Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

He must be rich. 

All those tailored suits, understated cufflinks. A variety of watches, all traditional and mechanically complicated. Seemingly a different one for each day of the week. Style with substance.

Rey likes to watch him when he comes in. He’s often fiddling with his phone, sometimes in the middle of a call. Never when he talks to a barista, though. For that he gives eye contact, speaks directly. Tips well. She’s only waited on him a few times, but it’s always appreciated. His attention. It’s nice.

She is often the one who makes his drink. Large Americano, extra shot. No room for cream or sugar. 

She sneaks glances at him from behind the espresso machine. Some days he meets her gaze. It always makes her feel all fuzzy inside, which, yeah, is a little pathetic. But she can’t help it. He is handsome, and also certainly rich, and probably important, and it’s sort of fun to imagine something happening with him. Nothing will, of course. Happen. 

But it is nice to think that it could.   

There’s no one to blame but herself. 

The first of the month came as it always does, quickly and with little sympathy. Rose moved out a few weeks ago. She’s already settled in at her new place with her girlfriend Jannah. 

It was a whirlwind romance, one that took Rose by surprise and flipped Rey’s world on its axis. Because, instead of renewing the lease to their place, Rose decided she wanted to move in with Jannah. Which is wonderful, it really is. For Rose. 

But for Rey, it fucking sucks. She can’t afford rent on her own, and she doesn’t really have any other friends in the city. She isn’t close with any of her coworkers, doesn’t vibe with anyone at the gym. 

So she decided not to renew the lease either. 

And now...now she doesn’t have a place to live. Just a couple suitcases full of stuff. Rose bought most of their furniture, so there were only a couple things Rey had to deal with. Her nice bookshelf got donated, while she just left her old dresser on the side of the street. (With a cute little sign that confirmed it was, in fact, a perfectly good dresser. Just in need of a home.)

To be fair, Rose does not know of Rey’s predicament. She spent weeks asking if Rey had found a place to live yet, and, after disappointing her friend each and every day with the unfortunate truth, she decided to lie. 

“Yeah, I did. It’s really nice too.” 

Rose squealed on the other end of the line. Rey could picture the happy dance her best friend was almost surely doing. “Oh, I’m glad. You know, I was so worried.” 

Rey nodded, wiped her falling tear. Faked a smile so that Rose would think she heard happiness in her voice. “I know you were. So was I.”

And now Rey’s all alone. Again.

Her shift comes and goes too quickly today. It’s early evening, now. 

Rey sighs. She makes herself some hot chocolate, and then settles down at the farthest table in the back of the shop. As she sips, she contemplates what to do. It’s going to be cold tonight, she knows.

It hits her all at once — she doesn’t have any place to go. A hotel, maybe? But that might be pointless. She has enough for a few nights...but then what? She’d rather save the money. 

She lays her head on the table, rests it on her crossed arms. Contemplates her life choices, tries to formulate a plan for herself. She doesn’t know how much time passes before she hears a man clear his throat.

She looks over, and it’s him. The man she stares at, the one who makes her feel all fuzzy inside. It is much easier to match his gaze when she has the espresso machine to hide behind. Now she simply feels exposed, raw. 

He tilts his head at her. 

“Can I join you?”

Rey messes with her hair, sits up straight. 

“Um. OK.”

He swiftly takes a seat in front of her. Sips from his to-go cup.

“Sort of late for four shots of espresso,” she says, eyeing him warily. “If you plan on sleeping tonight.”

He takes another sip. “Not part of the plan.” 

She huffs out a little laugh. “Noted.”

He watches her pick up her mug of hot chocolate, sees the way she circles the remaining bit of liquid around. There’s a few moments of silence, but it’s not too awkward. Just a bit surreal. Why is he sitting with her?

He clears his throat again. 

“Maybe this was too forward. But I’ve never seen you out from behind the counter, and I was curious. You look….troubled. I guess I was just wondering what was on your mind.” 

She meets his eyes again, and she doesn’t know quite why she says what she says next. But, if she had to pinpoint it, it must have to do with feeling like she has no other option. 

She could’ve tried to find another roommate. She could’ve toured other places, could have attempted to find a cheaper apartment. But, for some reason, she blocked out all common sense. She got up each and every morning and she came to work. And then she went back to that old apartment, and she pretended she wouldn’t have to move out at the month’s end. Somehow that was easier. All she could take.

Maybe she says what she says because she craves connection. He is handsome, and clearly rich, and, somehow, interested enough to sit down in front of her and ask her about whatever it is that she currently has on her mind.

He looks serious about it, too. Like he would like nothing more than to understand her. She wants to be understood. 

“I’m trying to figure out where I’m going to sleep tonight.”

He clearly was not expecting to hear this. “Is this a common problem for you?”

She shakes her head, pauses. Thinks on it. Then: 

“Not as of late.”    

He nods, as if he follows. “You don’t have an apartment?”

“I did. Until this morning. I’ve been…” She hesitates, contemplating how much she should tell him. “Having a hard time finding a new place.”

“Hm.” He takes another sip of his coffee. 

She laughs to herself, looks out the expansive window to her left. Watches the rain pour. “I don’t suppose you know anyone in need of a roommate?” 

