Baby, What a Big Surprise

Just the way Ben liked it, the entire day had been lowkey. Which is exactly how he wanted it on his birthday. The only downfall was that Miranda was sick so she hadn't come to work today and he'd probably be celebrating by getting her soup and tea. In the locker room after his shift was over, he multitasked between getting dressed and texting Miranda: "I'm just under the weather, Ben. You don't have to come."

"I'm leaving now."

"Please, go out and have a time." As he was typing out his next message another one came through. "*good." He grinned at her need to be perfect. "There are a lot of germs over here. It's your bday. Go celebrate."

Ben shook his head. "I'll be there shortly." The conversation had ended there and he changed his shoes stuffing the ones he wore in the hospital into his locker. Thirty was big year, sure, but anybody he wanted to celebrate with was busy. Angela had texted him in the morning to say that she was working, but she would take off the next day for them to hit the town. And Justin wouldn't be able to come over because Paige had officially been put on bedrest and Justin didn't want to leave his wife alone with a five-year-old. But that he was free to come over and watch a movie and order food.

While the offer had been nice, Ben had declined, he just wanted to see Miranda. Even though she was claiming that she was just tired, he ignored her. When he'd been feeling like crap, unable to move—literally—she'd been by his side. And having her there had made him feel a lot better. Halfway to the elevator which meant he'd be halfway to her house, his phone beeped.

He looked down to see that he'd received an email. He opened it to see that he had a phone interview next week with a hospital in the middle of nowhere at one of his throwaway residencies, Shawnee Memorial, scheduled for next week. His first interview! In the car, his phone beeped again as he got a call from his parents who were on the east visiting family. "Hello?"

"Happy Birthday to ya! Happy Birthdaaay!" His mom and dad sang together going through multiple choruses.

"Thank you. Thank you," he smiled like he did every year.

"How old are you again, son?" His dad, Anthony, asked him.

"I'm 30, Pop," he said.

He could hear his mother, Julia, disputing his claim. "Nope! Not until 10:52PM."

Ben chuckled. "Then, I will be 30. I am still a young and ripe 29."

"How do we still have a kid in his 20s," Anthony asked.

Julia laughed her very distinct laugh. "Here, your aunts and uncles want to wish you a happy birthday."

"No, no, no, ma, please," he begged. "I gotta go. Miranda needs me." Even if that weren't the case, he'd still use that excuse. He did not want to talk to five different family members. Most of whom didn't remember him past the age of 13.

"Next time then," she said. He agreed. "So, what are you and Miranda doing for your birthday?"

Ben inhaled. "Well, she's not feeling well. Maybe we'll do something another day."

"Not feeling well, like sick?" The youngest Warren stayed silent. "Like, perhaps, morning sickness, eh?"

Starting his car, Ben cleared his throat. "She's not pregnant and please… just don't."

Anthony and Julia laughed again. "Fine. But we love you."

"I love you, too."

"And," Anthony started, "when we get back, we're taking you and Miranda to dinner."

"Sounds good. Love you guys."

"Love you, too," the older couple said together.

"Okay, bye."

"Bye."

"Alright." Ben pushed the "END" button before they could start another round of "I love yous". He loved his parents, but they were a trip. Before he pulled out of his park, he called Miranda, putting her on speakerphone while he drove. Her cough hit his ear as a greeting. "Oh, babe. How are you feeling?"

Miranda groaned. "I'm okay."

"Do you need me to bring you something or I can order…?"

"All I need is you, birthday boy," she said.

He ran a hand over his face, covering a smile. "Save your energy."

"Okay. And I'll probably be asleep by the time you come…" A cough interrupted her statement and he winced. She sounded awful. Maybe he should get some medicine. "…so just use the key, okay?"

