Worth the wait

Chapter Thirteen.

Charlotte started to stir. Feeling stiff and achy she realised she wasn't in bed. Opening her eyes and carefully lifting her head, she saw a sleeping Ben beneath her, they were sprawled out in the corner of her sofa. His right arm draped over her back and hip. She noticed the tv was on a news channel but the sound was so low she could barely hear it.

Looking at the clock and seeing that it was a little after six in the morning, she decided to get up and bring Rosie's birthday presents out of their hiding places, then start on breakfast. Knowing her daughter she would be up soon as it was her birthday.

She carefully and gently tried to get up without waking Ben but his arm tightened around her, causing her to stop in her tracks.

"Five more minutes babe. Please." He mumbled a sleepy plea as his right hand moved to rest in her hair and his left came up to rest on her waist. Completely cocooning her.

Looking up at his sleeping face she smiled. She lifted her hand and gently placed it to his cheek.

"Ben." She whispered. Tightening his arm around her a little more. "Ben." She said again a little louder and she moved some of his hair that had stuck to his forehead.

His eyes started to flutter open, they quickly darted around to get his barings. That's when he realised someone's weight on him, a hand was stroking his hair and his left hand was on warm, supple flesh that didn't belong to him. He looked down and was greeted with beautiful blue eyes and a warm smile. Thinking to himself he could get use to waking up to such a view, he shook the last of the sleepy fog from his head.

"Morning." She smiled at him.

"Sorry." He said quietly as he removed his arm from around her waist. He went to move from underneath her and went to stand up but Charlotte quickly sat up and took hold of his hand to stop him.

"Its ok babe." She mocked with a smirk, getting an eye roll in return. "Thank you." He looked at with a slight frown. "For staying."

"Fell asleep watching the news didn't I." He smirked. "You said you didn't want to be on you own and after that message, I wouldn't have felt comfortable leaving you." He shrugged as he brought up a hand to tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Placing it on her face and stroking her cheek with his thumb, his eyes fluttering down to her lips and back up to her eyes, as though seeking permission to finish what he started the day before. Seeing her looking him in the eye was all he needed and slowly started to lower his mouth to hers.

"Mum! It's my birthday!" Was heard from upstairs, causing them to both sigh and him to pull away from her once again.

"I should go home. Got a few things to do before I head to dads for the bbq." He whispered.

"Oh, ermm ok." She says trying to hide her disappointment and moved away from him.

"Lott" He whispered

"Mum?" Rosie shouted down wondering where her mum was.

"I'm down here sweetie." She called back and heard running down the stairs. Ben stood from the sofa as the birthday girl ran in the room.

"It's my birthday!" She squealed.

"Happy Birthday!" The pair said together.

"Ben! Did you come to have birthday waffles with us?" She asked as she bounded over towards them and hugged her mum.

"He was just leaving sweetie but you'll see him at Will's house when we go later on." Charlotte forced a smile as she stood.

"Oh." The little girl sighed looking disappointed. "Mum makes the best waffles though! You should stay! You can come to Papa Will's with us too, if you want! Mum won't mind. Will you mum?"