Chapter Three

Benson

As I stand off to the side of the juice bar, so that Andie doesn’t see that I’m still around, I notice a few of the police officers are arresting a man. Could they think he’s the suspect? This should be interesting.

I begin to walk down the street, heading toward the subway to head back home. The juice shop door opened and I heard a woman’s voice.

“Benson?” The woman’s voice exclaimed.

I turn around, confused. “Benson. You left this!” The woman headed toward me with my glove.

It worked. Well kind of. I wanted a reason to come back tomorrow, but now worked too. “Thank you, Andie. I definitely wouldn’t have expected it to be there when I went looking for it later. I’m definitely going to need that.”

She handed over the glove and started to back away. I stood there smiling at her, wishing she wasn’t clear out here every day. Returning to the scene of the crime every day to just see this woman, seems a little crazy, doesn’t it?

“Well, bye.” She began to walk away.

“Andie.” I exclaimed, oh now I got to think of what to say. I’m not good at this at all.

She turned around, “yes?”

I began to walk closer to her, “I don’t live here in Williamsburg, but I’d love to come back over and take you out to dinner tonight.” I felt my hand clutching my glove tighter, nervous, yes, yes I was.

She began to walk a little closer to me, “well I don’t live down here either actually, I live over in Brooklyn Heights, near the water.”

My eyes lit up, no way? “Really? Me too!”

She smiled, “Small world. I usually close up around seven. Here,” she handed me her phone, “enter your number, I’ll give you a call when I’m almost home.”

I did exactly that, I entered my number and handed the phone back to her. “I can’t wait!” I smiled and headed on my way.

I did all I could all day to get it to go faster. I wanted seven to get here quicker than ever. I couldn’t wait to see Andie tonight, take her to dinner and get to know her better. In every sense of the term. Honestly, as much as I do want to know her in every way, I’ve been out of the game for so long I probably would only embarrass myself. Plus I don’t want her thinking I’m only out for one thing. As much as part of me wants that, another part of me, and my mother, wants what’s best for me.

I head into the closet to pick out something really nice for tonight. Most of my clothes are black, imagine that. For the profession that I am in, yes, I want to blend in with the night. I found a black pair of dress pants, yes I do have some nice clothes too. My mom thinks I’m this business tech guy so I guess I should have some clothes to look the part. I pull out a black button up dress shirt, no tie, I like to leave the top couple buttons undone. This way shows off enough tattoo covered muscle.

As seven rolls around, I’m sitting here on the couch waiting for the news. My phone goes off, is it her? Unknown number. Maybe it’s her. “Hello?” I said excitedly.

“Ben?” Um, Andie knows me by Benson, not Ben. There is a woman on the other end, I’m not sure it’s Andie.

“Yes?” I said, concerned.

“I was supposed to call you.” I’m not sure Andie would be acting like this. I’m pretty sure Andie was as excited as I was.

“Yes, you were.” I replied, still unsure.

“When are you available to get it done?” The woman asked me. Get it done? Get what done?

“What’s that?” I asked her.

“You know, the job. How soon can you get it done?” She asked me.

It finally clicked, the text from earlier. “Um, well I have plans here in a little bit but I could probably later tonight? Tomorrow?”

The woman sounded extremely nervous, “I need it done as soon as possible, Ben.”

“Text me the details and I can get it done tonight. Were you given the payment details?” I replied.

“Yes, I will send it over with the text. You’re a lifesaver.” She replied.

Oh yes, I’m a lifesaver and a life taker. I hung up just in time for the nightly news.

“New York City can sleep a little more peacefully tonight. Police have apprehended the suspect in the William White murder case.” A man’s face appeared on the screen, interesting that they think this man is the unaliver. Hey whatever, at least no one is looking at me. Not that they would, I’m that good.

I lean back on the couch and wait for Andie to call. Part of me really feels bad for this man that is being taken down for something I did, but oh well, what did he do to have them suspect him?

Finally a call. “Hello?”

“Hey Benson, I just wanted to let you know that I’m just about home. I’ll text you my address and you can pick me up at the door?” Andie sounded excited.

“I’ll be waiting for it.” As I hung up, waiting for her text, praying it’s not far from me so that I can get there quickly. I glance down at the text coming through. “What?” I thought out loud. I blink and look at the text again. “That’s my address.” I’m truly confused but intrigued as well.

I replied back, “well, I won’t be long considering you live in my building?”

She replied immediately, “no I don’t. Really?”

“Yes, Andie, you do.” I walked over to the window, glancing out. I texted her again, “I think I see you now.”

I watch as she’s looking around, looking up floor by floor until she gets to my floor. She stops in her tracks and smiles. Andie gives a slight wave and heads across the street to the apartment building. What a small world after all.

I’m wondering if I should text her back and invite her up.

Before I could reply to her again, she texted me. “So Benson, what floor are you on?”

