“Bennn . . .”

My cock responded to her husky voice, a warm droplet of fluid leaking from the tip.

When I felt her clench around my finger and begin to tremble I removed my hand and pressed both against the wall behind her, caging her in.

“Ben?” She was breathless. “I was about to . . .”

“I know.”

Her brows drew together. “Why’d you stop?”

It was a manipulative-asshole move but I needed her to understand our relationship was deeper than a quick romp against the wall in my entryway. Emmy needed to see that. And if she didn’t, I would show her. “Stay the night with me. I’ll happily finish this in my bed with you undressed beneath me.”

Her expression changed from one of passionate desire to confusion in a heartbeat’s time. “You’re denying my orgasm to con me into staying with you?”

“No, baby. Of course not.” My voice turned sweet, soft, and I stroked her cheek with my knuckle. “I want to give you everything and more. You just have to let me.”

She blinked up at me, thinking it over. Determination blazed in her eyes and her teeth sunk into her bottom lip. Emmy gripped my right wrist and brought my fingers into the warm cavern of her mouth, surprising me. She swirled her tongue and sucked at them in a way that had all my attention.

Then she slid my fingers from her mouth and lowered my hand to her still damp sex. Her little nub was swollen and distended and I knew she needed release, but I wouldn’t have imagined she’d demand it this way—to use my own fingers against me. But that was exactly what she was doing. I let my hand go limp, allowing her to move it as she wished. She pressed my fingers against her clit, rubbing the pads of my fingers in slow circles that quickly increased in pace as her body responded.

Tiny whimpers fell from her lips and her pelvis rocked forward in time with my hand’s movement.

As much as I’d wanted to prove a point between us tonight, I was powerless to remove my hand from her grip. Watching Emmy get herself off was insanely fucking hot. Her chest rose and fell with her quick inhalations until suddenly she sucked in a breath and held it, coming on my hand. I pushed two fingers inside her clenching sex muscles. She released a low moan, her body going limp as her orgasm subsided. I had never wanted to fuck her more, seeing this version of Emmy—confident, in control, and so sexual. It was maddening. I held her in place while little tremors pulsed through her limp body.

Once the aftershocks subsided she released a contented sigh and pulled her pants back into place and fastened them. “Don’t play games with me or try to deny me.” Her voice was surprisingly composed. She pressed a chaste kiss to my lips.

I stood there dumbfounded, wondering what this sexual creature had done with my sweet, eager-to-please southern belle.

She reached out and gave my erection a gentle squeeze. “Good night.”

I watched her walk out the door, the sway in her hips confident, almost cocky.

I dropped my head, rubbing a hand over the back of my neck. Her torn panties lay on the floor at my feet. Like Cinderella leaving a slipper behind, the scrap of lace was my only evidence she’d been here at all.

Unable to process what had just happened between us, I retreated to my room, falling heavily back onto the bed. I was still rock hard and turned on, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to think clearly until that was attended to.

Freeing myself from the confines of my pants, I stroked my dick in fast, uneven strokes until I came. Milky white fluid spilled onto my clenched abdominals in a matter of minutes.

The score was Emmy one, Ben zero. I needed to change that. Laying there breathless and confused, an idea struck me. A solution to all this. It looked like I’d be paying a visit to her roommate Ellie tomorrow to settle a few things.

8

Ben

When I arrived in Queens that morning a quick check of the clock told me that Emmy should be at the library for her seminar. I pressed the button for their intercom, hoping her roommate was home.

“Yeah?” Ellie said a moment later.

“Hey, it’s Ben. Can I come up for a minute?”

“Um, Emmy’s not home.”

“I know. I wanted to talk to you alone, actually.”

“Oh.” Her confusion was evident in her tone, even through the scratchy intercom speaker. “Okay. Come on up. I’ll buzz you in.”

I took the stairs to apartment 4B. The aroma of various international cuisines hit my nostrils inside the building, along with the smell of damp, sour laundry from the first-floor laundry room.

When I reached their unit Ellie was standing in the doorway waiting for me. “Well, look who it is . . . the man, the legend, Mr. Ben Shaw.” She smiled sarcastically. “What brings you by?”

