An Exceptional Twist (29 page)

Looking down at their interlaced fingers,
Ben inquired, “I keep meaning to ask you what the name of your
flower shop is.”

Leah bit her lip and smiled. “It’s kind of
silly, but when I was running down possible names, my best friend
had to incorporate my sassiness. That reminded me of a nickname I
had in high school.”

Ben pulled her along a storefront. He
chuckled softly to himself. “Leah, did you name your store sassy
stems?”

She jerked her head back. “How do you
know?”

A huge smile broke out on his face. “I have
a confession to make.” Shyly, he gazed into her bewildered eyes. “I
came up with that nickname. You had stunning legs, and I thought
that calling you ‘legs’ was a bit rude.” He gave a breathy chuckle.
“The guys on the team overheard me and ran with it. I had such a
huge crush on you and really wanted to ask you out, but because of
lame ass peer pressure, I never had the nerve. Plus, I figured you
might turn me down.”

Creasing her forehead,
Leah asked the obvious questions, “What? Why would I have turned
you down?” She bashfully dropped her gaze. “I really liked you. I
assumed you knew because everyone teased me about it.”
Did I just admit that out loud?

Ben furrowed his brows. “I didn't know. Why
would they tease you?”

“Because you were the captain of the
football team with the perfect girlfriend, and I was a big goofy
dork.” She looked up at him through her long eyelashes.

His expression was soft.
“You were far from dorky, Leah.” He moved in closer and brushed her
cheek with his knuckles. Leah blinked quickly. “I
always
watched you when
the dance team performed. I remember this one time I was sitting
next to David Forks, and I told him how hot you looked when you
moved. Then he told me to shut the hell up before my girlfriend
kicked my ass.” His face reddened, surprised at his own admission,
but Leah was too busy trying to process what he’d just
said.

“Are you kidding me? You
were with the head cheerleader. Why would you be looking at
me?”
Plus your girlfriend was gorgeous and
got her boobs and ass before any of the rest of us did.

He snorted loudly. “Honestly, Charlotte and
I were friends. We'd known each other most of our lives and only
started dating to get everyone, including our parents, off our
backs. It was all a façade. We never even made out once. We made a
pretty picture though. Head cheerleader, starting quarterback.” He
shrugged his shoulders, then breathed out a laugh. “She was in love
with Scott Braden, and I liked…you. I really wanted to ask you out
that day at the movies, but you said you were going away for
college. I knew my hands would be full at school too, so I
chickened out.” He rubbed his bottom lip with his index finger.
“And now you’re here. I get a second chance.”

Leah's heart beat so hard, she thought Ben
might be able to hear it. He leaned in, and she knew it then and
there, he was about to kiss her and make her teenage fantasies come
true.

He wrapped her in his strong arms, softly
pressing his lips to hers, and she could hear his heart pounding as
well. His lips were nice. They weren’t Stefen’s, but they were warm
and gentle and…nice.

He didn’t push for more.
Just simple tingly kisses. Ben was exactly what she was looking
for—safe. And she could grow to appreciate his less than passionate
kisses. He was a good catch, a great guy, and they shared a lot of
childhood memories.
This could totally
work.

People milled around them, on Colorado
Boulevard, as they shared this moment. Leah pulled away first,
noticing the disappointment on his face.

“We should move out of the way.” She looked
down and tucked her hair behind her ear.

“Why don’t I get you home?” Turning to walk
toward the car, he rested an arm on top of her shoulders before she
wrapped hers around his lower back. She felt giddy, unable to hide
her smile.

Could this be her dream come true?

She hadn't given it too much thought before
Abby brought it up, but maybe Leah was going to have to reconsider
staying closer to her hometown.

In the parking lot, Ben snuck another quick
kiss. His lips were tender and sweet. She could get used to this
for sure.

On the drive back to her mom's house, they
continued to catch up on the last couple of years. They sat in the
driveway, in the quiet car, for a good hour while they finished
their conversation.

“So where do you see yourself in five
years?” Ben’s question threw her for a loop. No guy had ever asked
her about the future before.

“Uh, well, I’d love to open at least one
more flower shop. My goal is to use what I’ve learned to help
someone else open their own business. Who knows, maybe we can
co-own the next shop.” That thought brought a smile to her
lips.

“What about marriage? Is that something
you’re looking for?” The curiosity on his face was refreshing. He
genuinely wanted to know.

“Yeah, of course. Marriage, kids. What girl
doesn’t dream of that?” She moved her crossed legs to the side
since they were starting to fall asleep. “How about you?” She
settled further into her seat, waiting to hear his answer.

He looked out of the window, taking a moment
to think. Leah found herself staring like a lovesick puppy, until
he turned and opened his mouth. “Like most overzealous med
students, my original plan was to make as much money as possible
while helping people, but now that I’ve been in the trenches, the
money part isn’t as important. Thinking about going into
pediatrics. I love children. As far as marriage goes, of course I
want to find the right person, start a family.”

She couldn’t believe it.
Ben was giving her all the right answers. Maybe this
was
fate. She’d been
dealt a crappy couple of weeks, but it may have all been to prepare
her for this.

Noticing that the windows were fogged up,
Leah told him, “I should probably get inside.”

Ben took that as his cue to make his
move.

He leaned further in and
practically smothered her in her seat. His strong lips took over as
his tongue entered her mouth. Leah stiffened with his sloppy, wet
kiss.
No, it can’t be like this. This is
not the kiss I dreamed about.