He said he would and pulled over into the parking lot of a soul food restaurant, picking up a couple of trays of food and then dashing to the Rite Aid to get some cough medicine and Halls. He was about to doctor the hell out of her. Getting to her place, he opened the door to see that the house was completely dark. There was only a dim light on in Miranda's bedroom. "Babe?" He put the food and keys on the table near the door. "Miranda?" He hit the switch before going toward the stairs.

"SURPRISE!"

Ben's hand flew to his chest as people popped up randomly around the first floor of his girlfriend's house. His heart had nearly exploded—This is what a heart attack feels like, he thought. He looked around trying to process exactly what was happening. Everyone was dressed nicely and he was glad that today was a day that he looked alright in his black jeans and a blue denim button up with a pair of black boots. "What the hell!?" He said with a huge grin.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

"Holy shit! Thank you! Wow!" Navy blue and gold decorations were placed neatly on the walls and some balloons sat on the ceiling. Miranda's sofas and coffee table had been pushed out of the way to make more room much like they had for Tuck's party. His eyes zipped around the area. And he realized that he knew a lot of these faces. He saw Angela, Justin and Paige front and center with their hands full of drinks and food. His eyes swept the scene to find the one face that would have him cheesing for real. Miranda was standing off to the side next to Callie with—was that Arizona?—on the other side of her. Quickly, he moved toward her hugging her and kissing her deeply.

Everyone sighed and he felt his chest fluttering and his eyes about to water. "Happy Birthday, Benjamin Warren," she whispered.

"Thank you, baby," he said grabbing her face gently as she placed her lips on his cheek and then on his lips again. He just couldn't get enough. And was glad that he'd never have to.

"Alright, alright, alright," Justin said lightheartedly and everyone laughed.

"Um," Ben said holding Miranda's hand and turning to face the majority. "I don't know if I'm supposed to say something or what, but… I'm, wow, just blessed to see another year. And happy to be celebrating with y'all and with my sister, my friends… my lady." Miranda squeezed his hand. "This is amazing and thank you."

The room swelled with applause and someone blasted the music. "Ayyy!"

"Let's turn up!" He shouted.

Seconds later, Miranda slipped from his grasp. "I'm going to make sure that the food and drinks are good. I'll be back."

He nodded as a group of his colleagues from the hospital came up to him. Then there were a few friends from here and there. They all dapped him up and patted him on the back, wishing him a happy birthday. Did he even know this many people? Did this many people even like him? Callie walked up to him at the same time Arizona did. "Happy Birthday," they said together before stealing glances at one another.

"Thanks," Ben replied with a smile. "Um, you two know each other?"

"Bailey introduced us," Callie told him handing him an unopened beer.

Ben took it saying, "Thanks. Uh, have you two seen her? She disappeared a while ago and never returned."

They shook their heads before moving away, bobbing to the loud beats. The party continued and Ben couldn't stop taking moments out of it to look around at everyone having a great time in his honor. He hadn't had a birthday party in years and never a surprise one. It was the stuff of fiction. And he felt so loved. Angela, Justin and Paige wandered over to him while he chatted with some guys about a game that he'd missed last night while on-call. He excused himself and hugged Angela and Paige before slapping hands with Justin, pulling him in for a hug. "Happy Birthday, Old Man," Justin said.

"No matter how old I get, you'll still be the older than dirt," Ben told him. "Alright, so, which one of you did this?" They all shrugged in unison. "What does that mean?" He asked mimicking them.

"I just got the drinks and some people from the company," Justin said.

"I called some of your friends from wherever," Angela added. "And helped with the decorations and music. Your girlfriend is short."

Ben laughed as he turned to Paige. She opened a soda. "Oh, I'm about to pop any day now, so I didn't do anything, sorry. I did get you a gift though. Aside from the one Ava made." His eyes widened. "Edibles," she whispered.

He put his hands together. "Thanks," he said hugging her once more. His friend's bulging belly poked him and she apologized. "Please don't. Um, so if y'all didn't do it…"

The three of them looked away and he followed their gazes to Miranda who was talking to one of his college friends like they were the ones, in fact, who had gone to school together. Her cherry red dress hugged her body in the exact way that he wanted to. And her perfect smile was making the usually indifferent Michael gesture wildly, grinning. Ben knew that he was in love with Miranda Bailey, but he was feeling it so strongly, he couldn't see straight.

