Chapter 7 Our Painful Pasts

Chapter Seven -

For the second time, Abigail feels the warmth of his smooth lips except this time, he was taking the lead. The way his experienced lips massaged hers made a quiet moan escape her and she barely managed to gain the strength to pull away. "B- Benjamin..." she breathed out his name as she looked away with a red face. "We're in public..."

Once Benjamin came back to his senses, he noticed almost everyone in the restaurant was looking at them now. James was in the back corner hiding behind a newspaper while silently seething over the way his business associate just manhandled his baby girl. Benjamin cleared his throat with an "ahem" and settled himself in his seat as well. Another extremely rare moment, the stone-cold man blushing in awkward embarrassment. "Right... so," it sounded as if he was going to start a conversation but instead he just went silent. And that's how the rest of their meal went, without a word. It made Abigail sweat with anxiety. He didn't even ask her how her food tasted.

Was it something I said?

One thing she couldn't complain about was how tasty the food was. The term "to die for" fits this meal perfectly. Afterward, Benjamin paid for it while Abigail left a tip for the poor waitress. She could still tell that Benjamin was still holding a grudge over the fresh stain to his new shirt but at least he wasn't pissed off about it anymore. Abigail had forgotten all about her father following them but it seems that Benjamin didn't since he glanced behind them from where he walked with his arm around his temporary fiancé.

"Benjamin?" Abigail murmurs concern as she catches the handsome man becoming wary again. He then looked down at her.

"It looks like Mr. Smith is satisfied with what he saw so far. He's stopped tailing us,"

Abigail give a small nod of her head since that wasn't what was revolving around her mind the most. It was the way Benjamin kissed her. She was tempted to ask what that was all about but she didn't have the nerve, instead, she just told herself he just acted on lust since he had a very nice view of her bare breasts.

The rest of the day went by fairly fast as the two left the amusement park and now walked along the beach, just out of reach from the ocean's tides that rolled in and out. The sky was a beautiful shade of orange, gold, and red. The amber sun half-drowned into the sparkling ocean. Thankfully the beach wasn't that crowded at the moment. Benjamin notices the way Abigail longingly stared at the sunset and he stopped walking.

"Let's sit down and stare at the view," he says as if getting another good idea to make them look more like a couple enjoying their time together. Abigail was taken off guard but still sat down on the sand when he did. Their silence turned awkward as she began to draw in the sand on the opposite side of him, thankfully he spoke up to end the suspense. "Your father helicopters you quite frequently. Does he really believe you can't take care of yourself?"

Abigail frowns with a hint of irritation. Even now, Benjamin's tone sounded as if he was saying her father is correct. "No. He just... we're really close," she says, her irritation fades as she looks back out at the water. Her chest tightens as memories unravel along with words she didn't mean to announce. "My mother died when I was five years old of cancer. Father was devastated... but he held himself together for my sake. Even now, we both miss her very much."

Benjamin looked shocked when hearing the background behind her and her father. His lips are pursed as he looks out to the water as well. "...I can understand that pain." Abigail looked at him confusedly until he continued. "My wife died in a car crash a few years ago. Though we weren't married long, we were still high school sweethearts." he then reaches into his shirt and pulls out a thin, chained necklace with an engagement and wedding ring on it that clearly belonged to a woman. Abigail was surprised since she didn't even see the chain around his neck at all, it was neatly hidden beneath the collar of his shirt the whole time. Now that it was exposed, she could see a thin line of pale skin across the back of his neck. He had clearly been wearing this necklace for a very long time. He gives a lifeless smile as he looks down at the rings. "Some things are harder to let go of than others," he murmurs. This is the second time Abigail has seen him not give a fake smile, but this smile was heartbreaking.

He's a widower too? I'm guessing this is the reason why he's so cold...

Abigail placed her hand on his with a comforting smile. He looks at her with watchful eyes as she speaks with a sweet voice. "Thank you for telling me this."

Benjamin frowns as he puts his rings beneath his shirt again but he surprisingly didn't pull his hand away. "Thanks? I see no reason for gratitude right now."

"Well, I feel closer to you now. It makes me feel a little special." her genuine words earned a scoff from him. Before he could say what she knew he was going to say, she quickly spoke up. "I know you said no attachments but, being friends can't hurt, right?"

Benjamin's frown changes into something darker as he looks her in the eye this time, and his hand tightens on hers. "Abigail... when I said no attachments, I meant having no links to me whatsoever. For you and your father's sake, please, heed my warning and don't get involved with me."

"Benjamin..." Abigail whispered confusedly. She could tell that the man wasn't being a jerk with a bad temper this time. This time he was giving her strict caution. She finally started to notice how sharp he is when it comes to someone having eyes on his back. Again, she begins to feel nervous and uncertain about how much trouble he's really in. By his tone, chosen words, and look in his eyes, she could tell that she was right. It is dangerous. And yet, this bitter, surly man still told her about his painful past and is even trying to protect her in his own way. Without thinking, and before anything else can be said, Abigail leans forward and kisses him without lust or passion. And he did the same.