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"You don't think I belong here?"
"Of course you don't. Oh, I'm sure it's all very entertaining for you, but you'll tire of the peace and quiet and want to get back to shopping and having teas, I'm sure."
"I've never had a tea."
"Really, well, then
you need to talk to your aunt. She has them all the time."
Savannah searched his face, and felt the heat go up a notch, as she memorized every plane of it. She wanted to move back to the door, where it was safe, but short of looking like a real coward, she didn't budge.
"Are you putting me in my place?"
He pulled to the side of the road and turned to face her. His eyes took her in, made love to her and his voice was like velvet when he finally found the words. "Savannah," he pulled the back of her head toward him, "I don't want to put you in your place, honey. I want to take you to my bed, and make love to you. That's how hungry I am for you. I want you for breakfast, lunch and supper and breakfast again. Now have I put you in your place?"
"But...Ben.." she started to protest.
Then his lips came down on hers, satiating the hunger between them. He devoured her gently like a lion that has his supper before him and is in no hurry to enjoy it. His hands went to cup her breasts and he groaned when she responded against him.
He pulled his lips from hers with a force, "I've wanted you from the beginning Savannah. Nothing has changed that," he whispered near her ear. "But that's all it is...wanting, you understand. I don't want to mislead you."
She gasped and sighed at the same time as her head fell against his arm. "It's not enough to want someone Ben...." she said as her eyes opened to the fire within him.
"Yeah," he responded, and started the truck up again.
The rest of the trip was made in total silence.
At the restaurant Ben guided her to the table. Everyone in the restaurant seemed to notice them. He barely looked at her, and she at him.
Still there was a tension between them that even a stranger would recognize. If he had wanted to create a scene between them, it couldn't have been staged better. Had he done all this to confuse her and set her up for this night? This wasn't the way it was suppose to go. They were simply having dinner together, why couldn't they keep it impersonal. She wanted to get to know this man.
Several of his friends came over to their table, introduced themselves and smiled at their misery.
"Well Ben, looks like everyone was all wrong about you. Seems as though you've been busier than we all knew." Margaret Howard was saying as she stared at Savannah.
"It's about time you found a lady. And isn't she a pretty one."
"You can say that again," Bill Howard was saying.
Savannah reddened.
"Bringing her to the July celebration, Ben?" Margaret asked.
"Sure," Ben responded, his smile in place and his hand reaching for hers.
Holding hands had never been a big deal to Savannah, but touching Ben in any way was disturbing. Why did he have to be so different? Why couldn't she accept things like she had with Chad?
Or had she merely taken Chad's gentleness for granted?
Her hands were sweating, and her heartbeat still hadn't returned to normal after his amorous kisses. She couldn't put them away.
He wanted her! That realization scared her. Because the truth was, she wanted him too. But she knew better now. She knew what she wanted now and knowing it was painful. Wanting to be one with him was not enough. It never would be.
She'd made a mistake going with Chad so long and having no idea what she had gotten herself into. But with Ben it was different. She knew he didn't want marriage, family or anything she wanted. He only wanted her body, and that just wasn't enough.
She tried to eat, but it was hard, eating and swallowing the lump in her throat. How had this happened to her? How could she sit here so calmly acting the part out and feeling it at the same time. She had somehow, fallen in love with Ben Hogg and there was absolutely no hope of getting out of this without being hurt.
After dinner, she was sure he would take her right home, but he didn't. Instead she found herself sitting next to him at a drive in theater. "I thought all the drive-in theaters were torn down, some time ago."
