Chapter Text
Still tipsy from her liquid lunch with Senator—Ben’s mother, Leia , Rey returned to her apartment (Mitaka having only given her a slight look of disapproval for disappearing on him) and started getting ready for the gala. No sooner than she had she twisted the cap off of her mascara tube, the doorbell rang.
It was a courier with a large black garment bag, just as Leia had promised. After signing for it, Rey carried the rather large, parcel to her room, laying it out gently on her bed. As she peeled the zipper down, tufts of wispy baby pink organza spilled forth like cotton candy, and the skirt melted into a darker purple ombre up towards the bodice. She reached into the top of the bag, removed the hanger and pulled out the delicate confection of a gown. She could now see that the sleeveless, high-necked bodice was composed of an intricate array of criss-crossed ribbons forming interconnected diamonds, leaving open spaces where, presumably, her bare skin would peek through.
It was, in a word, breathtaking.
It was the most beautiful item of clothing Rey had ever placed her hands on and she suddenly felt overwhelmed with gratitude, along with an unfamiliar feeling of belonging. She didn’t grow up with a mom, period, let alone one that would let her borrow a family heirloom, much less a couture gown. Her heart panged at the thought of being someone’s daughter . Or rather, someone’s daughter-in-law, maybe, someday. But that was far too much to comprehend right now.
For now, she would just have to figure out how in the hell to get this dress on.
“Rose! Can you come in here?”
++++
Mitaka returned exactly at 5:00 pm with Ben in tow this time, to whisk her off to the event. Ben was waiting outside the limo and she delighted in his shocked intake of breath as she emerged from the building, hair perfectly upswept, Rose’s Swarovski crystal earrings dangling from her lobes, and clad in her stunning borrowed dress (which somehow fit perfectly).
He reached out his hand to take hers as she approached the car idling in front of her building. Bringing her hand to his lips, he bent forward and kissed the back of it, his lips lingering as his eyes locked onto hers.
“You look gorgeous, sweetheart. That dress is—” he lowered her hand and swung their arms out to the side to take her in. “It’s perfect. Like it was made just for you.”
She blushed and looked down at their joined hands, not believing her luck. She felt like a princess and there was no way in hell she was losing a shoe or letting her carriage turn into a pumpkin at midnight. For once, she wouldn’t be running away from her prince.
This was for keeps.
“Thanks, a friend lent it to me,” she beamed, unwilling to spoil the surprise. She hoped deep in her heart he wouldn’t be too upset with her for keeping everything that had happened with his mother that day from him. She didn't know if Leia would even show, but she would absolutely come clean when they had a moment to themselves. For now, she didn't want to rattle his nerves or get his hopes up, just in case.
Ben gripped her hand anxiously as they sat in the back of the limo. She noticed him looking out the window as if searching for threats. Rubbing her thumb over the back of his hand, tracing the prominent veins there, she leaned forward to get his attention. “Hey, you okay?”
He glanced over at her and gave her a watery smile. “Just a bit nervous. I don’t really like being perceived.”
Rey chuckled, “That’s so hard to believe considering you’re practically a celebrity.”
Laughing along with her, he squeezed her hand and fixed her with a serious gaze. “I’m just glad I have you by my side.”
Rey’s heart nearly melted and began to pound, her vision tunneling so all she could see was him. Willing herself not to cry, she squeezed his hand back.
“There’s no place else I’d rather be.”
Before the waterworks began to start in earnest, the limo stopped at the entrance to the red carpet. Now her heart was pounding for a different reason: it was time for her official public debut on Ben’s arm. An actual, bonafide step forward in their relationship, instead of just being caught by the paparazzi post-brunch.
There was no turning back now.
Mitaka opened the door on Ben’s side. “You ready?” Ben asked expectantly as he started to disembark.
She nodded, watching as he stepped out, and soon she was following close behind, careful to gather the miles of tulle pooled around her legs. The last thing she wanted was to fall flat on her face in front of hundreds—thousands?—of people.
Luckily, Ben was waiting with his arm outstretched, mostly blocking her from the bulb flashes as she shimmied across the seat, the one where they had first consummated their relationship, and dipped her perfectly polished toe into the outside world. He helped her stand and she smoothed her palm over one hip before gripping her clutch with the other, hard enough for her knuckles to whiten.