"She did the rest of it, bro," Justin remarked.

"It was all her idea," Angela said.

Without another word, he walked over to Miranda. "Excuse me, Mike. I need my lady for a second." Taking her hand, he pulled her around the corner and up the stairs to her room.

"Where are we going?" She demanded. "Why are we leaving the party?"

In her bedroom, he locked the door and held onto her thick waist tightly. "You did all of this?" He asked. "For me?"

She nodded. "Yes, mostly, but I'm not gonna take anything away from Angela and Knox."

"Well," he chuckled. "They already gave you all of the credit, Miranda."

"Then, I'll take it." There was that smile again.

"You had me worried about you all damn day. I genuinely thought you were sick," Ben laughed. She made a sympathetic face. "Woman, I bought you medicine."

"Aww, babe."

"And you told me not to come."

Her lips parted to reveal her beautiful white teeth. "Because—"

"Because you knew I'd come. Damn it," he laughed. "You're good."

Miranda shrugged casually. "I had to get you over here somehow."

"You could have just said 'come over'," he told her.

Grabbing his hand and entwining their fingers together, she said: "I'll remember that for next time."

"Well, however it needed to happen, I'm glad that it did. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Were you surprised?"

He dropped his voice as if they weren't alone. "I almost died. Y'all scared the shit out of me."

"You're a fool." She laughed and it curled around his body, holding him captive for the time being.

"Now, about my gift…"

She scoffed. "The party is your gift, nut."

"And I'm going to remember that when it's your birthday."

"We'll see." She lifted his shirt, clawing his back, enticing him. Ben's hand flew to the bottom of her dress, caressing her thigh, moving upward until he landed on her ass. "We really should get back to the party," she sighed in his ear backing away.

"Right, right. The party," he said licking his lip, nodding in a faux agreement. He'd much rather just be with her, in this room. Solitude. Miranda took his hand and instead of going to the door, she kicked off her shoes and moved to the bed, gesturing for him to join her. They finished quickly and straightened up trying to look decent again. "Oh! And I have some news."

"What is it?"

"I'll tell you later."

She reached up and touched his chin. "Tell me now please or I'll get mad."

He lowered his gaze and deepened his tone. "How mad?"

"Don't," she said with a smile. "We have to get back or people will wonder."

"Let them," he said as she walked ahead of him out of the room. The music was still bumping and the house was still pretty full. "Oooh!" He pulled Miranda into his arms, rocking to the quick house song. "I love this song."

There are no others, no one is sweeter

Pushing his face into the nape of her neck, he took a deep breath. The mere scent of this woman could send him to an early orgasm. He held onto her, not daring to let go. It just wasn't an option.

I'm in a trance going deeper, deeper

He pulled back to look at Miranda. They locked eyes and he saw five years with her and maybe they were married… ten years and perhaps they had children…

High as a rainbow

…another twenty and they were in a living room that belonged to both of them doing this exact thing, dancing just because. His heart tightened.

There's only you and me and the way we feel

Ben stopped his mind from concocting futures and crashed his lips into his girlfriend's. She moaned, heightening his passion. Even just having had a piece of her, he wanted more—much, much more.

Just us…

"Just us," he sang in her ear softly, hoping that he made her feel as good as she made him feel.

"Just us," Miranda crooned sweetly compelling him to fall in love all over again.

The songs rotated and he pried himself from Miranda's arms as she went to get the cake. "Mmhmm. Where'd you two sneak off to earlier?" Angela asked.

"Mind your business, Angela," Ben said grinning. She gave him a knowing smirk and turned his chin toward Miranda who was walking toward him with a cake full of burning candles. He swallowed and smiled.

"Happy Birthday to you."

