Chapter 27 - Hawaii
(WARNING: the end of this chapter contains mature content.)
Hawaii was stunning.
That's really the only way I could think of to describe it. As soon as we stepped off of the private jet, I was speechless. Growing up in a small town in Alaska, my sisters and I hadn't gotten to see much of the world. This place was vibrant, green, warm - everything my town in Alaska wasn't. I loved it.
When we arrived at our hotel, a man greeted Savanna by name and took her bag from her. It was clear to me that she had been here many times before. Smiling at him, I gripped Arielle's hand a little bit tighter. She was so in awe by everything, I didn't want her to loose track of us.
The man, who's name tag read Gerardo, lead us through the lobby. This was clearly a very nice hotel; everything seemed to be spick and span, and everyone we walked by seemed to be carrying themselves with an air of arrogance. One lady in the corner kept shooting us dirty looks. I'm sure she could tell that Ari and I were not of the same social standing.
Much to my surprise, Gerardo lead us past the main elevators and down a small hallway. Savanna continued to follow, phone pressed against her ear. She had been on the phone with Jason ever since we had landed, discussing in detail how he needed to 'run ship' while we were gone, and what time to force Skylar to go to sleep. Finally, when we reached the end of the hall, Gerardo stopped and slid his keycard through the slot. It beeped and the metal doors slid open, revealing a rather large private elevator. I stepped inside, mouth hanging open a little.
What even was this place?
Pressing the button for the top floor, Gerardo turned to face us. "Is this your first time in Hawaii?" he asked.
"Is it that obvious?" I questioned, duking my head a little so he wouldn't see me blush. I must've been gawking at everything more openly than I had thought.
"Only a little," he winked at me, turning away. He was an older man with salt and pepper hair, extremely skinny with an olive skin tone. He seemed nice enough.
There was another ding, and then the doors slid open. I couldn't help but gasp a little bit. The room was beautiful, lit up by the glass wall directly in front of us. In the middle of the living room hung a gigantic, shimmering chandelier. Curved white couches formed a semi circle with a fire pit in the middle. Everything looked so clean I was almost afraid to step inside.
Still chatting away, Savanna through her purse aimlessly onto one of the couches and stepped into one of the bedrooms. Gerardo turned to smile at me and my sister, gesturing for us to come inside. "Please don't be shy, I'm sure anyone of these rooms are available just for you. Will the boys not be tagging along on this trip?"
"Um, no," I said, awkwardly scratching the back of my head. With an excited squeal Arielle dropped my hand and ran away, leaving me alone with Gerardo. "Do you know when my suitcase will get here?" I wanted to change out of my airplane clothes. Something about sitting on a plane for hours made me feel like I needed a shower, even if it was a private jet.
"We'll bring it up shortly, ma'am," he dipped his head, taking a step backwards into the elevator. One more ding and the doors slid closed, officially leaving me alone. I didn't understand hotel suites with more than one room. I had never been the type of person who could afford them, and yet here I was, in Hawaii with my sister who was about to film a movie. I was baffled.
Mesmerized by the view, I found myself drawn closer to the glass wall. All you could see for what felt like miles was white sand beach and the glistening ocean. Again, I was speechless.
My phone suddenly rang, breaking the silence. Ben's name lit up on my screen, and I found myself smiling without even meaning to. "Hey you," I answered.
"How's Hawaii?" He asked, his deep voice giving me butterflies. How could just a voice be having such an effect on me?
"Gorgeous," I breathed, still staring at the ocean. "I could look at this view for days."
"That's one of my favorite places to visit. I still can't believe Mom wouldn't let me come." Before we had left, Ben had begged to be allowed to come. However, Savanna was very admit in the fact that everyone else had to stay home and stay in school. Two kids out and homeschooling in Hawaii was enough to handle.
"I wish you were here," I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Who else am I supposed to torture on a daily basis?"
"Haha, very funny," I could hear the smirk in his voice, and could almost picture the mischievous glint in his eyes. "Are you looking at the ocean right now?"
"How'd you know?" I frowned. It was like he could see me.
"It's the first thing I do every time I go there as well. Turn to your left." Puzzled, I complied. "See the door right in front of you?"
"Duh," I deadpanned, curiosity gaining my interest. Immediately, I started walking for that door.
"Get that room. It's my favorite."
"Why?"
"You'll see."