“Let’s do this,” she uttered with feigned confidence when she saw the trepidation in his eyes. He made her want to be braver than she actually was, made her want to be brave for him
He smiled a little wider at her words then placed his hand on her lower back to guide her forward as Mitaka closed the door behind them and then swiftly drove away.
To say that the scene before her was overwhelming would be the understatement of the century.
Rey could hardly see three feet in front of her with all the flashes going off. Tons of photos were being taken of them, from hundreds of angles no less, and would soon be out in the world and splashed across newspaper pages and who knows how many websites and social media channels.
He may not have acknowledged their little foray into the tabloid world, but this was a hell of a way to make up for it. Rose was right. He was showing her, she just had to open her eyes and see it.
They were together, and now the whole world knew.
And he wanted the whole world to know.
Her heart was pounding in earnest by the time they reached the step-and-repeat, where they would pose and Ben would get several microphones shoved in his face by local media outlets.
“Ben who’s your friend?” she heard a pap shout, but everything was too loud for her to hear Ben’s response, mumbled in the photographer’s direction.
As he answered question after question, she felt him cling to her waist for dear life, his palm heavy and warm on her back where the dress opened up, exposing her tattoo that he loved so much. His thumb traced the nubs of her spine over the words “so are you,” as if he were using her to soothe himself.
Having never been with him in one of these situations, she had always taken for granted that it was easy for him. That a rich, beautiful man like him would love the spotlight, crave it even. Seeing him so vulnerable endeared him to her even more, not to mention the fact that she was honored to be the source of his comfort in this moment.
In the blink of an eye, they were in the ballroom, replete with large round tables adorned with sky-high, over the top flower arrangements and glittering votive candles. There was a huge stage in the front of the room lit up like a concert with a podium and large video screens.
Just as the program was starting, an usher escorted them to their table, which they shared with a few of the other award recipients, most of whom were already seated.
Ben clung to her hand under the tablecloth and they gave each other little squeezes without pulling their attention from the speakers or the triumphant video montages shown before each award. It all passed by in a blur, along with the simple meal of Chicken Francese and molten lava cakes that were served by fastidious servers like clockwork throughout the ceremony. Rey took tiny bites, terrified to let even one molecule of food touch her beautiful borrowed dress.. All in all, it passed like a beautiful dream.
Periodically, her eyes swept the room, wondering if and when Leia would appear. Would she simply arrive at their table as a surprise? Watch quietly from afar and slip out unnoticed? Rey sipped at her water and some of the sparkling wine that was offered on the table to calm her nerves. As the hour grew later, she wondered if Leia was coming at all.
Rey and Ben both snapped to attention when a familiar looking woman with a crown of intricate silver braids marched confidently across the stage in a gorgeous deep blue gown. She had the bearing of a queen, or a general, or some combination of the two.
Leia.
“Oh fuck,” Ben blanched, his voice suddenly too loud when the music ground to a halt as Leia took the podium.
Rey’s heart jumped into her throat. She thought Leia would drop by, not steal the whole damned show. It seemed fitting, given how she’d ambushed Rey earlier in the day. The woman knew how to make an entrance, that was for sure.
“It’ll be okay,” Rey said, soothing him as much as herself. She grasped his forearm while he held on to his own knees for dear life.
He looked positively terrified. She kind of was too.
Ben glanced over at her, appearing many years younger, as if the sight of his mother had turned him into a kid again. “Rey, sweetheart, no offense, but how would you know? I haven’t talked to her in ten years.”
Rey opened her mouth to respond, but Leia began speaking, silencing them both and stealing their attention.
“The next award goes to a very special young man,” Leia started, searching the audience with her eyes, but maintaining her stately composure.
“My son.”
The audience erupted in quiet murmurs and a few “awws.”
“Benjamin Solo is a remarkable young man who has dedicated his career to making women’s—well everyone’s— lives better. He envisions a world where women’s voices, needs, and experiences are not only heard, but valued. We haven’t always seen eye to eye, but I’ve always admired his passion, his work ethic, and his sheer determination.”
Leia looked down at the podium, the showmanship fading for a barely perceptible moment as she composed herself. When she looked back at the audience, her eyes were glistening.
“But my greatest regret in life is not telling him how proud I am of him,” she spoke, her voice cracking just a tiny bit. “For all that he’s done, and all that he will continue to do, throughout his illustrious, groundbreaking career.”
Leia turned, finally spotting Ben in the audience.
