And here's the next chappie… This'll probably be my last update before I'm off for a grueling 3 months. Ugghh. Anyway, wouldn't wanna bore you with all this crap…so just read on.
Chapter 4: Smoldering Desires.
…Ben let out a loud yawn and stretched out his arms wide, slowly blinking open his eyes. The blinding glare of the sun's rays streaming in through the bedside window made him shield his eyes instantly. He let out another yawn, and turned over on his side, hoping to catch a few more 'z'-s.
"Hey sleepyhead, time to get out of your dreamland!" called a female voice. Even in his half asleep state, Ben had no difficulty in discerning whose voice it was – he had grown that used to it – and to her.
"Hey Gwen – lemme sleep some more," mumbled Ben incoherently, turning on his back and burying his head in his pillow.
"Ben, get up!" said Gwen exasperatedly. "Its time for lunch! Do you have any idea that you've been sleeping for nearly two and a half hours?"
Ben merely grunted, not even bothering to reply. Let the crow go on crowing…who cares…
Gwen rolled her eyes in frustration, and made a face. Why was Ben behaving so idiotically? Oh well…if not this, then that…
"Hey Ben –" called Gwen, mellowing her tone down by about a hundred notches. "Get up. I can't – and don't – like shouting at you like this; and you know that, Ben. Sweetheart, please get up."
Even before the last word of her sentence had finished resonating in the room, Ben jumped up from the bed – as if he had been given an injection in his rear – and landed of the floor in front of Gwen in one big leap; his sleep bleary emerald orbs now wide as saucers.
"What did you call me? S—s—sweet—sweetheart?" stammered Ben, blushing like hell. Had he heard it right? Gwen had addressed him as her sweetheart? Was this for real? Or was he still dreaming?
Seeing Ben's condition, Gwen could do all but keep from laughing out. Had Ben really fallen for that little trick of hers? Why, yes, he had – just as she'd expected him to! A little giggle escaped from her – and soon that giggle turned into a full-fledged laugh.
Ben stared at his cousin, dumbfounded. Gwen was laughing? But why on earth? And then he realized. Gwen had used that little ruse of hers to get him up from bed! And he, being a complete fool, had just walked into her trap!
"Oh, man!" he groaned, slumping down on the floor, his hand automatically going to his head in despair. And to think that he had even jumped up in surprise – and a little bit of delight, he had to agree – when she had addressed him as sweetheart! He had openly disclosed all his feelings for Gwen in that one action of his! Oh – how could he have been so foolish?
He sat there for quite some time, oblivious to everything except how amateurishly he had acted in front of Gwen. He had been really shocked, and surprised – in fact he had been delightfully shocked when Gwen had said – what she had. Shock was the customary reaction, agreed. But what had been that delight for? Was he happy that Gwen had called him her sweetheart? Surely he wasn't developing something for his cousin…surely he didn't want Gwen as his girlfriend…or did he? He imagined what it would be like to have Gwen as his girlfriend, unconscious of the fact that Gwen had had these very same thoughts not more than a couple of hours ago. Gwen was levelheaded, cool, smart – and had everything he didn't – everything he would have loved his girlfriend to have.
The feeling of two warm hands embracing him from the back snapped him out of his idle reverie. He whirled around – only to see Gwen, with her hand around his shoulders.
"Oh – Gwen," said Ben, trying to sound casual, even though he could feel his heartbeat shooting up.
"Yeah, me," said Gwen hugging Ben tightly, and bringing her cheek next to his. "I just wanted to – um – say sorry, for – you know – um…for everything."
"S-sorry?" Ben stammered, feeling his cheeks grow hot. Cousin or not – he just wasn't used to females hugging him like this! The warmth of Gwen's cheek next to him sent his pulses sky-rocketing.
"Yeah – sorry." By now, Gwen too had begun to feel the physical proximity between them. She could feel a strange burst of adrenaline traveling through every inch of her body. She wondered whether she should ease the physical tension between them by moving away. Maybe she would – but not before doing what she had come for.
