3 – Washington
Ben turned the map around. "Don't any of these streets have names other than states or numbers?"
"Yeah. Names like 'O' Street' or 'Q' Street," Felicity replied wryly.
"Great. Learn geography, numbers, and the alphabet all in one tour stop. Where the hell is Barnhart Road?"
Felicity broke off in mid-giggle. "Hey! There's the National Zoo. I definitely want to see that."
Ben looked up as they went past, where a pair of enormous bronze lions held sway at either side of the entrance. "I'm thinking the Air and Space Museum."
"And the Smithsonian. And maybe a driving tour of all the important buildings. You do realize we're going to have to stay at least a whole day to see all this," she laughed. "That is, if we find the motel…or at least Barnhart Road. Any luck?"
"Nope. Still more states. We could always stay at the Ritz Carlton," he laughed, nodding at the posh hotel as they went by it. "Well, we could if we were rich and snobby."
Felicity bit her lip and stayed silent.
Ben raised his eyebrows. "What? What did I say?"
She turned red. "My father's been here for medical conferences. He stays there when he comes sometimes."
"Oh. Sorry." He looked down at the map. "Hey, I found it. Turn right down this next street. It connects to one that'll get us to Barnhart Road."
Felicity did so.
"I'm sorry," he said again. "I didn't mean—"
"Ben, it's okay," she said, breaking into a smile. "The hospital usually pays to send him to that stuff anyway, or my dad wouldn't be staying there. Believe me."
He gave her a discomfited grin that brought out his dimples. Felicity reminded herself that she ought to be watching the road and not him. "So where's Barnhart?"
He surveyed their surroundings. "Up five blocks on the left."
They turned onto Barnhart and began looking for building numbers. Their route took them out of the downtown area. The closer they got to the motel, the more Felicity realized that she had just spent an entire day in close quarters with Ben Covington and he hadn't touched her once. Not even an iota of the sparks that flew when he kissed her that one time…before she bolted out of the loft like a marathon sprinter. Was I just imagining the way he looked at me earlier today? Maybe I just wanted it and read more into it than was actually there. What if he's decided this whole thing is a waste of time? Oh, Sally, I wish you were here with your common sense.
"You're going to miss it."
"Oh!" She pressed on the brakes. The car jolted a bit, but she managed to turn smoothly into the motel parking lot.
Ben gave her an odd look as they pulled into a space. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry." She opened the car door to get out and was jerked back into the seat by the seatbelt. Mortified, she unbuckled it and got out of the car. She went around to the trunk to get her bags.
Meanwhile, Ben had the same idea. She reached for the trunk lid just as his hand came down on top of hers. She froze.
Ben took his hand away. "Sorry. You go ahead. I'll check us in."
Just like that, he withdrew and walked away to the office. Deflating, Felicity stared after him. Okay, I'm pretty sure that was crashing indifference. She opened the trunk and took their bags out.
Ben emerged from the office with a room key. "Number eight on the end," he called, waving in the direction of their door. He came toward her and took two of their bags.
Felicity felt the stirrings of butterflies again, but this time she felt certain they were all in her mind. She followed him to the last door.
Ben opened the door and it swung inward. He remained where he was. "Uh…maybe we should find another motel."
Curiosity piqued, she tried ducking around his shoulder. "Why? What's wrong with this one?"
Ben moved aside with eyebrows aloft and shot a look askance at her. Felicity stepped into the room, and her jaw dropped. "Oh…my…"
Blue shag carpeting covered the floor…and the walls. Oversized mirrors hung over the head of the bed and on the opposite wall. A third hung on the ceiling. At the center of the room, dwarfing it with sheer size, stood a king-sized waterbed that left a mere two feet on any side to walk around. The glass of the single tiny window had been painted over…also in blue. She turned in a slow, dumbfounded circle and stared at Ben with her mouth still hanging open.
He cleared his throat and came into the room, pushing the door shut.
Felicity snorted, gesturing. "B-Ben."