“So I’m telling him now.”
Ben sat rapt, absolutely stunned, and Rey could see his eyes glimmering at the corners as he swallowed heavily and gripped her hand.
“Ben. My son. I’m so deeply proud of you. Not just because you’ve built an incredibly successful business, or pioneered the next generation of fancy vibrators,” she laughed a bit and the audience joined her, including Ben, to Rey’s relief.
When the laughter died down, she continued, “I’m proud of you because of who you are. Your intelligence, your dedication, and most of all your heart . Every parent dreams that their kid will turn out even half as successful as you have,” she paused for effect. “But all any parent should want is for their child to do what they love, and to be happy,” she smiled.
Rey wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. This was everything she could have hoped for him. For Leia too.
“So, Ben. I am so damn proud of you for doing what you love. You deserve not only this award, but all the good you put into the world as well. You’ve earned it kid.”
A stage hand placed the award trophy in Leia’s hand and another PA with a headset and clipboard tapped Ben’s shoulder to urge him to walk to the stage to accept it. He gave Rey a nervous glance over his shoulder before turning and rushing to the stage, his long, limber legs carrying him swiftly to the front of the room. Rey let out a huge breath, not even realizing she had been holding it in, and clapped along with everyone else.
Her heart swelled with a mix of pride and joy for this moment. One that Ben truly deserved, for so many reasons.
Ben accepted the trophy and kissed Leia’s cheek, mouthing the words “Hey, Mom.” She pulled his large frame down to hug her tiny one, and without hesitation, he wrapped his big strong arms around his mother.
Leia pressed both her palms to his cheek and they shared a few more words just between the two of them.
“Wow,” he finally spoke into the microphone while staring at the shiny object in his hands, a small gold replica of Venus of Samothrace. Rey recognized it from one of her mandatory Art History electives: a famous statue that resided at the Louvre in Paris based on the Nike, Goddess of Victory.
Maybe she and Ben could go there together. Her heart warmed at the thought of all they could do in that magic someday.
“When I founded First Order Atelier, I was on a mission. I felt like I had something to prove, and I was determined to forge my own path,” he shook his head, as if he couldn’t believe he was actually giving a speech. Rey was riveted to the spot as she watched him speak confidently and assuredly, almost as if he’d practiced it. Knowing her over eager nerd, he probably did. She leaned forward in her seat, concentrating on hearing and absorbing every single word.
“I did it alone, even though, looking back, maybe I didn’t always have to.” His eyes laser focused on Rey as he spoke, and it made her whole body tingle.
“Sometimes it takes someone truly special believing in you to make you realize what you’re really capable of. Since I met that beautiful woman right over there,” he gestured towards Rey making her jaw drop in shock as hundreds of heads turned in her direction. She clapped her hands over her mouth to muffle her surprised squeak.
“My life has only gotten better. Because of her, I realized I don’t have to prove anything. She just accepts me for who I am, and supports me, without expecting anything in return,” he stared down at the trophy, dwarfed in his ample hands and returned his eyes to the audience.
“And she always surprises me. With her feistiness, and her bravery. With how she isn’t afraid to ask for what she wants. But tonight, she surprised me even more by realizing exactly what I needed and helped to make it happen.”
Her hands toyed nervously with her cloth napkin under the table where no one could see. She was like a duck floating on a pond, unmoving on the surface, but underneath, all frantic movement and urgency. Fighting back the urge to cry, she watched him as he poured his heart out onstage. He turned toward Leia who nodded and smiled sagely, before turning back to face her.
“I love you, Rey Niima.”
Rey used her napkin to dab delicately at the corner of her eyes to catch the few tears that escaped.
It was almost too good to be true.
She had never felt less alone.
Ben hugged Leia again and then was ushered off the side of the stage to return to their table, Leia following closely behind.
So that’s who one of the empty chairs at their table was for.
Well played, Leia.
Ben took his seat next to Rey and leaned over to kiss her, his hand cupping her cheek as he pressed his forehead to hers.
“I hope that was okay,” he whispered, as Leia sat down on the other side of Ben.
Rey sniffled a little and laughed. “It was perfect,” she beamed. “I love you, too.”
He pulled back and squeezed her hand and he looked like the luckiest and most happy man that had ever set foot on Earth.
An older gentleman in a slightly rumpled tux holding a bottle of Patron approached the table and clapped Ben on the back. “Proud of you kid, good to see you,” he remarked, slurring his words a bit.