“Why? Are we just going to skip dinner?” What in the world am I doing? This isn’t really flirting, is it?

“Haha.” She replied. How do I take that? Does she or does she think I’m insane?

Knock. Knock. Knock. I turn around from the window, shocked that there is a knock at my door. I place my whiskey on the table and head over to the door. Knock. Knock. On the third knock, I open the door. Much to my surprise, standing on the other side of the door is a brown hair, brown eyed beauty.

I take a breath, “Andie. You found me.” I stood there looking her up and down, a beautiful woman finally standing at my door, waiting for me.

She stood there for a few moments, “Benson. You… you look very nice!”

I step back and open the door up and invite her in. “Would you like a drink?” She glances over at my whiskey on the table, “sure. How many of those do I need to catch up?”

I chuckled as I picked up my glass, “just this one. I wanted to make sure I was fully aware of you tonight.” I walked over to the bar and poured her a glass.

“Nice place you have here.” She said looking around.

“Doesn’t it look like yours?” I asked her, thinking all the apartments in the building looked the same. I hand her the glass of whiskey.

“Similar, but not everything. Mine’s definitely not as nice as this is, but I like it.” She said sipping.

“Well thanks. I’d love to see yours one day. Apartment, that is.” I said.

As Andie stood there smiling at me, I could only begin to wonder, what’s next. This beautiful woman standing in front of me, this beautiful woman that I just want to enjoy right now. I need to control myself.

“Do you still want to go out for dinner tonight? I could always cook for you if you don’t want to. I mean you already have me back at your place.” Andie was being silly. She came here, I didn’t bring her here. But that is okay, she came here that is all that matters.

Andie

I cannot believe I am standing in this man’s apartment. I just met him today, but for some reason I feel like I’ve known him for a long time. Is it something to do with him living in my apartment building that makes him feel safe? I don’t know, but I’m here.

I would love to just kiss this man right now but I don’t want him thinking that I’m easy. I’m not. There’s just something about him that I can’t resist.

“Why don’t we order in? There’s a great Thai place down the street that we could get and have delivered. We could just stay in and get to know each other. Kind of the same as going out to eat but without all those other people. So when you want to take me, you can.” Benson said. Was he being sarcastic or does he really think I can’t control myself? I’m doing pretty damn good so far, sir.

“Haha,” I laugh, unsure if he was being funny or sincere. “Thai is great.”

I head over to the window as Benson makes the order over the phone. This is literally almost the same view as mine. I’m a little higher up than this but still, I see everything the same. I head over to the couch and sit down with my drink. Benson is done ordering and heads over, nervously to the couch. “Comfy,” he asks me.

I look up at him, “I’d be a little more comfy if you would just sit down with me already. I don’t bite.”

“That’s okay if you do, it takes a lot to scare me.” Benson replied. Still, I’m unsure if this man is funny, sarcastic or just blunt.

As he sits down next to me, I notice that he’s not as comfortable as his comments make him seem. “Are you okay?” I asked him.

He glances over to, “yes. I just haven’t been this close to a woman in a very long time.”

“Oh? You’re into men?” I asked him.

His head whips around, “seriously?” He looks at me as if he was going to take me right now. “Oh I’m into you. Not men, thank you. It’s just I have been in the military most of my life and I didn’t really stay in the same place long enough to have a real relationship.”

“Oh. So I shouldn’t get attached because you might be gone tomorrow?” I asked him.

He shook his head, “no. That is behind me. I’m here. I’m invested in getting to know you.”

I reach up and rub his back. Wow. So many muscles that I never knew existed. I never thought I could be as turned on just touching a man’s covered back. I sat up next to him, “what did you do in the military?”

Benson took a drink of his whiskey and glanced over at me, “I was a gunman.”

“Isn’t everyone in the military a gunman?” I asked him.

He glanced over at me and back into his glass, “no not quite like me. I was a sniper.”

I found that quite intriguing. “Wow. That’s quite the accomplishment for sure. I probably couldn’t shoot a pistol to save my life at a target the size of our building, let alone through a scope at a target far away. That’s cool.” This man is getting more and more attractive to me as the minutes go on. Too bad we were waiting for our dinner or I’d be all over him.

I stare into his eyes. Buzz. Buzz. “Oh, that must be our food!” He walks over to the call box, “yes?”

“Mr. Taylor, you have a delivery.” The doorman called.

“I’ll be right down.” Benson walked back over to the couch. “I will be right back. Don’t go anywhere.”

I look up at him, “I definitely won’t.” I looked at him as if I was a little girl being told not to do something. “Hurry back,” I said to him as I bit my lip.

“Don’t worry, I will be faster than you can scream my name.” Benson walked back over to the door. I couldn’t resist watching him walk away. The way his body filled out his clothes. Seeing muscles through his shirt, his behind filling out his pants, wow, this is my view right now and I’m loving it.