The urge to tell them to stop singing threatened to leave his mouth. But seeing Miranda's bright face above the equally bright candles slapped the idea away. If it made her happy to do this for him, he was going to let her and relish in it. "Happy Birthday, dear Ben."

"JAMIN!" Justin and Angela added.

"Happy Birthday to you."

There was more clapping and he shook his head, smiling. She put the cake on the table. "Make a wish, Benjamin," Miranda said. What else was there to wish for? He had a decent career, great friends, an amazing woman—asking for anything else seemed unnecessarily selfish. "Can't think of anything?"

He laughed. Well, there was one thing. He inhaled and blew across the candles. Everyone cheered again. "Aw, cut it out," he said waving them off in jest.

"Everyone," Miranda started, "I have a second cake in the kitchen that doesn't have Warren's germs on them."

"I'll get it," Callie said.

Stevie Wonder's "Happy Birthday" began playing loudly and Angela handed him a glass filled with a light brown liquid. He sipped it. "Ooo! What is that, Angela?"

"Signature birthday drink."

He nodded his approval. "That's nice," he said dancing behind Miranda as she cut pieces of the cake. When she finished, she turned and they bumped their bodies together to the fast song that reminded him of his shenanigans in undergrad. "How am I supposed to top this for your birthday, huh?" He asked spinning her around.

"Start prepping now," she said throwing her butt into him.

The music slowed and the number of people began dwindling. Ben found himself standing at the door like an exit greeter at Costco, thanking folks for coming. And once it was just the skeleton crew, Ben realized just how exhausted he was. Tipsily, he flopped onto the couch next to Paige as Justin helped Miranda, Angela, Callie and Arizona. Turning to them, he grunted: "Please, y'all, sit down. I will clean it all up later. Tomorrow. I promise. Just… come and sit. Please."

Miranda started to sit in a folding chair next to the couch, but he grabbed her hand and she dropped into his lap, kissing him. Her lips tasted like his signature drink or maybe he was tasting the last one he'd had. Either way, he his hands roamed her thigh. "Thank you," he said into her mouth, enjoying her again.

"Stop thanking me," she told him in a soft voice. The TV flashed in front of him, but he paid it no mind and soon, Ben was knocked out. When he woke up, he was alone in the living room with a blanket thrown over his body. The TV was off and the house was silent; everyone was gone. He walked into Miranda's room to see her sleeping hugging on a long pillow. Is that what they looked like when they were asleep? Grinning, he showered quickly, changing into a pair of basketball shorts. He climbed into bed, pushing the pillow out of the way, taking its place. Miranda roused. "What the…?" Seeing his face, she smiled. "Hey, handsome. Did you have a good night?"

Ben nodded. "It was perfect." He watched her close her eyes and he memorized her face in this state, relaxed and stunning.

She held onto him, rubbing his back. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"I more than enjoyed it, Miranda. No one has ever done anything like that for me." Her eyes opened. "Ever." His heart was tumbling. He had to tread carefully or he'd end up saying something that would shock them both. A smile whipped across her face and she placed her hand at the back of his neck. Instead of returning it, he kissed her softly, hoping that it conveyed how much he appreciated her putting the party together for him, how much he appreciated her being in his life. "I love you so much, Miranda Bailey," he said vehemently.

"I know," she responded while stroking his head, soothing him. "I love you so much, Ben Warren."

The couple was quiet for a long time. Ben dozed off and when he heard himself snoring, he opened his eyes to see that Miranda was asleep as well. Nudging her chin, he placed tender kisses on her until her eyes fluttered open and close again. "What now?"

"It's my birthday," he said whining just a little.

"I'm tired, hon."

He poked out his bottom lip, attaching it to hers. "Alright, I get it," he conceded.

"Because I put a lot of work into your party."

"And I want to thank you," he chuckled in her ear.

"Fine. Fine. I guess I do have one more present for you. But that's it. And back to sleep we go."