“Chewie hooked me up, Princess,” he crowed triumphantly as he clumsily pulled his chair backwards and set the bottle down next to his untouched dessert.
“Hell yeah, lava cake! My favorite!” he exclaimed before setting his eyes on Rey. “Hello there, sweetheart, thanks for being here for Ben.”
Rey startled at the surprising sweetness of the inebriated man, a tad confused as to why he was sitting down with them and why he was talking to all of them so casually.
“Thanks, Dad,” Ben sighed, but with the kind of loving frustration only a son could have for his charming, yet slightly embarrassing father.
“Nice to meet you,” Rey offered, already a bit too fond of the man. She could see why Leia put up with him. He was the silver fox version of Ben and his smile was completely disarming.
Scoundrel, indeed.
“So Ben, what do you think of Grandma Padme’s dress?” Leia asked, nodding in Rey’s direction. “She was a real fashion trailblazer back then. Very scandalous when she went out in that one. Ben’s not the only one in the family to make it to PageSixSix, you know,” she chuckled heartily.
“You—” he glanced quickly from his mother to Rey, his brow furrowed in confusion. “How?”
Leia chuckled and Rey grinned sheepishly.
“I’ll explain after we have some of this tequila.” She glanced over at Han disapprovingly. “Come on, Han, you couldn’t at least get us some shot glasses and limes?”
“Sorry, your Worshipfulness,” he retorted, somehow sounding both sarcastic and loving at the same time. “Be back in no time.”
The evening passed with tipsy laughter and tales of Ben sitting in the co-pilot’s seat with his dad and Ben sleeping on the sofa in Leia’s campaign office to keep her company on election night. There were a few tense moments here and there when his parents would mention things he wasn’t a part of during the last decade, but Rey would simply squeeze his hand reassuringly under the table and he would instantly relax and squeeze her back.
Rey felt so warm all over, and not just because of the tequila.
She felt like she was home.
++++
Still bubbling with the remnants of their tequila haze, Ben helped Rey into the back of the limo, following quickly behind and letting out a playful growl as he tackled her onto the long bench at the back of the car.
Their bench.
Rey giggled and pretended to slap him away until his lips met her neck followed by sloppy sweeps of his tongue over her earlobe.
“Ben,” she gasped breathlessly. “The dress!”
“Oh, sorry,” he replied, chagrinned, backing up onto his heels and helping her right herself.
Once they both stopped panting and she had satisfactorily flattened the voluminous skirt around her, she swept back the loose tendrils that had escaped her updo.
“Good thing Rose packed you a bag,” he grinned from ear to ear like a goofball and directed her towards the overstuffed duffel on the other side of the cabin.
Rey laughed hysterically imagining how many sex toys and lingerie sets had been crammed into her bag by her well-meaning BFF.
“So I guess I can take this off then?” she raised one eyebrow suggestively as Ben pressed his lips together and nodded enthusiastically.
She turned around and peered at him over her shoulder, biting her lip. “So what are you waiting for?”
He scrambled to reach for the delicate hook and eye enclosure at her neck, in a reverse dream of earlier that day when Rose had helped her put it on.
Once the dress had been fully secured, Rose had backed away to admire her handiwork, declaring Rey “an absolute vision,” adding with gusto, “He’s gonna nut the second he sees you.”
His booze addled fingers were slightly less sure, but still swift as he unhooked the collar and parted the fabric with his hands, sweeping it over her shoulders, raising goosebumps across her entire body. His lips met the back of her neck and trailed down her spine, his tongue tracing flower petals and scripted words along the way.
Life is tough darling, but so are you.
He leaned back, running a single finger down the length of her tattoo, and she took the initiative to slide her arms out of the bodice and shimmy the skirt down over her hips. Ben helped gather the voluminous gown and laid it across the opposite bench where the garment bag was strategically placed.
Rey felt overwhelming relief at having the dreamy, perfect gown off of her body at last, proud of having preserved its pristine beauty throughout the entire evening.
She, however, hoped to be anything but pristine by the end of their limo ride.
“Look at you,” he marveled as he turned around, eyes wide with lust as she leaned back on the bench, now clad only in a lacy pink thong, her legs pressed together, knees to the side like a mermaid sunning on a rock in the surf. She still wore her strappy, silver high heels that showed off her whisper-pink toenails.