The man studies her. She looks down at the table, shakes her head in embarrassment. “Probably wouldn’t be able to afford it anyway. Just forget it.” 

“Actually,” he says, swallowing before he continues. “I think we could work something out. If you’re interested.” 

The rain picks up outside, and Rey would probably say yes to anything at this point, as long as she doesn’t have to sleep on the streets tonight. She never wants to do that ever again, if she can help it. 

She is tired. She wants a guaranteed roof over her head. And he seems nice enough.  

She only hesitates a moment, before she nods. Why not? 

“What do you have in mind?”

And, for the first time ever, the man gives Rey a proper smile. 

His name is Ben, she learns on the car ride to his apartment building. He lives on the Upper West Side, in a penthouse apartment that overlooks the park. The doorman smiles at her as she is led into the spacious elevator, and Rey wonders how often Ben brings women home.

They stand together in amicable silence, Ben carrying both of her suitcases. He insisted.

His place is nice. Really, really nice. He ushers her inside, switches on the lights as he sets her belongings down in the foyer. She fiddles with her sweater sleeve, suddenly nervous. From here, she can see both a luxurious terrace and an impressive kitchen. Neither of which are amenities she could ever begin to afford. He must really be taking pity on her. 

Her stomach rumbles. 

Ben claps his hands together. “Hungry?”

Well, if he’s offering, who is she to refuse? She nods. 

He smirks again, and she can’t stop the fuzzy feeling from coming back. “I’ll make dinner. You’re welcome to shower, if you’d like.”

That would be nice. Her expression clearly shows it, because he just chuckles and directs her the right way. 

It’s the nicest shower she’s ever seen. Almost the size of her old bedroom, entirely encased in glass with a cast-concrete bench that stretches the length of the wall. There’s no real shower head, the water just falls from the ceiling. Looks like a modern art exhibit or something. It almost feels wrong to bathe here. 

His shampoo smells expensive and is a far cry from her L’oreal Kids Strawberry Smoothie scented go-to. She rubs it all over her body and privately preens about how she is going to smell just like him now.    

After her shower she changes into lounge clothes, a simple T-shirt and sweatpants, before she thinks better of it. He just made her dinner. 

Rey pulls out a sundress. 

She wades back out into his apartment, only to find him setting the table in the dining room. He still wears his nice dress pants and shirt, yet he ditched the jacket sometime during the cooking process. 

He notices her, and stops right in his tracks. “You look nice.”

She blushes, can’t find it in her to respond. He pulls out a chair, ushers for her to sit. She does. He grabs both their plates, then heads into the kitchen. When he returns it is with full hands and a wine bottle under his arm. 

“Baked salmon with grilled asparagus and herb roasted potatoes.” He sets the plate directly in front of her, then places his own at the setting directly to her left. 

“It looks delicious.” She means it. Rey can’t remember the last time someone has cooked her a meal that wasn’t Top Ramen. 

“I’m glad.” He pops the cork, then fills her wine glass to the very top, before doing the same to his own. 

He then sits beside her, raises his glass her way. “Cheers.” 

She smiles, then clinks her glass with his. 

“Dig in.” 

She does. It is...incredible. There’s little to no discussion, as she can’t eat her dinner fast enough. After another bite of the perfectly-marinated fish, she seriously has to hold back a moan. It’s that good. “I’ll have to learn how to cook. You know, make you something in return. This is so good.” 

He tilts his head at her. “Oh yeah?”

She nods. “I can bake. What kind of cookies do you like?”

He thinks about it. “I guess I would say that I am partial to the snickerdoodle.” 

“It’s settled then. You’re getting all the snickerdoodles you could ever dream of.” 

By now, she’s about finished with her glass of wine. There’s not a bite left on her plate. Ben has begun clearing off the table, and she can’t help but think about how capable and self-sufficient he is. It’s turning her on.       

She follows him into the kitchen. He’s just finished loading the dishwasher when she approaches him. 

“All done in here,” he says when he notices her. “I’ll show you to your room.”

She’s really close to him now. He smells good. She likes him. A lot.

“Hey, Ben?” 

They’re staring at each other again, in that same way they always do. She feels so much more than just fuzzy this time. Even in a sundress she burns hot, desperate for whatever he wants to give. She’ll take it. She will.

“Yes?”

She stands on her tiptoes, lips at his ear. “Thank you,” she whispers.

He shuts his eyes tight, lets out a strangled breath. 

“Again,” he says after a moment.

This surprises her. She expected a simple “you’re welcome.” But she does not hate his request. No, definitely not. A thrill shivers down her spine. 

She musters more courage, shakily raises one of her hands and cups his cheek. He leans into her touch. “Thank you,” she repeats. 

He opens his eyes, and everything inside of her simmers. Nobody has ever looked at her like this.

It’s unspoken, the mutual understanding of what is to happen next. Inevitable. He takes her by the hand and guides her through his apartment, moving at a steady and unhurried pace. His grip on her hand is unyielding, though. The intention is clear — she’s not going anywhere.

And that’s okay, she decides. 

After all, there’s nowhere else for her to go. 

He touches her with such reverence, like she is a sacred thing. It is nice, but she’s not going to get her hopes up.

Still. It would be so easy to get lost in this — in his hands, his body, his world. She wraps her legs around his own, their naked bodies intertwined. It really wasn’t her intention to sleep with him tonight. 

