She woke to a knock on her door the next morning and slipped downstairs with a yawn, home alone again as her parents were out of town celebrating their anniversary. She pulled it open and stopped, covering her face with her hands finding Ben behind it. “Go away, I look awful.”
“You look gorgeous; you always look gorgeous to me, baby.” He moved into the house, giving her a hug and soft kiss. “Did you enjoy the movie with Megan last night?”
“I did, I missed you though. I feel like I haven’t seen you in days.” She happily slid over to the couch with him, slipping her legs over his lap leaning into the cushions.
“I know and that’s why I wanted to spend the whole day with you. No family obligations, no committee meetings, no homework, just us Em.”
“And to do that you decided to wake me at six-twenty on a Saturday morning?” she asked meeting his gaze with a soft smile.
“Yes, because I wanted to spend as many hours as possible with you along with taking you out to breakfast somewhere incredible. It’s up to you what you want to wear but you don’t have to change out of that on my account.”
“Mmm, alright, but just know that I’m a girl who likes her beauty sleep.” She made him laugh but it was true, she liked sleeping in when she could manage it.
“You don’t need beauty sleep baby; you’re gorgeous all the time.”
Emma took in his cargo pants and boots wondering what she should wear even as she smiled. “Thank you, so what else is on plan for the day so I know how to dress?”
“A hike somewhere I think you’ll love.” Ben only gave her that much before letting her head upstairs to change. He letout a low groan when she came down in a pair of legging style workout pants, a pair of hiking shoes in her hands and a pair of fuzzy boots on her feet. She’d added an extra-large sweatshirt over the top of her outfit, and he pulled her into his hold kissing her softly.
“That was nice,” she said giving him a full smile as he pulled back, a light blush in her cheeks from the evidence of his desire for her.
“Cheeky, you’re just too damn beautiful sometimes,” he said before ushering her to the car and heading out of town.
Emma was amazed when he stopped the car, taking out a picnic basket from the back seat. She shook her head at him but settled in for the walk up the path.
Once at the top, he spread out a blanket for them to sit on before taking out another covering her with it as he readied the food. She was touched to almost tears watching him, and she snuggled into his hold as they ate.
Emma sighed resting her head against his chin. “This is amazing Ben. I don’t know why you did it but I’m really glad you did.”
“Me too.” He slid his phone out of his pocket, showing her Megan’s text from last night. “Baby, you have nothing to worry about with us.” His face showed the promise entirely when she peeked up at him after reading it, but she was still embarrassed and covered her face with her sleeve. “I didn’t tell you, but I also haven’t told anyone yet.”
“What?” She slid her arm down, confused until she saw the letter he held, and she took it with a shaky hand seeing the name Columbia on the front. She withdrew a piece of paper, and her heart stopped at the words of acceptance for their early decision to him. She smiled turning around to face him. “Oh my god Ben, this is incredible. I’m so proud of you.”
“I know you only did regular acceptance deadlines for most schools and that you won’t know for sure until probably April where you’re likely to go. I just didn’t want you worrying about us. There is nothing to worry about, Em. Even if I go to Columbia and you go to some university in Australia, there will still be nothing to worry about, baby. I love you. I don’t want to lose you, and I won’t do anything stupid enough to make that happen. I know a long-distance relationship wouldn’t be easy, butwecould do it. We can do anything together.”
“I love you too Ben, I just don’t know how I’d compete with the girls at Columbia. I see Crystal and the others who look at you, see just how incredible you are, and I wonder why me and not them?”
Emma’s response made him shake his head at her. She had no idea just what he saw in her, but she would, he’d make sure of it so he wouldn’t lose her. She wasn’t just the girl that’d starred in his fantasies before he’d really met her. She was everything to him now and he wanted to spend his life making her smile. And okay, loving her in every way, including some that were way too filthy to imagine right now and keep himself sane while waiting for her to be ready.
“I get that my looks are a draw but there are so many other girls you could have debates with on so many topics that I just can’t, that I know nothing about. There are going to be infinitely brilliant girls at Columbia that will take one look at you, especially with my haircut,” she added when he pulled her over his lap, holding her tightly to him. “I know what they’re going to want Ben because it’s what I want.”
“You give yourself no real credit, baby. Yes, you are stunning. You’re gorgeous, beyond my wildest dreams, but that’s not why I want you, and I don’t even mean sexually, Emma. Can we please go back and completely put the whole notion of it aside? We didn’t have any problems before westarted bringing it into our conversations. It’s not going to matter to me what we do or don’t do, especially right now, Em. As long as you’re beside me, I’m the happiest nerd in the world.”
He was okay that his words put a glimmer of tears in her eyes because she laughed in addition to it, showing they were happy tears. “Your looks physically attract me sure, but that’s just one little part of it. I love you, not because you’re beautiful, but because of your beautifully talented and incredible mind, not to mention your heart, baby. You are so much smarter than you show or admit even to yourself—especiallyto yourself. Don’t try to ruin us because you’re scared that it won’t work out between us just because we have different interests, know about different topics.
“Sure, I enjoy debating literature with you, getting you worked up by it, but that’s because you’re so freaking amazing when you’re all riled up and passionate about something. Having debates that are enjoyable on top of being intellectual are not why I’m drawn to you. It’s just another piece of it. Your passion when you’re fully committed to something, be it an idea or a side of an argument, is what’s made it impossible to turn away from you. Mix that together with your soft heart that you try so hard to keep hidden in order to protect it and your utterly breathtaking being and I was so flipping doomed. It’d be impossiblenotto fall for you. I mean seriously Emma, you’re the freaking Homecoming Queen. What nerd-boy in his right mind would let you go when you’re even remotely interested in him in return?”
Emma laughed lowering her head to rest against his shoulder pushing away the worries. His arms tightened around her, pulling her further into his hold and she let out a full sigh, releasing the tension inside her. “You would be incredibly stupid to break up with me before we’re even out to the public. Imean look at the reputation you’d be turning down by not telling everyone first.”
“Exactly,” he teased pressing a kiss to her temple. “I’m nerd-boy, but I’m okay with that because I’myournerd-boy, and nerd-boys aren’t stupid, know how to treasure and protect what’s theirs, baby.”
“Well for my piece of mind will you please stop talking to Crystal all the damn time? I seriously want to rip her hair out of her head when she gives you that look that says, ‘take me’ and the last thing colleges want to see is a crazy girl applying to them.”
“We’re on the same academic bowl team baby, I can’t completely ignore her. I will try to keep my distance from her even there though, okay?” he said with a smile down at her and she nodded. “You really are cute when you’re jealous. You don’t have to be, and you certainly shouldn’t feel inadequate. Start showing people who you really are Em, blow them away with not only your skills on the cheer team but also your skills with writing, with your beautiful, brilliant brain.”
“We’ll see.” She leaned back slightly to see him better wanting to talk about anything but Crystal with him now. “How was dinner last night with your parents?”
“Good they keep asking me if they’re ever going to get to meet this girl that I’m spending all of my free time with though. So…I wondered if you’d like to come over to my place for dinner sometime next week? They’ll love you. My mom will probably be even more surprised that I have a girl like you than Megan was, but it won’t take them long to see what I do, and that is that you’re perfect for me and me you, baby.”