She crooked a finger to beckon him forward to join her on the bench. He approached on all fours, placing a tender kiss on her knee.
“Nuh uh, nope,” she teased him, patting the leather seat beside her. “Get up here. Tonight is about you. ”
“Just let me get you warmed up,” he pleaded, trying to nuzzle her legs apart with his nose, peppering her skin with wet kisses. It took a significant amount of resolve to stand firm.
“Ben, believe me, I'm plenty warmed up already. Let me do something for you for once. You deserve it.”
He stiffened, straightening up a little to sit up on his knees and look right at her. “What did you say?”
“I said,” her voice lowered seductively as she leaned forward to bend her finger under his chin. “You deserve to feel good.”
He shuddered, his eyes hooding as he gazed down at her lips before licking his own. “Is that so?”
“Mmhmm,” she nodded, her lips already pressed to his. He climbed up to the bench beside her, his fingers enclosing the back of her neck and his other reaching for her now completely bare waist.
Before he could take advantage and pull her onto his lap, she darted to the floor, spreading his thighs apart and wedging herself between them.
“Nice try, Solo,” she giggled, fiddling furiously with his belt, her head still swimming despite her buzz having already begun to fade.
She swatted his hand away as he tried to help her, fixing him with a stern glare before her face burst into a brilliant smile.
He lifted his hips as she pulled his pants and boxers down to his thighs and she immediately grasped his hardened length in her palm. She looked up at him while she took him into her mouth, circling the tip with her tongue before flicking it over his hole, tasting his arousal and eliciting a deep, open-mouthed groan from him as he clenched his fists at his sides.
“Good boy,” she praised, as he resisted wefting his hands in her hair. He seemed to enjoy having her turn the tables on him, and he grinned with satisfaction as she took the lead.
She licked a hot ribbon up the underside, teasing the bulging vein there before taking his whole length deep in her mouth until it hit the back of her throat, making her gag a little.
She’d have to work on that.
She couldn’t believe this was her first time giving him unreciprocated oral. He’d never given her a chance to service him this way unless he’d already done it to her.
It was a rush.
“What do you need from me right now, Ben?” she asked breathily between ardent licks to his shaft and the underside of his head.
“Need you. Need to fuck you,” he groaned.
“No, what do you really need?” she urged him, giving him languorous, spit-laden strokes with her hand. "Don’t worry about what I want. What do you want? Tell me and I’ll give it to you.”
She cleverly used his very own words on him, from their very first night together. His eyes widened in recognition before a devilish grin spread across his face, her hand still milking him methodically, keeping his erection going strong.
“Use one of your toys on me,” he spat out, biting his lip. “I wanna. I wanna know how it feels.”
“Shit, that’s kinda hot,” she exhaled. It was one thing to feel like he needed to use his toys on her when he alone was more than enough. It was another for him to put the power of micro-robotics in her capable hands.
She released him gently before crawling over to her duffle bag and unzipping the top, which was nearly bursting with the stuff that Rose had so thoughtfully, and aggressively, packed for her. Sure enough, she found the Kyber Wand, the simple vibrator he had used on her clit the night he mercilessly edged her when she was strapped helplessly to his bed.
Finally she’d get her sweet, sweet, sexy revenge.
“I guess we can get more specific when we get back to your place,” she purred, holding the wand up for his inspection. He nodded.
She crawled back towards him, pausing when they hit a bump in the road, and laughed quietly to herself as she imagined Mitaka being instructed to take the long way home, the one with the most traffic.
Kneeling before him again, she depressed the button and grabbed him with one hand and gently pressed the vibrating bulb to the base of his cock with the other.
He jumped and grunted deeply.
“Too much?” she asked, genuinely curious.
He shook his head no. “Keep going, it’s good,” he assured her even as he gritted his teeth.
She rubbed his thigh lovingly. “Just relax, let me take care of you,” she insisted, gliding her palm up and down one bare thigh while she teased the other with the wand, still on the lowest setting. “I’ll go slow this time.”
She worked it closer and then further away, her hand and the wand working in tandem up towards his center as his cock bobbed expectantly from his squirming.
“You like that?” she grinned as he nodded. “You want more?”
“Yes,” he nodded again, clenching his fists.
“Are you asking? Or begging?” she teased him, just like he had done to her.
He let out a low, knowing chuckle, a lopsided smile on his face. “Definitely begging,” he declared.
