Chapter Text
December 21th
To be fair, Rey could never exactly tell where her pride ended and stupidity started. OK, maybe stupidity was a tad too aggressive, she could go with stubbornness. Rey ‘Stubbornness’ Niima. Sounded about right.
Her friends had asked her repeatedly if she wanted to come home with them for Christmas. Naturally, she had refused. Partly because friends were still too new of a concept for her, although Finn and Rose were the best friends and roommates a girl could ask for, and partly because Rey didn’t want to intrude. Finn was going to meet Poe’s family for the first time and it was a big deal since he really, really liked Poe, and Rose’s sister Paige was bringing home a girlfriend for the first time since she came out. Imposing on either of them felt wrong.
Honestly, it wasn’t a big deal. She was used to spending holidays alone. It was going to be fine. Without school or her shifts at the garage, Rey would be free to catch up on all the sleep she had missed, maybe on Netflix, too. She still had her café shifts for extra cash, so it was going to be fine.
Of-fucking-course it wasn’t. In the worst timing ever, the heating system finally gave out. Not surprising, their creepy landlord Plutt barely bothered with maintenance. Rey notified him immediately and his response did not disappoint. Basically, it came down to three points: a) Plutt couldn’t care less, b) he was too fat to move his ass anyway, c) and she was literally the only affected tenant as everyone else had left for the holidays, therefore she could wait a week. Or two.
It was too late to go with Rose. There wasn’t anyone around Rey could bunk with. And in a stroke of ‘luck’ her boss decided to close the café, too, leaving her without any extra money or a warm place to spend time at.
The apartment was freezing. Even with three pairs of socks on, she couldn’t feel her toes. The small space heater just didn’t cut it. Rey cocooned herself in all the blankets she could find and set to diminishing her already meager stash of junk food. It wasn’t her fault that in a moment of self-pity she opened a bottle of wine. Being a lightweight, Rey barely ever drank, but desperate times called for desperate measures. The first glass made her feel warmer and less sorry for herself. The second got her to dreaming about positive bank balances, warm clothes, and even warmer apartments. The third called for a solution to her problem. After all, she was a born fixer.
And there lay the problem – Rey couldn’t exactly earn the money, at least not as a student, or she would have done it already. She didn’t have any long-lost rich relatives who would name her as their heir. The lottery didn’t seem to work. Who would just want to throw their money on little miss nobody?
Something in her brain clicked. There were people who would do that, shower their charges in gifts and shit. What did Rose call them? Sugar daddies? Yeah, her friend once joked that she needed one and then proceeded to share a few fanfiction links in lieu of an explanation. That day Rey discovered that people had some freaking weird hobbies and that her sweet innocent Rosie was rather kinky.
So. How did one acquire a sugar daddy? Reluctantly, she left her cocoon to get her decrepit laptop. That was an eye-opener. The search “hiw to fund suga dadddy” (not her fault her fingers were frozen) led her to forums and articles on a lot of interesting stuff. Yes, sugar daddies were a thing. Yes, some people were willing to pay for your time and company. Yes, some other people funded their schooling and designer purses this way. The ‘services’ also varied from attending functions together (yay, free food) to very kinky sex (less yay, as Rey tended to think that sex was vastly overrated). One of those rabbit holes she dived into led her to a dating website and lo and behold, suddenly she found herself creating a profile.
“Rey of Sunshine, 21,” she typed. That seemed too sparse. There had to be something enticing. “Not your kitten,” she typed next. There. Er, no. Now it didn’t look like any other profile, but what if the prospective daddies decided it was too off-putting? Huh. This was surprisingly difficult. Rey didn’t want to sound too defiant, but also she didn’t want to not be defiant. “I’m the challenge you have been looking for.” Perfect. Rose would be so proud. Now it was time to pick photos and for another glass of wine. Take it, sugar daddies!
