Of course he would want to wow the new woman in his life and she knew just how to do it. Working as his assistant allowed her to live out her every fantasy by creating romantic dates for the women who caught his attention. But, this was another level for Ben.
His personal and professional life almost never overlapped, and Rachel imagined Katherine must be having a serious impact on him if he wanted to take her to a charity event where so many of his colleagues and profe
ssional connections would be present.
“I think I have just the thing,” Rachel proudly announced before chugging the rest of her drink.
Following suit, Ben did the same with his drink before taking both glasses to the sink at the back of his office. Excusing herself, Rachel went on to continue with the planning of his day, while Ben settled back into his seat, ready begin.
After the high of an evening with Katherine, he was ready to tackle his meetings while thinking about asking her out again. Things were moving fast, despite their decision to take things slow, and Ben knew he would need to exercise restraint to give Katherine the pace she needed.
Chapter Nineteen
Katherine
SHE HAD JUST UNPACKED the last of her boxes, standing back to take in her new place. It had all come together in the final hours as she found the perfect nook for every photo frame and knick-knack she had picked up from one place or another.
The living area was very cozy and centered around a brick fireplace Katherine couldn’t wait to use. It was the selling feature when she first saw the apartment, daydreaming of cooler evenings when she could cuddle up on the sofa with a book and a cup of tea. She wanted to make a life in her new place and had all the trappings to make it happen.
The small couch was more like a loveseat, evident that she didn’t have much plans for hosting others or entertaining. It was a small space, but it was perfect for Katherine. She needed to rebuild her life and it was the perfect setting to do just that.
The hardwood floors ran through the entire apartment, including the small kitchen that featured an island with a metal countertop, covered by the cut marks made by the tenants that came before me, lending character to the place. Katherine had the option to have a brand-new place, one that had never been lived in before, but something about that seemed wrong.
She and Tim had their house built with the hopes of starting a new life together, one that could not be destroyed. What ensued was a life of chaos and destruction, so she didn’t want to repeat the same mistakes thinking a clean slate required a new setting. No, she wanted the familiarity left in a home that had been lived in before, and this one had that.
Even without every necessary comfort feature, Katherine felt like she was living in a home, as opposed to a newly constructed apartment building, and she needed that extra layer of security. She wasn’t alone in her home, or at least that’s how she felt.
It was refreshing, and as her shoulders pressed back further than usual she realized how much of a confidence booster it was to have a place to call home. Katherine was proud of all she’d accomplished after leaving the only city she ever knew. Now, she was finding her own footing and starting over.
A low melody caught her attention as she looked from one side of the room to the other, trying to remember where she had put her cell phone. When she finally found it, she stared at the unrecognized number before answering the call.
“Hello?” She finally answered, curious and weary of unknown numbers. Typically, she wouldn’t even bother to answer a number she didn’t recognize, but something told her to take the call.
“Katherine?” His voice was clear from the first word he spoke. She knew it was Ben, and instantly understood the tug in her heart to answer the call.
“Ben?” She asked to be sure.
“Yeah, Talia gave me your number,” he explained.
Katherine had spent the night wondering how he could get in touch with her after not making any plans to reconnect with him again. The two had failed to even exchange phone numbers, but she knew he was resourceful enough to find her if he was interested. Talia had come through again, helping her out of her comfort zone.
“How are you, Katherine?” It was strange, because from the way that he paused, she knew that he was truly interested in her answer. There was nothing shallow about them, and when Ben asked her simple questions, she knew he wanted more. Always more.
“I’ve been thinking of you,” she admitted, only to be rewarded with what she thought sounded like a sigh of relief.
“I’ve thought of you, too,” he finally responded, and she smiled, walking through her apartment with a belly full of butterflies.
“Where are you, Ben?”
“I was going to ask you the same. I want to see you,” he boldly stated.
“Really?” She stalled, unsure of what to do next.
Katherine was comfortable with Ben, but she wanted to keep her home to herself for a little longer, in case she needed a safe haven to retreat to. Ben could be a fun great time, but until she was sure of it, she thought it best to keep her personal space to herself.
“What did you want to do?” She asked him.
“I actually have something I want to give you,” he explained.