But, as he picks up his pace, rocking her steadily into his bed, she can’t help but praise whichever god allowed this to happen. He feels incredible. It’s been so long, and she’s never been with someone who takes just as much care of her needs as they do their own.    

They haven’t really established what this is exactly. Perhaps, on a different evening, Rey would have insisted on the specifics. How long she is allowed to stay for, how much money she owes him. But, if she’s being honest, she’s more than a little tipsy, and she’s exhausted. All she wants is to let herself feel good. And, fuck, is Ben making her feel fantastic.  

He must be operating under the assumption that this is temporary. A prolonged one-night stand, if you will. In truth, so is she. She’ll be out of his hands as quickly as possible. He’s a nice guy. She can’t burden him, he deserves to have his own space. 

She’ll spend the next week finding herself an apartment. Hopefully Ben will be kind enough to house her during her search.

It’s hard to focus on all these plans, though, as Ben works overtime to try to get her off. He’s figured out exactly how she likes her clit to be played with, and it’s driving her crazy. 

“You like that?” he pants, and she moans in response. “You do. I know you like it.” 

He kisses her, so heated and messy that leaves her breathless. All it takes are a couple more thrusts and she’s coming all over his cock. 

“That’s right, baby. Good girl.” 

He follows shortly after, pistoning into her with measured strength and precision. He’s strong. Huge, really. Could probably try every position imaginable with him. 

Doubt he’d be into anything super kinky, though. Doesn’t really seem like the type.

When Rey wakes the next morning, it’s to an empty bed and a throbbing headache.  

Ben must be at work, she assumes. Good. It’ll be a less-awkward transition this way. She moves all of her belongings into a guest room she finds down the hall, takes an Advil that she finds in the bathroom’s cabinet, and then prepares herself for the day ahead. 

Her shift doesn’t start for a few hours, so she has some time to get a jump start on the apartment search. Now that she has her mind made up, it’s easier to scan through page after page of listings. Not easy, but easier. 

It’s not long before she’s made a few phone calls and sent a handful of inquiry emails. Hopefully someone will bite, and she can get out of Ben’s hair as quickly as possible. The last thing she ever wants to be is a burden.

The doorman waves to her as she leaves Ben’s apartment building, and Rey waves back. That is nice, Rey thinks absentmindedly. Having a doorman that waves at you. 

Everything about Ben’s place is nice. So nice, that she briefly wonders why she’s trying to leave as fast as she can. But the thought is just that — brief. She doesn’t belong here, and she knows it. 

Work is slow. 

She’s able to sneak several peeks at her phone, and after the sixth check she finds that there is a response to one of her inquiries from earlier. 

It’s one of the properties she was most interested in. Her eyes widen as she reads the words in luck and arrange a tour and looking forward to hearing back from you. 

It’s like a weight has been lifted off of her shoulders. She can breathe again. There are other places for her to go. She is not stuck. She can move forward.

A smile remains on her face for the remainder of her shift. She’s lost in her own little world. So it’s sudden, of course, when he walks in a couple minutes before closing time. 

Her coworker Tallie apologizes, tells him they’ve already started cleaning the espresso machine for the night. 

“Don’t worry about it,” Ben says, walking towards the counter. 

“Is there anything else I can get you?” Tallie gestures to the pastry case. 

Ben shakes his head. He looks over at Rey. “Just waiting to take her back home.”

Tallie turns to face Rey, with a knowing look on her face. “Oh.”

Rey’s face flames as Ben settles at a nearby table. She can feel his gaze on her as she goes about all her closing duties. It simultaneously comforts her and makes her nervous.    

The moment she’s done Ben shoots straight up from his seat, rests a hand on her back, and guides her out the door. There’s a car idling on the curb. They settle into the back seat, and Ben rests a comforting hand on her thigh. 

She can’t let herself get used to this — the constant attention, his large hands, the heated seats. It’s too much.

They arrive back at his place and, again, Rey is welcomed by the doorman. She waves to him, wonders how many more times she will be able to. 

When they’re both back inside the apartment, Ben loosens his tie. He watches her slip out of her shoes. It is all weirdly intimate. 

“I’ll make us dinner,” he says after a while. Rey can’t take any more of his hospitality. 

“Oh, you don’t have to. I’ll order in.” 

He stares at her.      

It is a new kind of stare, one that makes her feel as though she has said the wrong thing.

“I’ll order in for us.” It is definitive, his statement. No room for her to argue. 

“If you insist. Thank you.” 

Those last two words seem to make it all better. “Good.” He shrugs off his jacket, motions for her to take hers off as well. She lets him hang it up next to his, before she hurries off to the guest room she claimed earlier on in the day. 

There’s not going to be any attempt at seduction on her part tonight, and to prove it she changes right into her favorite pair of sweatpants and throws on a loose T-shirt. 

It’s a miracle she’s dressed when Ben barges right into the room. 

“What are you doing?” He asks, looking at her as though she’s lost her mind. 

“Oh, you know.” She winces, not sure how to start this conversation. “I thought I’d sleep here tonight. Figured you’d want your own space back.”  

He runs one of his hands through his hair. The silence between them is intense. He looks mad. Finally, he speaks. 

