"I'm sorry, what did you call her?"
Ben was not very good at punching. That much was clear, even when the chaos had been calmed. But Leslie didn't give a damn. They always did say it was the thought that counts.
She knew it wasn't a good idea, in light of the scandal they'd already caused, but she couldn't help the need to feel his lips on hers after such an act of valor.
And later, when she should have been apologizing to that complete dick Derek, when she knew she should just do the sensible thing and give a generic statement, possibly saving her campaign, she couldn't. What Ben did was justified. And seriously sexy (she found it in her not to say that actually at the actual press conference, though it was said later that night.)
She looked over at Ben as the reporters were finishing up their questions. She smiled, hoping he wasn't mad. He smiled back, without hesitation. She knew he wasn't sorry, either.
Ben had known, as he'd thrown that punch, that this would blow up for Leslie's campaign. But even as he saw the potential disastrous outcome, he knew that Derek needed that punch. Anyone there could see that he had asked for it.
"Thank you," Leslie whispered against his lips, and he smiled.
Ben knew he wasn't thinking clearly when he threw that punch. But he did it, and sure as hell didn't regret it.
