Ben593Please respect copyright.PENANAwLiccSqqqk
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February 14, 2005593Please respect copyright.PENANAoHm6SDSoGR
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Same day593Please respect copyright.PENANAj4spvUcUPJ
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She doesn't believe me.593Please respect copyright.PENANAMnXNqIwG7r
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Of course she doesn't. Why would she? She sees me as a womanizing man-whore, which isn't completely untrue. But she doesn't know the truth.593Please respect copyright.PENANAN4Y9rAmkHy
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No one does. 593Please respect copyright.PENANAKeAgTFFpwF
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I plan to keep it that way. It's not like the truth would make anything better. 593Please respect copyright.PENANACDeLKMt3yP
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Well, not until now. Not until her.593Please respect copyright.PENANANi0qJUB1f1
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But this is a fake relationship, so there's no need to come clean.593Please respect copyright.PENANAcyt2z0zu1b
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She's not with me because she wants to be, she's with me because I'm an end to a means. Shit, that isn't right. I'm a means to an end. There we go.593Please respect copyright.PENANAT91XAi7Zwv
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Thank god I didn't say that out loud. She would have had my balls for that slip up.593Please respect copyright.PENANAU3XYnpPCBC
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I will have to make her see that I am not the guy she thinks I am. I can show her, just to prove a point, of course. 593Please respect copyright.PENANAUYbPbd6PAT
She obviously doesn't want to be with me for real. She's made it very clear that this is fake. 593Please respect copyright.PENANAsET0Pk429T
"Okay, we got off track a bit. Let's see, one was me not dating. Two was us not liking each other. And three was what again?" We blew through the first two pretty easily, I'm fairly confident the last one won't be that hard either.593Please respect copyright.PENANAhiS4DqJVvU
"We have barely even looked at each other in the past month, so why would we suddenly start dating now?" Since I met her, I could barely stop myself from staring at her. Guess she wasn't looking at me, though. 593Please respect copyright.PENANAbqpaoe42mZ
"Okay, well... for starters, that's completely untrue." At least on my part. "Besides, plenty of people start dating while barely knowing each other." 593Please respect copyright.PENANAxasx8Zu1rv
"What's untrue, exactly?" All of your little reasons.593Please respect copyright.PENANAMoXzuQLRvb
"I definitely looked at you." Every second I was near you.593Please respect copyright.PENANA21RCHKJlH1
"Okay, I didn't mean literally. I just mean, we haven't talked. We could barely stand to be in the same room together. So what changed?" She sounds annoyed. Shit. 593Please respect copyright.PENANAcNk3ns6lEk
"Well... You know... maybe the reason we couldn't stand to be in the same room together is because of our strong desire to be together, but we thought we couldn't be, so we avoided each other." Oh shoot. I didn't mean to be quite that honest.593Please respect copyright.PENANA7eJ6wMHnm7
"Okay, maybe for me, but no one is going to believe that for you." If only she knew...593Please respect copyright.PENANACSMmasWLWX
"Sure they will. The guys teased me constantly for staring at you, so they will totally believe I was just pining after you." I immediately regret the words as soon as I say them. She's not going to believe me anyway and I sound like a total pussy.593Please respect copyright.PENANAXbA9wI70o9
I wait for her retort, but I hear nothing but a sharp intake of breath. 593Please respect copyright.PENANAEH8BvImNo6
I feel her nose brush against mine. She must have leaned forward accidentally... 593Please respect copyright.PENANApd2az9C455
But then her lips meet mine. 593Please respect copyright.PENANAgo6TzM4V9H
The kiss is soft and delicate, just like her. It's sweet and completely her. It causes something to stir within my chest. 593Please respect copyright.PENANAZT4VNkw3qz
It makes me want more. And not just sex. I want more of everything. 593Please respect copyright.PENANAZXdOcY2Pt2
Oh, so much more.593Please respect copyright.PENANAbIMw10Jtl5
Too bad this isn't real. She doesn't really want to be with me.593Please respect copyright.PENANAJEEhbSNine
