Chapter 19 - Road Trip

Sunday:
In Ben's Car:

"OK, here's a good question. When did you start having a crush on me?" Leslie is excited to hear Ben's answer. He has been driving for half an hour now and his eyes are focused on the road. But a wide grin appears as he thinks of his answer. They'd been asking each other questions since the road trip started.

"Remember that time you were sick with the flu?" He takes a quick glance at Leslie and sees her trying to rack her memories of that day.

"Barely. I was high on flu medicine then."

"Well, I was so worried you'd end up vomiting on the podium because you looked so pale. Then all of the sudden your mood changes, your speech was perfect, you were on your A game. And I realized, that when you're that passionate about something, short of being on your deathbed, nothing would stop you." He takes her hand in his and massages her palm with his thumb without taking his eyes of the road. "I was so impressed that I just, I think, I admitted to myself that I was starting to get attracted to you."

Leslie's heart wants to burst at this information. "Is that why you brought me waffles the next day? And that weird smelling chicken soup?" Her laughter rings out and Ben laughs along.

"Don't make fun of my chicken soup. It's an old family recipe!" Ben releases her hand as he uses both hands to make a sharp right. "OK, my turn. Same question."

"That's not fair! I keep thinking of these awesome questions and you just keep re-using them!" She crosses her arms and tries to recall when she started having a crush on Ben. "Hmm, I remember that I really hated your guts when we first met."

"You called me a jerk on several occasions."

"Well, you were. Don't deny it. You burst into the office all ready to chop people's heads off."

"I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that in all my time of slashing budgets, I have never once encountered anyone as belligerent as you."

"Good. You deserve every annoying email that I sent. Anyway, back to my story. So, at first I hated your guts. Then you agreed to let me have the Harvest Festival, I started not to hate you so much. Then we spent so much time together getting ready for it that I started to consider you a friend."

"So, what got me out of the friendzone?"

Leslie looks thoughtfully at Ben. "When you told me that you were considering going back to Indianapolis. I felt this weird flip flop in my gut when I imagined not seeing you around in City Hall anymore." Her eyes trace the profile of his face. Appreciating his perfectly angled jawline. "Like, there was a sudden realization that I wanted more time with you and not just as a friend."

"So, you realized you wanted to get into my pants?"

"Shut up, Wyatt! You wanted to get into my pants first."

"You're so cute when you want to bone me." Leslie pokes him on his side for teasing her. Ben, being ticklish, makes a knee jerk reaction to her poke. "Don't do that, Leslie. I'll end up crashing the car." Leslie laughs out loud. The last time they went on a road trip, she had to distract herself from imagining hot make out sessions with Ben. On this road, it was all she could think about. And this time, there was no Chris around to stop her.

At the Muncie Grand Hotel

They both check in to the hotel and are given rooms at the opposite side of the same floor. Leslie is unpacking her things when she hears a soft knock. She knows it's Ben. Soon as she unlocks it, Ben closes the door behind him, grabs her by the waist, twirls her around and pushes her against the door. Leslie's arms circle around his neck as she catches her breath and she looks deep into his eyes.

This was always a fantasy of Leslie's. To be pinned between a wall and Ben's body. She had imagined this scenario multiple times, but reality was way better than fantasy. Way better.

Ben stares at her face for a couple of seconds before he dives in for a kiss that devours Leslie's soul. His hand slides to the back of Leslie's head, his fingers running through her hair. Leslie returns the kiss with so much force that Ben has to take a few steps back. She puts all her weight on Ben.

His kiss travels down to her neck and Leslie arches her head to give him more access. Ben spends a few seconds on a hallow spot near her collarbone and Leslie feels faint from the burst of shivers she was experiencing. Ben pushes her back against the door so she can lean on it for support.

And because Leslie is a giver, she wants Ben to experience the same thing. She shifts her head, breaking the contact Ben's lips had on her skin. Leslie's lips start to trace his jawline with wet kisses and Ben's grip tightens around her waist. "God, Leslie. You're killing me." He leans his forehead on the door as her kisses travel down his neck.

