BOMAW Vol. 10-12 (76 page)

"Thank you sir, McPherson, Benjamin McPherson." He greeted in return, giving a solid hand shake.

"Mc - Pher - son? As in, Shawn McPherson?"

"Yes, sir, he's my father."

Georgiana audibly sucked in by the disclosure. "Everett Styles' son?"

Crystal and Ben both looked at her. He nodded and then, "Yes, his son."

"Your daughter, Deidre, invited us to accept the invitation to the ball in her place." Crystal explained smiling towards Georgiana, who, never acknowledged her presence, but kept her eyes on Ben replying to her statement as if he'd been the one who'd told her so. "In that case, welcome! I assure you, you're more than. I hope you picked up a couple of raffle tickets? There are some incredible prizes to be won."

Thrown by her neglect to include Crystal, Ben's expression must have shown it. Realizing that, Georgiana turned stiffly to Crystal and gave her a quick, fake smile.

Crystal chuckled, shaking her head in disbelief, it was so apparent what had just happened, she could do nothing else but laugh it off turning to Oscar to see his eyes on her. The moment he caught her attention, he smiled, "Such a pretty young woman, you'll have to excuse my staring. Glad to hear that our daughter invited you two, and it's my hope that you have a good time, and
your
name please?" He asked, reaching out to take hold of her hand with both of his, waiting for her name.

"Crystal, Crystal Bella Prescott." She returned politely, trying to delicately extricate her hand from his.

"Ah, Crystal - well named, and you certainly outshine the chandelier above us. Bella, is Latin, or Italian is it - for beautiful? Again, you are well named young lady." He boldly flirted.

"Yes, well ... thank you." She finally got her hand back, still polite, smiling.

Realizing there was an air of decorum that needed to be maintained, Oscar reluctantly turned to his wife, who was forced to tear her eyes from Ben, "Introductions are in order, my uh, Mrs. Wherrington, Deidre's mother - and I am Oscar Wherrington, her father."

"Nice to meet you sir, Mrs. Wherrington, you two must be so proud of your daughter. She is such an incredible person, allowing us to come in her place." Crystal went on to both of them, whether Georgiana gave her much attention or not. She had manners and knew how to conduct herself and would show no less than that regardless of what was shown to her. Because of that, Georgiana had no choice but to reciprocate, especially with Ben looking at the girl with such admiration, she wanted to show him she was a very kind and considerate person as well. Smiling at Crystal, she returned with, "My daughter is a Wherrington, learning her charitable nature from us. In fact, because you two are here in her place, we insist you sit where she would have, at the executive's table. Right dear?" She turned to her husband for support on her invitation.

"Absolutely, in fact - after dinner, if no one has done so yet, I claim the first dance with you."

Crystal gulped, nervous, but before she could speak, "Sorry sir, that dance belongs to me, as well the last dance. If there is space in the center some where, well then, I suppose if she wishes, you may."

Before he could cover it, the look that Oscar directed at Ben was the equivalent of observing a fly landing on his favorite dessert. Crystal missed it because she was looking up at Ben grinning when the next thing she knew, Georgiana reached out to grab his arm, pulling him against her. Crystal could have sworn that she pressed his arm against her breasts, looking up at him with sparkling flirtatious eyes. "Oh I'm sure he'll get a chance with her, because I'll be claiming you for a few dances - I insist upon no less than two." She simpered with sickening sweetness.

It was too much, Crystal looked away not to laugh out at her, or the look on Ben's face.

"Yes, well, uh, I suppose that would be okay." He was hesitant to accept, but he couldn't be rude.

"Oh we're going to have a fantastic night! Did you purchase any raffle tickets?" She cooed.

Crystal half expected her to tickle him under the chin and go,
'Goochy goochy cooo.'

"Yes, we did, thank you." He answered, trying to pull his arm away from her.