He clapped and pumped his fists. "Deal."

She kissed him quickly and slid across the bed. "But you have to go to the living room so you don't see where I put it."

He cocked his head to the side. "Ooh… kay." In the quiet room, Ben turned the TV on and watched it absentmindedly thinking of what she'd gotten him. He hadn't asked for anything. And what he did ask for, was just a joke. Laughing to himself, he watched the Top 10 highlights on ESPN.

As the Number One play rolled around, he heard: "Alright, birthday boy, come and get your gift!" Shutting off the TV, he threw the remote and bolted up the stairs. He walked into the mostly dark bedroom and put a hand to his mouth. "Surprise." Miranda was sitting on the bed totally naked except for a bra made of whipped cream complete with straps. Her legs were at a ninety-degree angle with a can of the frothy topping between them covering her money shot that he knew was moist and ready for him.

God, he thought. Ben blushed a little as he surveyed her body some more. A few cherries sat on each of her full breasts and his body reacted immediately, waking up. He was glad that he wasn't wearing any underwear because the restriction would be hell. Taking in the scene, he moaned beneath his breath: "Ah, shit now." He wanted to rush over to her and mess it all up, but he knew patience was the key and slowed his breathing.

"You like it?"

Excitement coursed through his body staring at her; he was damn near drooling. "I love it." Her face lit up with a smile. "You literally look and smell delicious." He didn't know where to put his eyes, but he knew what he wanted; what he needed. "I'm feeling… cannibalistic."

"Come here."

"Yes, ma'am," he said more to himself than to Miranda.

"So, I was thinking that we could preserve this moment."

He blinked trying to figure out what she was talking about. "What do you mean?"

"I have a camera set up over there," she pointed over her shoulder, "if you go over and 'record' then…"

Ben raised his eyebrows in astonishment. It took two seconds to make up his mind. Making a movie was not anything he thought they'd ever do. But he was so aroused, it hurt. He felt her eyes as he walked over to the camera attached for a tripod on the side of the bed and hit the red button. "Done."

"Good."

"You're sure?" She nodded and Ben licked his lips, checking the view of the device making sure that it would get as much as possible. Moving toward the bed, he could now see that in the places where there was no whipped cream, there were streaks of chocolate. Her body was a buffet and he was ready to feast. He couldn't wait to sculpt her body and have her torso twisting while she screamed blasphemous things. "Oh, my God," he said adjusting himself and almost exploding with a simple touch. He didn't know how long he could last without touching her.

"There's only one rule." His voice would betray him if he spoke, so he just nodded. "No whipped cream in my… you know, in… down there."

He smirked. "Got it." Getting brave, he touched her shoulder with his index finger on his left hand, scooping up some chocolate and whipped cream. He tasted it. High-quality products. "This is good."

She picked up a cherry from her breasts and ate it. "Oh! And the cherries are pitless. I did them myself," she exclaimed proudly. Miranda got another one and held it out for him and he accepted.

"Thank you. I can't wait to eat 'em. And you." He moved the can and teased a finger at her entrance once before she slapped his hand away mischievously, giggling.

As he got onto the bed, shaking it, another cherry fell from its throne. Miranda climbed on top of him, sitting on his crotch. The view was immaculate. The Dr. Miranda Bailey covered in ice cream toppings as a gag birthday gift. At least he'd have the tape that he planned on watching as soon as possible. "There are wet towels over there." She pointed to a corner of her bed that had a bunch of folded hand towels, waiting for them.

"Okay," he responded, kissing her, their cherry-flavored tongues striking one another. He was so hungry.

Maneuvering a hand between them and she tapped her button, folding herself and smearing the whipped cream and chocolate on him. She put her fingers to his lips and he sucked on them as she moved glacially on top of him. "Yesss," she hissed."

He felt precum escape from his tip beneath his shorts signally that he was more than ready. "I love you," he smiled at her level of preparedness. "You're so beautiful."