I definitely did see. This room was massive! A huge, four poster bed with a black canopy sat directly in the center, sitting on top of a white, fuzzy rug. There was one black accent wall, and another wall made completely of glass. There was a door leading out to a balcony, which I immediately was drawn to. Who wouldn't? I must've made a noise of surprise, because Ben chuckled.
"Like what you see?"
"This is amazing."
"Don't go onto the patio," he told me. Once again, I didn't know how he had known I was already lifting my hand to the door handle, but I didn't say anything. "Go into the restroom." He didn't have to tell me twice. Before he even finished talking I scurried across the room and opened the door.
It was like I was exploring a mansion.
The bathroom had black tile and a huge rain shower that had an electric control panel on the wall. Lights lined the gigantic mirror that hung above the black granite sink. The thing that caught my attention, however, was in the far back corner. I could hear what sounded like water lapping around, and as I drew closer, I sucked in a breath. "Holy shit."
"Ah, so you found my favorite part," he chuckled. This was an indoor pool. It has stars leading down to the base, and a square hole in the wall let sunshine bleed through. I didn't even have to swim to know that the hole led to an outdoor pool on the balcony. "Whenever we go to Hawaii that's the room I take. Feel free to use it."
I couldn't even find the words to speak. Was this real life?
"Shi?"
"Huh? Oh, sorry," I breathed, running a hand through my hair. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. "I just...I don't even know what I'm supposed to say about this." Mindlessly, I wandered back into the bedroom and flopped down on the bed. Of course it was the most comfortable thing I had ever felt.
"I can't wait to go swimming under the stars with you. You're going to love it."
"But you're not here," I pouted, sticking out my bottom lip. I knew he couldn't see me, but it was more of a habit than anything else.
"I will be at the end of the month."
Surprised, I sat up. "What?"
"Shh, it's a secret." He hissed, a short bark of laughter escaping his lips. "Mom won't know until I get there."
"She's gunna kill you."
"It'll be worth it. I miss you already. I don't think I could wait any longer."
There were those damn butterflies again. I giggled, smiling from ear to ear. The way he made me feel...it was like nothing I had ever experienced before. Sure, Ben was an asshole, but when he was nice I was on cloud-9. I told myself I hated this feeling, but deep down inside I knew I was lying to myself.
The month passed quickly. I spent most days on set with Ari, watching as she learned the ins and outs of acting. I couldn't have been more proud. She had a pretty big role, and everyone was impressed by how well she was doing. When we weren't on set, we were either doing our schoolwork or sightseeing. Savanna had taken us hiking, paddle boarding, snorkeling, and my personal favorite, swimming with dolphins. The whole trip was like I was living a fairy tale.
Every night before he went to bed, Ben would call me. Because of the time difference we had usually just finished eating dinner, so I would quickly find an excuse to scurry off to have a private conversation. He would ask me about my day and I would ask about his. I'd tell him all of the beautiful things I was seeing and he would tell me what was happening back home. The call always ended with him saying he missed me and he would see me soon.
I missed him too. As much as it surprised me, I missed hearing his annoying voice and having him around to test my nerves. Before I knew it, the month was up and I was waking up on the morning Ben was flying in. I couldn't help but squeal in excitement as I jumped from my bed, hurrying to the closet where I had hung all of my clothes. I had already agonized over what I was going to wear that day, so I quickly swiped the outfit off of the hanger and hurried to the bathroom to shower.
When I was clean, I slipped into my outfit. It was a white body suit with red roses in the top right corner. I paired it with denim shorts and white flip flops. I had gotten quite tan from being in the sun so much, so the only makeup I applied was mascara and a shimmer lipgloss. Tussling my hair one last time, I exited my room.
Savanna and Arielle were already hustling to get ready. Ari had a shoot she needed to be at by 10AM. "Good morning!" I chirped, giving them a smile. Savanna rose an eyebrow at me, but continued to dig around in her purse. "Is it okay if I stay here today? I just want to relax."
"You want to wear that to relax?" She questioned me, placing a hand on her hip.
"It's surprisingly comfortable," I lied, leaping to lay down on the couch.
"Fine, but you better not be having any Hawaiian boys in this hotel room," she scolded, scooping up her bag. I smiled brightly at her. Hawaiian boys, no. A certain boy from Tennessee, however...."Come on Ari, we don't want to be late."
