The next morning Rose announced that she was going to take Warren and Star out on the lake.

'I'm afraid there is only room for the four of us so you are Ben will have to stay here.' She said.

Rey raised an eyebrow at her but Rose held her poker face. Rey knew she was just creating a reason for her to be alone with Ben, but it wasn't like she could object, could she?

Ben and Rey helped Star and Warren into the boat. Finn shook the sides of the little wooden vessel pretending he was going to capsize them. Star and Warren laughed and called out and Finn only stopped when Rey said her nerves couldn't take anymore.

They waved them out onto the lake. Ben came up behind Rey and put his hands on her shoulders.

'Well what should we do now?' He asked casually.

Oh god….

'Erm…go for a walk?'

Ben smiled at her,

'I'll give you a head start…'

'What?' Rey asked as her eyes widened.

'I'll give you a ten second head start...don't waste it.'

Rey looked at him for a moment then took off into the woods.

What are you doing? This won't end well!

Rey shook the thoughts away and continued running. Distance was futile though, Ben had such long legs he would quickly catch up to her. Her best bet was a good hiding place.

Having always been a good climber, Rey located a tall tree and scrambled up into its branches. There were enough leaves to keep her hidden from view. She held her breath as she heard rustling come from behind her.

She looked over her shoulder and there was Ben, hunting for her. Excitement shivered through her body. She bit her lip.

Why was this such a turn on?

Ben was right below her now.

Oh god, he was below her...

She blushed at her own thoughts.

She took in a small gasp of air. It was a mistake. He looked up with a slow smile, and with cat like reflexes, pounced and grabbed for her ankle, Rey screamed and tried to climb higher but she lost her footing and fell right into Ben's arms. He caught her with ease, and grinned as he opened his mouth to say something… but then suddenly he frowned.

A boat…they were on a boat… and he was holding Rey and then…No! that can't be right…why on earth would he have done that?

'Ben,' Rey's voice cut through the vision, drawing his focus back to her. She had her arms laced around his neck now. Her facial expression was one of concern.

'Do you feel safe with me?' Ben asked.

'What?' Rey asked.

'I just….I just need to know…do you feel safe with me?'

Rey pressed her lips lightly against his before answering,

'I feel safer with you, than anyone I have ever known.'

Somewhere within Ben a crack that had once been open healed at her words. He kissed her and she clutched at his hair, drawing him closer.

Yes… this is what he had always wanted. To be needed. Family…affection…. desire…. belonging….

Without breaking the kiss Ben moved his arms so that he could support Rey's legs around his waist. Rey cupped his cheeks as she thrust her tongue into his mouth. She moaned slightly. Ben turned to lean Rey's back against the tree. He pressed kisses to her cheek, her chin, her throat and her neck. Rey tilted her head to allow him better access. He felt her pulse throb beneath his lips. Rey was so alive…

Feelings are for the weak…

He pushed away the old man's voice. The voice of his step father maybe?

The smell of Rey's perfume brought him back to reality. It teased his senses and tickled the back of his throat.

Ben fought his libido for control. Desire and arousal coursed through his veins, they pushed him forward, urging him on.

'Rey…' He said against her skin.

'Oh Ben…' She replied panting in his arms.

'You feel so good…' He said running his hands up her body to her breasts.

Rey's mouth opened and she arched her back thrusting her breasts out further,

'Oh god, I want you so much…' She whispered.

Ben kissed her more urgently and slid one of his hands down between them, fumbling with the buttons on his jeans…

'Daddy?' A shout from Star in the distance washed over them like a shower of ice-cold rain.

Ben put Rey down and they looked at each other for a moment.

Star called again more urgently, 'DADDY!'

They both ran towards the sound. They found Star pressed against Rose, her little cheeks stained with tears.

'What's wrong, Princess?' Ben asked bending down and gathering her up in his arms.

'I thought you were gone. I thought you had left…' She sobbed.

'I'm sorry,' Rose said, 'Warren splashed her and she got quite a shock. She wanted to come back to shore but when she couldn't see you two, she somehow got it into her head that you had abandoned her.'

'We would never do that.' Ben said stroking the little girl's hair.

Star's sobs quietened then stopped.

Rose glanced at Rey and she blushed. She knew Rose probably had a good idea of what had been going on between them in the woods. Now that the initial rush of arousal had worn off, she felt ashamed of her actions. Ben wasn't her play thing! She had claimed his affection in an unnatural way and she had no right to use him like this, no matter how good it felt.

She kept herself busy the rest of the trip, taking care to make sure she wasn't alone with Ben again, though she couldn't stop herself occasionally slipping her hand into his as they walked, or running her fingers through his hair as they lay in bed together talking.

She dreaded returning to reality, but she knew their time at the lake couldn't last forever, and neither could her time with Ben.