December 22th
The next morning Rey woke up under three blankets shivering, with a headache and barely any recollection of the previous evening. Her laptop was dead and there was a half-empty wine bottle near her bed. Well, that explained some things.
She plugged the charger in and sprinted to take the world’s quickest shower. After, still shivering and dressed like a cabbage, Rey took a peek at her inbox and frowned. What was Establishing Connection, who was Kylo Ren, and why was he writing her? Dim recollections flooded her head and with a curse she opened the email, fearing the worst.
“Good evening, Rey of Sunshine. I hope you won’t consider this too presumptuous as your profile piqued my curiosity. It’s my belief that we might find a mutual understanding. You offered a challenge. I’m in need of a spoiled and bratty sugar baby which might correspond with your proposition. Your profile says your rate is $500 for one meeting. I’m offering you $1000. If you’re interested in discussing the arrangement further, please join me at Takodana Tea House at 12 noon tomorrow.
Best regards,
Kylo.”
To say that Rey was stunned was to say nothing. Everything about the letter seemed bizarre, from the language to the rate. Who set meetings with a stranger for the very next day? And what about that ‘spoiled and bratty’ part? Was this guy some sort of dominator or worse, a lover of discipline? She shuddered, remembering Rose’s stories. No, just no. Then again, a paycheck is a paycheck. This Kylo seemed to be on the older side, judging from his manner of writing, and an esteemed gentleman in his sixties couldn’t do much to her, right? Even if nothing came of it, she’d at least get to spend some time in a high-end tea house. That is, if she got there on time. It was already half past ten.
Rey rapid-fire typed her reply, did her hair and make-up, threw on her only dress, a little black number that was just long enough to stay classy, borrowed Rose’s nice boots and a scarf, threw on a coat, and rushed out. No matter what, she would be getting a free breakfast out of this.
It was only when she approached Takodana that Rey fully realized how underdressed she was. Places like that were meant for someone wearing cashmere and furs, not her cheap thrifted clothes. Then again, wasn’t she there so she could afford nice things? With a deep breath Rey entered the shop.
“Hello, child,” came a disembodied voice.
She looked around, then down and down until she was met with a diminutive wizened woman in huge glasses. The woman peered at her with interest. “Are you meeting someone?”
Rey swallowed hard. “Kylo. Kylo Ren.”
She could swear that for a second the woman smirked. “This way, dear.”
The teahouse was almost empty, save for a couple of women chatting in the corner and a single man sitting with his face turned toward the window. Rey was stunned. First of all, Kylo was clearly in his early thirties, not older as she had assumed. Secondly, he was attractive. Strong profile, regal nose and plump lips, beautiful soft hair and a scattering of moles on pale skin – her eyes didn’t know what to settle on first. Then he turned their way and got up and oh, he was tall and built?! Wow, Rey just won the lottery. Kinky or not, she was taking him, please top it with a bow. It took a lot not to run to his table. But she was a big girl, she could saunter (or so she hoped).
“Kylo Ren?” Rey asked in what she hoped could pass as a sultry tone.
“Rey of Sunshine?”
“Just Rey.”
He smiled, and oh, were those dimples?
“Just Ben.”
They took their seats, the bespectacled lady gave them menus, and Rey decided to go wild with buns and pastries. The woman’s eyebrows shot up comically when she checked her size. Ben wisely said nothing. The orders were taken and suddenly they were alone.
Rey cleared her throat. “So, just Ben…”
He blinked, realizing that he was staring. “Sorry, you’re more beautiful in real life,” he said bashfully.
She almost gaped. Hot and shy? Amazing.
“You’re not so bad yourself,” Rey winked like a confident seductress.
Ben flushed. Oh dear. Be still, her beating heart. “So, you wanted to discuss the arrangements.”
He nodded. “Yes. Yes, I, um, I’d like to hire you as my sugar baby.”
“I figured that much,” she smiled. “What exactly would it entail?”
