a/n: Thank you to Desina for some awesomely wonderful lines and the spark that added some meat to the shopping/heading home scenes and bolstered a quite a few thoughts for future chapters! Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed and everyone who is still with me! I am venturing into OOC land with this chapter. It only gets worse after this : )
A Little Strategy, A Lot of Foreplay, And Absolutely No Negotiation
Chapter Ten
"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty." Ben smiled and set two cups of coffee on the small kitchen table. "Have a seat. The eggs are almost done." Kate sauntered her way to the table, covering a yawn as she sat. "Did you sleep any better after the movie?"
"No," Kate answered. "I was just too wound up." Ben had recognized her need to fight and argue to release some of her pent up energy. He talked through the movie they watched, pointing out behind-the-scenes facts and plot holes. He tossed the throw pillows at her, stating that they were called "throw pillows" for a reason. He played with her hair and poked at the dots on her pajamas. Ben had presented with good intentions and though it was enough to exhaust Kate physically, it was not quite enough to talk her mind out of its whirlwind.
"Did I not wear you out enough last night?"
"Guess not," she said, rolling her eyes at the innuendo.
"Well, fear not, you will be sleeping better soon." Ben set the plates on the table and took a seat.
"Ugh," Kate groaned. "You were serious about that?"
"Of course I was. What kind of a friend would I be if I let you continue sleeping on the floor? I told you we were going shopping for a bed and I am a man of my word." He poked a fork into his eggs. "You know that you are more than welcome to stay here until said bed is delivered."
"No," Kate said quickly. "No. I can stay at my place."
"And remain the crabby ray of sunshine you've been this week?" He shook his head. "You're staying here."
"What if it takes two weeks to deliver the bed, Ben?"
"Then it takes two weeks," he shrugged.
"I'm not going to make you sleep on the couch for two weeks."
"I'm fine on the couch, Katie. I wouldn't offer if it was a problem."
"You didn't offer," she differed, recalling the way he dumped her onto his bed. "You forced."
"Score one for my point."
"Ben-"
"Katie, didn't you learn last night that there is no point in arguing with me?"
bate
"What about this one?" Ben asked, dropping onto the side of the mattress. Kate shrugged her shoulders. He bounced lightly on the edge, offering a flirtatious smile. Kate simply shook her head. "This one?" He jumped the two feet to the next mattress. Ben lifted his legs to lie back, folding his fingers behind his head. "It's really comfortable, Katie," he taunted. "You should try it."
"That's all right," she said looking everywhere but at him. "I'll just take your word for it."
"You know, we've looked at twenty different mattress sets. Granted, they're all softer than the floor you've been sleeping on, but you should still try them out."
"It's a mattress, Ben. Let's just pick one and go home." Ben frowned and sat up, reaching for Kate's hand. With a quick tug of her wrist, he pulled her down. "Ben!" she yelled as he rolled her over his body and onto the other side of the mattress.
"There," he said, again tucking his hands behind his head. "Comfy, isn't it?" Kate turned her head to look at him.
"Whatever." She rolled onto her side in an attempt to get off the bed.
"Great idea," Ben said, following her movements. He wrapped and arm around her waist and pulled her back towards the center of the bed. "Better try it out this way, too." He wiggled his way closer to her, the front of his body now flush with her back. "Not so bad." Ben bent his elbow, propping his head on his hand as he spoke softly over Kate's ear. "I rather like this."
"Ben," she groaned as she turned to face him. "Why do you have to be such a-" Kate stopped as she met his eyes. Now face to face, with his arm still around her waist, she found herself mere breaths from his mouth. She noticed the fit of his knee between hers and wondered if its position was on purpose or accidental from her movements.
"Such a what, Katie?" he whispered, his eyes wandering from her eyes to her lips.
"Uh, nothing. Never mind." Kate placed her hands on his chest and gave her best effort to shove him backwards. Ben held fast, gently tightening his arm around her.
"Don't you like this?"
"This…this is…uh…all right," she stammered. "But, this…this is not the place for…this." He frowned slightly.
"I was talking about the bed. But, pray tell, Katie. Do you have a better place for…this?" he smirked, his fingers skirting the hem of her shirt. "And, more importantly, do I get to see this place for this?"
"Benedict?" she started sweetly.
"Yes, Katherine?"
"Move!" He let Kate push him away and scurry off the mattress. She walked away with a heated determination. He looked towards the end of the bed as a middle-aged salesman approached.
"I think we'll take this one," Ben smiled.
"Oh, no. No, no, no." Kate sprinted back to the mattress. "We are not taking anything." She turned to the salesman, looking at the name embroidered across the front of his shirt. "Chris? Chris, I will take that one."
"Ooh, the bouncy one," Ben cooed as he stood. "Excellent choice."