“I was hoping we could talk about a few things concerning Emmy.”

“Sure.” She waved me inside after her and closed the door. “You want anything to drink?”

“I’m fine, thank you.” We headed toward the one small sofa dominating their living room and sat down.

“So . . .” Ellie cocked her head, waiting for me to explain my presence here.

“I’d like Emmy to move in with me. I know she’s worried about finding a job and paying rent here. She could work for me and live with me to take care of both problems.”

“That’s a bit sudden, don’t you think?”

I shrugged. “Not when I know we belong together. I don’t take this lightly. I’ve never lived with a woman; I’ve never even considered it. Emmy has challenged everything I thought I knew about relationships. I want this. And it has nothing to do with her being late on her rent, either.”

Ellie’s expression softened. “Why are you telling this to me and not her?”

“Because I know her and how determined she is to make her own way. She might require some convincing, a gentle nudge in the right direction.”

“You want me to help you convince Emmy to move in with you and what, be your personal sex slave?” She raised her brows, taunting me. “Sounds like a demanding position.”

“No. I’d like her to be my assistant. And yes, when I talk to her about all this I assume she’ll ask your opinion. I was hoping you’d see things my way.”

Ellie looked skeptical.

“I’ve also taken the liberty of hiring a roommate-finding service for you. They advertise the room opening, interview applicants for you, and complete background checks on potential tenants. You would have your rent covered here.”

Her eyes lit up and locked on mine. I could tell I’d just hit on a key point. I’d known that Ellie was working overtime to cover both shares of their rent. And now that I was paying attention, I noticed her skin was pale and dark circles underscored her eyes. She looked worn out.

“If she brings it up to me, I’ll talk to her. But I’m not going to convince her to do something she doesn’t want to do.”

I nodded. “Okay. I understand.” I wasn’t going to force Emmy into this arrangement, either. But if she worked for me, she’d be free to join me in Fiji and any other place I was working. I needed her with me. Plain and simple. And Emmy had immensely enjoyed her travels in Paris and Milan. This would be a chance for her to see the world.

I rose to leave, wanting to be gone by the time Emmy arrived home. “Thanks, Ells.”

“Ells. I like that.” She patted the top of my head like a dog. “Maybe you’re not such a bad guy after all.”

I chuckled as I exited the apartment. Maybe one day I’d win her over.


Emmy

I was exhausted when I arrived home. I wanted out of the dress clothes and to slip into a warm bath. I’d fought the cold winter air blasting through New York and the subway system all for nothing. The seminar I’d attended was a complete waste of time. More than fifty of us sat in the audience, eager for practical advice and actual job leads while an ancient librarian talked about proper formatting of a résumé and how to use computers to apply for jobs online. I was a little more advanced than step-by-step instructions for attaching my résumé to an email.

Ellie was all smiles when I found her in the living room. “How’d it go?”

“Exhausting. I’m going to take a bath.”

“Did you hear from Ben today?”

“No. Why?”

She shook her head. “No reason.”

That was strange. I shrugged it off and headed into the bathroom to fill the tub. I considered pouring myself a glass of wine and bringing it into the bath with me, but seeing that it was only two in the afternoon I decided against it. It wasn’t a habit I wanted to start.

After my bath I lounged on my bed with my laptop and was surprised to see an email from Ben pop into my inbox.

From: Ben Shaw

To: Emerson Clarke

Subject: Hot Assistant

Date: November 12th 4:37 p.m.

To Whom it May Concern:

I am hoping that you can point me in the right direction. You see, I’m in desperate need of a hot and sexy assistant. The girl I’m looking for is about five feet three inches tall, has long brown hair, pretty gray eyes, a sassy mouth, and the most adorable southern accent. She’s also a food pusher. Know of anyone that fits this description? I’m willing to pay handsomely to have her at my service.

Yours,

Bennn . . .

I read the email twice wondering if it was some kind of joke. I picked up my phone and called him.

“Hi, baby.” The deep tone of his sexy voice still affected me. My heart kicked up a notch at the way the nickname rolled off his tongue.

“Hi. I was just reading your email.”