If That's Your Excuse Ch. 07

Sorry for the long wait guys, I had school stuff to get done! And sorry again that this is a shorter chapter, but I promise the next one is already in the works, so keep checking the site for more. Next one should be up in the next few days. Thanks!

I started playing with my hands nervously as we walked back toward the bedroom. His bedroom. The one I'd been thinking about since I woke up. I had no idea what to do, or expect, or anything. I felt like a little kid in a situation way over my head. I climbed onto the bed, sliding across so I was on the side by the wall. I sat up leaning against the back wall. Ben walked in a few seconds later and with his back to me pulled his shirt over his head. I got a clear view of his tan and muscled back, before he undid his belt on his jeans. He stopped after a second and turned around with an embarrassed flush on his face.

"Sorry, I forgot. I usually just sleep like this..."

"No it's fine, really. Just act like you normally would. Pretend I'm not here."

He smiled over his shoulder before he turned around again and slid his jeans to the floor. He picked them up and threw them on the chair. I tried not to stare, but at this point, I knew it was almost impossible not to. He was muscular in all the right places, but not a ridiculous amount, just enough that it seemed almost natural, like his tan. Guys really did have all the luck with that. Now, all he had on was a pair of loose boxers. He walked over shutting off the ceiling light, leaving the lamp on beside me. He climbed into the bed, jostling me a little as he got comfortable. I followed suit, pulling the blankets over me. The window must have been open in the other room, because I felt a breeze pick up as I tucked myself into the bed. I didn't really know what to say, if saying goodnight was even what I wanted. I must have been quiet for a minute, because he coughed next to me and looked over expectantly. I looked up confused.

"Uh.. would you mind shutting off the light?'

I blushed quickly, trying to hide my embarrassment. Of course he wasn't thinking like I was. It wasn't like he was expecting anything out of this. I leaned over to the side table and tried to turn the lamp off. I felt around looking for a switch on the lamp. I blushed again, now embarrassed for an entirely different, but still equally ridiculous reason.

After a minute, he sighed.

"Here I got it," he said as he moved over. He reached over me flipping a switch hidden on the far side of the lamp. As he did this, he pressed back against me, keeping me held against the wall behind me. I could feel the warm skin of his arm on me, but I tried not to notice, instead focusing on keeping my breathing steady. He started to lean back onto the bed, still pressed against me, at least partly. I shivered slightly, partly because I was cold, but on the other hand just because he was this close to me. I looked over at him for a second, and about the same time he glanced back at me. We caught eyes, and he stopped where he was.

He seemed to want to say something, but hesitated.

"You.. I mean are you cold?"

"No I'm fine," I answered quickly. I didn't want to have to explain how I could possibly be cold tucked under a blanket and a sheet.

"Oh alright." He answered, and slid back to the other side of the bed.

I slid down till I was under the blankets and lay on my side. We were quiet for a minute. Finally, I just decided I couldn't take the silence anymore.

"Well goodnight then."

"Goodnight Lexi," he answered as he pulled the blankets over himself as well.

As I laid there, I couldn't stop my brain from thinking. Maybe the thing at the club had been a fluke, or a drunken thing. We had both had some to drink; it wasn't out of the question. Or maybe I read it wrong, I was partly unconscious for most of it. Finally I just sighed, realizing I'd never be able to figure it out. It was probably a good thing anyway, I mean this was already going to be interesting enough to handle and explain, without anything.. like that happening. I turned on my side facing away from Ben and started to drift off into sleep.

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There must be something wrong with me. Really and honestly there must. And there are a billion different reasons for it too. Where to begin, oh maybe having an 18 year old girl pass out in my bed. Or maybe the fact that I'm on the edge of the bed is the only reason I'm not trying to be near her. Or maybe the fact that with all this, I'm also her teacher. This is insane. People go to jail for doing less then this these days, if the numbers had been different by a year. I sat up thinking for a while, knowing that I couldn't trust myself yet to fall asleep. I'd have to wait a little while, at least until Lexi was asleep. Maybe it'll make staying away from her easier when I don't have to look in her eyes. And I knew how cheesy that sounded. Everything I seemed to be thinking lately seemed cheesy in some ways. And I knew exactly why. It was all because of her. But I'd let myself think this could be a possibility at the club. There it seemed so much easier, just her and me. There weren't any other obstacles to get around, like age or job status. Now things were different as we lay in my bed, and I knew that come Monday in a classroom, things could only seem more complicated. Finally, I heard steady breathing coming from her side of the bed. I looked over and saw her back was to me, which was perfect, because I normally sleep facing the wall. I rolled on my side, and slowly tried to fall asleep.

I must have had a weird dream or something, because I jumped a little as I woke myself up. I opened my eyes slightly and still saw darkness. I hated waking up in the middle of the night. I went to shift a little bit so I could fall back asleep as I felt warm breath on my chest. I looked down to see Lexi sound asleep, her head on my chest and her hand flat next to it. I just watched her for a minute as she slept on, completely unaware. She was just so.. perfect. All I wanted to do was wrap my arm, which lay under her, around her sleeping form and fall back asleep myself just like this. But why couldn't it just be that simple? A voice in the back of my head answered, maybe it could. With my free hand I brushed some hair away from her face, and she shifted in her sleep, but didn't wake up. I smiled to myself. Well if this was going to have to end tomorrow anyway, I could at least pretend for right now. I wrapped my arm around her waist and rested my chin on her head as I comfortably fell back asleep. I could pretend for now.....

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I woke up to sunlight in my face. I tried to keep my eyes shut, so I could sleep just a little bit longer, but no luck. I slowly opened my eyes in the bright light as went to move my hand and block it. My hand brushed against bare skin and I was startled as I realized where I was. Again. I tilted my chin up on his chest and saw Ben asleep next to me. All I remembered about last night was falling asleep and being comfortable. I hadn't even moved since I first went to bed. Ben was still sound asleep, his arm wrapped around me. He was so... handsome, even as he was asleep right now. I sighed with a soft smile. It was funny, with all the thoughts rolling in my head, like how am I going to explain my disappearing act, and what was going to happen Monday, I couldn't stop smiling. I carefully reached over Ben, grabbing his free hand gently. I slid my fingers in between his, and just stared for a second, trying to keep this image in my head. It seemed so.. easy.. perfect.. right. But it isn't.. or wasn't. All of sudden Ben's fingers squeezed back softly. I jumped as he opened his eyes with a smile. I blushed quickly and tried to mumble an apology as I went to pull away and sit up. With a little bit of force he held me to him and kept my hand, rubbing small circles back and forth on my palm. I stayed where I was and looked up at him as he started to say something.

"Look I know last night was...different to say the least. But the more I think about it, the more I realize that I meant what I said. I like you Lexi, a lot. And I don't want this to just be some weird not that we try and forget about. So I have an idea."

I just kind of looked at him for a second before I answered.

"An idea?"

"Yeah. I was thinking I could take you out tonight. On a real date."

I smiled softly "Are you asking me out?"

He squeezed my hand and smiled back.

"Yes, I am definitely asking you out."

My smile got bigger and I nodded.

"Okay."

"Great. Well, now that that's taken care of, how about some breakfast?"

"I'd love something. I'm starving ," I answered and quickly climbed out of the bed with a smile.