“Dinner’s here.”

She follows him to the dining room, and it’s the same feeling she had when she’d disobeyed one of her foster parents growing up. Enormous regret and guilt. Only, she is not quite sure what she has done wrong this time.

Leave it to Ben to order fancy take-out food. There’s an assortment of dishes, everything from a mushroom reuben quesadilla to grilled eggplant with caramelized onions. Rey had a cheeseburger in mind, but this works too. 

They sit and eat together, but the vibe is quite different from yesterday’s dinner. 

It hurts, it really does. She never wanted to upset Ben, especially not after all the kindness he has shown her. So she swallows her pride and asks him about his day. 

“Rather uneventful.” He sets down his glass. “I was counting down the minutes until I could see you again.” 

His honesty surprises her. She blushes, and he looks pleased. 

“How was your day?”

She smiles, remembering the email. “Really great, actually. I might have a place of my own again sometime soon.” 

His expression turns ice cold. 

“You...what?”

She nods, becoming more unsure of the prospect as the seconds go by. 

“I’ve arranged to tour the apartment tomorrow, actually. It’s my day off. If all goes well I’ll be out of your hair in no time at all.” 

For once, Ben can’t seem to meet her gaze. He stares at the table in front of him. It’s unbearably awkward.

He rises from the dinner table, brings his empty plate along with him to the kitchen. She can hear the sink water run, the sound of his dishes being placed in the dishwasher. 

She’s not done with her dinner, but her appetite is gone. She feels awful. How could she have messed up this badly? 

She takes a deep breath before she meets Ben in the kitchen. He leans against the island when he sees her come in, crosses his arms across his chest in disapproving manner. She follows his example: washes off her plate and silverware before sticking them in the machine. 

“Under the sink.” 

His words are deep and full of intent. So she bends, opens the cabinet door. There she finds a box of dish detergent. She looks back up at him, and he simply nods. Oh. Rey pours the detergent in the dishwasher and starts up the machine. It roars to life. 

She looks back up at him. He reaches out his hand, and she takes it willingly. They walk together to the guest room she chose for herself. 

Quickly, Ben goes around the room and collects all of her scattered belongings. She hadn’t unpacked much, so it is an easy task. After zipping everything back into her suitcases, he picks both of them up and carries them to his bedroom.

She follows him, speechless as he sets both her suitcases down in front of his closet. 

Satisfied, he looks back up at her again. Rey is more nervous than she has ever been in her entire life.

He reaches out his hand again, and, despite everything, she takes it. Ben leads her to his bed, and they sit down together. He rubs circles into her palm, all silent and brooding and mysterious, before he finally speaks.  

“Do you not like it here?” 

Rey’s mouth parts in disbelief. How could he think…?

“No.” She shakes her head, unbelieving he could think such a thing. “I...I love it here. So much.”

He lets out a breath. “Then why?”

She looks down at his comforter. “I couldn’t possibly….you wouldn’t want me to stay here.”

He reaches out and caresses her chin, forces her to meet his eyes.

“You haven’t the slightest idea what I want.” 

Rey shivers.

“I could never afford rent here. This place is….it’s so outside of anything I could ever...”

“Never mind that.”

He looks at her, and she feels so desired she can hardly take it. It is not a feeling she has ever felt, and it is so intoxicating it threatens to consume her entire being. 

“Would you like to stay?” 

She stares up into his eyes — his beautiful, desperate eyes — and she knows her answer. 

“Yes,” she whispers, so softly she thinks he may have missed it. 

But no, there’s no way he’s missed it. Not with the look on his face. He smiles, and her body is enveloped in instant warmth.  

“Good girl.”

Chapter Text

Rey doesn't go on the apartment tour. 

It is probably a mistake. Realistically, Ben won’t want her to stay forever. And she’s not really sure how she feels about mooching off of him in this way. 

Then again, she’s not really doing that. Mooching. At least, not purposefully. She tried to leave. 

But he wouldn’t let her.

Could she have done more insisting? Sure. But, for reasons she can’t quite place, Rey’s decided she really doesn’t like disappointing him. And he’s made it pretty clear that he doesn’t want her to go.

“Where do you belong?” he whispered to her last night as he fucked her from behind. Nowhere, really, she was about to say. “Here,” she panted instead. “With you.” And, honest to god, in that moment, Rey felt as if it were true.

“That’s right,” he said, right before he was about to spill inside her.

So. Yeah. Rey lives with Ben.

But just for right now. The moment he gets tired of her, she’ll be right on her merry way. 

He kisses her before he leaves for work the next morning. She wakes with his lips on hers, and it surprises her. “Oh. Hi.”

“I’ll be home early tonight. Try not to get used to it.” Another sweet kiss, and then he’s gone. It’s so unlike anything Rey’s ever experienced, she wonders if it was part of a lucid dream. 

But it wasn’t, she knows it wasn’t, because now it’s mid-afternoon and the ghost of his lips still haunt her own. He isn’t with her anymore, but he is with her.

The kindness he’s shown, it’s unlike anything Rey has ever experienced. She has Rose, but that’s different. That developed over time. Ben swooped in out of nowhere and practically saved her. 

She should do something special for him.

