Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Ben

Leia: Ben, honey, can you confirm if you’re bringing your girlfriend to Christmas dinner?

Han: He’s not going to answer, princess.

Leia: Ben, it’s two months away and I’m planning with the caterers.

Han: We don’t even know her name.

Leia: We’re having brunch tomorrow at Café Luna if you’d like to join us, 11:30am.

Han: He hasn’t responded in two months, it’s time to give up hoping.

I groaned and scrubbed a hand over my face as the waterfall of texts cascaded across my phone screen. When my father’s comment about how long it had been since I last responded came through—nice jab by the way—I scrolled up, sure he was wrong.

He was wrong. It had been longer.

The problem was the last time I’d spoken to them, my mother had been hell bent on setting me up with one of her colleague’s daughters. Had it been wise to tell Leia Organa, New York Senator and world famous lawyer I couldn’t go out with Kayln Beckett because I was already seeing someone? Yes. So much so that I’d almost immediately shoved my head through the wall of my apartment.

Leia: Hope is all I have left, Han.

An unfamiliar pang sliced through my chest and I blew out a breath, surprised to see a white plume unfurl before me. For October in New York, it was unseasonably cold and I flexed my fingers a few times before tapping them across the screen.

Ben: I’ll see you tomorrow for brunch.

A hand clapped over my shoulder, shaking me roughly. “You ready, Organa?”

I grimaced, tucking my phone into the pocket of my trousers and bobbing my head in an approximation of a nod. Armitage Hux’s bright red hair gleamed in the twinkling lights overhead and the scent of whiskey poured out of him as he laughed, shaking me again.

“Poe, you might need to pull the stick out before we go in,” he called.

“I gotta be honest—not even sure why I’m here,” my friend answered, sidling up next to us with his hands shoved into his pockets while he shook a stray curl out of his face.

Behind him there was a ruckus cry of “let’s go” and “what are we waiting for?” from the others in our party. Elrik stumbled forward to grab Hux by the arm, all but dragging him toward the black lacquered door waiting for us. When they were gone, Poe and I exchanged a long look.

“No but seriously, why have you dragged me to the seventh circle of hell?”

I shrugged. “Hux doesn’t have enough friends to round out a proper bachelor party.”

Poe huffed a laugh. “And I was the first choice?”

The marquee next door flashed and I squinted against the glare. “I thought you might enjoy it.”

“Enjoy what? Watching Hux potentially give himself alcohol poisoning and throw up in a public place or tits?”

I shrugged again. “Both?”

Poe tilted his head back and forth. “Tits hold no fascination for me, but I’m excited about the prospect of the first.”

“Well,” I gestured toward the door, “hell awaits, I suppose.”

The sound of his grumbling died as the bouncer, dressed in a suit as nice as the one I wore, ushered us inside. I swallowed my groan when the heavy bumping of bass hit my ears and my eyes adjusted to the dark.

“Welcome to Velvet Night, gentlemen, may I take your coats?”

A woman dressed in a tight black dress stepped from behind a highly lacquered wooden desk, her black hair piled high up on to the top of her head. I shrugged out of my overcoat while Poe did the same, beaming at her.

“Tell me…” he trailed off in invitation.

“Crystal,” she supplied.

I bit back my laugh. Of course.

“Crystal,” Poe repeated. “On a scale of yes to go home now, how likely is it for there to be anything other than women dancing on the stage?”

Her lips pressed together as she suppressed her smile. “Unfortunately, I’d have to say go home now, but don’t tell anyone I said that.”

Poe made an X over his heart. “Your secret is safe with me.”

“But you should get a drink at the bar. Storm will take good care of you both.” She folded our coats neatly over her arm. “Enjoy your night.”

Another well-dressed bouncer waited at another door and I winced as it opened, the music growing even louder. We made our way along the back of the club and I eyed the tables and plush velvet chairs full of well dressed men all oriented toward a large center stage flanked by two smaller ones.

I barely caught Poe’s whistle over the music. “Damn this place is nice.”

“For a thousand dollar cover, it better be,” I grumbled.

He spun, eyes widening until his brows disappeared beneath his hair. “What?”

“Don’t worry, I covered yours.”

Poe fluttered his lashes. “You are the best sugar daddy ever.” His face fell. “But next time just buy me a car or something instead.”

I groaned and pushed him toward the table closest to the stage. Tierny stood from his seat and waved us over with all the excitement of a golden retriever. We passed a few women as we made our way, but I kept my head down suddenly very aware of where we were and what we were doing.