Ben honest to God squirmed, then nervously carded his hand through his hair. “I want you to spend Christmas with me.”
Given her freezing apartment, that sounded promising.
“Well…”
“I want you to come with me to my parents’ home for Christmas,” he blurted out like his confidence was going to give out at any moment.
Rey blinked, befuddled.
“As your ‘girlfriend’?”
“As my sugar baby.”
She blinked some more. “You want to introduce me as your sugar baby?”
“Yes. The brattier the better.”
“To your family?”
“Yes.”
“Is that… a sex thing?” Rey asked faintly. Oh dear, there had to be something wrong with him. “Because I don’t…”
The blood completely left Ben’s face. “No! Nothing like that! No sex thing! No sex at all.”
Weirdly enough, Rey’s relief was tinted with disappointment. The first man she was interested in in a while clearly didn’t feel the same. Oh well.
Luckily, at that moment the bespectacled woman came back with their orders and saved them from more embarrassment.
“I need more clarification,” Rey tried, hoping her emotions weren’t too obvious. This man was being way too confusing for such a simple arrangement.
Ben took a deep breath. “I want you to be explicitly introduced as my sugar baby and act accordingly.”
Ooookay. she could work with that.
“You want them to think I’m with you for your money,” Rey theorized.
“Essentially, yes.”
“May I ask why?”
Ben looked very pensive, as if picking the right words.
“We… don’t exactly get along.” No kidding. “I patched up some things with them recently, but my family can be terribly pushy.” A tiny shudder went through his body, probably caused by some less than pleasant memories. “I just want them to stop meddling in my love life.”
“Isn’t this a tad drastic?”
“You don’t know them,” Ben stated blankly.
Which was true. She didn’t and wasn’t sure she wanted to. What sort of parents could drive their adult son to this?
“Sounds like you need an emotional support human,” Rey joked.
He didn’t smile. “Yes, I do.”
Oh, so it was that kind of family. Rey remembered that one time Finn went to a Thanksgiving dinner with his first boyfriend without being told that a white supremacist uncle was in attendance. Yuck.
“Your parents won’t take this well?” she carefully asked, trying to estimate the scope of the prospective disaster.
Ben smiled wryly. “They won’t hate you, per se, but Mother will be furious about the inequality of the situation, the coercive element of it. Dad won’t be able to get over the idea of a Solo paying for company, and my uncle…” He chuckled bitterly. “Well, he disapproves of each and every one of my life choices, so yeah.”
It sounded… sad. For all his quirks Ben seemed like a nice guy, who didn’t deserve such criticism. Rey instantly felt compassion for him.
“I see,” she hummed, then remembered there was something else left. “About my payment, $1000 sounds too…”
“I know,” Ben nodded seriously, “I’ll double it.”
“What?!” Rey choked on her scone. “No, it’s too much.”
“It’s not,” Ben promised. “You’ll see. Just give me your bank details.”
She was too stunned to argue. She would see what?! “OK.”
“And we’ll have to work on your wardrobe.” Before Rey could argue about that, Ben jumped into action. “Can I take you shopping tomorrow?” he asked eagerly.
Rey gaped at him like a fish. He’d just spent tons of money on her, promised to spend more, and wanted to cover her clothes, too?! Well, who she was to stop him?
“Er, yes? I mean, yes,” Rey said more confidently.
Ben smiled, satisfied.
“Great. It is a pleasure to deal with you.”
He offered his hand for a shake. Rey took it without hesitation. It was large and warm and… Not now, lizard brain!
“Likewise.”
What was she getting herself into?
December 23th
Rey nervously adjusted her sweater again. Could one be underdressed for shopping? Only one way to find out.
Yesterday seemed like a fever dream. She had to check her account several times to convince herself it was real. Figures didn’t lie. Rey wisely used her balance to get a proper heater and more blankets, but then trepidation set in. In a moment of desperation Rey called her best friend. Not Finn, though. He would just advise her to block Ben everywhere, send the money back and call the police. Instead, she called Rose. Rose advised her to take Ben’s photo and personal info, send it to her, then enjoy the spoils and maybe climb him like a tree. Not helpful at all.