Rey dresses quickly. She skims his pantry, makes a mental list of the ingredients she has to pick up. He has every appliance known to man, but there are a few things she needs in order to make the dough.

A trip to the closest Trader Joe’s is all it takes. It’s a simple recipe, but she takes her time with it. 

She creams the butter, adds the sugar. Whisks in the flour. By the time she’s beaten it all together, over an hour has passed. Now for the fun part. She rolls the dough into perfectly shaped balls before coating them in layers of cinnamon sugar. 

It doesn’t take long for them to bake, but Rey made a lot of cookie dough. So she spends the rest of her day in the kitchen, waiting by the oven. A rather time-consuming process. It was so worth it, she decides, as she moans into her first bite of freshly-baked cookie. She plates them all fancy-like, and then impatiently waits for Ben to get home. 

She waits. And waits. And waits some more. 

The sound of his keys in the door hours later is a blessing. Rey leaps up from where she’s sprawled on the couch. Slowly she meanders towards the foyer, suddenly nervous for Ben’s reaction. He’s loosening his tie and is already facing the kitchen.  

“They’re snickerdoodles,” she calls out. “Your favorite, right?”

He turns to look at her. “You made these for me?” 

Her cheeks burn. She nods. 

Ben looks at her with something like wonder in his eyes.

She can feel her cheeks heat to an unfathomable degree. He ambles over to the kitchen counter where all of his snickerdoodles have been so elegantly displayed, and he grabs the first two at the top of the closest plate. He eats the first one right then and lets out a little moan.

In an instant he’s beside her, sweeping her off her feet and pulling her into a desperate kiss. The second cookie is still in his right hand. He leans her up against the back of the couch, devouring her, before he breaks the kiss. 

“You’re so sweet.” He takes a bite of the second cookie. “Here, baby.” He feeds her the rest. Before she can get all of it down, he’s passionately kissing her again, carrying her to their bedroom.   

This really turned Ben on. Maybe she should always bake for him, if it’s gonna make him this devoted to getting her off. 

They fool around for hours. After round three, they’re holding each other, panting as they come down from their incredible high. 

“Don’t wait up for me tomorrow,” he says, voice rough. “I’ll be home late.”

She pouts. “Oh.” 

He nestles under her chin. “What are you gonna do? You know, while I’m at the office.”

“I have to work too, silly.”

Ben stiffens. “Right.” 

Rey doesn’t quite understand his aversion to that statement. She continues on. “Are you sure you won’t be up for anything tomorrow night?”

“Oh, I’d be up for it.”  

“But….I thought you said….” 

“I’ll be home late. Yes.” He pulls her closer, runs his fingers through her messy hair. “You may think you’d want me at two in the morning now, but then in actuality…” He tapers off the end of the sentence lazily.  

She thinks on this. Maybe she would be tired, but she can’t really imagine a world where she’d turn down getting fucked by him. “Well….what if….” Rey looks up at him with nervous eyes. “What if you didn’t wake me?”

Ben goes completely still against her. Fuck. She’s freaked him out or something. Her initial instinct about him not being into anything too kinky must’ve been correct. 

“You know what, forget it. We don’t have to if you’re not into—”

“No.”

“No?”

“I mean, yes. I want—I am. Into it.”

“Oh.” She smiles against his chest, feels his heart beating wildly. He pulls her ever closer, kisses her deeply. Looks at her that way he always does. 

She melts.

Her shift is rough. There’s a nonstop line for hours that almost always goes out the door. She rotates between working the espresso machine and the register, but both tasks do their very best to wear her out today. 

She gets yelled at by more than a couple middle-agers who don’t know the difference between a cappuccino and a frappuccino and, somehow, it’s her fault that she can’t read their minds.

And, through it all, she has to keep her friendly customer service face on. There’s no reprieve. No escape. Not with a constant line that ensures she has a million tasks to do at once.

So, of course she’s thrilled when her shift ends. Her body hurts, and she just needs to eat something and lay down. ASAP. 

She picks up a burrito bowl from the Chipotle across the street and then makes her way up the ten-or-so blocks to Ben’s apartment.  

It’s only her second time getting there by herself, and she has a brief panic that the doorman will shoo her away. But that fear is short lived, because all he does is smile and wave at her as she makes her way to the elevators. 

A feeling blossoms in her chest. She smiles, presses the button for the penthouse. It’s almost like….she’s starting to belong here. 

She devours her dinner before taking a long, luxurious, hot shower. She lets the steam melt all her troubles away. 

And, finally, when she’s primed and ready for bed, she tucks herself under the covers, thoroughly exhausted. 

It’s the most wonderful dream she’s ever had. 

She’s not quite sure where she is, or even when she is, but she knows she’s not alone. Ben is with her. He’s there, and it’s only ever been him. There’s nothing else in the world except the two of them.

He’s pressed up against her back so that she’s flush against him. She wonders what the storyline of this sex dream is — because they usually have storylines. Prom night, honeymoon. Maybe a one night stand. 

His heavy cock slides between her thighs. She’s so wet, and it makes it easy for him to glide through her folds. Teasing her. It’s bliss when the head finally catches on her entrance. She’s perfectly still as he angles himself up and inside of her. 

She likes this — being used in this way. Having someone need her, being able to provide. She imagines that Ben is into this too, that he wants her as his little submissive housewife that he can fill up whenever he pleases. 

