“Ben, I can’t eat three pancakes and look good in that gown,” Katherine rolled her eyes with a childish grin.
Suddenly, he remembered that he would be escorting her to the charity event, a first for him. After their night together, he never wanted to leave this house, spending every second trapped in a bedroom with Katherine if possible.
“We have to get your gown,” he remembered allowed.
“Oh no! You left your car over there.” Katherine seemed to remember as well.
“One of my cars,” Ben corrected her.
“So, tell me what I should expect at the charity event,” Katherine paused, thinking to herself. “I don’t think I’ve ever been to something this fancy.”
Ben smiled, watching her blush. There was no doubt in his mind that she would be the most beautiful woman in the entire room. She was flawless, and owned every room she entered. Ben had seen the way men looked at her in public, and he knew why.
In business, Ben was known for closing deals. When he saw something he wanted, he acted, aggressively. It had made him a billionaire, so he planned to use the same strategy in his personal life. Katherine was everything he had ever wanted. Tired of the games of dating, he just wanted honesty and openness.
What they had was perfect, and he wanted more of it.
“You’re going to fit in like a glove. Don’t worry about it.” Ben reassured her, watching her brighten. She had no idea how beautiful she was, and he was reminded every time he complimented her.
“Will you get to stay with me all night?” she wondered, cutting a small piece of the pancakes before pouring the syrup onto the small slice.
“I’m going to have you on my arm everywhere I go.” Ben declared with an obvious stare. He was looking forward to introducing her to friends and colleagues, especially his good friends Will and Rachel.
“Should I know something about the charity?” she asked, concern written all over her face.
Ben had to bite back his life thinking of how sweet she was to be worried about the charity. He liked to find causes he cared about, but more than the cause, he trusted his friend Will to bring the best and most impactful organizations to his attention. Whenever he went, he learned about the charity the night of, and seeing Katherine want to be informed beforehand was indicative of her good nature.
“You’ll learn about it tonight. Trust me, the only thing you need to worry about is whether you can keep up with me on the dance floor. I love to dance,” he looked to her with childish excitement.
“Oh, I can handle it,” Katherine promised, and the two laughed as she took turns feeding Ben and herself bites of pancakes drenched in maple syrup.
Ben couldn’t stop staring at her, in disbelief that it was all happening. His house had never felt right, surrounded by all the things he always wanted, but with no one to share it with. Katherine helped him see a life he thought impossible for himself. She was the fresh start he needed in his personal life.
Everyone always praised Ben for his successful professional career. His business had been thriving since he launched it from his dorm room, but no one ever talked about how lonely it was to be so rich at such a young age. Everyone had a motive and women were either only interested in the money or not interested in him because of the money. There was no balance.
“What time is the event tonight?” Katherine asked, scratching her hair as she looked around the room aimlessly. She looked like an innocent child, her cheeks bright as her beautiful blue eyes sparkled with excitement
“I think the dinner starts at eight,” Ben answered, glancing at his watch.
“I need to get home soon if you want to be on time,” Katherine said, biting her bottom lip before reaching for the last slice of bacon.
Glancing at his watch, Ben tried to think of a way to extend their time together so that he could feel more of her, but Katherine was too excited about their evening together and he didn’t want to cloud her mind with sex. She was on a high in bed, and he liked to reserve that carefree look for himself as long as he could.
Since her clothes were still damp from the rain, Katherine dressed in an oversized sweat suit from Ben’s closet. The dark fabric hung from her body, but she still looked stylish in his clothes. Together, they walked through Ben’s house as he watched her reaction in the daytime. She glanced at the high ceilings on their way out the back door that connected to the six-car garage.
Ben led the way to a silver Mercedes Benz G-Wagon before opening the passenger door and holding it open for Katherine. She climbed inside using his hand and buckled into the seatbelt as Ben walked to the driver’s side.
“My dress is still in your trunk.” Katherine reminded him.
“Right. We’ll go and get that first,” Ben nodded, thinking of his options.
“Are you going to leave your car over here again?” Katherine asked as she watched him maneuver through the city.
“I think I’ll just have Carter get it,” Ben thought aloud.
“Who’s Carter?” Katherine asked.
“He’s my driver,” Ben answered, as he drove through a busy intersection. He could see she was taken aback by the fact that he had a driver, and he secretly hoped his lifestyle didn’t intimidate her.