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Bea couldn’t help but smile into her flute of champagne as she watched her fiancé show her cousin’s four-year-old triplets how to do a proper pushup. Ben was great with kids and loved being around Bea’s family. It was their annual Thanksgiving family dinner and he was meeting her extended family for the first time. Her grandmother and cousins adored Ben immediately, just as Bea suspected. He was charming and so clearly loved their dear Beatrice that they couldn’t help but like him.
She laughed when the small kids decided to try and tackle him instead. Ben’s bright laugh could be heard from across the room too, making her smile wider. Something about seeing him under a pile of children drew her to him. So, with a flick of her hair off her shoulder, she excused herself from the conversation she was pretending to listen to with her parents.
“You boys seem to be having fun,” Bea commented once the toe of her heeled foot was right beside Ben’s head where he lay on the floor, “But I think that’s enough roughhousing.”
“Yeah, Bea’s right, guys,” Ben chuckled before plucking a giggling toddler off of his chest and easily depositing him onto his little feet, “Food’s almost ready, we have to cut it out.”
“No!” Noah, the smallest of the three triplets screeched before climbing onto Ben’s back as he tried to get up, “We have to play!”
“Ben will play with you guys after dinner,” Bea promised, “Grammy’s looking for him, though. She wants to talk to him.”
“Because he’s your boyfriend?” Nate, the tallest, teased.
“Yes,” she nodded, “She and Pop-Pop aren’t sure he’s the right husband for me yet, so we have to convince them.”
“Seriously?” Ben asked as his head whipped around to look up at her, his face covered in worry, “I thought- Oh, you’re laughing.”
Bea giggled and shook her head before holding a hand out to him so he could get up, which he took. Ben stood with a groan and kissed her cheek, wrapping his arms around her waist as the boys scattered.
“I was gonna say,” Ben pouted, “I thought I made quite the impression on Grammy. Pop-Pop, I get.”
“Pop-Pop doesn’t like anyone, babe,” Bea assured him with a squeeze to his bicep, “And Grammy loves you. She’s already boasting about her handsome new grandson to her friends.”
“I’ll win ‘im over,” Ben shrugged with a straight face, “I won you over, didn’t I?”
“How? I’ll never know,” she shook her head, making him pout again.
“With my good looks and charming wit, of course,” he scoffed, “I’m a catch.”
“You’re definitely something,” she smiled up at him with her eyes boring up into his, almost pulling his lips to hers for a brief kiss, “C’mon, I want to introduce you to my mom’s childhood friend. She hated Jonathan and I’m sure she’ll love you.”
“Who wouldn’t?” Ben asked as he took Bea’s flute of champagne and finished it for her, “You need a top-off. Let’s get you a top-off first.”
“What about taking my top off?” Bea asked with an arched brow, making Ben laugh.
“You’re impossible.”
“You love me.”
“I do.”
Thanksgiving came and went without a hitch. Ben still hadn’t won over Pop-Pop but that was to be expected. He’d certainly won over Bea’s grandmother, aunts, uncles, and cousins, though. That was also to be expected.
The weeks between visiting Bea’s family on the West Coast and returning for Christmas flew by. Ben was looking forward to the holiday and to spending more time with his soon-to-be family. Their engagement was still very new, but he was set on marrying her and being with her forever. Bea was his girl and he’d jump through whatever hoop necessary to keep her.
Soon enough, they were back at her grandparents’ house in their ugly Christmas sweaters squished together on the couch. It was Christmas Eve, and the family had just finished a large roast dinner and Ben was stuffed. He leaned back into the couch with his arm around his fiancé and her hand on his thigh. Bea was nodding along to a story her aunt was re-telling for the third time that weekend but her smile never fell. When Ben’s head fell back onto the back of the couch, Bea rolled her eyes. Grammy gave her a knowing grin, so she apologized.
“Excuse us,” she said politely, “He needs a nap before we start the rest of tonight’s festivities.”
“We’re making the ice cream sundaes at quarter to eight,” Grammy told her, “That gives him half an hour to rest.”
“Thanks, Grammy,” Bea smiled gratefully before tugging on Ben’s hand, making him sit up quickly with a snore and look around confused, “C’mon, Sleeping Beauty. Let’s get you to bed.”
“‘m fine,” Ben yawned and squeezed her hand in his, “Not even tired, just focusing on my other senses. I really want to take in the sounds and smells.”
“Get up,” she demanded lowly, so he obliged and stood, “We’ll be back for ice cream.”