"But why do you wanna say s-sorry?" asked Ben, trying hard to control himself. He could hear his heart thudding violently across his ribcage. He wondered whether Gwen could hear it too. And even if she did, it wouldn't be a miracle – she was that close!
"For everything," said Gwen softly, stifling a sigh. "For when I snapped at you, especially. And then when I put you into a tight spot by saying that it would have been better if we had been something more than cousins. I didn't say it purposely, you know. It just – just – came out. Just like that."
"Hmmm…" Ben nodded, hardly paying attention to what Gwen was saying. He was totally intoxicated by her close physical presence. And her perfume. Or maybe her shampoo. He didn't know which. But whatever it was, it had him drowned under its heady fragrance.
"And also for now," Gwen continued, her voice becoming softer and softer. She had never ever been so physically close to Ben – except for some times back at 10, when they used to wrestle with each other, and either of the two cousins had the other pinned down under them. But that was entirely different. They were just 10 at that time – even if they did feel any physical undercurrents, they did not consider it that important a matter to pay attention to. But now they were 15 – well into puberty. So it was not unnatural that there were such strong sexual tensions caused by their physical proximity. And if you abided by what was 'natural' – though that word did not usually exist in the Tennyson's family dictionary – the natural reaction to such nuances would be awkwardness, discomfort and an immediate withdrawal of either individual.
But strangely, nothing like that was happening to Gwen. Instead of discomfiture, she could feel a sense of growing anticipation. She didn't particularly understand what was happening, but whatever was happening – and would happen – she was sure, wouldn't be something worth regretting…
" For now?" Ben said after a long pause, during which he recollected his straying thoughts sufficiently enough to speak to his cousin – the object of his whimsies.
"Um…Yeah..." said Gwen, a tinge of ruefulness coming into her voice. "I shouldn't have pulled you up from bed like – like – that. I'm sorry."
But as she spoke these words, she suddenly realized that what she was saying was not true at all. Well – maybe she had said that to Ben at that time just to wake him up; but now, she felt as if that was what she really wanted to tell her. Not as a joke – but as the truth. Her sweetheart. Ben.
"Oh…it's – um…it's ok." Ben was having a hard time keeping his emotions in command. Not only was he hesitating with every little sentence, he could feel all his guards and defenses melting away with each passing minute. The feeling of Gwen's body so close to his…it was like nothing he had ever experienced before. And somehow, in spite of the growing tightness in his chest, he wanted Gwen to stay there over him – beside him – with him.
"And so…" began Gwen, not knowing what to say next. The purpose with which she had come had been accomplished, and she knew she ought to move away, but every instinct within her told her to stay right where she was – and not move over even an inch.
"So…" said Ben dizzily, his voice husky. He turned his face to bring it directly in front of Gwen's.
Gwen's heart skipped a beat – or maybe even several beats – she didn't know…and didn't care. All she cared for was the person in front of her, who was looking directly into his eyes with such fervor, such conviction… as she had never seen before. She suddenly realized that she had stopped breathing, acutely aware of Ben's face in front of hers – so close to hers… A sprinkling of sensitive goose bumps sprang up and a sensuous shiver quaked to her from top to toe.
And slowly…ever so slowly, their mouths closed in…their lips meeting in perfect unison. The kiss was so very soft, yet the very pliability of the kiss seemed to throw open so many doors of bottled up emotions…emotions locked away for years. Gwen's arms wrapped around Ben's neck, relishing the sensation his soft, springy hair created over her sensitized fingertips. Ben wrapped his arms tight round her back, pulling her closer in. The kiss deepened, sending pleasant little shivers up and down both of their spines. There were so many emotions…so many feelings behind that kiss. Emotions neither of the two could even begin to comprehend…
But that didn't matter in the slightest. All that mattered was that both of them shared the same feelings…the same, deep, burning desire for love – everlasting love. And love that lasted forever was rare enough to be a miracle. But if they expected a miracle, they'd find it…every time…
A/N: Yay! Finally a chapter that was sufficiently long enough! Hoped you liked that. I dunno whether to end the story here itself, or continue with it. Something tells me it would be better if I continued it. What do you think? Lemme know your opinions, suggestions, and just about anything else that you can think of. Review!