Yes, that’s it. That has to be the dream’s storyline. She’s Ben’s housewife, and he’s just come home from a long day at work. 

He pushes inside, fucking her steadily as he runs his hands up and down her body. Caressing her, as if touching her reminds him that she is real and here with him. 

“Perfect little girl.”

He whispers this in her ear as he picks up the pace, fucking into her like he’s afraid he’s gonna loose her. It almost takes her out of the dream. 

“Never going anywhere,” he pants. “You’re not allowed to leave.” 

A particularly rough thrust wakes Rey up with a jolt. She must’ve been only half-asleep, as reality feels a lot like her dream. She quickly comes to terms with her surroundings — Ben’s home from work, she was just sleeping in their bed, and he’s been fucking her as she sleeps.

Which, to be fair, she told him he could do. It’s just...she sort of forgot about it. Or, not that she forgot about it, but that she was too tired to remember. 

But now... god. There’s nothing on her mind besides the way Ben fits so perfectly inside of her and how incredible he makes her feel. 

Rey’s not sure if he’s realized she’s woken up, and she doesn’t really feel so inclined to tell him just yet. So she just lays there. Steadies her breathing, remains as still as she possibly can. Feels him work his way in and out, a steady rhythm. 

Every now and then he lets out a grunt and the thrusts come a bit harder. Like he’s using her body to work out his frustrations.

She rests against the pillow, eyes closed shut, trying her very best to remain silent and still and to just take it, when she has the realization. That is exactly what Ben is doing. He is using her body.

And she likes it. She likes it a lot. 

She can feel herself getting more wet by the second. Ben must notice as well. He chuckles to himself. 

Rey has to bite her tongue to keep from moaning back in response. She’s still pretending to be asleep, and she still has no idea if he knows she’s actually awake. But he must have some idea, as he finally brings one of his hands up her shirt to play with her breasts. The other hand he keeps firmly positioned at her side, steadying her as he continues his thrusts.

“Not much longer,” he rasps. “Too sweet, can’t help it.” 

He comes inside her moments later, all the while pressing hot kisses up and down her neck. It’s...a big load. Trickles down her legs when he pulls out, but he scoops it up and pushes it back inside. She’s so sensitive that the act makes her clench around his fingers. He pauses, as if afraid he’s woken her up. 

Should she react? Is this her moment? Rey seriously considers it. 

She really does. 

But...it’s been sort of thrilling, pretending to be asleep. She can “wake up” a different time.  

Rey decides not to move a single muscle. Satisfied, Ben continues his ministrations, pushes all of his stray cum back up inside of her. Interesting. Maybe her earlier hunch was wrong. Perhaps Ben is kinkier than she previously thought.  

When he’s finished, Ben pulls the bedsheets over both of them. He nestles up against her side, finally ready to sleep.

He’s out in minutes. Rey knows she’ll fall back asleep in little to no time at all. 

But, for now, she lies awake. If she’d told herself this was going to be her future a month ago, she wouldn’t have believed it for a second. And yet. 

She looks at where Ben sleeps peacefully beside her and bites her lip, giddy. She can’t help it. Because, now, finally, there’s a place for her to go. 

To stay.

Chapter Text

They don’t talk about it the next morning. Or the next day. Or the day after that. 

It becomes routine. He comes home from work, always late, and then he fucks her while she sleeps. 

Well, “sleep” is a generous term for whatever it is that Rey does. Some nights her job really has tired her out enough to remain sleeping through it all. Those are exciting mornings. She wakes up to sticky upper thighs and rumpled bedsheets. 

As for today, she gets up when Ben does. She’ll probably doze off again in an hour or two, but for now she grabs her phone off the nightstand and listens to the soothing sound of Ben’s morning shower.

She wasn’t expecting any notifications, but is pleasantly surprised. There’s a text from Rose. 

Hope you’re settling in ok! Would love to come over and see your new place. Miss you. 

Warmth blossoms in her chest. Miss you too, Rey texts back, because it’s true. It’s also the only thing she feels confident in responding with at the moment. 

Rey’s not sure how to even start to explain her current living situation to Rose. It’s hard to define. Nobody really even knows about it. To tell other people would make it real, and right now it’s still just a dream. 

Plus, in order to explain the situation she’d have to try to define her relationship with Ben. And, if she’s honest, that’s something she doesn’t even really understand herself. 

Her phone vibrates. Rose has texted her back. I’m free tonight! Can I come over?

Rey’s formulating her response when Ben walks back into the bedroom, towel hanging low around his hips as he reaches for the clothes he laid out last night. He looks over at Rey as he starts to get dressed.

“Why that face?”

“My best friend texted me.”

“OK?”

“She wants to come over tonight.”

Ben’s already buttoning up his dress shirt. He stops midway through. “Over where?”

“Here.”        

“Oh.”

“It’s probably not a good idea. I can—” 

“Tell her yes.”

Ben grabs the phone right out of Rey’s hands. She hears the keyboard sounds as he types, the little swoosh noise as it sends. Then he hands the phone back to her. 

Rey reads the text. It’s their address, and then the message: Does 7 work for you?

Before Rey can even begin to process what’s just happened, Rose has already responded with a thumbs up emoji, some confetti, and a few red hearts.