A loud Star Wars ring tone that suddenly fills the air. "Fuck, Ben. Your phone has shitty timing." Leslie says, annoyed that they had to pause on this really hot make out session.

"It's not mine." He says his hand going to his back pocket and confirming that his phone was not vibrating.

"Oh. Yeah, it's mine then."

"Did you make your ringtone the same as mine?"

"Yes, it's our secret couple thing." Leslie laughs as she grabs her phone from the table and looks at the caller ID. "Shit, it's Seth." She motions for him to be quiet and answers her phone. "Seth, hi! What? You're here now? You're heading up right now?" There's panic in Leslie's face as she looks at Ben and points him to the bathroom. She mouths the word 'hide'.

Ben scrambles and almost trips on Leslie's luggage as he runs to the bathroom. She sees the door close just in the nick of time, as Leslie hears the doorbell ring.

Leslie takes a breath and opens the door. "Seth! You're here." Seth still had the phone in his ears. He laughs as he hangs up and Leslie hangs up her phone too. He gives her a short hug and she invites him in.

"Sorry to barge in, I just wanted to have a talk with you alone."

"Alone? Why?"

"I, um, I wanted to personally ask you out on a dinner date. I really like you, Leslie, you're really funny, really passionate about your job. And you're very beautiful. And I'd really like to get to know you better." There was a sudden loud crash in the bathroom, making Seth look over to the bathroom door. "What was that?"

"Oh, uh, it's the wind. It might have knocked down something. I, I left the window open, I think." Leslie struggles for an explanation. She imagines it was Ben eavesdropping on this conversation and dropping whatever cup he was using to listen in.

Seth turns back to Leslie accepting her explanation and looking hopefully at her, waiting for an answer. "So, um, do you want to go out with me?"

"Look, Seth. I'm really flattered. Really. But I, I can't." Leslie feels bad at seeing Seth's ash fallen face.

"May I ask why?"

"I, uh, I like girls."

There's a short pause between them. It was the first thing that came into her mind and she blurted it out without thinking.

"Well, that explains it." Seth finally says. He smiles and laughs to cover the awkwardness of the situation.

"Right. Sorry."

"No, no. It's fine, don't be sorry. I'll just- I'll see you in the office tomorrow then?"

"Yes. I'm sorry again."

"Nothing to be sorry about, Leslie. I misread things. I should be the one to say sorry. I just assumed- well, right, then I best get going." Leslie sees Seth out and she leans her forehead on the door as she lets out a deep breath. She feels Ben's hand on her back and she turns to face him, seeing his smug smile.

"You like girls?"

"Shut up, Ben. Just finish what you started." She circles her arms around her neck, she jumps and wraps her legs around his waist. Ben catches her, his hands supporting her rear as he carries her to the bed.

The week went by like a blur. They focused on work during the day and after work, they would do something special every night. They had fancy dinners and some nights they just had room service.

They went to see a movie and had a little debate whether to see a sci-fi flick or a rom-com starring Sandra Bullock. Leslie won only after she promised Ben she'd do that thing during sex that he really liked.

They took strolls in the park and fed the geese that lived on the lake. One of the geese started chasing Ben and Leslie had to go save him by distracting it with some bread. Ben vowed never to go near them again even after Leslie assured him that she would protect him against all harmless creatures at all cost.

But Sunday came and they had to make their way back to Pawnee. Leslie missed her home town a lot but this week have been the best days she's ever had. Being able to act like a real couple with Ben was amazing and she is having a hard time accepting that soon they'll be back in Pawnee and they would have to hide their relationship again.

Ben feels the same way and has been quiet the whole drive back to Pawnee. They were now just a few minutes away from Leslie's house.

"Hey. So, what are you going to do after you drop me off?" Leslie asks softly.

"First, I need to check if Andy and April are still alive and if the house is still intact." Ben parks in front of Leslie's house and looks over to her. "Then I'll come by tonight."

"Yeah, that sounds good." Leslie tries to sound happy even when she was feeling really crappy that they were now back to being a couple only within the confines of her house.

-End Scene-