Ben said nothing as he allowed Bea to lead him upstairs to their shared guest room. He sighed once the door shut behind him, he knew he was in trouble.
“I’m sorry, baby doll,” he apologized as Bea turned away from him and began taking her earrings off, “I didn’t mean to embarrass you. You know how I get when I eat too much.”
“I’m not mad, Ben,” Bea chuckled and turned to him as she tied her hair up, “I’m joining you for a post-dinner nap. You saved me from more of Aunt Myrna’s stories, so you deserve cuddles.”
“Ooh,” Ben smirked with quirked brows, “I’ll always take cuddles.”
“I know you will,” she shook her head and stripped out of her jeans and ugly sweatshirt to show off her bra and panties, giggling when his eyes widened and he fumbled with his belt, “We are resting. It’s time for pajamas.”
“We have time,” he practically begged with a hushed voice as he undid the fly of his pants, “We have plenty of time.”
“So naughty,” Bea admonished with a false glare despite her amusement, “We are in my grandmother’s house, we are not doing that.”
“You can’t tease me like that, baby,” he grumbled and ran his hand through his hair in frustration, “You know I’m weak-willed.”
“Someone’s gotta help you grow a backbone,” she teased with another shake of her head as she slipped into one of Ben’s sleep shirts and he had to roll his eyes at the look of her in it where the hem of it fell to the middle of her thighs, “Who better than me?”
“You make me into a better man every day,” Ben conceded with a smile, “Even with your evil teasing.”
“Is it evil if it’s out of love?” Bea asked and climbed into bed with a cheeky smile.
“Yes,” he scoffed as he stripped to his boxers, “There’s a little evil in your heart, babe. That’s why I love you so much. Your wickedness.”
“Yeah fuckin’ right,” she shook her head with a laugh and turned away from him when he got into bed beside her, “No, get away from me and my wickedness.”
Ben laughed and wrapped his arm across her torso before pulling her body to lay flush against his. Despite her annoyance, she hummed at the feeling of his warmth encompassing her. He always made her feel warm and at home, no matter the season or wherever in the world they were.
“Mm,” Ben hummed against her neck, his lips skating across her skin, “Thank you for joining me. You know I can’t sleep without you.”
“I know,” Bea confirmed with a nod, her arms resting on his where they were wrapped around her waist, “It’s the same for me. I did this for my benefit, not yours.”
“For sure,” he agreed despite his chuckle, “I totally believe you.”
“Good.”
Next was New Year's Eve and if Ben hadn’t already proposed to Bea earlier that summer, he would have on that night. She was in a silver mini dress that hugged her body perfectly and she’d spent hours on her hair and makeup which had shown. Bea looked stunning and all of their friends were sure to tell her so. Ben had obviously had the most to say about it, though. He couldn’t stop taking her hand and spinning her around so he could get a proper look at her, making her roll her eyes at him every time.
Bea looked so amazing that Ben couldn’t keep his eyes off of her, particularly the sparkling ring on her finger that he’d put there. He’d already made Bea his and had survived the holidays with her family, so he was quite proud of himself. Ben figured he earned a fun night with his beloved. That was until Bea ordered three shots of tequila and slammed them each in rapid succession upon their arrival at the bar.
“You alright, babe?” he asked her, his mouth to her ear so she could hear him over the loud music and Claud’s shouting, “You thirsty?”
“It’s a New Year, baby!” Bea cheered and wrapped her arms around Ben’s neck and he couldn’t help but notice the lime juice spilling from her lips and smudging her meticulously applied lipstick, “We have to celebrate!”
“You’re right,” Ben nodded and wrapped an arm around her waist before turning to the bartender and rifling in his pocket, “Put whatever she orders on my tab. I’ll take a Coke for right now. And a water for the lady.”
“You don’t wan’ a drink?” his beloved practically slurred, she had always been a lightweight, “I can order you an old fashioned, baby.”
“Someone’s gotta make sure we get home safe,” he said, “And it’s definitely not going to be any of you girls, Claud and Halle are already doing shots with strangers.”
“You can have one drink,” she rolled her eyes and slammed a hand on the bar top, making him smile when she snatched his credit card from his hand and turned to the bartender, “Can I get a tequila sunrise and an old fashioned, please? My husband wants to put it on our tab.”
The bartender nodded and took the card from her extended hand. Ben’s nose wormed its way to behind her ear as her hips began to sway along to the music with his arm still wrapped around her. Hearing her call him her husband made something primal stir deep within him. Something about Bea made him hungry for something he couldn’t get at any restaurant.