Could you be respectful in a strip club?

Was it more disrespectful not to look?

Elrik handed me one of shot glasses lined up across the marble table. “I didn’t think you’d actually make it in, Organa.”

Instead of answering, I handed the glass to Poe before falling into my seat, only for Hux to hand me another. “So, you put this to your mouth and then you tip it up and—”

“I know how shots work,” I cut across him, taking the glass.

He raised his hands in surrender. “Listen, I didn’t know if it’s been a minute. We practically had to cut the chains attaching you to your desk.”

I tipped the shot back, wincing at the burn scorching my throat. A cheer went up around us and I turned in time to see the woman dancing on the stage slide to the floor in front of our table, her blonde hair falling over the edge. Hux made a sound somewhere between a bark and a whoop and threw a handful of ones in her direction.

“The only way out is through now, buddy,” Poe muttered, handing me another shot.

This time the burn of tequila wasn’t as bitter. My head swam a little and I tried to remember the last time I drank. Was it in the summer? Or maybe New Years? But by the time the song changed and a new dancer took the stage, two more shot glasses were empty in front of me and I found I didn’t mind the thump of the bass so much. In fact, even Hux’s grating voice was a little more endurable. Poe whistled and clapped beside me.

“Damn that’s got to hurt,” he murmured.

I looked and had to blink a few times to get my eyes to focus.

Fuck.

Chestnut hair spilled down olive skin slowly rotating in and out of view. The dancer was halfway up the pole, her ankles crossed over the metal as she arched her back, shaking her head so her hair brushed the curve of her pert ass. I swallowed thickly while she adjusted her grip, reaching underneath her thigh and parting her legs before hooking one, somehow ending up in a split.

“You’re drooling, buddy,” Poe mock whispered.

I scrubbed a hand over my face and immediately regretted it when she was suddenly upside down and I’d had no idea how she’d gotten there. Poe was right—it looked painful as fuck and yet this woman was all coy smiles and winks. Hux whooped like he was at a sports game and when he turned to look at me, his face spit into a shit eating grin.

“See something you like, Organa?”

But I couldn’t respond, not when she was slowly sliding down the pole until her shins landed on the stage with her back to us. I bit back my groan at the way her heels framed her ass, the narrow line of her back, the black lace.

Fuck.

“Oh yeah, he likes it,” Elrik guffawed from the other side of Hux.

Instead of responding, I grabbed Poe’s drink, taking a deep sip before frowning. “Is this a Diet Coke?”

He shrugged and gestured to the empty shot glasses in front of me. “Someone has to have their shit together and it’s definitely not going to be you in approximately twenty minutes.”

I clapped him on the shoulder. “It’s good to see you, you know.”

Poe laughed. “Oh fuck, you’re already drunk aren’t you?”

Whatever response I’d had died as the woman crawled over to us. “Hello, boys.”

The British lilt to her voice did nothing to stop all the blood rushing south. Tierny placed a wad of cash carefully on the stage, his light brown skin darkening with a blush when she winked at him.

“Thank you, handsome,” she crooned, rising onto her knees.

“Fuck,” I muttered as she slid her hands up her waist, cupping her breasts through the black lace of her bodysuit.

Dark eyes slid to me and she raised a brow before Hux threw more money at her. He leaned forward, one hand extended toward her thigh. My stomach twisted but my body couldn’t catch up with my mind, it was like moving through mud to grab his arm but before he could touch, a dark hand appeared and pulled him back.

“Kira is beautiful but unfortunately we don’t allow touching.” A tall man with short cropped hair gave him a practiced smile. “But here’s another round, on the house.”

Hux shrugged, muttering something under his breath. The woman, Kira, gave us a dazzling smile but this time I was close enough to see the way it didn’t reach her eyes. Her attention shifted to me and something flickered there before the song ended. She blew us a kiss, gathered up her money into a small bag, and made her way off the stage. And, like an idiot, I watched her go until she disappeared behind a dark curtain.

“Come on.” Poe jostled me into standing. “Let’s get a drink at the bar.”

I frowned but allowed him to pull me toward the marble bar at the back where the man who had stopped Hux filled another row of shot glasses. He slid them over to the waiting party and turned to us.

“What can I get you?”

“Are you Storm?” Poe asked, leaning his forearms against the countertop and goddammit I recognized that look.