"Shut up."
"Yes, Dear."
"Um, all right." Chris chuckled and pointed towards the front of the store. "If you would like to have a seat at my desk there, I'll get the ordering information."
"Thank you." The two men watched Kate as she stalked towards the desk.
"Friend or foe?" Chris asked.
"Friend," Ben smiled. "Though you sure wouldn't be able to see that today." He offered his hand. "How have you been, Chris?"
"Doing well," he smiled, shaking his hand. "Gina is pregnant, again. Expecting twins this time."
"Great! That's wonderful. That makes what? Five now, right?"
"Right."
"Good for you," Ben smiled. "Good for you."
"So…" Chris motioned to the mattress. "I have this one in stock. Do you want immediate delivery? I can have it there by this afternoon."
"So soon? Wow."
"You won the case, kept me in business. Whatever I can do to repay the favor, it's yours."
"No, no." Ben turned his eyes towards Kate. "That's quite all right. However it fits into your delivery schedule will be just fine." Chris ran a hand through his blonde hair.
"Well, we're probably looking…oh, at a good week."
"Then a good week it shall be," Ben smiled.
bate
"This is the bed you wanted, huh?" Ben asked, looking over the small, informative brochure as the elevator ascended to the top floor.
"Yes, it is the bed I wanted." Kate snatched the paper from his hand.
"I wish I would have known this before we went shopping."
"Why? What's wrong with it?"
"Nothing. It's just that I could have saved you a few hundred dollars." The doors of the elevator opened and Kate started into the hallway.
"What do you mean?"
"This is the same bed I have." He offered a playful smile. "We could have shared."
"Do you ever stop?"
"No."
"Didn't think so." Kate stopped at her apartment door and started digging through her purse for her keys.
"Aren't you coming over?"
"What?"
"Well, you said you wanted to pick a mattress and go home. Home is twelve feet that-a-way." He snapped and pointed further into the hallway.
"Your home," Kate laughed. "My home is right here."
"Hmm." Ben raised his eyebrows hopefully. "Are you going to come over later and spend the night?"
"No. I told you I'm not bothering you anymore."
"And I told you that you are no bother." Kate sighed lightly and turned to face him squarely.
"Ben, thank you for giving me a place to sleep. Thank you for taking me shopping. Thank you for the offer." She smiled. "But, I am staying here tonight. I'm not paying for this place to sit empty, you know."
"Ooh, I just had a thought! Why don't you just move in with me?" Kate tipped her head to the side as she regarded her neighbor.
"You're crazy, you know that?" She unlocked the door.
"Come on, Katie," Ben teased knowingly. "Think about it. Half the rent, plenty of room. Furnished, unlike your fine establishment here."
"Bye, Ben," she smiled, pushing into the apartment.
bate
Kate stood in front of the refrigerator, one hand on her hip, the other on the open door. She eyed the spaciousness of the appliance, greatened by the carton of cream that stood solely but proudly on the top shelf. With a sigh, she closed the door and headed into the living room, dropping heavily into the pile of blankets on the floor. She looked around the empty room as she thought about Ben's offer to share his apartment with her. Kate couldn't decide if his offer was genuine or calculated. Either way, she couldn't possibly accept the proposal. Finally out on her own, she needed to discover and define "Kate".
A series of tinks from the terrace caught Kate's attention. She shifted to her knees, pushing to her feet, and moved to the terrace doors. Cautiously, she opened the left door just a bit and peeked through the gap. Kate frowned and opened the door fully, taking two steps onto the terrace. She bent down, picking up an empty soup can.
"What the hell?" she whispered. Her fingers found a string tied around the bottom of the can and her eyes followed the string to her left. Her gaze wondered over the railing of her terrace and settled on the dimly lit form of her neighbor. He was leaning against the doorframe, holding a similar can.
"Ring, ring," Ben smiled.
"Ben," she sighed. He dropped his hand to his side.
"Haven't you ever played 'Telephone', Katie?"
"Only the kind that involved passing dirty limericks around the classroom," she answered.
"Put the can up to your mouth and say 'hello'." Kate sighed again, but did as told.
"Hello?"
"Now put it to your ear," he whispered loudly. She rolled her eyes as she continued to play along. "I made the most wonderful pasta meal for dinner." Kate dropped the can to her mouth and waited for Ben to place his next to his ear.
"Good for you," she said.
"But it's simply too much for one person to eat. Why don't you come over and have dinner with me?" Kate let her hand fall as she laughed.
"Really? You couldn't just send a text like a normal person?"
"Where's the romance in that?" he smiled.
"Romance? This is supposed to be romantic?"
"Isn't it?" he asked, feigning a disappointed tone. Kate laughed again and shook her head. She let the string slip through her fingers as she lowered the can to the ground.
