Cut It Out II

Bridget’s [POV]

Ben shakes his head as he laughs, and I stare at him flatly.

When was this?

Was this after he was with me? It would have to be.

We haven't been together for five years. Fuck, it annoys me to no end that nothing has changed for him, and he's carried on picking up girls with Cameron every chance they get.

Fucking men. Ugh.

I sip my drink in annoyance. "Poor girls were promised monsters and got teeny tadpoles," I murmur into my drink.

Everyone laughs, and Tash holds her drink in the air. "Hear, hear."

Thank God, I have a boyfriend. I don't have to put up with this shit.

Stop it, why is this even an issue?

Who cares?

Not me.

I start to feel my face getting hotter, and I sip my drink as I try to calm myself.

"When do you start, Cam?" Tash asks.

The topic of conversation goes to Cameron's work. He has just started to train to be a cardiologist and is super excited.

"Next week; I can't wait."

I blow out a breath as I turn my attention to the harbor in front of me and hold my glass to my lips, running my hand up and down my neck as I think.

I wonder... does he have a girlfriend?

He could be married with kids by now.

Probably is.

I've never asked about him, not once. I've wanted to. God, how I've wanted to, but I wanted to get over him more. I didn't want the others to know I still thought about him. I don't even like admitting it to myself.

My phone beeps with a text, and I look down to swipe it on. It's a text from Ben.

I frown. Huh? I click it open.

Your neck looks edible

I could sink my teeth into it.

What?

I frown and lift my eyes to his. He holds his beer up and takes a drink as his mischievous eyes hold mine. He's sitting back in his seat, legs wide, and his huge shoulders show off all his power. Unable to help myself, my eyes roam down to his strong, muscular forearms and I swallow the lump in my throat. Honestly... why the hell is he so freaking hot?

The conversation carries on around us as my heart rate picks up.

Okay, what the actual fuck is going on here? I'm not imagining this.

That was a definite flirty text.

But what do I write back?

Fuck off, asshole. That's what I need to write. I text back:

Vampires aren't my thing

He reads my text and smirks. I pick up my drink and sip it as I make eye contact with Adrian, who frowns subtly in question. My phone beeps again.

Have you thought about me?

I swallow the lump in my throat and immediately text back.

Never.

A reply bounces back.

Liar.

I feel my cheeks start to heat.

"So, Didge, tell me about your trip." Tash smiles. "Gosh, it must be so exciting to go away for your job."

I smile with enthusiasm. "It is."

My phone beeps again and I glance down at my lap to read it.

I've thought of nothing else but sucking on your beautiful body for five years.

I glance over the table at Ben, and he gives me his best come fuck me look as he sips his beer.

Dark, wanting eyes to hold mine.

Holy hell. I haven't seen that look for a long, long time. He used to look at me like this when we were sneaking around and nobody knew we were seeing each other. I feel myself start to melt into a puddle.

"Erm..." I stammer as my eyes flicker back to Tash guiltily. I seem to have lost all coherent ability to form a sentence. "Erm." I glance around at the table as they all wait for my intelligent reply. Yeah... I got nothing.

He craves me?

Crazy vampire sex is all I can see.

"I... I..." I stammer.

Adrian and Tash frown as they wait for my answer.

"I need a drink. Does anybody need a drink?" I stand abruptly, mid-sentence.

"Yes. I'll help." Adrian stands.

"Me, too," Tash mutters as she stands.

Abbie sits still, drinking her drink.

"Want to come, Abs?" I ask.

She doesn't even look my way. "No, I'm good."

Adrian fakes a smile and grabs her arm, pulling her from her seat. "We need help, Abbie."

"God, you're such babies," she snaps as she follows us through the crowd. "Why did I have to come?"

"What's going on?" Adrian asks over my shoulder as we walk through the crowd, his hands on my hips from behind.

"This is a bad fucking situation," I whisper.

"Did I miss something?" Tash calls from behind us.

We get to the bar and all huddle together, out of their sight.

"He sent me a text and said he wants to bite my neck," I blurt out.

Tash and Adrian frown at each other, and then at me. "Who?"

I widen my eyes at their stupidity. "Ben!" I shriek.

Adrian screws up his face. "What?" He scratches his head.

Tash looks back over toward the table. "When?"

"Just now."

Abbie fidgets with her underwear under her dress. "These undies are getting up in my regions."

Adrian screws up his face in horror. "Oh, my God. Don't talk to me about your regions."

Abbie rolls her eyes. "For your information, my region is a fantastic holiday destination. Five-star luxury."

"Eww." We all screw up our faces as a text comes through and I read it.

My eyes widen in horror.

Are you talking about me?

"Your region is a backpacker's hostel." Adrian winces in disgust as he turns to order the drinks.