“I am,” the bartender answered, the corner of his mouth hitching up into a smile. “What can I do for you?”

Poe rolled his lips together while I steadied myself with a hand on the bar. “A glass of water for my buddy here and another Diet Coke if it’s not too much trouble?”

Storm laughed. “Nah, it’s not too much trouble.”

Their conversation bled away as the beat of the next song thumped in my ears. I blew out a slow breath, willing the numbness in my face to fade—or maybe to spread—to be honest I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted.

Poe’s voice finally broke through the white noise. “Five-fifty?”

“Yep,” Storm answered, sliding the water over to me. “That’ll get him thirty minutes.”

I had to concentrate in order to firmly grasp the glass but eventually made it to my lips. “This is cold.”

Poe laughed. “That’s how ice works, Ben.”

I grunted, draining the glass in one and replacing it carefully onto the coaster. “Ice is nice.”

I couldn’t remember the last time I drank a beverage that wasn’t room temperature from sitting out for hours forgotten.

“Another one coming your way.” Storm refilled my glass and I drank again. God. Water was so good.

“I should drink more water.”

Both men laughed and the bartender refilled my drink. “Me too, man.”

Poe rapped his knuckles against the marble top. “Well, we are officially at the no filter stage of the evening apparently. Stay here, Ben, I’ll be back in a minute.”

I nodded and took another sip, keeping my attention fixed onto the bar and not the women flitting around us. To my left the first dancer I’d seen laughed loudly at some joke one of the men gathered there had made while on my other side a woman with bright pink hair winked at me. When had my eyes wandered?

Suddenly Poe reappeared, handing a wad of cash to Storm with a shit eating grin on his face. “Here you go man, plus a little extra just to say sorry about before.”

Storm nodded. “Appreciate that. Come with me.”

I frowned as he ducked under a section of the bar and appeared on the other side. Poe nudged me to follow but I dug my heels into the ground.

“Where are we going?”

The bartender grinned but it was Poe who answered: “It’s a surprise.”

I groaned. “I hate surprises.”

My phone buzzed in my pocket but I ignored it, forcing myself to put one foot in front of the other so I didn’t make an ass of myself as I followed Storm through the winding tables and behind a velvet curtain. The music became a little muted as we made our way down the hall lined with similar curtains.

“There are cameras in every room,” Storm explained, gesturing to a bear of a man with a thick brown beard, “and Temmin here will be outside the entire time.”

“Is this…a private room?” I asked, trying not to slur my words.

Poe clapped me on the back. “It sure is, just for you.”

Storm pulled back a curtain to reveal a small room similarly outfitted to the main club, complete with a few loungers and a large tufted armchair. “Have a seat, man. She’ll be with you in a minute.”

When Poe made to follow him out, I grabbed his arm. “You’re not staying?”

 “This is for you, Ben. Enjoy it and…” Poe sent a long look toward where Storm had disappeared, “you best believe I’m going to enjoy myself too.” He waggled his brows before disappearing.  

I threw myself into the armchair. Thank god I’d drank some water—though the room still felt in danger of spinning, I was pretty sure I could still form full sentences.

That was, at least, until Kira slipped through the curtain.

She’d changed from the last time I’d seen her, black lace replaced with a deep burgundy two piece set. Her hair waved around her face, skimming the tops of her breasts. I wondered if it was as soft as it looked.

“Hi there, handsome,” she murmured with a small smile.

My mouth opened, then closed. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

Her smile grew until the corners of her eyes crinkled. A soft chuckle slipped through her lips. “Drinks are that good, huh?”

The reality of what I’d just said crashed over me and I cursed under my breath. “Poe says I have no filter when I drink.”

She hummed, setting her black clutch on one of the low tables. “That must be overwhelming for you.”

With slow, sensual steps she made her way closer, head tilting to one side. The dim lighting from the sconces set behind me illuminated the planes of her cheekbones and the soft curve of her cupid’s bow.

“W-what?”

Kira shook her head. “Never mind. Have you ever had a private dance before?”

“I…uh…this is my first time.”

Something sweet curled around us in the air as she nodded. “Keep your hands on the arms of the chair, all right handsome? I’ll do all the work.”

My heart slammed against my ribs. “A-all right.”

Her mouth curled into a soft smile. “Don’t be nervous.”