"I'll be over in a minute."
bate
"I only have a few minutes," Robin said into the phone. "What do you have for me?" He listened carefully as he poured two glasses of champagne. "That is interesting. How did you find this out?" He nodded slowly. "I see." Robin capped the bottle and returned it to the bucket of ice. "No, no. I'll take care of that." Ending the call, he offered a satisfied sigh. "This is going to be easier than I thought."
"What is?' He turned towards Lauren as she entered the kitchen.
"Oh, opening the bottle of champagne," he explained. "Sometimes they can be tricky." She smiled and accepted the glass. "My dear friend, Paul Kaplan, will be in town this week," Robin started as he led Lauren into the living room. "He would like to meet us for dinner on Thursday."
"Dinner?" He smiled and took a seat next to Lauren.
"I'm afraid I've been bragging up you and Reed and Reed. I hope you don't mind."
"No," Lauren laughed. "Not at all."
"I explained to Paul that the whole thing with Selex was a simple misunderstanding. He wants to go to dinner and show there are no hard feelings."
"With Kate, nothing is a 'simple' misunderstanding."
"Yes, your dear Kate is quite the character, isn't she?"
"She tends to have an over-active imagination."
"Well, that certainly explains a lot."
"What do you mean?" Lauren asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, didn't she tell you?" Robin chuckled softly. "She found me at the hotel a couple of weeks ago. She accused me of being Paul Kaplan."
"Wh-what? She thinks you and Paul are…"
"One in the same," he laughed. "Apparently, this land deal she was looking into was processed incorrectly. Kate seems to believe that it was done purposely and that I, as Paul Kaplan, have perpetrated the perfect crime."
"I…I didn't realize it was so…" She shrugged at the loss of words. "She told me the mediation had been settled and I didn't pay any attention to her after that. Robin, I am so sorry."
"There is no need to apologize, Lauren. Kate is a spirited woman. A little misguided, perhaps, but spirited. I, honestly, was flattered to know she thinks I'm capable of leading a double life." Lauren smiled, struggling to match the sincerity reflected in Robin's smile.
bate
"I can't believe it's going to be a week before the bed is delivered," Kate whined lightly.
"It gives you some time to buy some sheet sets," Ben offered.
"Ooh, more shopping," she smiled. "Is your advice on buying linens as good as buying beds?"
"You've slept on my sheets," he shrugged with a smile. "What do you think?"
"I think you, as a male member of the species, know more about thread counts than you should."
"Which is Kate-speak for I should take you shopping, again."
"Maybe," she said, offering her most flirtatious smile.
"You know, it's funny how you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Do that thing where you think I'll bend to your whim because you do a one-eighty and are all of a sudden so sweet and charming."
"I do not do that."
"Sure you do." Ben took a drink of his wine. "Yesterday, in the elevator," he started. "You were so sweet and cute, looking at me with those doe eyes of yours. Just to get me to let you go. And," he continued before she could counter, "right before I threw you on my bed you were acting all frisky and interested." He narrowed his eyes and pointed a finger at her. "It was as though you thought you could distract me with your wily ways."
"You should talk, Benedict." She set her glass on the coffee table. "What was that whole thing in my apartment yesterday? Hmm? Being all close and kissy when I refused to hunt for pajamas?"
"That was simply taking advantage of opportunity." He set his glass on the table and moved closer to her. "In case you haven't noticed, I like to kiss you." Kate nodded slowly.
"So it appears we are both using each other to get what we want."
"I suppose it does." Ben crinkled his brow. "Does it bother you that you never win that battle?"
"Hold on," Kate smiled. "You are not the only one who is victorious here. What about the Ferran case? What about Rachel and Chris—uh, Natalie? I know you wanted no part of those." Ben nodded thoughtfully. He had gotten involved in all three cases because he could not say no to Kate.
"Right. But, I wasn't talking about work. I was talking about me kissing you and you not being able to get rid of me." Ben brushed his fingers along the line of her jaw, lifting her chin slightly. "Every time I've wanted…well, every time I've tried to kiss you, I've been able to."
"Oh," she breathed.
"Oh," he repeated softly. "How many times have you been able to get rid of me?"
"Oh, uh…Well…um…" Ben leaned towards Kate, gently and briefly closing his mouth over hers.
"'Zero' is the answer you're looking for."
"Oh," she said again. Ben leaned towards Kate, feathering kisses across her cheek.
"Is that all you have to say, Katie?" He slid an arm around her waist and braced his other arm on the cushion behind her. He kissed her softly as he pushed her back, settling his body over hers. "Wait," he said, pulling back to look at her. "Is this the right place for this?"
"You are pitiful," Kate replied, pushing him away.
"Persistent, Katie," he smirked. "Persistent."