“Husband?” Ben asked with his lips on her skin, “You’ve always been impatient, haven’t you?”
“Yes,” she giggled and shrunk away from his lips, “Stop it, your beard is tickling me.”
“But you love my beard,” he pouted, “I grew it out just for you.”
“Which is insane,” Bea exclaimed as she ran her fingers through his trimmed facial hair, “You look so sexy with a beard.”
“You are something else when you are drunk,” Ben chuckled, making her pout in return, “Don’t give me that look, your drink’s ready.”
With her eyes lighting up and her lips twisting into a bright grin, Ben laughed at her excitement. She turned around and saw the bartender was off to the side still preparing her drink.
“I didn’t think you’d get that excited, baby, I’m sorry,” he laughed as she pouted again, her arms crossed over her chest.
“Jerk.”
After that, Ben had his one drink and spent the rest of the night watching Bea. He was having fun watching her have fun and counting the drinks she was consuming at an impressive rate. It was only about a half hour before the turn of the new year before Ben decided it was time to close their tab and tell the bartenders to cut her off. She was starting to look a little green around the gills and was stumbling in her stiletto heels, hanging onto her sister and sister-in-law to keep herself upright.
“Yeah, she’s done,” Ben told the bartender, “I’m taking her home.”
“Good luck,” the bartender chuckled once she handed him his credit card back and he’d signed his receipt.
“Thanks,” he huffed as he stuffed his wallet back into his pocket.
Getting Bea out of the bar was easy, she was starving for some air and some food.
“There’s tacos outside,” he nodded toward the door and she said nothing as she took his extended hand and allowed him to drag her outside, “I’ll even get you an agua fresca if you behave.”
“But you like it when I misbehave,” Bea slurred with fluttering eyelids, “I wan’ a quesadilla!”
“Whatever you want,” Ben promised as he wrapped an arm around her waist to keep her upright and steady, “You must’ve danced up quite an appetite.”
He laughed when she nodded enthusiastically and kissed the back of her hand. Ben loved her with his whole heart, but he already knew that. That’s why he’d already asked her to be his wife. And as poorly as Bea’s last engagement had gone, they were both sure that it was different this time around.
Bea did end up getting an agua fresca along with her quesadilla from the taco truck because Ben knew she needed to rehydrate. He already knew she was going to wake up with a killer headache, that’s if she didn’t stay up all night puking. For now, he allowed his beloved to enjoy her greasy street food and admired her beauty even in the low light of the taco truck’s setup with her smeared makeup from an intense night of drinking and dancing.
When the clock struck twelve and the new year officially began, Ben just planted a kiss on Bea’s lips as she lethargically chewed her mouthful of quesadilla. Despite the salsa and grease dribbling from her mouth, Ben never passed up a kiss from her. He couldn’t help but laugh again as her face scrunched in disgust and she shrunk away from him.
“Happy New Year, babe,” Ben told her before taking a bite of his taco, “I love you.”
“Mhm,” Bea hummed with her eyes half open as she finally swallowed her mouthful of food, “You too.”
She probably wouldn’t remember the night, but he would never forget it. Later, he dragged her back to the car and buckled her in himself with a kiss to her lips as she fought sleep. Ben was endlessly amused by drunk Bea, but knew better than to leave her without a barf bag. So, he grabbed an old takeout bag from the back of his car and handed it to her which she snatched from him with a growl.
“Not gonna puke,” she grumbled with a frown, “I can handle my liquor.”
“I believe you,” he agreed with a nod before shutting the door and making sure Claudia and Halle were safe in the back.
Then, he drove them all back to his apartment which he now shared with Bea. The night wasn’t over for Ben but it essentially was for Bea. For the next few hours, he would gently wipe her makeup off with wipes and wrestle her out of her shoes and dress to help her get comfortable. But, she would end up vomiting up her stomach contents and he held her blonde hair back in his fist as he rubbed her back comfortingly. In between sobs, Bea apologized and thanked him for taking such good care of her. All Ben could do was help her clean up and carry her to bed.
With some painkillers and a large glass of water waiting for her on her bedside table, she passed out as soon as her head hit the pillow. Ben let out a sigh of relief and brushed her hair out of her face again. He hated it whenever his favorite girl cried, even if it was in a drunken stupor. Her wide blue eyes stabbed into his heart whenever they sparkled with unshed tears. Luckily, she would sleep it off and wake up in the morning feeling better. And even if she didn’t, Ben would always be there. Always.