Sober Ben wouldn’t have been nervous. Sober Ben would have known exactly what to say or do to impress this woman. Contrary to popular belief, I did actually leave my office occasionally. But unfortunately, sober Ben was not the one in control right now and drunk Ben had no idea what the fuck to do.

I groaned as Kira turned her back to me, bending down to give me a view of her ass and thighs, the dark strip of burgundy lace taunting me. My knuckles turned white against the arms of the chair as she slowly bent her knees, fluidly turning to face me and placing her hands on my thighs.

“Fuck,” I breathed.

Her tongue dragged against her bottom lip and this close, I caught another whiff of her perfume. Sweet, like vanilla with a tangy, earthy edge.

“You smell like fucking Christmas,” I groaned when her hair caressed my cheek while she slowly rose to her feet, sliding one knee between mine.

Her laugh was soft but it made all the hair on my arms stand on end and my cock throb against the placket of my trousers. I took a deep breath in an effort to control myself, but the scent of her was thicker now, wrapped around me until I was sure I’d be smelling her for days.

My phone buzzed in my pocket again and I frowned. When it buzzed a second, then a third time, I shook my head.  

“Is everything okay?” Kira asked, her knee slipping across my thigh until she straddled me. My arms lifted as if they had a mind of their own. “Hands on the chair, handsome.”

I slammed my palms back onto the arm rests. “Fuck, sorry.”

“Just breathe for me,” she murmured, her knees pushing father apart until she rolled her hips against mine.

“I’m not usually like this,” I groaned, pushing my head back and gripping the chair tighter.

A furrow drew her brows together. “Like what?”

“Usually—” a soft groan slipped through my lips as she arched her back, holding onto my shoulders for balance and her breasts pressed against my chest. “Usually I’m the one in control.”

Slowly she pulled herself upright and tilted her head in question. “You’re not one for following directions?”

I shook my head. “No, I’m usually the one giving them.”

“In your line of work?” she clarified, pushing herself up and twisting until her ass hit my lap and she leaned back against me.

Another moan slipped through my lips as she rocked against my throbbing cock. I was going to explode in my pants if she kept this up and it was a monumental effort not to wrap a hand around her hip and grind her down onto me.

“Not just in my work.” My voice came out as barely more than a rumble and I wasn’t positive, but I could have sworn she shivered.

This is her job, I reminded myself. Don’t be a fucking creep.

My phone buzzed again and I sighed. Kira slipped off my lap, lowering to the floor and resting back on her forearms, knees pressed together.

“I’m sorry,” I murmured, pulling my phone out of my pocket.

Fifteen new text messages from Leia and Han.

Well. I supposed at the very least getting a text from my parents would stop me from making a mess of myself like a teenager. I groaned before turning off my phone entirely and slipping it back into my pocket.

“Everything all right?” she parted her knees slowly as I looked back at her.

I nodded. “Just my family.”

“Your girlfriend?” I shook my head. “Wife?” I shook my head again.

“No, and that’s the problem,” I muttered, unable to stop my gaze from sliding between her thighs as she did some sort of hypnotic move with her legs.

Kira laughed softly again, rolling up onto her knees. “What problem is that?”

I ran a hand through my hair before quickly putting it back on the armrest. “That I don’t have either and I told my parents I did. They expect me to bring my non-existent girlfriend home for Christmas.”

This time her laugh was louder and sounded a little surprised. She slid her delicate hands up her ribs and over her breasts. Fuck, I wished they were my hands. They were small but I knew they’d fit my palms perfectly. Time slowed down as she slid one strap off her shoulder, then the other, the lace fabric of her bralette gaping until it slid down her waist.

“Fuck,” I groaned.

Kira grinned, rising up until she settled between my knees and cupped her perfect tits in her hands. “You like what you see?”

I nodded. “Fuck, yes, sweetheart.”

My head swam as she ran her thumbs once across her rose colored nipples, her head falling back to expose the curve of her throat. And the words rushed out of me before I could stop them.

“Pretend to be my girlfriend for Christmas.”

Chapter Text

Rey

“Pretend to be my girlfriend for Christmas.”

It wasn’t that it was the strangest request I’d ever gotten. Hell, it wasn’t even the strangest request I’d gotten this week (see the man from North Carolina who’d paid me over twelve hundred dollars to sit across from him in this very room and eat a dozen chicken wings while calling him a cuck—which…worth it).

It was that I was actually considering it.