"Tell me something I don't know," she whispered going in for a kiss. Ben laughed and held onto her waist with his left arm. He nibbled on her insanely succulent shoulder, trying to take his time, but she tasted so good that he went straight for her a nipple forcing a moan and getting whipped cream all over his face. "Jesus!"

When he'd asked for this, he didn't think there was any way in hell that she'd agree, but here he was about to lick her until she surrendered. Deftly, he kept his right hand away from the sweet and sticky substances so that he could scrape her walls for her own when he wanted to. Which is what he did. Ben slipped a finger into her making her back arch. The last two cherries threatened to fall and he devoured them sucking on her large breasts between bites as he thrust another digit into her swollen hole, flicking her clit with his thumb. "It… it's your birthday," she said in his ear.

"And…?" He kissed her neck hard working his way down.

"You're supposed to… ahh… one more finger… one more, baby… that's it…" He shook his head adding his index finger spreading her before planting a kiss on her, the sugar sending them into a small diabetic-like shock. "You're supposed to get what you want."

He turned them over and the chaos of it all made them slip a bit. They laughed before he resumed his good work, compelling mild screams and intense shaking from Miranda. "And this is what I want," he whispered into her mouth.

Her eyes landed on him. "And what do you want, Ben Warren?" There was a light coming from somewhere and he watched her bat her eyelashes, reeling him in. "Yes! Yes!"

Ben leaned down and licked her earlobe. "For you to come on my hand. I've always wondered what your pussy tastes like with whipped cream and chocolate." He kissed the closest part of her body, biting her mildly.

Miranda grabbed her hair. "Goddamn," she said gushing slowly while he kissed her. Her body pulsated around his fingers and she let out a high-pitched sigh. "My God! Ben!" She cried out trying to move his hand, but he only sped up his movements.

"Mmm-hmm!" Her eyes rolled back and she grinned devilishly. "Exactly like that." He didn't change the pace of his fingering or his kissing as her body shook beneath them.

Miranda grabbed his wrist. "Okay. Okay." She inhaled sharply. "Okay, Ben." He lifted his glistening hand to his mouth, swiping some whipped cream and chocolate in the process. "You wouldn't," she said giving him a smile that propelled butterflies in his stomach. How in the world could one woman make him so weak? He stuck his fingers into his mouth, enjoying every morsel. "You're nasty. And that was… hot."

"We're gonna have to work all of this off," he growled bringing her in for a deep kiss, their breaths heavy, wondering what was next. He wanted to hear the sounds she'd made earlier, but if he didn't have her, if he didn't release, he was going to go crazy. Between his legs, she yanked off his shorts and his dick greeted her. Diving right in, she handled him expertly, working her way through different sucking speeds until she settled on his favorite. "Feels good, baby," he encouraged. On his mostly dry hand, he grabbed the back of her head, loving the rhythm of her bobbing beneath his hand leading him to his unavoidable end. Grabbing the can, he shook it before popping the top off. "Hold up. Hold up."

She sat up and his eyes darted between the sexy mess on her body and his own as he applied some of the cream. "I wanted to do that," she pouted.

"Gladly." He handed the can to her and she grinned, spraying a line from his chest to his stomach up, over and down his very erect piece. Miranda followed the path with her tongue, before inhaling him once again, whipped cream dripping everywhere. There was something underneath his butt and he reached to get it and found a smushed cherry. The sight of it had them howling.

"I dare you to eat it," she ordered naughtily. Before he did, he glided the small fruit along her shoulder and across her chest before putting it in his mouth. She kissed his thighs, scraping his skin with her teeth. The intimacy of it, increased his ecstasy by a thousand. Then, Miranda dipped her head further adding whipped cream and licking his two sacks and Ben honestly couldn't fathom how he'd gotten so lucky. "How's that?"

He nodded. "I fucking love this."