The thing was that Rey needed to remain professional, at least as much as the arrangement allowed. Ben needed her to be his emotional support human and his ticket out of any matchmaking situations? Fine, she’d deliver. And if she got a remuneration in the process, all the better. No hard feelings.
Her new employer/sugar daddy came for her in a sleek black BMW and Rey prayed to all gods above that Plutt didn’t look out of the window or their rent would skyrocket immediately. That would be a disaster.
As she settled into a heavenly warm seat, she decided to use her time wisely and get to know Ben as much as possible. The drive was short, given that the roads were empty, but Rey still managed to fish out that Ben was an only child, that his parents were never around much, that he had his own law firm and was doing pretty well, although it wasn’t an issue as he was also a trust fund baby, that his previous job was a dumpster fire, and that he had a weirdly contemptuous relationship with his uncle that may or may not be related to the fact that Ben somewhat reminded him of a problematic family member, though whether problematic meant mental health issues, history of violence, or different political opinions, Rey couldn’t tell.
Making Ben talk about himself was like pulling teeth. He clearly didn’t think much of himself, or of his family, and on top of that, Rey got the impression he thought that not getting married was a favour to the rest of humankind. Goodness, the man was so bizarre.
His relief when they arrived was palpable. She, on the other hand, started freaking out. The place was… expensive. Rey could tell partly from the absence of price tags and partly because they were offered champagne straight away. Ben didn’t seem to be bothered by it at all, he just whispered something to the sales assistant and Rey was ushered to a dressing room before she could say a word.
Another sales assistant joined the first and they started piling veritable heaps of clothes for her to try on. The situation started to turn disturbing.
“Er, can I ask for nothing sexy-shmeksy?” Rey decided to intervene. “Something more like ‘I look cute, but it’s still work-appropriate,’ if you can.” It sounded counter-productive, but if Ben was spending so much money, she’d rather not let it go to waste.
“Of course, miss, right away, miss.”
Huh, she might still get the hang of this sugar baby thing.
The girls knew what they were doing because when Rey emerged, Ben’s jaw positively dropped. In his defense, she was wearing not one of her endless cashmere sweaters and classy slacks, but a gorgeous burgundy velvet party dress. Still, her self-esteem didn’t complain.
“Is it OK?” Rey asked innocently.
“Y-yes, very OK,” Ben stammered, “we’ll take it.”
They took the dress. And the sweaters. And the slacks. And a coat, and more clothes, and the silky lacy underwear the girls added to the pile, and new boots and costume jewelry that in Rey’s opinion would have to be made of real gold and gems to justify the price. Ben, though, didn’t blink an eye at the sum and just waved his credit card. Oh, the joys of being rich. Rey was very much looking forward to meeting his family now.
December 24th
Christmas was coming. Ben picked her up in his beautiful shiny car not a second later than they had agreed to meet. Tension radiated from him in waves and he looked less like a son going to see his parents and more like a soldier heading off to war. Even knowing some bits from his background, Rey thought it was overkill.
He wasn’t in a talkative mood either, turning on the radio instead. Cheerful Christmas tunes seemed at odds with Ben’s white knuckles on the steering wheel. It was going to be a long journey unless she did something.
“You OK?” Rey asked lightly, trying not to spook him more than he already was.
“Fine,” Ben gritted, “perfectly fine. We’re just going to my parents’ house. For the holidays. Where we will be stuck til Sunday. I’m fine.”
He looked the furthest thing from fine, but Rey wasn’t going to point that out.
“Ben,” she called him gently in an attempt to get to him. “We could always turn back.”
“We could?” Hope was palpable in his voice. Then his shoulders dropped. “Mom will be upset.”