“Ben…?”

He’s fully dressed as he bends to kiss her goodbye. “I’ll order food. Make some of those cookies. That’d be nice.” 

Then he’s out the door.  

Rey does end up making those cookies.

In fact, she spends most of her day doing so. Sure enough, the food Ben said he’d order arrives thirty minutes before Rose is supposed to show up. Rey sets the table for two, and eyes the food containers questioningly. It’s...a lot for two people. There will definitely be leftovers.    

She fixes her hair and slips on a casual dress before swiping a bit of mascara on her lashes. Is she supposed to feel so nervous? Probably not. This is her best friend. It’ll be fine. 

She does a quick scan of the apartment and finds nothing out of place. Good. She takes a steadying breath. Rey told the front desk to just let Rose straight up, so she’s expecting her any minute now.

As if on cue, there’s a knock at the door. Rey races over and opens it. 

Rose must’ve just gotten off of work, as she’s still wearing her cute purple blazer. She’s smiling, but her expression is undoubtedly tinged with shock and awe. “Oh my god. Rey.”

They hug, before Rey leads Rose into the living room. They settle on the couch, and Rose still looks speechless. 

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but, wow. This is...not what I was expecting.”

Rey offers her friend a snickerdoodle, takes one for herself. “I can’t believe it myself, most days.”

“So do you, like, have roommates you share this place with?”

“Yeah. I, uh. I have a roommate.”

“Oh, cool! Do I know them?” 

“I don’t think so.”

“Oh, OK. Where did you two meet? The coffee shop?”

“Actually, yes.”

Rose goes to respond, but is interrupted by the sound of the door opening. “Sorry I’m a little late, there was a meeting I couldn’t get out of.”

Rey chokes on her cookie. Rose turns towards the sound of the voice, and both women watch as Ben strides through the room. He makes his way over to sit next to Rey, throws his left arm over her shoulder. He extends his right arm out to Rose, and the two shake hands. “I’m Ben.” 

Rose is slack jawed. She gives Rey a look that means how could you not tell me, and offers Ben a gleaming smile. 

“Wow, hi Ben. So...how long have you known Rey?”

Ben looks over at Rey, lets out a little huff. “What do we think?”

Rey doesn’t know how to answer the question. They were only ever really acquainted recently, but Ben’s been coming into the coffee shop for almost two years now.

Ben finishes his deliberation. “I wanna say a little over a year now, is that right?” Rey shrugs in agreement. Sure, that works. Maybe that’s when he first noticed her behind the espresso machine.

Rose shakes her head in disbelief, looks at Rey. “I can’t believe you never mentioned him.”

That’s not technically true. Rey does remember a few drunken ramblings about the hot customer with the intense stare. Ben feigns disappointment. 

“You kept me a secret?” 

Rey shrugs, looks over at him. “I dunno. It was just...all so new.”

It still is. 

Rey races to set a place for Ben at the table, and then the three of them eat dinner together. Conversation flows easily, but Rey can tell that Rose is keeping it surface level on purpose. 

A part of her feels really bad about it. This is Rose, her best friend in the world. She shouldn’t be having surface-level conversations with the person she lived with for six years.

But, another part of her is glad about things staying civil and easy. How is she supposed to have a serious conversation about her future while Ben is sitting at the table? The last time she tried talking about moving out, he took it super personally.

Rey takes a sip of her wine, then looks at Rose. “How is Jannah?”

Rose brightens. “She’s great, really is. You know — we should all go out together sometime. A double date! How fun would that be? I mean, I don’t think we’ve ever been in a relationship at the same time before.”

Rey can feel her cheeks getting red. “Well, actually, that’s—”

“A perfect idea.” Ben cuts Rey off and pats her thigh as he does it. “Do you like Italian? I know a great place.” 

Ben and Rose make plans as Rey’s head spins. She takes another sip of wine, thoughts running a mile a minute. Is she in a relationship with Ben? He clearly seems to think so. His hand hasn’t left her thigh. No, instead it moves further up under her dress. She gulps when she comes to the realization. 

She’s in a serious relationship with Ben. 

She lives with him. They sleep in the same bed every night. They fuck every night too.

She’s in a serious relationship with him, and yet, she never decided for that to be true. It just...happened. 

Or, maybe she just let it happen. He decided it was true, and she did not oppose it.

Rey spends the rest of the evening mulling this over. They eat cookies with Rose, and make easy conversation outside on the terrace, but all the while Rey’s focused on her realization. 

Is she OK with all of this?

She shouldn’t be. Right? She should pack all her things up and follow Rose right out the door. That would be the right thing to do.  

But then Rey thinks about how Ben holds her like she is what stabilizes him to the Earth, and how he looks at her like she is the only thing that makes sense, and how, when he comes home late in the night and uses her so thoroughly, he makes her feel needed in a way that nobody else has ever made her feel before.

So Rey doesn’t follow Rose out of the door. Instead, she hugs her goodbye and waves as she walks down the hallway towards the elevators. 

She lets Ben kiss her in that ravenous way he always does, nods when he explains he has some work he needs to finish before bed. She tells him she understands, and that she’ll probably stay up for a little while longer, but that she won’t wait up for him.

