naked flesh. It was like seeing her in a whole different light, she looked peaceful and unguarded. It was a good look for her. I stared up at the ceiling for a while, trying to work out how I got myself in this mess. Again, my thoughts came down to 'what would my dad say if he could see me now?' 

    After a good twenty minutes of mindlessly listening to the breathing beside me, Jodie finally rolled onto her back. I tried to think back on the night before but strangely it only increased the need to throw up. Carefully, I lifted the covers and silently began climbing off the bed when those two familiar marks caught my eye. Jodie's hair spread over her pillow exposing her slender neck. Her puncture marks weren't there yesterday when she arrived, they looked too fresh. Ben fed from her. Ben fed from her, and that's why he looked unscathed after his and Stellan's fight. The pieces were falling into place, her love for him never went away and never would. 

    I didn't know what to think about it. Ben was that guy, he had no ties to me or to her so why did it bother me so. I clutched my stomach. The alcohol was ready to make a reappearance. I stepped back off the bed, careful to not wake her. Silence fell upon the room and I realised the sleeping beauty in front of me hadn't been the one making the noise. I stopped in my tracks as the heels of my feet collided with a solid surface. "s**t," a deep voice moaned from the ground. On a pile of blankets and pillows was a recently awake Stellan. The swelling on his eye had decreased considerably and the cuts and bruises were faded. The stubble on his chin was more noticeable and it suited him to a tee. 

    "Sorry. I didn't know you were there." I kept my voice low. I smiled at how cute he could look in the morning, rubbing his eyes and stretching. Only when he stretched out from the blankets did I notice he was shirtless. "You should have took the bed. I could have curled up on the sofa or something." 

    "Not a chance." His smile made my knees weak. As much as I wanted to continue our little back and forth, I needed too pee, puke and probably at the same time. I tried to excuse myself gracefully but it backfired as a hiccup turned to something more and I ended up running over him and slamming the bathroom door behind me. 

    I finished getting everything out of my system and leaned my head on the side of the bathtub, soothing my pounding head with it's cold surface. There was a knock on the door. "Just a second." I forced my legs to lift me and quickly rinsed my mouth and face in the sink before opening the door. 

    "You ran off pretty fast, you feeling alright?" Shirtless Stellan stood in front of me and I wanted nothing more than to reach out and run my hands along his abs. If I hadn't ran from him after our argument then maybe it would have been Stellan that I snuggled to in bed and not Ben. "Much better now actually, thanks for checking on me." My smile was cut short when I realised I was standing in the doorway in that tiny outfit I refused to wear in front of anyone. I watched as his eyes lowered from my face and took in my bare waist, high breasts and smooth legs. He didn't even try to hide it but then again, he would have been caught out anyway so why stop now. 

    "You..." He cleared his throat. I wish I had let him see me in this sooner. "You want some breakfast?" His eyes dropped to the floor and his hands slid into his pockets. This look was a cute one, I could already imagine walking along the street holding hands with him and eating in nice restaurants and yes I knew I was getting way ahead of myself. A girl can dream.