And just from that Rey figured out that he was a mama’s boy. Good, at least someone in that family wasn’t a firebreathing dragon. At least she hoped so.
“She’ll be upset anyway,” Rey pointed out the obvious. In her experience, parents needed much less than a sugar baby to freak out. And she hardly was future wife material anyway. Oh dear.
Ben gave her an odd side glance. “No, not with you. Only with me.”
Why someone would be upset with him, a sweet, shy, respectful guy, was a mystery, so Rey just brushed it off.
“She won’t.”
Her sugar daddy didn’t seem to be convinced.
It was almost four when they arrived at their destination and by that time most houses had turned on the lights. And boy, did the town look like a Christmas card. It shouldn’t have been surprising that Ben’s family lived in such a nice place, he was a trust fund baby after all, but Rey had a hard time tearing her eyes away from the window. And she’d spend four days here! Amazing!
Ben carefully parked, killed the engine, and sighed deeply.
“Here goes nothing.”
It was time to face the music, even if it was a requiem.
The door of the house swung open, letting out warm air, Christmas tunes, delicious smells, and an effortlessly elegant petite woman with the most elaborately done hair Rey had ever seen in her life.
“Benny!” the woman exclaimed happily. “And…”
Her face split in a grin like Christmas came early, no pun intended. Rey immediately felt guilty for her imminent disappointment.
“You didn’t tell me you were bringing a friend. Han!” she yelled suddenly in a very unladylike manner. “Get your ass over here! Your son brought home a girl!”
Oh no. Oh please no.
“The kid brought home a girl?!” a male voice yelled from the inside. “Coming!” A man, an older roguish looking gentleman with a charming smirk, joined his wife. “Blimey, a girl.”
It was the perfect time to make introductions and disappoint his poor excited parents, but Ben was standing there like a deer in the headlights, so she decided to take it upon herself and smiled brightly.
“Hi. I’m Rey.”
“I’m Han and this is Leia. Got yourself a girlfriend, kid?” he turned to his son with obvious excitement. “She’s a keeper, I can tell.”
Oh dear, this was going to be a disaster. They were so sweet she couldn’t bring herself to hurt them.
Ben swallowed and squared his shoulders.
“Rey is not my girlfriend. She’s my sugar baby.”
Leia didn’t gasp or faint, merely blinked. Han frowned, looking like a confused puppy.
“Is that what kids call it these days?”
His wife rolled her eyes. “No, Han.”
“No, this means that I make her gifts and such for her company,” Ben answered slowly, bracing himself for the reaction.
Han frowned even more. “So high maintenance. And?”
“No, Dad!”
Leia huffed. “Han. It’s different.”
In any other circumstances Rey would have laughed because it was so amusing. As it was, she held her breath, bracing for the response.
“I’m paying her, OK?” Ben finally snapped.
His father still seemed nonplussed.
“As in a salary? Is she your assistant or what?”
Leia finally took pity on him. “Han, he’s paying Rey for being his girlfriend.”
“Rey is not my girlfriend,” Ben repeated and no, it didn’t sting. Not at all.
“And I hope it’s a proper salary,” the older woman suddenly rounded on him. “Are you paying her enough? Is it a marketable salary rate? Lord knows you can be a full-time job.”
“Mom!” he exclaimed in a tone more suitable for a teenager. Rey couldn’t help but snort. He was so cute when flustered.
“I assure you, Mrs. Solo, it’s sufficient.”
“Leia, dear,” the woman said warmly as if she wasn’t her son’s sugar baby. “I would hate to know that you’re underpaid. The market is so unfair to young people these days.”
“Er…”
Was that a normal reaction? No, it couldn’t be. Leia’s smile didn’t diminish one bit. How was that possible?
“Huh. I mean, it’s one way to screw capitalism,” Han mused, seemingly piecing the puzzles together. “How do they say it, Princess? Eat the rich?”