He smirks at that. 

“Good.”

She blushes. Makes her way into the dining room to clean up the dishes. He follows her. 

“I got you something.”

She looks over, finds him to be holding a gift box. What?

“You...why?”

“Just because.” 

She puts down the plate she had just picked up, and takes the gift box from him. Opens it, pushes the tissue paper out of the way.

It’s a pink apron. Sort of sexy, if she’s honest.

“Something for you to wear while you bake,” Ben says. “I thought it was cute.” 

“It is cute.” She kisses him again. “Thank you.”

Those are always the magic words. His gaze darkens as he wraps her in his arms, pulls her close. 

“Maybe I can put that work off until tomorrow.”

And that he does.

Weeks turn into months, and this thing she has with Ben becomes real in ways she could have never imagined. They go out on dates now. In fact, every single Friday is date night. He has it penciled into his official schedule. Sometimes they’re double dates with Rose and Jannah, but most of the time it’s just the two of them. 

Ben loves to buy her presents. She now has a cute little apron in every pastel color imaginable. But it’s not just aprons — he buys her dresses, shoes. Recently, though, it's been nightgowns. Beautiful, sexy nightgowns, ones that fit her body perfectly and make her feel like a goddess. She’s wearing one when he clears his throat one night, something clearly on his mind. It’s Friday, so they went out to a nice sushi restaurant and then came home for dessert. She has to wake up early tomorrow—opening shift at the coffee shop—and she’s about to go to bed.  

“What’s on your mind?” She moves off his lap and stares up at him. He sighs. 

“I wish you didn’t have to leave me in the morning.” 

He’s stopped working on the weekends to spend more time with her, and most weeks it works out perfectly. But she’s been scheduled for the Saturday morning shift this week.  

“Me too.”

He hums. Pulls her back onto his lap with a serious look on his face. “Do you not feel provided for?”

“What?”

“I mean, do I not do enough to let you know that I’ve got you? That you will always be provided for?”

“Ben...what? You do so much. You do everything.” 

His gaze is unblinking, fierce. He looks genuinely hurt. “Then I don’t understand why you’re still working there.”

Rey’s stunned. She likes the coffee shop. Maybe she doesn’t need to work there, but it gives her a sense of purpose.

But she understands what he’s saying. Rey doesn’t pay any rent. She never has, not for as long as she’s been living with Ben. He pays for practically all of her meals, buys her presents.

Ben moves hair out of her face, tucks it behind her ear. “You don’t need to work there anymore. I’ve got you. I always will.”

This, more than anything else, is the final nail in the coffin. He’ll finally have all of her. And, as she thinks it over, she knows that she doesn’t mind. She should. But she doesn’t. Not in the slightest. 

“You’re right. I’ll quit in the morning.”       

He works the pretty nightgown over her head, tugs off his briefs, and pulls her right down onto his hard cock. 

They groan simultaneously, and he takes over her lips in a searing kiss. “Good girl,” he whispers against her lips. “So good.”

She doesn’t leave the apartment much anymore. Not without him, that is.

There’s no need to. 

Her baking skills have skyrocketed. Ben’s thrilled. She is too. Those cronuts were tough to master, but now every perfect batch feels like a badge of honor.

The first time Ben takes her to a company gala, she learns how important he is. It turns out he’s a big time CEO, and, naturally, people are extremely curious as to who she is. 

He introduces her as his fiancée, and while it surprises her at first, she finds she doesn’t hate the idea. No, in fact, she rather likes it. 

She wakes the next morning to find a little velvet box open on the nightstand. There’s an engagement ring inside. It’s nice, way nicer than she’d ever let herself dream about. But it’s also simple, understated. Much to her tastes.

He left a Post-It note next to the box. It reads: We can get something else if you don’t like it. 

But she does like it. So she slides it on her ring finger. 

Friday he comes home from work with a pep in his step. She leans into his nice kiss, excited for their date night.

“Ready to go?”

“Yeah, there’s just this one thing.” He reaches for his briefcase, pulls out some paperwork. He doesn’t usually involve her with any of his work stuff. What is this?

She takes the paper he holds out to her, and her heart stops. It’s a marriage license. Their marriage license.

He holds out a pen. “Sign here.” 

She lets herself be shocked for the briefest moment.

“Don’t we have to do this...in front of someone?” 

“I worked it out with them. Don’t worry about it.” He hands her the pen. “Don’t worry about a single thing.”

And—instantly—she’s comforted. Her life used to be nothing but worrying. But ever since Ben, she’s had every single thing taken care of for her.

If she signs this, she’ll never worry another day in her life. She wants that. Craves it. And he can give it to her.

“Oh.” He says, remembering something. “Take my last name.”

“Hm?”

“Sign it as Rey Solo.” 

She smiles up at him. Nods. And signs her new name on the line.

When she’s through, he puts the marriage license back inside his briefcase. It’s done. He’s already signed it. 

“We’ll stop by the courthouse in the morning.” 

So soon? Rey wonders how long he’s had this all planned out. Did he know last week? Last month?

Distantly, Rey wonders if he knew the night he sat down with her at the coffee shop. The night all of this began.  

But that’s ridiculous. There’s no way. He bends down to kiss her, and she lets herself get lost in it. 

Lost in him.