"Bye Shi!" My sister called, waving as they entered the elevator. I waved back, blowing her a kiss. Part of me felt guilty for sneaking Ben up here, but I knew we wouldn't have a good day together if Savanna already knew her son had snuck across the country.
Ben had already texted me saying he was hiding in the hotel restaurant. All I had to do was wait until I thought his mom had already left the premises, and then text him to come upstairs. He had already gotten a key card to the elevator from Gerardo, since he knew Ben.
My heart was racing a million miles per minute. I was about to see Ben for the first time in a month. We had talked on the phone every day, but it wasn't the same. I was afraid he would see me and decided he wanted nothing to do with me, after all. But there was another part of me that couldn't wait to see him, no matter the outcome.
I waited five minutes, long enough to where I knew they had already driven away, before I texted Ben. Two seconds later her replied, on my way up. Nervously, I stood up and turned to face the elevator. I couldn't help but bounce on my feet as I adjusted my hair and shorts, trying my best to look perfect. A minute later the familiar ding of the elevator sounded and the doors slid open, and there he was. He stood there with his hands in his pockets, wearing a pair of light wash jeans and a light blue t-shirt. His hair was a little longer than it was before, hanging into his eyes slightly. As soon as his eyes landed on me a huge smile stretched across his face, which I mimicked.
"Ben!" I screamed, unable to control myself. I sprinted forwarded and threw my arms around his neck, letting my legs wrap around his waist. He caught me and spun me around, laughing. His familiar sent engulfed me as I melted into his embrace.
"God, I missed you," he whispered. I wasn't sure if I was meant to hear it or not. Instead of replying I nuzzled my face farther into his neck, breathing him in. Gone was the Ben who hated me from the moment I stepped foot into his life, and I must say, I much preferred this version of him. Slowly, he let me down. I let my feet touch the ground but I didn't remove my hands from around his neck, and he didn't move his hands from my waist.
He stared at me intently, eyes wandering around my face as if he wanted to remember every detail. Suddenly, his eyebrows furrowed. "You're so tan," he mused. I couldn't help but giggle. For a moment he looked like he wanted to kiss me, and I hoped that he would, but he sighed and released his grip on me, taking a step away. "What are we doing today?"
"Huh?" I was confused. I had spent the last month thinking of when he would kiss me again, but he didn't even try?! I'm sure disappointment flashed across my face but if Ben noticed, he didn't say anything.
"What are we doing? Whatever your heart desires. I just want to spend time with you."
This was weird.
"Well, how about we get breakfast first?" I said, but it came out as more of a question. I hadn't been sure how exactly this reunion would go, but this wasn't what I had been expecting.
He nodded, "Sounds good."
And so we got breakfast. Conversation was pleasant enough, but I couldn't shake the feeling he was being distant on purpose, despite the fact that he kept reminding me how much he has missed me. After breakfast he took me down to his favorite parasailing shop. They took us out to the water and we went up together. The wind whipped around us so loudly that even though I tried to ask him what was wrong, he couldn't hear me. Or he just pretended he couldn't. The view was beautiful, though, and when we landed back in the water it was warm on my skin.
Next been took me snorkeling, which I had already done a handful of times but if never ceased to amaze me. Ocean life was beautiful, and swimming up close and personal to the vibrantly colorful fish was an experience I would never forget.
He took me out to sushi for dinner, to a restaurant I knew I would never be able to afford on my own. It's a good thing all Miller children had a family credit card. This place was modern, classy, and elegant all at the same time. Every table sat outside under a cabana, facing the ocean. The only part of the restaurant that was inside was the kitchen, which you could still see into because the building was made of all glass windows.
"So, how are things back home?" I asked, taking a sip of the red wine they had offered us. They must've thought we were older, and I surely wasn't going to say anything.
"Good," Ben nodded, also sipping on his glass. "Your sisters are doing great, by the way. I'm sure you talk to them, but I just thought I'd tell you myself."
"They love the country," I laughed, thinking of the last time I had gotten to FaceTime my sisters. They had gotten used to their new environment and now felt right at home. "I meant with you."
"Oh, I'm great. Yep, just super." His eyes wandered anywhere but me. I kept trying to catch his attention by flipping my hair, or leaning over so my boobs hung out a little too much, but nothing was working. I was getting frustrated - what the hell was up with him?!
"Graduation is coming up, huh?" I tried again, hoping that some conversation would spark his interest. Instead he sat up a little bit straighter, nodding silently. I sighed and gave up, instead switching to stare at my sushi intensely.
