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There had been a little more than one week of dating, though only one actual night out before Ben went traveling for a press junket. Then Ben called Roman one Wednesday, the first of the month, and pleaded with her to be with him the next night. His exact words were “Please drudge around London with me for work and movies and a talk show. It won’t be fun, but I’m begging.”
“Won’t be fun?” She scoffed. “I’m not naïve. Star Trek premieres tomorrow. Are you asking me to go?”
“Yes, but it won’t be. You’d get ushered in while I have to talk and sign pictures and talk, for an hour. Then we only get to see most of the movie. I also have to do Graham Norton- the show. You’d have to sit backstage bored out of your mind.”
Roman had giggled. “Aren’t you supposed to be convincing me to go with you, not the other way around?”
“I’m serious, though. You might not like it. You’d have to dress up. You might meet my parents.”
At that, she sat up, even alone in her own flat. “Well why wouldn’t I want to meet your parents? As long as they know I exist, I’m sure we’d get on just fine.” She swore.
There was a small pause. “Really? You want to meet my parents? My mother especially, who will be gunning for us to marry before the end of the year?”
“Yes, so I trust you’ll pick me up?” She didn’t let him ask her in yet another way that made it sound like a horrid event.
“Yes, at four.” Ben chuckled. “And please, have mercy on me and don’t wear red. My mind will be in the gutter all evening.”
Next day, Roman wore a blue dress a bit too expensive for her, but she wanted to look nice, at least a little bit. It wasn’t fancy, but she wasn’t going to walk on the carpet. Putting it on, hair in curls down her back, nerves hit. Their first outing not at some half-abandoned restaurant. She’d meet his parents.
Wearing discreet make-up and lifting her dress, subconscious that even though it wasn’t low cut something may show, Roman wanted to look nice. She even went as far as taking out her tongue piercing just in case she opened her mouth too wide. It was something a lot of mothers would judge her on.
She was barely ready when there was a knock on her door. Roman was quick to answer. Ben stood there looking fantastic in a black suit, absolutely lovely, his dark hair straight and combed back. She hadn’t seen him in a week, and she certainly hadn’t seen his hair like that.
“Wow.” They both breathed at the same time. The pair erupted into giggles. Ben then added. “One thing before we go.”
He got very close, hands moving down her body, and Roman’s breath hitched in her throat thinking she’d get the snog of her life. Instead Ben embraced her, looking over her shoulder. He felt his hands pulling up her dress and absolutely catching glimpse of her knickers. Small, soft red ones, when he told her specifically not to wear red.
“Ben.” Roman complained and pushed him away, smoothing her dress down.
“No.” He simply chuckled, taking her up in his arms. He repeated his last action, large frame hiding her in the doorway from being seen.
Thank God, she thought, holding his shoulders as he started to pull off her knickers then and there. She stepped out of them, careful in her heels. “I’ll go get a new pair.” Roman had to ignore that sneaking need for him after such actions.
“No time.” Ben took her hand, pulled her out into the hall, and closed the door.
It was locked. “I don’t have my key.” She was more bothered by that than going commando for the time being.
“Then I guess you’ll be staying with me tonight.” He just took it in stride, his hand fully enveloping hers, and led her down the hall.
It really hit her in the car as she sat on the fabric of her dress. Roman gave a gasp. “Ben! I’m supposed to meet your parents!” She whispered in a panic. “I can’t not have knickers on.”
“And I told you not to wear red.” He was goofily grinning at her. Roman was no doubt pouting deeply, because he reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear. “I’m sorry. I am, and I’ll make it up to you somehow.”
She let him make the promise, keeping quiet that she was uncomfortable with this. Of course she’d done a lot of things she’d been uncomfortable about when it came to Ben – that’s how all of this started, her being annoyed and uncomfortable on a chat site. When they got to the premiere he explained he’d get out of the car, then it would take her to the side entrance.
Apparently his parents were waiting on her. Roman was taken into a shorter woman’s arms before she knew at all what was going on. Then all the introductions were made. In all honestly Wanda really was over excited to meet Roman. Asking all about her, the couple lead her to very luxuriously decorated hall in the theatre, Wanda’s arm around hers meaning she had no choice.
It was all a bit of a fantasy to Wanda, Roman thought. There should have been concerns because Ben just started dating her as far as they knew. And Roman was highly aware she wasn’t wearing underwear. But this was the first meeting. If anything they should look down their nose at her so at least a moment.
That moment came when Wanda left Roman and Timothy alone. They were in gentle silence for a moment and Roman was standing with him debating what to say. Then he looked at her, very tall but only an inch or two above her in her heels, and he voiced what he apparently couldn’t say in front of his wife.
“You’re very young for our Benedict.”
“Twenty-eight this month.” She answered, not that he asked.
Timothy gave a nod. “He might not be famous forever.”
“Good, I get him to myself.” Roman couldn’t believe the words coming out of her mouth. But she meant it. Right then she wanted him to be at her side but he was working.
Maybe there was a semblance of a smile on the man’s face. “He could lose his money. Things happen. That’s life.” He carried on and Roman caught that this was a test. “He might have to rely on you while he finds a job.”
“Then I guess I’d have to take on a few extra shifts.”
“Wanda and I might get too old one day and have to move in.”