Well…I wasn’t actually considering it. This man, Ben I was pretty sure Finn had said his name was, seemed nice enough and I wasn’t blind. His shoulders were wide enough he barely fit in the chair and his tousled shoulder-length black hair made me want to run my fingers through it. But there was also something about the way he spoke, the way he looked so tired one minute and overcome the next. And what was it he’d said?

Usually I’m the one in control.

But I’d learned the hard way dating a client could be a disaster and I didn’t have long left at Velvet Night either. A couple more months and I would graduate from my master’s program. Once I’d paid off my student loan debt with the money I’d saved up this lifestyle would be far behind me. And I knew more than anything else men came here for the fantasy.

Ben didn’t want me, he wanted Kira—the glossy, plasticine version of me.

So I forced another smile to pull at my cheeks as I slid my hands over his muscular thighs.

“And what would you do if I was your girlfriend?” I asked, keeping my voice low. From what I understood Ben was at least four shots of tequila deep and would more than likely not even remember me in the morning.

He tipped his head back, throat bobbing with a swallow as his heavy-lidded gaze skated from my face to my chest and back again. It was like he couldn’t help but come back to my face. His fingers flexed on the arms of the chair with every inhale and I had to hand it to him—the man had serious self-control.

“I’d fucking worship you.” His voice was barely more than a rumble in his chest as I straddled him once more.

A shiver slid down my spine. “Oh yeah?”

He nodded, licking his full lips and eyes dropping to my tits. “Yeah.”

“And how would you do that?” I rolled my hips against him. Time was almost up but I wanted to hear what he had to say.

Ben’s hands tightened on the chair and I bit back my gasp as his cock pushed against me. I’d felt it before, but not like this and though I shouldn’t have been surprised with how tall he was, the idea of his cock was enough to make me grind down against him again.

“I’d lay you out on my dining room table,” he rasped, a slight slur marring the words. “I’d lick your cunt until you scream, ‘til you beg, until you’ve cried off all your pretty makeup. And then…”

Only then did I realize I’d stopped moving. His face was only an inch from my own, the sweet scent of liquor ghosting across my cheeks.

“And then?” I breathed.

His eyes dipped to my mouth. “And then I’d fuck you until you don’t even know your own name. Fill you up with my cum until this tiny body is swollen with it and remembering me for days.” A warm palm slid across my hip as Ben’s head tilted to the side. “Would you like that, sweetheart?”

My mouth opened, then closed, and I was a sold fifteen seconds from saying yes when Temmin cleared his throat from the other side of the curtain, indicating our time was up. I wrapped my hand gently around Ben’s wrist, surprised when he let me pull his hand away.

“Kira,” Temmin called from the other side of the curtain when I didn’t say anything.

I stood up slowly, squeezing Ben’s arm. “It was nice to meet you.”

He blew out a breath and nodded, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his thighs. “You…you too Kira.”

Heat skated across my skin as he watched me pull my top back up with a hunger I didn’t see often, even here at the club. I picked up my clutch from where I’d left it and paused at the curtain to give him a small smile.

“Good luck with the holidays. You’re a handsome man, I’m sure you’ll find someone to help.”

Ben ran a hand down his face and nodded, but I didn’t wait for his response before all but fleeing back into the dressing rooms.

What the fuck had I almost done?

“Tell me again, but slower and with more detail,” Rose demanded.

I weaved between a couple walking their golden retriever and a woman with a pram, hiking my bag higher up my shoulder. “You’re as bad as Finn. I’ve told you everything already.”

“Right but now that I have the full story, I need to relive it.”

A taxi driver leaned on his horn and I plugged my other ear. I’d made enough last night that I’d cut out not long after Ben’s private dance, paying the house fee and tipping out the staff via Finn before calling a car, worried what I might have done if I’d run into him again. But I rehashed the story again for Rose, down to describing the hungry look in Ben’s expression when he’d watched me redress.

“Hot,” she barked loud enough I had to pull the phone away from my ear. “Man, sometimes I think your job is way better than mine.”

I laughed. Rose split her time between working as a barista in a trendy downtown coffee shop and putting in hours interning at the university’s lab—though I had to admit, I only had a tenuous grasp on what it was she did for the latter. Something with microscopes…maybe.

“And then you remember I have to deal with men all night long.”

Her noise of disgust was almost as loud as before. “Men. Better seen and not heard in my opinion.”

“You’re preaching to the choir here, sister,” I muttered as I turned the corner and pulled my coat tighter around myself.

“So what’s the plan today? Want to come over later for dinner?”