She fixed him with a sultry glare, leaning forward to grasp him once more and take him in her mouth, slowly pressing the vibrator to the base of his shaft. Her mouth and the toy worked in tandem both slipping up and down, making him whine like a frantic animal.
“You can touch me,” she offered between long, luxurious sucks that let him hit the back of her throat.
He wove his fingers through her hair, loosening her bun despite the plethora of bobby pins concealed there and promptly moved to grasp her shoulder, kneading it desperately as he writhed underneath her.
She drooled heavily along his length and her throat elicited exaggerated gagging sounds as she breathed through her nose to take all of his massive length in her mouth. As she came up for air, she pressed the head of the wand to the base of his cock again, letting it rest on his balls this time.
“Fuck!” he cried out, his fingers digging into her shoulder.
“Feel good?” she inquired, holding it steady as she returned to sucking him off.
“S’good. Fuck baby. Yes,” he spurred her on. “Gonna come.”
With that she pulled away both the toy and her mouth.
His eyes popped open in surprise and he looked at her like she had stolen his candy.
“Rey, why?”
She licked the tip of the Kyber wand and reveled in how it vibrated against her tongue and suddenly had an idea.
“Just giving you a tiny little taste of your own medicine,” she grinned mischievously.
“Ah, of course,” he smiled and promptly switched to a pleading look. “Please Rey? Please don’t stop. I’m sorry. So fucking sorry baby please.”
She laughed teasingly and grasped his shaft. “Well, it is your special night. Consider us even,” she offered, sliding her fist along his length once more. His shoulders dropped in relief as he leaned back on the leather seat and closed his eyes.
“Thank you, sweetheart, fuck,” he moaned as she took him in her mouth again.
This time, she pressed the wand to the side of her cheek where the head of his cock bulged out as she turned her head.
“Jesus Christ that feels fucking good,” he grunted, his hips canting up desperately.
She hummed as she took him deeper and teased his balls with the vibe again, rolling it along the soft, pliant surface of them, lower and lower until he clamped his legs together.
“What are you doing?” he asked playfully, but made no move to push the toy away.
“Just trust me.”
And Rose’s things you should try on your man tonight quiz.
Her result had been ‘Taint no shame in it’ and she had been waiting for the moment she could finally try it on him.
She lifted his balls with one hand and pressed the vibrator firmly to the sensitive area right beneath.
“Holy shit, Rey!” he shouted, curling forward. But she was relentless, licking up and around his balls and back up to his head, swirling her tongue around the tip mercilessly and sucking him down as she pressed harder.
“Fuck fuck fuck fuck,” he stammered.
She leaned back to wipe her mouth and switched the toy off, tossing it to the side where it landed on the bench and rolled into the crease of the seat. She quickly turned around on all fours and looked over her shoulder at him.
“Go ahead, Ben.”
“Oh shit baby, yes.” He shifted himself forward, taking himself in his hand to complete the job, and in no time was painting her tattoo with hot ropes of cum. She let out a moan as his spend hit her in spurts and he grunted his release, her pussy pulsing with anticipation for the night ahead.
She savored the moment, the slow strokes of his fingers as he swiped them through his mess and spread it along her spine, finally at long last, marking her as his.
“Good?” she asked innocently, turning around, as if he hadn’t nearly levitated off his seat as he came.
He leaned back against the leather, exhaling forcefully, his temples beaded with sweat and his hair in his eyes, looking utterly debauched. His lips were pink and puffy and she felt like the most powerful woman in the world.
“Jesus fuck, Rey,” he declared, blowing out another breath and swiping his hand through his hair. “I’ve never come that hard in my entire life.”
She couldn’t help but feel proud as he gestured for her to sit in his lap, not seeming to mind the fact that her entire back was covered in cum, and she made a mental note to encourage him to tip his dry cleaner. A lot.
As his arms curled around her, she sat sidesaddle, careful to avoid his sensitive member and nuzzled her face into his chest. He pressed a kiss into her hair.
“You’re welcome,” she teased. “You deserve it Ben,” she reassured him.
“If you say so, baby,” he replied, self-deprecating as usual.
She peered up at him and curled a wayward section of hair behind his adorably oversized ear. “Don’t do that,” she gently admonished him..
“Don’t do what?” he responded, seemingly confused.
She gently slapped his shoulder. “That thing where you downplay yourself. Act like you’re not the most incredible man ever.”
