After all the body treatments were done, the painful part began. She said the couple days’ worth of stubble on my legs was the perfect length for waxing, and so I got full legs and a Brazilian bikini wax. I was pretty confident the latter hurt worse than childbirth, but the result was so pretty and smooth. After a manicure and pedicure I headed back to our hotel room. Ben was still gone so I ordered us lunch from room service and fell back onto the bed to rest. Was this really my life? Because a girl could get used to his.

* * *

I squirmed on the bed, trying to get farther away from Ben’s reach. When he’d returned we’d eaten lunch, showered, and crawled into bed, still naked and damp, to cuddle.

“Don’t.” I tugged the sheet up higher around my waist to shield my lady parts, never mind the fact my breasts were bare.

“Let me see.” Ben smiled, his eyes playful on mine. He’d seemed amused when we showered, wanting to look at the Brazilian bikini wax that left me completely smooth and bare. “I need to inspect their work. Make sure you got the full-service package.” He gripped the sheet and tugged it away as I opened my hands, letting it slip down. Ben’s gaze left mine and traveled slowly downward.

I pushed my thighs together. “Stop looking at it. It’s awkward.”

Ben pressed my knees apart. “Look at yourself, baby. You’re beautiful.” His fingertip lightly stroked my inner thigh and little chill bumps erupted along my skin. “Has no one ever told you how pretty your pussy is?”

My cheeks erupted in heat. I shook my head. Sex in the dark, under the covers, was my norm before he came along.

“It’s like a little pink flower . . . look.” I dared a glance downward. His thumbs parted my inner lips, the gentle touch both highly erotic and innocent. A throaty breath escaped me and Ben’s gaze found mine. “See, you’re perfect down there.”

“If you say so,” I murmured.

“Don’t you like looking at me?”

I nodded eagerly.

A slow smile crept over his mouth. “Good to know. Well, that’s how I feel about looking at you. You turn me on so much, baby.”

Glancing down, it was impossible not to notice the rather large bulge at his hips where the sheet tented outward.

It didn’t seem to be possible for us to go more than a few hours without sex. I kept waiting for that part of our relationship to cool, but that hadn’t happened yet. He was sexy as hell and my body craved him. I wasn’t about to deny it.

12

Emmy

I woke to Ben trailing soft sucking kisses against the back of my neck. I was still fitted against him, just how we’d curled up the night before, cradled in his arms. Except now the evidence of his arousal was pressing against me. It was hard to miss a nine-inch cock nestled against the seam of my ass. I pressed back against him, eliciting a low moan. “Baby, you can’t do that.” His tone was a warning, his voice deep and sleepy. Ben laid several more damp kisses along the side of my throat as I turned my head, my mouth seeking his. I squirmed against him, rocking my hips and dragging my backside over his cock. “Fuck,” he murmured. “Misbehaving early this morning, Miss Clarke.”

“I think you secretly like it,” I taunted, rolling toward his scent and his gravelly voice. He was so incredibly sexy that I couldn’t resist the temptation of his body primed and ready so close to mine.

We lay side by side and one of his large palms cupped my cheek while his other hand moved between us, feeling me as though testing how wet I was.

“Shit, baby. You’re soaked.”

Blood rushed to my cheeks. I dipped my head, but eyes leaving his, suddenly feeling self-conscious about my body’s overly obvious reactions to him.

“Hey. I love that. It’s a big fucking turn-on.” He pressed one long finger into me and I let out a needy whimper.

“Do you need to come?”

“Bennn . . .” I rocked my hips closer.

“Shh. I’ll make it better.” Ben lifted me from the bed, momentarily stopping his delicious torture to remove the T-shirt I wore.

His fingertips traced the curves of my breasts, while his other palm lightly cupped my other breast. His touches were so soft, so careful, I could tell he was holding back. He was trying not to rush me, take me hard like he did up against the shower wall last night. His hands trembled ever so slightly and I could feel how badly he wanted me. It was intoxicating. His thumbs brushed against my nipples and they tightened against his touch.

Pressing damp kisses to my throat, his tongue darted out to press against the spot in my neck where my pulse was thrumming wildly. He worked his way lower, licking and nibbling on my nipples. His fingers lightly curled around my ribs, holding me close.

