Private Show (The Private Series) by Danielle Torella Page A

parachute cord. I look to my far left to see Ben doing the same and we both shoot up before falling to the earth.
    When I land on my two feet Ben is running up behind me screaming. But I am laughing hysterically. I am on a mega rush right now and I can’t believe I just did that! Man he is going to be outraged!
    “What the hell Tess?” Ben yells as he closes in on me.
    I am in a fit of giggles and in a playful mood and I detach my chute and run away.
    “Tess! What are you doing? Get back here!” Ben sounds confused and a little upset.
    I turn my head around and show him how happy I am. He smiles back at me and chasses me across the field. The cold air starts to get the best of my breath and I can’t run no more, so I drop and roll around laughing. Ben drops down on top of me, pinning me. His eyes are searing with a mix of emotions.
    “Why did you do that?” He urges.
    “What?” I playfully reply.
    “Don’t give me what.” His face is right over mine.
    My laughing subside and I tell him exactly why, “I love you, but I will never depend on you.”
     

     
    We start off to the car, after handing off our gear and I am shaking from the adrenaline. I can’t even begin to express how amazing that was and to get to do that with Ben. Hell, sex with him is an adrenaline rush… man, too bad you can’t combine the two. Could you imagine that climax? Damn.
    “So how was that?” Ben asks as we walk back to the prep building.
    “That was amazing! Thank you!” I jump up into his arms with my legs around his waist and all the guys in the area start laughing. Once at the car his phone rings and he sets me down.
    “Hello?” He is listening to whoever it is on the other end and responds, “Yeah, we aren’t that far we will be there in about twenty minutes.” And he hangs up.
    “Who was that?”
    “My dad, he wants us all together to talk about something. Looks like part two of the surprise must wait…”
    I throw my hands up in the air. “You just took me skydiving! How could you possibly surprise me any more than that?”
    He leans in and deepened his voice, his hot sexy as liquid hot dark chocolate of an English accent tells me, “Oh, I have my ways.” And he lays a hard, fast smashing kissing right on me. My adrenaline hikes back up and I can feel my head spin and my knees go weak. He must have felt my body weaken too, because he pulls away ever so slightly so he can lift me up into his arms and walks me to the front of the car. Setting me down on the hood he steps between my legs. I grab at his hips and draw him in closer.
    “Yeah! Get it, man!” Roger yells from across the lot.
    I want to die.
    Ben pulls back right away and smiles at me, but in an apologetic kind of way. He knows I am embarrassed, but that it was kind of worth it.
     

     
    When we pull up to the house, we spot Caroline on the front steps with her sketchpad. She jumps up and hugs us. I can’t help check out her hair.
    “So, do you know what this is all about?” Ben asks.
    “Not a clue.”
    “Well, let’s go find out.” Ben says and ushers us inside. We find Jack and Gwen sitting at the dining room table with cups of coffee and smiling. That’s a good sign.
    After another round of hugs and greetings, Ben jumps in: “You don’t typically call me over unless there’s some big news.”
    Jack gestures for us all to sit around the large dining table, and Gwen delivers a tray of coffee and mugs. Jack takes Gwen’s hand and gives her a warm smile. “Gwen and I would like to announce that we have picked a wedding date.”
    Each of us sits in silence for a quick moment before Caroline speaks up, “I don’t care when! I just want to design the dress!”
    “Of course Caroline!” Gwen rushes out in an excited breath.
    Ben clears his throat. “So when is the big day?”
    In unison the couple speaks. “Thanksgiving!”
    The three of us gasp. “Wow, that soon?” Ben asks.
    I excitedly clap my hands. “Oh, this is so exciting! I’ve