Feeling her hesitation,
Ben pulled away, regretful. “I'm sorry. That was uncalled for. It’s
just that, I’ve wanted to
really
kiss you for a long time, but I didn't mean to
make you uncomfortable.” His mouth stretched into a thin line as he
wiped his lips. “Not my best kiss.”

He was just caught in the moment. That was
all.

Leah smiled graciously. “It’s fine. Just
unexpected.” It was nice to know that he did have a more passionate
side. But that could wait for another time. She wasn’t about to
jump from bed to bed, one guy to another.

Ben lightly tapped the steering wheel. “I
know this is a little forward because we haven't seen each other in
years, but I’d really like to see you again. To be honest, my life
is crazy busy right now. I haven't dated anyone in a long time and
can't do a serious relationship yet, because my schedule is
all-consuming. I hardly even get to sleep. But, like I said,” he
held her hand, rubbing his thumb along her knuckles, “I don't want
to miss this opportunity. Can we hang out again?”

Leah tried not to let her confusion show.
“I'm not up on dating terms, so I'm not sure what that means,
exactly.”

He grinned. “Well, it
means that I really want to spend time with you, but I don't have a
lot of that right now. If you’re willing, then I'd love to go on
dates whenever we can make it happen. I don't want you to feel like
I'm stringing you along, but I have to concentrate on my residency
to build a solid future.
”

She bit her lip, trying to
contain her excitement.
He’s perfect.
Exactly the kind of guy I need right now.

But even in the middle of her great moment,
her mind wandered once again to a certain handsome dark-haired,
hazel-eyed jackass. “Um, I just got out of a situation with another
guy, so moving slowly works best.”

“Hmm. Good to know.” He contemplated a
little too long, leaving them in awkward silence.

Bringing them back
to the topic at hand, Leah admitted,
“I’m extremely busy myself. My flower shop is
picking up, and I've had so many weddings this summer. The only
free time I have, I spend with my best friend.”

Well, used to spend with her.

“Is she the one that just got married?”

“Yes, she’s the best. I don't know what I
would do without her.” Leah couldn’t help but smile.

For a few days, she’d been toying with the
idea of moving closer to her hometown, but it just hit Leah that
she couldn't live this far from Abby. She needed her as much as
Abby said she needed Leah.

Ben sighed regretfully. “I better let you
get inside. I need to go in for an early shift tomorrow and I can
see someone waiting at the window for you. I wouldn't want to give
you a bad reputation sitting in a car with some guy outside your
mother's house.” He chuckled.

“Yeah, sure,” she laughed
along with him, thinking,
what are we
fifteen? My mom knows me better than that. Then again, she’d be
mortified if she found out what I did with Stefen.

As he helped her out of the car, Leah said,
“Call me when you have time. I’m leaving after lunch on
Friday.”

They walked hand in hand up to the front
porch. She’d dreamed about him walking her to her door so many
times when she was younger. It was weird, that dream becoming a
reality. Not exactly as she pictured, but, hey, what fantasies turn
out exactly as expected?

Leah watched the curtains
ruffle, barely catching a peak of Dani’s face.
Huy, nosey ass.

Following a quick peck on the lips, Ben
walked back to his car. “I'll call you before you leave,” he called
out as he got in his car and drove away.

The front door flew open as a cozy
pj-wearing Dani nearly attacked her. It felt like she was a
teenager coming home from her first date ever. “Tell me, tell me.
How was it? Is he a good kisser? Don’t lie, I saw the steamy
windows in the car.” Dani stood wide eyed, practically jumping up
and down, clapping her hands.

Leah leaned up against the closed front
door. “It wasn’t exactly like I pictured, but I think he might be a
keeper. He’s the kind of guy I can see having a future with. It’s
going to take a lot of time and patience, but I think it will be
worth it in the end.”

Her face was frozen with an unending smile.
Her sister looked confused, so Leah gave a quick explanation of
their conversation in the car as she took her heels off and started
for her room. “I still don't fully understand the whole ‘dating,
seeing each other, hanging out’ idea, but I'll take what I can get
from him.”

Dani stopped and fisted
her curvy hip, raising her eyebrow. “It means that he doesn't want
serious, but he won’t mind if you drop your
chonies
for him.”

Leah frowned, snapping out of La-La Land.
“What? He isn't like that Dani. He was a total gentleman. We
kissed, he didn’t push, end of story.”

Even if the kiss sucked, he still backed off
when it was time.

“Whatever you say, chica.
Please, just be careful. You don’t want to make Ben your rebound
guy. I'm heading to bed now. Glad you had a great night. See
you
mañana
.” Dani
bopped her sister on the behind before walking into her own
room.

Alone in the hallway, Leah
mumbled, “This one is different. He
has
to be.”

The drive back home seemed
to take forever. A middle-aged man
in the next lane
kept
trying to flirt with her. The waggling of his eyebrows and licking
of his chapped lips was bad enough, but then she watched him pick
his nose and flick the prize somewhere in his car. And the dumbass
still had the nerve to wink at her afterward.

What a disgusting pig!

She couldn’t help but look at him and stick
her finger down her throat like she was gagging. He finally got the
hint and left her alone.

Another guy that kept
cutting her off, drove her absolutely insane when he wouldn’t turn
off his damn
blinker.
After
that torturous drive, Leah couldn’t wait to take a shower and go
straight to bed.

Flipping on her lights, she dropped her
things by the front door, noticing the dead flowers all
over her apartment.