Ben and I had talked for a few hours until it started becoming cold outside.

We moved into my living room before I offered to make dinner. While I cooked some chicken and made a salad, him helping wherever he could, we chatted some more.

It felt frighteningly normal, as if we hadn't been apart for months. I felt so comfortable with him now and knew that my feelings for him wouldn't go anywhere anytime soon.

We sat down at the round table I had in the kitchen to eat our dinners, both with a glass of my favourite white wine.

I told him everything about living in this secluded little town, including how I had a hunch that his father had fallen head over heels for my friend and neighbour Billy, as well as how I now worked at a cafe only open on weekends. I told him about how I wanted to work on painting during my time here, and how much trouble I had had with that damn banana.

Ben updated me on how Capra Corp was doing. It was no surprise to me that they were still dominating the political, financial as well as other very competitive fields. He also told me that they'd hired a new woman to be the seductress of the mafia.

"I put Marge in charge of hiring a new woman," he explained, amused to be telling me this, "none of us really like her."

"Why'd Marge end up with her, then?" I couldn't help but laugh.

"She was the prettiest of the bunch," he told me before quickly adding, "Marge's words, not mine."

"You have to be a lot more than pretty to be able to seduce those types of businessmen, though..." I pointed out, tilting my head at Ben and listening to him intently while we ate our dinners, "does she have personality."

"Absolutely none!" He shook his head twice and I laughed again, "she tried to hit on me during her second day, and it was a total crash-and-burn situation. I mean, not to be rude or anything, but she isn't capable of even upholding a conversation."

"That's dreadful..." I couldn't hold in my obvious amusement at their situation.

"You had all the big bad men falling at your feet, you had me, too," he reminded me with a meaningful smile, "she could never."

I calmed down and returned his smile, before glancing down at my lap. Him saying these things wasn't helping me trying to hold back from him in the least, with my body reacting to him sinfully at even the most innocent compliments.

"Let her get used to the job. You might just be surprised," I winked playfully, and he chuckled.

"I'm honestly not too into using women as a trap," Ben told me, "it's a bit old-fashioned anyway, right? I'm figuring out new ways to go about it, but until then she'll have to do."

I nodded, agreeing with him fully and glad he was making positive changes at work too.

"This feels so normal, Sofia," he pointed out, taking a sip from his wine.

"It does," I sent him a smile, finishing up my dinner.

"Can I ask you something?" He leaned a bit closer over the table, gaze never wavering from mine.

"Of course."

"Can we start over? I want to take you out on a proper date, wherever you want," he suggested, seeming very excited at the idea, "I want to work on a relationship with you, now that we have everything out in the open."

"Ben, I..." I hesitated, not wanting anything to mess us up again. We had talked everything through and being with him again felt so comfortable, but still.

"Before you say anything," he cut me off, both of us knowing how persuasive he could be, "we'll go slow. As slow as you want. We can just start dating and move up from there."

"Well, slow does sound nice," I decided, smile widening when his did too, "a date would be very nice."

"Great," Ben reached his hand over the table to take a gentle hold of mine, "thank you for this, for giving me a second chance, Sofia."

"If you hurt me a second time, I swear..." I threatened him half seriously, wanting him to know that I didn't give second chances to people left and right.

He brushed his thumb over the diamond bracelet on my wrist, me wearing it clearly meaning a lot to him, "I know, sweetheart."

We finished up dinner with more casual conversation, discussing which kind of date would fit us best but not reaching a conclusion.

It was getting late as I cleaned up our plates and cutlery, placing them into the dishwasher. Ben had excused himself to take a work-related call. We met up in my living room for second glasses of wine after his call and me having tidied up the kitchen.

"It's getting late," I pointed out, looking at the sun setting outside through the window.

We were sitting on one couch, turned a bit to face one another. I had a small fireplace which I had lit, wanting to create a somewhat romantic atmosphere even if I would never admit to it aloud.

"It is," Ben agreed, following my gaze outside.

"It's probably best if you don't drive home at this hour, it could be dangerous," I had lowered my voice just the tiniest bit, really wanting him to spend the night.

I know we had agreed to go slow, but after not having seen him in so long I really needed him in every single way.

"I'll be fine," he assured me, not catching on as to what I was insinuating, "the drive's a little less than four hours if I speed a bit. I have the day off tomorrow anyway, so it really doesn't matter at what time I get home."

Before I could speak, he added.

"Thank you for hearing me out, Sofia, and giving me the time of day," Ben thanked me, "today has been really great."

My brows raised, knowing that was something you said while preparing to leave. I decided to throw all caution into the wind and pull out the big guns.

I reached my hand to rest on his thigh, my wine glass in the other, catching his attention fully. He stared down at it for a few seconds before looking back at me. I knew he wanted this too, just to reconnect us fully.

"I don't think you understand, Ben," I offered him a small and innocent smile, "I think it's best if you stay here for the night."

His naturally furrowed brows raised and eyes widened in realisation, obviously taken aback by my forwardness, "oh? Oh. You're right."

"Yes," my smile widened at tad, adoring how he could be so adorable at times along with normally being so undeniably sexy.

Deciding that we both needed and deserved this, I took control into my own hands and placed both our glasses of wine onto the coffee table next to the roses he'd brought me.

Ben carefully studied my every move, not wanting to assume or do anything most likely in fear of messing this up. I turned to face him fully now, core clenching at how his brows were furrowed and how intensely his dark eyes were on me. I was becoming increasingly aroused just at the thought of being intimate with him again.

I leaned in to place a soft kiss onto his lips, going slow and testing the waters. I giggled when his body turned to face mine as well, getting the exact same ideas that I had.

"Are you sure?" He asked me, voice having lowered enough for a pleasure-filled shiver to run down my body and gather tension at my core.

"Positive," I murmured out before cupping his jaw and kissing him properly. I had missed him so much, I now felt complete.

Ben didn't think twice about kissing back, and in no time I shifted to straddle his lap, enabling his hands to run along my body and feel me.

"This isn't slow," his breathing had deepened when I began trailing hot and openmouthed kisses down his strained neck.

I grinned, "I don't care if you don't."

"I don't," his grip on my thighs tightened and a low groan left his intoxicating lips when I'd found a particularly sensitive spot and began giving it extra attention, "fuck."