Mr. Cumberbatch

Chapter 22- The Aftermath

"You should have told me."

A warm and fuzzy sensation tingles throughout Nicole's body as Benedict places a long soft kiss on the top of her forehead. She can feel his breath brush against her skin. He wraps his arms tighter around her waist as she lays on his couch beside him.

"I could have prevented Michael sooner if I had known about those notes. I could've protected you."

Nicole's body shrinks further against him as she lets out a regretful sigh. "I know. I should have told you. I just-"

"You just didn't want me to abandon what we had over some boy who was determined to get rid of me." He puts his fingertips gently upon her cheek. His soft touch sends shivers down her spine. He looks deeply into her eyes. "I wouldn't have left then, and I'm not leaving now."

Nicole places her hand on top of his that was resting against her face. She holds it there a little while longer enjoying the comforting feeling.

"Good," she says quietly. "I wouldn't have let you."

Benedict gives her a cheeky smile, although his expression quickly transforms. There's concern in his eyes. "So... Have you gotten around to explaining to Kevin about us?" His voice drags out on the last word.

Nicole tilts her head and grits her teeth together. "Um... Yeah, about that."

"Nicole," he chuckles, nudging her shoulder. "You have to tell him. You can't just leave him confused like that."

She rolls her eyes. "Yeah, I know. I just felt like he needed some time to soak it all in. He did just witness one of his friends kiss her teacher in a quite passionate manner."

"Alright," he sighs. "But you do owe it to him to tell him."

Nicole repositions herself and suddenly realizes goosebumps have formed themselves all over her arms. Benedict had left a window open that was continually bringing cool breezes directly into his living space. She hastily stands up above him and rubs her arms up and down to create heat.

"I'm going to go make some coffee, would you like some?"

Benedict nods his head eagerly, "Yes, please. Bla-"

She interrupts. "Black with two sugars, got it."

"You must know me too well," he smirks.

Nicole smiles and turns to exit through the doorway. Once she was in his kitchen, she reached into his cabinets and pulled out two glass mugs for their coffee. The coffee had already been made, it just needed to be poured and mixed with some sugar. The only problem was of course that she had no idea where he kept the sugar. She started searching through each cabinet and drawer she could think it would possibly be in.

"How about I put in a movie?" Benedict shouted from the next room over.

"Uh, yeah, that's fine!" she shouted back still occupied from rummaging through his drawers. She opens a certain wooden drawer that was hidden behind some spices and slides her hand inside from left to right. She thought it was empty until her fingers glided across a tiny box. She pulls it out and opens it to find a silver diamond ring. It had tiny words engraved into that read, "Forever and always my love".

"Oh! Let's watch a romantic comedy! How about Pretty Woman?!"

Benedict's voice from behind startles her and the ring flies out of the box and onto the floor, clinking with every bounce. She rapidly falls to the ground to try to catch it before it was out of sight.