Turn Me Bad

”You’re little undercover act back at the office?“ she reminded him. ”Aren’t you worried that walking through places you’re not supposed to be in will end up getting you accused of things?”

”It was much too tempting to see the look on your face.”

”I’m glad it amused you.”

”Or else the whole group would have seen your jaw drop like that. Which would have needed some explaining,“ Benjamin added, smiling all the while as if she was really in on the joke.

”Which would have looked bad on you or me?”

”I just thought you’d prefer if our association was kept discreet.”

”Sure, and you’re good at discreet, aren’t you.”

”You think?”

”Like when you – I don’t know – have to sneak out of a hotel room first thing in the morning without anyone noticing.”

”Oh, Violet,“ Benjamin replied, adopting a forgiving tone. ”That was just me making sure I was on time for work.”

”You couldn’t say goodbye?”

”I didn’t want to wake you.”

”What did you think I was going to do? Demand a date for a wedding and ask you to start choosing table decorations?”

Her tone should have been serious enough to convince him not to take her mood lightly, but as she looked up to see whether his cockiness became reduced somewhat, she only saw him smile and step closer. He appeared to enjoy being told off; what can a woman possibly do with a man like that?

”You know what I’m thinking?” he replied at last, a glint in his eyes not unlike that just before they had made love.

”Do you?” she replied sarcastically, though feeling a slight grimace that the comment might actually be uncalled for – though Benjamin didn’t look put out.

”I’m thinking I should probably apologize,“ he said. ”Yes, definitely, in fact. I should definitely apologize.”

”Well?“ she asked, when he went quiet without doing so.

”The thing is,“ he went on, ”I’d prefer to apologize through deed rather than words, if that’s all the same to you?”

”If that’s all the same to me? And how do you propose to do that?”

”By taking you to dinner this evening. I’m sure there are plenty of great places around here.”

Violet stopped pretending to ignore him and glared up. With the look on her face she intended to show him she was not amused, but still he stood his ground and refused to be deterred.

”Benjamin, I have to say I’m disappointed in you,” she replied.

”That’s why I want to make up for it.”

”Not for the other night,” she told him. “For thinking of me as some kind of easy lay who’s going to jump back into bed with you just because you’re back in Palmdale. You’re going to need much more than a cheeky smile to get this girl to give you a second chance, lover boy.”

”I’m not just back in Palmdale,“ Benjamin informed her, putting a hand to his heart to stress his sincerity, but still smiling.”I sought out your firm on purpose so I could find you, regretting not having woken you.”

”You mean the girls have fallen for your tricks too many times wherever you’re from?”

”I don’t think you’d fall for any tricks, Violet,“ he said, a little more seriously, but it was a compliment she couldn’t quite accept seeing as she had not exactly demanded a second date before going all the way with him. That had not been like her, but it had all felt so natural and impulsive at the time. The problem now was assessing where she stood in his mind; a permanent loose lifestyle was just not for her, even if she had dabbled in it for one evening.

Seeing as she could not quite think of a response that time, Benjamin asked again.

”So, do you agree to it? I thought we could go into town this time?”

Violet shrugged in a way that could have been interpreted as a yes or no, before the door opened and they were joined by the team returning for the rest of the shoot.

As much as she wanted to give him a hard time, Violet also knew that there was a glaring contradiction in doing so. If he had been aware of her efforts to track him down the previous week, then he would have known that asking her out was a lot easier than her attitude was suggesting. Additionally, she felt the need to pry regarding how he had sought her out. The attempt was likely disrupting to whatever usual routine he would have had and impressively orchestrated too. She was repressing the compliment, but in truth, she was glowing with flattery that he had given her another thought. More than just another thought, in fact; he was pursuing her with a passion.

Violet kept her intentions enigmatic throughout the rest of the day’s work, aiming to keep him in a state of uncertainty. Though his inability to look ruffled at all by this continued to be infuriating, she had in fact decided very quickly to accept his offer.

He was a naughty boy. Which was precisely the reason he should be avoided and precisely the reason why she was not going to let some other lucky girl get her claws into him.