He pressed a soft kiss to her lips and smiled. “Go on, then.”
“You’re the most handsome—.”
Kiss
“Generous—”
Kiss
“ Sexy —”
Kiss
“Kind—”
“Okay, okay I get it,” he chuckled, pressing his nose to her temple and breathing her in.
“You deserve to feel good, just like you told me,” she insisted. “You deserve all the good you put into the world. Just like your mom told you. And now I’m telling you , ” she continued, taking in a slightly nervous breath. “That you deserve to feel loved.”
He looked down at where he circled the pad of his index finger on her shoulder before meeting her eyes again and smiling. “Well I do,” he confirmed with another kiss. “Feel loved, specifically by you.”
She kissed him once more before resting her head in the crook of his shoulder until Ben tapped a small button in the ceiling console to indicate to Mitaka that it was time to head home to Ben’s loft. Ben was quiet and sated as he stroked her thigh where it crossed his lap, and Rey was happier than she'd ever felt in her entire life.
++++
By the time they arrived, Rey was wiped clean (Rose really did think of everything), dressed in a sensible t-shirt and leggings and a pair of knockoff Uggs, grateful that her best friend knew her well enough to pack those for her. Mitaka dropped them off and Ben carried her duffel bag for her as they held hands in the elevator to the top floor of the First Order Atelier building, where Ben lived.
As they reached the door to his loft, he pulled out a single key with an FOA branded key fob attached. Instead of positioning in front of the lock, he handed it to Rey.
“What’s this?” she asked curiously, gazing up at him. He had a ridiculous grin on his face.
“It’s yours.”
“What do you mean, I don’t have a key to your—”
Oh.
“Oh,” she startled, looking from the key in his hand to his face and back to his hand.
“I think it’s time you had a key, right? I mean, no pressure, we don’t have to have the ‘moving in’ conversation yet. I mean, unless you want to,” he stammered. “I-I just want you to feel like you belong here. Because you do,” he recovered, crooking a finger on her chin so she would look him in the eye. “You belong with me.”
Tears threatened to spill from her lashes, but she blinked them away, instead grabbing the key from him and standing on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek.
“Thank you, Ben,” was all she could say, lest she dissolve into sobs.
Having not had the best childhood as a foster kid, the best thing that had ever happened to her was having her own room at her place with Rose. Now, Ben was trusting her with a key to his place, and basically just asked her to move in with him, if she wanted to. He couldn’t possibly know how much that meant to her, but she was sure going to show him tonight, and every day forward that they had together.
Once inside, he showed her the half of the closet he had cleared (that afternoon!) for her things and the two drawers she could use. If she wanted, no pressure. There were flowers waiting, even though he was the one they were celebrating.
They took their time undressing each other and took a long shower. Ben massaged the shampoo into her tender scalp, which felt like heaven after a day of bobby pins digging into it.
Immediately after, they fell into his big, soft bed in their towels and he folded her into his arms, letting her rest her head on his bicep, and pulling her close with the other. They laid together for a moment, face to face, just breathing as the water droplets from the shower evaporated from their skin.
Ben scratched gentle circles over her back as she pressed her cheek to his chest, her body flush against his.
“That was pretty incredible what you pulled off tonight,” he reflected.
She snorted. “Well, it was half my idea. Your mother is a force of nature though. I was just along for the ride.”
“No,” he disagreed. “She never would have done that on her own,” he added with a soft laugh.
“Okay, so maybe I had a little influence,” she conceded. “I was nervous so I just ran with it. She’s very intimidating, you know.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, well, that’s Mom. But you can definitely hold your own. And she likes you,” he assured her, stroking her wet strands with his fingers. “She told me when you were at the bar with Han. She said she couldn’t believe I found a woman even stronger than her, and that I was an idiot if I ever let you go.”
“That sounds like your mom,” Rey laughed in return. “Good thing you’re one of the smartest people I know.”
He kissed her forehead. “We have that in common, sweetheart.”
“I was so anxious you’d be mad that we surprised you. I know how nervous you were.” She fiddled with the edge of the towel at his waist. “I’m so glad it worked out.”
“It was definitely a shock, Rey. But the second my mom took that stage, and said what she said, it was like the last piece finally fell into place. You, my company, the award, and then my parents. We still have a lot to work out. But it’s a start. I’m grateful that it happened.”