Around six the sun was already setting. My phone buzzed in my back pocket, so I pulled it out and opened the screen.
Savanna: sorry hun, shoot is running a little late today. We had to wait for the sun to go down. Don't know when we'll be back but I'll keep you posted!
I grinned inwardly to myself. Suddenly, I had the perfectly evil plan. The hotel room would be empty for several more hours, that was plenty of time to get Ben out of his shell.
"Let's go back to the hotel," I announced, jumping to my feet. I moved so quickly that Ben could barely keep up with me, only pausing to pay for the check and hop in the cab right behind me.
The ride back to the hotel was silent, but I didn't really mind. I was too busy plotting. Over the month of FaceTime and talking every day, I had definitely developed feelings for the oldest Miller brother. I couldn't deny that any longer. In fact, I was easily falling for him, and fast. I knew what I wanted and I was going to get it. After the whole situation with Marks, I had shied away from human contact, but Ben was different.
He was kind, caring, funny, considerate - everything Marks wasn't. He had his flaws, but who didn't? The way he was acting unnerved me because I wanted the complete opposite. I wanted him to kiss me. I wanted him to touch me. I wanted him.
As soon as we stepped into the hotel room I ran to my closet, slipping into the sexiest bikini I owned. It was all black, with a small top that barely contained my boobs and cheeky bottoms that made my ass look good. I threw my hair into a messy bun before stepping into the swimming pool in my bathroom and walking down the steps. The water stopped at my waist level, lapping around my hips.
"Ben!" I yelled, cupping my hands around my mouth. No answer. "Benjamin Miller!" Seconds later he came busting into the room, almost at a full sprint.
"What's wron-" he cut himself off, mouth falling open slightly when he saw me. His eyes trailed up and down my body, as if taking in every inch of skin that he possibly could. I smirked, knowing my plan was working.
"Aren't you going to join me?" I asked, turning around and walking farther into the pool. I heard him scrambling to take off his clothes, and seconds later heard him stepping into the pool. When I knew he was following I ducked my head under the water and swam through the hole in the wall, to the part of the pool that was outside. It was dark now, but the floor was lit by yellow lights. There was a step by the glass wall of the pool that looked out to the ocean, so I sat on it and propped my elbows up on the ledge.
Ben's head poked out of the water as soon as I situated myself, and he came to sat by me. It was like he didn't want to look away, which is exactly what I wanted. I looked up at him through my lashes, smiling. He gulped.
Okay, Shiloh, I told myself, trying to steady my shaking hands. Don't back out now.
"Hey," I said, mentally slapping myself for how stupid that sounded. Hey, really? I couldn't come up with anything better?
"Hey," he chuckled, shaking his head. If he thought I didn't notice his eyes flickering down to my boobs every other second, he was wrong. Confidently, I pushed myself up and swung a leg over him, so that I was sitting on his lap. His eyes widened a little in surprise as I pressed my whole body against his, placing my hands around his neck. With a deep breath I leaned in, closing my eyes when my lips were inches from his. Much to my surprise, though, my lips came into contact with his cheek instead of his lips. My eyes flew open to find his head turned to the side, a sheepish look crossing his face.
"What the hell!" I exclaimed, suddenly angry. Mostly, I felt embarrassed. I wanted to punch him in the face. "What is wrong with you, huh? You were all flirty on the phone this past month but now that you're here with me, it's like you'd rather be back in Tennessee. What does a girl have to do to get kissed, damnit!"
A look of surprise crossed his face, and he sucked in a breath. I felt a hot breath cross my face and dipped my head slightly. Crap, why did I always say things to embarrass myself?
"Trust me, Shiloh, right now I want to rip your clothes off," I snapped my head up, not sure if I heard his husky voice right. He was staring at me intensely. "But after that...thing...happened with Marks, I wasn't exactly considerate, and I don't want a repeat of that. I want to show you that I really do care about you, and I'm not trying to force you into anything that you don't want to do."
Relaxation hit me instantly. He wasn't trying to be an asshole, he was trying to be sweet!
"Ben...After Marks did what he did, I was in a bad place, understandably. But I don't want to act like a victim forever. I don't want him to win. You've been a big part in helping me move on from that, from coming to terms and accepting the fact that I'm never going to be completely the same again, and that that's okay. I am fine. I am here. And if you couldn't tell, I kinda want you to rip my clothes off too."
