Photograph

69 - James Was Right

Author's Note: Canadian actress Shenae Grimes (above) is a very close match to what I've envisioned Cara looks like. How does she compare to your imaginings?

Something startled me and I discovered I'd fallen asleep reading on the couch; my book lay neglected on my lap, my face was pressed into a cushion and my glasses sat skew-whiff. Righting myself, I peered at my watch to find it was almost two in the morning. Then I heard them again – the sounds that had woken me - muffled laughter, subdued masculine voices and the unmistakeable titter of Ben's giggles. Smiling to myself, I walked towards the door, fairly certain of what I was going to find on the other side.

"Cara! Oh gosh, I'm so sorry we've disturbed you; we were trying to get this chap in without making too much noise. I know it's late, sorry." Tom the Apologiser looked mortified; I merely shook my head and smiled.

"Hellooooooo my darling wench!" my apparently inebriated fiancé crooned, lurching towards me out of Adam's grip and suddenly it felt like I was being hugged by an excited octopus – arms seemed to be everywhere. When he stumbled slightly we were in very real danger of falling and had it not been for both Tom and Adam grabbing his jacket, would have ended up in a tangled heap on the entrance floor.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Tom apologised again, making me chuckle.

"Come on mate!" Adam took Ben in a firmer hold, manhandling him through the doorway.

"Let me go!" Ben resisted, arms still swinging wildly in my direction. "Want my wench!" It reminded me so much of the 'I know ash!' scene that it was all I could do not to burst out laughing; I settled for sharing a broad grin with his two friends instead.

"He's a little feisty," Adam laughed.

"So it appears," I agreed.

"Sorry!" Tom said.

I took Ben's hands in mine, holding his arms down so he didn't swipe me inadvertently but before I could ask him if he wanted coffee or water, they wound around me, pulling me tight against him as his mouth came down on mine in a kiss that was explosively potent – and not just from the alcohol on his breath. By the time I could come up for air my knees felt as if I'd been at the bar with them.

"Okay, if you're going to do that, it's time we left," Adam observed and started towards the door, a blushing Tom going with him, muttering "Sorry!" again.

Laughing, I tried to release myself to see them out, but Ben wasn't having any of it so I thanked and farewelled them from where I was, hearing the door close quietly after them.

"Ben, I think..." but I got no further before being crushed once again to his form as warm lips found mine. Fingers fumbled with my clothing while at the same time he attempted to toe his shoes off.

So drunk Benedict is an amorous Benedict. Good to know.

"I love you, Cara," he whispered before his mouth laid siege to my throat, earlobes and the sensitive spot at the back of my neck. He'd turned into an octopus again, hands roaming everywhere, squeezing and caressing until coherent thought was becoming difficult.

"Ben, you're drunk," I tried again to give him the option to stop.

"Drunk on your beauty," was his response and I gave up, returning his kisses with equal fervour and helping with the clothing problem while pulling him towards the couch, fairly certain we'd never make it all the way to the bedroom.

---

Waking a few hours later, I wriggled out from under a Ben dead to the world, covering him with a blanket before going to shower and dress. Quietly I snuck out of the flat to meet Rick downstairs; he was delivering Ben's birthday gift for me. We wheeled it into the garage and after thanking him for his help I explained why I couldn't invite him up for coffee.