Fuck, I can't want more. 593Please respect copyright.PENANAzBxo1JBDtA
She breaks off the kiss. "Oh god, that was dumb. I'm so sorry."593Please respect copyright.PENANAYavfTWvjl2
Why is she apologizing? 593Please respect copyright.PENANAStPrhmDcXE
"That was a good practice kiss." I try to reassure her, even though it's we killing me that this isn't real. 593Please respect copyright.PENANA228yktAdRs
She releases a breath. She must be embarrassed. Shit, she's probably over thinking again. I need to stop her before she dumps my fake ass. 593Please respect copyright.PENANAAHfDT0uyQy
As much as I hate pretending, not being around her would be so much worse. This past month has been hell. I tried to keep up appearances, flirting around, but my heart wasn't in it. 593Please respect copyright.PENANAmsPXrPHgqH
A part of me kinda hoped it would make her jealous. Yeah, like that would ever happen. 593Please respect copyright.PENANAVp2xWTcXnq
Just look at her. What does she have to be jealous of? She's fucking perfect.593Please respect copyright.PENANAPd5xW7QMNr
Okay, time to distract her. "You know, we are going to have to be convincing, so we need to get used to doing coupley things."593Please respect copyright.PENANAxqEjxvf6Ul
"True..." She doesn't sound very convinced.593Please respect copyright.PENANARgFDcqOrWq
"Okay, I think I know what will help." I try to sound less exhausted than I am. She needs reassurance more than I need sleep. "Let's play a game. We need to get to know each other."593Please respect copyright.PENANAyLPixuGw9R
"It's easy, just tell me something about you and I will tell you something about me." I know it's lame, but I couldn't come up with anything better. My brain is turning to mush from the alcohol and lack of sleep. 593Please respect copyright.PENANAyPtrdUGitJ
"I think you misused the word 'game'." She giggles. Thank god, crisis averted.593Please respect copyright.PENANAngKNDzVVYw
"Maybe." I laugh with her. "Just tell me something about you."593Please respect copyright.PENANAMMIKPavsZj
"No way, your game. You go first." She slaps my arm with the hand I'm not holding. I don't even know why I grabbed it in the first place, it just felt natural, and now I don't want to let go. 593Please respect copyright.PENANAdt10ig0qeR
"Okay, give me a second to think." I hope something comes to me because my mind is completely blank.593Please respect copyright.PENANAiTcCs8nu9H
"While you think, can I have my hand back?" She tugs her hand, but mine doesn't budge. 593Please respect copyright.PENANAK5uDy4VWzf
"No way, this hand is mine now." I squeeze it tighter. 593Please respect copyright.PENANAmxpEJJH8bw
"I am actually going to need it though." I bring our clutched hands to my face to place a kiss on hers.593Please respect copyright.PENANAreO9RpydNn
"Nope. It's mine. You can't have it." She pulls a little harder, but I'm much stronger than she is. She's not getting it back unless I let it go.593Please respect copyright.PENANAtLQAP4WbST
"Ow. You're hurting me." I immediately release her hand, just before she begins to laugh.593Please respect copyright.PENANAZbhVxEvBxv
"You little liar!" I hop up on my knees, to pin her down with one arm as my other hand tickles her side.593Please respect copyright.PENANAqvZYlGjRTO
She's squealing and begging me to stop. "Who knew you were so ticklish!" I move up to her armpit, continuing my assault.593Please respect copyright.PENANA1GDxn3Wh6f
"Stop! Stop! Okay, okay! Let's play your stupid game." Her breathing is heavy as she punches my chest with her little fists. 593Please respect copyright.PENANAGAjXtCqOi3
"Okay, Beautiful. Let's play, but..." I grab her hand again, locking our fingers together. "...this is still mine. I let it go under false pretenses."593Please respect copyright.PENANAgj3RKKvHlJ
She groans, but doesn't say anything. Oh right, I'm supposed to go first. 593Please respect copyright.PENANATnuC1wFHwk
Dammit. I really didn't think this through.593Please respect copyright.PENANAzYJu7Q5G2R
"Uhmm... I think we should change the game slightly. Ask me any question and I will answer honestly. Then you have to answer it too. We can take turns coming up with questions." Oh god, what a huge mistake. What if she asks something I can't answer.593Please respect copyright.PENANABEeoe6NFxX
Shit. Shit. Shit.593Please respect copyright.PENANATkPX5fn7CQ
"Okay... Let's start out easy. Tell me about your parents." This could be very bad. Why didn't I think of this?593Please respect copyright.PENANAAcqRNvfdaF