A darkness crossed his eyes that I hadn't seen before. Before I could even breathe he crashed his lips to mine, hard. The kiss was urgent, messy, and hot. I almost couldn't move my lips fast enough to keep up with his. He bit my lip, making me gasp and gaining him entrance to swipe his tongue into my mouth. He tasted like mint. He only broke the kiss to move his lips along my jaw and neck, making my eyes roll back into my head. He made my toes curl and whole body tingle. When he reached the top of my boobs he broke away, looking me in the eyes. I gulped. Something told me once we went past this point neither of us would be able to stop.
With shaking hands, I reached up and untied the knot holding my top in place. "Are you sure about this?" He asked, voice husky. I froze for a moment, biting my lip. Was I sure? About Ben, yes I was. Without speaking I let my top drop, completely revealing myself for Ben to see. His eyes roamed my body freely, taking in every inch. "You are so fucking beautiful." He whispered before he crashed his lips back to mine.
This time the kiss was more gentle. He let his fingers trail up and down my back, sending tingles down my spine. My bare chest pressed firmly against his, only my bikini bottoms and his boxers separating us. I could feel the bulge in his pants, which told me he wanted me too. I couldn't help but smirk.
Without warning he placed his hands under my ass and hoisted me into the air. I squeaked slightly, but he didn't break the kiss. My senses were going so crazy it was like the world was spinning. On the opposite end of the pool were stairs that lead to the patio. He carried me up them like I weighed nothing and opened the door to my bedroom, walking me inside. Slowly, looking me in the eyes, he laid me down on the bed and hovered over me. I didn't even care that we were still both soaking wet, I grabbed his neck and crashed his lips back to mine.
This time, the kiss slowly became more intense. Our lips moved faster, our bodies pressing impossibly closer. Slowly, almost nervously, Ben grabbed the corner of my bikini bottoms and pushed them down. His hand slipped between my legs and I couldn't help the small moan that escaped my lips. Whoa.
When my hands reached the corner of his boxers, he froze. "Are you sure about this?" He asked.
"I've never been more sure in my life." I told him, pulling him closer. This was it. No turning back.
"Are you ready?"
"Yes."
***
Mind blowing. That's the only way to describe it. At first it hurt, but Ben was careful and considerate, and before I knew it I forgot all about the pain. He seemed to forget, too, because soon we were lost in the moment. I was his and he was mine; we were connected in a way that I had never experience before. Yes it felt good, but the connection I felt to him felt better. If he wasn't kissing me he was looking me straight in the eye with a look closer to love then I had ever seen Ben produce. Of course, that could've had something to do with the fact that he had finally found his way into my pants.
When we finished Ben collapsed beside me, both of us a tangle of limbs and sweat. "That was.." I stopped, unsure of how to explain it. I suddenly felt self conscious of the fact that I was laying naked next to Benjamin Miller.
"Amazing. That was amazing." He finished for me, giving me a kiss on the shoulder. We laid there in silence. I had one hand in his hair and he was aimlessly tracing patterns onto my hip bone. Finally, he sat up. "I'm going to shower. Want to join me?"
"Slow down, tiger," I laughed, pushing him away. "Maybe in a minute. You go ahead." Honestly, my legs felt shaky. I wasn't sure I could stand up if I tried.
"Suit yourself," he shrugged, getting up and jogging to the restroom. I couldn't help but watch him leave, admiring how firm his ass was.
A minute later, I heard a phone ringing in the living room. I knew it wasn't mine because my phone was sitting on the night stand next to me. "Ben, your phone is ringing!" No response. The water was already running so I assumed he was already in the shower. Laughing, I wrapped a blanket around my body and jogged to the living room. I would just take it to him, then.
It took me a moment to find his phone, but I finally located it on the floor by the couch. It had stopped ringing but started again seconds later. I scooped it up and flipped it over, reading the name on the screen.
Monica.
And the contact picture was of the bitch kissing Ben on the cheek.
I felt like I was going to throw up.
Or feint.
Or both.
I was going to kill Benjamin Miller.
A/N: it's been years since I started this story, and Monica hasn't made an appearance in a while, so in case you forget she is Ben's on and off again girlfriend since 8th grade. Yikes.
This chapter is a long one. Hope it makes up for the long time since I updated. Does it help if I say I reworte it like 5 times because I wasn't satisfied? I still don't love it, but I hope y'all do.
See you soon with another update! Love y'all!