Side stepping a wayward cyclist who’d chosen that moment to come up onto the sidewalk, I ducked into the alcove of a nearby bookstore. “That sounds good. Right now, I’m heading to Luna to grab some breakfast. I have a few more hours left on my research and then I should be free.”

Ahead I caught sight of the dark green awning of my favorite brunch spot.

“Come over when you’re done and bring Finn too, all right?”

I grinned. “Finn might be busy tonight with some guy he met at the club. Apparently, he folded under the weight of ‘Poe fucking Dameron’, whoever that is, and his love of Diet Coke.”

“A rare man of taste,” Rose mused. “I guess we’ll debrief with him in a few days.”

I hummed. The last time Finn went on a date it had lasted forty-eight hours and he’d had to get a shoddy tattoo of a tiger lasered off his right ass cheek. A blast of warmth hit me as I pulled open the door to the café, breathing in the scent of sugar and spices.

“I’ll see you later, yeah? Love you.”

Rose made a few kissy noises into the phone. “Love you my little midnight ballerina.”

I chuckled and ended the call, joining the queue to make a to-go order. Café Luna was a veritable jungle of plants, accented by the hand painted murals done by the owner’s husband, Cassian. My mouth watered as I eyed the pastry case, though a pang of disappointment speared through me to realize the seasonal kouign-amanns were already cleared out for the morning.

“Good morning my darling,” the owner, Jyn, crooned from behind the bright white counter.

I leaned my elbow on the cold marble. “It was a good morning until I saw you were out.”

She winked, her short black bob swinging as she reached beneath the counter to procure a small white box.

“Oh my god I could kiss you.”

“Hey! No kissing the wife,” Cassian called from the coffee bar as he tapped out grinds before throwing me a wink.

I lifted the box. “She saved me the last kouign-amann, Cass.”

He pretended to deliberate for a moment before the corner of his mouth pulled up his golden-brown cheek. “I suppose that is grounds for kissing, eh?”

Jyn straightened one potted plants at her elbow she’d jostled to look at her husband. “What else for you today, hun?”

I ordered my usual breakfast burrito complete with the largest pumpkin spice latte Cass could make. After shoving a wad of ones into the tip jar, I scooted over toward the dine-in portion of the café to stay out of the way and clutched my pastry box to my chest.

A deep voice slid through the throng and I frowned. Why did that voice sound familiar?

“I’ll do my best, I promise.”

A feminine voice hummed but I couldn’t quite make out the words. I turned, scanning the nearby tables.

“Personally, I’m not quite sure she even exists,” another voice said, sharper than the first. “After the last few years I don’t even know why we should trust a word that comes out of your mouth.”

“Luke,” the woman hissed.

I found them then—an older man with greying, wispy hair seated beside a tired, regal-looking woman in an honest to god pantsuit. A pantsuit. At eleven forty-five in the morning. On a Saturday.

“I’m sorry you feel that way, Uncle Luke,” the first voice rumbled in an even keel.

The older man grumbled. “Just admit you lied, Ben. There’s no way a woman would ever put up with you and your work schedule.”

Ben. I blinked and of fucking course it was him. His wide shoulders and waves should have been a dead giveaway. But unlike last night, I could see the tension rolling off him in waves as he shifted in his chair. I waited for his mother to speak up, or maybe for Ben to stand up for himself. Instead, his shoulders rounded in as if he was trying to make himself smaller and his mother only frowned. No matter how harsh his uncle was, it was clear deep down she agreed.

And for some fucking reason my feet were carrying me toward their table before I could stop myself and I was praying to all the holy gods of tequila Ben at least remembered a little of last night. I slid my hand over his shoulders, holding back a wince when he visibly jumped, and pasted a smile on my face.

“Fancy seeing you here, love. I didn’t realize this was where you were meeting your mother.” Wide eyes turned toward me, eyes I hadn’t been able to really see last night were a wash of green, brown, and gold. But after a heartbeat, recognition flickered in his gaze and his shoulders lowered a fraction.

To be fair, I wouldn’t have blamed him if he didn’t recognize me—everyone looked different without a full face of makeup and dim, red toned lighting.

His throat bobbed with a swallow. “Uh, yeah, I must…I must have forgotten to mention.”

 Well, I’d jumped on this runaway train so I should probably sell it. I leaned down, brushing my lips across his cheek which warmed under my touch before drawing back to beam at his family.