"You better." All he could do was close his eyes and enjoy how her mouth enveloped him. In a few, he'd be releasing some cream of his own. Ben reached down and gripped her ass, circling her hole, feeling her shiver beneath him. He licked his finger and did it again. Miranda looked up at him, allowing him to drop from her lips. "I can't concentrate when you do that," she smiled, running her hand down his shaft, forcefully now. He touched her breasts, kneading them, and she moaned with pleasure. "It's either one or the other."

Ben shook his head. He wanted it all. With no answer, Miranda gave in, raking her skin for chocolate, painting it on him before lowering her mouth onto him. "Yess," he hissed. "Suck this dick, baby." Her soft lips moved swiftly across the tip. He could hear her whispering and doing some moaning of her own. "There it is!" His hands went to his chest, tweaking his own nipples. The sensation of her sucking just the head of his dick while stroking him at the same time almost made his soul leave his body. "Fuck… God!"

Miranda looked up at him. "Let go, baby," she said in a low voice that made him lose control.

"Ahhh! I'm coming, baby. B-baby, I'm coming!" He yelled thrashing his hips against her mouth as gently as he could. His chest felt like it was about to cave in from the orgasm. He tried to take a deep breath as she continued without pause, ignoring his begging, and he emptied himself between her lips. Looking down, they made eye contact as what she hadn't swallowed spilled out and it was the sexiest thing he'd ever seen. An aftershock surged through him and his leg jerked. "Shit!"

When Miranda took her mouth off of him, she reached over on what was normally his side of the bed and grabbed a tall glass of water, taking a big sip. She offered him some. "Here."

He accepted washing down his birthday dessert. "Woman, you are…" She raised a brow and gestured with her hand for him to continue. "The love of my life."

"Really?" She got a towel and wiping him off fully.

His spine shook. "Y-yeah, but you already knew that."

There was a smile in her voice when she said: "I had a hunch."

The movements of her cleaning him, while mundane, turned him on again. "And you've thought of everything." He grabbed another towel and started to wipe her off her face and chest, tickling her nipples in the process.

"Maybe not everything. I should have let the whipped cream freeze a little bit more. Then it wouldn't have been so…" She bobbed her head back and forth.

"Nah, it was perfect," he said tackling her playfully, their bodies bouncing on the mattress. "Like you."

Laughing softly, she caressed the back of his neck. "You're a sticky mess, boy."

He kissed her chin. "You are, too." Ben licked her cheek finding some random toppings and lined himself up with her wetness easing into her.

"Oh, my God!" Miranda's mouth opened slightly as he hooked his arms beneath her, sealing them together. "Oh, God! Happy Birthday, Ben."

"Thank you, baby," he replied as she drove into her more. "Jesus!"

Two hours later, after showering and changing the bedding, they lay in bed completely drained. At least he was. He knew Miranda could probably go another round or two, but he was done. "So, what did you wish for?"

"For us to do what we just did."

"I'm talking about when you blew out your candles."

Ben fingers trailed her skin. "Oh. Can't tell you that. Or it might not come true."

"Then don't tell me," she replied trying to use reverse psychology on him. It almost worked until he remembered that she would never tell him what she'd wished for.

"I won't," he told her pressing his fingers into her body. "Unless it comes true."

"Fine. I hope it does." Miranda yawned. His eyelids were so heavy, he fought a hard battle with himself to keep them open. "Babe?"

"Yeah?"

"You said you had some news? Or something," she said emitting another yawn.

He couldn't stop himself from releasing one as well. "What news?" What was she talking about?

Poking his arm, she exclaimed: "From earlier! When you got home… when you got here, you said that you had some news."

"Oh!" She kissed him again and he sat up making her do the same. "I got my first interview from my applications."

Her face broke out into a wide smile as she registered what he'd said. "Really?!" He nodded. "When… why didn't you say anything sooner? Then, we could have celebrated it at your party."

He shook his head. "It's best like this," he said searching for her hand.

"I am so damn proud of you, Ben Warren," she said pushing her lips into his, silencing his "thank you."