"They are pretty typical, you know, just parents." I didn't think she would start off here. 593Please respect copyright.PENANA3k6X5AgY7U
"That's it? Seriously?" She sounds disappointed, but I can't get into the truth.593Please respect copyright.PENANAXecRTer7AZ
"There's really not much to say. My dad runs Alexander-Murphy Enterprises, so he works all the time. My mom is great, but she wants me to get married and it's all she talks about when I see her." There, maybe that will be enough to switch topics. 593Please respect copyright.PENANAFRpXVZvv2n
"No way! Your dad runs AME? So, you're what like, super rich?" I was used to people referring to it by its acronym, but I didn't expect Kat to be that familiar with the company.593Please respect copyright.PENANA0ZYz7S012J
"I guess. He owns it, well him and Uncle Declan." I've already said way too much, but for some reason I want to be honest with her.593Please respect copyright.PENANA1tUVBolVz9
"Wait... So is Joseph your brother? And Cole?" Shit. I was hoping she didn't know about my family.593Please respect copyright.PENANACxr3OsHJG1
"No." I blow out a breath. I really didn't want to get into this tonight. "I am Joseph Alexander."593Please respect copyright.PENANAR3NnNumbUq
"But you go by Ben?" I can't tell if she's more in shock or curious.593Please respect copyright.PENANAbvQBhR8mJg
"Nate and I both decided to use our middle names so we wouldn't be as recognizable." I've always hated my first name anyway. 593Please respect copyright.PENANAnotzbIUHsx
"Wait... So... Nate is Declan Murphy Jr.?" Shit, Nate is going to kill me. "You two are New York's most eligible bachelor's? Well, according to People magazine anyway."593Please respect copyright.PENANAs0SmQpWKK2
"Yeah, but please don't say anything to anyone. The reporters will swarm this place if they find out." I can't believe I told her all this. This could really mess everything up. 593Please respect copyright.PENANA0f0urVgdpH
"Ben, I would never. I just can't believe you're little Joey. Wow. You really grew up. You were just a little scrawny kid, what happened?" I feel a small victory since I worked so hard for this body, but the memory of the lying, backstabbing bitch is enough to put a pretty big damper on it.593Please respect copyright.PENANAchgKWs7hgf
"Samantha." I mutter, half to myself. Shit. It slipped out before I could think. 593Please respect copyright.PENANAwWaKGX1rYD
"Who's Samantha?" She sounds so curious, but I definitely didn't want to get into this tonight.593Please respect copyright.PENANAncV25zqh35
"No way. You've already asked your question. And you got a ton of information. It's my turn. Tell me about your parents." I just want to talk about something other than me.593Please respect copyright.PENANAMjJPBPGea8
"Well, they are pretty typical, you know, just parents." She throws my words back in my face.593Please respect copyright.PENANAtuecIVbPd3
"Ha ha ha." She's so fucking adorable.593Please respect copyright.PENANAbPsiXywPDW
"Okay, well my dad is a little different and my mom, well, she died last year. Brain tumor. My dad prayed and prayed, but it just wasn't enough." Woah. I can honestly say, I did not expect that. 593Please respect copyright.PENANApPNO0IyeEh
"I'm so sorry, Kat. That has to be hard. As annoying as my mom can be, I can't imagine losing her." I hear her sniff and I know she is crying. 593Please respect copyright.PENANAznHAMp5DAp
"You know, this game kinda sucks." I try to lighten the mood.593Please respect copyright.PENANAaFKfFiAxdy
She let's out a little laugh. "Yeah, but it kinda worked. We know more about each other, right?" 593Please respect copyright.PENANA6N3JMdv6sA
"Yeah, I guess. Let's get some sleep. I'm afraid to know what time it is."593Please respect copyright.PENANAlmKud8ofhB
"Okay, I'll go. Thanks for doing this." She pushes up off the bed. 593Please respect copyright.PENANAhfi3vMRAIn
"No, stay. Please." I hang onto her hand for dear life. 593Please respect copyright.PENANA3FbglwSsmk
"I really shouldn't." She can't leave. I need her.593Please respect copyright.PENANAiVDs19nVuo
"You're upset and I would feel better if I could just hold you for a bit. Please." I don't want her to be alone right now and if I'm being honest, I don't want to be alone either. 593Please respect copyright.PENANAYx6JxNQuCk
"If you insist." I really do. 593Please respect copyright.PENANAHPCnTgvaxY
She lays her head on my chest as I wrap her up in a hug. 593Please respect copyright.PENANAP985bRDqnR
Everything is right in the world.
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