I laugh and hit him back but he swerves out of the way just in time. We fly down a hill and my kart gains enough speed to pass him. He catches up quickly and rams into me again, causing me to spin out and get stuck.
“Hah!” he calls out, smiling as he goes on. I have to wait for the stupid attendant to come over and turn the car around. Seriously, why isn’t there reverse on these things? I’m off again, laughing when one of the kids hits Ben’s kart, slowing him down enough for me to pass.
“That’s karma for you!” I shout as I fly by. Ben’s on the go again, his kart picking up speed, and he T-bones me. We both spin out, laughing. The attendant comes over, muttering about how this “isn’t bumper cars” and turns us both back around. We have one lap left, and Ben gets ahead by just a few feet. He wins, and waits for me at the finish line.
He hops out of his kart and comes over to me, offering me a hand. I climb out, a bit unsteady on my Harry Potter heels, and I stumble. He catches me, hands closing on my waist, and he holds me a moment longer than necessary, not letting go even after I get my balance back.
I feel his muscles through his clothes, smell his cologne, sense the warmth of his skin. I shiver. He turns, letting one hand drop to his side. The other stays on my waist. Once we’re back on the sidewalk, heading to the parking lot, his slides his hand down to the curve in my hip. Cameron’s words about wearing Spanx come back to haunt me, and I hope and pray Ben either doesn’t notice or doesn’t mind the extra fat I have sitting on my hips, stored there and waiting for me to go into hibernation or something.
His fingers press into my flesh and I’m suddenly so hot between my legs. I hook my arm around him and rest my head on his shoulder.
“Thanks,” he says when we get in the car. “I haven’t had fun like that in, fuck, too long.”
“You’re welcome,” I reply and more of Cameron’s words come back, worse than haunting. It’s full-on demonic possession and I’m internally panicking that this “fun date” has put me even more into the friend-zone. What was I thinking? I should have played off the smart, sexy girl Ben thinks I am instead of letting my inner dork come out and beat him badly in mini golf.
I bite my lip and pick my purse up from the floor of the car. On auto pilot, I grab my phone and see I have a missed call from my brother followed by two texts. I never replied to his question about having a plus (or minus) one for the wedding. I have another “good luck!” text from Erin that makes me smile. I love that girl. I put my phone down and fret over being labeled as one of the guys the rest of the way back to my house.
Ben glances at me from time to time, the happiness in his eyes turning to confusion by the time we pull into the driveway. I’m about to get out and walk myself up to the door, because at this point I’ve convinced myself nothing more is happening. I’m such a good self-cheerleader, I know.
Ben beats me to it. He cuts the engine and gets out, rushing around to get the door for me. He takes my hand and slowly laces our fingers.
“Do you want to come inside?” I ask. “I have wine.”
He pulls me to him and my body crushes against his. The heat is back between my legs and my body longs to feel more. “Yeah, I want to come inside.”
“Good,” I blurt.
He chuckles. “You sound surprised.”
“No, I’m not, I’m just, uh, uh, glad because I want you to come in too in case, uh, in case you want to, and we, uh, can play games or something,” I stammer and my cheeks are suddenly as hot as my lady bits.
But not in a good way.
Thank the fucking lord it’s too dark out here to see the blushing. I need to learn to stop talking. Seriously. I say the dumbest things when I’m nervous. Ben’s fingers inch along my back, until the tips are just under the waist of my jeans.
“I’d like to play games with you,” he tells me, voice deep and commanding. My head goes up on its own accord, and his lips are just inches from mine. He moves a hand up, cupping my cheek, then brings me to him as he parts his lips.
I’m suddenly nervous and forget how to kiss. Do I close my eyes? Open my mouth now or later? And my hands? What the fuck do I do with my hands?
His soft, full lips crash against mine and everything falls into place.
I hold onto his waist, sliding my hands up his back. His tongue opens my mouth and slips inside, causing my knees to weaken as I hold tighter to him. The kiss intensifies and he pushes me against the car before finally breaking away, tipping his head so his lips brush against my ear.
“You have no idea how much I’ve wanted to fuck you all night,” he whispers.