His wife rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “You’re one to talk.”
“You didn’t complain last night when I…”
“And I’m going to get our bags!” Ben proclaimed loudly, his cheeks red with embarrassment.
Wow, how could such a bashful kid have been fathered by such open-minded people.
“No need, your father will take care of that,” Leia suddenly commanded like a war general. “You are going to have tea with me and introduce Rey properly.”
“Mom!”
She narrowed her eyes. “Benjamin Chewbacca Organa-Solo! You’re going to have tea with me this instant!”
“I’m going to have tea with you this instant,” he repeated, acknowledging his defeat. Was that a Jedi mind trick or just experience talking?
The tea, served in china that could belong to the queen herself, was arranged immediately.
Leia focused her full attention on her. “Rey, dear, what are you doing when you’re not babysitting my son?”
Oh. Bratty sugar baby. Right, she had to make this look bad. Age difference was bad.
“I’m a student,” Rey responded cheerfully.
“Yes?” Leia didn’t seem to be off-put. “What’s your major?”
“Social work.”
It was hardly a lucrative vocation and most people just smiled politely, but not Ben’s mother. No, she beamed.
“How wonderful! It’s an amazing aspiration, much better than corporate law,” she subtly side-eyed Ben. He groaned.
“Mom, you know I’m rooting for the small guy now.”
“Yes, yes, sure. Although you might have to remind your uncle,” she commented off-handedly. “Luke is still upset you didn’t take up teaching.”
Ben looked exasperated. “Really now?”
“But that’s water under the bridge,” Leia waved her hand dismissively. “What about you, Rey? What do you do in your free time?”
Huh, tough question. “I don’t have that,” the girl responded honestly.
Leia turned to her son, appalled. “Ben!”
“That’s not his fault,” Rey hastily reassured, “I have two other jobs.”
“Jobs as in…” the woman trailed off carefully.
Rey flushed.
“Oh no, I work in a café and also as a mechanic.”
“You like cars?” Leia looked surprised.
Perfect. What could be worse than a woman with a man’s interests?
“Yes, I’m good at that.”
“Han,” the woman suddenly bellowed. “Rey loves cars!”
“I told you she’s a keeper!” the man called back, finally joining them. “Smart and pretty. Where did the kid find you?”
“Online.”
“Huh.” Rey expected some demeaning comment, but Han surprised her. “Wanna see an original Millenium Falcon?”
“Yes! I mean…” she looked at her new pretty clothes.
“We’ll find something for you later. That one,” Han nodded toward his son, “never had any interest in what’s under the bonnet. Always had his nose in a book. Have you changed your tires?” he suddenly turned to his son. “The roads are…”
“Yes, I did,” Ben bit out.
“Now, if I didn’t tell him, he’d probably…”
He stood up abruptly, drawing all eyes to him.
“I need a break. Bathroom break.”
“Benny, manners,” Leia chastised him as he hurried away.
He didn’t look good if Rey was being honest, more like he was ready to puke. What had just happened? Was it the proximity of his family? Was it her fault? Should she have been more off-putting?
“Can I check on him?” she asked timidly.
His mother bestowed on her another gentle smile.
“Of course, dear. Bathroom is to the left.”
It wasn’t difficult to find him. Ben wasn’t sick, he was pacing, almost vibrating with tension. Poor dear was so distressed, but why?
“You OK?” Rey asked quietly.
He barely spared her a glance. “This was a horrible, horrible idea.”
“Ben.”
“Now they all think you’re too good for me…”
“Ben.”
“But will press you for grandkids anyway…”
“Ben.”
“Like they even want grandkids!”
“Ben!” Rey finally lost her patience. “You’re hyperventilating.”
He stopped, realizing that she was right. “Shit, sorry.”
Ridiculous, ridiculous man. Apologizing! She just had to take care of him. Before Ben could protest she hugged him around his admittedly thick middle.