He turned to check the back of the door. It was also carpeted. He divided a look between her and it, clearly fighting for control of his expression. "Well…at least it was…cheap."
Felicity hooted and dropped the bags on the floor. She plummeted onto the end of the bed and gave herself over to fits of giggling.
Ben dissolved into laughter himself, setting his bags down. "This was—not—what I pictured our first night of the trip." He sat on the bed, shaking his head in disbelief. "I don't think I can sleep in this room. I mean…it's really…blue. And…fuzzy."
This declaration sent Felicity into further hysterics until tears were rolling down her cheeks.
Her hilarity drove Ben into fresh waves of his own mirth. "I'm glad you can appreciate the irony of this."
"Oh, God," she panted, holding her stomach. "Stop! Stop laughing! I can't breathe!" She sucked in a huge gulp of air and held it.
They stared at each other, each struggling to regain their composure. The corner of Ben's mouth quivered on the edge of another laugh. "We are so going out for a pizza."
"Right behind you," she shot back. The two of them sprang to their feet, exited the room, and slammed the door.
- - - - -
"So you two are here for vacation?" the waitress asked, scribbling down their order for a small pepperoni and mushroom pizza and two sodas.
"Sort of a cross-country one," Ben responded.
The waitress pushed a strand of long blond hair behind one ear and beamed at him. "Are you married?"
Ben gave her an embarrassed chuckle. "No, we're just friends."
Felicity had to work to keep smiling. Is that all he wants?
"Really?" the waitress continued. "You'll love Washington. There's lots of really great parks and historical tours. Some of them are even free, like the zoo. How long are you staying?"
"Just a day or two."
"Well, I hope you have a good time. My name's Lily, if you need anything." The young woman turned away.
Felicity opened her mouth to say something to Ben.
"By the way," Lily interrupted, coming back to the table. "I'm sorry. I didn't ask you, but did you want any appetizers to start off? Mozzarella sticks, chicken tenders, onion rings?"
Felicity noticed how the woman addressed them both, but looked only at Ben…and she was blushing.
Ben gave Felicity a dubious look and she shook her head. "No, I guess not," he said. "Thanks."
"Okay, then. Just let me know if you change your mind." The waitress left again.
"She wishes you would," Felicity muttered under breath.
"What?"
With a glance to make sure Lily was out of earshot, Felicity leaned over the table and whispered, "Our waitress is hitting on you."
"What? No, she's not."
"She did everything but jump in your lap," she insisted. "How can you not notice?"
"You're crazy."
"I'm not. 'Are you married?' Come on, Ben."
A smile spread across his face. "You think so?"
Oh, God. He's actually flattered! Felicity huffed and rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Granted, she didn't kiss you or take her clothes off like Nicole, but it's fairly obvious she wants you."
Ben's smile became a broad grin. His dimples came out again, and his eyes danced. "Is there a problem with the waitress hitting on me?"
Felicity glared. "Stop that."
"What?"
"You know what. You smile, and get cute, and—"
Still wearing the grin, he propped an elbow on the table. "So you think I'm cute?"
"Ben!"
He managed to tone his grin down to a mere smug look.
Felicity seethed. "Why do you like to instigate with me?"
He leaned forward, crossing his arms on the table. "Why do you let me?"
She did likewise and narrowed her eyes at him.
"Here are your drinks," the waitress broke in, sliding a pair of tall glasses onto the table between them. "Your pizza should be out in a few minutes."
Ben's smile turned full-force onto the waitress. Felicity saw her melt and could practically pinpoint the second Lily became putty in his hands. How does he do that? No, never mind. It's obvious how he does that. Does he even realize he does that? She mustered a grin of her own that went completely unnoticed. "Thank you."
With eyes only for Ben, Lily giggled and left once more.
They discussed a few of the places they wanted to visit until their pizza came. While eating, they talked about their finals and mapped out a rough schedule for the next day.
Caught up in plans, they didn't notice time passing until Lily came forward again. "We're, uh…closing soon."
Surprised, Felicity gathered up her coat and backpack. "Oh. Is it that late already?"