Embarrassed enough, Oscar cleared his throat, "Dear, since we have so many other's to greet, we better get on with it." He had to practically drag her off of Ben.

Helping him, Ben stepped back, pulling his arm free and turned his back on them, grabbing Crystal and heading in the opposite direction, doing the best that he could to speed up with each step they took. Crystal couldn't help it, she was cracking up as he dragged her along with him as far she the ballroom would let them get. They turned down a passage way and into a sitting room and busted up laughing.

"Holy shit! I need a bath! Holy shit!" Ben shook and shivered whipping his arm off as Crystal staggered back against the wall dying, in tears laughing so hard she could barely stand.

"I'm so glad you think this is funny! I feel so dirty! Yuck!" Ben whimpered pitifully.

"Oh my god, oh my god - I'm telling you now - she wants you!"

"What the hell man! I was scared she was going to grab my, you know what! She freakin' rubbed against me man!"

"I know! I saw! Oh my god, talk about desperate! She had them fake titties all up against you."

"Titties hell! She rubbed her hip against me too, against my groin!"

"No way! You lyin'!" Crystal gasped incredulous.

"Excuse me in what I'm about to say, but she brushed against Mr. Johnson!" He shivered again as he pretended to gag on something.

"I'm telling you now, all of the rooms in this place, don't you let her get you alone - she will be all over you!" Crystal warned shaking her head. She sat on the bench in the sitting room, opened her clutch purse and took out a mirror looking at herself, "Had me laughing so hard, made me mess up my eye make-up." She stated, wiping beneath her eyes where a bit of her liner had run. She looked up at him, "My eye make-up okay?"

Ben dropped to his knees before her, "I don't know, let me get a closer look here," He took her chin gently in hand, making her grin at him.

"Careful..." She warned.

"What?" He asked softly, "What am I doing, just checking - want me to make sure don't you?" He looked closer and closer as if giving her face a very careful inspection.

Once more they were suspended in gazing at each other, Ben sobered up as he admired her young pretty face, "Don't you - no matter what happens tonight, should we get separated, find yourself alone with him, okay? I don't trust him either! Jesus, the way he was looking at you!" He warned gently, his thumb lightly caressed her skin.

Crystal backed away from him, "Believe me, I can take care of myself." She asserted.

"Did I ask you that, if you could take care of yourself? That's all well and fine, but we left that place tonight together with me held responsible for your safety. Anything happens to you, I have to disappear."

"Don't be ridiculous, you aren't responsible for me or my safety."

"Bull - I sure as hell am! He'd never get done kicking my ass about anything happening to you."

"Shawn?" Crystal asked.

"Of course, your papah-Shawn - he's already let me know, anyone ever hurts you, his foot would be drilling for days, that included me. I believe him."

"Wow... he said that huh?" Crystal smiled gently, pleased by the thought.

"You bet he did."

She stared at him a moment and couldn't stop herself from asking, "What if - he'd never given such a warning, then what?"

Ben leaned in closer to her braced on the bench, "What do you think?"

She reached up and touched his cheek, caressing it, "I would protect you too, even from the all powerful, Mrs Wherrington." She leaned forward, grabbed his head and kissed his forehead, then tapped the tip of his nose. "Come on Mr. McPherson, let's go have some fun."

"You might wish to control that salivating that you do, or is that the result of your surgeries? Either way, I would advise that you discontinue it."

Ignoring that, Georgiana's focus was on more important things like, "I hope you don't expect me to stick by you for the entire evening?"

"You must have gone mad! Completely ruin my night?! I warn you not to try it - after the announcements and dinner, you're free to go." Oscar assured her as they continued on with their section.