"Oh, my fucking God," I snap as I read it with wide eyes. Another text bounces through. "He knows I'm telling you." I wave my phone around in horror.

That's a punishable offense

I screw up my face, and Tash snatches my phone from my hand to read the text. "What the fuck?" she whispers. "Have I missed part of the conversation?"

I nod. "Yes. The same part that I missed."

Adrian turns while the bartender makes the drinks, and he takes my phone from Tash. He frowns as he gets to the last text. "Punishable offense?" he mouths in wonder. His eyes meet mine.

Abbie snatches the phone and reads it, smiling deviously. "Oh, dear God. Please tell me you're going home to fuck him harder than hard. You need to be punished, bitch. Even I can see that."

"Abbie," I hiss, annoyed. "I have a fucking boyfriend."

She cringes. "And your point is?"

"Oh, God, here we go. You and your filthy backpacker regions." Adrian huffs while he takes the phone from her as another text comes through, and he reads it.

His eyes widen; he looks up at me, puffing air into his cheeks in thought. "Maybe Abbie is right on this one." He shrugs. I take my phone and read the text.

I still like it rough, baby

My eyes widen. "Oh, hell. No, no, no." I shake my head. "He's going to get it rough when I strangle him, that's for sure," I snap.

Abbie's eyes dance with delight and I can see her mind ticking. "How rough are we talking here?"

"Ben's fucking hot," Tash whispers to Adrian.

Adrian nods. "I know, right?" he whispers back.

I put my fingers on my temples and I feel two hands snake around my hips from behind.

I turn to see Ben.

"What are you doing?" I snap.

"Standing behind you."

"Don't." I pull from his grip. "And don't tell me you like it rough, either," I add. "That is way too much information which I do not need to know."

Abbie grabs Ben's forearm. "Bridget needs to be punished. You need to take her home right now," she says seriously. Of all the things she could have said. "Give her one for me," she adds.

"Abbie!" I snap. "Shut the hell up."

Tash puts her hand over her mouth and bursts out laughing.

Adrian's and my eyes widen in horror.

Ben nods. "That's a good idea, Abs."

He grabs my arm and pulls me toward the door, and I snatch my arm from his hold.

"Don't touch me."

"Cut the drama," he says as he pushes me forward.

"Drama?" I repeat as I storm toward the door. "You've lost the fucking plot." I exit up the steps, out onto the water's edge on the cobblestone pavers.

He falls into stride beside me and the ocean breeze whips through my hair.

We walk in silence for a while and I glance over at him, seemingly deep in thought.

"What are you doing here, Ben?" I sigh. The moonlight is dancing on the water.

He frowns as his eyes stay focused on the ground. "I told you."

I stop on the spot. He keeps walking and then finally stops, turning to face me.

"You told me what?" I frown.

He walks closer. "I came back for you."

I shake my head and throw my hands in the air in disgust. "So, you just think you can waltz back here and announce that you want to bite my neck?"

"You know I'm not good with words."

"I want to bite your neck isn't even English, Ben," I snap. "It's fucking booty-call talk."

He shrugs uncomfortably. "I didn't mean it that way."

"That's what you said."

He steps toward me and softly pushes my hair behind my shoulders. "I was just telling you the truth," he whispers.

I stare up at his beautiful face.

He takes my hands in his. "I've thought about you every day, Didge." His thumbs dust over the backs of my hands.

Tears threaten to fall. He has no idea how many times I prayed for this moment, and now that it's here it happens to be my worst nightmare. "Even when you were lying beside someone else?" I ask.

His haunted eyes hold mine. "Yes." He pauses. "Even when I was lying next to someone else. You're the first and last person I think of every day." He tenderly tucks a piece of my hair behind my ear and then cups my face.

I blink to try to stop the tears.

"I was coming back for you sooner, but things turned out to be harder than I thought."

"What things?"

"My work."

"Fuck's sake, Ben," I snap, exasperated as I pull from his grip. "Speak English."

"I want another chance."

I frown as the ground rocks beneath me.

I shake my head. "You're too late."

"No, I'm not."

I nod way too fast as if trying to convince myself. "I'm happy, Ben."

"I can make you happier. You know I can."

The tears break the dam and I swipe them away angrily. "No! Stop it." I shake my head. "Go back to where you came from. Go back to the girl who's occupied your bed for the last five years when I haven't. You had your chance and you blew it. You got one chance with me, Ben. You fucking blew it!"

I take three steps backward. I need to get away from him.

"I'm not leaving without you, Bridget," he replies in his dominant voice—the same voice that brought me to heel so many times in the bedroom.

I shake my head in frustration. "You're not leaving for where? I'm never leaving Australia, Ben. This is my home."

His dark eyes hold mine. "Then I stay."