She honestly smiled. “Better you than my parents. The sooner the better.” Roman did not want her divorced, frustrating family living with her.
Finally the man broke his stony expression and laughed. Low like he may have once had a voice like Ben, but tired with age. “I think I’ll grow to like you very much.” Timothy more gently embraced her, not forceful like Wanda. “You love him?”
Roman hugged him back. “More than anything.”
“Dad, are you trying to steal my girlfriend?” Ben’s voice lilted over and they parted.
He was beaming, and Roman felt her heart thump lovingly as Ben came over. His hand went to her waist and over trotted his mother. They talked for a moment before Ben tried to steal Roman and introduce her to others before the film. The last words from his parents were from Timothy, who took Ben’s shoulders and looked him in the eyes. It felt like eavesdropping to hear such kind words.
“My boy, you could be in a ditch tomorrow and I have a feeling you’d find yourself in good hands. I think this one will look after you.”
Meaning her. Nobody ever complimented her in such a way. As they walked away she was beyond elated, and only when Ben kissed the bridge of her nose did she realize her eyes were misting up like she may cry. Pinching her cheeks, Roman bit it back and made him chuckle all in one. Timing, it seemed, was very good because then he was introducing her to his cast mates.
That would have been fine if she had managed to breathe at least once when saying she was excited for the film, big fans of them all and the first movie. In a lot more words, even, all flooding out in a rush. Zoe Saldana was the only of the group who had time to comment before they had to be seated, just blurting out, “Ha, that sounded like Ben his first day on set.”
Everyone laughed, and then Ben took her hand comfortingly and led her to where they’d be seated. During the movie, Roman was completely unsure of everything. When they’d go, if she’d like it, how the rest of the night would go, if she could act normal. What she became very sure of as the movie went on was that it was fantastic, that Ben’s hand was holding her knee, and that seeing him in that film, hearing his voice deep and dark that way – she really wished she had underwear. It was very slowly making her wet, her chest aching, and Roman slouched in paranoia that someone might notice.
She spent most of the movie that way, Ben’s hand on her leg, fingers occasionally stroking her thigh, and with a hand at her mouth so if she had to bite a knuckle to keep from reacting, she could.
A woman came and tapped Ben on the shoulder when he had to leave. He took her hand in his, and helped her out of the theatre. Breaking out into the hall, Roman was sure he could now see her blush and she covered it up with questions. They left right as Spock began to chase Ben, and she was attempting not to cry.
“How does it end?” She pleaded with him as he took out the side door she came in.
“If you wait, I’ll tell you later.” Ben chuckled. Roman was going to complain when he stopped suddenly just outside the car and turned to her. “Why were you watching the movie like that? I thought you didn’t like it until we left the theatre and you’re spit firing questions.”
That wasn’t at all what she meant to make him think, not that she thought he’d even notice. “If you wait, I’ll tell you later.” She repeated his own words and pushed him to the car.
Later for both answers didn’t come that night. They went to the studio and Roman watched the Graham Norton show from backstage in the green room. She was less aroused by then and more tired as the night went on. It wasn’t a late hour but all the running around and the slight worry the went through her had her. She did perk up at the end of the show, music keeping her entertained enough to look lively for the last ten or twenty minutes.
When he came back to the green room Roman was standing and waiting for him. He didn’t say a word. Instead Ben ignored her feeble attempt to say it was a very good show, his mouth planting firmly over her moving lips. The first kiss of the evening and it was absolutely needy, fantastically so, his hands pushing her back to keep her body very close to his. And it didn’t matter who saw.
Then they left after he said a few goodbyes. Roman meant to ask him in the car about the movie but she had been leaning against Ben. Who was soft and warm and holding her. She just cuddled close and did her best not to fall asleep. She told him she loved him, said that his parents were great, his movie was good, and she kissed his neck while loosening his tie.
When entering his flat she saw the look on his face that mirrored her own. Ben was tired. “Can I have something to sleep in?” She asked because she was honestly sure they wouldn’t do anything that night.
“Of course! Anything, you can help yourself.” He told her.
Roman went into his room to rifle through his drawers for the first time. She’d only been in his room the once. Top drawer was a box of condoms completely full save for the one, and underwear. She took a pair of boxer briefs and then down two drawers were shirts, so she stole a t-shirt. Ben didn’t come in until after she’d changed, her dress draped over the back of a desk chair, not having a bra or underwear to be rid of.
She smiled at how his eyes travelled over her body in his clothes. “Are you hungry?” He asked, clearly distracted.
Despite not eating dinner, she didn’t care for food. “No.” Roman took his tie off of him.
“Are you sure?”
She put the tie over her dress and pushed off his suit jacket as she nodded. Ben gave a hum as she started to unbutton his shirt. Not a word was spoke as she undressed him, keeping her hands tame despite that small urge to touch his. Only she’d be starting something she couldn’t finish and there wasn’t a point to that.
If Ben wanted to at, he forgot it and he got into bed with her. ‘I like to cuddle, if you ever stay here.’ The words lit up in her mind from when he told her them. Completely willing, and not waiting for him to ask or put an arm around her, Roman got as close to him as she could in the bed as her lied on his back. A smile lazily stole his face when she put her arm over his chest under the covers and kissed his shoulder. Turning to her, his hand went around her waist and he accepted to contact eagerly.
They fell asleep terribly quick.