“Uh, mom, Luke this is—”

I offered my hand first to his uncle. “Rey Niima.”

The older man gaped for a moment and when he didn’t immediately take my hand I turned to Ben’s mother instead who was…

Holy fucking shit.

Senator Leia Organa.

Now the pantsuit made sense at least. Thankfully she beamed right back at me, taking my hand in a firm grip and patting my knuckles with the other.

“Rey Niima, it is so good to finally put a name and face to the title. Leia Organa and this is my very rude brother, Luke,” she mused. “Do you live in the neighborhood?”  

“Yes Senator, a few blocks away near the park.” I gripped the back of the empty chair when she let my hand go but made sure to rest my hip lightly against Ben’s.

Leia waved her hand. “No need for formalities, dear, Leia is fine. Please, have a seat.”

I hesitated. “Oh, I would hate to intrude.”

“No intrusion at all,” his mother practically crooned.

“Yes, sit. Let’s get to know Ben’s girlfriend a little better,” Luke said skeptically, eyeing the man in question.

A warm hand lightly skimmed my knuckles and I looked down to find Ben looking at me. For the first time I wondered if maybe he was disappointed at what I looked like outside the fantasy of the club. But the corner of his mouth twitched in what I thought might have been a smile.

“If you’re not running late, sit with us at least until your food is ready,” he murmured low enough it was clearly intended only for me.

I nodded, swallowing back the nerves I certainly did not deserve to feel after catapulting myself into this situation and took the chair he pulled out for me. Leia’s smile grew so wide I worried it might hurt her while I placed my pastry box on the empty placemat in front of me.

“So, Rey, tell us about yourself,” Luke started in a would-be kind tone, but there was too much tension at the corners of his eyes.

“Well…” I licked my lips and adjusted the white string on the top of the box. “I’m currently working on my master’s.”

Leia leaned forward, her eyes alight with interest. “What are you studying?”

“Conservation science,” I answered a little easier. “I finished my internship at the Met a few weeks ago in their Egyptology division working on pre-dynastic artifacts.”

“The Metropolitan Museum of Art?” Luke clarified as if there might be another Met. When I nodded, he whistled. “Impressive.”

I tried not to look at Ben. No doubt he assumed I was talking out of my ass—for all he knew I was nothing more than a midnight ballerina, as Rose so lovingly called me. But when I finally chanced a glance, he watched me in a similar way he had last night, as if I was the last kouign-amann in the case and he was next in line.

“Ben why didn’t you tell us she was so accomplished?” Leia chided.

Ben’s gaze snapped to his mother as if he was surprised to find her here. “Well, mom…it was her business to share.”

I held back my frown.

“It also doesn’t help that he hasn’t returned your calls in two months,” Luke muttered. “No wonder we haven’t met her.”

Ben appeared to shrivel and I couldn’t help but reach out to place a hand over his.

“That’s my fault, I’m afraid. I’m a very…private person and when we first started seeing each other I wasn’t sure if it would go anywhere what with Ben’s job and my internship.” His fist clenched beneath my palm so I let my touch slide away. “To be honest, I hadn’t even realized he’d told you about me until the other day when he mentioned it, but I assure you we were planning on setting up a time to meet soon.”

Luke’s eyes narrowed while Leia nodded in understanding. I wasn’t sure if she believed me so much as she wanted to believe me. But either way I wouldn’t look this gift horse in the mouth.

“I was going to suggest it today,” Ben rumbled. “Dinner soon…if our schedules align.”

I bit the inside of my cheek to stifle my grin. If our schedules align. Leia beamed again and my heart ached a little at the fondness in her expression as she gazed at her son. I wondered what it must have been like to be the focus of someone’s love and affection like that. But I swallowed back the burn in my throat.

“Rey, honey, your order’s ready,” Jyn called.

My chair squeaked as I jumped to my feet. “Well, it was so nice to meet both of you.”

Fuck, well. I supposed Ben knew where I worked if he wanted to keep this going. But I was surprised to see Ben standing as well—not just standing, looming. He towered over me as he pulled my chair back further so I could step out from the table.

“I’ll see you out,” he murmured.

And for some reason, my cheeks blazed as I nodded, waving to Leia and Luke before spinning and making my way toward the counter where Jyn waited with raised brows. I snatched the bag before she could say a word and practically ran toward the door, gulping in a deep lungful of crisp autumn air only for my heart to drop to my knees.

