A Night In

[singingdrummer]

 It all started with Ben tugging Meredith onto his lap, lips pressed against hers in a heated kiss. His hands roamed on her figure while his desire for her grew. He had wanted her ever since their first encounter at the bar but Ben never imagined something would actually become of it.

"I want you to know you're not some groupie to me, Meredith. I really want this with you."

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[singingdrummer]

"Trust me, I haven't spoken to them since. I've got new mates now."

Ben didn't hold it against her. He understood why she couldn't stay with him in that moment.

"I don't blame you, Meredith. I messed up.. It was an important wake up call, watching the love of my life walk away."

[highfidelity]

That was the second time he'd said that and both times it made her blush. "You really think that about me?" she said, a little floored. "But we were hardly together."

[singingdrummer]

"It's one of those movie moments.. You spend a short time with someone, and you just know. You know they're the one you want to spend your life with."

He caressed her hand with his thumb as he spoke.

[highfidelity]

"I think that's the most romantic thing anyone's said to me."

She was stunned by it. Stunned enough that she was totally ignoring the pot roast and just staring at him. Trying not to fall into those eyes again but it was hard because she saw the vulnerability there. So different from the last time she'd seen him. He wasn't trying to be charming; he was just being honest and she responded to that.

"I've always wondered what would happen to us," she admitted. "I'm just scared."

[singingdrummer]

"The feelings are here to stay."

He planted a soft kiss on her hand, looking into her eyes. He hadn't meant anything so much as the things he said to her.

"If you're willing to give this idiot a second chance, I'd do better."

[highfidelity]

She nodded slightly. "I'd like that," she admitted perhaps against her better judgment. "Just...this is going to be hard for me. I didn't just blame you for what happened, I blamed myself. Thinking I was missing something...wondering what I could have done to make you stay."

[singingdrummer]

"You were perfect. There's no excuse for what I did to you.. I won't push you, Meredith."

He thought back to the first time they met, how she caught his interest right away.

[highfidelity]

"You could never, Ben." She shook her head slightly. "I spent the night with you because I wanted to. I wanted to have that with you before you left. You didn't push me into it."

A soft chuckle.

"Although it still wasn't at all what I pictured."

[singingdrummer]

"I mean right now.."

Ben smiled at the memory of that night. He was sure neither of them expected it to get so heated so quickly.

"I remember. I have no regrets."

[highfidelity]

"You still have that place?" she asked, curious now. It would always be special to her, but she wouldn't blame him if he'd let that go along with everything else in his life.

"And you can stay here as long as you need. I know it's not much, but if you can deal with me living practically on top of you."

[singingdrummer]

"I've still got it. There's no way I'd let that place go, especially after what happened there. It's special."

The opportunity for a smartass joke presented itself and Ben simply couldn't resist.

"You know I won't complain."

[highfidelity]

She laughed despite herself at that one. "You never got to see me on top of you," she retorted. "But stay here till you get back on your feet. Figure out what comes next for you. I've got work, mostly so I'll be in and out, but the place is yours."

[singingdrummer]

"Sadly not. That's one of my biggest regrets."

Ben winked at her. There's no harm in a little flirting, especially with the second chance he'd been offered.

"I'll do something related to music.. I'm in between things now."

[highfidelity]

She chuckled softly. "It might be a while before you see that," she admitted. "What happened between us really hurt my self-confidence. I'm just very nervous about being touched again."

Meredith had thought she fumbled through it the first time and then after what happened it was hard to feel sexy right now.

"You look good though," she encouraged. "I like this look on you."

[singingdrummer]

Ben frowned. "I'm sorry. That was never my intention.."

The guilt grew tenfold at the knowledge that he'd managed to hurt her self-confidence, too.

"Yeah.. There's only so many years a guy can wear eyeliner and pull it off. Not to mention the fringe."

[highfidelity]

"I don't know, I kind of liked trying to fix it and how much that annoyed you."

Meredith laughed softly. She liked things very orderly and couldn't keep her hands off his hair, which was usually good for playful irritation on his part.

"You don't need the makeup. You never did," she encouraged. "I've always thought you were handsome without it."

[singingdrummer]

"That was obvious."

Ben laughed, too. He should've hired her as his hairstylist with how well she kept his fringe in check.

"Why thank you. You know how to boost a man's ego."

[highfidelity]

"I'm just telling you the truth," she said. "You never needed to be anyone other than yourself. That's what won me over, not all the other nonsense."

[singingdrummer]

"It's too easy to slip into that whole facade when you're in a band."

Ben flashed her a gentle smile, thinking to himself how beautiful she looked from the first moment he saw her.

[highfidelity]

"And that's why my father told me I should never date someone in a band." She chuckled. "He turned out to be right, in a way."

She finished with dinner and stood to carry her plate to the kitchen. She'd let him take his time while she did the dishes.

"I'll have to get you a key. Otherwise you'll be stuck when I leave for work tomorrow."

[singingdrummer]

"Good idea, yeah. Most likely I'll head out and meet up with some people. Need to get my solo career going."

He finished his dinner soon after, sitting back to take a look around.

"Any new bands for you to write about?"

[highfidelity]

"There's always new bands. Everyone wants to start a band," she said with a chuckle. "It's whether or not they last that you have to worry about."

He'd probably have seen her column anyway. She hadn't stopped writing over the last few months, not if she wanted to keep her job. She came back to the table to fetch his plate and finish washing up.

"Just like every girl between 18 and 25 wants to be a singer."

Not unlike her, back then.

[singingdrummer]

"Yeah. We'll see how long Swipe lasts.. The way they were going when I still drummed for them, it's not looking too good."

He did follow her work. That, and the thought of coming back to her, kept him going through his recovery.

"Is there any chance you could sing to me sometime?"

[highfidelity]

The question caught Meredith off guard.

"I haven't done that in a long time," she said as she finished cleaning up and came back to the table. "It's really not that great."

[singingdrummer]

"Didn't mean to put you on the spot. I'm just curious after reading those brilliant lyrics of yours."

He glanced towards the guitar again. In his mind he could see performing together with her someday.