“Here. Hugs are good for panic attacks.”
“I’m not panicking,” he grumbled stubbornly, although the tension started to leave his body little by little.
“Keep telling yourself that,” she chuckled.
Ben grumbled something unintelligible in response, but melted in her arms. Huh, this was nice.
After a while he straightened.
“I’m good. We can…”
Rey let go of him.
“Yeah.”
It seemed like Ben’s parents paid zero attention to the mental health/bathroom break. If anything, they assumed the two were sneaking around.
“Aren’t you the cutest couple?” Leia cooed. “I’ve always wanted to set Ben up with Kaydel, my assistant, because they looked so cute, too bad they didn’t work out.”
“Kaydel’s girlfriend didn’t approve much,” Ben jabbed his mother.
“Oh, hush. Your uncle will be here tomorrow. Car troubles. He’s so excited to meet Rey.”
“Is he?” the girl gulped. That was going to be something.
“Fucking peachy,” Ben grumbled under his breath.
Leia had none of it.
“Now, don’t be so gruff. Show Rey around the house.”
It was as much of a blessing as they could get. Maybe time away from his parents would sort Ben’s head out.
It helped, at least for a while.
“And here’s my old room,” Ben opened the door before losing color in his face. “Fuck.”
Rey peered over his shoulder. “What? Your stuff is here.” And so was hers.
“There’s only one bed,” Ben said faintly.
She frowned.
“Yeah, and?”
He turned to her, befuddled. “What do you mean ‘and’?!”
“You told your parents you’re paying me for my services. Why would they give us separate beds?” Rey pointed out the obvious. Was he that dense?
“Proprieties? I’ll go and…” Ben made a weak gesture.
Rey scoffed. “Don’t be ridiculous. It will only make things worse.”
That immediately straightened him up. “Shit. Right. I’ll take the floor.”
Oh dear, why were the cute ones always the dumb ones?
“It’s a huge bed. Why do you need to take the floor? Afraid I’ll take advantage of you?” Rey joked. Ben didn’t seem amused.
“Because…” He didn’t come up with any good reason. “OK, fine, whatever.”
Rey hung back for a bit to write Rose a short report and to notify Finn that she would be celebrating with a friend. When she descended, Leia had already pounced on her helpless son.
“So, Benny, I know that Rey is still in school, but are you planning on settling down?”
Oh wow, that was fast.
For a moment he looked ready to run, but then squared his shoulders.
“No. You realize that I’m paying her?”
Rey would expect Leia to flush. Ha. Not her, never her.
“Well, yes, but think about it,” she pressed. “It’s much more cost-efficient. No need to pay her salary and it’s good for your taxes!”
Ben gaped at her. “Mom!”
These were going to be a long four days, Rey realized.
Sharing a bed was a bad idea. She couldn’t remember the last time she had done that and a strange place didn’t make it easy, either. Nor did the man beside her. One reason was enough to make sleep evade her, two, though… Ugh!
“Can’t sleep?” Ben asked sympathetically from his side.
“New place.”
“Yeah. Miss my pillows,” he confessed.
Rey perked up. Small talk makes things less awkward.
“You too? I have tons of them. Can’t sleep without hugging one. It can be lonely at night,” she mused before realizing the implications. “Not that I’m hinting at anything. Quite nice company here. I mean…”
“Rey,” Ben stopped her babbling amusedly.
“Yes?”
“I know I said no sex, but…”
“Yes?” she asked hopefully.
“Are cuddles still on the table?” he finished.
“Absolutely!” Rey responded so fast she was embarrassed.
Ben seemed to share the feeling.
“Thank fuck.” He gathered her close, spooning her from behind, her head on his arm and her back to his chest. Immediately she felt warm and comfy and so, so relaxed. “OK?”
“More than OK.” She could get used to this.
Ben sighed contentedly, also relaxed. “Good night.”
“Good night,” Rey whispered back.