“I am so sor—” I turned to find Ben standing behind me, holding my pastry box in his giant hands.

He shook it a little. “What’s in here?”

“It’s uh… It’s a kouign-amann.”

Ben frowned. “They told me they were out.”

I cleared my throat and took a step closer, pulling one of the ends of the string. “Jyn is a friend so she saved the last one for me. Here.”

When the string fell across his wrists I pulled open the top and offered it to him. I expected him to maybe pull off a piece, but his eyes locked on mine as he slowly lowered his head until we were eye level and he closed his mouth around one corner. Pastry flaked across my fingertips as he pulled back with a hum.

“It’s like a sweet croissant.” Why the hell was my voice so high? “They layer sugar with the butter. It’s…”

“Good,” he rumbled. “Thank you.”

I nodded, plopping the rest of it back in the box. Large fingers brushed mine away, quickly closing the top while I opened the to-go bag and he placed it inside.

“Listen…I’m really sorry,” I started, staring at the sidewalk and the tips of his scuffed black boots. “I heard the way they were speaking to you and remembered what you’d said last night and—”

“Hey, it’s okay.” Warmth curled around me as he took a step closer. “Ki—Rey, look at me.”

When I looked up, it was to find him right in front of me. Ben wasn’t smiling—I had a feeling it wasn’t something he did often—but his expression was…open? An echo of what it had been last night when we’d been in the champagne room and he’d told me he was the one who was usually in control.

“Thank you,” he murmured, his gaze flicking between mine before dropping for a moment to my mouth. “And if you’re okay with it…I’d like us to continue, at least until after the holidays.”

I rolled my lips together. “You aren’t disappointed?”

The corners of his full lips tugged down. “Disappointed, with what?”

A huff slipped out as I gestured vaguely toward myself. Leggings, an oversized NYU sweatshirt, a shabby winter jacket was a far cry from the lace bodysuits and Pleaser Heels he’d seen me in last night.

“Kira is a fantasy, she’s not real. This…” I gestured again. “This is who I am.”

“I know,” he breathed. “I like it.”

My mouth opened, then closed with a snap. “You—you do?”

He nodded as he bit the inside of his cheek. Ben dragged his fingertips across my cheek in a featherlight touch. “I can see your freckles now.”

Heat scalded my cheeks and I tried—and failed—to formulate a response. It was rare I ran into a client outside of the club and almost every single time they didn’t recognize me. Hell, I’d been in a few classes in my life with guys who had regularly gone to the clubs I danced at and never once had they realized who I was.

“So will you help me?”

I rolled my lips together and nodded. “Yes, I’ll help you.”

Ben blew out a relieved breath. “I’ll pay you, of course.”

Ice flooded my veins, eating away all the warmth of a moment ago. I took a step back. “No, no you don’t have to—"

But he waved his hand in a way that distinctly reminded me of his mother and of a tax bracket I’d never be in. “Of course I’ll pay you, Rey. It’s not up for debate.”

Of course. Because to him I was just a dancer at a club—for all he knew I was an escort as well. Which, listen, I respected the hell out of the women who used whatever they could to make a living. There were a few girls at the club I knew who were full service escorts and the money they pulled was mind boggling. But my skin crawled at the thought of accepting his money to pretend to be his girlfriend.

What’s the difference between this and the club? A tiny voice asked in the back of my head.

Everything. His family was involved—his mother who obviously loved and cared about him.

“Rey?” His voice was softer than before.

The corners of my eyes burned and I cleared my throat again, scanning the crowd around us and the darkening sky overhead. Rain. It would be raining soon. And I couldn’t shake the reminder that just for a moment I’d really thought maybe there was more to this than just dancer and client. I’d believed him when he’d said he liked me not Kira.

But if he liked me, Rey, the conservator who drank too much coffee and put ketchup on her eggs, he wouldn’t be offering to pay her to pretend to be his girlfriend.

I took another step back, willing the burn in my eyes to fade. “You know…now that I think about it, the next few weeks are pretty busy for me. I have a presentation due and labs to finish and, well, you know. The club. So you’re probably better off finding someone else.”

Ben shook his head. “No, Rey I want—”

“Maybe someone who isn’t a walking talking stripper stereotype, you know? That way you won’t have to waste your money—you’ve given me enough of it already.”

Before he could respond I turned quickly and darted through the throng of people making their way onto the main road. And I swore the moisture on my cheeks was nothing but the rain starting to fall.