“It was good for me too, you know,” she leaned back so he could see her face. “To hear you say those things out loud, in front of everyone. When you didn’t say anything about the PageSixSix photo, I got scared.”
He tensed up and grasped her upper arm. “What? Why would you be scared? I mean, I was scared, that’s why I sent my security team, obviously.”
“No, not about the safety stuff. Just. That’s all you seemed to care about, not the fact that the whole world saw us together. It just made me realize I didn’t know where we were going, or if you wanted me the way I wanted you. It seems stupid now, but I guess I just really needed to hear you say it.”
“Oh, Rey,” he crooned. “I'm so sorry I didn’t pick up on that. I was so stressed with the trip and everything, and worried about you. I feel terrible.”
“No, no, I don’t want you to feel bad at all. That’s why I didn’t bring it up. I figured when I was finished with my classes, and you came back that we would talk.”
He laughed a bit. “And then you single handedly reunited my family and got me to confess my love for you on a national stage with hundreds of people watching?’
She giggled and slapped his chest. “Yes, all according to my plan.”
“Rey, I’ll say how I feel about you every day from now on,” he reassured her, clutching her face in his hand and pressing a firm kiss to her lips. “I love you, Rey. I love you so much.”
“I love you, too. So much. And I'm going to show you how much you deserve. How amazing you are. Everyday,” her voice cracked at the last word.
The happy, relieved tears she’d been holding in all day finally streamed in ribbons down her cheeks as his lips met hers, with purpose this time, his tongue parting her lips.
“Yeah, you wanna show me?” he urged her as both of their towels fell away from their bodies until they were skin to skin.
“I do,” she replied, sniffling a bit but growing breathless as he kneaded her ass and hooked her leg over his waist, drawing them closer together.
“Well, first at least let me make you come. You have no idea how hard it was not to fuck the shit out of you back there in the limo.”
“You did so well, Ben,” she praised as he laid hot wet kisses along the length of her throat and his erection pressed persistently into her abdomen.
He rolled on top of her suddenly, pinning her under his large mass and then moved to reach toward the bedside table. But before he could pull the drawer open and grab one of his trusty toys, she grabbed his wrist.
“Wait.”
“Do you think we can do it, just like this?” Rey asked tentatively. “Would you like that?”
“At least let me go down on you first,” he offered.
“No, I want this time to be about both of us. I want to come with you. At the same time.”
“Jesus, sweetheart. Okay, I think I can get on board with that.”
She grabbed his hand to press it to her center. A single thick finger parted her slick seam, drawing groans from them both.
“See, I don’t need anything, Ben,” she reassured him as he felt how wet she was for him. “Just you.”
His lips crashed into hers as he gripped her hip and pulled her closer. She reached down to palm his considerable length and stroke him softly. Canting her hips up a bit and resting her heel on the bed, she guided him to her entrance, whimpering softly as he helped her along with a thrust of his own. When he filled her, slowly, so slowly, as if he had all the time in the world, she whined loudly, marveling at how every time he pressed inside her it felt like the first time. The way he split her open, the way every inch of him filled her just right. It was perfect.
He made love to her, palms pressing into the bed on either side of her as she stroked her fingers through his hair. She traced his eyebrows with delicate fingertips, studying every angle and mole on his beautiful face.
“Feels so good, Ben.”
“Just me?”
“Just you.”
He reached down to thumb at her clit as he neared his own peak, his hip movements growing erratic and sloppy and his breath quickening.
“Can you come for me baby? I’m so close.”
She nodded. “Me too, don’t stop, please.”
“Fuck, Rey. You feel so fucking perfect.”
“I love you,” she whispered, overcome with fullness, slightly crushed under his weight as he filled her again and again. “I love you, I love you, I love, you.”
“I love you, fuck,” he grunted out.
“I'm coming!” she shouted as his nimble thumb worked her up to the peak of ecstasy. “Fuck, Ben, don’t stop!”
“I won’t. I’ll never stop. Come on my cock, please baby.”
She came with a shout as her whole body convulsed around him, his deep guttural groan joining her resultant whimpers as he erupted inside her. He kept pumping his hips throughout, as if he could possibly get any deeper. As if he never wanted to leave the hot, wet paradise between her thighs.
As he collapsed on top of her, he kissed her with the force of all of his love, and she kissed him back with a life’s worth of longing for connection.
They would never be alone again.
