Bluebell

Chapter 7

"Thank you so much for coming, Rúben. I know you probably are busy with everything that has been going on lately."

"Nah, don't worry. I actually needed some fresh air, a change of scenery" he says.

"How are things with my cousin?" I dare to ask.

"Well... The being angry days are over, and now she is on the crying ones, constantly texting me and sending me photos of how horrible she looks with her swollen eyes and her mascara all over her face."

"Yikes."

Rúben and Victoria had broken up a couple of weeks after Mrs. Smart told me there were problems between them. When it happened, she apparently went nuts, throwing things out the window. My uncle had been going around saying it had only been a fight, that they were still together. But this week, Rúben started moving his things out, going back to his old flat. And the whole town saw him. There was no coming back.

"So, when are you planning on reopening?"

"I'm not sure... First I have to deal with all the paperwork, then call the people my father used to hire and work with to see if they are available, then I'll probably have to wash and clean everything, start using the website again and do something on social media... The list is long."

I had finally decided to stay. Mainly because I couldn't let my uncle ruin this place and everything my father had worked for, destroy it just because he was stupid and needed money. But also because I had fallen in love with this town and the life here. It was slower than in the city, and it was just what I needed. And yes, maybe the people I had met also had something to do with it.

Mason and I were still seeing each other, though just as friends. On Champions League nights I would go to the pub and help him if he needed it, which usually led to me staying there until the next morning. Or afternoon. But just as friends. With really good benefits, but just friends.

"Step by step" Rúben says with a smile. Rúben. He may also be one of the reasons I decided to stay. Besides making my days feel instantly better just by seeing him walking around being stupidly hot and handsome, there was something about him that reminded me of home, of my old life, but not in a bad way. And that feeling was definitely helping me not to feel so homesick.

"But are you sure you can be here? That you don't have things to do as the Mayor?" I say, air quoting those two last words.

"The Mayor" he says, doing the same gesture I just did and making fun of me, "is there to help the people in his town. You are one of them now, and I am helping you, so" he shrugs.

"Ok, then. Where should we start?"

"Let's make sure all the licences are up to date. We don't want surprises."

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━

"Tea?" I ask. Rúben and I have been going through all the paperwork for what feels like hours, and my eyes are starting to hurt.

"Please. But let me help you with it. I can't feel my bum anymore."

"Ok" I laugh.

"Wow" he says as he walks into the kitchen.

"I know, it is chaos. But yesterday I was in the mood for baking and..."

"And it didn't go as planned" he chuckles.

"It did not. Dixie ended up eating it all."

"Poor Dixie."

"Rude" I say, sticking out my tongue and making him laugh. God, his laugh. I bet that's how angels sound. "Anyway, do you want anything with your tea? A toast with marmalade, perhaps?"

"Not a big fan of that."

"You don't like it?" I say, raising both my eyebrows. "Of course you don't. Too much sugar and you need to keep... that."

"Keep what?" he asks with a smirk.

"That" I say, moving my hand up and down in front of him. "I have fruit, tho. From the market, no surprises inside it. That probably is more your jam."

"Oh, God" he says, laughing again. "My jam?"

"I didn't mean to. I swear I didn't mean to" I say, also laughing.

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━

"You sure you don't want a bite?" I say, putting some marmalade on my toast.

"I'm happy with my apple. But thank you."

"Your loss" I say, giving it a big bite. "It is so good, tho. Homemade."

"And now it is all over your face" Rúben laughs.

"No way."

"Here, let me help you" he says, putting down his apple and moving to where I am. He is holding my face with one hand, the thumb from the other moving over the corner of my mouth. And meanwhile, I'm praying for my knees to stop shaking and not give up. "Done" he says, showing me his thumb. "Now what?"

"Now you lick it."

"I don't like marmalade. And I can't eat it if I want to stay like this, remember?" he smirks. "You lick it. Open your mouth."

"I'm sorry?" I say, my voice sounding all shaky.

"Open your mouth. Lick it" Rúben says.

"I..."

"I'm waiting."

"Ok" I finally say, opening my mouth and licking his thumb just as he asked me to, his eyes fixed on mine.

"Good girl" he says, smirking again. "Very... very good girl" he continues, his thumb now caressing my lower lip and making me gasp. And before I have time to do anything else, he is kissing me. Or to be more precise, he is devouring me. I had never been kissed like that, with that hunger and passion. I am barely able to breath, to kiss him back.

And he doesn't stop as his hands move from my face to my butt, grabbing it before lifting me in the air and sitting me on the kitchen's counter, putting my legs around him, making us be even closer.

"Rúben" I whisper when he finally lets go of my mouth and moves to my neck, his hands everywhere under my clothes.

"I need you... I want you" he says, coming back to my lips, to kissing them with the same intensity as before while lifting me from the counter and carrying me upstairs. He walks into the first room he finds, laying on the bed with me while still kissing me, touching me, my body burning. "Do you want me stop?" he asks, resting his forehead on mine, finally stopping to catch his breath.

I'm just able to shake my head, my body pinned under his.

"I need to hear you say it."

"No. I don't want you to stop."

"Good. Because I don't know what I would have done if you had said yes" he smiles.

"Use your hand, I guess."

"I guess" he says, his thumb going back to my lower lip. "I must warn you about something tho... I don't like doing it... gently. So talk to me, ok?"

"Ok."

"Good girl" he says, going back to devouring me.