Ben stood up. "Yeah. I guess we should get going."
At the thought of returning to the motel, Felicity felt color suffuse her cheeks. She almost didn't catch Lily's next comment over the blood roaring in her ears.
"I could…show you around the city," the waitress offered, gaze darting to Felicity but lingering on Ben.
He raised a hand to rub self-consciously at the back of his neck. "Uh, thanks. Thank you, but we pretty much have it planned out."
His rebuttal of the offer left Felicity feeling unaccountably warm all over.
- - - - -
Ben drove them back to the motel. At first, they made small talk about dinner and what they were to see of the city the next day. As they neared their destination, both of them fell into silence. Fidgeting in her seat, Felicity could think of nothing other than the fact that she was about to spend the night with Ben in a motel room where patrons were obviously not expected to sleep.
Ben opened the motel room door and held it for her. She gave an awkward smile and felt relieved that it was too dark out to see the flaming blush on her face. She hurried into the room.
He flipped on a light and closed and locked the door behind them. The sound of the deadbolt clicking was a tense exclamation point to the mad rush of butterflies that seemed to have taken up permanent residence in her belly.
He cleared his throat. "Felicity…"
A shiver raced up her spine and her heart began thrumming. She spun around a little too quickly, lost her balance, and plopped onto the bed. "What!"
He ran a hand through his hair, leaving it tousled. "I am sorry about the room."
"It's okay. It's fine. Really," she told him, trying to regain her dignity.
"No. I mean, I know this place is sort of…uncomfortable."
Felicity sat up straight, sweeping her gaze around the suggestive setting. "It's not like I've never had se—"
"That's not the point," he interrupted. "I mean for us."
Felicity hadn't thought she could blush any further. He was far too adept at bringing that out in her.
He glanced around him. "I just—I don't want you to feel weird about this. We could stay somewhere else, if you want."
She took a deep breath. "Where are we going to find another motel this cheap in Washington? It's fine. We can stay."
He came forward, evidently intending to sit on the bed since there were no chairs in the tiny room. Felicity stood up as fast as possible without jumping to her feet. "I…guess I should…go take a shower." She bent and picked up one of her bags.
When she straightened, Ben was directly before her. He gave a hesitant smile. "How do you want to do this?"
Her voice came out in a strangled whisper. "What?"
"Which side do you want?"
She blinked. "Oh. Either."
They stared at each other. Felicity was starting to get used to the butterflies, but now she felt shivers running throughout her body. I am just imagining this. This is ridiculous. "I—I'm going to go now."
He took a step back to let her by. "Right. Sorry."
She flew past him and around the bed to the bathroom, closing the door.
- - - - -
I am in the shower, completely naked, and he's in the next room. The next room. On a huge bed. What am I doing? This was a very bad idea. She rinsed out her hair and let it fall in dripping curls. But maybe I was right before. Maybe he's decided that friends is better. I'm going to be mature about this. I can handle this. She stepped out of the shower and toweled off, pulling on a tank top and flannel pajama pants. After brushing out her hair, she rummaged in the bag for her bathrobe and discovered that she had put it in her other bag.
With no more excuses to stay in the bathroom, she opened the door.
The light was off. It took her a moment to adjust to the dim interior. Ben lay on the far side of the bed, stretched out on his stomach. He had changed into a T-shirt and sweatpants. The sheets were bunched at the end of the bed. Felicity crept to the edge of the bed and sat down. The waterbed rippled and she grimaced, but he didn't stir. She eased into bed and lay on her side facing away from him, pulling the blankets up. When he still didn't move, she stole a look at the mirror overhead.
She couldn't see his face; he was turned away. Felicity sighed and tried to get to sleep. The moment she closed her eyes, they sprang open again. At least three feet of space lay between them, but it didn't feel that way. His proximity was an electric current buzzing on her skin. I'm not going to sleep tonight, am I? She burrowed further into the covers.
On the other side of the bed, Ben opened his eyes. After a few moments of complete silence, he sighed and closed them again.