Elsewhere, Benjamin and Crystal, with drinks in hands, toured the grand mansion, owned by one of the bankers who held it there. Neither gave a thought to the fact that they were holding hands as they walked around touring the massive estate where the guest were permitted. It was a strange and new thing for Crystal during that time together, that they walked, holding hands as if they'd always known each other, had always done this and this holding hands as they were, was a perfectly natural thing for them. The longer that it went on, the more intense the sensation became that made Crystal feel, she'd always been with this man. Which was ridiculous she knew. Yet and still, they moved in such a fluid companionable stride, side by side, one would think they'd been together for years and years. Every now and then, he'd give her hand a bit of squeeze to get her attention to look at something that interested him, whether that would be paintings on the wall, or sculptures standing by windows. He'd get to a painting, and if he liked it, without a word, he'd turned to her and his pleasure would be evident. With a lift of a brow, Crystal knew he was asking, did she like it? A smile and a nod was answer enough. The next if he didn't like it, that too showed on his face, sending Crystal into giggles because just as he did with her boys, making things interesting for them, he made different faces of displeasure for her, sending her into hopeless chuckles and sometimes a burst of laughter when he made a really good, yucky face. Ever encouraging her to fun, Crystal would try to emulate, and if she failed, he'd stand there, doing it over until she got it. Making her laugh worse, because she knew if anyone was watching, they'd think them crazy - clearly out of their minds. He was silly - could be silly because he was confident and didn't give a damn what anyone thought of him. She saw that in him, as clear as day. He cared only what Crystal thought of him, as long as he could make her smile, giggle, laugh out loud, then nothing else mattered.

Once more, Crystal found herself comparing him to Victor.

Victor always looked cool. You would never catch him doing anything in front of others, strangers or not, that made him look anything less than cool. He exuded pure sexuality that was an instant turn on to any young woman in his presence - but silly? No, never silly - Victor was not the silly kind.

As they continued on, she realized that Ben was doing something else, he was testing her to see what they had in common. He often waited to see her reaction to things, just to know if they shared the same thoughts, tastes, interests. Once Crystal caught on to this, she couldn't resist doing the exact opposite of what he looked for, fighting back laughter as Ben's expression displayed worry. Once he caught on, that she was playing with him, it was there on his face, making her crack up laughing again. They spent a half an hour that way, having fun, strolling along, not saying a word, communicating strictly with their facial expressions, in their eyes and body language. It took Crystal a while to realize that that's what he'd done with her. He'd been showing her, teaching her that two people didn't always need to speak to enjoy each other. It touched her in a way she couldn't explain, but it choked her up just a bit, stirred a few butterflies in her stomach. They walked on, still holding hands, heading towards the dinning area, when she felt a certain shift in the way he held her hand, just for a few moments. There was a soft and gently squeezing, his thumb, his fingers were caressing her hand in a way that set her heart to beating and she knew, that he was communicating with her again. There was a type of urgency, yet not, there was a desperateness, yet not, it was invasive, as if through her hand, he was slowly moving into her soul. Yet, not.

The effects however were there, with short choppy breaths disturbing her normal breathing pattern, Crystal looked up at him, wanting him to look at her, he knew that she did, she knew that he knew. But he would not, he would only leave her with his profile, his hand still doing to hers what it was, and then - it stopped, gave her a bit of a squeeze and gripped it comfortably tighter and just as she was calming down a bit, her head spinning, he gave her hand another soft squeeze. Tears came to Crystal's eyes, because she knew, from the depth of her soul, she knew, he was saying, that he loved this, that he was loving her and in fact, loved her. That some how, with his hand, he'd transferred feelings from inside of himself to her and, it worked, she felt it. Tears gathered in her eyes because she knew just as he'd communicated this with his hand, he was waiting for the subtle return from her hand.

She pulled it gently from his, "I need to use the ladies room, I saw one back there, I'll be right back." Resisting eye contact, she looked at the floor; she had finally broken the silence, turning from him, holding up her gown, she sped off down the hall as if afraid he would stop her.

Ben stood watching her flee from him, fleeing from what he offered her.

"Run - Crystal Bella, run. It won't change the way I feel about you. It won't change a thing."