His tongue lightly traced around my nipple, sending sharp darts of pleasure to my core. His teeth grazed my hardened nub and I felt the sensation deep inside my body as my sex clenched. My heartbeat pumped violently in my chest.

Situating me across his lap so I was straddling him, he pushed his boxer briefs down low on his hips and stroked himself twice. “You ready for me, babe?”

Locking my gaze on his, I drew a shuddering breath. I had him at my disposal day and night, and it still wasn’t enough. The more I got of him, the more I craved of him. The deeper I began to understand him, the more I wanted to know. The closer we got physically, the more of myself I wanted to give to him.

Positioning himself against me, Ben pushed inside me, his big cock stretching me and stealing my breath from this angle. Sensations burst inside me and my head dropped back, exposing my neck to his kisses.

“Fuck, you’re so perfect,” he growled against my skin. I could do little more than hang on to his shoulders while Ben pumped into me. “Hold on tight.” I wrapped my arms around his neck and clung to him. Ben’s hands moved under my ass and pushed me up and down harder on him. The pleasure built inside me with each stroke, and after a few more blissful moments I came, clawing his back and digging my heels into the bed as I moved against him.

His fingers dug into the soft flesh of my hips and he clung to me, burying himself fully within me as he came.

We collapsed together back to the bed, each of our hearts pounding and both of us breathing audibly in the otherwise silent room. I didn’t know how it was possible but every time with him seemed to get better and better.

After he’d cleaned us up and dressed me once again in my T-shirt, I tugged him back to the bed to lay with me again. I wasn’t quite ready to get up for the day yet. He pressed his face into the crook of my neck.

“I like this spot,” he mumbled against my skin.

He could stay there forever for all I cared.

Turning to face me, Ben tucked a strand of loose hair behind my ear. His expression was watchful, almost concerned, like he had something on his mind.


Ben

She was gorgeous like this. Unaware of her own beauty, her skin glowing and pink from her orgasm. I tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and she let out a soft, contented sigh. “I want to take you somewhere, be alone with you for a few days.”

“Okay.” Her eyes danced on mine.

“Great, because I’ve chartered a plane to fly us to a neighboring island. We’ll spend the rest of our trip at an exclusive resort on a private island. Just us.”

Her mouth blossomed into a wide grin, and I could read her expression as plain as day. No Fiona. No photographer. No ex-girlfriends to distract us. We’d be utterly alone. “What about work?” she asked. “Will there be an Internet connection so I can at least check on upcoming jobs for you?”

“No need to work. I’ve already let Fiona know I was taking you away. With the holidays coming up, this also tends to be my slow time of year anyway. It’ll just be another week. Ten days tops.” I grinned.

“I’d love to stay. I’ll just have to let Ellie know I won’t be home.”

I pressed a kiss to her mouth. “Good. Let’s have brunch; I’ll have the hotel staff pack our bags. Our flight leaves in an hour.”

“Wow. Honestly, I can pack my own bag.”

“You’re awfully bossy for an assistant. Come on. I’m hungry. And I’m craving those mango pancakes they have downstairs.”

She chuckled and flung the blankets from her legs. “Fine. Let’s feed you.”

That was my girl. The food pusher I knew and loved. She couldn’t resist the opportunity to take care of me or feed me, and I loved that about her.

13

Emmy

After breakfast we spotted Fiona on our way to the car. The bellhop following us with bags in tow caught her attention. “Headed out?” she asked, stopping in front of Ben.

“Yes, I emailed you,” he said. “I’m taking Emmy away for a private getaway before we head home.”

I braced myself, watching her reaction.

A fake smile tugged at her mouth. “Okay, love. Go enjoy yourself now before the baby comes. You deserve it. Things are about to get busy.” She laughed and hugged Ben, pressing her baby bump into his abs.

Ben said nothing to disagree; he just nodded and brought one hand around her back and gave it a careful pat.

I wanted him to claw her eyes out, not comfort her.

An acidic taste filled my mouth at the thought of him leaning over Fiona’s hospital bed to coo over her gorgeous little baby, inspecting it for signs that it looked like him.

He’s promised me he didn’t want her—that we’d still be together no matter what happened with the baby. But I wondered if that’d change once he saw her mothering his child. And if he had no interest in her romantically, could I handle him playing the doting dad to her baby. God, I sounded selfish. I was jealous of a baby. How pathetic was I?